- 0
Shares
- UpdatedOct 18, 2026 at 7:27am
GettyAVONDALE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 17: William Byron, driver of the #24 Axalta Chevrolet, and Ryan Preece, driver of the #60 Fry’s/Cottonelle Ford, drive during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway on October 17, 2026 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, October 18, for the Freeway Insurance 500, as the Chase for the championship enters another key stage. The race begins at 3 p.m. ET, with live coverage on USA Network and streaming on HBO Max.
Ryan Blaney will lead the field to the green flag after securing pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session. The Team Penske driver posted a 26.250-second lap at 137.143 mph to beat teammate Joey Logano by 0.032 seconds.
The 312-lap race covers 312 miles at the one-mile Arizona oval. As the season approaches its final weeks, Sunday’s event gives drivers another chance to earn valuable points in the championship battle.
How to Watch NASCAR Cup Series Race Today at Phoenix Raceway
The Freeway Insurance 500 begins at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 18. USA Network will carry the live broadcast, while HBO Max offers streaming for viewers who want to watch online. Pre-race coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90, will provide radio coverage for fans following the action away from their televisions.
Blaney starts from the pole, with Logano alongside him on the front row. Chase Briscoe qualified third, followed by Denny Hamlin in fourth and Christopher Bell in fifth. All five top qualifiers are among the drivers chasing the championship lead.
Kyle Larson, who leads the Chase standings, faces a tougher start. The Hendrick Motorsports driver qualified 22nd after struggling with his car’s balance during Saturday’s session.
Blaney enters the race fifth in the standings, 85 points behind Larson. Logano sits sixth, 92 points off the lead. Hamlin, Bell and Briscoe also remain among the leading championship contenders.
Sunday’s race is the seventh event in the 10-race Chase and the 33rd points-paying race of the 2026 season. Phoenix is no longer the site of the Cup Series championship finale, which moves to Homestead-Miami Speedway this year.
Blaney will also look to build on his recent success at Phoenix as he pursues a third consecutive victory at the track.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race Results at Phoenix Raceway
The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series won’t race on Sunday. The Timberland PRO 200 took place Saturday night, with Jesse Love winning after a strong performance.
Love led 156 of the 200 laps and swept all three stages before holding off Sam Mayer by 0.128 seconds at the finish. Justin Allgaier finished third, while Corey Day and Sammy Smith completed the top five.
The victory strengthened Love’s position in the championship race. He now leads Allgaier by 36 points, with Day 39 points back.
Fans who missed Saturday’s event should check official NASCAR and broadcast listings for replay availability. The series moves on from Phoenix after another important Chase race.
NASCAR Truck Series Race Results at Phoenix Raceway
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series also completed its Phoenix race before Sunday’s Cup Series event. Kaden Honeycutt won Friday night’s Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 Powered by POET at Phoenix Raceway.
Driving the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota, Honeycutt took control during the final stage and led the last 53 laps. He crossed the finish line 1.556 seconds ahead of Christian Eckes to earn his fourth victory of the 2026 season.
Layne Riggs finished third, while Ty Majeski took fourth. Honeycutt’s win increased his championship advantage over Riggs to 39 points with three races remaining in the Truck Series season.
The Truck Series won’t return to Phoenix for a Sunday race. Its next event is scheduled for Friday, October 23, at Talladega Superspeedway.
With both support-series races completed, the focus now turns to the Cup Series and Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500. Fans can follow the action from 3 p.m. ET on USA Network or stream it through HBO Max.
