By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer

Ryan Blaney celebrated his victory at Martinsville Speedway, a win that launched NASCAR’s defending champion into the title-deciding season finale.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and William Byron waited awkwardly alongside their parked cars for a ruling from NASCAR on who would be the fourth and final driver in the winner-take-all decider at Phoenix Raceway.

The issue was whether Bell had smashed into wall on the final lap and rode along it for momentum to give him the final pass he needed to move past Byron for the last spot in the championship. The move was quite similar to one used two years ago at Martinsville by Ross Chastain — it was dubbed the “Hail Melon” — and subsequently banned the ensuing offseason.

Blaney was headed back to the championship finale for the right to defend his title against Team Penske teammate Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing. The fourth finalist just waited for what seemed an eternity for a NASCAR ruling.

Bell riding the wall was ultimately deemed illegal and Byron saved Hendrick Motorsports from a humiliating third round of the playoffs. Three Hendrick drivers were vying for the four spots in the finale and only Byron qualified — and only because Bell was deemed to have committed a safety violation.

“We had the situation with Ross here, we went to Phoenix, there was a lot of dialog with the drivers that that’s not a move (they) want to have to make,” said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition. “In the offseason, meeting with the industry, meeting with our drivers, to a man, that was not a move they wanted to make.”

So it was outlawed.

Bell argued he didn’t have a choice as he hit the wall trying to avoid fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace, who claimed he had a tire going down. Bell rode a portion of it for momentum and it got him the pass he needed to tie Byron in points for the final spot next week at Phoenix Raceway.

“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.

“I slid into the wall and kept my foot into it. I guess that is a losing move,” Bell continued. “I didn’t intentionally floor it and go into the fence — I slipped into the wall and that’s all she wrote.”

Said Byron: “He rode the wall and there’s a clear rule against riding the wall. So in my eyes, that’s what counts. If it happened in the past, it was fair game. But now the rule is against it.”

Blaney, meanwhile, passed Hendrick driver Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go to win at the Virginia track for a second consecutive year. His victory last year propelled him to his first Cup title.

The title goes to the highest-finishing driver next Sunday between Blaney, Byron, Logano and Reddick.

“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.”

Blaney last week lost an automatic berth into the finale when Reddick passed him in the final turn at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The victory gives team owner Roger Penske two chances to win a third title this year: Penske teams won the sports car championships in both IMSA and on Saturday the World Endurance Championship.

Blaney’s win was the 100th for Team Penske since it partnered with Ford. Logano won the title in 2022, Blaney won in 2023 and now Penske has a shot at three consecutive Cup titles.

“A lot of momentum. It’s nice to have two Penske cars in,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to join (Logano) and have a decent shot to bring Roger another title, a third title in a row, so these guys are the best at what they do and it’s been so much fun to get to run with them and share wins and championships.

“It’s super strong right now in our organization and hopefully it carries over.”

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

Denny Hamlin drove from last to fifth but was eliminated from the playoffs and Byron was sixth and given the final spot in the championship field when Bell’s pass was ruled illegal. Bell finished 22nd after an early spin in the race. He had a large enough point cushion that left him tied with Byron for the final spot in the championship field.

Byron and Blaney return to the championship race for the second consecutive year; Logano is the only two-time champion in the field and Reddick is making his title-race debut.

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 Byron will win the championship. Ross Chastain is the defending race winner, but was not title eligible last November.

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

Source: wralsportsfan.com