William Byron put on an extraordinary show of strength in the William Byron Martinsville race domination on Sunday, leading 304 out of 500 laps and securing his place in the Cup Series finals. Byron’s late move against Ryan Blaney, a driver with past Martinsville success, paved the way for his commanding victory at this pivotal playoff event.
Byron Secures Victory Against Tough Competition
Byron’s decisive performance saw him emerge victorious after taking the lead for good with 44 laps remaining, muscling past Blaney who had enjoyed back-to-back autumn wins at the track. Blaney was forced to settle for second place, followed by Chase Elliott in third, Ross Chastain in fourth, and Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson rounding out the top five.
Larson clinched the final spot in the Championship 4, advancing on points alone after fending off Christopher Bell by a seven-point margin. Bell, along with the Penske duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, joined Elliott in playoff elimination following the race. The rest of the top ten consisted of Ryan Preece, Bell, Logano, Todd Gilliland, and Josh Berry.
The season’s championship will now be decided at Phoenix, where the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) pair of Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe—both of whom suffered mechanical issues in Martinsville—will face off against Byron and Larson of Hendrick Motorsports.
Intense Opening Stage Sets the Tone
The opening laps at Martinsville featured aggressive racing across the field, with incidents starting early. William Byron established control at the front but had to survive a caution triggered by Daniel Suarez’s half-spin during a heated three-wide contest.
While most of the pack opted for pit stops during this first caution, Michael McDowell gambled by taking only two tires. The strategy backfired quickly as McDowell dropped back, and Byron soon retook ownership of the race at the front.
By the close of stage one, Byron had lapped up to 15th place, further underlining his speed. Tyler Reddick benefited from a free pass at the stage break, while Byron claimed the stage victory ahead of Logano, Larson, Elliott, Gibbs, and Hamlin. Hamlin narrowly avoided disaster near the end of the stage, skidding wide and almost tagging the wall in a tense moment for the championship contender.
Smooth Middle Stage Disrupted by Late Cautions
The second stage proceeded with relatively few interruptions through the first ninety laps. A late incident, however, began when Carson Hocevar spun out—appearing to receive a tap from soon-to-be teammate Suarez—which prompted a yellow flag. Larson narrowly escaped involvement during the chaos.
Byron’s control went unchallenged, as he and his Hendrick teammates played a crucial role in dictating the restart from both inside and outside lanes. Drivers Erik Jones and Ross Chastain gambled on the wave-around under caution, which proved effective when another caution was triggered by Cole Custer’s spin following contact with Alex Bowman and Josh Berry. Keselowski nearly collided with the disabled No. 41 machine in the aftermath, while Berry’s role in the incident denied anyone a free pass for that sequence.
Cody Ware then spun after losing a wheel on his car, which drew another caution and set up forthcoming penalties. As drivers weighed the risks of pitting versus staying on track, Christopher Bell and Larson focused on outpointing each other, aiming to avoid elimination on the strength of a potential new race winner.
Byron carried on to claim victory in the stage, crossing ahead of Larson, Bell, Elliott, and Gilliland as the field prepared for the final segment.
Final Stage Delivers Drama and Shuffles the Field
The last stage began after Reddick led a contingent of drivers who stayed on track, with Byron positioned in seventh for the restart—his lowest of the race so far. Momentum quickly shifted as Blaney seized control from Reddick, while Byron worked to claw his way back to the front.
Josh Berry was turned after being forced three-wide on the outside by Brad Keselowski and Bubba Wallace, sending him spinning further back. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe’s day ended abruptly with an engine issue, marking the first driver to retire after nearly 300 laps. Herbst soon joined him in the garage with mechanical trouble.
The mechanical woes continued for Toyota, as Denny Hamlin also suffered an engine failure and was sidelined. Elsewhere, Carson Hocevar retaliated against Suarez, pushing him up the track after their earlier encounters. Amidst these developments, Ryan Preece surged into the top five, showcasing speed that defied his non-playoff status.
As the race approached its final 125 laps, green-flag pit stops got underway. However, a spin by Erik Jones in the midst of stops caused a shift in strategy: Ross Chastain took the lead while only Blaney and Byron managed to stay on the lead lap after their stop. Austin Cindric was penalized for speeding on his way out of the pit lane, dropping a lap in the process.
Hocevar’s continued clashes with Suarez brought out another caution. This time, Bell led a small group in for stops, diverging from Larson’s approach in hopes of gaining late-race ground. With less than 50 laps to go, Byron caught up to Blaney, maneuvering past him as the two lapped Ty Dillon with 44 circuits left.
With 18 laps to go, a final spin by Hocevar set up a frantic dash to the conclusion. Despite mounting tension, drivers managed to steer clear of further incidents, allowing Byron to secure a hard-earned victory for Hendrick Motorsports as Blaney failed to close the gap in the closing laps.
Championship Implications and What Awaits at Phoenix
Byron’s commanding performance at Martinsville cements him as a leading contender for the championship heading into the season finale. Both Byron and Larson will represent Hendrick Motorsports against the Joe Gibbs Racing pair, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe, at Phoenix Raceway. All four drivers will bring the lessons and resolve forged from Martinsville’s high-stakes environment as they vie for NASCAR’s most coveted title.
The pressure is on for the remaining contenders after the dramatic eliminations of Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Christopher Bell at Martinsville. With the focus now shifting to Phoenix, the William Byron Martinsville race domination serves as a defining moment in this season’s playoffs and sets the stage for an electrifying championship battle next weekend.
