NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Xfinity 500
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sunday, October 29
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
The Purse: $8,587,800
TV: NBC, 2 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 28
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,380,935
TV: USA, 3 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 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: CRAFTSMAN 150
The Place: Phoenix Raceway
The Date: Friday, November 3
The Time: 10 p.m. ET
The Purse: $794,766
TV: FS1, 9 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 150 miles (150 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 150)
NASCAR Cup Series
Decision Time: Martinsville Speedway ready to set the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4
Time has come to decide who will make the Championship 4 Round, and the historic 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway will once again play host to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8 elimination race, the Xfinity 500 on Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The 2023 season marks the 20th year Martinsville Speedway has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race, and the fourth-time the track has hosted the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the Round of 8 elimination race (Race No. 9 of 10).
Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004, Martinsville Speedway has occupied three distinct positions on the postseason schedule; from 2004 – 2010 (seven seasons) Martinsville hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Then from 2011 – 2019 (nine seasons) Martinsville Speedway hosted the seventh race in the Playoffs and from 2020 – 2023 (four seasons) Martinsville has hosted the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the Round of 8 elimination race that will decide the Championship 4. 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 11 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). Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in postseason wins at Martinsville with two Playoff victories (2009, 2010). Hamlin is joined by two other active Playoff contenders that have also won a Playoff race at Martinsville – Christopher Bell (2022) and Martin Truex Jr. (2019).
| 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 |
| Martinsville | Alex Bowman | Sunday, October 31, 2021 | 35 |
| Martinsville | Christopher Bell | Sunday, October 30, 2022 | 35 |
Three times non-Playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway: (2005, 2014, 2021).
- 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.
- In 2021, Alex Bowman was 14th in points at the time of the win at Martinsville Speedway, the ninth race of the postseason. Bowman had made the Playoffs in 2021 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
Seven times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway has gone on to win the title that same season (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020) – tied with Homestead-Miami Speedway for the series-most.
- In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship that same season. 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), then the sixth race in the Playoffs, 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, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, 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, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, 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, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his first of two Playoff victories during the 2018 postseason.
- In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the ninth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three victories during the 2020 postseason.
The worst finish in a Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway by a driver that went on to win the title the same season was 33rd by Kevin Harvick in 2014 – that season Martinsville Speedway was the seventh race in the Playoffs. Last season, Team Penske’s Joey Logano finished sixth at Martinsville, then the ninth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his second career title (2018, 2022).
Penultimate Playoff race offers one last chance to advance
Last season in a must win situation, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell snagged the victory in the ninth race of the Playoffs and won his way into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Round. This season, Bell (Homestead) and Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Kyle Larson (Las Vegas) have already earned their spots in the Championship 4 by virtue of their wins in the Round of 8, leaving two spots still up for grabs this weekend.
Since the inception of the elimination-style format in the Playoffs in 2014 (last nine seasons), six of the last nine winners of the ninth race of the Playoffs have earned a spot in to the Championship 4 Round with their victory (66.7%) – Kevin Harvick (2014, Phoenix), Joey Logano (2016, Phoenix), Kyle Busch (2018, Phoenix), Denny Hamlin (2019, Phoenix), Chase Elliott (2020, Martinsville) and Christopher Bell (2022, Martinsville).
A total of 12 different drivers have won the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (Race 35 of 36). Jimmie Johnson (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (2006, 2012, 2013, 2014) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the ninth race of the postseason with four victories each.
Two active NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders have won the ninth race in the postseason previously; Denny Hamlin won at Phoenix in 2019 and Christopher Bell won at Martinsville in 2022.
| NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race No. 9 – Race Winners | |||
| Track | Race Winners | Date | Race No. |
| Darlington | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 14, 2004 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 13, 2005 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 12, 2006 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 11, 2007 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 9, 2008 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Jimmie Johnson | Sunday, November 15, 2009 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Carl Edwards | Sunday, November 14, 2010 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kasey Kahne | Sunday, November 13, 2011 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 11, 2012 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 10, 2013 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kevin Harvick | Sunday, November 9, 2014 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Dale Earnhardt Jr | Sunday, November 15, 2015 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Joey Logano | Sunday, November 13, 2016 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Matt Kenseth | Sunday, November 12, 2017 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | Sunday, November 11, 2018 | 35 |
| Phoenix | Denny Hamlin | Sunday, November 10, 2019 | 35 |
| Martinsville | Chase Elliott | Sunday, November 1, 2020 | 35 |
| Martinsville | Alex Bowman | Sunday, October 31, 2021 | 35 |
| Martinsville | Christopher Bell | Sunday, October 30, 2022 | 35 |
Five times non-Playoff drivers have won the ninth Playoff race in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason: (2005, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2021).
- In 2005, Kyle Busch was ranked 19th in the points at the time of his win in the ninth race of the Playoffs at Phoenix Raceway.
- In 2011, Kasey Kahne was ranked 14th in the points at the time of his win in the ninth race of the Playoffs at Phoenix Raceway.
- In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was seventh in points at the time of his win in the ninth race of the Playoffs at Phoenix Raceway. 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 his win in the ninth race of the Playoffs at Phoenix Raceway. Kenseth had made the Playoffs in 2017 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
- In 2021, Alex Bowman was 14th in points at the time of his win in the ninth race of the Playoffs at Martinsville Speedway. Bowman had made the Playoffs in 2021 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
Five times the winner of the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title that same season: (2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2020).
- In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the sixth starting position at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, 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, then the ninth race of the postseason, 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, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his fourth of four wins during the 2009 postseason.
- In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the third starting position at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. Harvick faced elimination from the Playoffs heading into this race and become the first to clinch his spot in the Championship 4 by winning the Round of 8 elimination race. The win was also his second of three Playoff victories during the 2014 postseason.
- In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. With the win Elliott became the second driver to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round by winning the Round of 8 elimination race – joining Kevin Harvick (2014). 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.
- At Darlington, sixth by Kurt Busch in 2004.
- At Martinsville, 14th by Kyle Larson in 2021.
To catch all the side-by-side action the NASCAR Cup Series is known for at Martinsville, make sure to tune-in to practice and Busch Light Pole Qualifying on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 28.
Clinch Scenarios: The penultimate race of the season at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway offers one final opportunity in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 8 for the six postseason competitors not locked-in to compete for the final two open positions in the Championship 4 Round. Two of the coveted four spots are spoken for, thanks to Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson taking the victory at the Round of 8 opener in Las Vegas and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell purloining the victory at Homestead-Miami. That leaves just two spots open, and we know at least one of two spots will be claimed by a driver on points.
Already Clinched
The following 2 drivers have clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Christopher Bell, 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 3rd winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among William Byron or Ryan Blaney.
- William Byron: Would clinch with 26 points
- Ryan Blaney: Would clinch with 46 points
- Tyler Reddick: Could only clinch with help
- Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help
- Denny Hamlin: Could only clinch with help
- Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Tyler Reddick 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 2nd winless driver in the standings.
- William Byron: Would clinch with 36 points
- Ryan Blaney: Could only clinch with help
- Tyler Reddick: Could only clinch with help
- Martin Truex Jr.: Could only clinch with help
- Denny Hamlin: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: William Byron, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Chris Buescher
| NASCAR Cup Series Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 34 | ||||||
| Rank | Driver | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff |
| 1 | Christopher Bell (P) | 4,110 | 2 | 4 | 16 | In On Wins |
| 2 | Kyle Larson (P) | 4,105 | 4 | 8 | 24 | In On Wins |
| 3 | William Byron (P) | 4,126 | 6 | 8 | 41 | 30 |
| 4 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 4,106 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 10 |
| 5 | Tyler Reddick (P) | 4,096 | 2 | 6 | 16 | -10 |
| 6 | Martin Truex Jr. (P) | 4,089 | 3 | 6 | 36 | -17 |
| 7 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 4,089 | 3 | 7 | 32 | -17 |
| 8 | Chris Buescher (P) | 4,063 | 3 | 1 | 21 | -43 |
Final chance for Playoff contenders to race their way into the Championship 4
Currently, Kyle Larson (Las Vegas) and Christopher Bell (Homestead-Miami) are the only two NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contenders to secure their spots in the Championship 4 Round by virtue of their wins. That leaves just two spots up for grabs among the six remaining Playoff challengers, and since the introduction of the ‘elimination-style’ format in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2014, five drivers below the cutline have raced their way into the Championship 4 Round in the ninth and final cutoff race of the Round of 8 over the last nine seasons.
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 in fifth (-7 points from Martin Truex Jr. in the fourth and final transfer position on points), Brad Keselowski in sixth (-19), Kurt Busch in seventh (-28) and Joey Logano in eighth (-63) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 Round and were eliminated from the Playoffs following the Phoenix race. At Phoenix, Truex finished 14th, Logano finished third, Kurt Busch finished seventh, Keselowski finished ninth and Carl Edwards finished 12th but it wasn’t enough to advance. Jeff Gordon had earned his spot via win in the Round of 8, the three remaining spots were earned on points by Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr.
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 in fifth (-1 point from the cutoff), Denny Hamlin in sixth (-2), Kevin Harvick in seventh (-18) and Kurt Busch in eighth (-34) – all failed to advance to the Championship 4 Round 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 but it wasn’t enough to advance. Three of the Championship 4 spots were earned by Round of 8 winners – Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano (Logano won the Phoenix elimination race) and Kyle Busch, who finished runner-up at Phoenix, earned the final spot on points.
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, but it wasn’t enough to advance. Two of the four Championship 4 spots were earned by Round of 8 winners – Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick – and Martin Truex Jr. (who finished third at Phoenix) and Brad Keselowski (16th at Phoenix) snagged the final two spots on points.
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 in fifth (-3 points from the cutoff), Chase Elliott in sixth (-17), Aric Almirola in seventh (-35) and Clint Bowyer in eighth (-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, but it wasn’t enough to advance. Three of the Championship 4 spots were earned by Round of 8 winners – Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch (Busch won the Phoenix elimination race) and Martin Truex Jr., who finished 14th at Phoenix, earned the final spot on points.
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. Heading into Phoenix, Hamlin ranked fifth (-20 points form the cutline) and was followed by Kyle Larson in sixth (-23), Ryan Blaney in seventh (-23) and Chase Elliott in eighth (-78). Denny Hamlin would win the race at Phoenix and automatically advance to the final round. Joey Logano finished ninth at Phoenix, but it was not enough and was eliminated from the Playoffs. Joining Logano in being eliminated, was Blaney (who finished third at Phoenix), Larson (fourth at Phoenix) and Elliott (39th at Phoenix). Three of the Championship 4 spots were earned by Round of 8 winners – Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin – and Martin Truex Jr., who finished 14th at Phoenix, earned the final spot on points. 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, the drivers ranked below the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round cutline were Alex Bowman in fifth (-25), Chase Elliott in sixth (-25), Martin Truex Jr. in seventh (-36) and Kurt Busch in eighth (-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 at Martinsville), who was in the fourth and final transfer position on points, 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. Two of the four Championship 4 spots were earned by Round of 8 winners – Joey Logano and Chase Elliott – and Denny Hamlin (who finished 11th at Martinsville), and Brad Keselowski (fourth at Martinsville) snagged the final two spots on points.
2021: Heading to Martinsville Speedway, the ninth race of the Playoffs in 2021, Kyle Busch was ranked in the fourth and final transfer positions on points, and the drivers ranked below the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round cutline were Ryan Blaney in fifth (-1 point from the Championship 4 cutline), Martin Truex Jr. in sixth (-3), Brad Keselowski (-6) and Joey Logano (-26). Alex Bowman, a non-Playoff driver would win the Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway and Martin Truex Jr. would race his way into the Championship 4 Round by earning more stage points during the race and finishing fourth at Martinsville Speedway eliminating his teammate Kyle Busch from the postseason. Kyle Busch (runner-up finish), Ryan Blaney (11th-place finish), Brad Keselowski (third-place finish) and Joey Logano (10th-place finish) all failed to make the Championship 4 Round and were eliminated from the Playoffs following Martinsville. Kyle Larson earned his spot in the Championship 4 in 2021 on wins in the Round of 8 at Texas and Kansas, he was joined by Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin, who earned their spots on points.
2022: Heading to Martinsville Speedway, the ninth race of the Playoffs in 2022, William Byron was ranked in the fourth and final transfer positions on points, and the drivers ranked below the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round cutline were Denny Hamlin in fifth (-5 points from the Championship 4 cutline), Ryan Blaney in sixth (-18), Christopher Bell (-33) and Chase Briscoe (-44). In a must-win situation, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell would win the Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway eliminating his William Byron from the postseason. Ryan Blaney (third-place finish), Denny Hamlin (fifth-place finish), and Chase Briscoe (ninth-place finish) all failed to make the Championship 4 Round and were eliminated from the Playoffs following Martinsville. Ross Chastain was able to maintain his position about the Championship 4 with the now notorious ‘Hail-Melon’ move that had him ride the outside wall in Turns 3 and 4 to pass Hamlin and secure the final position in the next round. Joey Logano earned his spot in the Championship 4 in 2022 on his win in the Round of 8 opener, and he was joined by Christopher Bell with his win at Martinsville and Chase Elliott and Ross Chastain, who earned their spots on points.
Some good ‘ole history on the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville
Opened in September 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville Speedway, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating racetracks in the United States. The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville Speedway was on July 4, 1948. The first NASCAR Cup Series race was on September 25, 1949 and the race was won by Red Byron in Raymond Park’s 1949 Oldsmobile.
The track has undergone several changes over the years, in 1955 the track was paved and the first 500-lap event at Martinsville Speedway was in 1956. Concrete corners were added atop the asphalt in 1976 and the track added LED lighting during the 2016-2017 offseason. In total, there have been 149 NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one race in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
Over the years, 63 different drivers have won at least one pole at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, and 29 of the 63 have won multiple poles. NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the series in poles at Martinsville Speedway with eight (1979, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1992). Eight of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners are active this weekend, led by Joey Logano with five Martinsville poles (2015 sweep, spring 2016, fall 2017, spring 2019).
| Active Martinsville Pole Winners (8) | Poles | Seasons |
| Joey Logano | 5 | 2019, ’17, ’16, ’15 sweep |
| Denny Hamlin | 4 | 2019, ’13, ’10, ’07 |
| Ryan Newman | 3 | 2009, ’04, ’02 |
| Kyle Busch | 2 | 2018, ’14 |
| Ryan Preece | 1 | 2023 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2022 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2022 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2016 |
A total of 58 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won a race at Martinsville Speedway, and 27 of the 58 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Martinsville Speedway have won multiple times. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 15 victories (1960, 1962, 1963, 1967 sweep, 1968, 1969 sweep, 1970, 1971, 1972 sweep, 1973, 1975, 1979). Twelve of the 58 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race winners are active this weekend, led by Denny Hamlin with five Martinsville Cup Series victories (2008, 2009, 2010 sweep, 2015).
| Active Martinsville Winners (12) | Wins | Seasons |
| Denny Hamlin | 5 | 2015, ’10 sweep, ’09, ’08 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 3 | 2021, ’20, ’19 |
| Brad Keselowski | 2 | 2019, ’17 |
| Kyle Busch | 2 | 2017, ’16 |
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2023 |
| Christopher Bell | 1 | 2022 |
| William Byron | 1 | 2022 |
| Alex Bowman | 1 | 2021 |
| Chase Elliott | 1 | 2020 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2018 |
| Ryan Newman | 1 | 2012 |
| Kevin Harvick | 1 | 2011 |
Above The Line: Byron and Blaney will look to hold on at Martinsville
The two drivers above the cutoff for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round – Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron (+30), and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+10) – will have to be at their best this weekend at Martinsville Speedway to hold off the four drivers below the cutline vying for their positions.
The 25-year-old, Hendrick Motorsports’ driver William Byron heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend as the highest ranked competitor not already locked into the Championship 4 Round with +30 points above the elimination cutline. Byron, in his fifth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (2023, ’22, ’21 ’20, ’19), is looking to make the Championship 4 Round for the first-time in his career. The North Carolina native has made 11 series starts at the Martinsville short track, collecting one win (April 2022), four top fives, six top 10s and an average finish of 15.1. He finished 23rd at Martinsville earlier this season.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney shows up to Martinsville Speedway this weekend with a chip on his shoulder after how he was raced at Homestead-Miami.
“You definitely have to take,” said Blaney in his media availability this week. “Everybody in the Playoffs now, there’s no give anymore. It’s all take, and that’s what you have to do. People approach it differently. Everyone is different of how much they take and how they take it, but you can’t give anymore. If you’re giving, you’re going backwards, so it depends what spot you’re in, but in the Playoffs it’s hard to give. You have to be on the aggressive side and take and that’s just the nature of what it is.”
Now the North Carolina native sits in the fourth and final spot to transfer on points to the Championship 4 Round, up just +10 points on 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick in fifth – the first position outside the cutoff. The 29-year-old, Blaney, is on the hunt for his first career appearance in the Championship 4 Round. Looking to Martinsville, Blaney has made 15 career starts at 0.526-mile track, putting up seven top fives and nine top 10s. His average finish at the historic short track is 9.5, and he has finished seventh at Martinsville earlier this season.
Outside Looking In: Reddick, Truex, Hamlin, Buescher have one shot left to make Champ 4
It all comes down to this weekend at Martinsville Speedway and the Xfinity 500 (Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to decide who will move on and compete for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series title at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 5. Four drivers are facing elimination heading into this weekend – 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick (-10), Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. (-17) and Denny Hamlin (-17) and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher (-43) – and will have to battle it out to earn their spot in the Playoffs’ final round.
23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick is hoping to advance to the Championship 4 Round this season, as it would be uncharted territory, not only for himself and his career, but also for 23XI Racing and car owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin (in this role) as well. Reddick is currently in the fifth position in the Playoff outlook, 10 points back from Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in the fourth and final spot on points. Unfortunately for Reddick, Martinsville is where we decide who will advance, a track he hasn’t had much luck at. In seven Cup Series starts, Reddick has put up one top-10 finish. His average finish at the 0.526-mile track is 20.1, and he finished in 22nd at Martinsville earlier this season.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin is looking to make the final Playoff round for the fifth-time in his career (2014, 2019, 2020, 2021), and is currently in sixth in the Playoff outlook, 17 points back from Ryan Blaney in the fourth and final transfer spot on points. Fortunately for the 42-year-old Hamlin, Martinsville Speedway is one of his best tracks, and considered one of his home tracks. In 35 career Cup starts at the 0.526-mile short track, the Virginia native has accumulated four poles, five wins (most among active drivers), 18 top fives and 24 top 10s. His average finish at Martinsville is 10.3 – the best among Playoff contenders below the cutline this weekend. Hamlin finished in fourth at Martinsville earlier this season.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. has been on a roller coaster of a Playoff run this season and has been scrapping-by each round having only posted one top-10 finish during the postseason. Now the 2023 Regular Season Champion sits in seventh in the Playoff outlook 17 points behind Blaney in fourth. Truex is looking to make the Championship 4 Round for what would be a series-leading tie breaking sixth-time in his career (2021, ’19, ’18, ’17, ’15). Truex is currently tied with Joey Logano (2022, ’20, ’18, ’16, ’14), Kevin Harvick (2019, ’18, ’17, ’15, ’14) and Kyle Busch (2019, ’18, ’17, ’16, ’15) for the most Championship 4 Round appearances with five each. When it comes to Martinsville, The 43-year-old, Truex, has had his moments in the spotlight. In 35 series starts at Martinsville, he has amassed three wins, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s and has an average finish of 16.0. He finished third at Martinsville earlier this season.
Facing a must-win situation, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher has nothing to lose and everything to gain. The Texas native is buried in a deficit of points in the Playoff outlook, 43 markers back from the Championship 4 Round cutline, and is looking to earn a spot in the Playoffs final round for the first-time in his career. The 30-year-old, Buescher has made 16 career starts at Martinsville putting up one top-10 finish. His average finish at 0.526-mile short track is 19.4. He finished 14th at Martinsville early this season.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Reddick could earn Champ 4 appearance in second fewest career starts – Prior to last season,Hendrick Motorsports’ driver Chase Elliott held the record for the fewest starts in the NASCAR Cup Series prior to earning a spot in the Championship 4 Round at 184 starts in his 2020 championship season. But that all changed last year, when Joe Gibbs Racing Christopher Bell surpassed Elliott’s record and earned his first Championship 4 Round appearance in just 107 career starts and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain earned his in 150 career starts. This weekend, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick could supplant Chastain and move into second on the list, if he clinches his spot in the final round this Sunday with 145 career starts.
NASCAR Cup Series milestones to watch for this season – Below is a look at some of the anticipated NASCAR Cup Series milestones to watch for this season.
Driver Starts
Drivers that are expected to make milestone starts during this season are:
Daniel Suarez – 250th NASCAR Cup Series start – Martinsville Speedway (10/29)
Ryan Preece – 150th NASCAR Cup Series start – Martinsville Speedway (10/29)
Ty Gibbs – 50th NASCAR Cup Series start – Martinsville Speedway (10/29)
Denny Hamlin – 650th NASCAR Cup Series start – Phoenix Raceway (11/5)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 400th NASCAR Cup Series start – Phoenix Raceway (11/5)
Driver Wins (10 or more)
Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in career wins with 63, followed by Kevin Harvick (60), Denny Hamlin (51), Brad Keselowski (35), Martin Truex Jr. (34), Joey Logano (32), Kyle Larson (23), Chase Elliott (18) and William Byron (10).
Organization Wins
Wood Brothers Racing is on the cusp a milestone victory in the NASCAR Cup Series and will look for their 100th NASCAR Cup Series win this weekend.
Hendrick Motorsports leads all active NASCAR Cup Series organizations in wins with 301, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing (208), RFK Racing (141), Team Penske (138), Richard Childress Racing (116), Wood Brothers Racing (99), Stewart-Haas Racing (69), Trackhouse Racing (5), 23XI Racing (5), Front Row Motorsports (4), JTG Daugherty Racing (2), Kaulig Racing (2), Spire Motorsports (1).
Manufacturer Wins
Closing in on NASCAR Cup Series win number 850, Chevrolet currently has 849 wins – the most all-time in the Cup Series. Ford has the second most wins all-time in the Cup Series at 727 and Toyota has the fifth-most all-time at 180 (behind Dodge at 217 and Plymouth at 191).
Car Number Wins
No. 99 car’s next win will be its 50th in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Fan Voting for the 2024 DAYTONA 500 Trioval Grass Design Kicks Off Today – Starting today, the voting period for the Trioval Grass Design for the 2024 DAYTONA 500 has begun. This serves as the ninth consecutive year fans can cast their vote for their favorite Trioval Grass Design to be displayed during the 66th running of The Great American Race on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.
Voting is open now through Wednesday, Nov. 1. Fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/2024-fan-vote/ to submit their vote for one of the three creative designs and are encouraged to share their choice via Facebook and X (Twitter). The unveiling of the winning design will take place in January 2024.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
The First In: JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer punches his Champ 4 ticket
The 20-year-old, JR Motorsport’s rising star Sam Mayer got a taste of victory for the first time this season and hasn’t been able to quench the thirst. The No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet driver entered the 2023 season without a single series win under his belt but after last weekend’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, has racked up four wins (Road America, Watkins Glen, Charlotte Road Course, Homestead), and became the first driver to punch his ticket to the Championship race at Phoenix Raceway.
He and his team will now have two weeks to prepare the car that he will take to Phoenix for his first Champ 4 appearance in hopes of earning his first Xfinity Series title.
Although Mayer can take it easy heading into the Dead On Tools 250 at Martinsville Speedway this weekend, he’ll still want to show his dominance in the field. He has made four starts at the 0.526-mile track, posting two top fives and three top 10s. His only finish outside of the top-10 was earlier this season when he fell victim to a incident and ultimately finished 31st.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads back to the ‘Paperclip’ of short tracks
As the series winds down the 2023 season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will now be heading to Martinsville Speedway for the penultimate race – the Dead On Tools 250 on Saturday, October 28 at 3:30 p.m. ET (USA Network, NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio).
This will be the 41st NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. The previous 40 races have produced 26 different race winners and 21 different pole winners. Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, but it’s been over 35 years since a driver was able to accomplish the feat – most recently by Jimmy Hensley in 1987.
This season will be the fourth consecutive year that Martinsville Speedway serves as the penultimate, or sixth race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, the elimination race of the Round of 8 (2020 – 2023). The track was not on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule from 2007 to 2019.
A few drivers have been able to etch their names in the Martinsville Speedway record books – Sam Ard (most wins – five), Brett Bodine (most poles – five), Dale Jarrett (most top fives – 11), Jimmy Hensley and Tommy Houston (tied for most top 10s – 17), and Tommy Ellis (most laps led – 713).
Three drivers in the field have already taken the checkered flag at the 0.526-mile track, one of which is a Playoff contender – John Hunter Nemechek (2023), along with Brandon Jones (2022) and Josh Berry (2021).
Although he hasn’t won a race at Martinsville Speedway. JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier could also be a favorite to win this weekend as he knows what it takes to win the penultimate race of the season. In 2019, he won the final race in the Round of 8 when it was held at Phoenix Raceway.
| Track | Race Winners | Season | Race Number | Date |
| Phoenix | Kyle Busch | 2016 | 32 | Saturday, November 12, 2016 |
| Phoenix | William Byron | 2017 | 32 | Saturday, November 11, 2017 |
| Phoenix | Christopher Bell | 2018 | 32 | Saturday, November 10, 2018 |
| Phoenix | Justin Allgaier | 2019 | 32 | Saturday, November 9, 2019 |
| Martinsville | Harrison Burton | 2020 | 32 | Saturday, October 31, 2020 |
| Martinsville | Noah Gragson | 2021 | 32 | Saturday, October 30, 2021 |
| Martinsville | Ty Gibbs | 2022 | 32 | Saturday, October 29, 2022 |
Drivers will hit the track on Friday, October 27 for practice at 5 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET on the USA Network and on the NBC Sports App.
Time’s up: One last shot to race for the Championship
There’s one race to go before the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Phoenix Raceway. With only one driver clinched into the Championship 4 Round, the other seven Playoff drivers will be competing for the remaining three spots.
As the series heads to Martinsville, let’s take a look at what it’ll take for drivers to clinch their spot:
Already Clinched
The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Sam Mayer.
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 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer or Austin Hill.
- John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 10 points (11 points if Custer or Hill win)
- Cole Custer: Would clinch with 52 points (53 points if Hill wins)
- Austin Hill: Would clinch with 52 points (53 points if Custer wins)
- Justin Allgaier: Would clinch with 55 points
- Sammy Smith: Could only clinch with help
- Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Justin Allgaier 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 3rd winless driver in the standings.
- John Hunter Nemechek: Would clinch with 12 points
- Cole Custer: Would clinch with 54 points
- Austin Hill: Would clinch with 54 points
- Justin Allgaier: Would clinch with 55 points
- Sammy Smith: Could only clinch with help
- Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith, Chandler Smith, Sheldon Creed
Scouting the field: Playoff contenders to give it their all in Martinsville
If there’s ever a time to be all gas and no brakes, it’s this weekend at Martinsville Speedway as this race will set our NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Championship 4 field.
One driver, Sam Mayer (four starts, two fop fives, three top 10s at Martinsville), has already clinched his spot and will cruise into the weekend stress-free, but let’s take a look at how our seven remaining Playoff contenders have run at the Martinsville, Virginia track.
John Hunter Nemechek: Second in the Playoff standings, Nemechek is the only Playoff driver with a win at Martinsville, a victory he snagged earlier this season in his series debut at the track. He led 198 of the 250 laps.
Cole Custer: Currently third in the Playoff standings, Custer has made one start at Martinsville Speedway (2023), where he won the pole, led five laps and finished third.
Austin Hill: Currently in the final Champ 4 spot, Hill has made three starts at the 0.526-mile track, posting one top five, two top 10s. He’s led a total of eight laps.
Justin Allgaier: Sitting just under the cutline (-3), Allgaier heads to the track with six starts under his belt, posting three top fives, five top 10s and with 12 laps led.
Sammy Smith: Forty-nine points under the cutline is Sammy Smith. He’s made two starts at Martinsville, posting one top five and one top 10. In the Martinsville race earlier this season, he posted a runner-up finish.
Chandler Smith: Seventh in the Playoff standings (-54) is Chandler Smith. He made his series debut at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season where he posted a 10th-place finish.
Sheldon Creed: Rounding out our Round of 8 is Sheldon Creed who has made three starts at Martinsville. In those three starts, he’s posted one top five and one top 10. He’s come extremely close to victory at the track, posting a runner-up finish in last year’s Martinsville Playoff race.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Chevrolet clinches Xfinity Series manufacturer championship – With a win by Chevrolet driver Sam Mayer last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet has clinched the manufacturer championship in the Xfinity Series.
Chevrolet has won 16 of the 31 Xfinity Series races this season thus far. It is the 25th time that Chevrolet has won the championship in the series, and the seventh in a row.
“It is a tremendous honor earning, the Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the seventh consecutive year,” said Jim Campbell, General Motors U.S. Vice president of Performance and Motorsports.
Akinori Ogata to run at Martinsville – Japanese driver Akinori Ogata will be joining Emerling-Gase Motorsports this weekend at Martinsville Speedway to pilot the No. 53 Chevrolet.
This will be Ogata’s second Xfinity Series start of the season and seventh overall. His first start in 2023 came in Atlanta where he didn’t make it to the end of the race and finished 29th.
He’s made one other start in the series at Martinsville, back in 2021 where he finished 26th.
ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love joins Richard Childress Racing in Xfinity Series – Richard Childress Racing announced this week that reigning ARCA Menards Series champion Jesse Love will join the organization’s NASCAR Xfinity Series stable in 2024. Love will compete for RCR’s Championship-winning Xfinity Series program on a full-time basis, beginning with the 2024 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 17. The 18-year-old Menlo Park, Calif., native won half of the races on the series schedule this year enroute to the championship.
“We’ve been watching Jesse for a while now and his breakout performance in the ARCA Menards Series was impressive this season,” said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR. “We know that he has the talent and determination to win races and compete for championships within RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program. We are looking forward to welcoming Whelen back for another year on the No. 2 program and feel confident that Jesse will be a strong ambassador for Whelen.”
Love began his racing career at the age of five driving quarter-midgets throughout the San Franscisco Bay area before advancing to full midget and sprint cars, accumulating six United States Automobile Club (USAC) Championships in the USAC Speed 2 Ford Focus division. He made his stock car debut in a Late Model at just 10 years old.
“I’ve been fortunate to gain a lot of racing experience at a young age, but nothing compares to the opportunity to race for a legendary team like Richard Childress Racing,” said Love. “I have so much respect for Richard Childress and am extremely grateful to be able to race and learn with one of the most successful teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’ve dreamed of racing at the highest levels of the sport since I was a young kid, and the path to the NASCAR Cup Series seems more clear with this opportunity. It’s even more special to be able to represent a company like Whelen who has a long-standing involvement in motorsports and strong focus on building American-made products.”
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
The Stage Is Set: Phoenix Raceway waits for the Championship 4
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series concluded the Round of 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway last weekend, locking in the four drivers who will be competing to be crowned the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion. Carson Hocevar won the Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 – his fourth victory of the 2023 season – and locked in his place in the Championship 4 after making a late-race pass on Ben Rhodes.
As for the other three drivers, Corey Heim clinched his spot after winning at Bristol Motor Speedway, Grant Enfinger pointed his way in (five points above the cutoff) after a fifth-place finish at Homestead, and 2021 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes earned the final spot on a tiebreaker of best finish in the round. Rhodes finished runner-up after Zane Smith and the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports’ team were disqualified after a post-race technical inspection found an unapproved windshield support.
The competitors have a week off to strategize and get their trucks ready for the CRAFTSMAN 150 at Phoenix Raceway Friday, November 3 at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio).
Let’s look at how the four championship drivers have done in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series careers to get them to this point.
Corey Heim (No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota) heads to Phoenix Raceway next week to make his first career appearance in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship 4 Round. The 21-year-old’s first year with his new team has gone without a significant hitch.
2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats:
- Three wins (Martinsville, Mid-Ohio, Bristol)
- 12 top-five finishes, 15 top-10 finishes, three poles
- 564 laps led
- Average start – 7.2
- Average finish – 6.2
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Career (2021 – Present):
- 40 starts, five wins, 18 top-five finishes, 29 top-10 finishes, five poles
- 635 laps led
- Average start – 8.2
- Average finish – 10.2
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Stats (2023):
- One Playoff win (Bristol)
- Six starts, five top-five finishes, six top-10 finishes
- 156 laps led
Crew Chief Scott Zipadelli:
Scott Zipadelli has crew chief experience dating back to 2000 and has made his mark in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He spent 10 years in the Xfinity Series compiling three wins, 35 top-five finishes, and 91 top- 10 finishes in 272 races. Some notable names he has worked with in the series are Kenny Wallace (2011, 2012), Justin Allgaier (2013), and Kyle Larson (2014).
In 2015, he made his move to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series becoming crew chief for Ben Kennedy. Since then, he has accumulated 18 wins, 68 top-five finishes, 117 top- 10 finishes, and nine poles in 204 races. Other notable names he has teamed up with are Ryan Truex (2017), Brett Moffitt (2018), Austin Hill (2019-2021), and Tyler Ankrum (2023). Plus, Zipadelli led driver Brett Moffit to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship in 2018.
Carson Hocevar (No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet) also heads to Phoenix Raceway to make his first career appearance in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship 4 Round. The third-year driver has made the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs since his rookie season in 2020 but has never made it out of the Round of 10. Hocevar is hoping to deliver Niece Motorsports its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title.
2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats:
- Four wins (Texas, Nashville, Richmond, Homestead)
- 10 top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes
- 260 laps led
- Average start – 9.3
- Average finish – 11.2
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Career (2019 – Present):
- 76 starts, four wins, 21 top-five finishes, 33 top- 10 finishes, one pole
- 600 laps led
- Average start – 10.8
- Average finish – 13.1
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Stats (2021 – Present):
- One Playoff win (Homestead, 2023)
- 20 starts, five top-five finishes, six top-10 finishes
- 180 laps led
Crew Chief Phil Gould:
Phil Gould has experience in all three NASCAR national series. His NASCAR journey first began in 2013 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Brian Scott. He spent six years in the series compiling one win, 18 top-five finishes, 77 top-10 finishes, and four poles in 198 races. He also worked with Eliott Sadler (2015) and Ryan Reed (2016-2018) before moving to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2019, spending almost the entirety of the season with Ross Chastain who earned Most Popular Driver that year.
Since then, he’s been with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for five years, accumulating seven wins, 31 top-five finishes, 57 top-10 finishes, and two poles. Other notable names he’s worked with in the series are Trevor Bayne (2020), Ty Majeski (2020), and Brett Moffitt (2021).
Grant Enfinger (No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet) heads to Phoenix Raceway to compete in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship 4 Round for the second time in his career. With steady performances week in and week out, the 38-year-old hopes to earn GMS Racing a championship in their final start.
2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats:
- Three wins (Kansas, Gateway, Milwaukee)
- 8 top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes, one pole
- 232 laps led
- Average start – 9.9
- Average finish – 9.3
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Career (2010 – Present):
- 172 starts, 10 wins, 58 top-five finishes, 101 top-10 finishes, six poles
- 1,131 laps led
- Average start – 10.3
- Average finish – 10.4
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Stats (2018 – Present):
- Four Playoff wins (Las Vegas, 2018; Martinsville, 2020; Indianapolis, 2022; Milwaukee, 2023)
- 34 starts, 15 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, three poles
- 346 laps led
Crew Chief Jeff Hensley:
Jeff Hensley’s crew chief experience dates back to 1987 and has made his mark in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He spent 15 years in the Xfinity Series compiling 11 wins, 46 top-five finishes, 106 top-10 finishes, and 13 poles in 427 races. Two notable names he has worked with in the series are Larry Pollard (1987) and Chuck Brown (1989-1993).
In 2004, he made his move to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series becoming crew chief for Bill Lester. Since then, he has accumulated 22 wins, 124 top-five finishes, 245 top-10 finishes, and 38 poles in 462 races. Notable names he has teamed up with in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series are Mike Skinner (2005-2007), Timothy Peters (2010), Ron Hornaday Jr. (2011, 2012), and Johnny Sauter (2014). In 2022, Hensley started the year with Matt Crafton before moving over to Enfinger.
Ben Rhodes (No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford) returns to Phoenix Raceway after finishing runner-up in the Championship Round of 4 last year. The 2021 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion is in his sixth Playoff appearance and will make his third start in the Championship 4 Round.
2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Season Stats:
- One win (Charlotte)
- Five top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes
- 90 laps led
- Average start – 11.8
- Average finish – 11.4
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Career (2014 – Present):
- 186 starts, seven wins, 55 top-five finishes, 102 top-10 finishes, five poles
- 1,218 laps led
- Average start – 9.3
- Average finish – 11.4
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Stats (2017 – Present):
- One Playoff wins (Las Vegas, 2017)
- 41 starts, 14 top-five finishes, 22 top-10 finishes, two poles
- 193 laps led
Crew Chief Rich Lushes:
Rich Lushes has six years of knowledgeable experience in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He’s accumulated three wins, 21 top-five finishes, and 41 top- 10 finishes in 93 races. Lushes had been paired up with Hailie Deegan earlier in the season before he was brought over to the No. 99 team in mid-September. The dynamic duo of Rhodes and Lushes won the 2021 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship together.
NCTS Playoffs Contender’s Career Performances at Phoenix Raceway
| Rank | Driver | Races | Poles | Wins | Top Fives | Top 10s | DNFs | Average Finish | |
| 1 | Corey Heim | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | |
| 2 | Carson Hocevar | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18.5 | |
| 3 | Ben Rhodes | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 8.4 | |
| 4 | Grant Enfinger | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10.8 |
Phoenix Raceway: Where another CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion will be crowned
The competitors have a week off to get their trucks ready and gear up for the CRAFTSMAN 150 at Phoenix Raceway Friday, November 3 at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio), where it will be decided who of the Championship 4 contenders – Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar, Grant Enfinger, and Ben Rhodes – will finish the highest and take the 2023 title.
The one-mile low banked tri-oval in Avondale, Phoenix has hosted 32 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races producing 22 different race winners. Eight of the 32 series races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by reigning NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Zane Smith (2022).
Since its opening in 1964, Phoenix Raceway has had four different names:
- Phoenix International Raceway
- ISM Raceway
- Jeff Gordon Raceway (November 15, 2015)
- Phoenix Raceway
The track was originally two circuits in one, a 2.7-mile road course and a one-mile tri-oval before later being redeveloped confiding the track to oval-only. It was reconfigured by mid-August 2011. From 1995-1998, Phoenix Raceway held two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races a year. Since 1999, the track has only hosted one race in the series a year.
The inaugural Phoenix race was won by Mike Skinner piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet on Sunday, February 5. Skinner bested legendary drivers Terry Labonte, Ron Hornaday Jr., and Johnny Benson Jr. Sheldon Creed was the first driver to win the championship race at Phoenix in 2022.
| NCTS Championship Race Winners (2016-2022) | |||||
| Date | Track | Race Winner | Season | Race No. | |
| Friday, November 18, 2016 | Homestead | William Byron | 2016 | 23 | |
| Friday, November 17, 2017 | Homestead | Chase Briscoe | 2017 | 23 | |
| Friday, November 16, 2018 | Homestead | Brett Moffitt | 2018 | 23 | |
| Friday, November 15, 2019 | Homestead | Austin Hill | 2019 | 23 | |
| Friday, November 6, 2020 | Phoenix | Sheldon Creed | 2020 | 23 | |
| Friday, November 5, 2021 | Phoenix | Chandler Smith | 2021 | 22 | |
| Friday, November 4, 2022 | Phoenix | Zane Smith | 2022 | 23 | |
The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will kick off the Championship Weekend with practice on Thursday, November 2 at 8 p.m. EST. They will make their qualifying runs on Friday, November 3 at 6:05 p.m. EST.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Sanchez dominates Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings – As the 2023 CRAFTSMAN Sunoco rookies head to Phoenix for the final race of the season, Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez has completely dominated the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
The 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion has been the leader of the rookie standings for most of the season. In 22 starts he has put up five poles, two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. He has also led 304 laps this season.
The 22-year-old made a deep run in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs before being eliminated in the Round of 8.
| NCTS Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings | ||
| Rookies | Points | Awards |
| Nick Sanchez | 2,225 | 8 |
| Jake Garcia | 497 | 5 |
| Taylor Gray | 469 | 3 |
| Rajah Caruth | 457 | 2 |
| Daniel Dye | 384 | 1 |
| Bret Holmes | 303 | 1 |
Christian Eckes will return to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in 2024 – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced last week that Christian Eckes will return full-time to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
Eckes has constructed a career-best campaign in 2023 during his first year aboard the No. 19 MHR Chevrolet Silverado RST by winning three races and was challenging for the 2023 NCTS championship in his third Playoff run before getting eliminated last weekend in Homestead.
Crew chief Charles Denike will also return to lead Eckes and the No. 19 team in 2024. Eckes and Denike have become an elite duo in the series, scoring three wins in 22 races along with nine-top-five and 12 top- 10 finishes.
Dean Thompson set to return to TRICON Garage in 2024 – TRICON Garage announced that Dean Thompson will be back behind the helm of the No. 5 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2024. In 22 starts, Thompson has two top-five finishes, and four top- 10 finishes this year. The 22-year-old collected career-best finishes of third place at Talladega and Charlotte.
“Dean has taken a huge leap in his development this season. He’s had several strong runs, instilling confidence in us that he will continue to grow as a driver at this level,” said TRICON Partner David Gilliland. “He brings a lot of character and energy to the team, and we’re happy he’ll have a home at TRICON for another year.”
