Sport: NASCAR championship live updates, results, highlights from 2021 Cup Series title race at Phoenix

NASCAR playoff clinching scenarios for Martinsville

Check out the Championship 4 clinching scenarios for this weekend's NASCAR playoff elimination races at Martinsville Speedway.These races will finalize the Championship 4 drivers who will compete for series titles during the season finale weekend Nov. 5-7 at Phoenix Raceway.

And then there were four.

The NASCAR Cup Series has reached the final stage of the season, with the Championship 4 set to kick off on Sunday at the Phoenix Raceway.

The four remaining are Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin. Larson and Elliott are in the best position as they start in the No. 1 and 2 spots in the lineup, while Hamlin is at sixth and Truex begins in 12th. Of the drivers, Elliott and Truex are the only two looking to make it multiple titles. Elliott won last year, while Truex won back in 2017.

After reaching this point, each driver is now in the same position. All have 5,000 points, and the driver with the best finish on Sunday will be crowned the champion. There are no stage points, so this will be based purely on the outcome of the race.

Martinsville storylines: Keep it together

In his last three Martinsville races, Ryan Blaney has been hurt by pit road miscues. In Sunday's Round of 8 eliminator, he can't afford more mistakes.The Team Penske driver has been a contender to win in his last three visits to the Virginia half-mile track. But he came away empty-handed each time.

Sporting News is tracking live updates and lap-by-lap highlights from NASCAR's 2021 championship race on Sunday. Follow below for complete results for the winner-take-all Championship 4 finale at Phoenix.

MORE: Watch NASCAR's championship live on fuboTV (7-day free trial)

NASCAR championship live updates, highlights from 2021 race at Phoenix

3:25 p.m.: Kristin Chenoweth performed the national anthem before the race.

“There’s nobody wiser. Not when it comes to ...” the national anthem!

Well done, @KChenoweth. ???????? pic.twitter.com/c4BXr7zlSB

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 7, 2021

3:18 p.m.: Pre-race ceremony beginning with the singing of "God Bless America" ahead of the start of the championship race.

What to Watch: Full guide for Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway

Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway (⏰ 2 p.m. ET | ???? NBC, TSN5 | ???? MRN, SiriusXM) Everything you need to know for Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race and 35th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season. Where: Martinsville Speedway, located in Ridgeway, Virginia Green flag: 2:12 p.m. ET Grand Marshal: TBD Flyover: The […]Everything you need to know for Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race and 35th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season.

3:10 p.m.: Which of these four drivers will be coming away with that trophy?

Your #Championship4!@DennyHamlin | @ChaseElliott | @KyleLarsonRacin | @MartinTruex_Jr pic.twitter.com/t12BRgmbM7

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 7, 2021

NASCAR start time today

• Time: 3 p.m. ET (TV time)
• TV channel: NBC (TSN5 in Canada)
• Live stream: NBC Sports.com | NBC Sports App | Peacock Premium | fuboTV (7-day free trial)
• Radio: MRN

The green flag for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on Phoenix Raceway's 1-mile track is scheduled to drop at 3:34 p.m. EST Sunday (1:34 p.m. MST). The track has lights, so the race can finish after sunset, which is set for 5:37 p.m. MST on Sunday.

Weather does not figure to be the cause of a delay. The National Weather Serivce's forecast for Avondale, Ariz., where Phoenix Raceway is located, is for sunny skies and temperatures in the high 80s. Winds will be calm to light.

PHOENIX LINEUP: Starting order, pole with qualifying

Phoenix entry lists: Cup, Xfinity, Trucks

Here is a look at who is entered for this weekend's Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races at Phoenix.Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series each will have practice and qualifying before they race for the final time this season.

How does the NASCAR championship race work?

Each driver in the Championship 4 will begin the race with 5,000 points. The driver with the most points at the end of the race will be the Cup Series champion. There is one major difference between the first 35 races of the season and the championship race: Stage points will not be awarded to the Championship 4 drivers. That means the playoff drivers' official finishing positions alone will determine who wins the championship. The best finisher among the four will be awarded the title.

NASCAR starting lineup at Pheonix

Here is the complete starting lineup for Sunday's Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Thirty-nine cars were entered for the race, one fewer than the number for a full field. Championship 4 drivers are denoted by a "P" next to their names.

Start pos.	Driver	Car No.	Team
1	P-Kyle Larson	5	Hendrick Motorsports
2	P-Chase Elliott	9	Hendrick Motorsports
3	William Byron	24	Hendrick Motorsports
4	Ryan Blaney	12	Team Penske
5	Kurt Busch	1	Chip Ganassi Racing
6	P-Denny Hamlin	11	Joe Gibbs Racing
7	Cole Custer	41	Stewart-Haas Racing
8	Christopher Bell	20	Joe Gibbs Racing
9	Kevin Harvick	4	Stewart-Haas Racing
10	Joey Logano	22	Team Penske
11	Brad Keselowski	2	Team Penske
12	P-Martin Truex Jr.	19	Joe Gibbs Racing
13	Kyle Busch	18	Joe Gibbs Racing
14	Alex Bowman	48	Hendrick Motorsports
15	Matt DiBenedetto	21	Wood Brothers Racing
16	Ross Chastain	42	Chip Ganassi Racing
17	Daniel Suarez	99	TrackHouse Racing
18	Aric Almirola	10	Stewart-Haas Racing
19	Ryan Newman	6	Roush Fenway Racing
20	Tyler Reddick	8	Richard Childress Racing
21	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	47	JTG Daugherty Racing
22	Chase Briscoe	14	Stewart-Haas Racing
23	Austin Dillon	3	Richard Childress Racing
24	Corey LaJoie	7	Spire Motorsports
25	Bubba Wallace	23	23XI Racing
26	Chris Buescher	17	Roush Fenway Racing
27	Erik Jones	43	Richard Petty Motorsports
28	Michael McDowell	34	Front Row Motorsports
29	Justin Haley	77	Spire Motorsports
30	Anthony Alfredo	38	Front Row Motorsports
31	Ryan Preece	37	JTG Daugherty Racing
32	BJ McLeod	78	Live Fast Motorsports
33	Cody Ware	51	Petty Ware Racing
34	Joey Gase	53	Rick Ware Racing
35	Quin Houff	00	StarCom Racing
36	David Starr	15	Motorsports Business Management
37	Josh Bilicki	52	Rick Ware Racing
38	Garrett Smithley	15	Rick Ware Racing
39	Timmy Hill	66	Motorsports Business Management