nascar martinsville playoffs blaney bell byron (AP) — Ryan Blaney earned a chance to defend his Cup Series championship with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, where a controversial finish forced NASCAR to decide if Christopher Bell or William Byron took the final spot in the winner-take-all season finale.
The ending was marred by NASCAR’s lengthy review of Bell potentially committing a safety violation with his last-lap pass of Byron. Bell hit the wall and rode a portion of it for momentum — the same thing Ross Chastain did two years ago in a move that has since been banned by NASCAR.
Bell’s pass of Byron left the two tied in points for the final spot next week in the title-decider at Phoenix Raceway. After an awkwardly long delay, Bell’s move was deemed illegal and Byron was given the final spot.
“I understand that the rule is made to prevent people from riding the wall, but my move was completely different from what Ross did,” said Bell, who was denied a third consecutive trip to the championship race.
“I slid into the wall and kept my foot into it. I guess that is a losing move,” Bell continued. “I didn’t intentionally floor it and go into the fence — I slipped into the wall and that’s all she wrote.”
The ruling saved the playoffs for Hendrick Motorsports, which put three drivers in the round of eight vying for four spots in the championship. Had NASCAR not ruled Bell’s move illegal, not a single Hendrick car would be racing for the Cup Series title.
“He rode the wall and there’s a clear rule against riding the wall,” Byron said. “So in my eyes, that’s what counts. If it happened in the past, it was fair game. But now the rule is against it.”
Blaney, meanwhile, 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.”
Blaney last week lost an automatic berth into the finale when Reddick passed him in the final turn at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The victory gives team owner Roger Penske two chances to win a third title this year: Penske teams won the sports car championships in both IMSA and on Saturday the World Endurance Championship.
Blaney’s win was the 100th for Team Penske since it partnered with Ford. Logano won the title in 2022, Blaney won in 2023 and now Penske has a shot at three consecutive Cup titles.
“A lot of momentum. It’s nice to have two Penske cars in,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to join (Logano) and have a decent shot to bring Roger another title, a third title in a row, so these guys are the best at what they do and it’s been so much fun to get to run with them and share wins and championships.
“It’s super strong right now in our organization and hopefully it carries over.”
Elliott finished second at Martinsville, Larson finished third, Penske driver Austin Cindric was fourth but not eligible for a championship berth.
Denny Hamlin drove from last to fifth but was eliminated from the finale and Byron was sixth and given the final spot in the championship field when Bell’s pass was ruled illegal. Bell finished 22nd after an early spin in the race. He had a large enough point cushion that left him tied with Byron for the final spot in the championship field.
Byron and Blaney return to the championship race for the second consecutive year; Logano is the only two-time champion in the field and Reddick is making his title-race debut.
The field is represented by a pair of Ford drivers, one Toyota and and the Chevrolet from Hendrick.
Truex speeding penalty
Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time NASCAR racing after next week’s race, started the penultimate race of his Joe Gibbs Racing career from the pole.
He led the first 42 laps in his Toyota until he had to make his scheduled pit stop, and Truex was flagged for speeding on pit road. The penalty dropped him three laps off the pace and ruined his race.
Truex, who was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, later received a second speeding penalty and finished 24th on Sunday.
Up next
Next Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway, where the highest finishing driver among Logano, Reddick, Blaney, and Byron will win the championship. Ross Chastain is the defending race winner, but was not title eligible last November.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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