NASCAR Cup Series playoffs at Phoenix 2017: Start time, lineup, TV, more
It's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race day at Phoenix Raceway, and we've got some essential information you need to get ready for Sunday’s Can-Am 500, the final race of the third round of the playoffs:
START TIME: Jamie Camil, Star of the CW’s, Jane the Virgin and the upcoming Disney/Pixar film Coco, will instruct drivers to start their engines at 2:29 p.m. ET (12:29 p.m. local) followed by the green flag at 2:37 p.m. ET (12:37 p.m. local).
RACE DISTANCE: The Can-Am 500 is 500 kilometers — not miles. That's 312 laps around the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway for a total of 312 miles.
SEGMENTS: Beginning this season, NASCAR is dividing every race into segments and awarding one bonus point to the winner of each stage. Segment lengths will be different for every race. Also, the top 10 finishers of segments 1 and 2 will be awarded regular-season points in descending order from 10 to 1. Here are the segments for the Can-Am 500: Stage 1: 75 laps; Stage 2: 75 laps; Stage 3: 162 laps.
PLAYOFFS: Three of the four championship slots have been booked, with Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. clinching berths. Five drivers — Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson — will battle for the final spot Sunday.
NATIONAL ANTHEM/FLYOVER: Phoenix native Dr. Jesse McGuire, trumpet player, recording artist and published author, will perform the national anthem at 2:23 p.m. ET (12:23 p.m. local) followed by a flyover by four F-35s, from the 61st Fighter Squadron of Luke Air Force Base.
TV/RADIO SCHEDULE: NBC will broadcast the race on TV and has a pre-race show beginning at 2 p.m. ET (Noon local). Motor Racing Network and Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio will call the race on the radio.
LIVE STREAMING: NBCSports.com will live-stream the race for those who sign in with their cable/satellite provider's credentials.
ONE SPOT REMAINS: Phoenix will be a test of aggression vs. caution
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WEATHER: Ideal. The National Weather Service is calling for partly sunny skies and calm winds with a high near 86.
LAST TIME: Ryan Newman used a late-race strategy call — staying out on the race track and assuming the lead when some of the leaders hit pit road on the final caution — to win his lone race of the year in March. And one year ago, Joey Logano led the final eight laps and holding off Kyle Busch to book a spot in the 2016 championship race.
STARTING LINEUP: Ryan Blaney, ranked sixth of the eight remaining playoff drivers, will start on the pole Sunday alongside Denny Hamlin, who sits fifth in the standings.
Here's the starting lineup the Can-Am 500 (car number in parentheses):
1. (21) Ryan Blaney, Ford
2. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
3. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
4. (24) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
5. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
6. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford
7. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota
8. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota
9. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
10. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota
11. (77) Erik Jones, Toyota
12. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
13. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet
14. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet
15. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford
16. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford
17. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet
18. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet
19. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet
20. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford
21. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
22. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford
23. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
24. (10) Danica Patrick, Ford
25. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford
26. (38) David Ragan, Ford
27. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford
28. (95) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
29. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
30. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford
31. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet
32. (34) Landon Cassill, Ford
33. (23) Corey LaJoie, Toyota
34. (72) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet
35. (7) Joey Gase, Chevrolet
36. (66) David Starr, Toyota
37. (15) DJ Kennington, Chevrolet
38. (33) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet
39. (51) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet
40. (00) Derrike Cope, Chevrolet
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