Christopher Bell will be favored to make NASCAR history Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
After winning on the 1-mile oval a year ago, Bell will try to defend his victory and become the first driver to win three consecutive races in the Next Gen era.
The No. 20 Toyota has been in victory lane the past two weeks at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Circuit of the Americas.
Sunday’s race also will mark the return of the prime and option tires most recently used at Richmond Raceway last August.
Four-time IMSA winner Katherine Legge will be making her NASCAR Cup debut with Live Fast Motorsports.
Legge, who has started the past two Indy 500s and seven IndyCar oval races last year, will become the first woman to race the Next Gen car and the first female driver in NASCAR’s premier series since Danica Patrick in 2018.
Details for Sunday’s Cup race at Phoenix Raceway
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given by Grayson, Shriners Children’s International Patient Ambassador, at 3:32 p.m. ... The green flag is scheduled to wave at 3:41 p.m.
PRERACE: The Cup garage opens at 12:30 p.m. ... The drivers meeting will begin at 2:30 p.m. ... Driver introductions will be at 2:55 p.m. ... The invocation will be given at 3:24 p.m. ... The anthem will be performed by Nayo Jones at 3:25 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 312 laps (312 miles) on a 1-mile oval.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 60. Stage 2 ends at Lap 185.
ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 37 cars entered
TV/RADIO: FS1 will begin its race broadcast at 3:30 p.m. Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage.
FORECAST: Weather Underground — Sunny with a high of 76 degrees and a 0% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.
LAST YEAR: Christopher Bell led the final 41 laps for Toyota’s first victory at Phoenix in the Next Gen era.
