Aric Almirola Completes Season Sweep of Martinsville

Aric Almirola doing a burnout on the front straightaway at Martinsville Speedway after winning the National Debt Relief 250. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

RIDGEWAY, Va. — Aric Almirola dominated the National Debt Relief 250 at Martinville Speedway, earning his third win of the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in just 13 starts.

Almirola led 150 of 250 laps, sweeping the stages to complete the season sweep of Martinsville. The win also locked the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 car into the owner’s championship at Phoenix.

“What an amazing racecar,” said Almirola. “So proud and we’re going to go race for an owner’s championship at Phoenix.”

Even though Almirola won at Martinsville in April, he was not thrilled with the car, so there were a few tweaks to the car ahead of the weekend.

Those adjustments made the car worse, forcing some extra changes to be made Friday night.

“I wasn’t totally happy with it, honestly, in the spring. And we showed up (Friday) and we were awful. I was like ‘Oh, no, what did we do?” said Almirola. “They went to work last night and came up with a lot of changes to make to the car, and it was so hooked up today. It would just do everything I wanted it to.

“This is such a special place. This is by far my favorite race track. I’m just so thankful.”

Aric Almirola (20) lined up next to Sammy Smith (8) getting ready for a restart during the National Debt Relief 250. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

Even though Almriola dominated the race, it was not without a bit of tension in the closing laps.

Sammy Smith, who needed a win to advance into the Championship 4, began running down Almirola at the end of the race but just did not have enough time.

“I started to catch him there for a second and thought I was going to have a chance,” Smith told Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass following the race. “Very close, but a lot to be proud of.”

Chandler Smith finished in third place and was also eliminated from the playoffs. Smith stole the attention following the race, getting into an altercation on pit road with Cole Custer.

The feud between Smith and Custer began in Kansas a few weeks ago, when the two were battling for the lead late in the race, resulting in Custer crashing into the wall. The two had a confrontation on pit road in Kansas also with Custer vowing revenge.

“Everybody wants to try and talk afterward, but at the end of the day, he put me in the fence, and he’s going to pay for it,” Custer said after Kansas when talking about the incident.

Aric Almirola during the National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway. (Photo: Joshua White | The Podium Finish)

Early in the race, Smith moved Custer out of the groove while battling for position and so on a restart later in the race with 29 laps to go Custer returned to favor, leading to the two getting together on pit road.

Once the conversation between the two began getting animated, Smith “slapped” Custer and backed away before being separated by officials and crew members.

“I was planning to do a lot more than that, to be completely frank with you, I was extremely pissed off,” said Smith. “I gave him five laps before that caution came out (on Lap 220 for Brandon Jones). I beat his bumper off and never shipped him or anything.

“The laps were winding down, and I was in a must-win. The (No.) 20 (Almirola) started to drive away, he was really good all day. I can’t waste any more time with him.”

Custer, who was able to advance to the Championship 4 and will defend his NASCAR Xfinity Series title cited the history between him and Smith and what transpired at Martinsville.

“At the end of the day, he [Chandler Smith] has put us in the wall a few times this year and his mistakes caught up with him,” Custer said. “He used the bumper on me, I used the bumper on him, so what goes around comes around in this deal.”

Chandler Smith (81) getting into Riley Herbst (98) with Cole Custer (00) behind during the National Debt Relief 250. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

During his interview, Custer also said he believes it should be even between him and Smith and that if anything happens in Phoenix, it is out of his control.

“It is what it is. I think at the end of the day he put us in the wall a few times this year, kept us from winning the race at Kansas and he used the bumper on me and I used the bumper on him,” said Custer. “I don’t know how we’re not even and then he punched me in the face – I can’t really tell if he punched me in the face it was so soft.”

Smith did not appear to think the two are even, bringing up the stakes for the season finale at Phoenix.

“He (Custer) can think we’re even and all, but he’s the one that’s got more stakes than I do next weekend,” said Smith.

The other driver who was able to point their way into the Championship 4 was Justin Allgaier, who finished in fifth place. Allgaier joins Custer, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill in competing for the NASCAR Xfinity Series title at Phoenix.

Along with both Chandler and Sammy Smith, Jesse Love and Sam Mayer also saw their playoff runs come to an end as well after finishing in 12th and 30th places respectively.

Playoff Standings (Race 3/3 in the Round of 8)

1. Austin Hill (ADVANCED)
2. AJ Allmendinger (ADVANCED)
3. Cole Custer (ADVANCED)
4. Justin Allgaier (ADVANCED)
5. Chandler Smith (ELIMINATED)
6. Jesse Love (ELIMINATED)
7. Sam Mayer (ELIMINATED)
8. Sammy Smith (ELIMINATED)

Stage 1 Top 10 Results

1. Aric Almirola
2. Cole Custer
3. Justin Allgaier
4. Chandler Smith
5. Jesse Love
6. Riley Herbst
7. Josh Williams
8. Sammy Smith
9. Sheldon Creed
10. Jeb Burton

Stage 2 Top 10 Results

1. Aric Almirola
2. Ryan Sieg
3. Sheldon Creed
4. Sammy Smith
5. Justin Allgaier
6. Chandler Smith
7. Cole Custer
8. Riley Herbst
9. William Sawalich
10. Brennan Poole

National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway Finishing Results