After the rousing first three races of the season, NASCAR is getting ready for its first intermediate track event of the year — the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway. With the venue also set to host the November finale, drivers stand keen to win here to bolster their track record. Additionally, an enhanced prize purse compared to last year serves as a further incentive for competitors.
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For the season’s fourth contest, the stakes are going to be high, with a handsome reward of $11,055,250, mirroring the sum awarded at COTA, up for grabs for the Cup drivers. Likewise, in the Xfinity series, the purse remains consistent with the COTA Xfinity race at $1,651,939.
These amounts will be distributed across various financial rewards, encompassing payments for all finishing positions, contingency awards, and charter payouts that reflect both weekly performance and historical achievements.
The last time NASCAR graced this track for the season finale, the total prize pool reached $11,700,064 for the Cup drivers and $1,772,722 for the Xfinity race.
Although this year’s prize money might appear to be less than that of the finale race at the venue, it has actually increased from the same race last year, where Cup drivers received $3,248,998 less and Xfinity drivers received $203,735 less.
Phoenix race weekend purses for national series, including all payouts, all positions, contingency awards, contribution to year-end points fund, etc. … for Cup, all charter payouts based on participation and historical performance:
Cup: $11,055,250
Xfinity: $1,651,939
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 5, 2025
Evidently, the new television deal has enhanced NASCAR’s prize offerings, showing the sport’s growing financial health.
Who might come out as the winner at Phoenix Raceway?
Christopher Bell’s current form, with victories at Atlanta and COTA, marks a sensational start to the season, achieving back-to-back wins within the first three weeks — an accomplishment not seen since Kevin Harvick’s consecutive victories in 2018 at Atlanta and Las Vegas. Bell, also the reigning champion of the 2024 Shriners Children’s 500, is soaring in popularity among the betting circles.
Kevin Harvick, speaking on his Happy Hours podcast, has also backed Bell, given his ongoing momentum. Even his last year’s performance could stand as a testament to his winning prediction where Bell, starting from the P13 position, led 50 of the 312 laps to win the race. Should Bell win at Phoenix again, it would be his second win on this track, where he boasts an average finish of 14.3 across 10 starts.
Meanwhile, the driver with the most impressive track record at Phoenix is Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who holds an average finish of 10.4 over 18 starts, with nine top-5 finishes and thirteen top-10s. Thus, a win from him at the venue would also not be a shock.
