EAST LANSING, MI.– The race wasn’t clean, but it sure was fast. Through the chaos of Phoenix Raceway’s Straight Talk Wireless 500, Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney overcame all adversity to collect his first race win of the 2026 season.
A weekend to remember for Team Penske
Before a single green flag dropped on Sunday, Team Penske had already made history. The organization’s IndyCar team won at that very same Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, setting up a rare opportunity to sweep both the major open-wheel and stock car races at the Duel in the Desert. With Blaney’s win on Sunday, Penske domination continues.
Stage 1: Penske sets the pace
Joey Logano started the race from the pole and, with a strong history at Phoenix Raceway, entered the weekend as one of the favorites. Early on, Team Penske wasted no time showing off the speed they had brought for the weekend. By lap 48, Ryan Blaney’s long-run pace proved to be the difference, carrying him to the lead. The shortest stage of the race ran caution-free.
Stage 1 results:
- Ryan Blaney
- Christopher Bell
- Joey Logano
- Tyler Reddick
- Denny Hamlin
- Austin Cindric
- Danciel Suarez
- Ty Gibbs
- William Byron
- Ross Chastain
Stage 2: Bell has a strong car
A strong pit stop from Christopher Bell in the No. 20 car put him out front for the start of Stage 2. He pulled away from the field, leading the majority of the stage. Several cautions kept the field bunched up. It was during this stage that things went sideways for Ryan Blaney. He was forced into two unplanned pit stops, having a wheel checked, and had to restart at the back of the field.
Stage 2 results:
- Christopher Bell
- Denny Hamlin
- Joey Logano
- Chris Buescher
- Bubba Wallace
- Austin Cindric
- Carson Hocevar
- Tyler Reddick
- Kyler Larson
- Todd Gilliland
Drivers retired: Chase Briscoe and Noah Gragson
Final stage: Crashes, Pitstops, Chaos
The final 116 laps of the race had everything a fan could ask for. Phoenix Raceway’s dogleg proved to be a treacherous spot, serving as the site of several major incidents throughout the day. With about 60 laps to go, a big crash took out strong contender Joey Logano.
Christopher Bell then took control of the field in the closing laps. A late caution bunched the cars back up, with Ty Gibbs leading the field to the green with 19 laps to go. The chaos wasn’t done yet, as a multi-car wreck erupted on that very same restart. When the dust settled, the field took the final green flag with just 12 laps remaining.
Despite the pit road struggles throughout the day, a strong car and a determined driver put the No. 12 in the lead when it mattered most. Holding off Christopher Bell, who was charging on four fresh tires, Ryan Blaney took the checkered flag to win the Straight Talk Wireless 500.
Top 10 final results:
- Ryan Blaney
- Christopher Bell
- Kyle Larson
- Ty Gibbs
- Denny Hamlin
- Bubba Wallace
- William Byron
- Tyler Reddick
- Michael McDowell
- Erik Jones
Drivers retired: Joey Logano, Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric, John Hunter Nemechek, Ricky Stenhouse, Ty Dillon, and Zane Smith
Upcoming race
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend, with the Cup Series race set for Sunday, March 15th at 4:00 p.m. ET.
