Posted on by Cameron Richardson

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — 2.9 seconds.

This was the gap differential Ryan Blaney had to leader Kyle Larson as the No. 12 Team Penske driver passed William Byron for third with 42 laps to go.

Forty-two circuits may seem like a long time but at Martinsville Speedway Sunday evening, it took 15 minutes to get to Lap 500.

In those 15 minutes, Blaney made a hard charge at Hendrick Motorsports teammates Larson and Chase Elliott to erase the 2.9-second difference, took the lead with 14 to go and grabbed the checkered flag for a second consecutive season to punch his ticket to the Championship 4 in walk-off fashion.

When Blaney moved to third, he was unsure whether he had the time to run down both Larson and Elliott but was banking on lapped traffic to be his last gasp.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Martinsville

“When I got to Byron, the 5 [Larson] kind of seemed pretty far away and I didn’t think I had a ton of laps left,” Blaney said. “But I tried to keep in mind like they’re going to catch the back of the pack and they’re going to slow down a lot because it happens every run. Honestly, I just like beat into my brain of just saving rear tire for that moment, because I used up rear tire trying to pass the 6 [Brad Keselowski] earlier in the race when I ran him down pretty quick, and I just had no rear tire left to pass him, so I just tried too hard.

“I just tried to stay disciplined, knowing they would back up to me and I needed something to try to pass those guys and have something on corner exit. I didn’t know if I was going to get there. I knew there was a shot and really my focus was just saving rears in case I did get a chance. I’d be able to capitalize on it like I wasn’t able to with the 6 because I burnt my stuff up. It was a long way back we came from. But I think saving a little bit there and being mindful of rears when I got to traffic allowed me to be a little bit more versatile when I got to those guys.”

Blaney had a bit of a tussle with Larson for second as the defending Cup Series champion moved the No. 5 in Turns 3 and 4 to take the spot.

Larson fought back with a shot to the rear of Blaney the following lap as payback but Blaney held his ground and took off for Elliott.

With Elliott and Blaney the bottom two in the playoff table entering Sunday’s elimination race, both needed a victory to advance and it looked as though they would have to beat and bang for the win as a packed grandstand watched under the lights. Blaney, however, was able to get a huge run off Turn 2 on Lap 486 and get to the inside of Elliott down the backstretch to complete a clean pass on the 2020 champion to take the lead.

While having a relatively clean race despite fenders rubbed, Blaney described his fatigue after climbing out of his hot rod to a roaring crowd.

“My God, I was tired. Still am. Most worn out I’ve been, for sure,” Blaney emphasized. “We stuck with it all night. It’s nice when things work out like that for you. I laid the bumper to more guys than I would have liked tonight. I guess fight, determination and the drive was great. How much time we made up is awesome. You can make up that time when your car is really good and we got our car really good. It makes me look like a hero, but at the same time [crew chief] Jonathan [Hassler] and those guys did an awesome job of getting us where we need to be. So definitely a joint effort.”

Compared to last year’s triumph, Blaney had to dig a little deeper to have the drive after last week’s heartbreak at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Saying “I feel like the mental side is the toughest thing about our sport” days before making the trek to Martinsville, the payoff Sunday equated to one of the defining moments in Blaney’s young career, as he’ll now carry momentum to the championship race next Sunday.

Blaney will duke it out in the Arizona desert for a second Bill France Cup against regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Team Penske teammate Joey Logano, a two-time series champ.

With a string of highs and lows throughout 2024, including four DNFs in a seven-race span from Daytona to Talladega in the playoffs, Blaney has stopped the timer from winding down to zero on his title hopes and come next Sunday, will look to have the clock strike 12 once again.

“This 12 group is just dogs, man,” Blaney said. ” I mean, we’ve dealt with a lot of adversity through the year. Ups and downs and getting wrecked and getting caught up in BS that’s not our fault. And everyone kind of overlooks this group, to be honest with you, especially in the playoffs. Like, we’ll have a good week and then we’ll get wrecked the next week … and we have a decent week, and it’s just the ups and downs. This team has been fantastic all year. Just hasn’t been the smoothest of years. But it’s cool to go to battle with them every week, and looking forward to go into battle with them again next week.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Two years after Ross Chastain made himself a viral star with the “Hail Melon,” the complexion of the NASCAR Cup Series’ Championship 4 field again came down to a fateful last-lap meeting with Martinsville Speedway’s outside retaining wall.

Christopher Bell’s version Sunday night was more of a half-melon that forced a tiebreaker with fellow playoff contender William Byron, but instead of saving his postseason fate, the result was a full penalty that shattered his season-long dream.

Byron will vie for the Bill France Cup in 2024 after a final-lap review of Sunday’s Xfinity 500, the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway that left both Bell and Byron in an agonizing wait to learn their outcomes. Ryan Blaney had snapped up the third title spot on the strength of his stirring drive to his second consecutive victory in Martinsville’s autumn showdown. The fourth and final title-eligible berth was in limbo some 25 minutes after the checkered flag.

Initially, it looked to be Bell. He crossed the start/finish line in 18th place, provisionally putting the Joe Gibbs Racing driver into a tiebreaker with Byron in the playoff standings. But the way he grabbed that position came under scrutiny after his No. 20 Toyota went hard below the fading No. 23 Toyota of Bubba Wallace into the third turn, carrying both cars up out of the groove. Bell’s car made contact with the outside wall and scraped along the barrier as he muscled his way to the front straightaway.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

Bell’s move created a points deadlock between him and Byron, a tiebreak that would have gone in   Bell’s favor based on best finish in the Round of 8. But after a lengthy post-race discussion, NASCAR officials deemed Bell’s move a safety violation, dropping him instead to a 22nd-place finish as the final car one lap down. That gave the final championship berth to Byron, who advanced by just four points after holding on for a sixth-place result.

Sitting on the outside pit wall, Bell pursed his lips after the remaining crowd reacted to the announcement over the track’s public-address system. No. 20 crew chief Adam Stevens gently shook his head and threw his gum over his left shoulder. An eventful day that included a modest rally from an early spin and an unscheduled pit stop for loose wheels was over.

“It’s a bummer, but in the grand scheme of things, there’s a lot of things that we did poorly today that we could have done better within our control,” Bell said. “So yeah, I don’t know. We accomplished a lot of things this year. The championship won’t be one of them, but we’ll try again next year.”

Chastain’s “Hail Melon” move at Martinsville in 2022 is remembered as a go-for-broke maneuver plucked from the video-game world that put the Trackhouse No. 1 Chevy driver into the title race for the first time. Chastain gained multiple spots with a full-throttle ride of the wall, but while its creativity was celebrated, the increased safety risk was not.

Before the next season began, NASCAR banned the move by establishing rule 10.5.2.6.A, which states: “Safety is a top priority for NASCAR and NEM (NASCAR Event Management). Therefore, any violations deemed to compromise the safety of an Event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others are treated with the highest degree of seriousness. Safety violations will be handled on a case-by-case basis.”

Stevens joined owner Coach Joe Gibbs and other team officials in meeting with NASCAR’s competition crew to argue their post-race case that the original finish should stand. But NASCAR Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer stated that in-race infractions cannot be appealed and that the No. 20 car’s move merited a safety violation in a “pretty straightforward” ruling, saying that he wouldn’t speculate on Bell’s intent.

“If we’re just talking about the decision, this situation is nothing like the situation of the 1 car,” Stevens said after his visit to the Cup Series hauler. “We attempted to make the corner. We passed the 23. We got into the marbles. He got into the fence, after we passed the 23. We slowed down a full second from our previous lap. We weren’t up there matting the gas and grabbing gears. It’s just a different situation. It sucks that it’s a judgment call and you can’t appeal an in-race violation, but I just don’t see anything that’s even remotely close to what the 1 did that they outlawed.”

Byron, meanwhile, returned to the Championship 4 for the second straight year and will bid for his first Cup Series crown in next Sunday’s season finale (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at Phoenix Raceway. It was the second consecutive year that he had eked his way into the final four by single digits, and his view of Bell’s bold move came from a different perspective.

“I’ve never been through anything like that, so definitely some trauma from that for sure,” Byron said of his wait, “because I usually get to go home by now. So yeah, just don’t really know what to think about all that, but thankful that NASCAR looked at it, that they have rules in place and that’s what it is.”

Byron led 51 laps and was in contention into the final stage, but his No. 24 Chevrolet had begun to fade in the closing laps. Even though Bell was trapped a lap down in 19th place for the final stretch, he chipped away at the margin as Byron began to slip from second place out of the top five in the last 100 laps.

Once Byron dipped to sixth place, he fell no further as fellow Chevy drivers Chastain and Austin Dillon ran side by side behind him. Sawyer said that their actions and radio transmissions would be subject to review later next week, and that competition officials would also look at the No. 23 team’s final-lap actions.

Stevens was among those leveling accusations about a Chevrolet blockade, citing a perceived unwillingness to pass Byron late.

“That looked pretty obvious to me. I’m sure it did to a lot of people,” Stevens said. “They clogged the track up and hunkered down, and easily could have both passed him and then a couple more cars as well. So I mean, I think that’s a bad look, but bad looks aren’t going to put me in the Championship 4 apparently.”

Bell was measured in his post-race comments, saying multiple times that he was at a loss for words. “I’m not bitter,” he said. “It just wasn’t meant to be, and I’m proud of the successes that we’ve had in 2024. It’s a bummer to not go to Phoenix, because obviously that’s a track we’re really good at. But thankfully, I’ve got a couple more years on my contract, so I’ll get another shot at it.”

Byron will be the lone representative for Hendrick Motorsports in the championship battle after the clock ran out on teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott at Martinsville. The organization celebrated a key moment in its 40th anniversary season here back in the spring, registering a 1-2-3 finish that was led by Byron’s No. 24 with Larson and Elliott in tow.

Sunday’s return to Martinsville meant higher stakes and nerves, as Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon watched the playoff picture transform through the 500-lap race — from the possibility of two team cars advancing, to one, to potentially none. Byron waited it out like the rest, controversy or not.

“In this situation, I mean, it’s hard to feel like it’s a win,” Gordon said, minutes after the ruling was announced. “It’s disappointing, and it’s controversial and you don’t want to see it come down like that. But at the same time, you want to see your team go have a shot the championship. And so, that was up to NASCAR to make that decision. They did, and now, all eyes forward on going and racing for a championship.”

Contributing: Cameron Richardson, staff reports

Posted on by Reid Spencer

MARTINSVILLE, Va. —  He did it again.

For the second straight year, defending series champion Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway to advance to the Championship 4.

And as Blaney took the checkered flag to win Sunday’s Xfinity 500, Christopher Bell made a kamikaze move into the final corner in a futile attempt to deprive William Byron of the final spot in next Sunday’s title event at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Martinsville

Bell drove hard into Turn 3 on the final lap, passed Bubba Wallace for the one point he needed, slipped up into the outside wall and rode the fence through Turn 4, committing what NASCAR deemed a safety violation. Bell was penalized four positions to 22nd as Byron advanced by four points.

Blaney passed Chase Elliott for the lead on Lap 486 of 500 and pulled away to win by 2.593 seconds over the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who was eliminated from the playoffs along with teammate and third-place finisher Kyle Larson.

“I’m worn out — I’ve got nothing left,” said Blaney, who ran down both Elliott and Larson from three seconds back after a restart on Lap 414.

“Oh, my God, I’m tired. Good battle, and this car hung on longer than most, and I could really make some ground.”

The victory was his third of the season, his second at the 0.526-mile short track and the 13th of his career.

CHAMPIONSHIP 4: View Cup, Xfinity, Truck Series field

Blaney joins Team Penske teammate Joey Logano in the Championship 4 after triumphing in a race that featured Goodyear’s option tire on the right sides of the cars and a softer compound on the left.

“The last 70 or so laps, I tried to save my rear (tires) the best I could, because that’s where I started struggling later in the runs,” said Blaney, who led 32 laps. “I hated I had to lay the bumper to some guys, but I had to do it. It was nice to pass the 9 (Elliott) clean. I laid the bumper to a couple guys that I wish I didn’t have to, but I needed to get going, so it was a long night.

“I appreciate everybody for getting (the No. 12 Ford) better through the night. Thank goodness. I think that’s the most tired I’ve been after a race in a long time.”

SHOP: Race winner gear

Byron came home sixth behind Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin as the Chevrolets of Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain ran side-by-side behind him on the closing laps, boxing in the Ford of Brad Keselowski, who led a race-high 170 laps and won the second stage.

After the race, and before Bell’s penalty, Byron was adamant Bell had committed a violation by riding the wall in the final corner.

“He rode the wall, and there’s a clear rule against riding the wall,” Byron said, referring to the prohibition instituted after Ross Chastain shot around the outside wall through Turns 3 and 4 at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4 in 2022.

“In my eyes, that’s what counts. … We all sat in meetings and talked about whether there should be a rule against it. His (Bell’s) front tires were off the ground coming off (Turn) 4 there, against the fence.”

WATCH: Blaney: ‘To have another shot at a championship is special’

After the ruling, Bell congratulated Byron on his advancement to the Championship 4. Bell had recovered from an early spin in Turn 2 and an unscheduled pit stop to tighten a loose wheel to make his last-ditch bid for the final playoff spot.

Had Bell retained his 18th-place finish, he would have edged Byron for the Championship 4 berth on a tiebreaker.

“It was Martinsville, and it was a Round of 8 cutoff race,” Bell said. “Unfortunately, I was on the bad side of it. Made a lot of mistakes, ran a sloppy race. It is a shame that it comes down to a ball-and-strike call like that.

“You can look at both sides of the fence — the Chevy organization had a lot of blocking going on so that the 24 (Byron) didn’t lose positions. I slid into the wall (on the final lap) and kept my foot into it. I guess that is a losing move.”

Along with Larson, Elliott and Bell, Hamlin failed to make the Championship 4, finishing 24 points below the elimination line.

Dillon finished seventh on Sunday, followed by Chastain, Keselowski and Logano.

Elliott won the first stage and led 129 laps. Larson led 71 laps and Byron 51 in a race that featured nine cautions for 66 circuits.

Championship 4 driver Tyler Reddick, who won last Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, fell out of the race after completing 458 laps and finished 34th.

MORE: Phoenix schedule

However, Reddick, Logano, Blaney and Byron will start on even terms in next Sunday’s Championship 4 Race at Phoenix (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).

NOTE: Post-race inspection in the Cup Series garage concluded without issue, confirming Blaney as the Martinsville race winner.

Posted on by Staff Report

The 2024 Championship 4 came into focus Sunday evening following the Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway, where 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney pushed ahead of Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson late to win at the short track and clinch his chance to go back-to-back at Phoenix Raceway.

And so, the stage is set for four Cup drivers to battle it out in the desert for the opportunity to hoist the Bill France Cup.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos

The following Cup quartet will compete for a NASCAR Cup Series championship next Sunday at Phoenix (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App):

1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
2. Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
3. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
4. William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick came into Sunday’s final Round of 8 contest with Championship 4 berths already clinched, with the No. 22 Team Penske Ford prevailing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota triumphing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. With Blaney’s Martinsville victory, one playoff driver — William Byron — clinched on points.

With the Cup Series title field now set, we have a full picture of who is racing for a championship crown in the season finale. Here are the other two Championship 4 fields.

2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4

Race: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

1. Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
3. Cole Custer, No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
4. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship 4

Race: Friday, 8 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

1. Grant Enfinger, No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet
2. Christian Eckes, No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet
3. Ty Majeski, No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford
4. Corey Heim, No. 11 Tricon Garage Toyota

Posted on by Press Release

JOHNSTON, Iowa (Nov. 3, 2024) — Four lottery players are headed to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway®, Nov. 8-10, for the chance to win $1 million in person. NASCAR® and Powerball® announced today, during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the four finalists who have won a VIP trip for two to NASCAR Championship Weekend™ and entry into the $1 million drawing.

The four finalists in the NASCAR Powerball Playoff, include:

  • Anthony Lawrence — Magnolia, Del.
  • Meagan Lewis — New Orleans, La.
  • Beverly Lipford — Goldsboro, N.C.
  • Michael Wells — Columbia, S.C.

Each finalist has a 1 in 4 chance of winning the $1 million prize in the next and final drawing of the national Powerball promotion. The $1 million drawing will be broadcast live on NBC during pre-race coverage of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™ on Sunday, Nov. 10 starting at 2 p.m. ET. Green flag is slated for 3 p.m. ET on NBC.

The VIP trip includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations — double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 9 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 10, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway during the NASCAR Championship Weekend including Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, Victory Lane access, welcome dinner and all meals and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

The four lottery players eliminated from the NASCAR Powerball Playoff have each won $7,500, they include:

  • Christopher Goggins — Greenbelt, Md.
  • Thelma Price — Portland, Maine
  • Tosha Tomlinson — Anderson, Ind.
  • Kevin Weber — Bradenton, Fla.

The lottery players entered the national Powerball promotion through one of 27 participating state lotteries. Participating lotteries held in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2024 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Sixteen lottery players were randomly selected from the national pool in a preliminary drawing to advance to a series of Playoff-style drawings, with cash prizes awarded to all 16 lottery players based on their elimination position.

Playoff drawingsDateRace announcementsNotes
Round of 16Sept. 1Cook Out Southern 500, Darlington Raceway16 semi-finalists advance
Round of 12Sept. 21Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway12 semi-finalists advance, 4 eliminated win $2,500
Round of 8Oct. 13Bank of America Roval 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway8 semi-finalists advance, 4 eliminated win $5,000
Championship 4Nov. 3Xfinity 500, Martinsville Speedway4 semi-finalists advance & win VIP trip, 4 eliminated win $7,500
$1 Million ChampionshipNov. 10NASCAR Cup Series Championship, Phoenix Raceway1 $1 million winner, 3 $10,000 winners

Lotteries that participated in the 2024 NASCAR Powerball Playoff include Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hoosier (Indiana), Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Players can follow the NASCAR Powerball Playoff on Facebook, Instagram, and online at Powerball.com.

NASCAR® is a registered trademark of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. Copyright ©2024 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NASCAR®, LLC is not a sponsor of this promotion.

 

NASCAR Powerball Playoff 2024 Championship 4 grid
Powerball

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Michael McDowell made his 500th career NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

McDowell, driver of the No. 34 Ford, took the green flag for the Xfinity 500 from the 17th position, becoming just the 47th driver in Cup Series history to eclipse the 500-start mark. Other active drivers to have accomplished this feat are Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

MORE: Race results | At-track photos

The Phoenix, Arizona, native is in his 17th year at the sport’s top level, a full-time racer since 2017. McDowell joined Front Row Motorsports in 2018, where he has piloted its No. 34 Ford in the past seven seasons. The milestone comes at the site of his first start, March 30, 2008 at Martinsville.

“I’m super thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had to stay in the sport,” McDowell said, “and they haven’t always been all glamorous but I mean, I’ve gotten to drive race cars for the last 20 years, and I’ve gotten to race in the Cup Series the last 16, and I don’t take that for granted. I know how tough it is. I know these seats are desired and coveted, and I’m glad that I have one.”

McDowell scored his first career win in the 2021 Daytona 500, his crowning moment coming in the “Great American Race.” His second victory came at the hallowed grounds of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, dominating a race on its road course in 2023 with crew chief Travis Peterson atop the pit box.

“For anyone to have raced in this sport for as long as Michael has is pretty remarkable, especially with some of the names he’s included with,” Peterson said in a release. “It’s an awesome honor to be on the box for his 500th start and I know the team is excited as well to be a part of this milestone.”

This season, McDowell has notched two top fives and seven top 10s in addition to six Busch Light Pole Awards, the first six of his career.

McDowell finished Sunday’s race in 33rd place.

Posted on by Steve Luvender

We’re bringing you live updates covering Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race from Martinsville Speedway, the Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App). Bookmark this page and check back often as we chronicle the action from what promises to be a thrilling Sunday.

Overview: 

• Martinsville Speedway hosts the 500-lap Round of 8 playoff elimination race Sunday afternoon. 

• Among the eight playoff contenders, four drivers will leave Martinsville eliminated from the championship fight. With a new, softer tire expected to offer a high degree of unpredictability, anything could happen — and anyone, except already locked-in drivers Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick, could be going home disappointed.

If it helps to get you in the mood, you can check out past Martinsville races ad-free on NASCAR Classics. 

All times listed are Eastern.

Sunday, November 3

6:30 p.m., checkered flag: That’s it for our Martinsville live blog coverage. Thanks for following along! | Unofficial results

6:10 p.m., checkered flag: Last year, Ryan Blaney won at Martinsville and followed it up with a championship-winning performance at Phoenix. Can he do it again next week to become a two-time champ?

6:04 p.m., checkered flag: Your Championship 4: Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and William Byron.

6:00 p.m., checkered flag: Christopher Bell has been penalized with a safety violation for riding the wall on the final lap, dropping the No. 20 from 18th to a 22nd-place finish. The Bell penalty moves William Byron into the Championship 4.

Christopher Bell hit wall at Martinsville final lap

5:57 p.m., checkered flag: Add another grandfather clock to Ryan Blaney’s collection.

Ryan Blaney stands in Victory Lane with Martinsville grandfather clock trophy

5:37 p.m., checkered flag: Ryan Blaney’s emotions are palpable as he celebrates his victory. He certainly earned this one.

5:36 p.m., checkered flag: As of now, it appears William Byron, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott headed home.

5:34 p.m., Lap 500: In the final corner, Christopher Bell has passed Bubba Wallace — the point Bell needed to advance. Bell scrapped and dragged the Turn 4 wall heavily on his way to the checkered flag.

5:34 p.m., Lap 500: 🏁 Ryan Blaney has won the Xfinity 500! He’s going to Phoenix to defend his title.

5:33 p.m., Lap 499: ⚪️ Final lap for Ryan Blaney.

5:32 p.m., Lap 495: There’s a parking lot of Chevrolets behind William Byron, who can’t afford to lose a single position.

5:31 p.m., Lap 494: Ryan Blaney has set sail. He’s about two seconds ahead of Chase Elliott now.

5:31 p.m., Lap 492: With under 10 to go, William Byron’s hoping Austin Dillon doesn’t pass him — that would end the No. 24’s season.

5:29 p.m., Lap 486: New leader! Ryan Blaney has muscled past Chase Elliott. Meanwhile, William Byron has lost another position; he’s just a point to the good.

5:28 p.m., Lap 484: Ryan Blaney, running second, isn’t done yet. He needs to pass leader Chase Elliott … but Elliott can’t afford anything but first place. Both of them can’t advance together.

5:27 p.m., Lap 482: William Byron’s doing all he can to avoid losing spots in fifth; he’s just two points ahead of Christopher Bell with under 20 to go.

5:26 p.m., Lap 479: Ryan Blaney’s moved past Kyle Larson for second. Wow.

5:25 p.m., Lap 478: New leader! Chase Elliott has moved teammate Kyle Larson for the top spot. Larson wouldn’t make the Championship 4 as it now stands.

5:25 p.m., Lap 476: Third-place Ryan Blaney is absolutely on a mission. He’s closed up to the two leaders.

5:22 p.m., Lap 467: Good thing he’s already locked in to Phoenix! Tyler Reddick has pulled his flaming No. 45 car behind the wall; he’s done for the afternoon. Reddick never cracked the top 30 all race.

5:21 p.m., Lap 464: It’s Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and William Byron out front. If the race ended now, Larson would be in from a win, and Byron would make it on points. There are still 36 laps to go, though, and a lot can happen.

5:20 p.m., Lap 462: Kyle Larson has lapped Bubba Wallace, effectively trapping Christopher Bell a lap down without help of a potential free pass if a caution were to come out.

5:15 p.m., Lap 448: Chase Elliott hasn’t tracked down Kyle Larson the way he’d hoped; Larson now holds a 1.2-second lead. That could change quickly, though, as the No. 5 approaches lapped traffic.

5:11 p.m., Lap 435: Ryan Blaney has passed Denny Hamlin for fifth, but it makes no difference for now in terms of championship contention; both drivers are well behind on points. The lap count is dwindling fast.

5:08 p.m., Lap 429: Back to the bubble battle: Bell’s behind by four points, but he’s a lap down. He needs a caution — and soon — to keep his championship hopes alive.

5:06 p.m., Lap 423: Chase Elliott has moved up to second place. He’s a second behind teammate Kyle Larson with 77 laps to go.

5:06 p.m., Lap 420: It’s a Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3 up front — Kyle Larson, William Byron, Chase Elliott. Elliott’s on the freshest tires and he needs to win to advance.

5:03 p.m., Lap 413: 🟢 Everybody got their tires attached this time? Good. Back to green! Kyle Larson leads.

4:59 p.m., Lap 407: 🟡 Caution No. 9. That was quick. The right-front wheel has come off Kyle Busch’s car — but that was enough time for Kyle Larson to take over the lead from William Byron.

4:58 p.m., Lap 407: 🟢 Green flag for William Byron!

4:57 p.m., Lap 405: The sun is beginning to set at Martinsville Speedway. Daylight Saving Time will creep up on you.

4:54 p.m., Lap 402: William Byron and Kyle Larson stayed out under caution. It’s worth noting that this now traps Christopher Bell a lap down; he likely would have taken the wave around to get back on the lead lap had the leaders not remained on track.

4:51 p.m., Lap 398: 🟡 Caution No. 8. Carson Hocevar has spun, courtesy of Alex Bowman. This will make things interesting, strategy-wise. Expect Chase Elliott to lead much of the field to pit road — but will William Byron, Kyle Larson and others on fresher tires?

4:50 p.m., Lap 396: William Byron is quickly reeling in his teammate Chase Elliott for the race lead. Byron’s faster on fresher tires.

4:48 p.m., Lap 390: Wow! Kyle Larson’s pit entry just made his championship hopes flash before his eyes. The No. 5 runs fifth after pit stops.

Kyle Larson slide and avoid Erik Jones entering Martinsville pit road

4:45 p.m., Lap 380: Chase Elliott has inherited the race lead. Recall the No. 9 pitted sooner than most other cars on this round of pit stops. Depending on how cautions are timed — and expect them at Martinsville — this could benefit Elliott and keep his championship hopes alive.

4:43 p.m., Lap 376: Bubba Wallace has taken over the race lead amid pit stops. He and Michael McDowell haven’t stopped yet.

4:41 p.m., Lap 373: Much of the field is heading to pit road now.

4:40 p.m., Lap 370: Christopher Bell has gone a lap down. He’s OK on points for now, though.

4:34 p.m., Lap 350: Chase Elliott, running 10th, hits pit road under green, a bit earlier than fellow playoff competitors. Elliott will likely need to win this one, so the No. 9 team is trying something a little different.

4:32 p.m., Lap 347: Ryan Blaney just used lapped car Shane van Gisbergen as a pusher to move William Byron out of the way. Blaney’s taken over second spot with the aggressive move, and he’ll now work to chase down Brad Keselowski.

4:29 p.m., Lap 337: Still all Brad Keselowski out front, who’s led a race-high 134 laps today.

4:18 p.m., Lap 305: Christopher Bell is up to 22nd — enough to put him into a safe position by two points — but there are still about 200 laps to settle this one. As it stands, Kyle Larson (-2, running third), Denny Hamlin (-20, running fifth), Ryan Blaney (-32, running fourth) and Chase Elliott (-48, running 10th) are out.

4:10 p.m., Lap 283: Not much talk about Denny Hamlin’s practice crash and deep starting position anymore; he’s solidly settled into the top five on the same strategy as the cars around him. He’s still 16 points below the elimination line, though.

4:08 p.m., Lap 279: As they run, Christopher Bell is four points out of contention. He runs 29th, so there’s a lot of upside and a lot of time. Crew chief Adam Stevens told Bell he needs to finish 13th if a championship contender wins today.

4:05 p.m., Lap 270: 🟢 Green flag to begin the final stage!

4:05 p.m., Lap 269: Christopher Bell will restart at the back of the field after issues on pit road. Bell pitted his Toyota again for a left-front wheel on the No. 20 that wasn’t quite tight.

4:03 p.m., Lap 267: Close call for the No. 12 and No. 77 on pit road.

4:01 p.m., Lap 265: Kyle Larson and William Byron gained positions on pit road, and they’ll restart second and third behind leader Brad Keselowski, who held onto the top spot.

4:00 p.m., Lap 263: This caution — and the end of today’s stages — will stabilize pit strategies a bit as cars make their way to pit road. There are 31 cars on the lead lap, so it’s crucial for playoff teams to perform flawlessly now more than ever.

3:57 p.m., Lap 260: 🟡 Caution No. 7 for Stage 2 end. Brad Keselowski wins the stage ahead of five playoff drivers: Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, William Byron and Christopher Bell. Chase Elliott made his way up to 12th, but it’s not enough for stage points this time.

3:47 p.m., Lap 230: Fantasy Live players, don’t forget to finalize those garage picks before Stage 2 ends in 30 laps. I garaged Martin Truex Jr. after his pit-road issues early in the race, but I’m going to swap him in for Ty Gibbs, who’s struggling in 28th place. Hurry, though! Laps dwindle quickly at Martinsville and you’re almost out of time to make changes.

Steve Luvender Fantasy Live lineup

3:43 p.m., Lap 221: Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney are fighting hard for the top spot. Keselowski’s got control for now, but Blaney isn’t letting the No. 6 drive away.

3:41 p.m., Lap 214: All is not lost for Chase Elliott, who’s recovered to 15th place in short order.

3:38 p.m., Lap 205: Move Brad Keselowski to the top spot. Keselowski’s not in championship contention, which could make for an interesting points situation for the final two spots in the Championship 4. With the No. 6 out front — and keeping in mind we’ve got numerous strategies playing out and one more stage’s worth of points to award — Christopher Bell and William Byron are in.

3:37 p.m., Lap 203: 🟢 Green flag again for Ryan Blaney, with Brad Keselowski restarting on the outside.

3:32 p.m., Lap 196: 🟡 Caution No. 6. Carson Hocevar sent Daniel Hemric around, collecting Todd Gilliland in the process. Think the flagger’s arm is getting tired?

3:30 p.m., Lap 191: 🟢 Ryan Blaney leads the field back to green ahead of Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell and Austin Dillon. Former leader William Byron will restart 11th with fresh tires.

3:27 p.m., Lap 187: Chase Elliott had a miserable pit stop; the No. 9 team had to return to the right side of the car before Elliott could drive away. The second-place car that was dominant in Stage 1 will now restart well outside the top 20. Ouch. Luckily for Elliott fans, this one’s not even halfway over.

3:26 p.m., Lap 186: Looks like the leaders will take to pit road just before the halfway point in Stage 2. Championship contenders Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin lead those staying out.

3:24 p.m., Lap 183: 🟡 Caution No. 5. Martin Truex Jr.’s the latest to spin off Daniel Hemric’s bumper (with some help behind him). Things are starting to feel like a typical Martinsville race, wouldn’t you say?

3:19 p.m., Lap 168: Don’t look now, but last-place starter Denny Hamlin is now running 10th. There’s still plenty of time left in Stage 2 to earn stage points, too.

3:18 p.m., Lap 165. Back to green again.

3:12 p.m., Lap 157: 🟡 Caution No. 4. Harrison Burton’s around this time. Carson Hocevar sent the No. 21 spinning entering Turn 3. That’ll mean another restart momentarily.

3:10 p.m., Lap 152: 🟢 Green flag for leader William Byron following the No. 99 spin. Let’s do it again.

3:05 p.m., Lap 145: 🟡 Caution No. 3. Daniel Suárez is in the wall after running in the top 15. Suárez spun around after contact Daniel Hemric’s car, which was shoved into the corner by Austin Cindric. Just Martinsville stuff!

3:04 p.m., Lap 142: William Byron has quickly taken the lead from teammate Chase Elliott.

3:04 p.m., Lap 142: 🟢 Green flag to begin Stage 2.

2:57 p.m., Lap 134: Pit stops are again underway under caution. Not much change up front other than Ryan Blaney jumping to fourth place ahead of Ryan Preece. Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman made contact on pit road, but that’s just tight-quarters Martinsville for you.

2:56 p.m., Lap 133: Denny Hamlin (15th) and Christopher Bell (21st) did not collect any stage points. Bell entered the afternoon with a 29-point cushion.

2:55 p.m., Lap 130: 🟡 Caution No. 2 for Stage 1 end. Chase Elliott has won the stage, collecting 10 valuable points. William Byron finished second, ahead of Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece, who paced playoff pair Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson.

2:49 p.m., Lap 115: Just 15 laps remain in Stage 1 and Chase Elliott has a 1.5-second lead.

2:41 p.m., Lap 91: Denny Hamlin’s up to 15th after the caution and restart. He’s digging.

2:39 p.m., Lap 88: 🟢 Back to green! Chase Elliott leads the way.

2:35 p.m., Lap 80: Pit stops are underway. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott and William Byron exit pit road first, ahead of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece. It’s a solid day for SHR so far.

2:32 p.m., Lap 78: 🟡 Caution No. 1. Championship contender Christopher Bell has gone for a spin. Bell’s car got loose entering a corner and collected Corey LaJoie. Both cars continue with no visible damage.

2:29 p.m., Lap 70: Ouch. Martin Truex Jr. has sped on pit road, and he’ll serve a pass-through under green. It’s going to be a long afternoon for the No. 19 from here. (And, selfishly, my Fantasy Live team.)

2:27 p.m., Lap 67: Just past the halfway point in the stage, some cars have opted to split the stage (nearly) in half with a green-flag pit stop, most notably Tyler Reddick and Martin Truex Jr. We’ll see if fresh tires pay off; a green-flag stop at Martinsville typically costs two laps.

2:22 p.m., Lap 50: Tyler Reddick has gone a lap down in 34th place, but thanks to his win last week, it doesn’t matter. Reddick could pit for a Martinsville hot dog and still race for the title next Sunday.

2:20 p.m., Lap 46: Denny Hamlin is up to 28th. The repaired No. 11 car looks fast, despite tight turns and tumultuous traffic.

2:19 p.m., Lap 42: New leader! Chase Elliott has wrestled the top spot from pole winner Martin Truex Jr.

2:17 p.m., Lap 36: Martin Truex Jr. has led every lap so far, with a half-second lead over second-place Chase Elliott. Elliott quite likely will need to win today to advance. Truex’s cushion will likely evaporate when the No. 19 reaches the tail end of the field.

2:09 p.m., Lap 13: Sure, it’s early, but Denny Hamlin isn’t making much forward progress. Hamlin’s up three positions from the start, currently running 33rd. Stage 1 is 130 laps.

2:07 p.m., Lap 7: It’s worth noting that today’s race features a new, softer left-side tire compound from Goodyear.

2:05 p.m., Lap 1: 🟢 Green flag! Martin Truex Jr. leads the field to the start of the Xfinity 500.

1:55 p.m.: Engines are fired! Follow along on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the NBC Sports App and our NASCAR.com live leaderboard in Race Center.

1:54 p.m.: The only drivers resting easy today are Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick. No matter where they finish today, they’ll compete for a championship next week.

1:47 p.m.: Pre-race ceremonies are underway! The Isaacs have got the place moving with a lovely performance of the national anthem as planes soar overhead for this afternoon’s flyover.

1:45 p.m.: All eyes are on the playoffs this afternoon, but let’s hear it for Michael McDowell, starting his 500th Cup Series start this afternoon. McDowell made his first start at Martinsville in 2008.

1:42 p.m.: Speaking of Denny Hamlin, he’s my pick for NASCAR.com’s 36 for 36 this weekend. It’s been a fun season of strategy (and, let’s face it, luck), and I’m pretty pleased with my remaining picks for the year.

1:40 p.m.: My Fantasy Live lineup for this weekend features strong qualifiers … plus my garage pick of Denny Hamlin, who’s starting in last place after a crash in practice. (I’m locked in a tight points battle with some of my NASCAR.com teammates, so we’ll need a good afternoon.)

Steve Luvender Martinsville Fantasy Live lineup

1:35 p.m.: Here’s what the points look like for the remaining eight playoff drivers. Any of these drivers can secure their spot in next year’s championship race by winning today. At least one driver will advance solely on points; entering this afternoon, that’s Christopher Bell, who’s got a 29-point cushion.

1. Tyler Reddick: Advanced
2. Joey Logano: Advanced
3. Christopher Bell: +29
4. William Byron: +7
— Elimination Line — 
5. Kyle Larson: -7
6. Denny Hamlin: -18
7: Ryan Blaney: -38
8: Chase Elliott: -43

1:30 p.m.: Howdy! It’s the final elimination race in the playoffs, and by the end of the afternoon we’ll know who will join Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick in this year’s Championship 4.

Posted on by Zack Albert

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — At the time, William Byron described last year’s internal struggle to advance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Martinsville Speedway as “hell in a bottle,” he said. “I’ve never been so mad at a race car.” Byron wrangled an ill-handling No. 24 Chevrolet to a hard-fought 13th place, dropping to the pavement in an exhausted heap after the checkered flag.

A year later, the moment that launched Byron to his first Championship 4 appearance is looked back on as a character-builder, but one that his Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 team has no inclination to repeat.

“It was miserable last year,” Byron said Saturday at Martinsville, flashing a smile he can now muster. “So we learned a ton as a team. I learned a lot about myself and how I could change my approach and improve and yeah, that’s probably what fuels the mentality this year is knowing what we went through last year and some of the things that we’ve done throughout the week to be in a different spot.”

Byron aims to return to the final four in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), starting third in an elimination clash that will chop the eight-driver playoff field in half for the Nov. 10 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick have qualified for the Championship 4 with wins from earlier in the Round of 8, leaving two title shots up for grabs Sunday at Martinsville.

RELATED: Sunday’s starting lineup | At-track photos

Byron is currently slotted as the final driver ahead of the provisional elimination line, holding just a seven-point margin above the bubble. Last year, that gap was a 30-point cushion entering the Round of 8 finale, and he escaped Martinsville with just eight points to spare.

No. 24 crew chief Rudy Fugle remembers the difficulty of last fall’s Martinsville visit, noting how Byron overcame being blanked at the stage-point pay window and how the team was forced to adjust after the handling went awry.

“Just overcoming the adversity of having a car that wasn’t very good to start with, and the team taking lots of chances,” Fugle said. “We made changes that we would never make during a normal race to get the car more competitive, and then him digging super-deep to be able to keep going in that third stage, get the points we needed and really give us the confidence that we can overcome a lot of things.”

Fugle said he also learned plenty about his driver’s resilience in willing his car to the finish.

“It just reassures you how bad he wants it,” Fugle said. “… It’s easy to quit, it’s easy to shift the blame, or say that this was bad or that didn’t work, but he didn’t do that. He dug deep and gave it everything he had and that’s what it takes.”

MORE: What to Watch: Martinsville | Cup Series standings

Byron won’t have as much padding in the standings to rely on this year, just seven points above teammate Kyle Larson — the provisional first driver out. He says he’s coming in with winning as the prime focus, with less reliance on points being his Phoenix ticket.

Byron is a two-time Martinsville Speedway winner, with his most recent triumph here back in April, when he topped a 1-2-3 finish for team owner Rick Hendrick as the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary season. Another victory Sunday would make him the first to secure a Martinsville season sweep since Denny Hamlin’s double-up in 2010, but it would also assure him a clear-cut road to another championship bid.

“It’s a combination of all the factors, but just how close the points are,” Byron said. “We saw here last year, we came in thinking we could just have a lead-lap finish day and based on a couple of circumstances, could’ve ended up out. So for us, if you’re up front competing for the win, you’re going to have a shot to score a bunch of points, and that’s going to be the best defense you can play. So you’ve just got to be aggressive. It’s going to take that to do well here on Sunday and get through.”

Posted on by Alex Cadavid

Editor’s note: Projected finish has been updated after Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Chase Elliott replaces Kyle Larson as the projected winner.

Homestead-Miami Speedway produced another masterclass, and Sunday at Martinsville Speedway should be the cherry on top of what’s already been a mesmerizing Round of 8.

At Las Vegas and Homestead, respectively, Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick each won from below the elimination line to advance to the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway. Perhaps more importantly, each of the six remaining drivers has stepped into the winner’s circle at the Virginia short track at least once in their respective Cup careers. In other words, don’t count anyone out this weekend at Martinsville from corralling a spot in next week’s desert showdown for the Bill France Cup.

RELATED: Set your Fantasy Live lineup | Weekend schedule 

The Martinsville elimination race has put on some classics over the years and it feels like we could get another moment of brilliance this weekend with how the playoffs — and, quite frankly, the whole year — has gone.

Racing Insights sees the six drivers still vying for a Champ 4 spot among the projected top seven in Sunday’s finishing order. So, how does one separate himself from the rest and get to Victory Lane this weekend?

Luckily, the last two postseason tussles gave us two good indications of what’s needed to conquer this pressure-cooker race: high risks that pay high rewards and a driver who can execute in the clutch.

At Las Vegas, Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe stole one in Vegas with a daring call to stay out and gamble on fuel. Even when you thought Logano wasn’t going to make it, he again showed his veteran experience at fuel-saving and had enough in the tank for a victory burnout.

Last week in South Beach, Reddick benefitted from not only a gutsy call by Billy Scott to stay out and take the restart on two-lap older tires after a caution, but he was also willing to push it to the limit by riding the high line, inches from the wall and best six other title contenders — who all found their way into the top 10 during the final stage.

It’s easier said than done, but whichever combo of crew chief and driver is willing to go off the beaten path for race strategy and tip-toe around the nimble 0.526-mile paperclip track the best, may just have the confetti fall for them.

THE SIX TO WATCH:

CHRISTOPHER BELL: Some are writing Bell into the final four given he’s plus-29 and just needs to avoid anything crazy happenning. But he finished 35th in the spring here and it feels cautious to call anyone safe as chaos has been a consistent theme. Still, the No. 20 has earned its way to Phoenix in each of the last two years, so maybe the C in C-Bell stands for “clutch” this Sunday.

WILLIAM BYRON: The most recent Martinsville winner, Byron — and Hendrick Motorsports all together — schooled the field last time out here. He’s been fiery the last few races, too, with consistent top fives and even soared to a sixth-place finish at Miami after starting 25th. Plus, the No. 24 car has seen the checkered flag first a host of times at this short track.

KYLE LARSON: Larson played runner-up in Hendrick’s 1-2-3 finish in the spring, and he’s been stout at Martinsville, too. In his last four starts there, he has two poles and an average finish of 2.75. Larson’s numbers are always impressive, the main factor is he will have to be methodical about his moves if he wants a chance to contest for his second Cup title.

DENNY HAMLIN: Look back on this season you’ll see Hamlin has three short-track wins. He also loves home cooking. The Chesterfield, Virginia, native has 10 wins in his home state and already won this year at Richmond. While he’s had playoff struggles, he’s going to have to go all-in for the win and forget what’s happened the last few weeks.UPDATE: Hamlin faces a steep hill to a Championship 4 spot, wrecking out in practice yesterday and failing to register a qualifying run. He will start from the rear of the field Sunday.

RYAN BLANEY: He’s not only the reigning champ, but he’s also the race’s defending winner. Blaney was quick to turn the page to Martinsville after his ‘sting’ at Homestead. Last week, he also showed that you may even have to pass him for the win if you want to dethrone him. Good luck, though. Blaney has consistently been one of the best at Martinsville with an 8.8 average finish, and he excelled defending the lead last year in a pressure-packed moment.

CHASE ELLIOTT: Finally, let’s talk about the third-place wheelman from the spring. Elliott was in a similar position in 2020, needing a win in an elimination race, and we all know how that story ended at Phoenix. Being down 43 markers, the No. 9 has to be in a position to gamble the most and execute in all facets from behind the wheel to pit road.

RACING INSIGHTS’ PROJECTIONS FOR THE XFINITY 500

Racing Insights’ advanced statistical formula includes current track, current track type, recent performance, team data and pit-crew data to arrive at a projected winner and full race results. 

FinishCar NumberDriver
19Chase Elliott
25Kyle Larson
324William Byron
412Ryan Blaney
520Christopher Bell
619Martin Truex Jr.
711Denny Hamlin
822Joey Logano
914Chase Briscoe
1023Bubba Wallace
111Ross Chastain
1248Alex Bowman
1354Ty Gibbs
146Brad Keselowski
1541Ryan Preece
1617Chris Buescher
178Kyle Busch
184Josh Berry
1938Todd Gilliland
2045Tyler Reddick
213Austin Dillon
2299Daniel Suárez
2343Erik Jones
2421Harrison Burton
252Austin Cindric
2634Michael McDowell
2777Carson Hocevar
2810Noah Gragson
2947Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3051Corey LaJoie
3171Zane Smith
3231Daniel Hemric
337Justin Haley
3442John Hunter Nemechek
3515Kaz Grala
3616Shane van Gisbergen
3766Josh Bilicki
Posted on by Cameron Richardson

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Cole Custer and Chandler Smith are no strangers when it comes to run-ins with each other during this year’s Xfinity Series Playoffs. Saturday evening at Martinsville Speedway saw the duo’s sequel hit the big screen shortly after they exited their cars on pit road.

The two postseason contenders were relatively cordial at Kansas Speedway in September when they exchanged frustrations, but tempers boiled over like a world-famous Martinsville hot dog at the historic facility as Smith threw a punch at Custer.

A restart with 29 to go put Smith on the outside of Row 1 while Custer took the same lane behind the No. 81 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Earlier in the race, Smith moved Custer out of the way as the two battled for second. The No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing driver returned the favor as he moved Smith in Turn 1.

Ultimately, Aric Almirola went on to grab the checkered flag, and Custer advanced to the Championship 4 by virtue of Smith not winning — eliminating Smith from the playoffs.

RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Martinsville

“Obviously he’s not happy but at the end of the day, he’s put us in the wall a few times this year and his mistakes caught up with him,” Custer said. “He used the bumper on me. I used the bumper on him. So what comes around goes around in this deal. I don’t know how we’re not even. Then, he punches me in the face. I can’t even tell if he really punched me in the face, it was so soft.”

The two had a prior meetup in the opening playoff race at Kansas where Custer said Smith put him in the wall off Turn 4 as the two were fighting for the checkered flag. Ironically, that race was also won by Almirola.

Custer admitted that run-in was on his mind if the two found each other Saturday, simply saying: “Yeah, you don’t forget.”

Smith defended how he raced him earlier in the race and said that he had intentions to confront and get physical with Custer once the two were face-to-face.

chandler smith slaps custer on pit road
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

“I was planning to do more than that,” Smith said after delivering a swipe to Custer’s face. “I was extremely pissed off. I gave him five laps before that caution came out and beat his bumper off and never shipped him or anything like that. Then finally, it’s like, alright, the laps are winding down. I’m in a must-win. The 20’s [Almirola] starting to drive away. He was really good all day. I can’t waste any more time with him. So I finally had a good enough run and pushed him up the racetrack and went on our way.”

Smith added that he was befuddled why Custer took the top from third place when it was time for drivers to pick their lanes ahead of the restart.

“I think he was the first guy all day that chose the outside lane from third place, so that’s very interesting,” Smith said. “And then he didn’t even give me a chance to make the corner when we got to Turn 1. I thought it was a little bit of a chicken-[expletive] move, honestly. Funny enough, the restart right after that, picks right behind me again … how ironic is that?”

POST-RACE: Custer’s side after scuffle | Hear from Chandler after punch thrown

The kerfuffle between the two held massive implications as Custer was the last driver to make the Championship 4 by 28 points over his rival. Custer will attempt to be the first driver to win back-to-back Xfinity titles since Tyler Reddick (2018, 2019) before making the leap back to full-time Cup Series racing under Haas Factory Team in 2025.

As for Smith, the future is less clear as the 22-year-old Georgia native does not have a ride yet for 2025 and laments not securing a berth into the Championship 4 after racking up two wins and 21 top 10s heading into Saturday’s season finale in the Arizona desert (7 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“I’m very passionate about this. I love this group,” Smith said. “This group deserves to be in Phoenix and deserves to go out and contend for a championship. We’ve had a hell of a year. Not being able to go to the final four is definitely a kick in the gut for us because I feel like this team could go out and win that championship.”

“We’re going to go to Phoenix and we’re going to go try to kick their ass there.”