MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Ryan Blaney captured his 13th career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at the Xfinity 500 on November 3, 2024, solidifying his spot in the Championship 4. Blaney, driving for Team Penske, secured his third win of the season with a dominant performance, finishing 2.593 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Chase Elliott.
The race, held at the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway, featured 500 laps divided into three stages: 130 for the first two stages and 240 laps for the final push. Blaney’s win marked Ford’s 739th all-time Cup Series victory and their 11th this season, extending their legacy at Martinsville with 32 wins at the historic track.
This race marked the last in the penultimate Round of 8 of the NASCAR Playoffs. Blaney, Tyler Reddick, and Joey Logano secured their spots in the Championship 4 through their respective wins. William Byron also advanced on points, while notable playoff contenders Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, and Elliott did not make the cut for the finale.
Chase Elliott won Stage 1, while Brad Keselowski won Stage 2. Blaney’s performance in the final stage propelled him to the win, but the race was not without its challenges, including nine caution periods that lasted 66 laps.
Among the notable finishes from Stewart-Haas Racing, Noah Gragson led the way, starting in 25th and finishing 11th, achieving his 15th top-15 finish. Gragson’s strong effort included finishing ninth in Stage 2, earning him two bonus points.
Starting in 8th, Ryan Preece finished 14th, while Chase Briscoe, who began in 4th, finished 15th. Josh Berry rounded out the SHR efforts with a 16th-place finish, marking his second consecutive top-20 performance.
Gragson showed pride in his team’s determination, saying, “We came up one spot short from a top-10… I think we know what we need to work on. I’m just super proud of the determination and focus out of our group this weekend.”
Reflecting on his race, Preece said, “We had a really solid car. Felt like a top-five, top-10 car, but once we lost track position, we just fought the entire time to get it back.” He acknowledged the challenges posed by race strategy and cautions.
Briscoe, meanwhile, voiced his frustration with the car’s performance, noting, “Our car started pretty good, and we just continued, but it just got worse as the day went on. It’s frustrating, for sure.”
The NASCAR Cup Series season finale will be held on Sunday, November 10, at Phoenix Raceway, where the championship will be decided. Fans can tune in for live coverage starting at 3 p.m. EST on NBC and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. As the season wraps up, all eyes will be on the contenders vying for the prestigious championship title.
