Previewing the NASCAR Cup Series Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix
It's another unique race to open the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, as the stars and cars tackle the challenging one-mile oval of Phoenix Raceway. The Shriners Children's 500 welcomes the series to Phoenix on Sunday, March 9.
Fast Facts: Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix
Date: March 9, 2025
Track: Phoenix Raceway (Avondale, Arizona)
Time: 3:30 p.m
TV: FS1
Stages: 60/185/312
Defending Winner: Christopher Bell
Weekend Schedule
Date | Time | Session | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
Sat., Mar. 8 | 2:05 p.m. ET | Practice | Amazon Prime Video |
Sat., Mar. 8 | 3:10 p.m. ET | Qualifying | Amazon Prime Video |
Sun., Mar. 9 | 3:30 p.m. ET | Shriners Children's 500 | FS1 |
VIEWING GUIDE: How to Watch the NASCAR Cup Series Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix
Looking Ahead to A Championship Battle
The Shriners Children's 500 is the first of two NASCAR Cup Series events each year at the one-mile Phoenix Raceway.
Thus, Sunday's race is in some ways a preview to that championship fight in November. We are still a long ways from knowing which four NASCAR Cup Series competitors will be in that title picture on November 2. Nonetheless, a strong run or a win on Sunday can be a huge confidence boost entering that weekend should you be in the Championship 4.
Last November, Joey Logano turned his fourth career victory at Phoenix Raceway into his third NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Phoenix's Signature Dogleg Frontstretch, Chaotic Restarts
Phoenix's dogleg frontstretch can make or break a race. Reconfigured in 2011 and made into the track's frontstretch in 2018, what was once part of a grassy infield was paved over during the reconfiguration 14 years ago.
That created a vast expanse of racing room, which is now utilized for wild restarts. Drivers will fan out over the racing surface, funneling into turn one while three and four-wide ... and maybe even more. It also created several possible lines to take through the dogleg once up to speed.
It's one of the most unique features of any track on the NASCAR circuit, but it also means surviving restarts and being willing to take chances to gain position will be at a premium.
Does Blaney Get Elusive Phoenix Win?
Since the implementation of the Next Gen car in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022, no one has been more consistent at Phoenix Raceway than Ryan Blaney. His average finish in six events at Phoenix during that span is 2.8, including four runner-up finishes in the last five races. His worst effort in those races is a fifth-place finish in last year's Shriners Children's 500.
One of those runner-up finishes came in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. With winner Ross Chastain not part of the Championship 4, Blaney's second-place finish ahead of Kyle Larson and William Byron earned him the 2023 championship.
However, Blaney has not won at the track during his career despite all those strong runs and runner-up finishes. Entering the weekend second in points behind Daytona 500 winner William Byron, will this be the weekend where Blaney finally gets that elusive Phoenix victory?
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Zach Evans is the Managing Editor of RacingAmerica.com, with nearly a decade of experience in motorsports. He has been with Racing America since 2017.