Mar 8, 2026; Avondale, Arizona, USA; Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney (12) celebrates his victory following the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Race Results

Originally posted on Racing America on SI
By Toby Christie | Last updated Mar 8, 2026 8:15 PM ET

For the first time in a points-paying race during the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Tyler Reddick isn't the race winner. Instead, Ryan Blaney was able to dust off the old Team Penske magic at Phoenix Raceway to score his first win of the season and his 18th career win.

Blaney, who now has three career wins at the 1-mile oval in Avondale, AZ, rebounded from issues on pit road on several occasions, and was able to out-strategize the race's dominant driver, Christopher Bell, to steal the lead and the win in the closing laps.

Ultimately, a two-tire pit call by Blaney's crew chief Jonathan Hassler with 22 laps to go proved to be the difference, as Bell took four fresh tires, and had to claw from the eighth position.

Blaney would cross the finish line ahead of Bell by a margin of victory of 0.399 seconds, while Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers.

Straight Talk Wireless 500 Race Results

Fin	Car	Driver	Laps	Diff	Points
1	12	Ryan Blaney (S1)	312	--	65
2	20	Christopher Bell (S2)	312	0.399	54
3	5	Kyle Larson	312	2.175	36
4	54	Ty Gibbs	312	2.608	36
5	11	Denny Hamlin	312	2.914	47
6	23	Bubba Wallace	312	3.563	37
7	24	William Byron	312	4.569	32
8	45	Tyler Reddick	312	5.039	39
9	71	Michael McDowell	312	5.694	28
10	43	Erik Jones	312	6.086	27
11	97	Shane van Gisbergen	312	6.304	26
12	34	Todd Gilliland	312	6.413	26
13	60	Ryan Preece	312	6.709	24
14	17	Chris Buescher	312	7.126	30
15	6	Brad Keselowski	312	7.223	22
16	3	Austin Dillon	312	7.532	21
17	8	Kyle Busch	312	8.422	20
18	35	Riley Herbst	312	9.141	19
19	16	A.J. Allmendinger	312	9.230	18
20	77	Carson Hocevar	312	9.627	21
21	33*	Austin Hill (i)	312	9.779	0
22	47	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	312	9.896	15
23	9	Chase Elliott	312	10.089	14
24	51	Cody Ware	312	10.504	13
25	42	John Hunter Nemechek	312	14.804	12
26	10	Ty Dillon	311	1 lap	11
27	38	Zane Smith	294	Out	10
28	1	Ross Chastain	286	26 laps	10
29	88	Connor Zilisch #	281	Out	8
30	7	Daniel Suarez	254	Out	11
31	22	Joey Logano (X)	253	Out	23
32	21	Josh Berry	253	Out	5
33	48	Anthony Alfredo (i)	217	Out	0
34	2	Austin Cindric	216	Out	13
35	41	Cole Custer	159	Out	2
36	4	Noah Gragson	155	Out	1
37	19	Chase Briscoe	131	Out	1

(S1) Stage 1 Winner
(S2) Stage 2 Winner
(X) Xfinity Fastest Lap
# Rookie of the Year contender
* "Open" Entry
(i) Driver ineligible to score points

Time of Race: 3 hours, 32 minutes, 12 seconds
Average Speed: 88.219 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.399 seconds
Cautions: 12 for 86 laps
Lead Changes: 23 among 8 drivers

This article first appeared on Racing America on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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