CONCORD, N.C. - A season worth of time and effort has all led to this.
On Sunday afternoon, Hendrick Motorsports will aim to win a 15th NASCAR Cup Series championship in their 40th anniversary season. The driver in the hunt? None other than William Byron, who could be the first Cup Series champion driving the iconic No. 24 entry since Jeff Gordon won his fourth title in 2001.
RELATED: Driver averages: Phoenix
As a group, Rick Hendrick's team has dominated Phoenix Raceway, claiming 13 victories. Hendrick Motorsports also leads the way in poles (15), top-10 finishes (102), top fives (102) and laps led (3,530).
Also looking to finish 2024 on a high note will be Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. Heading into the final race of the season, all four drivers sit inside the top eight spots in the points standings.
Where is NASCAR this weekend?
The Cup Series will race at Phoenix this Sunday.
What time is the NASCAR race this weekend?
The championship race will begin at 3 p.m. ET.
NASCAR on TV this week
Friday, November 8
6:05 p.m. ET: Practice - USA Network
Saturday, November 9
5:05 p.m. ET: Qualifying - USA Network
Larson, Byron and Bowman will be in Group A while Elliott will be in Group B. All cars will take to the track for a 50-minute practice session on Friday evening.
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Sunday, November 10
3 p.m. ET: Cup Series main event - NBC
NASCAR playoff standings - championship race
Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney and Byron all have an equal shot to win the championship on Sunday.
STAGES
STAGE 1: LAP 60
STAGE 2: LAP 185
END OF RACE: LAP 312
Will the NASCAR race be on the radio?
Yes, listeners can find the race on MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
Where can I stream NASCAR online?
Download the NBC Sports App for online coverage. Fans can also keep up with the action on X by following @TeamHendrick.
Phoenix driver averages, statistics for Hendrick Motorsports
Data provided by Racing Insights
Larson, No. 5 team
While not a part of the Championship 4, do not count Larson out of the hunt for victory lane. The team leads the Cup Series in wins (6), stage victories (12) and laps led (1,687). In the Next Gen era, Larson has also paced the field for 203 laps, the second most of any driver in the Cup Series. Overall in his career, Phoenix has been a solid track for Larson with eight top-five results and 12 top-10 finishes. He'll aim to end the '24 season on a high note with a trip to victory lane.
Elliott, No. 9 team
Although Elliott and the No. 9 team came up just short at Martinsville Speedway, the group has shown excellent pace the last two weekends. In Florida, he led for 81 laps. The following weekend? 129 circuits out front. Elliott will look to continue this trend at a track where he has already found victory lane once, taking the race win and the championship in 2020.
Byron, No. 24 team
Byron has spent 1,058 laps inside the top five at Phoenix in the Next Gen era, the most of any Cup Series driver. He's also won the opening segment in three of the last five Phoenix races, claiming pole position for last year's title race. In terms of recent performance, consistency has brought the No. 24 group to this point. In the last six races, Byron's worst result is sixth. As the last title contender for Hendrick Motorsports, he'll aim to be at the front of the pack and capture his first championship at the sport's highest level.
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Bowman, No. 48 team
Entering his home track of Phoenix this weekend, Bowman has scored a career tying eight top-five finishes and a career best 17 top-10 results in 2024. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Racing Chevrolet's efforts put him ninth on the list for most laps run inside the top 10 this season. As for the desert, Bowman has paced the field for 196 laps in his career at Phoenix and will aim to win for the first time at the 1-mile track this Sunday.
Hendrick Motorsports
A Byron championship on Sunday would be the sixth driver to win a title for Hendrick Motorsports. It would also be the first championship in the Next Gen era for the group. As a team, a Hendrick Motorsports driver has won at least one stage in four of the last six Phoenix races. With a solid performance this weekend, it could be a 15th title to close out the team's 40th anniversary season.
Make sure to catch the race on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.