Kyle Larson remained Cup leader after Phoenix; Bell was five points back
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 18, 2026
Playoff standings after Phoenix
The sixth playoff race tightened the championship picture, with Christopher Bell cutting the gap to five points. Larson went into the sixth race of the 10-race playoffs with a 51-point lead over Bell, a 49-point cushion over Denny Hamlin, a 65-point edge over Chase Briscoe and an 85-point margin over Ryan Blaney. He also carried a strong résumé into Phoenix, with two playoff victories and two second-place finishes through the first six playoff races. That production kept him on top even after a rough qualifying session dropped him deep in the field. Larson qualified 22nd after a bobble and a loose car, but the standings still favored him when the day at Phoenix Raceway was over.
Phoenix Raceway qualifying
Phoenix Raceway set up a front row for Team Penske, with Ryan Blaney winning the pole and Joey Logano qualifying second. Chase Briscoe took third, Denny Hamlin was fourth and Bell qualified fifth, giving the top of the grid a heavy playoff feel. Larson’s 22nd-place starting spot stood out against that group after his trouble in qualifying, where the bobble and loose car cost him track position before the race even began. The order at the front also showed how competitive the playoff field remained at Phoenix, with several contenders lining up near the head of the pack and Bell, Hamlin and Briscoe all inside the top five. Phoenix Raceway was also hosting the event without championship weekend for the first time since 2019, a change from the recent run of seasons but one that did little to soften the importance of the track on the playoff schedule.
Christopher Bell closed the gap
Bell did the most direct damage to Larson’s advantage, moving to within five points after Phoenix Raceway. That made the title chase narrower at the top and kept Bell positioned as Larson’s closest threat in the standings. He entered the race from fifth in qualifying, putting him among the playoff contenders. Briscoe stayed part of that same conversation as well, arriving at Phoenix after back-to-back wins in Las Vegas and Charlotte and qualifying third. Hamlin also stayed in the mix from fourth on the grid, while Blaney’s pole and Logano’s runner-up starting spot gave Penske a clean sweep of the front row. With Phoenix in the books and the playoff field moving on, the battle at the top stayed centered on Larson and Bell.
