2 weeks Ago
Ryan Blaney and William Byron will join Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick in the Championship 4 that will contest the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series in Phoenix next weekend after a breathtaking showdown at Martinsville. Team Penske Ford driver Blaney, the defending Cup Series champion, prevailed in a three-way fight for the win in the closing laps with Hendrick Chevrolet Motorsport team-mates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. Larson appeared in control, but Elliott and Blaney each had 30-lap fresher tyres.
This advantage told for Elliott with 25 laps remaining, before Blaney also traded blows with Larson and got through. With 14 laps to go, Blaney stormed into the race lead and won the race, eliminating both runner-up Elliott and third-place finisher Larson in the process. After capturing his third win of 2024 Blaney, who hopes to become the first back-to-back champion in the history of the knockout format, admitted to feeling “worn out”.
“I hated I had to lay the bumper to some guys, but I had to do it,” said Blaney. “I laid the bumper to a couple guys that I wish I didn’t have to, but I needed to get going, so it was a long night. “I think that’s the most tired I’ve been after a race in a long time.
” Behind, chaos unfolded in the battle for the final transfer spot between Byron (Hendrick) and Christopher Bell 's Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. In the final corner, Bell passed the rapidly slowing Toyota of Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing), who reported that he had a tyre going down. But Bell entered the corner too fast and slid up the track.
Upon hitting the wall, he kept his foot pinned to the throttle and rode the wall to the checkered flag in a slower/accidental version of what Ross Chastain did at Martinsville two years ago, which has since been declared illegal. Bell was tied with Byron and appeared set to progress via a tiebreaker but, after a lengthy deliberation, NASCAR cited Bell for a safety violation and removed him from the playoffs, putting Byron back in. A despondent Bell said: "I don't know what to say.
I understand the rule was made to prevent people from riding the wall but my move was completely different from what Ross's was. "I got loose getting into the corner and slid right into the fence. I don't know what to say.
" NASCAR Cup Martinsville Race Results:.
