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Ryan Blaney Wins At Martinsville Speedway To Advance To Championship 4

by Hunter Thomas November 3, 2024 1 comment

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Ryan Blaney pulled off the victory in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway to advance to the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.

Blaney was in a must-win situation, and he pulled off the racing-winning move on Chase Elliott with just 15 laps to go. The Team Penske driver will now enter the season finale as the defending champion with an opportunity to earn his second NASCAR Cup Series title.

“I got nothing left,” Blaney said. “Oh, my God, I’m tired. Good battle. Yeah, the car hung on longer than most. Could really make some ground. Yeah, they just worked on the car all night. I really appreciate them. Everybody to makes this possible, Roush-Yates engine, 12 boys are awesome. Let’s go.”

Elliott also needed to win the race, but he came up one position short. Elliott had been fast all day long as he led 129 laps, but at the end of the day, Blaney saved more rear tires and was able to get by when it counted.

“I just made a couple mistakes there past halfway and got some damage on our car,” Elliott said. I think that hurt a little bit. Just little things started stacking up. I was pushing really hard trying to get to the No. 5 (Kyle Larson). I just felt like Ryan (Blaney) had been really good. I was scared to give him an opportunity to get to the No. 5 first. I just really wanted to try to get the lead. And then you never know, maybe a caution comes out or something. It just didn’t work out for us.

Kyle Larson who finished third, also needed to win. Larson finished Stage 1 in sixth and Stage 2 fourth, but he didn’t have the speed to compete with Elliott and Blaney.

“I feel like we made the right pit call to give ourselves the best opportunity,” Larson said. “I’m proud of my team; the car, the pit crew, everyone at Hendrick Motorsports. We just didn’t have enough. I actually thought that when Chase (Elliott) got to second, I thought he was going to drive right to me and pass me easily. I was surprised I held on as long as I did, so it gave me hope. But then we just fell off the last 30 laps or so.”

As for the final spot in the Championship 4, Christopher Bell originally had position in the standings; however, he was disqualified following the race due to riding the outside wall in Turn 4. When Bell entered Turn 3 for the final time, he passed Bubba Wallace, which gave him enough points to advance, but he then ran up the track and rode the outside wall, which is a prohibited move after Ross Chastain did so two years ago. As a result, William Byron was catapulted into the Championship 4.

Finishing behind Blaney, Elliott and Larson on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway was Austin Cindric and Denny Hamlin, who started at the back of the field. Rounding out the top-10 was Byron, Austin Dillon, Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

Elliott won Stage 1, and Brad Keselowski won Stage 2.

There were 15 lead changes among seven drivers. Keselowski led a race high of 170 laps.

Throughout the afternoon, the caution flew on nine occasions for 66 laps.

The final race of the season will take place at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Nov. 10. Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick and William Byron will be competing for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship. Live coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race will broadcast live on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com