TC Daily Pit Stop: Almirola Clashes with Bowman to Win Xfinity Race in Photo Finish; Byron on Cup Pole; Sunday's TV Schedule
TC Daily Pit Stop: Sunday, March 9th, 2025
Aric Almirola Clashes with Alex Bowman for Xfinity Win at Phoenix
Wow, what a finish. Aric Almirola came out on top of a duel against Alex Bowman for the race win in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Phoenix Raceway. After Almirola got shoved wide on the overtime restart by then race leader Justin Allgaier, Bowman took over the lead and looked to be heading to a certain win.
But Almirola wouldn't relent, and on the final lap, he got Bowman loose in Turns 1 and 2, and then dove it in deep in turns 3 and 4, and side-slammed Bowman on the exit of the Turn. The two cars grinded side-by-side over the finish line, where Almirola eeked out a slim win.
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VIDEO: THE PHOTO FINISH
OFFICIAL RACE RESULTS
POINTS: DRIVER | OWNER | ROOKIE | MANUFACTURER
William Byron Surges to Cup Series Pole at Phoenix
William Byron was the final car to go out in Saturday’s qualifying session for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway, and he had enough speed to dethrone Joey Logano for the pole position.
Byron’s lap time was a 26.930 second (133.680 mph) lap around the 1-mile oval.
While it was a great afternoon for Byron, it was also a really good day for Spire Motorsports, which locked all three of its cars inside the top-eight starting spots for the first time in the team’s history.
Katherine Legge, making her NASCAR Cup Series debut, will start from the final spot on the starting grid (37th) in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet.
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OFFICIAL STARTING LINEUP
Other NASCAR Headlines:
How Ryan Sieg’s Bizarre Day Ended With Fourth in a Backup Car at Phoenix
Busch Alleges NASCAR has ‘Rules for Thee, but Not for Me’ Mentality
Parker Retzlaff Drives to 11th After Early-Race Fuel Pressure Issue
Ross Chastain on Spinning Elliott at COTA: I Wish I Hadn’t Done it
Video: Austin Hill Clips Inside Wall; Crashes Hard at Phoenix
Sunday’s NASCAR TV Schedule
3:30 PM ET: NASCAR Cup Race (FS1 / FOX Sports App)
Phoenix Race Weekend Resources
Cup Results: Practice | Starting Lineup
Xfinity Results: Practice | Starting Lineup | Race Results
Entry Lists: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity
2025 NASCAR Season Resources:
Schedules: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks
Driver Points: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks
Owner Points: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks
Rookie Standings: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks
Manufacturer Standings: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks
2025 Driver/Team Charts: NASCAR Cup | NASCAR Xfinity | NASCAR Trucks