Xfinity 500: Ryan Blaney and William Byron Secure Spots in NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race
Ryan Blaney didn’t have to win at Martinsville on Sunday to advance to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, but he didn’t want to leave any doubt. Blaney showed his dominance throughout the Xfinity 500, leading 145 laps, finishing second in Stage 1, and ultimately winning Stage 2 and the race itself to secure his place in the title chase in Phoenix. William Byron claimed the final spot based on points, finishing 14th at Martinsville. These two drivers will join Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in the battle for the Cup in Phoenix next weekend.
Xfinity 500 Results
- Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
- Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
- Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
- Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
- Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
- Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
- Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
- Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
- Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
- Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
- Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
- Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
- Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
- Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
- Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
- Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
- Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
- Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
- A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
- Ryan Newman (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
- Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
- Carson Hocevar (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
- Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
- Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
- Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
- J.J. Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
- BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Blaney Wins Stage 2
Ryan Blaney secured victory in the second stage of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, solidifying his position as the driver to beat. Blaney started the race in 11th place but quickly made his way up to second behind Denny Hamlin by the end of the opening stage. After a brief battle following a restart off Ryan Newman’s spin, Blaney made a decisive overtake on Hamlin with 30 laps left in the stage.
Hamlin Takes Stage 1
Denny Hamlin emerged victorious in the first stage of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, holding off fellow playoff drivers Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. Hamlin, who started in third place, and Truex Jr., who started in second, both managed to pass pole-sitter Ty Gibbs by the end of lap 2. Hamlin then overtook Truex Jr. in lapped traffic on lap 48 and maintained his lead until the end of the stage. Blaney also made an impressive move in the first stage, rising from 11th place after narrowly missing out on the final round of qualifying on Saturday. The only caution of the stage occurred on lap 105 when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Harrison Burton tangled, with Hamlin narrowly avoiding a collision.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville for the next round of the playoffs, where the field will be narrowed down to the final four. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have already secured their spots in the Championship 4 race in Phoenix, and six other drivers will be vying for the remaining two spots. Currently, William Byron (+30) and Ryan Blaney (+10) are above the cut line, while Tyler Reddick (-10), Denny Hamlin (-17), Martin Truex Jr. (-17), and Chris Buescher (-43) are on the outside looking in. It will be an intense battle to secure those final spots in the championship race.
Last year’s penultimate race at Martinsville provided one of the most exciting moments in NASCAR playoff history, with Ross Chastain executing a daring maneuver to qualify for the final on points. However, NASCAR has since outlawed that particular move. As the Xfinity 500 approaches, fans can expect another thrilling race as the drivers fight for their place in the Championship 4.
Xfinity 500 TV/Streaming Schedule
Saturday:
- 12:30-1:20 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app)
- 1:20-2:30 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app)
Sunday:
- 1:30-2 p.m.: Pre-race show (NBC, NBC Sports app)
- 2-5:30 p.m.: Xfinity 500 (NBC, NBC Sports app)
Xfinity 500 Details
- Track: Martinsville Raceway, .526-mile paperclip oval in Ridgeway, Virginia
- Race Length: 500 laps for 263 miles
- Banking: 12 degrees in the turns, none
