NASCAR Playoffs come down to Final Four Sunday

NASCAR Playoffs 2024: Will we see a new champion?

Two drivers looking for their first-ever Cup Championship, one looking to repeat and another trying to move his name up in the record books will battle for the NASCAR title Sunday, 3 p.m. at the Phoenix Raceway. Last Sunday’s dramatic finish in Martinsville set the stage for this Sunday’s NASCAR Playoffs Final Four.

Defending champ Ryan Blaney, two-time champ Joey Logano and newcomers to the finals, Tyler Reddick and William Byron, will race for the title.

Logano and Blaney both race for Team Penske and are also the last two champions. Penske is trying to pull off a three-peat with one or the other.  

It Is Difficult To Navigate the NASCAR Playoffs

“It is so hard to win at this level, even one race,” Team Penske vice chairman Walt Czarnecki told NASCAR.com. “So, to put yourself in a position and have a team that’s in a position to be back-to-back champion — and in our case, three championships in a row — is quite extraordinary.

“But again, it’s a testimony to the people. It would mean a lot to us personally, and it would mean a lot to the sport.”

Here’s a look for Rant Sports at each of the four drivers, how they got here and how they have done at Phoenix. 

NASCAR PLAYOFFS FINAL FOUR

Tyler Reddick, 23XI, Toyota:

For the season the 28-year old California native had three wins, 12 top 5s and 20 top 10s. Reddick claims Talladega as one of his three wins and made it to this first Final Four by winning at Homestead. The five-year veteran has never won at Phoenix, but in nine races there has two top 5s and five top 10s.

William Byron, Hendrick, Chevy:

The youngest driver in the field of eight, the 26-year-old Byron made it here by edging out Christopher Bell on points. He opened the season with a win in the Daytona 500 and has three wins and 20 top 10s for the season. In 13 races at Phoenix, Byron has a win, two top 5s and seven top 10s. The Charlotte native, in his seventh year on the circuit, is looking for his first title.  

Ryan Blaney, Penske, Ford (defending champion):

Last year’s NASCAR Playoffs champ is looking to be the first driver to repeat since Jimmie Johnson won five straight Cup Championships from 2006-2010. The Ohio native, in his ninth year, won Martinsville last week to get to the Final Four. For the season the 30-year-old racked up three wins, 11 top 5s and 17 top 10s. As far as Phoenix goes, he’s never won there, but in 17 races he has nine top 5s and 12 top 10 finishes.  

Joey Logano, Penske, Ford:

The only two-time champ (2018, 2022) in the field, Logano took advantage of the break he got when Bowman was disqualified in the final race of the Final Eight. He then promptly won in Las Vegas to qualify for the Final Four. For the season he had three wins, six top 5s and 12 top 10s. He’s also won three times in Phoenix to go with eight top 5s and 15 top 10s in 31 races.

The 34-year-old Logano is trying for his third title. Only Jimmie Johnson (7), Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jeff Gordon (4) would have more than the Connecticut native.