Blaney wins at Martinsville to set up title defense

RIDGEWAY, Va. (AP) — Ryan Blaney earned a chance to defend his NASCAR championship with a victory Sunday at Martinsville Speedway that pushed the Team Penske driver into the winner-take-all season finale.

The ending of the race was marred by a lengthy NASCAR review in which scoring officials had to determine if Christopher Bell had violated a safety rule in his last-lap pass of William Byron. Bell hit the wall and rode a portion of it for momentum — the same thing Ross Chastain did two years ago in a move that has since been banned.

Bell’s pass of Byron left the two tied in points for the final spot in next week’s title-decider at Phoenix Raceway. After an awkwardly long delay, Bell’s move was deemed illegal and Byron was given the final spot.

“I understand that the rule is made to prevent people from riding the wall, but my move was completely different from what Ross did,” said Bell, who was denied a third consecutive trip to the championship race.

The ruling saved the playoffs for Hendrick Motorsports, which put three drivers in the round of eight vying for four spots in the championship. Had NASCAR not ruled Bell’s move illegal, not a single Hendrick car would be racing for the Cup Series title.

Blaney, meanwhile, passed Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go to win at the Virginia track for a second consecutive year and take a spot in the championship race next week at Phoenix Raceway. Blaney will race Penske teammate Joey Logano, Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing and Byron.

The title goes to the highest-finishing driver next Sunday.

“To have another shot at the championship is really special,” Blaney said. “Try to go back-to-back next week. I've got nothing left. Oh my God, I'm tired.”

As Blaney celebrated, Bell and Byron stood silently at their cars awaiting a NASCAR ruling. The pass of Byron at the end left the two tied in points for the final spot in the championship race, with NASCAR left to decide who earned the final spot in the finale on a tie-breaker.

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

“This is weird,” Bell said.

Added Byron: “There’s a rule against it. I don’t see how they can call it any different.”

Elliott finished second at Martinsville, Larson finished third, Penske driver Austin Cindric was fourth but not eligible for a championship berth.

Denny Hamlin drive from last to fifth but was eliminated from the finale and Byron was sixth and given the final spot in the championship field when Bell’s pass was ruled illegal. Byron and Blaney return to the championship race for the second consecutive year; Logano is the only two-time champion in the field.

The field is represented by a pair of Ford drivers, one Toyota and and the Chevrolet from Hendrick.

Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time NASCAR racing after next week's race, started the penultimate race of his Joe Gibbs Racing career from the pole.

He led the first 42 laps in his Toyota until he had to make his scheduled pit stop, and Truex was flagged for speeding on pit road. The penalty dropped him three laps off the pace and ruined his race.

Truex, who was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, later received a second speeding penalty and finished 24th on Sunday.

Next Sunday's season finale at Phoenix Raceway, where the highest finishing driver among Logano, Reddick, Blaney, and Bell or Byron will win the championship. Ross Chastain is the defending race winner, but was not title eligible last November.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing