It’s a Friday night practice session for the Xfinity Series with a full 50 minutes for the crews to adjust the cars with no penalties for the final race at Pheonix Raceway.

Forty teams have brought cars to Phoenix for 38 starting spots in the final race of the season.

After a dramatic win last week at Martinsville, Justin Allgaier joins Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, and John Hunter Nemechek as the final four drivers in a battle for the championship.  Cole Custer believes that the championship is his to lose.

Joey Gase brings out the caution flag when he spins out during practice.  The teams have only  one set of tires for the entire practice session.

The drivers are practicing at about the same time the race will start on Saturday; they will have to contend with the sun for a time.

At the end of practice John Hunter Nemechek was at the top of the leaderboard.  Three of the playoff drivers were in the top five; with all four drivers in the top 10.

Timmy Hill is the first driver on the track to make a qualifying run and posted a time of 27.863 seconds around the one mile track.

After getting into the wall, Brad Perez failed to make a qualifying run and will not make the race.  Anthony Alfredo also failed to make a qualifying run due to an engine issue.

Whichever of the four playoff drivers wins the championship, it will be their first time to raise the trophy.

After his crash in the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday night, Daniel Dye has not been cleared to run in the Xfinity Series; as a result, Leland Honeyman will be substitute driver in the number 44 car.

With a time of 27.153 seconds, non playoff driver Sammy Smith puts his number 18 car on the pole with Austin Hill starting alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the Xfinity Championship race:
Sammy Smith
Austin Hill
John Hunter Nemechek
Myatt Snider
Sheldon Creed
Chandler Smith
Cole Custer
Justin Allgaier
Reiley Herbst
Connor Mosack
Ryan Sieg
Daniel Hemric
Rajah Caruth
Perker Retzlaff
Josh Berry
Sam Mayer
Dawson Cram
Jeb Burton
Brett Moffitt
Brandon Jones
Kyle Weatherman
Kyle Sieg
Derek Kraus
Kaz Grala
Jeremy Clements
Josh Williams
Ryan Ellis
Joey Gase
Brennan Poole
Chris Hacker
Parker Kligerman
Blaine Perkins
Timmy Hill
Jeffrey Earnhardt
JJ Yeley
Stefan Parsons
Joe Graf Jr
Anthony Alfredo

Stages one and two of the race are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 110 laps around the one mile track.

Blaine Perkins will start the race from the back of the field after the crew made some unapproved adjustments to the car.

Sammy Smith brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the inside lane with Austin Hill alongside.  Drivers spread out across the track with Sammy Smith leading the way.

Lap two, Sammy Smith leads the race with Myatt Snider in second; Austin Hill, John Hunter Nemechek, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

In a three wide battle, Justin Allgaier spins out to brings out the first caution flag on lap three.  Allgaier drops to 38th place.  He comes down pit road for fresh tires.

The teams were given only four sets of tires for the race.

Sammy Smith brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap eight with Myat Snider alongside.  Drivers spread out and Kyle Sieg brings out the caution flag on the restart when he gets into the wall; causing significant damage to his car after contact with Austin Hill.

A late afternoon in Phoenix, the sun is beginning to cause issues for the drivers.

Sammy Smith brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 13 and the field immediately spreads out.  Austin Hill takes the lead.

Sheldon Creed was charged with a restart violation and will have to serve a pass through penalty.  Drivers must stay in line and not hold back before the green flag drops.

Daniel Hemric makes an unscheduled trip down pit road with a flat tire.

Lap 16, Sammy Smith and Austin Hill battle for the lead with Hill holding on to the lead.

Lap 18, the top five are Austin Hill, Sammy Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Myatt Snider, and Chandler Smith. 

Back in the top 20, Justin Allgaier has advanced 15 spots since spinning out on lap three.

Lap 23, Austin Hill has a lead of over half a second on Sammy Smith; John Hunter Nemechek, Myatt Snider, and Cole Custer round out the top five.

John Hunter Nemechek passes Sammy Smith for second.

Lap 31, John Hunter Nemechek has caught leader Austin Hill and begins to challenge for the lead.

Lap 33, John Hunter Nemechek passes Austin Hill for the lead.

Lap 34 Justin Allgaier has entered the top 10.

Lap 36, all four of the playoff drivers are in the top 10.

Lap 37, John Hunter Nemechek has pulled out to a near two second lead on Austin Hill; Cole Custer, Sammy Smith, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.  Justin Allgaier is in eighth place.

Lap 40, John Hunter Nemechek has increased his lead to two and a half seconds on Austin Hill.

Lap 42, John Hunter Nemechek is driving away from the field with a lead of over three seconds.

Cole Custer passes Austin Hill for second.

John Hunter Nemechek wins stage one by nearly four seconds.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
John Hunter Nemchek
Cole Custer
Chandler Smith
Austin Hill
Sam Mayer
Sammy Smith
Justin Allgaier
Myatt Snider
Brandon Jones
Brett Moffitt

Drivers come down pit road for service with John Hunter Nemechek winning the race off of pit road.  Justin Allgaier came out in third.

Sammy Smith was caught speeding on pit road.  Derek Kraus was charged with an uncontrolled tire on pit road.

John Hunter Nemechek brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 53.  Cole Custer takes the lead.

Lap 54, the top five are Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, and Chandler Smith.

Justin Allgaier passes Chandler Smith for fifth.

Lap 58, Cole Custer has a near half second lead on John Hunter Nemechek; Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Lap 60, Austin Hill passes Justin Allgaier for fifth.

Lap 66, Cole Custer has pulled out to a one second lead on John Hunter Nemechek; Sam Mayer, Josh Berry, and Austin Hill round out the top five.

Lap 73, Cole custer now has a lead of over a second and a half on John Hunter Nemechek; Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, and Josh Berry round out the top five.

Kyle Sieg is out of the race.

There are 32 cars on the lead lap.

Lap 80, Justin Allgaier and Sheldon Creed battle for eighth.  Allgaier has fallen back a bit after the crew put the tires that were on the car when he spun out back on the car in order to keep Allgaier from being a set down.

While the stage points mean nothing to the playoff drivers, it means a great deal to the rest of the field because it can help them earn a better spot in the final standings.

With six lap remaining in stage two, Cole Custer has pulled out to a three and a half second lead on John Hunter Nemechek. 

Derek Kraus brings out the caution flag with his smoking and sparking car after hitting the wall.  Kraus’ car is stopped on the track and he is out of the car.

When the caution flag came out Sam Mayer had caught John Hunter Nemechek and was in a battle for second.

Cole Custer wins stage two under caution.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Cole Custer
Sam Mayer
John Hunter Nemechek
Austin Hill
Chandler Smith
Brandon Jones
Josh Berry
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Riley Herbst

Drivers come down pit road for service with Cole Custer winning the race off of pit road.  There was a fire in Sammy Smith’s pit from a fuel overflow.  Even the tire changer had to have the fireman put him out.

The tire carrier for John Hunter Nemechek falls down on the concrete.

The drivers can run about 90 laps on a single load of fuel and will have to make a pit stop in stage three.

Cole Custer brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Sam Mayer alongsideo n lap 96.  Cole Custer holds on to the lead with Sam Mayer in second.

Lap 97, the top five are Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, John Hunter Nemechek, Sheldon Creed, and Austin Hill.

Lap 100, Cole Custer has a lead of over half a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, and Austin Hill round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 102 when JJ Yeley gets into the wall.  He is driving the Fan Control car where the fans chose the setup for the car.  He ran into pit wall trying to get into his pit stall.

Cole Custer is reporting some possible overheating issues.

Cole Custer brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 110 with John Hunter Nemechek alongside.  Drivers are four and five wide across the track with Cole Custer in the lead.

John Hunter Nemechek passes Cole Custer for the lead.

Lap 111, the top five are John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Chandler Smith, and Sam Mayer.

JJ Yeley and Derek Kraus are out of the race.

Lap 115, John Hunter Nemechek has a narrow lead on Cole Custer.  Chandler Smith and Sam Mayer battle for fourth.

Lap 120, the top five are John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Sheldon Creed, Sam Mayer, and Austin Hill.

Lap 127, Sheldon Creed comes up on the outside to pass John Hunter Nemechek for the lead; Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, and Austin Hill round out the top five.

Lap 131, Justin Allgaier passes Austin Hill for fifth.

John Hunter Nemechek passes Sheldon Creed to retake the lead.

Lap 136, John Hunter Nemechek has a lead of over half a second on Sheldon Creed; Cole Custer, Sam Mayer, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Myatt Snider gets into the wall and brings out the sixth caution flag on lap 137.   His rear tires were hopping just before the wreck.  Snider reported some brake issues as well.

Drivers come down pit road for service with John Hunter Nemechek winning the race off of pit road.

Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt, and Brandon Jones were all caught speeding on pit road.

John Hunter Nemechek brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 58 laps remaining in the race with Sheldon Creed alongside.

John Hunter Nemechek leads the race with Cole Custer in second; Chandler Smith, Sheldon Creed, and Justin Allgaier round out the top five.

Sheldon Creed and Justin Allgaier battle for fourth.

Justin Allgaier passes Sheldon Creed for fourth and Sam Mayer follows to take fifth.

Fifty to go, John Hunter Nemechek has a third of a second lead on Cole Custer; Chandler Smith, Justin Allgaier, and Sam Mayer round out the top five.

Just 45 laps remain in the race with all of the four playoff drivers in the top five; only Chandler Smith is no in the playoffs.

Lap 158, Cole Custer passes John Hunter Nemechek for the lead.

Chris Hacker brings his car down pit road for an unscheduled pit stop for a smoking car.  He spun out just before going down pit road.

There are 29 cars on the lead lap.

With 32 laps remaining in the race, Cole Custer has a half second lead on John Hunter Nemechek; Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.

With 29 laps to go, leader Cole Custer has encountered slower traffic with John Hunter Nemechek on his bumper;  Justin Allgaier is now under two second back in third.

With 24 laps to go, Cole Custer has gotten around the slower traffic and has a lead of nearly a second on John Hunter Nemechek; Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, and Sheldon Creed round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 182 when Connor Mosack gets into the wall.

Drivers come down pit road for that last set of sticker tires with Daniel Hemric winning the race off of pit road after taking just two tires; Cole Custer and Justin Allgaier followed.

Justin Allgaier has a bit of smoke coming out of the back of his car.

After taking only two tires Daniel Hemric brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 12 laps remaining in the race.  HHemric edges out for the lead but Cole Custer moves up to take the lead with Justin Allgaier in second; John Hunter Nemechek is in third and Sam Mayer is in fourth.

John Hunter Nemechek battles with Justin Allgaier for second.

Ten to go, Cole Custer has the elad with John Hunter Nemechek in second; Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer, and Austin Hill round out the top five.

Seven to go, Cole Custer has pulled out toa lead of over half a second on John Hunter Nemechek

Anthony Alfredo brings out the caution flag with just five laps remaining in the race when he spins out after contact from Dawson Cram.  All four of the playoff drivers are in the top four spots.

For the second race in a row, the championship race goes into overtime.  The Truck Series race needed a record four overtime starts to complete the race on Friday night.

Cole Custer brings the field down for the overtime shootout to end the race from the outside lane with John Hunter Nemechek on the inside.  Drivers spread out across the track with John Hunter Nemechek taking the lead but Justin Allgaier and Cole Custer make it a three wide battle.

Cole Custer gets out in front and takes the white flag.

Cole Custer wins the race and the championship!

Custer burned up the tires with a massive burnout while carrying the championship flag.  Co-owner Tony Stewart is on hand to help celebrate the win.

the unofficial results of the Xfinity Championship race:
Cole Custer
Sheldon Creed
Justin Allgaier
Riley Herbst
Sam Mayer
Josh Berry
Austin Hill
Chandler Smith
Sammy Smith
Kaz Grala
Brandon Jones
Jeb Burton
Parker Retzlaff
Rajah Caruth
Brett Moffitt
Parker Kligerman
Kyle Weatherman
Ryan Sieg
Dawson Cram
Jeremy Clements
Daniel Hemric
Myatt Snider
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Anthony Alfredo
Josh Williams
Ryan Ellis
Joey Gase
John Hunter Nemechek
Brennan Poole
Timmy Hill
Joe Graf Jr
Blaine Perkins
Stefan Parsons
Connor Mosack
Chris Hacker
JJ Yeley
Derek Kraus
Kyle Sieg