RIDGEWAY, Va. (WFXR/NASCAR) — As the NASCAR Xfinity Series winds down the 2024 season, the drivers and teams will now be heading to Martinsville Speedway for the Playoffs’ penultimate race, the National Debt Relief 250, on Saturday, November 2 at 4 p.m. ET on the CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
This will be the 43rd NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. The previous 42 races have produced 28 different race winners and 22 different pole winners. Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, but it’s been over 35 years since a driver was able to accomplish the feat – most recently by Jimmy Hensley in 1987.
A few drivers have been able to etch their names in the Martinsville Speedway record books in the Xfinity Series – Sam Ard (most wins – five), Brett Bodine (most poles – five), Dale Jarrett (most top fives – 11), Jimmy Hensley and Tommy Houston (tied for most top 10s – 17), and Tommy Ellis (most laps led – 713).
This season will be the fifth consecutive year that Martinsville Speedway serves as the penultimate, or sixth race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, the elimination race of the Round of 8 (2020 – 2024). The track was not on the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule from 2007 to 2019.
Three drivers entered in this weekend’s National Debt Relief 250 have taken the checkered flag at Martinsville Speedway’s 0.526-mile track – Aric Almirola (2024), Playoff contender Justin Allgaier (2023) and Brandon Jones (2022).
Drivers will hit the track on Friday, November 1 for practice at 3:35 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 4:10 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports App.
Time’s up: Xfinity Series clinch scenarios at Martinsville
There’s one race to go before the NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to Phoenix Raceway for the season finale.
With only two drivers clinched into the Championship 4 Round, the other six Playoff drivers will be competing for the remaining two spots.
As the series heads to Martinsville, let’s take a look at what it’ll take for drivers to clinch their spot:
Already Clinched
The following two drivers have clinched a spot in the four-driver field of the next round: Austin Hill and A.J. Allmendinger.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the third winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Justin Allgaier or Cole Custer.
- Justin Allgaier: Would clinch with 21 points
- Cole Custer: Would clinch with 28 points
- Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
- Jesse Love: Could only clinch with help
- Sam Mayer: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Chandler Smith or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the second winless driver in the standings.
- Justin Allgaier: Would clinch with 49 points
- Cole Custer: Could only clinch with help
- Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
- Jesse Love: Could only clinch with help
- Sam Mayer: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Justin Allgaier, Cole Custer, Chandler Smith, Jesse Love, Sam Mayer, Sammy Smith.
Playoff Bubble: Two spots are still open heading to Martinsville
With a win by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill last weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a win by Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger two weeks ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, two spots in the Championship Four are clinched.
The other two drivers currently above the cutline are JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier (+35) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer (+28).
Just outside the cutline and hoping to work their way into the top four are Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chandler Smith (-28), Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love (-35) and JR Motorsports teammates Sam Mayer (-47) and Sammy Smith (-95).
