The NASCAR Cup Series travels across the country to race at Phoenix Raceway. This will be the first of two races on the west coast (they race in Las Vegas next week). There are nine races this year on the short, flat tracks. We did not learn much about the team’s speed in 2026 from the first three races (Daytona, Atlanta and COTA), but the race in Phoenix Sunday should give us an idea of which teams are going to be strong this year. The Straight Talk Wireless 500 can be seen Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Here are my picks for the race at Phoenix Raceway ….
DRIVER GROUP GAME PICKS FOR PHOENIX
GROUP A DRIVERS
CHRISTOPHER BELL (9): Bell has been the master at Phoenix in March. He won the spring race at Phoenix Raceway in 2024 and then he came back and won again last year. Bell has also won two of the last four Stages in the spring races at Phoenix and he has averaged 78 laps led in those races. Bell is my pick to win Sunday, so he gets a spot in the lineup.
RYAN BLANEY (9): You need to ask yourself if you want to go for the bonus points for qualifying, or have two drivers in your lineup with a good chance to finish in the top-three. William Byron is the best pick for qualifying points. He started on the front row in both races last year. Blaney has an average starting position of 12.2 in his last 6 races at Phoenix, but his finishes are outstanding. Blaney finished 1st, 2nd, 5th, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd,4th and 4th at Phoenix since 2020. The only race he failed to finish inside the top-four was in this race last year when his engine blew. Blaney is almost a lock to finish inside the top-five Sunday.
* DENNY HAMLIN (9): I did not want to put all of my eggs in the Joe Gibbs Racing basket, so I am using Christopher Bell and William Byron. Hamlin would be a great pick to pair with Bell, if you are not scared of using to JGR drivers in your lineup. Hamlin dominated the race at Phoenix last November. He led 208 laps, scored 18 Stage Points and he finished 6th in the race. Hamlin also finished 2nd in the March race at Phoenix last year. It is tough to fade Hamlin this week, but I like to diversify my picks between different teams early in the season.
GROUP B DRIVERS
TYLER REDDICK (9): You cannot fade Reddick right now. He set the record last week with the most wins to start a Cup Series season (3) and now he is going for four in a row. Can he get it? I wouldn’t bet against the No. 45 team right now… Reddick finished 3rd in the March race at Phoenix in 2023, 10th in 2024 and last year he had brake issues and finished 20th. I am not sure if I will use Reddick in my starting lineup, but I just cannot fade the hot streak he is on.
CHRIS BUESCHER (9): I am going to try and get a start out of Buecher this weekend. Phoenix Raceway is one of his better tracks. Buescher finished 5th and 2nd in his last two spring races in the desert. His average finishing position in his last five races at Phoenix is 6.6. This is a good race to take a chance with the No. 17 car from RFK Racing.
ROSS CHASTAIN (8): I used Chastain last week and he was looking great until he was punted into the gravel. I will go back to “The Watermelon Man” this weekend. Chastain won at Phoenix in 2023. He also finished 11th and 13th in the two races in the desert last year. The No. 1 car should finish up front again this weekend.
JOEY LOGANO (9): Logano is a short, flat track specialist. He scored the 3rd-most points on these tracks last year and the most from Group B. Logano has two wins at Phoenix Raceway in the Gen-7 car. They both came in November, but he has had some speed in March too. Logano started 2nd, led 81 laps, scored 9 Stage Points and then a penalty for cutting the dog-leg before the start finish line sent him to the back of the pack. Logano finished his last three races on the short, flat tracks in the top-five (Phoenix, New Hampshire and Gateway). I expect he will make it four in a row after the race Sunday.
* JOSH BERRY (9): You can take a chance with Berry if you want to save your allocations with one of the drivers listed above. Berry finished 4th and 7th in his two races at Phoenix Raceway last year. The Wood Brothers and Team Penske typically run well at this track, so Berry should be a good pick.
GROUP C DRIVERS
CARSON HOCEVAR (9): I guess I will “Ride the Dente” will this Chili’s car Sunday. I just hope I do not get bucked off. Speed is not going to be a problem for Hocevar. He will not be afraid to cut the dog-leg and cut-off his competition to gain track position. Can he bring the No. 77 car home in one piece? If he can, it will likely result in a top-10 finish. Hocevar is a “boom or bust” driver for the race Sunday. I will take a chance with him this weekend.
*CONNOR ZILISCH (9): What are we going to get from Zilisch this weekend? I wish I knew. He has the talent to finish in the top-15, but he has never competed in a Cup Series race at Phoenix. I would feel more comfortable using Zilisch after I seen him in practice, but our lineups need to be in before qualifying. Zilisch is just too good to fade. I at least need him in my lineup this week.
* Be sure to check back Saturday night for my starting lineup.
SPEEDWAY COLLECTIVE PICKS
GROUP A DRIVERS
CHRISTOPHER BELL: Bell will be my pick in Group A of the Speedway Collective game this week. His stats in the spring races at Phoenix Raceway are just too good to fade. Bell should have a good chance to win Sunday.
WILLIAM BYRON: I thought about using Denny Hamlin or Ryan Blaney in this spot, but I decided I will swing for the fences and try to score maximum points this week in the Speedway Collective game. I plan to use Christopher Bell in the race based on his track history in the spring races at Phoenix and I will use Byron based on his ability to win the pole at this track. That should give us a good chance to score race points and qualifying points this weekend.
GROUP B DRIVERS
JOEY LOGANO: My plan coming into the 2026 season was to use Logano on the short, flat tracks. I am sticking to the plan. He dominated most of this race last year and he should run up front again Sunday.
CHRIS BUESCHER: Buescher is one of the most consistent drivers at Phoenix Raceway. He has an average finishing position of 8th in his last six races in Phoenix. That is third-best in the Cup Series behind Kyle Larson (5.2) and Ryan Blaney (6.7). I took a chance with Joey Logano, so I will play it safe with Buescher.
GROUP C DRIVERS
JOSH BERRY: Berry looked really good in his two races with the Wood Brothers at Phoenix Raceway last year. Berry finished both races in the top-10 and he should have a good chance to do it again Sunday.
RYAN PREECE: The stats suggest I play Kyle Busch this week. Rowdy finished 5th and 8th in his two races at Phoenix Raceway last year. I just cannot ignore what Preece did on the short, flat track at Bowman Gray Stadium earlier this year. He led 46 laps and won the race. Preece also finished 9th in the last race at Phoenix Raceway. I understand if you want to play Busch, but I am going to take a chance with Preece this weekend.
GROUP D DRIVERS
DANIEL SUAREZ: I will take a chance with Suarez in Group D. The choices are not very good, but Suarez has some decent stats at this track. He should finish near the top-15 Sunday.
AUSTIN DILLON: This was a tough pick. The stats suggest playing Noah Gragson based on his 12th-place finishes at the track in 2024, or John H. Nemechek based on his 14th-place finish in this race last year. I decided I will take a chance with Dillon. He dominates the races at Richmond. That speed has to translate into a solid run in Phoenix, right? Dillon just finished 7th in the Clash at Bowman Gray, so I will take a chance with him in Group D this weekend.
* Be sure to check back Saturday night for my starting lineup.
FANTRAX PICKS
* Each league in Fantrax is different. Some leagues have bench drivers and award qualifying points and others do not. The two leagues that I am playing in do not have bench drivers. Also, most leagues (including mine), do not require your lineup to be set until minutes before the race starts. My picks will change after practice and qualifying for most races. If you need bench drivers, you can use my picks from the Driver Group Game.
* Be sure to check back Saturday night for my starting lineup.
Good Luck Sunday!
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