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Results, highlights of today’s race

Results, highlights of today’s race

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NASCAR is set for an exciting day of racing at Martinsville Speedway Sunday The Cup Series runs the penultimate race of the 2024 season.

The The last two places of the Championship 4 are being played at NASCAR’s shortest track in the final playoff elimination race. Six drivers will compete, each hoping to take the checkered flag or score enough points to earn a spot in the 2024 NASCAR Championship race.

Joey Loganowho won the first round of the third round in Las Vegas Motor Speedwayand Tyler Reddickwho won last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedwayhave already strengthened their places in the championship race. Tonight’s race will determine which of Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson will join them.

USA TODAY Sports will provide updates and highlights from Xfinity 500 at Martinsville. Follow through.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell got loose on lap 77 of the Xfinity 500 and made contact with Corey LaJoie before spinning out and bringing out the caution flag. Bell, the playoff points leader going into today’s race at Martinsville, was running 14th at the time.

With nearly 80 laps on their tires, every driver who had yet to take the green came in for fresh tires and fuel. Playoff driver Chase Elliott retained first and second positions after pit stops.

Martin Truex, who started on the pole for today’s race at Martinsville, was the first of the leaders to enter pit road under green for the Xfinity 500. Truex entered pit road from the fifth position but was penalized for speeding on the way out on pit road. Between pitting under green and serving a speeding penalty on pit road, Truex now trails leader Chase Elliott by three laps.

Chase Elliott passed pole sitter Martin Truex Jr. on lap 42 of the first stage of the NASCAR playoff race at Martinsville. Truex led the first 41 laps of the Xfinity 500. Elliott must win today to earn a spot in the NASCAR championship race. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron, also a playoff driver, runs third behind Truex.

The green flag flies at Martinsville Speedway to start the Xfinity 500, the penultimate race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season with the last two championship spots. Pole sitter Martin Truex Jr. and playoff driver Chase Elliott lead at the start of the race.

Denny Hamlin is one of three drivers who will move to the rear for the start of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville. Hamlin and Corey Lajoy repaired their cars, while Austin Cindric had problems with his steering. Hamlin is the only playoff driver in this group and will need to work his way through the field to catch up with the other championship contenders starting 16thousand or better

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Martinsville start?

The Xfinity 500 gets underway at 2:00 PM ET on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia.

What TV station is showing the NASCAR playoff race at Martinsville?

NBC is televising the Xfinity 500 and has a pre-race show starting at 1:30 PM ET.

Will the NASCAR playoff race at Martinsville be live?

The Xfinity 500 can be streamed live on NBC Sports website and the NBC Sports app. Races are also available for streaming Fubowhich offers a free trial.

A perfect autumn day for drivers, teams and fans. The National Weather Service is calling for sunny skies and calm winds with a high of 64 degrees. Bring a light jacket and enjoy the race.

The Xfinity 500 is 500 laps around a 0.526-mile oval for a total of 263 miles. The race will consist of three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 130 laps; 2nd stage: 130 laps; 3rd stage: 240 laps.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. set the fastest time in Saturday’s qualifying and will start on the pole for Sunday’s race. Truex has announced his retirement from racing at the end of the season.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott, one of eight drivers remaining in the playoffs, qualified second and will also start on the front row.

Team Penske driver Joey Logano and 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick locked into the Championship 4. The final two contenders will be determined this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Logano won the Cup Series championship in 2018 and 2022. Reddick is looking for his first Cup title.

These are the other six championship contenders in the points standings through eight races. If either of them wins Sunday’s race at Martinsville, they will earn a spot in the NASCAR championship race. If neither wins, the bottom two spots in the championship will be decided by points behind Martinsville.

  1. Christopher BellJoe Gibbs Racing … 4,132
  2. William ByronHendrick Motorsports … 4110 (-22 points)
  3. Kyle LarsonHendrick Motorsports … 4,103 (-29)
  4. Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing … 4,092 (-40)
  5. Ryan BlaneyTeam Penske … 4,072 (-60)
  6. Chase ElliottHendrick Motorsports … 4,067 (-65)

On April 7, 2024, William Byron led 88 laps, including the final two in overtime, to lead the top three for Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle Larson was second and Chase Elliott third.

And a year ago in the playoffs, Ryan Blaney led 145 laps, including the final 23, and on October 29, 2023, edged out Aric Almirola by 0.899 seconds to clinch a spot in the Race of Champions. A week later, he would win his first Cup Series title.

Vehicle number in brackets; (P)=playoff pilot

  • 1. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
  • 2. (9) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet
  • 3. (24) William Byron (P), Chevrolet
  • 4. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford
  • 5. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
  • 6. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford
  • 7. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
  • 8. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford
  • 9. (5) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet
  • 10. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
  • 11. (4) Josh Berry, Ford
  • 12. (22) Joey Logano (P), Ford
  • 13. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford
  • 14. (12) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford
  • 15. (31) Daniel Hamrick, Chevrolet
  • 16. (20) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota
  • 17. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
  • 18. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
  • 19. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
  • 20. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
  • 21. (43) Eric Jones, Toyota
  • 22. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
  • 23. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
  • 24. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
  • 25. (10) Noah Gregson, Ford
  • 26. (17) Chris Buscher, Ford
  • 27. (77) Carson Josevar, Chevrolet
  • 28. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
  • 29. (16) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
  • 30. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
  • 31. (45) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota
  • 32. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
  • 33. (15) Kaz Grala, Ford
  • 34. (51) Corey LaJoie, Ford
  • 35. (66) Josh Bilicki, Ford
  • 36. (71) Zane Smith, Chevrolet
  • 37. (11) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota

The NASCAR Championship will be held on Sunday, November 10 at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

The current playoff format was adopted in 2014 and Kevin Harvick won his first championship and also won the final race of the year. Here are the NASCAR Cup Series champions from 2014 and their finishes in the final race of the season:

  • 2014: Kevin Harvick (won at Homestead-Miami Speedway)
  • 2015: Kyle Busch (won at Homestead)
  • 2016: Jimmie Johnson (won at Homestead)
  • 2017: Martin Truex Jr. (won at Homestead)
  • 2018: Joey Logano (won at Homestead)
  • 2019: Kyle Busch (won at Homestead)
  • 2020: Chase Elliott (won at Phoenix Raceway)
  • 2021: Kyle Larson (won in Phoenix)
  • 2022: Joey Logano (won in Phoenix)
  • 2023: Ryan Blaney (second in Phoenix)

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