Relive the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs race at Martinsville, which featured a tense finish that dictated who will race for a title in Phoenix.
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00:00There are two tickets left to the big dance for this 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
00:13Who is going to get them?
00:15Let's go!
00:16Here at Martinsville.
00:17Truex with Elliott on his flank.
00:18William Byron, who has been so amazing in these playoffs, so consistent, sits third.
00:19If you're a Denny Hamlin fan, we'll keep you updated.
00:33He is up six positions from his starting spot.
00:37He's up six positions, but on the same straight as the leader.
00:40So it's not quite half a straight behind for the 11 car in the middle of the back straight
00:46away.
00:47And the 19 now in the middle of the back straight away.
00:50So it is very close.
00:53First caution of the day is out, and it involves one of the potential championship for Christopher
00:59Bell, who sits highest on the points order coming into this race.
01:05He just got in the corner, and the back end of the car came around.
01:08He's just loose.
01:09Contact with the 51, but not because of anything the 51 does.
01:14Watch this.
01:15He's just spinning out, and then he collects.
01:19Corey Lejoy.
01:20Let's get things going again with 45 laps to go in stage one.
01:34The atmosphere here at Martinsville is fantastic, and the teammates are racing each other hard
01:40down into three.
01:41William Byron, the man who's won here twice in the last five races, really takes the fight
01:45to his teammate chase Elliott.
01:48And Elliott is not relinquishing that lead.
01:51Not without a hard fight.
01:54Early in this run, the outside lane can work really well.
01:57We actually saw it working on older tires, too.
01:59Look at this.
02:02A little bit of extra give because it's your teammate.
02:07Christopher Bell doing battle.
02:12Contact down the back straightaway.
02:15It's been a struggle so far for Christopher.
02:17He was wanting just a clean, easy race, but he has not got it, and where he's sitting
02:23here right now, he is not going to get stage points in this first stage.
02:28Look at William Byron.
02:30William Byron's turning up the heat on his teammate.
02:35Track is packed ahead.
02:37William Byron goes on the attack.
02:38Byron looks on the inside of his teammate and loosens him up a little bit.
02:42Coming to the end of stage one.
02:44Well done.
02:45The Hendrick Motorsports drivers, maximum points to chase Elliott.
02:50As Alan Gustafson says, yep, that's the way to do it.
02:52That's the way we wanted to start.
02:54Let's take you back to that most recent round of pit stops and watch in particular Kyle
02:58Larson in the five and the 48, his teammate Alex Bowman.
03:01Yeah, the 48's already too wide.
03:03He has to check up.
03:04The five gets into the back of him.
03:05That looked like hard contact.
03:06If you were in Michigan or Kansas, you might be a little concerned, but this, is that as
03:11a result of Blaney getting around Hoseva?
03:13Yeah, Blaney does a nice job of blending out.
03:16This is just martinsville.
03:17I actually think the 48 does a really nice job not getting damaged.
03:21The teammates lead the field back to green, Elliott and Byron.
03:25This is when everybody in the field is in a bigger danger of locking that left front
03:29tire up.
03:30Low air pressure.
03:31Restarts.
03:32Pushing really hard on corner entry speed.
03:34This is when you have to have some discipline.
03:37William Byron taking the lead.
03:39Oh, yeah.
03:40Rocketed off that turn.
03:41Look at Blaney.
03:42Watch the 12.
03:43He's rounding up chase Briscoe.
03:44He gained a position on that last round of stops.
03:46Now he's going for more on track.
03:49It hurt him last weekend.
03:58It was gnawing away at him.
04:00The fact that he could see the checkered flag and then Tyler Reddick went all the way around
04:05the outside of him to snatch that win and confirm his spot to Phoenix.
04:09So Blaney wants to make up for that right here, right now in martinsville.
04:12It's kind of hard to tell.
04:13Obviously the 31 was going up the banking.
04:15He got the 99.
04:16I can't tell why the 31 is going up, whether he's getting hit from behind or just loses
04:20traction.
04:21There you go.
04:22Let's take a look at this.
04:23Oh, the 2 car.
04:24Yep.
04:2531 hits the 4.
04:27the 2 who then gives the 31 a shot.
04:3031 up the track and catches the 99.
04:34That won't be the last time we see that today.
04:36Racing hard for track position but also being smart.
04:39Byron was on the outside last restart.
04:41Now he's got the inside line into turn one.
04:43Let's see how it works out for the 24.
04:44He's got his nose in front at the moment.
04:50Elliott thought about the switchback.
04:52Couldn't quite get it done.
04:53Chase Briscoe there.
04:54He's got Preece on his inside as he works on Briscoe.
04:55Look at this.
04:56Look at the 5 of Larson.
04:57Inside.
04:58Goes inside Preece.
04:59You see that white number 11.
05:00Denny Hamlin up 25 spots from where he started at the back of this field.
05:01What a run so far, Steve.
05:02Following his old buddy, Ross Chastain.
05:03A lot of history between these two drivers.
05:04But currently the one helping the 11 out.
05:05He's underneath the 54.
05:06He's got his nose in front.
05:07He's got his nose in front.
05:08He's got his nose in front.
05:09He's got his nose in front.
05:10He's got his nose in front.
05:11He's got his nose in front.
05:12He's got his nose in front.
05:13He's got his nose in front.
05:14He's got his nose in front.
05:15He's got his nose in front.
05:16He's got his nose in front.
05:17He's got his nose in front.
05:18He's got his nose in front.
05:19He's got his nose in front.
05:20He's got his nose in front.
05:21He's got his nose in front.
05:22He's got his nose in front.
05:23He's got his nose in front.
05:24He's got his nose in front.
05:25He's got his nose in front.
05:26He's got his nose in front.
05:27He's got his nose in front.
05:28He's got his nose in front.
05:29He's got his nose in front.
05:30He's got his nose in front.
05:31He's got his nose in front.
05:32He's got his nose in front.
05:33He's got his nose in front.
05:34He's got his nose in front.
05:35He's got his nose in front.
05:36He's got his nose in front.
05:37He's got his nose in front.
05:38He's got his nose in front.
05:39He's got his nose in front.
05:40He's got his nose in front.
05:41He's got his nose in front.
05:42He's got his nose in front.
05:43He's got his nose in front.
05:44He's got his nose in front.
05:45He's got his nose in front.
05:46He's got his nose in front.
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05:48He's got his nose in front.
05:49He's got his nose in front.
05:50He's got his nose in front.
05:51He's got his nose in front.
05:52He's got his nose in front.
05:53He's got his nose in front.
05:54He's got his nose in front.
05:55He's got his nose in front.
05:56He's got his nose in front.
05:57He's got his nose in front.
05:58He's got his nose in front.
05:59He's got his nose in front.
06:00He's got his nose in front.
06:01He's got his nose in front.
06:02He's got his nose in front.
06:03He's got his nose in front.
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06:05He's got his nose in front.
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06:07He's got his nose in front.
06:08He's got his nose in front.
06:09He's got his nose in front.
06:10He's got his nose in front.
06:11He's got his nose in front.
06:12He's got his nose in front.
06:13He's got his nose in front.
06:14He's got his nose in front.
06:15He's got his nose in front.
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06:18He's got his nose in front.
06:19He's got his nose in front.
06:20He's got his nose in front.
06:22He's got his nose in front.
06:23He's got his nose in front.
06:24He's got his nose in front.
06:25He's got his nose in front.
06:26He's got his nose in front.
06:27He's got his nose in front.
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06:30He's got his nose in front.
06:31He's got his nose in front.
06:32He's got his nose in front.
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06:34He's got his nose in front.
06:35He's got his nose in front.
06:36He's got his nose in front.
06:37He's got his nose in front.
06:38He's got his nose in front.
06:39He's got his nose in front.
06:40He's got his nose in front.
06:41He's got his nose in front.
06:42He's got his nose in front.
06:43He's got his nose in front.
06:44He's got his nose in front.
06:45He's got his nose in front.
06:46He's got his nose in front.
06:47He's got his nose in front.
06:48He's got his nose in front.
06:49He's got his nose in front.
06:50He's got his nose in front.
06:51He's got his nose in front.
06:52He's got his nose in front.
06:53He's got his nose in front.
06:54He's got his nose in front.
06:55He's got his nose in front.
06:56He's got his nose in front.
06:57He's got his nose in front.
06:58He's got his nose in front.
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07:00He's got his nose in front.
07:01He's got his nose in front.
07:02He's got his nose in front.
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07:05He's got his nose in front.
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07:19He's got his nose in front.
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07:21He's got his nose in front.
07:22He's got his nose in front.
07:23He's got his nose in front.
07:24He's got his nose in front.
07:25He's got his nose in front.
07:26He's got his nose in front.
07:27He's got his nose in front.
07:28He's got his nose in front.
07:29He's got his nose in front.
07:30He's got his nose in front.
07:31He's got his nose in front.
07:32He's got his nose in front.
07:33He's got his nose in front.
07:34He's got his nose in front.
07:35He's got his nose in front.
07:36He's got his nose in front.
07:37He's got his nose in front.
07:38He's got his nose in front.
07:39He's got his nose in front.
07:40He's got his nose in front.
07:41He's got his nose in front.
07:42He's got his nose in front.
07:43He's got his nose in front.
07:44He's got his nose in front.
07:45He's got his nose in front.
07:46He's got his nose in front.
07:47He's got his nose in front.
07:48He's got his nose in front.
07:49He's got his nose in front.
07:50Christopher Bell tucks in on the inside of Dillon.
07:53Keep an eye on that mobile one, number 20.
07:56The black car on the inside, there he is.
08:02Final lap of stage two.
08:05Well done, Brad Keselowski.
08:08Has not won a stage this year, but he has now.
08:12The RFK racing forward to the top ahead of Blaney, Hamlin, Larson and William Byron.
08:19Will on pit road for the 20.
08:21Left side goes up.
08:22They're going to come drop the jack.
08:24They have an issue with the left front.
08:25The wheel nut doesn't get on.
08:27Close call with the car in front.
08:29Everything the tire changer could do, but the 20 had to come back down pit road to put
08:33the lug nut on.
08:34He's basically the last car in the lead lap.
08:35And then a 12.4-second stop.
08:38Slow stop for the 12.
08:39And then a close call, leaving around the 77 in front.
08:43Watch this tire carrier.
08:44You want to talk about dangerous on pit road?
08:46He runs out there.
08:473,600 pounds of race car.
08:50Just catches the tire.
08:52Nice job to exit around the 77, but a 12.4-second pit stop isn't going to get it done.
08:56He loses four spots.
08:59Let's get ready to get our teeth into the third and final stage.
09:06Keselowski leads the field to green.
09:07Byron and Larson.
09:09It seems almost like they've been glued together for quite a while now, the teammates.
09:13Denny Hamlin's in the mix.
09:14Chris Bowman there in that purple Ally 48.
09:24Ryan Blaney and William Byron tucked up behind Shane Van Gisbergen.
09:27Who's going to go which side?
09:29Who's going to go where?
09:30How much of last weekend is driving Ryan Blaney as he gives Van Gisbergen a shove?
09:34How's it going to work out here?
09:37Going into one.
09:38Byron's got a clear passage around the outside.
09:39And Van Gisbergen drifts up high.
09:40Opens up the door for Blaney.
09:41Let's talk more about the 9.
09:49Here's Parker.
09:50You guys know he pitted about 25 laps ago.
09:53Then a couple laps after that he asked Alan Gustin what the plan was.
09:56Take a listen to the radio.
09:57We're two stops from the rest.
09:58We're going to one stop.
09:59It's all about passing friction.
10:00We've got to get by cars as fast as we can.
10:01Yep.
10:02Understood.
10:03All right.
10:04So let's set the stage.
10:05Alan Gustin, a great update by Parker Kligerman.
10:10We're going to two stop.
10:11Which means we're going to pit a whole extra time.
10:1420 seconds plus the pit stop.
10:16Call it 30, 32 seconds.
10:18He has to have enough tire to be 32 seconds faster than everybody else that only stops
10:24once.
10:25There's enough tire fall off.
10:26The math obviously works.
10:27That's why they're doing it.
10:28All about easy.
10:29There you go.
10:30Bingo.
10:31Well, I have a list of guys that probably had him on his list.
10:35So we'll see if one of them got him.
10:42Big break for Elliott.
10:4346 laps on his tires.
10:44The question is, what does everybody else do now?
10:45100 to go.
10:4625 laps on the tires.
10:49It's so much more comfortable being up here.
10:52Let's see what happened to the spire motorsports driver.
10:58Alex bowman.
10:59Yep.
11:00We've got a tire rolling down the middle of three and four.
11:06They're going to have to call this caution off.
11:08The tire bouncing somewhere.
11:09It's off the right front of the 8.
11:10NASCAR should absolutely see this.
11:11It's been rolling for quite some time.
11:12Who does it belong to?
11:13Kyle Busch.
11:14The right front of the 8 came off going down to turn three.
11:15The 5 of Kyle Larson.
11:16The 24 of William Byron.
11:17Here we go.
11:18Then the 11 of Denny Hamlin.
11:40Then Ryan Blaney fuming inside that helmet in the 12 up on the high line.
11:44Just let's not lose touch of the tire difference.
11:47The 5, the 24, older tires, the 2 as well.
11:50Mixed bag of tires in the front of the field.
11:54Let's take you inside the world of the 24 as he gets passed by Ryan Blaney.
11:58Have a listen.
11:59Hopefully it will be okay to lose one to Blaney.
12:00I don't see anything else coming.
12:01It's fine.
12:02It will be okay to lose one to him as long as we don't lose a bunch more.
12:06That's exactly what Steve and Jeff were just saying.
12:08That's great leadership by Rudy Fugel saying he's not the one we want to park in front
12:13of.
12:14He has to go in this race.
12:15He can lose one more, not two.
12:17That means he can get passed by Hamlin but not Austin Dillon.
12:23Austin Dillon is only a second back.
12:27Look at this.
12:28Elliott hits his teammate.
12:29Gives him a little nudge.
12:30Tries to loosen Kyle Larson up.
12:31Enough to get up alongside him into turn one.
12:32New race leader.
12:33Chase Elliott is there.
12:34Watch the board.
12:35Look how much it changes the leader.
12:36Who can make the playoffs and who can't.
12:37And Blaney is there.
12:38Blaney is there.
12:39He's got the lead.
12:40He's got the lead.
12:41He's got the lead.
12:42He's got the lead.
12:43He's got the lead.
12:44He's got the lead.
12:45He's got the lead.
12:46He's got the lead.
12:47He's got the lead.
12:48He's got the lead.
12:49He's got the lead.
12:50He's got the lead.
12:51He's got the lead.
12:52He's got the lead.
12:53He's got the lead.
12:54He's got the lead.
12:55He's got the lead.
12:56He's got the lead.
12:57He's got the lead.
12:58He's got the lead.
12:59He's got the lead.
13:00He's got the lead.
13:01He's got the lead.
13:02He's got the lead.
13:03He's got the lead.
13:04He's got the lead.
13:05He's got the lead.
13:06He's got the lead.
13:07He's got the lead.
13:08He's got the lead.
13:09He's got the lead.
13:10He's got the lead.
13:11He's got the lead.
13:12He's got the lead.
13:13That's what a championship four looks like next weekend.
13:16Laney with big quarter entry speed, big rear.
13:21Look at this.
13:22The disappointment a week ago in Homestead-Miami Speedway when Tyler Reddick went right around
13:27the outside.
13:28Now he gets on the inside of Chase Elliott.
13:31And again, another new race leader.
13:35Elliott's trying to fight the best he can.
13:37Truex and Suarez are up ahead, but the team Penske-Ford is in front.
13:42Hamlin gets by William Byron.
13:45So with that, the 9 car out below the cut line.
13:48The only other car now, Byron, one point in front of Bell.
13:52Can Byron hold off Austin Dillon?
13:54Byron's playoff hopes are the last 13 laps holding off the 3 car.
13:59Let's see what kind of patience Keselowski has with the 2, 2 wide in front of him.
14:06There's a little push and shove going on there for that final, getting to this final lap.
14:11There's half a mile to go for Ryan Blaney.
14:16The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion is going to have an opportunity to defend.
14:25Last week at these 2 corners, 3 and 4, he lost the lead and lost the chance.
14:30He lost sleep over it.
14:32Ryan Blaney's not losing anything here in Martinsville.
14:35He wins!
14:36And it's going to Phoenix!
14:38That was a determined, savvy drive.
14:50And look at that, right at the end, Christopher Bell drives his way in as well.
14:58Right at the very end.
14:59Look at Adam Stevens.
15:00I think the 20 past the 23 coming to the line for the one point that he needed.
15:05This is it.
15:06Watch this.
15:07Blaney in the 20.
15:08He went for it, almost lost control, hits the wall, drives off the wall, sort of Russ
15:17Chastain-esque.
15:18There's going to be a lot of conversation in the NASCAR tower about the entire finish
15:23of this race.
15:24All the cars racing for points, but what a drive by Blaney.
15:32My goodness.
15:33We've got a decision.
15:35We've got a decision.
15:36Christopher Bell will not be going to Phoenix.
15:39Safety violation, riding the wall.
15:43It's against the rules.
15:44William Byron has been confirmed as the fourth and final position.