NASCAR has held its championship races in Arizona since 2022, with Phoenix Raceway providing an advantage to certain drivers that has led to Team Penske winning three consecutive Cup Series titles. Amid the ongoing debate over relocating the championship races, we might now have an idea of how much NASCAR receives for giving its title races to Phoenix.
The current championship format has drawn plenty of criticism, both for it being based in Phoenix and the sport allowing one race to decide that season’s champion. In January, Kyle Larson acknowledged to Bob Pockrass that Penske has “the best opportunity to win” the championship since it’s in Phoenix.
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Denny Hamlin has also been critical of the current format for the NASCAR Cup Series championship, offering alternatives that would be better for the sport. That would include having a three-race championship, which would be a better gauge of who the best driver is and more money could be earned with three sites hosting the championship round.
NASCAR is considering different locations for its championship weekend in 2026. Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, is under consideration. However, word surfaced after the Straight Talk Wireless 400 that Homestead wasn’t receiving the funding it needed from Miami to bid on the race. That lack of funding could be particularly important given the bidding war it might take to pull the championship races away from Phoenix.
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On Sunday night’s episode of The Teardown, staff writer Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic shared that Homestead’s Vice Mayor told him he heard NASCAR is receiving between $5 to $10 million from Phoenix to host the championship races.
“I want to make sure I say this very carefully. The Homestead Vice Mayor told me a figure of what he had heard NASCAR was getting from the Phoenix community. He put it at between $5 and $10 million. I have not been able to verify that at all, but that is what he says they were getting.”
Jordan Bianchi on what Phoenix is paying to host the NASCAR championship races
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While NASCAR officials don’t technically have to give the championship races to the highest bidder, it’s seemingly been made to Homestead officials that they need to bring a lot more to the table to host a future race for the title.
The best resolution to this, which might make all parties happy, is to move forward with a three-race championship in the future. Phoenix, Homestead and another city could all be a part of the battle for the championship and drivers’ concerns about a winner-take-all race where one team has an advantage would be taken care of. NASCAR didn’t make any changes to the playoff format for this season, but adjustments are on the table for 2026.