Ryan Blaney clinches NASCAR Championship 4 spot with Martinsville win

For the second year in a row, defending series champion Ryan Blaney clinched victory in the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, securing his spot in the Championship 4.

But Blaney’s win at the Xfinity 500 wasn’t the only dramatic moment of the race.

Christopher Bell made an aggressive final-corner attempt to edge out William Byron for the final Championship 4 spot. Bell’s last-ditch move to pass Bubba Wallace for a critical point led to contact with the outside wall in Turn 4, which NASCAR deemed a safety violation. Bell was penalized four positions, finishing 22nd and ultimately losing the Championship 4 spot to Byron by four points.

Blaney’s Decisive Pass and Race Highlights

Blaney overtook Chase Elliott for the lead on Lap 486 of 500, pulling away to win by 2.593 seconds. Despite Elliott’s strong performance, his second-place finish wasn’t enough to secure a Championship 4 berth. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson finished third, joining Elliott in elimination from the Playoffs.

Blaney’s win marked his third victory of the season and 13th of his career, further cementing his reputation as a top contender in short-track racing.

Reflecting on the physical toll of the race, Blaney said, “I’m worn out—I’ve got nothing left,” having closed a three-second gap behind Elliott and Larson after a Lap 414 restart. “Good battle, and this car hung on longer than most, and I could really make some ground,” Blaney added.

Race Strategy and Team Support

Team Penske‘s strategic choice of Goodyear’s option tires and a softer left-side compound played a key role in Blaney’s race performance. The driver focused on conserving his rear tires in the final 70 laps, knowing that tire wear would be a factor in the closing laps.

“I hated I had to lay the bumper to some guys, but I had to do it,” Blaney admitted. He expressed gratitude toward his team for adjusting the No. 12 Ford throughout the race, enabling him to handle the track conditions and secure a well-earned victory.

Byron Advances After Bell’s Penalty

William Byron secured the final spot in the Championship 4 with a sixth-place finish, aided by Bell’s penalty. Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin completed the top five, while Brad Keselowski, who led a race-high 170 laps, finished just outside the top five due to late-race traffic from Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain.

Before NASCAR issued Bell’s penalty, Byron voiced his belief that Bell’s wall-riding maneuver violated a rule established after Ross Chastain’s 2022 move at Martinsville. “He rode the wall, and there’s a clear rule against it,” Byron said.

Post-penalty, Bell congratulated Byron and acknowledged his attempt to qualify as overly aggressive, saying, “Unfortunately, I was on the bad side of it. Made a lot of mistakes, ran a sloppy race… I slid into the wall (on the final lap) and kept my foot into it. I guess that is a losing move.”

Playoff Standings and Final Championship 4 Lineup

The Martinsville race eliminated Bell, Larson, Elliott, and Hamlin from the Playoffs. Dillon secured seventh place, followed by Chastain, Keselowski, and Logano in the top 10. Although Championship 4 driver Tyler Reddick, who won the previous week’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, exited after completing 458 laps, his spot in the final was already secured.

As a result, Blaney, Byron, Reddick, and Logano will face off in the Championship 4 race next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with the title on the line.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – XFINITY 500

Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, Virginia
Sunday, November 3, 2024

1. (14) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 500.
2. (2) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 500.
3. (9) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 500.
4. (24) Austin Cindric, Ford, 500.
5. (37) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 500.
6. (3) William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 500.
7. (10) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 500.
8. (22) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 500.
9. (18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 500.
10. (12) Joey Logano (P), Ford, 500.
11. (25) Noah Gragson, Ford, 500.
12. (29) Shane Van Gisbergen(i), Chevrolet, 500.
13. (7) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 500.
14. (8) Ryan Preece, Ford, 500.
15. (4) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 500.
16. (11) Josh Berry #, Ford, 500.
17. (15) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 500.
18. (19) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 499.
19. (21) Erik Jones, Toyota, 499.
20. (28) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 499.
21. (36) Zane Smith #, Chevrolet, 499.
22. (16) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 499.
23. (20) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 498.
24. (1) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 498.
25. (27) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 498.
26. (13) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 498.
27. (33) Kaz Grala #, Ford, 497.
28. (23) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 497.
29. (30) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 497.
30. (26) Chris Buescher, Ford, 497.
31. (32) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 496.
32. (5) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 495.
33. (17) Michael McDowell, Ford, 490.
34. (31) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota, Brakes, 458.
35. (34) Corey LaJoie, Ford, Oil Pressure, 365.
36. (6) Harrison Burton, Ford, Engine, 347.
37. (35) Josh Bilicki(i), Ford, Brakes, 131.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 75.677 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 28 Mins, 31 Secs. Margin of Victory: 2.593 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 9 for 66 laps.
Lead Changes: 15 among 7 drivers.