NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Xfinity 500
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sunday, October 31
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
The Purse: $7,778,099
TV: NBC, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 263 miles (500 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 130),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 260), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 500)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Dead on Tools 250
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Saturday, October 30
The Time: 6 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,325,013
TV: NBCSN, 5:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 131.5 miles (250 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: United Rentals 200
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Saturday, October 30
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
The Purse: $674,952
TV: FS1, 12 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 105.2 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 50),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 100), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
NASCAR Cup Series
Final chance for Playoff contenders to make the Championship 4 Round
This Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race, the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, is the last chance for the eligible postseason contenders to earn a spot in the 2021 Championship 4 Round.
Currently, Kyle Larson is the only NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contender to secure his spot in the Championship 4 and did so by winning the first two races in the Round of 8 at Texas and Kansas. It’s the first time in his career he has advanced the Playoffs’ final round. That leaves just three spots up for grabs among the seven remaining Playoff challengers and since the introduction of the ‘elimination-style’ format in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2014, racing your way into the Championship 4 Round in the ninth and final cutoff race of the Round of 8 has proven to be much more difficult than one might expect with only three drivers accomplishing the feat.
2015: The four drivers below the Championship 4 Round cutline heading into the ninth race of the 2015 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix Raceway – Carl Edwards (-7 points from cutoff), Brad Keselowski (-19), Kurt Busch (-28) and Joey Logano (-63) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 and were eliminated from the Playoffs following the Phoenix race. At Phoenix, Logano finished third, Kurt Busch finished seventh, Keselowski finished ninth and Carl Edwards finished 12th.
2016: The four drivers below the Championship 4 Round cutline without a win heading into the ninth race of the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix Raceway – Matt Kenseth (-1 point from the cutoff), Denny Hamlin (-2), Kevin Harvick (-18) and Kurt Busch (-34) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 and were eliminated from the Playoffs following the Phoenix race. At Phoenix, Harvick finished fourth, Kurt Busch finished fifth, Hamlin finished seventh and Matt Kenseth finished 21st.
2017: The four drivers below the Championship 4 Round cutline heading into the ninth race of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix Raceway – Denny Hamlin (-19 points from the cutoff), Ryan Blaney (-22), Chase Elliott (-49) and Jimmie Johnson (-51) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 and were eliminated from the Playoffs following the Phoenix race. At Phoenix, Elliott finished second, Blaney finished 17th, Hamlin finished 35th and Jimmie Johnson finished 39th.
2018: The four drivers below the Championship 4 Round cutline heading into the ninth race of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 elimination race at Phoenix Raceway – Kurt Busch (-3 points from the cutoff), Chase Elliott (-17), Aric Almirola (-35) and Clint Bowyer (-51) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 Round and were eliminated from the Playoffs following the Phoenix race. At Phoenix, Almirola finished fourth, Elliott finished 23rd, Kurt Busch finished 32nd and Clint Bowyer finished 35th.
2019: Heading to Phoenix Raceway (the ninth race of the Playoffs) in 2019, Denny Hamlin was ranked fifth in the Playoff standings, 20 points back from Joey Logano in the fourth and final transfer position to the Championship 4 Round. Denny Hamlin won the race at Phoenix and automatically advanced to the final round. Joey Logano finished ninth, but it wasn’t enough and was tossed out of the Playoffs. Hamlin would go on to finish the season fourth in the championship standings.
2020: Heading to Martinsville Speedway (the ninth race of the Playoffs) in 2020, Joey Logano had secured his spot in the Championship 4 Round by winning at Kansas Speedway in the Round of 8 leaving three spots up for grabs. The drivers ranked below the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round cutline were Alex Bowman (-25), Chase Elliott (-25), Martin Truex Jr. (-36) and Kurt Busch (-81). Chase Elliott would go on to win the Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway clinching his spot in the Championship 4 and bouncing Kevin Harvick (17th-place finish) out of the final round. Kurt Buch (fifth-place finish), Alex Bowman (sixth) and Martin Truex Jr. (22nd) all failed to make the Championship 4 Round and were eliminated from the Playoffs following Martinsville.
Martinsville Speedway and the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
The 2021 season marks the second time Martinsville Speedway has hosted the penultimate race (Race No. 9) in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the Round of 8 elimination race.
Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004, Martinsville Speedway has occupied three different positions on the postseason schedule. From 2004 – 2010 (seven seasons) Martinsville Speedway hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and from 2011 – 2019 (nine seasons) Martinsville hosted the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Last season (2020) was the first time Martinsville Speedway hosed the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Martinsville Speedway is the third different track to host the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Darlington Raceway (2004) and Phoenix Raceway (2005-2019).
A total of nine different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway. Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in postseason wins at Martinsville Speedway with six Playoff victories (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2016). Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in postseason wins at Martinsville Speedway with two Playoff victories (2009, 2010). Five of the current eight drivers in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 have previously won a Martinsville Speedway Playoff race.
| NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway Playoff Race Winners | |||
| Track | Playoff Race Winner | Date | Race No. |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 24, 2004 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, October 23, 2005 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 22, 2006 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 21, 2007 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 19, 2008 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, October 25, 2009 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, October 24, 2010 | 32 |
| Martinsville | Tony Stewart | Sunday, October 30, 2011 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 28, 2012 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, October 27, 2013 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, October 26, 2014 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Jeff Gordon | Sunday, November 1, 2015 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, October 30, 2016 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Kyle Busch | Sunday, October 29, 2017 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Joey Logano | Sunday, October 28, 2018 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Martin Truex Jr | Sunday, October 27, 2019 | 33 |
| Martinsville | Chase Elliott | Sunday, November 1, 2020 | 35 |
Seven times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway has gone on to win the title that same season – the most of any track on the Playoff schedule.
- In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Playoff victory was the first of a record setting four straight postseason wins during the 2007 Playoffs (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).
- In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won from the first starting position at Martinsville Speedway (Qualifying was cancelled) and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three victories during the 2008 Playoffs.
- In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his third NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was one of a record setting five Playoff victories for Stewart during the 2011 postseason.
- In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his record tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three Playoff victories during the 2016 postseason.
- In 2018, Joey Logano won from the 10th starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
- In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
The worst finish in a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway by a driver that went on to win the title that same season was 33rd by Kevin Harvick in 2014 – that season Martinsville Speedway was the eighth race in the Playoffs.
Twice non-Playoff drivers have won the Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway:
- In 2005, Jeff Gordon was ranked 15th in the points at the time of his Playoff win at Martinsville.
- In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 11th in points at the time of the win. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2014 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
The significance of the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs
The elimination race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 has played a pivotal role in helping decide the outcome of the postseasons through the years and this season will be no different. Last season, Martinsville Speedway joined Darlington Raceway (2004) and Phoenix Raceway (2005-2019) as just the third different track to host the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 elimination race adding to the prestige of the series’ penultimate event.
A total of 10 different drivers have won the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Jimmie Johnson (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009) and Kevin Harvick (2006, 2012, 2013, 2014) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the ninth race of the postseason with four victories each.
| NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race No. 9 – Race Winners | ||
| Track | Race Winners | Date |
| Darlington | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 14, 2004 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 13, 2005 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 12, 2006 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 11, 2007 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 9, 2008 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 15, 2009 |
| Phoenix | Carl Edwards | Sunday, November 14, 2010 |
| Phoenix | Kasey Kahne | Sunday, November 13, 2011 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 11, 2012 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 10, 2013 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 9, 2014 |
| Phoenix | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, November 15, 2015 |
| Phoenix | Joey Logano | Sunday, November 13, 2016 |
| Phoenix | Matt Kenseth | Sunday, November 12, 2017 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 11, 2018 |
| Phoenix | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, November 10, 2019 |
| Martinsville | Chase Elliott | Sunday, November 1, 2020 |
Five times the winner of the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the championship that same season:
- In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the sixth starting position at Phoenix Raceway and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Playoff victory was the fourth of a record setting four straight postseason wins during the 2007 Playoffs (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).
- In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won from the pole at Phoenix Raceway and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his third of three victories during the 2008 Playoffs.
- In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Phoenix Raceway and went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his fourth during the 2009 postseason.
- In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the third starting position at Phoenix Raceway and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three Playoff victories during the 2014 postseason.
- In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three Playoff victories during the 2020 postseason.
The worst finish in the ninth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by a driver that went on to win the title that same season: At Phoenix, 38th by Jimmie Johnson in 2016 and at Darlington, sixth by Kurt Busch in 2004.
Four non-Playoff drivers have won the ninth Playoff race in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason.
- In 2005, Kyle Busch was ranked 19th in the points at the time of the win at Phoenix.
- In 2011, Kasey Kahne was ranked 14th in the points at the time of the win at Phoenix.
- In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was seventh in points at the time of the win at Phoenix. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
- In 2017, Matt Kenseth was seventh in points at the time of the win at Phoenix. Kenseth had made the Playoffs in 2017 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
Penultimate race Clinch Scenarios: Martinsville Speedway
With the pressure of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs reaching its boiling point, the series turns to Martinsville Speedway for the Playoffs’ Round of 8 elimination race, the Xfinity 500 (Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to decide who will battle it out for the title in the Championship 4 Round at Phoenix Raceway next weekend. Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson and NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champion is the only driver this weekend that can rest easy as he is already locked into the Championship 4 Round on his wins at Texas and Kansas to open the Round of 8. With just three spots available and seven drivers vying for those limited positions expect some aggressive racing this weekend as it is the last chance for them to keep their championship hopes alive.
Already Clinched
The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Kyle Larson.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fourth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin or Kyle Busch.
- Chase Elliott: Would clinch with 20 points, 22 points if Kyle Busch wins.
- Denny Hamlin: Would clinch with 23 points, 24 points if Kyle Busch wins.
- Kyle Busch: Would clinch with 54 points.
- Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 55 points, would need help if Kyle Busch wins.
- Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch with 55 points, would need help if Kyle Busch wins.
- Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano: Could only clinch with help.
If there is a new winner from Ryan Blaney or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the third winless driver in the standings.
- Chase Elliott: Would clinch with 22 points
- Denny Hamlin: Would clinch with 25 points
- Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski: Could only clinch with help.
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano.
Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson is having a historic Cup season
When Kyle Larson joined Hendrick Motorsports prior to the 2021 season everyone knew he would make a jump in success in the NASCAR Cup Series, but few envisioned the leap would be this astronomical.
Prior to the 2021 season, Kyle Larson’s best season statistically in the NASCAR Cup Series was 2017 when he put up four wins, 15 top fives and 20 top 10s. He led 1,352 laps and posted an average start of 11.3 and an average finish of 13.3. He finished the 2017 season eighth in the final standings. His best season in the Cup driver point standings/Playoffs was 2019 where he finished sixth after collecting one win, eight top fives and 17 top 10s. But neither of those seasons even come close in comparison to Larson’s stellar performance in 2021.
This season, Larson’s list of accolades is fairly long. He has produced career-bests in every single traditional statical category – wins (nine), top fives (19), top 10s (25), laps led (2,397), average start (6.4) and average finish (9.2). He also leads the series in key season-to-date Loop Data categories like Driver Rating (112.3), and Fastest Laps Run (1,198).
But that’s not all Larson has been able to accomplish, his performances this season have allowed him to etch his name alongside some of the sport’s greatest in the record books.
For example, his win last weekend at Kansas Speedway made him the fourth different driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win three or more consecutive races multiple times in a single season; joining NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt (1987) and Richard Petty (1967, 1971) and David Pearson (1968).
| NASCAR Cup Series Consecutive Victories (Three Or More Multiple Times A Season) | |||||
| Rank | Driver | No. | From | To | Season |
| 1 | Richard Petty | 3 | Thursday, July 13, 1967 | Sunday, July 23, 1967 | 1967 |
| Richard Petty | 10 | Saturday, August 12, 1967 | Sunday, October 1, 1967 | 1967 | |
| 2 | David Pearson | 4 | Sunday, May 5, 1968 | Saturday, May 18, 1968 | 1968 |
| David Pearson | 3 | Thursday, August 8, 1968 | Sunday, August 18, 1968 | 1968 | |
| Richard Petty | 3 | Sunday, March 7, 1971 | Sunday, March 21, 1971 | 1971 | |
| Richard Petty | 3 | Thursday, April 15, 1971 | Sunday, April 25, 1971 | 1971 | |
| Richard Petty | 6 | Wednesday, July 14, 1971 | Sunday, August 8, 1971 | 1971 | |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | 4 | Sunday, March 29, 1987 | Sunday, April 26, 1987 | 1987 |
| Dale Earnhardt | 3 | Saturday, August 22, 1987 | Sunday, September 13, 1987 | 1987 | |
| 4 | Kyle Larson | 3 | Sunday, May 30, 2021 | Sunday, June 20, 2021 | 2021 |
| Kyle Larson | 3 | Sunday, October 10, 2021 | Sunday, October 24, 2021 | 2021 |
