The first three races of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season saw their purse sizes increase from last year owing to the higher television rights fee. The fourth race of the year, which is scheduled to be run in the deserts of Arizona, has followed suit on that route. Veteran reporter Bob Pockrass unveiled the numbers in contention for the upcoming Phoenix race and they represent a considerable jump.
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The drivers in the top tier will be vying for a share in a $7,806,252 purse on Sunday. Down in Xfinity, the purse has been reported at a value of $1,448,204.
In the 2023 United Rental Works United 500, the purse size was $7,453,660 and in the 2023 Xfinity race, the purse size was $1,385,615. The prize money includes all the payouts for finishing position, track history, year-end points fund contribution, etc.,
Purse for Phoenix weekend (includes all payouts, all positions, all contributions to points fund, etc … for Cup, includes all payouts to charter teams for participating, historical/past 3-year performance, etc.):
Cup: $7,806,252
Xfinity: $1,448,204
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 6, 2024
The upcoming race will feature cars with NASCAR’s upgraded short-track package. With Chevrolet dominating the initial races of the season, Ford and Toyota are expecting to break into the competition too. However, as things stand, Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet-backed) is the most winning organization at the track with 13 victories to its name. It also holds the record for the most poles won (15) and stands favorite to get the largest bite out of the $7.8 million.
Hendrick Motorsports drivers stand favorite to win at the Phoenix Raceway
Kyle Larson and William Byron have both won a race already in the 2024 season and fixed their spots in the NASCAR playoffs by doing so. Going to the Shriners Children’s 500 on Sunday, they are among the top favorites to continue to momentum and grant their team another victory. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Larson has a 6-1 opening odds of emerging victor.
He is followed by defending champion Ryan Blaney with odds of 7-1. Right at his heels is the Daytona 500 champion Byron with 15-2 odds. Chase Elliott, the man in the biggest need for a win, stands further down the line with odds of 18-1. Notably, Byron won this race last year.
New colors on track soon! pic.twitter.com/VP2ZDZfSId
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) March 6, 2024
With Kevin Harvick, who was considered to be one of the best drivers at the track, now hanging up his racing suit, the results of the coming race are highly unpredictable. Each of the last 7 races at Phoenix was won by 7 different drivers. 6 of these 7 drivers had never won at the track before.
The race will be a crucial one for teams vying for the championship. They will return to this very venue, once again, 245 days later to decide who the 2024 Cup Series champion will be.
