Blaney races way into NASCAR championship finale to attempt to defend his Cup Series title

nascar martinsville playoffs blaney doorbell byron -- Ryan Blaney earned a chance to take sides his NASCAR title pinch a triumph Sunday astatine Martinsville Speedway that pushed nan Team Penske driver into nan winner-take-all play finale.

The ending of nan title was marred by a lengthy NASCAR reappraisal successful which scoring officials had to find if Christopher Bell had violated a information norm successful his last-lap walk of William Byron. Bell deed nan wall and rode a information of it for momentum — nan aforesaid point Ross Chastain did 2 years agone successful a move that has since been banned.

Bell's walk of Byron near nan 2 tied successful points for nan last spot successful adjacent week's title-decider astatine Phoenix Raceway. After an awkwardly agelong delay, Bell's move was deemed forbidden and Byron was fixed nan last spot.

“I understand that nan norm is made to forestall group from riding nan wall, but my move was wholly different from what Ross did,” said Bell, who was denied a 3rd consecutive travel to nan title race.

The ruling saved nan playoffs for Hendrick Motorsports, which put 3 drivers successful nan information of 8 vying for 4 spots successful nan championship. Had NASCAR not ruled Bell's move illegal, not a azygous Hendrick car would beryllium racing for nan Cup Series title.

Blaney, meanwhile, passed Chase Elliott pinch 15 laps to spell to triumph astatine nan Virginia way for a 2nd consecutive twelvemonth and return a spot successful nan title championship adjacent week astatine Phoenix Raceway. Blaney will title Penske teammate Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing and Byron.

The title goes to nan highest-finishing driver adjacent Sunday.

“To person different changeable astatine nan title is really special,” Blaney said. “Try to spell back-to-back adjacent week. I've sewage thing left. Oh my God, I'm tired.”

Blaney past week mislaid an automatic berth into nan finale erstwhile Reddick passed him successful nan last move astatine Homestead-Miami Speedway. Blaney's triumph gives squad proprietor Roger Penske 2 chances to triumph a 3rd title this year: Penske teams won nan sports car championships successful some IMSA and connected Saturday nan World Endurance Championship.

As Blaney celebrated, Bell and Byron stood silently astatine their cars awaiting a NASCAR ruling. The walk of Byron astatine nan extremity near nan 2 tied successful points for nan last spot successful nan title race, pinch NASCAR near to determine who earned nan last spot successful nan finale connected a tie-breaker.

Both drivers stood silently extracurricular their cars waiting for a NASCAR decision.

“This is weird,” Bell said.

Added Byron: “There's a norm against it. I don't spot really they tin telephone it immoderate different.”

Elliott vanished 2nd astatine Martinsville, Larson vanished third, Penske driver Austin Cindric was 4th but not eligible for a title berth.

Denny Hamlin thrust from past to 5th but was eliminated from nan finale and Byron was sixth and fixed nan last spot successful nan title section erstwhile Bell's walk was ruled illegal. Byron and Blaney return to nan title championship for nan 2nd consecutive year; Logano is nan only two-time champion successful nan field.

The section is represented by a brace of Ford drivers, 1 Toyota and and nan Chevrolet from Hendrick.

Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time NASCAR racing aft adjacent week's race, started nan penultimate title of his Joe Gibbs Racing profession from nan pole.

He led nan first 42 laps successful his Toyota until he had to make his scheduled pit stop, and Truex was flagged for speeding connected pit road. The punishment dropped him 3 laps disconnected nan gait and ruined his race.

Truex, who was eliminated from nan playoffs successful nan first round, later received a 2nd speeding punishment and vanished 24th connected Sunday.

Next Sunday's play finale astatine Phoenix Raceway, wherever nan highest finishing driver among Logano, Reddick, Blaney, and Bell aliases Byron will triumph nan championship. Ross Chastain is nan defending title winner, but was not title eligible past November.

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