Dramatic prelude builds excitement for NASCAR's Phoenix finale

(Photo credit: Alex Gould/Special for The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK)The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway -- it doesn't need a sponsor's name and the number of laps or miles involved.

This race is bigger than that and officially will wrap up the 2024 season on Sunday in Avondale, Ariz.

But how did we get here?

With so much at stake last weekend at Martinsville and the six drivers either having