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Everything to Know about NASCAR’s Xfinity 500: Schedule, How to Watch
With the remaining two championship spots up for grabs, the stage is set, and Martinsville’s ready to deliver.
Following another whirlwind racing weekend in the penultimate event of the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8, 23XI’s Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 Toyota punched his ticket to join Team Penske’s Joey Logano in the Championship 4, leaving just a pair of coveted spots for the finale in Phoenix, Arizona. While Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney might want to forget what transpired in Homestead-Miami and focus on the Xfinity 500 in Martinsville this weekend, reliving their recent past heartbreak might just be what’s needed to prepare them for future success.
In one of the most dramatic climaxes to a race this season in NASCAR’s top flight, Reddick dropped the hammer entering Turn 1 on the final lap to pass JGR’s Denny Hamlin, who also just so happens to be Reddick’s boss in his role as co-patriarch with Michael Jordan at 23XI Racing. With only Blaney now in front of him as Hamlin’s dash cam showed, Reddick slotted in high near the wall and used his aerodynamic positioning to his advantage as he passed Ford’s reigning Cup Series champ to secure the victory.
And if you thought you knew what true happiness looked like, think again because His Airness glowed like a giddy kid on Christmas morning as he swarmed an elated Reddick in a bear hug. While his partner Hamlin was still licking his wounds, MJ was all smiles as he celebrated Reddick’s eighth career Cup win, third of the season and, most importantly, his first Championship 4 berth.
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“Little kid [Reddick] drove his ass off, and I’m proud of him,” exclaimed Jordan, per NASCAR. “He didn’t let go. He just went for it, and we needed it. We needed it.”
While no walls or video game cheat codes were used, Reddick whipping around the final turn in Homestead-Miami was reminiscent of Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” – a brazen maneuver that dashed Hamlin’s Championship 4 hopes just two short years ago on the same track he and the other elite contenders will do battle on next: Martinsville Speedway. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the upcoming Xfinity 500 in Ridgeway, Virginia.
Where is the Xfinity 500 being held?
First run in the fall of 1949 with Red Byron securing the event’s inaugural victory, the Xfinity 500, held at the renowned Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, is the oldest race in the NASCAR Cup Series. While the legendary, seven-time Cup champ Richard Petty still holds the record for the most wins on the paperclip track with 15, the active driver with the most wins on the shortest loop in NASCAR’s top flight is none other than Denny Hamlin with five.
When is the Xfinity 500?
As the final race in the Round of 8, the Xfinity 500 will take place Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Prior to the Cup Series race on Sunday, Martinsville Speedway will host the National Debt Relief 250 on Saturday at 4:00 p.m ET in the NASCAR Xfinity Series while the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 will take place on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.
Where to watch the Xfinity 500
You can watch all the full-throttle action from the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway live on NBC. The earlier practice and qualifying heats on Saturday will be available on the NBC Sports app, providing racing fans a streaming alternative to the traditional broadcast. NBC's Countdown to Green pre-race show begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, followed by race coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
If you’re unable to tune into Sunday’s broadcast for the race, the NBC Sports app will offer NASCAR fans a live streaming option for the event.
Key Storylines
Though he rightfully earned the 2024 regular season title, in the eyes of pundits and fans alike, Tyler Reddick still needed to prove that he and 23XI’s No. 45 Toyota had more left in the tank. Now, in light of his heroic finish in Homestead-Miami, he’s silenced his doubters. That said, as Michael Jordan’s wheelman’s stock soars, others are still waiting to take flight. As the remaining contenders in the Cup Series’ Round of 8 seek to capture one of the final two spots in Phoenix, here are the key storylines for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
Blaney’s Quest to Repeat
As the reigning 2023 Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney’s quest for a repeat has been a tantalizing notion that has seemed just out of arm’s reach for Team Penske’s talented driver all season long. He’s scored 10 top-five finishes while only managing to convert those opportunities into two wins. With the stinging visual of Reddick rocketing by him in Homestead-Miami still lingering, Martinsville is now the bullseye he must hit. While some might fold under the pressure, Blaney’s a champion for a reason, and his success last year sets him up nicely to try to chase down that repeat after all.
Hamlin’s Last Hope
Like the other five elite contenders this year who are still vying to book their ticket to the Championship 4 race in Phoenix, Denny Hamlin’s last shot hangs in the balance at Martinsville. While putting all your eggs in one basket may seem like a risky notion, Hamlin’s neither risk averse, nor is he out of pocket. Since 2005, he’s notched five wins in 37 races at Martinsville in his career.
Hendrick Motorsports Revs Up
While Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and William Byron all have still yet to punch their ticket to the finale in the Arizona desert, statistically speaking, history just might be on their team’s side as Hendrick Motorsports holds the record in a myriad of performance categories at Martinsville. The racing juggernaut has the most wins (29), poles (20), top-five finishes (93), top-10 finishes (150) and laps led at 10,852, according to the team website. While all three of the team’s three contending drivers came in the top three during the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville in April, it was Byron who bested his two championship-winning teammates.
Bell Banks Points
Now in just his fifth full-time season, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell might still have his boyish looks, but he’s got the moxie of a tried-and-true grizzled veteran. Sitting at 29 points above the cutline with a 22-point buffer between him and Byron heading into Martinsville, he’s well-positioned to advance to the Championship 4 on points alone, which would be his third consecutive trip to the finale, but he’s no stranger to success on the short paperclip track either. He captured the checkered flag there in 2022 just ahead of Kyle Larson.
Playoff Standings
After Tyler Reddick’s surge on the final lap to capture the checkered flag in Homestead-Miami, here is the current breakdown of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs standings before the Xfinity 500 shifts into gear at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia this Sunday.
- Tyler Reddick – Toyota – Team Penske, -5
- Joey Logano – Ford – Team Penske, -33
- Christopher Bell – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, +29
- William Byron – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, +7
ON THE BUBBLE
- Kyle Larson – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, -7
- Denny Hamlin – Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing, -18
- Ryan Blaney – Ford – Team Penske, -38
- Chase Elliott – Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports, -43
