William Byron, Daniel Suárez and Kyle Larson each have wins so far this NASCAR Cup Series season, and fans will get to see whether Phoenix Raceway will yield another new victor on Sunday.
Phoenix Raceway will be the site of the Shriners Children’s 500. It will be the first of two races held at the Avondale, Arizona, track. The other will take place for the NASCAR Championship later this year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
William Byron, driver of the #24 Valvoline Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series United Rentals Work United 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 12, 2023 in Avondale, Arizona. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Byron, who won the Daytona 500 last month, enters the race as the defending champion. He held off Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Larson and Kevin Harvick for the win and was in first at the end of Stage 1. Larson was the leader at the end of Stage 2, as Byron was right behind him.
Larson and Reddick may have some momentum going into the race. The No 5 driver finished in first place at Las Vegas last weekend with Reddick behind him. Reddick could not catch up to the Hendrick Motorsports star in the closing laps and had to settle for second place.
Larson is entering the race as the leader in the drivers’ standings. Blaney is eight points behind him.
Chase Briscoe won the race in 2022 with Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano before that. The March Phoenix race has not seen consecutive winners since Harvick won three-in-row from 2014 to 2016.
KYLE LARSON HOLDS OFF TYLER REDDICK AT LAS VEGAS FOR 1ST WIN OF SEASON
Owen Larson, the son of race winner Kyle Larson, #5 HendrickCars.com Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, climbs on top of his father’s race car following the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. (Will Lester/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It could be anyone’s race once the drivers are given the command to “start your engines.”
Weather
There should be a clear forecast in Avondale, according to FOX Weather. The high for Sunday is expected to be around 80 degrees.
Track facts
Phoenix Raceway is a dogleg oval. The start-finish straightaway and the backstretch have 3-degree banking with the dogleg banking at between 10 and 11 degrees. The straightaway from dogleg to Turn 1 banks at 10 degrees, and Turn 2 is 8-9 degrees. Turns 3 and 4 bank at 10-11 degrees.
The length of the track is 1 mile.
Kyle Larson, #5 HendrickCars.com Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, completes a lap during the NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on March 3, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. (Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
How to watch
The Shriners Children’s 500 begins at 3:30 p.m. NASCAR fans can watch on FOX.
