Photo: Canadian Press

nascar martinsville playoffs blaney bell byron (AP) — Ryan Blaney gets a chance to defend his Cup Series championship with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway; A controversial finish here forced NASCAR to decide whether Christopher Bell or William Byron would take the final spot in the winner’s finale of the entire season.

The end was overshadowed by NASCAR’s lengthy review that Bell had potentially committed a safety violation with his pass on Byron on the final lap. Bell hit the wall and drove part of it to gain momentum; It’s the same thing Ross Chastain did two years ago in a move that was banned by NASCAR.

Bell’s pass to Byron ensured that the two were tied on points in the finale that will decide the championship next week at Phoenix Raceway. After an awkwardly long delay, Bell’s move was deemed illegal and Byron was given last place.

“I understand the rule was made to prevent people from riding the wall, but my move was completely different to what Ross did,” said Bell, who was denied a third consecutive title race.

The decision saved the playoffs for Hendrick Motorsports, with three drivers vying for four spots in the championship by the eighth round. If NASCAR had not ruled Bell’s action illegal, not a single Hendrick car would have been able to compete for the Cup Series championship.

Blaney, meanwhile, passed Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go to win his second consecutive win at the Virginia track and earn a spot in the title race next week at Phoenix Raceway. Blaney will compete with Penske teammate Joey Logano, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick and Byron.

The title will be awarded to the driver with the highest finish next Sunday.

“To get another shot at the championship is really special,” Blaney said. “Try to go back-to-back next week. I have nothing left. “Oh my God, I’m tired.”

Blaney lost his automatic berth in the final last week at Homestead-Miami Speedway when Reddick passed him in the final corner. The victory gives team owner Roger Penske two chances to win a third championship this year: Penske teams won the sports car championship in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship on Saturday.

Blaney’s win was Team Penske’s 100th victory since partnering with Ford. Logano won the championship in 2022, Blaney won it in 2023, and now Penske has a shot at three straight Cup titles.

“There’s a lot of momentum. “It’s nice to have two Penske cars,” Blaney said. “It’s great to join (Logano) and have a good chance to help Roger get another championship, a third championship in a row, so these guys are the best at what they do and it was a lot of fun to run with them and share.” wins and championships.

“It’s very strong in our organization right now and I hope it continues.”

While Blaney celebrated, Bell and Byron stood silently by their cars as they waited for the NASCAR decision. In the end, Byron’s pass resulted in a two-point tie for last place in the championship race, and NASCAR had to decide whether Bell had done something illegal.

Both drivers stood in front of their cars silently awaiting the NASCAR decision.

“This is so weird,” Bell said.

Byron added: “There is a rule against this. I don’t see how they could call it differently.

Elliott finished second at Martinsville, Larson third, and Penske driver Austin Cindric fourth, but did not qualify for the championship.

Denny Hamlin qualified from last to fifth but was eliminated in the final and Byron finished sixth and took last place in the championship field when Bell’s pass was ruled illegal. Bell finished the race in 22nd place after an early spin. He had a wide enough points gap that put him in the final spot in the championship field with Byron.

Byron and Blaney return to title contention for the second year in a row; Logano is the only two-time champion in this field, and Reddick is making his debut in the title race.

The field is represented by a pair of Ford drivers, a Toyota and Hendrick’s Chevrolet.

Truex speeding ticket

Martin Truex Jr., who will retire from full-time NASCAR racing after next week’s race, started the penultimate race of his Joe Gibbs Racing career from pole position.

He led his Toyota for the first 42 laps until he was forced to make a scheduled pit stop and Truex was flagged for speeding on pit road. The penalty slowed him for three laps and ruined his race.

Truex, who was eliminated from the play-offs in the first round, later received a second speeding ticket and finished Sunday in 24th place.

next

The season finale takes place next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, where the driver with the highest finish among Logano, Reddick, Blaney and Bell or Byron will win the championship. Although Ross Chastain was the last winner of the race, he did not achieve the championship last November.

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