Twice already during these NASCAR Cup Series playoffs has a driver outside of the playoffs gone to Victory Lane. Could it happen again Sunday on the biggest stage of all — the season-ending Championship 4 race at Phoenix? Although there’s yet to be a time in the seven-year history of the Championship 4 that a non-title contender won the final race, it’s certainly possible. Especially when you consider that drivers outside the playoffs have captured two of the last five races, including this past Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway. Taking the win at Martinsville was Alex Bowman, a driver who has been no stranger to Victory Lane in 2021 but was nevertheless eliminated earlier in the playoffs.
Don’t think for a minute that Bowman wouldn’t love to play the spoiler role again this weekend in his home state, even as two of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates are competing for the championship. “I mean, obviously, it can all go in a different direction this weekend, but we want to just end the season strong at Phoenix,” said Bowman, who is a native of nearby Tucson, Arizona. “That’s been a place that’s been pretty rough on us over the years. Having positive momentum ending this way is good.”
Of all the non-Championship 4 drivers who would love to score a win at Phoenix, you probably won’t find one more motivated than Brad Keselowski, who is making his final start this weekend with Team Penske — the organization where he’s spent nearly his entire NASCAR Cup Series career, won a championship, and made a name for himself in the sport. Keselowski has been to Victory Lane just once this season and wants nothing more than to finish his 12-year run at Team Penske in style by celebrating in Victory Lane. “Yeah, it would be huge,” Keselowski said. “We’re going to shoot real hard for that. Hopefully, we can pull it off. But super proud of everything we’ve done together.”