All Times Eastern Last race: Ryan Blaney raced to his first career NASCAR championship by banging his way past fellow contender and 2021 champion Kyle Larson in the closing laps at Phoenix Raceway to give Team Penske back-to-back Cup titles. Joey Logano won the title last year, and Ross Chastain won the race, becoming the first driver to win the season finale while not in contention for the championship. Next race: Feb. 4, Los Angeles (non-points race); Feb. 15, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Fast facts: Blaney joined 2021 series champion Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell as drivers who won their way into the Championship 4 while William Byron, the series leader with six victories this season, got in on points. The highest finisher among those four will be the champion. Regular season champion Martin Truex Jr. and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher and Tyler Reddick were eliminated from title contention.
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Robert Hight pulled to within 17 points of the Funny Car points lead on Sunday, finishing off a dominant weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the victory for John Force Racing at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals. Mike Salinas .