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

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and William Byron waited awkwardly next to 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 question was whether Bell had hit a wall on the final lap and driven past it to give him the final pass he needed to get past Byron for the final spot in the championship. The move was a lot like the one Ross Chastain used in Martinsville two years ago — it was called the “Hail Melon” — and then banned the following offseason.

Blaney returned to the championship finals for the right to defend his title against Team Penske teammate Joey Logano and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick. The fourth finalist simply waited for what seemed like an eternity for a NASCAR ruling.

Bell driving into the wall was ultimately ruled illegal and Byron saved Hendrick Motorsports from a humiliating third round of the playoffs. Three Hendrick drivers battled for the four spots in the final 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 dialogue with the drivers that this is not a move they want to make,” said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition. “In the off season, a meeting with the industry, a meeting with our drivers, with a man, that was not the step they wanted to make.”

So it was forbidden.

Bell argued he had no choice when he crashed into the wall while trying to avoid fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace, who claimed he had a flat tire. Bell rode some of it for momentum and it got him the pass he needed to give Byron points for the final spot next week at Phoenix Raceway.

“I understand the rule is put in place to prevent people from hitting the wall, but my move was completely different from Ross’s,” said Bell, who was denied entry to the championship race for the third time in a row.

‘I slid into the wall and kept my foot in it. I think that’s a losing move,” Bell continued. “I didn’t deliberately put it on the ground and hit the fence. I slid into the wall and that’s all she wrote.”

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

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

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

“To have another shot at the championship is really special,” Blaney said. ‘Try going back next week. I have nothing left. Oh my God, I’m tired.’

Blaney automatically lost a spot in the finals last week when Reddick passed him in the final turn at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The victory gives team owner Roger Penske two chances at a third title this year: Penske teams won the sports car championships in both IMSA and Saturday’s World Endurance Championship.

Blaney’s victory 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 straight Cup titles.

“Lots of momentum. It’s nice to have two Penske cars in there,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to join (Logano) and have a good chance to bring Roger another title, a third title in a row, so these guys are the best at what they do and it was so much fun working with them to work and share victories and championships.

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

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

Denny Hamlin went 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 big enough points cushion that put him in a tie with Byron for the final spot in the championship field.

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

The field is represented by two Ford drivers, a Toyota and Hendrick’s Chevrolet.

Truex speeding ticket

Martin Truex Jr., who will retire 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 cautioned for speeding on pit road. The penalty put 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

This Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway, where the highest finishing driver among Logano, Reddick, Blaney and Byron will win the championship. Chastain is the defending race winner, but was ineligible for the title last November.