Ryan Blaney Wins at Martinsville, Earns Champ 4 Spot

Ryan Blaney celebrates a pivotal Xfinity 500 victory at Martinsville. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

RIDGEWAY, Va. — Ryan Blaney’s late postseason charge has the makings of being a genuine, thrilling story when all is said and done with the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The 29-year-old Hartford Township, Ohio turned High Point, North Carolina native has turned up the wick especially during the Playoffs. With four of his 17 top 10 results coming during the postseason, he entered Sunday’s Xfinity 500 with a viable shot to earn a Championship 4 spot.

Qualifying 11th for the 500-lap race, the driver of the No. 12 Discount Tire Ford Mustang wasted little time making his presence known at the front of the field. Like Usain Bolt when a race begins, the Team Penske driver leapt right away from 11th to place second in Stage 1.

While Blaney was making his charge, Denny Hamlin, who started fourth, led 92 laps in the opening stanza of the race, winning Stage 1 to net 10 stage points and a Playoff point. It appeared that numerology fans would have a fun day with the Nos. 11 and 12 cars looking like the class of the field at the 0.526-mile paperclip shaped track.

The tide would turn on Lap 194 when Blaney made his presence known with Hamlin, snatching the lead for a 25-lap stint. Although Hamlin regained the lead on Lap 219, Blaney would swap the lead with him on Lap 227 before definitively capturing the spot on Lap 230 en route to a Stage 2 win.

Netting 19 stage points and a Playoff point, it was clear that Blaney had the best Ford in the field and a car worthy for the win. Only two caution periods slowed Stage 3 for a meager 16 laps, which set up an interesting fuel mileage scenario for Blaney, Hamlin and the lead lap contenders.

Michael McDowell’s spin in Turn 2 on Lap 324 set up a very intriguing finish in which Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola enjoyed the lead before Blaney reemerged as a late race challenger.

Denny Hamlin looked like an early race favorite as he led 156 laps before a third place finish and William Byron’s late race drive eliminated him from the the Championship 4 fight. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

On Lap 478, Almirola, who recently announced his departure from the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang entry, would see a sentimental win slip away as Blaney used a power move to take the lead for good.

At last, after years of frustrating performances and close calls, Blaney was victorious at Martinsville Speedway, besting Almirola by 0.899 seconds. After performing his traditional Polish Victory Lap made famous by the late Alan Kulwicki, Blaney ecstatically climbed out of his winning ride, jumping on the roof to soak in the win.

Naturally, Blaney was pumped up following his third victory of the season and his most important triumph of his career. After all, it was the win that secured a Championship 4 spot for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway.

“It’s awesome,” Blaney said. “I grew up in High Point, not too far from here. High Point is closer to Martinsville than it is to Charlotte, so it’s really cool. I’ve been wanting to win here for a long time. We’ve been super close for many years and awesome to close it out.”

Almirola, in the meantime, placed runner-up, a bittersweet result considering how close he was to a Cinderella-like triumph. Instead, his patience was not enough, especially as he bided his time with getting past Tyler Reddick.

“It’s so hard to pass,” Almirola said. “I was trying to be patient with it. I was trying to be patient with Reddick and those guys because I didn’t want to burn my stuff up and, I don’t know. I honestly don’t think there’s anything I could do different.

“His car was just better than mine there at the end on the long run. His rear tires just kind of stayed with him better than mine.”

For the second consecutive year, Hamlin, who placed third, is left to contemplate about a year that could have easily been his at least as a Championship 4 competitor. A wall riding move did not eliminate the Virginian but the crash at Homestead-Miami Speedway two weeks ago cost him dearly.

“I don’t know,” Hamlin said. “They all feel about the same, honestly. It’s unfortunate – the circumstances are unfortunate, but I certainly would rather be in (Ryan) Blaney’s position, but also, I know, I can be on full offense for the full race this time around. I don’t have to play D. I don’t have to be a little more careful.

“It’s just one mode right from the get-go. It’s part of the format, that unfortunately is out of the driver’s hands when it comes to this type of racing. There is a lot of different factors that go into it, whether it is a Hail Melon move or a mechanical, or whatever it might be, it equally stings for sure.”

A late postseason charge by Ryan Blaney has Team Penske back for another Championship 4 fight at Phoenix. (Photo: Phil Cavali | The Podium Finish)

On the flip side of defeat is success and triumph, two intangible feelings that Blaney appreciated after conquering Martinsville. Even if “The Captain” was not at the track, it was a victory fitting for the organization that bears his name and a driver who seems to be channeling his best Rick Mears swagger.

“I thought we put together a really strong Playoffs, especially the Round of 8,” Blaney said. “We had a good Round of 8, so just really proud of the whole effort. Proud to have Discount Tire on the car, Menards, Ford, Advance Auto Parts, Body Armor.

“RP (Roger Penske) couldn’t be here unfortunately, but I know he’s watching and this is awesome stuff. I can’t wait to get to Phoenix next week.”

Behind the Lens: A Look at the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway by Phil Cavali

Stage 1 Top 10 Finishers

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Ryan Blaney
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Chase Briscoe
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Christopher Bell
7. Ty Gibbs (R)
8. Ryan Preece
9. Joey Logano
10. Kevin Harvick

Stage 2 Top 10 Finishers

1. Ryan Blaney
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Chase Briscoe
4. Joey Logano
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Ty Gibbs (R)
7. Ryan Preece
8. Todd Gilliland
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Christopher Bell

Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway Race Results

NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 Points Standings