The desert heat at Phoenix Raceway is about to get even hotter this Saturday night. Four drivers will battle under the lights for something they’ve dreamed about their entire racing careers: the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship. This isn’t just another race. This is where legends are made and heartbreak lives forever.

Championship racing hits different. Every driver on that entry list knows it. But for Connor Zilisch, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love, and Carson Kvapil, the weight of this moment is something they’ll carry in their chest from the drop of the green flag until one of them hoists that trophy. Three will go home wondering “what if.” One’s life will be changed forever.

JR Motorsports Brings the Heavy Artillery

Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket, JR Motorsports shows up to Phoenix with three legitimate championship contenders on their entry list. That’s not just confidence, that’s a statement. Justin Allgaier stands as the veteran presence, making his eighth Championship 4 appearance and looking to defend last year’s crown.

Eight times he’s been here. Eight times he’s felt this pressure. That experience is worth its weight in gold when everything’s on the line. Then you’ve got the young guns Zilisch and Kvapil, two rookies who’ve spent the season reminding everyone that youth doesn’t mean you can’t win.

Zilisch has been absolutely dominant this year, putting together performances that made seasoned veterans shake their heads in disbelief. The kid’s got that special something, that raw talent mixed with fearlessness that makes champions.

Kvapil’s been right there with him all season, and now these two teammates aren’t just fighting for a championship, they’re battling for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors too. Imagine being in your first full season and racing for everything that matters in one night. That’s the kind of pressure that either breaks you or forges you into something greater.

Jesse Love Carries RCR’s Championship Hopes

Richard Childress Racing hasn’t celebrated an Xfinity Series championship since 2019, and Jesse Love is the one tasked with ending that drought. No pressure, right? The 20-year-old from California is making his first Championship 4 appearance, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he’s just happy to be here. This kid came to win.

Love’s been running that Whelen-sponsored No. 2 Chevrolet with the kind of poise you don’t usually see from someone this early in their career. He’s got Danny Stockman Jr. in his corner as crew chief, and together they’ve put a season that’s earned them this shot. Now it’s time to cash in on all that hard work and bring RCR back to the top.

The Rest of the Entry List Isn’t Just Along for the Ride

Sure, four drivers will be racing for the championship, but don’t think the other 34 entries are just going to roll over and let them have an easy night. This is NASCAR: pride matters, positions matter, and everyone on that entry list wants to end their season on a high note.

Sheldon Creed brings his PIT BOSS-sponsored Ford to Phoenix, sitting in the No. 00 for Haas Factory Team. Parker Retzlaff wheels the Green Bay Packaging Chevrolet, while Sammy Smith pilots the Pilot-backed No. 8 for JR Motorsports. Each of these drivers has their own battles to fight, their own pride on the line, and their own reasons to race hard every single lap.

The Joe Gibbs Racing contingent shows up strong on the entry list with Brandon Jones in the Menards Chevrolet, Aric Almirola bringing the Younglife sponsorship, and Taylor Gray in the Operation 300 Toyota. These teams didn’t come to Phoenix to participate. They came to compete, championship implications or not.

Entry List Drama: The Sam Mayer Situation

You can’t talk about this entry list without addressing the elephant in the room. Sam Mayer was initially slated to drive the No. 41 Ford for Haas Factory Team, but NASCAR handed down a suspension that knocked him out of the championship race entirely. In a sport where every opportunity matters, missing the season finale, the championship race no less, hurts on a level most people can’t comprehend.

Ryan Sieg steps in to pilot that ride, bringing his experience and determination to make the most of an opportunity that came under unfortunate circumstances. Racing’s funny like that sometimes one driver’s misfortune becomes another’s chance to shine.

What Makes This Entry List Special

Phoenix Raceway, under the lights for a championship finale, creates an atmosphere unlike anything else in motorsports. The track’s unique one-mile layout rewards precision, patience, and the ability to execute when it matters most. Looking at this entry list, you see stories everywhere: veterans chasing redemption, rookies chasing glory, and everyone in between chasing respect.

Christian Eckes brings his Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing. Austin Hill represents Richard Childress Racing in the Bennett Transportation Chevrolet. Harrison Burton makes his presence known in the Dead On Tools Ford for AM Racing. Each name on this entry list represents a journey, a dream, and countless hours of sacrifice to reach this moment.

The depth of talent in this series is evident throughout the entry list. From established Cup Series drivers making Xfinity starts to developmental drivers fighting for their shot at the next level, Phoenix brings together the best of what this series has to offer.

Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway

Xfinity Series: Entry List

(i) indicates drivers ineligible for playoff and or championship points 

• 1. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
• 2. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 3. Jesse Love, No. 2 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 4. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 5. Glen Reen, No. 5 (Alpha Prime Racing, Ford)
• 6. Justin Allgaier, No.7 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 7. Patrick Emerling (i), No. 07 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet)
• 8. Sammy Smith No. 8 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 9. Daniel Dye, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 10. Brenden Queen, No.11 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Garrett Smithley, No. 14 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet
• 12. Christian Eckes, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 13. Corey Day, No. 17 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 14. Justin Bonsignore, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 15. Aric Almirola, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
• 16. Brandon Jones, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 17. Austin Hill, No. 21 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
• 18. Harrison Burton, No. 25 (AM Racing, Ford)
• 19. Dean Thompson, No. 26 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
• 20. Jeb Burton, No. 27 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Toyota)
• 21. Nick Leitz, No. 28 (RSS Racing, Ford)
• 22. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
• 23. Stefan Parsons (i), No. 35 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 24. Kyle Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
• 25. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
• 26. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 (Young’s Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 27. Brennan Poole, No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
• 28. Josh Williams, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
• 29. Nicholas Sanchez, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
• 30. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 (Jeremy Clements Racing, Chevrolet)
• 31. Joey Gase, No.53 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 32. Taylor Gray, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 33. Leland Honeyman, No. 70 (Cope Family Racing, Chevrolet)
• 34. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
• 35. Dawson Cram, No. 74 (Mike Harmon Racing, Chevrolet)
• 36. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 37. Josh Bilicki, No. 91 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
• 38. Connor Zilisch (i), No. 99 (Viking Motorsports, Chevrolet)

The Broadcast Details That Matter

This championship showdown goes green at 7:30 PM ET on The CW, with MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio providing coverage for those who can’t catch the television broadcast. There’s something about championship racing that makes you want to experience it however you can, seeing it, hearing it, feeling it through whatever medium gets you closest to the action.

Championship Dreams Meet Desert Reality

When you scan through this complete entry list and see 38 drivers ready to take the green flag, remember that four of them are carrying the weight of championship dreams. Zilisch, Allgaier, Love, and Kvapil have earned their spots in the Championship 4 through consistency, speed, and the ability to deliver when their teams needed them most.

But racing at Phoenix Raceway for a championship isn’t just about who’s been fast all season. It’s about who can handle the pressure of knowing that 200 laps stand between you and either the most significant moment of your career or the most painful “what if” you’ll ever experience.

When Dreams Collide

That’s what makes this entry list more than just names and numbers. It’s a collection of dreams about to collide with reality. Saturday night will answer all the questions. One driver’s name from this entry list will be etched in history.

The others will spend the offseason replaying every lap, every decision, every moment that could have changed their fate. That’s championship racing at its most raw and beautiful. The desert is calling, and 38 drivers are answering. But only one will leave Phoenix Raceway as champion.

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