NASCAR Predictions for Freeway Insurance 500, Starting Lineup at Phoenix

The NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 starts this afternoon on Sunday, October 18, at 3:00 p.m. ET at Phoenix Raceway on USA Network.

Sunday’s race features 312 laps spanning 312 miles at this short intermediate track (Length of 1 Mile to 1.49 Miles). Only four races remain in the Chase for the Cup, concluding with a driver being crowned champion at Homestead on November 8.

Chase Briscoe is making the Chase all about him, winning each of the last two weeks at Las Vegas and Charlotte. Briscoe not only won his third race of the season but placed in the Top 4 for a third consecutive week.

Below, we'll break down our NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 predictions and pick to win for Sunday’s race, including top driver picks for PrizePicks.

Make your NASCAR picks for the Freeway Insurance 500 on PrizePicks — and earn real money if you're right.

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NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500, Top 10 Predictions for Phoenix – Sunday, October 18

The circuit heads to Phoenix for the second time this season as Ryan Blaney captured the Straight Talk Wireless 500 in March. 

Blaney won last season’s finale at Phoenix, the NASCAR Cup Series Championship, although Kyle Larson ended up getting crowned the season champion.

Larson sits atop the NASCAR standings with four races remaining, right ahead of Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Briscoe, and Blaney. Bell has placed in the Top-5 in four of the last five Phoenix events, including a pair of March wins in 2024 and 2025.  

Hamlin owns a pair of victories at Phoenix in 42 attempts, with his last win coming in 2019. In his past nine Phoenix races, Hamlin finished in the Top 3 once, closing second in March 2025.

NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 Winner Payouts on PrizePicks

The favorite to win the Freeway Insurance 500 is Ryan Blaney, entering Sunday's race (3:00 p.m. ET), according to PrizePicks Team Picks.

Blaney currently has a 3.57x payout ($100 pays out $357) if he wins, while Christopher Bell is right behind him at a 4x payout to win at Phoenix, according to PrizePicks.

Here are the payouts for drivers to win the NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 Winner from Phoenix Raceway on PrizePicks. Make your Freeway Insurance 500 pick on 'Yes' or 'No' to a driver to win.

Make your NASCAR picks for the Freeway Insurance 500 on PrizePicks — and earn real money if you're right!

Payout multipliers listed below (like 2x) indicate real-money earnings if your NASCAR predictions are correct; for example, 2x on a $100 entry pays $200 if correct on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 36 states. “Yes” payouts represent a specific outcome occurring, whereas "No" payouts indicate the opposite.

NASCAR Starting Lineup for Freeway Insurance 500: Blaney Earns Pole Position

Qualifying for the NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 took place on Saturday. Blaney captured his first Phoenix pole since March 2022. 

Blaney’s domination at Phoenix hasn’t gone unnoticed, closing first or second in six of the last eight races. He closed 28th in the March event last year only because of engine failure with less than 35 laps remaining.    

Briscoe last won at Phoenix in 2022, as he seeks his first Top-10 finish at this track in the last five tries.

Tyler Reddick’s early-season hot stretch feels like a long time ago, as he is winless in the past 23 races following five victories in the first 11 events. Reddick seeks his first Phoenix victory in 14 tries, while closing eighth in the March event.

Here is the full NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 starting lineup at Phoenix Raceway for Sunday’s race at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA Network. 

Row 1: Ryan Blaney / Joey Logano

Row 2: Chase Briscoe / Denny Hamlin

Row 3: Christopher Bell / Tyler Reddick

Row 4: Ty Gibbs / Michael McDowell

Row 5: Josh Berry / William Byron

Row 6: Ross Chastain / Connor Zilisch

Row 7: Todd Gilliand / Daniel Suarez

Row 8: Austin Cindric / Chase Elliott 

Row 9: Chris Buescher / Brad Keselowski

Row 10: Riley Herbst / Zane Smith 

Row 11: AJ Allmendinger / Kyle Larson

Row 12: Bubba Wallace / Austin Dillon

Row 13: Shane van Gisbergen / Ryan Preece

Row 14: Cole Custer / Carson Hocevar

Row 15: Erik Jones / Noah Gragson

Row 16: Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. / John H. Nemechek

Row 17: Ty Dillon / Alex Bowman

Row 18: Austin Hill / Corey Heim

Row 19: Cody Ware

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NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 Predictions, Driver Picks for Phoenix

Here are three of the top Freeway Insurance 500 picks to target in the NASCAR race from Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. Top PrizePicks NASCAR picks are headlined by three drivers: Joey Logano, Josh Berry, and Austin Cindric.

Joey Logano – 5.5 Finishing Position

Joey Logano to Finish Top 10 in Freeway Insurance 500 via PrizePicks Team Picks: Yes 1.33x | No 2.38x

• Logano owns four career wins at Phoenix but crashed out in the March event and finished 31st.
• Since winning at Bristol on September 19, Logano has finished no higher than ninth in the last three races.
• In five events at short intermediate tracks this season, Logano finished in the Top 5 once, closing third at Gateway on September 13.
• In nine career races he started on the front row at Phoenix, he closed in the Top 5 only four times. 

Add Joey Logano to your PrizePicks NASCAR Picks for the Freeway Insurance 500.

Josh Berry – 8.5 Finishing Position

Josh Berry to Finish Top 10 in Freeway Insurance 500 via PrizePicks Team Picks: Yes 1.72x | No 1.78x

• Logano’s crash at Phoenix in March caused a wreck that involved Berry, who finished 32nd, his worst finish at that track in six tries.
• Berry has been up and down throughout the Chase, finishing in the Top 7 three times and 26th or worse three times.
• In last week’s race at Charlotte, Berry placed fourth, marking his seventh Top-7 finish in the past 11 events.
• Berry starts ninth today, the sixth time he has begun among the Top 10 this season. Only twice has he finished in the Top 8, coming at Richmond (eighth) and New Hampshire (third).

Add Josh Berry to your PrizePicks NASCAR Picks for the Freeway Insurance 500.

Austin Cindric – 10.5 Finishing Position

Austin Cindric to Finish Top 10 in Freeway Insurance 500 via PrizePicks Team Picks: Yes 1.92x | No 1.31x

• Phoenix has been a house of horrors for Cindric, placing 34th or lower in four of the past six tries.
• Cindric closed second at Kansas and fourth at Las Vegas before a 17th-place finish at Charlotte. 
• In five events at short intermediate tracks, Cindric placed in the Top 10 twice. His best finish was fifth at Darlington on March 22.
• Cindric starts 15th this afternoon at Phoenix. In the previous 14 races he began 15th or lower, he finished outside the Top 10 in 13 events.

Add Austin Cindric to your PrizePicks NASCAR Picks for the Freeway Insurance 500.

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Make NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 Predictions on PrizePicks

Four races remain in the Chase for the Cup as Larson looks to extend his lead over Hamlin. Can Briscoe win for a third straight week, or will Blaney continue his domination at Phoenix today?

Don’t wait until lock — make your NASCAR Freeway Insurance 500 predictions on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

There are unique picks on the NASCAR board for every race, including driver points and starting position; just pick at least two drivers to build your lineup on PrizePicks. Or, make your picks on race winners on Team Picks, now available in 36 states!

Stay locked in to Playbook throughout the season for more NASCAR picks, predictions, and news every day.