NASCAR Race Recap (Martinsville)

Winners: William Byron (Cup); Taylor Gray (Xfinity); Corey Heim (Trucks)

Recap Graphic by Rolando Ramirez - RTR Graphics

 

NASCAR Cup

Byron Hits Dominant Martinsville Walkoff as Champ 4 is Set

 

William Byron powered past Ryan Blaney with 43 laps to go and held him off on a late restart to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, clinching a Championship 4 berth for the third consecutive season.

 

Byron, who led 304 laps, won by 0.717 seconds and will compete for his first championship alongside Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson, who clinched the lone spot on points.

 

“Damn, I got a lot to say,” Byron told NBC Sports’ Marty Snider. “Things have a way of working out, and we’ve been tested, and this is just unbelievable. I’m out of breath.

“All these guys work so hard and you put everything into Sundays and sometimes you don’t get anything in return. And that’s been the last couple weeks and honestly throughout the year, we had some close calls, but sometimes life is that way, but you just got to keep being resilient, and we were and just feels damn good.”

 

Ryan Blaney finished second; Chase Elliott placed third; Ross Chastain came in fourth and Kyle Larson completed the top five.

 

These #NASCARPlayoffs have tested @WilliamByron.

Today, he rose to the occasion. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Qgbc0F3Ctj

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 26, 2025

Pole: William Byron

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, November 2, 2025 at 3:00 pm ET for the ‘NASCAR Cup Series Championship’ at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity

Taylor Gray Earns First National Series Win

 

Taylor Gray finally pulled through in a dramatic late-race battle with his rival, Sammy Smith, to score his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at a place that has dealt him so much heartbreak, Martinsville Speedway. Gray led a race-high 52 laps and won by 0.344 seconds in overtime.

 

“About damn time I got me a clock,” Smith said in his victory interview on The CW. “I cannot thank everyone enough on this 54 team, such an awesome racecar. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and the pit crew did an awesome job tonight. Everyone on this crew bring me awesome racecars to the track and give me an opportunity to race for a win every time I come here.”

 

Sammy Smith finished second; Brandon Jones placed third; Sheldon Creed came in fourth and Aric Almirola completed the top five.

 

Nothing tastes as sweet as your first career win!

This Victory Burnout for @Taylor_Gray is presented by @krispykreme. pic.twitter.com/5fHnRxhjKN

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 26, 2025

Pole: Harrison Burton

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET for the ‘NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship’ at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR Trucks

Corey Heim Wins 11th Race of Truck Season

 

It was “Heim Time” once again this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as Corey Heim won the Slim Jim 200 for his 11th win of the 2025 season.

 

Heim led a race-high 77 laps en route to the victory, extending his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series single-season wins record in the process.

 

“Definitely a rocky race there, getting behind on track position,” Heim said. “We wanted to capitalize on our day and make the most of it. I really didn’t think we had the truck we did in the spring, but once we got out front, it showed we really had something to work with here.”

 

Kaden Honeycutt finished second; Layne Riggs placed third; Brent Crews came in fourth and Corey LaJoie completed the top five.

 

He’s got a lot of practice doing this. pic.twitter.com/aiBM60ng4h

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 25, 2025

Pole: Layne Riggs

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday, October 31, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET for the ‘NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race’ at Phoenix Raceway.

 

source: NASCAR Media

Remembering Martinsville Spring #NASCAR Event

2025 Spring Victors: Denny Hamlin (Cup); Austin Hill (Xfinity); Daniel Hemric (Trucks)

Martinsville Speedway is a 0.526 mi oval short track in Ridgeway, Virginia, United States, a community of Martinsville, Virginia. The track has held a variety of events since its opening in 1947, primarily events sanctioned by NASCAR. Martinsville Speedway is owned by NASCAR and led by track president Clay Campbell.

 

This weekend, the track is host to another triple header; the last race before the championship winning race finale

 

Below is a recap of the 2025 Spring Martinville event:

 

NASCAR Cup

Denny Hamlin Win Spring Martinville Cup Race

 

It didn’t take Denny Hamlin long to find the recipe for success in Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway. 

 

Hamlin grabbed the lead on Lap 126 of 400 in the seventh NASCAR Cup Series race of the season and never looked back.

 

With flawless work from his pit crew, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota led 274 of the last 275 laps — with the only exception a lap credited to polesitter Christopher Bell, who raced side-by-side with Hamlin after the final restart on Lap 326.

 

Hamlin pulled away toward the end of the final 75-lap green-flag run and beat Bell, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, to the finish line by 4.617 seconds.

 

Christopher Bell finished second; Bubba Wallace placed third; Chase Elliott came in fourth and Kyle Larsoncompleted the top five.

 

NEWS: @dennyhamlin's No. 11 car has cleared post-race inspection with no issues.

His first victory of 2025 is official! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/mrhaN5ILbz

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 31, 2025

Hamlin’s October 2025 win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway guarantees him the opportunity to compete for a Cup Championship at Phoenix.

 

NASCAR Xfinity

Austin Hill Survives NASCAR Overtime for Spring Martinsville Race

 

Diving underneath a trio of wrecking cars in the final corner of overtime at Martinsville Speedway, Austin Hill beat perennial bridesmaid Sheldon Creed to the start/finish line by 0.190 seconds to win Saturday’s US Marine Corps 250, giving Richard Childress his 100th Xfinity Series victory and earning a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the unlikely winner.

 

Taylor Gray, seeking his first Xfinity Series win, held the lead until Turn 3 of the final lap, when Sammy Smith charged into the corner, spun Gray’s No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and knocked it into the outside wall.

 

Hill hit the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Justin Allgaier from behind, sending him crashing into Smith. Hill sneaked through on the bottom, bringing Creed with him, as Allgaier held on for third. In the surprising victory, Hill led less than a quarter of a mile before taking the checkered flag.

 

Sheldon Creed finished second; Justin Allgaier placed third; Brennan Poole came in fourth and Sam Mayer completed the top five.

 

Sammy Smith SLAMS into Taylor Gray going into the final corner and Austin Hill wins at Martinsville.

🎥 : @NASCAR_Xfinity pic.twitter.com/pXh9dm8LmF

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 30, 2025

Hill’s win last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway affords him the opportunity to compete for an Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix.

 

NASCAR Trucks

Daniel Hemric Captures First Career Truck Win

 

During the week before the Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Daniel Hemric practiced his backflip.

 

It was the signature move he had been able to use just once in NASCAR national series competition — when he won the 2021 season finale at Phoenix Raceway to clinch the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

 

But on Friday, the 34-year-old from Kannapolis, North Carolina, had a chance to perform the celebratory move once again after capitalizing on the misfortunes of others — notably series leader Corey Heim — to win the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race of his career.

 

Hemric even stuck the landing, reveling in the race win that earned him a coveted grandfather clock trophy and a $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus as the highest-finishing series regular.

 

Tyler Ankrum finished second; Jake Garcia placed third; Chandler Smith came in fourth and Ben Rhodes completed the top five.

 

As they say, should Hemric manage to win again at Martinsville, he would advance to the Truck Round of Four.

 

Edisi lupa upload
Daniel Hemric finish pertama NASCAR Truck Series di Martinsville. Dan berhak $50.000 untuk tantangan "The Trip" pic.twitter.com/RqoWBBQJWE

— Yohanes Nikodio Eko Prasetyo (@JNikodio) March 29, 2025

 

source: NASCAR Media

NASCAR Weekend Recap (Martinville Speedway)

Winners: Denny Hamlin (Cup); Austin Hill (Xfinity); Daniel Hemric (Trucks)

Recap Graphic by Rolando Ramirez - RTR Graphics

NASCAR Cup

Denny Hamlin Dominates for First Martinsville Win in a Decade

 

It didn’t take Denny Hamlin long to find the recipe for success in Sunday’s Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway. 

 

Hamlin grabbed the lead on Lap 126 of 400 in the seventh NASCAR Cup Series race of the season and never looked back.

 

With flawless work from his pit crew, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota led 274 of the last 275 laps — with the only exception a lap credited to polesitter Christopher Bell, who raced side-by-side with Hamlin after the final restart on Lap 326.

 

Hamlin pulled away toward the end of the final 75-lap green-flag run and beat Bell, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, to the finish line by 4.617 seconds.

 

The victory was Hamlin’s sixth at the 0.526-mile short track, most among full-time active drivers, but his first at Martinsville since 2015. It was his first victory of the season and the 55th of his career, tying him with Rusty Wallace for 11th on the career victory list.

 

“You know, Chris Gayle, all the engineers, the pit crew, everybody really on that wall right there, just deciding they were going to come here with a different approach than what we’ve been over the last few years,” said Hamlin, who won at Martinsville for the first time with the Gen 7 race car.

 

“It was just amazing. The car was great. It did everything I needed it to do. Just so happy to win with Chris, get 55 … Obviously, back here in Martinsville where I spent so many years racing late models and whatnot — gosh, I love winning here.”

 

🙋🏻‍♂️ 1 - 🌎 0 pic.twitter.com/dgdrt9E1HF

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) March 30, 2025

Pole: Christopher Bell

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 3:00 pm ET for the ‘Goodyear 400’ at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity

Austin Hill Wins Bizarre, Action-Filled #NASCAR Xfinity Race at Martinsville

 

The speedway that robbed Austin Hill of a spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 two years ago gave him a gift on Saturday.

 

Diving underneath a trio of wrecking cars in the final corner of overtime at Martinsville Speedway, Hill beat perennial bridesmaid Sheldon Creed to the finish line by 0.190 seconds to win Saturday’s US Marine Corps 250, giving Richard Childress his 100th win in the series and earning a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the unlikely winner.

 

“I chose the bottom because of how rough everybody was on restarts,” Hill said of the overtime. “I had to do what I had to do on the last lap. On that restart, it just got wild. We were definitely leaning on each other, and getting into (Turn) 3, I knew we were all going to get beating and banging, and I just drove it in as deep as I could.

 

“They all hit each other, and I hit the 7 (Allgaier) a little bit and dumped him off and got on the apron there and came home with the win… Man, I’m in disbelief that we’re in Victory Lane right not. It’s unbelievable. I actually said at the end of the race that I hated this place because of all the beating and banging that was going on-and to top it off, we won a hundred grand!”

 

A replay of the #NASCAROvertime finish at @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/fGJecynkQT

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) March 29, 2025

Pole: Connor Zilisch

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 3:30 pm ET for the ‘Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200’ at Darlington Raceway.

NASCAR Trucks

Daniel Hemric Claims First NASCAR Truck Series Win in Martinsville Shootout

 

During the week before Friday night’s Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Daniel Hemric practiced his back flip.

 

It was the signature move he had been able to use just once in NASCAR national series competition-when he won the 2021 season finale at Phoenix Raceway to clinch the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

 

But on Friday, the 34-year-old from Kannapolis, N.C., had a chance to perform the celebratory move once again, after capitalizing on the misfortunes of others-notably series leader Corey Heim-to win the first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race of his career.

 

Hemric even stuck the landing, reveling in the race win that earned him a coveted grandfather clock trophy and a $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus as the highest finishing series regular.

 

“It’s a funny thing, because my wife asked me a couple weeks ago if I was not too old to do it,” Hemric said of the back flip. “I practiced once last week in the back yard and did a back flip on solid ground.

 

“I thought, ‘The old man’s still got it,’ and I proved that tonight.”

 

Just enjoy the journey ... and the $50k! pic.twitter.com/mf9a7N7m2H

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) March 29, 2025

Pole: Corey Heim

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 7:30 pm ET for the Weather Guard Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

ARCA

No ARCA Races Last Weekend

 

Sharpies and hero cards are always a good combo 😃 pic.twitter.com/NTWoKVNgCe

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) March 27, 2025

Next Race: The ARCA Series West will return on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. MT for the ARCA Menards Series 150 presented by the West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame at Tucson Speedway.

 

source: NASCAR Media

Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Named Entitlement Partner

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Today at Martinsville Speedway

 

The Marine Corps 250 Honors the 250th Anniversary of the Marine Corps #MarineCorps250 #NASCAR #MartinsvilleSpeedway #USMC #HonorCourageCommitment

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and Martinsville Speedway are teaming up for the triple-header spring race weekend at the famed short track, honoring the military branch’s 250th anniversary with the Marine Corps 250 Xfinity Series race today (Saturday, March 29).

 

2025 marks 250 years since the U.S. Marine Corps was founded back in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775. For two and a half centuries, “The Few” have fought our nation’s battles and protected its future.

 

“It’s an incredible thing to honor the men and women of one of our longstanding military branches here at Martinsville Speedway,” said Clay Campbell, President of Martinsville Speedway. “The United States Marine Corps embodies toughness, resilience and fearlessness every day, inspiring us in all that we do. We hope to reflect those same values as we bring our NASCAR community together for this race weekend at our historic venue.”

 

The Marine Corps has gone through many changes since 1775, but the character of the individual Marine and the values they uphold have never changed. Every Marine, from the birth of the Corps through today, has been a model of honor, courage, and commitment.

 

“The Marine Corps has epitomized selfless service and sacrifice for our nation for 250 years,” said Maj Gen James W. Lukeman, USMC (Ret), President and CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. “This milestone is an opportunity for Americans to come together and honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve. We are deeply grateful for the support of our partners in ensuring this anniversary is celebrated with the recognition it so profoundly deserves.”

 

Tune in today at 5 PM EST on CW Sports to watch the Marine Corps take center stage in this high-octane celebration of 250 years of service, tradition, and American pride.https://t.co/JySzWZDupJ https://t.co/t6oKEkCQsZ

— Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (@MarineCorpsFdn) March 29, 2025

 

source: Martinsville Speedway Media

NASCAR Race Recap (Martinsville)

Winners: Ryan Blaney (Cup); Aric Almirola (Xfinity); Christian Eckes (Trucks)

NASCAR Cup

Ryan Blaney Passes Chase Elliott for the Cup Win

 

Ryan Blaney earned a chance to defend his NASCAR championship with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway that pushed the Team Penske driver into the winner-take-all season finale

 

Blaney, passed Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go to win at the Virginia track for a second consecutive year and take a spot in the championship race next week at Phoenix Raceway. Blaney will race Penske teammate Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing and Byron.

 

The title goes to the highest-finishing driver next Sunday.

 

“To have another shot at the championship is really special,” Blaney said. “Try to go back-to-back next week. I’ve got nothing left. Oh my God, I’m tired.”

 

A memorable @Blaney celebration. #NASCARPlayoffs #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/lPFYio37PI

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 3, 2024

Pole: Martin Truex Jr.

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday November 10, 2024 at 3:00 pm ET for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR Xfinity

Aric Almirola Sweeps ’24 Xfinity Series Races at Martinsville

 

Tickets punched and punches thrown – it was Martinsville after all, and in Saturday’s National Debt Relief 250, Aric Almirola made Martinsville Speedway his personal playground.

 

Leading 150 of 250 laps in a No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota that was the clear class of the field, Almirola won his second race in his second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 0.526-mile short track and earned a spot for his car in the series owners’ Championship 4.

 

For Almirola, who won at Martinsville in April in his first Xfinity attempt, the victory was the third of the season in 13 starts and the seventh of his career.

 

“We had an amazing car here in the spring, and we made a few tweaks to it,” said Almirola, who also swept the first and second stages. “I wasn’t totally happy with it, honestly, in the spring. And we showed up (Friday) and we were awful. I was like ‘Oh, no, what did we do?’ ”

 

“They went to work last night and came up with a lot of changes to make to the car, and it was so hooked up today. It would just do everything I wanted it to. This is such a special place. This is by far my favorite race track. I’m just so thankful.”

 

Stage 1 ✅
Stage 2 ✅
Checkered flag ✅

Have yourself a night, @Aric_Almirola! 👏 pic.twitter.com/7nxieOfksm

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 2, 2024

Pole: Parker Retzlaff

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday November 9, 2024 at 7:30 pm ET for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR Trucks

Christian Eckes Survives Late-Race Restarts, Dominates Truck Series Race at Martinsville

 

It was indeed a special night for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Christian Eckes, who dominated Friday night’s Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

 

Eschewing a trip to pit road between the first and second stages at the 0.526-mile short track, Eckes led the first 104 laps, swept the stages and worked his way back through the field from 19th after pitting at the Stage 2 break.

 

Undeterred by the chaos that produced 11 cautions for 81 laps, Eckes took the lead for the final time on Lap 172 in a side-by-side battle against pole winner Ty Majeski, who regained the top spot when Eckes came to pit road for the only time during the 200-lap event.

 

“Something really special,” Eckes said of the effort of his No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team and the quality of his Chevrolet. “We came here last year, and we weren’t really that great… we were maybe a sixth-place truck (started sixth and finished 15th).

 

“And we worked really hard on it, and here we are in Victory Lane. So just super proud of this entire team.”

 

NEWS: The No. 19 truck clears post-race inspection at @MartinsvilleSwy. @christianeckes' #NASCARPlayoffs victory is official and he is locked into the #Championship4! pic.twitter.com/gW0LdQ0yRk

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) November 2, 2024

Pole: Christian Eckes

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Truck Series will return on Friday November 8, 2024 at 8:00 pm ET for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

ARCA West

One more race. pic.twitter.com/52yrol251m

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 27, 2024

Next Race: The ARCA West Series will return on Friday, November 8, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. MT for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway.

 

source: NASCAR Media

Christian Eckes Wins at Martinsville after Drama-Filled Closing Laps

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Christian Eckes wasn’t about to lose a race he had dominated, even if it meant using the front bumper on his No. 19 Chevrolet-twice.

 

After a restart with five laps left in Friday night’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Eckes first moved the Toyota of Taylor Gray and then the Ford of Ben Rhodes-both of which were rolling on 40-lap fresher tires-to win the race and earn a spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ Championship 4 Race.

 

Six-time winner Corey Heim ran seventh and Ty Majeski came home 11th, as both earned berths in the Championship 4 on points, eliminating Gray, Nick Sanchez, Tyler Ankrum and Rajah Caruth in the final event of the Playoffs’ Round of 8.

 

Eckes, Heim, Majeski and Grant Enfinger will race for the title next Friday at Phoenix Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

After the restart on Lap 196 of 200, Gray used his better tires to squeeze past Eckes to the inside. Eckes regained the top spot by moving Gray up the track. A lap later, Rhodes passed Eckes, who completed the fourth lead change in the final five laps by shoving the No. 99 Ford on Lap 198.

 

Free of his competitors, Eckes crossed the finish line two laps later, 1.191 seconds ahead of Rhodes. Chase Purdy and Gray were third and fourth, followed by Sanchez.

 

“Like I told everybody, I wasn’t going to lose this race-this truck was too good,” Eckes said. “The 17 (Gray) was hard racing. I feel bad about the 99 (Rhodes). I just got way too loose entering the corner.

 

“(Hearing boos from the crowd). Everybody’s really happy with me-but I don’t really care. I’m proud of everybody for working hard, and we’re going to Phoenix.”

 

The victory was Eckes’ fourth of the season, his second at Martinsville and the ninth of his career, but it came with a price.

 

After climbing from his truck, Gray walked angrily toward Eckes and expressed his displeasure in no uncertain terms.

 

A victory would have landed Gray in the Championship 4 at the expense of Majeski, who instead claimed the last spot by 28 points over Gray.

 

“I got sent to the fence when I raced him perfectly clean in (Turns) 1 and 2,” Gray said. “What goes around comes around. I have to race him next year all year long (when both move up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series).

 

“The 19 (Eckes) was the class of the field, right? But it’s not my fault we had better strategy than he did. We came out on tires; we drove through the field and we drove to him. I raced him clean, and he drove me in the fence. I guess the only thing I could have done is wreck him like he wrecked me.”

 

Eckes swept the first two stages, his series-best 10th and 11th of the season and led 187 of the 200 laps. He held a substantial lead before a six-car accident in Turn 2 on Lap 190 caused the sixth and final caution and set up the frenetic finish.

 

For practical purposes, Gray, Sanchez, Ankrum and Caruth entered the race in must-win situations. Ankrum finished eighth, and Caruth came home 31st after losing 21 laps in the garage as his team repaired a brake issue on his No. 71 Chevrolet.

 

Despite finishing third in each of the first two stages, Sanchez was 39 points out of a Championship 4 position when the race ended.

He was not giving up this win. @christianeckes wins and locks himself into the #Championship4! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JXBQWHiGNE

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) November 2, 2024

 

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race

Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200

Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia

Friday, November 1, 2024

1. (1) Christian Eckes (P), Chevrolet, 200.

2. (6) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 200.

3. (8) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 200.

4. (3) Taylor Gray (P), Toyota, 200.

5. (4) Nick Sanchez (P), Chevrolet, 200.

6. (5) Layne Riggs #, Ford, 200.

7. (7) Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 200.

8. (23) Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 200.

9. (33) Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, 200.

10. (20) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 200.

11. (2) Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 200.

12. (27) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 200.

13. (16) Matt Crafton, Ford, 200.

14. (12) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.

15. (24) Dawson Sutton, Chevrolet, 200.

16. (25) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 200.

17. (17) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.

18. (31) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 200.

19. (21) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 200.

20. (26) Jake Garcia, Ford, 199.

21. (19) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 198.

22. (32) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 198.

23. (30) Lawless Alan, Ford, 198.

24. (35) Clayton Green, Ford, 197.

25. (36) Justin Carroll, Toyota, 197.

26. (10) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 196.

27. (22) Matthew Gould, Chevrolet, 195.

28. (13) Johnny Sauter, Ford, Accident, 194.

29. (15) Tanner Gray, Toyota, Accident, 182.

30. (28) Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, Accident, 181.

31. (11) Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, 179.

32. (18) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, Brakes, 166.

33. (9) Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, Accident, 162.

34. (29) Dylan Lupton(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 96.

35. (14) Landen Lewis, Toyota, Brakes, 82.

36. (34) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Brakes, 17.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 65.613 mph.

Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 36 Mins, 12 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.191 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 6 for 46 laps.

Lead Changes: 6 among 3 drivers.

Lap Leaders: 

• C. Eckes (P) 1-104;
• B. Rhodes 105-115;
• C. Eckes (P) 116-194;
• T. Gray (P) 195;
• C. Eckes (P) 196;
• B. Rhodes 197;
• C. Eckes (P) 198-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): 

• Christian Eckes (P) 4 times for 187 laps; 
• Ben Rhodes 2 times for 12 laps; 
• Taylor Gray (P) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 19,98,2,17,38,11,45,77,1,7

Stage #2 Top Ten: 19,98,2,11,1,52,99,45,18,9

 

source: Martinsville Speedway Media

Martinville Speedway #NASCAR Schedule

Craftsman Truck Series; Xfinity Series; NASCAR Cup Series

 

NASCAR teams congregate at Martinville Speedway this weekend to battle it out for a final shot at the 2024 Championship! All three NASCAR national series will be on track with elimination races to set up next week's Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.

 

It's a three-day race weekend with the Craftsman Truck Series running on Friday, the Xfinity Series on Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.

 

Friday, November 1, 2024

• 12:30 p.m. — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice and qualifying, FS2
• 2:30 p.m. — NASCAR Xfinity Series practice and qualifying, NBC Sports app
• 5 p.m. — Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race
•  (200 laps, 105.2 miles), FS1

Saturday, November 2, 2024

• 12 p.m. — NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying, NBC Sports app
• 3 p.m. — National Debt Relief 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race 
• (250 laps, 131.5 miles), CW Network

Sunday, November 3, 2024

• 1 p.m. — Xfinity 500 NASCAR Cup Series Race
• (500 laps, 263 miles), NBC

Last chance to make the big dance. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/GhzhoqnAYX

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 31, 2024

 

source: NASCAR Media

NASCAR Race Weekend Recap (Martinsville)

Winners: Ryan Blaney (Cup); with Justin Allgaier (Xfinity);

View from above - Martinsville Speedway for the Xfinity 500.

 

NASCAR Cup

Ryan Blaney Wins at Martinsville; Joins Bell, Larson, Byron in Championship 4

 

Ryan Blaney did what Denny Hamlin couldn’t do in Sunday‘s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

 

As a result, Blaney will race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, Peacock, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), and Hamlin exits the playoffs after a hard-luck Round of 8.

 

During a 168-lap green-flag run to the finish, Blaney tracked down Aric Almirola and passed him for the lead on Lap 478 of 500. Twenty-two laps later, Blaney took the checkered flag 0.899 seconds ahead of Almirola to earn advancement to the Championship 4 race.

 

.@Blaney, Welcome to the champ 4! #Xfinity500 pic.twitter.com/WwvCy2ByX6

— Martinsville Speedway (@MartinsvilleSwy) October 29, 2023

“Well, I mean, felt like we put together really strong playoffs—especially the Round of 8… we had a good run in the whole Round of 8,” Blaney said. “Yeah, just overall really proud of the whole effort. RP (Team Penske owner Roger Penske) couldn’t be here, unfortunately, but I know he’s watching. This is awesome. Can’t wait to get to Phoenix next week.”

 

“I grew up in High Point, not too far from here,” Blaney said. “Really cool. Wanting to win here for a long time. Been super close for many years. Awesome to close it out.”

 

Pole: Martin Truex Jr

Click Here for Race Results

Next Race: The Cup Series will return on Sunday, Nov. 5 3:00 PM ET for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

 

 

NASCAR Xfinity

Justin Allgaier Clinches Xfinity Series Championship 4 Spot in Dramatic Finish

 

At the end of Saturday‘s chaotic Dead on Tools 250, Justin Allgaier rescued his season with an improbable victory that earned the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet a berth in the Nov. 4 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 event at Phoenix Raceway.

 

Allgaier‘s Camaro crossed the finish line glued to the side of Sheldon Creed‘s No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, scoring his first win at Martinsville, his fourth of the season and the 23rd of his career by 0.032 seconds over Creed, who needed a victory to advance to the title race.

 

“We‘ve got a shot at going for a championship at Phoenix. This is an emotional one. I‘ve wanted to win at Martinsville for a long time, and I‘ve been on the other end of that (pointing at the crashed cars on the frontstretch) too many times.”

 

A WILD finish at @MartinsvilleSwy! 😳 #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/eDDpBPPeSm

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 28, 2023

Pole: Sammy Smith

Click Here for Race Results  
Next Race: The Xfinity Series will return on Saturday, Nov. 4 - 6:00 PM ET for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway.

 

 

NASCAR Trucks

The #NASCAR Craftman Truck Series enjoyed a weekend off.

The table is set for @phoenixraceway. #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/JsiEgNpe5F

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 24, 2023

Next Race: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series concludes the season with the Craftsman 150 at the 1-mile Phoenix Raceway on Friday, Nov. 3 (10 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

ARCA

The ARCA West was off this Weekend

The ARCA Menards Series platform will be WELL represented among the @NASCAR championship contenders at @phoenixraceway

— ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) October 30, 2023

Next Race: The ARCA Series will return on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023 1:30 p.m. ET for the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 at Phoenix Raceway.

 

 

source: NASCAR Media

Allgaier Goes Hail Hellmann's

Earns Trip to Championship 4

 

Justin Allgaier entered yesterday's #NASCAR Xfinity Event just under the 2023 Playoff Cutline with a -three. Nevertheless, many believed him to be a favorite to win his way into the final four at Martinsville. Remember, in 2019, the thirty-seven-year-old won the final race in the Round of Eight when it was held at Phoenix Raceway.

 

They left everything out on the track.@MartinsvilleSwy | #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/LbgS4BkXy0

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 28, 2023

On the final restart of Saturday's Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway,  Justin Allgaier went for broke. As chaos erupted around him, the Illinois native outdragged Sheldon Creed to the finish line by a scant 0.003 seconds to gain a spot in the Championship 4 for the sixth time in his career.

 

Allgaier, locked in a battle with Austin Hill and Cole Custer for the final points position into the final race, was in the right place at the right time as Hill and Creed tangled off Turn 4 coming to the checkered flag. Allgaier put his foot to the floor and nipped Creed at the line.

 

That gives JR Motorsports half the field for the Championship 4 with Allgaier and Sam Mayer. The other participants are John Hunter Nemechek and Custer, who was involved in the last-lap crash but advanced on points.

 

NEWS: Post-race inspection is complete at @MartinsvilleSwy.@J_Allgaier's win is official! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/kNBEQrcILr

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 29, 2023

The victory was Allgaier's 23rd in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, his first at Martinsville and his second in this year's playoffs. It also puts him in sole possession of 11th place on the all-time NXS wins list.

 

“We’ve got a shot at going for a championship at Phoenix,” Allgaier told NBC Sports’ Dave Burns after the race. “My wife drove in today, my daughter’s last softball game was this afternoon. She said, ‘I got to watch the first win,’ and she decided to come here to be by my side. There’s nothing like it.

 

“This is an emotional one. I’ve wanted to win at Martinsville for a long time and, man, I’ve been on the other end of that too many times.”

 

JRM has now won four of the six NXS Playoff races this season.

 

With today’s results, JRM has now earned 500 top-five finishes in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. The first came on Aug. 19, 2006, when Robby Gordon finished third @MISpeedway. pic.twitter.com/KzxHkLPK9M

— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) October 29, 2023

Teammate Josh Berry's fifth-place finish gives JRM 500 top-five finishes in NXS competition. The first of those came in 2006, when Robby Gordon finished third at Michigan International Speedway.

 

Berry rallied to fifth despite extensive damage to his Chevrolet, while Brandon Jones came home 16th and Mayer was posted 25th after retiring late in the race with crash damage.

 

Photos

 

 

source: JR Motorsports Media

The NASCAR Xfinity Series Heads Back to the ‘Paperclip’

Sammy Smith Starts on Pole

 

• Next Race: Dead On Tools 250
• The Place: Martinsville Speedway
• The Date: Saturday, October 28
• The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• The Purse: $1,380,935
• TV: USA, 3 p.m. ET
• Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
• Distance: 131.5 miles (250 Laps)
• Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60)
• Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120)
• Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)

As the series winds down the 2023 season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will now be heading to Martinsville Speedway for the penultimate race – the Dead On Tools 250 today at 3:30 p.m. ET (USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio).

 

This will be the 41st NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. The previous 40 races have produced 26 different race winners and 21 different pole winners. Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, but it’s been over 35 years since a driver was able to accomplish the feat – most recently by Jimmy Hensley in 1987.

 

This season will be the fourth consecutive year that Martinsville Speedway serves as the penultimate, or sixth race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, the elimination race of the Round of 8 (2020 – 2023). The track was not on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule from 2007 to 2019.

 

A few drivers have been able to etch their names in the Martinsville Speedway record books – Sam Ard (most wins – five), Brett Bodine (most poles - five), Dale Jarrett (most top fives – 11), Jimmy Hensley and Tommy Houston (tied for most top 10s – 17), and Tommy Ellis (most laps led – 713).

 

Three drivers in the field have already taken the checkered flag at the 0.526-mile track, one of which is a Playoff contender – John Hunter Nemechek (2023), along with Brandon Jones (2022) and Josh Berry (2021).

 

Although he hasn’t won a race at Martinsville Speedway. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier could also be a favorite to win this weekend as he knows what it takes to win the penultimate race of the season. In 2019, he won the final race in the Round of 8 when it was held at Phoenix Raceway.

 

Biggest lap of the night.

Ride with @sammysmithSS on the way to P1! pic.twitter.com/lP619Pd79x

— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) October 27, 2023

 

Here are the starting positions of the 38 NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers at Martinsville Speedway:

 

1. #18 - Sammy Smith
2. #7 - Justin Allgaier
3. #00 - Cole Custer
4. #98 - Riley Herbst
5. #20 - John Hunter Nemechek
6. #9 - Brandon Jones
7. #16 - Chandler Smith
8. #2 - Sheldon Creed
9. #21 - Austin Hill
10. #31 - Parker Retzlaff
11. #19 - Myatt Snider
12. #8 - Josh Berry
13. #39 - Ryan Sieg
14. #10 - Daniel Hemric
15. #48 - Parker Kligerman
16. #25 - Brett Moffitt
17. #1 - Sam Mayer
18. #91 - Josh Bilicki
19. #11 - Layne Riggs
20. #51 - Jeremy Clements
21. #4 - JJ Yeley
22. #78 - Anthony Alfredo
23. #26 - Kaz Grala
24. #92 - Josh Williams
25. #24 - Connor Mosack
26. #44 - Rajah Caruth
27. #6 - Brennan Poole
28. #29 - Kyle Sieg
29. #45 - Jeffrey Earnhardt
30. #08 - Chad Finchum
31. #02 - Blaine Perkins
32. #43 - Ryan Ellis
33. #38 - Joe Graf, Jr.
34. #28 - CJ McLaughlin
35. #35 - Chris Hacker
36. #53 - Akinori Ogata
37. #07 - Devin Jones
38. #27 - Jeb Burton

Up next, the #DeadOnTools250 at @MartinsvilleSwy.

LIVE @ 3:00 PM ET

📻 https://t.co/D39O4UrRNU
🖥️ https://t.co/wCQ8y1RhN4
📱 https://t.co/PXmmwIn6h6@SIRIUSXM Channel 90 pic.twitter.com/8nLsxdGhzv

— Motor Racing Network (@MRNRadio) October 28, 2023

 

source: NASCAR Media