Overview
- Ryan Blaney won the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix by 0.399 seconds over Christopher Bell, who led 176 laps.
- With 22 laps remaining, Bell pitted for four tires and cycled out eighth while Blaney took two tires and held track position.
- Crew chief Adam Stevens said he expected four new tires to charge forward and misread how far back Bell would restart.
- Stevens cited a follow-up caution for burning crucial green-flag laps that limited Bell’s ability to slice through traffic.
- Post-race standings show Blaney up to second with 165 points and Bell sixth with 113, drawing comparisons to the 2025 finale’s two-vs.-four tire split between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson.