Robbed. That’s how Ryan Blaney felt when the checkered flag was waved at Martinsville Speedway. He entered the Xfinity 500 37 points below the cutline, finding himself in must-win territory. But he rose to the challenge, led 177 laps, and looked all set to secure a clutch victory, and with it, a spot in the Championship 4.

However, William Byron scooped right in and snatched it from the No. 12 driver. And with no playoff points left to save him, Blaney had to park his title hopes right here. Since the beginning of the weekend, the 35-year-old had called for an aggressive race, stating, “I just, I think it’s moments in time where you get more aggressive than others.” But that is exactly what led him to his doom.

Ryan Blaney misses out on a potential third consecutive Championship 4 run

Speaking post-race, the 2023 Cup Series champion couldn’t help but lament his missed Championship 4 spot. He said, ” Yeah, I look back on that long run before the last yellow where William got by me, and I just got loose trying to work through left cars, and every drive was fading quick. I tried to manage a lot in the beginning, but yeah, just. Just was starting to fade, and I was trying to protect, and yeah, I mean that’s just two guys going forward. I mean, I don’t blame him for taking that.”

With a Championship 4 berth on the line at Martinsville, William Byron muscled his way past Ryan Blaney to capture victory in the third round finale of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The decisive move came with 43 laps to go, when Byron dove to the inside entering Turn 1 and nudged Blaney’s car to the left rear, forcing him up the track to take command of the race.

The battle between the Penske and Hendrick drivers quickly turned into a fierce showdown of determination as both drivers fought to secure their ticket to Phoenix. Byron ultimately held off a charging Blaney to seal the win, while his teammate Kyle Larson also locked in his spot.

The move came after Blaney had impressively worked his way through the field, fuelled by a pre-race pep talk with team owner Roger Penske. Following Byron’s pass, a late race caution reset the field, but Byron held strong on the restart to take the checkered flag.

Over the radio, Blaney had even questioned the contact that caused him to lose the lead. He radioed, “Did I give him enough room or did he just turn me?” To which his crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, calmly replied, “Yeah, I feel like you did, he just washed up off the bottom.” Blaney’s response summed up his frustration: “I just need to know. We got f— there.”

Despite the disappointment, Blaney’s speed and aggression throughout the race proved his earlier prediction right: the Martinsville showdown was every bit as intense as expected. But Blaney won’t be suffering alone; joining him will be his three-time Cup Series champion and teammate, Joey Logano.

Joey Logano gets knocked out of the Championship 4 amid Blaney’s elusive win

As Byron locked in his spot, Logano was one to miss out. Despite the high stakes, a victory in the Xfinity 500 would have punched Logano’s ticket at Phoenix, giving him a shot to defend his 2024 title. The three-time champion couldn’t generate the speed needed. His teammate, Blaney, faced a similar situation but managed to chase the wind more effectively.

Logano’s day began well, running second in Stage 1 behind eventual race winner William Byron. However, his momentum faded over the next segments, dropping him to 13th in Stage 2 before he ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth place. That result was insufficient to secure his spot, leaving the Connecticut native on the outside as the title field was finalized.

A late race caution offered teams a chance to shake up the finishing order with bold pit strategy calls. The 31-year-old driver and his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, opted for caution over risk, avoiding moves like taking only two tires out or staying out. Reflecting on that decision, Logano didn’t hold back, saying, “We’re the team to do things, but that wouldn’t make sense. You gotta have the lead to put two tires on. Just wasn’t good enough.” 

With this exit from title contention, the No. 22 car will have to wait at least another year for a shot at a fourth Cup Series championship, a win that would tie him with Jeff Gordon for career titles