AVONDELE, Ariz.: Kyle Larson was NASCAR’s best of four title contenders in final practice on Friday before the championship was decided in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Among the four finalists Larsson turned in a top speed of 135.293 mph and was the second fastest overall in a No. 5 Chevrolet at 131.935 in a 10-lap average. Larsson also set the fastest five-lap average.
Sunday’s championship performance at Mile Track comes down to Hendrick Motorsports vs Joe Gibbs Racing. Larson and current Cup champion Chase represent Elliot Hendrix, the team with the most wins in NASCAR history. Martin Truex Jr. and Hamlin represent JGR.
Elliott was fifth with a top lap of 135.019, Hamlin eighth with 134.118 and Truex 18th with 133.427. Elliott was just behind Larsen for a best 10-lap average at 131.776.
The starting order for the championship race will be decided in Saturday’s qualifying session.
Elliott’s victory in Phoenix a year earlier had won NASCAR’s most popular driver’s first Career Cup championship. Truex was the 2017 champion, while Hamlin and Larsen are on the hunt for their first Cup title. Truex won the Spring Phoenix Race.
Hamlin has lost the last three championship battles. Hamlin led the cup standings for 22 consecutive weeks but lost the regular season championship to Larsen in the final three weeks.
Larsson returned from suspension last season for using racial slurs and won a series-high nine races. He had only six career victories in his last six full seasons.
Truex has four victories and both Elliott and Hamlin have won twice this season.
The pandemic forced NASCAR to streamline its schedule and most race weekends in 2020 were converted to one-day events. This continued in 2021 with only Phoenix and seven other race weekends – mostly new tracks and practice sessions scheduled at the Daytona 500 weekend.
Brad Kislowski had the fastest practice lap of the season at 135.384 mph as he entered his final race for Team Penske. Penske driver Ryan Blaney’s best 10-lap average was 132.596.
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