It comes down to Sunday at the Phoenix Raceway as four drivers are left in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship. By the end of this race, it will be either Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, or Joey Logano hoisting the trophy. Last week at Martinsville, Chastain pulled off the unthinkable to advance this weekend, pulling off an epic wall move to finish in fourth place. Bell ultimately finished in top spot in that race. For Phoenix, regular season winner Chase Elliott sits as a +250 frontrunner in the sportsbooks, followed by Bell (+350), Joey Logano (+400), and Chastain (+400). Will one of these four come out victorious or is it going to be another driver taking home first place? Continue reading for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship picks.
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NASCAR Cup Series Championship Odds
 | Odds |
|---|---|
| Chase Elliott | +250 |
| Christopher Bell | +350 |
| Joey Logano | +400 |
| Ross Chastain | +400 |
| Kyle Larson | +1200 |
| Denny Hamlin | +1800 |
| Kevin Harvick | +1800 |
| Ryan Blaney | +2000 |
| Martin Truex Jr | +3000 |
| William Byron | +3000 |
| Chase Briscoe | +4000 |
| Kyle Busch | +4000 |
This is the 36th and final race of the 2022 NASCAR season. The green flag is expected to drop around 3 PM ET. Elliott won the championship in 2020, while Logano won in 2018.
NASCAR Phoenix Preview
Elliott is arguably the most established name of the pack and that's exactly why he's sitting at +250 to win. He's been the most consistent driver all year long and has five victories in 2022, the most of anyone on the circuit. The next closest is three. His only win at Phoenix was in 2020 when he lifted the ultimate prize. However, he's not exactly driving all that well as of late. Elliott's 10th-place finish last weekend at Martinsville was just enough for him to progress to the Championship 4 but he's only ended up above 10th in two of the nine playoff races. That's definitely a drop-off for Elliott but when the lights shine bright, he's capable of making it happen. The question is, can he do it on Sunday? We shall see.
Bell is riding a high right now at the best possible time. As previously mentioned, he captured his second win of the year in the Xfinity 500 last weekend and has showcased a ton of consistency in the postseason, coming out victorious in two of the last four races. He's not as experienced as the three others, but you can't ignore a guy who is red-hot. Bell could certainly pull it off. Plus, both of those wins were elimination races. He isn't shying away from the adversity and pressure. That could take him all the way.
Chastain had an up-and-down campaign, enjoying a blistering start and then taking a dive during the summer. But after Sunday's heroics at Martinsville that made went viral all over social media, Chastain has himself right back in contention. With his championship fate hanging in the balance, he pulled off an epic wall lap, jumping from 10th to fourth on the final time around the track. Chastain appears to be finding his form, finishing in fourth, second, and second in his last three races. He's got two wins to his name in 2022 and finished as a runner-up at Phoenix in the spring. He's worth a look come Sunday's race.
Logano is a guy who historically does well in Phoenix. In his last six races there, he's finished in the top-10 five times, including a win in the spring of 2020. Logano is the oldest driver in the Championship 4 at 32 years old and has no shortage of experience. He's also led the playoff standings for the last few weeks before points were leveled out for Sunday. Logano finished a runner-up at Phoenix in the first race here in 2021 and secured ninth earlier this season. He's got a respectable track record.
NASCAR Cup Series Championship Picks
I'm personally not even discussing any other drivers because I believe one of these four who are battling it out for the title will be the winner. While Elliott and Logano look like solid picks, I'm going with the momentum of Bell. He is confident as ever right now and I think that'll result in him continuing his brilliance and winning the 2022 Championship.
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