Martinsville Speedway will once again host a Holiday Run Festival on Saturday, Dec. 6, the same day as the annual Christmas Track Laps for Toy Drive event at the famed short track.

The Holiday Run Festival will feature the Southside 10K run and 5K run or walk, with a portion of each entry fee going directly towards the toy drive’s fundraising efforts, benefiting Grace Network of Martinsville and Henry County. This will be the 31^st year Martinsville Speedway has hosted the toy drive giving fans the opportunity to drive around the historic half-mile by donating to the cause.

“The Annual Christmas Toy Drive is such an important event here in our community, bringing everyone together to support those throughout the Martinsville Henry-County and beyond during the holiday season,” said Clay Campbell, Martinsville Speedway President. “Grace Network has been an essential part of this fundraiser, that truly keeps growing every year. It’s a testament to the ability this place has to bring people together, and everything Martinsville Speedway represents.”

Those in the greater Martinsville region can start their morning with the Youth in Motion 5K, beginning at 9 a.m., or the Southside 10K, beginning at 10 a.m., then swap out their tennis shoes for tires during the track laps event at the speedway from 5 – 7 p.m. Community members can donate an unwrapped toy or $25 for the opportunity to drive laps around the iconic Virginia track in their personal vehicles.

Those in attendance can enjoy an evening filled with festive fun with a Martinsville Speedway twist. Fans can grab a famous Martinsville Hot Dog and top off their meal with Christmas cookies available at the Hot Dog Stand. Afterwards, families and friends can head on over to Victory Lane for a picture with Santa ahead of the holiday season.

The donated toys and monetary donations will be distributed to area children through Grace Network of Martinsville and Henry County, which is a faith-based, first-stop center for resources for families in crisis. The organization supports those in the community who need support to keep a roof over their heads, homes warm and lighted, and food on the table with short-term assistance and long-term solutions. To learn more about the Grace Network of Martinsville and Henry County, visit gracenetworkmhc.org.

Sponsors for Track Laps for Toy Drive include Brightspeed, Lester Group, Bassett Furniture, AEP, Patrick & Henry Community College, Lawless Welding, Sarver Properties & Cleaning, all of whom are dedicated members of the community helping to support the event.

For laps around the track, drivers must sign waivers and be 18 years of age or older with a valid state-issued driver’s license. All participants must adhere to Virginia state laws regarding the usage of seat belts and child safety restraints. 

For more information on the Toy Drive for Track Laps event, or details on the 2026 racing season at Martinsville Speedway, please visit martinsvillespeedway.com.

The post Martinsville Speedway to Host Holiday Run Festival and 31st Annual Toy Drive appeared first on Martinsville Tourism.

Byron led three times for 304 laps—a career best for a single race—and beat Ryan Blaney to the finish line by 0.717 seconds after a restart with 11 laps left to win the Xfinity 500 elimination race under most exigent circumstances.

In a scenario under which both Byron and Blaney needed a victory to advance to the Nov. 2 Championship 4 event at Phoenix Raceway, Byron passed Blaney on Lap 457 during a long green-flag run and held the top spot for the final 44 laps.

“Pass” doesn’t do Byron’s move on Lap 457 justice. By then, Blaney’s No.12 Team Penske Ford had begun to fade. Byron charged into Turn 1 to the inside of Blaney’s Mustang and knocked it up the track.

Byron rushed past, and Blaney never found an opportunity to return the favor. Hence, for the first time since the Gen 7 race car was introduced into the Cup Series in 2022, Team Penske, the organization that won the last three championships, won’t have a driver in the Championship 4—and the rest of the field can sleep more easily.

“Damn, I’ve got a lot to say,” Byron said with a broad smile. “Things have a way of working out. God really tests your resilience a lot of times. We’ve been tested. Just unbelievable.

“I’m out of breath. Thank you, fans, for coming out. Bad-ass crowd. I watched my first NASCAR race up there just before the start/finish line. Man, I am just so thankful, excited to see my family, just celebrate this one.

“We obviously go to Phoenix. Just go try to kick ass there.”

Blaney, who went to Victory Lane to congratulate the race winner, had no issue with Byron’s winning move.

“Yeah, I look back on that long run before the last yellow where William got by me,” said Blaney, who qualified 31st and methodically worked his way through the field. “I just got loose, trying to work through that. My rear drive was fading quick. I tried to manage a lot in the beginning. Yeah, just was starting to fade.

“I was trying to protect. I mean, that’s just two guys going for it. I don’t blame him for taking that. I had kind of lost momentum. I would have done the same thing, to be honest with you. I knew it was going to be tight. I tried to crowd as much as I could.”

Byron’s victory in a must-win situation knocked seventh-place finisher Christopher Bell out of the championship race. Bell came to Martinsville 37 points above the elimination line and one point ahead Kyle Larson, but Larson, who finished fifth, outscored Bell on Sunday and claimed the final Championship 4 berth by seven points.

Also eliminated were third-place finisher Chase Elliott and reigning series champion Joey Logano, who ran eighth.

Larson and Byron will represent Hendrick Motorsports against Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe in the season finale. Hamlin and Briscoe already had qualified for the title race with victories in the Round of 8, but both experienced engine failures at Martinsville.

“We had good enough track position all day,” said Larson, who ran a problem-free race. “We were kind of out of the mess, I guess. Yeah, that was good. My HendrickCars.com Chevy was fast. Our pit crew was on it all night.

“What a performance by William. That’s awesome. I think when the 12 (Blaney) gained control of the race, it was going to be really hard for anybody to beat him. William did a great job on the restarts, just kept positioning himself. Was good enough to get by him on that long run.”

Byron dominated Stage 1 from the pole, leading 125 of the 130 laps. He surrendered the top spot only once, under caution on Lap 30 after a tangle in Turn 2 when Michael McDowell got the lead on an ill-fated two-tire call.

Byron charged past McDowell moments after the subsequent Lap 36 restart and led the remaining 95 laps of the stage. After the break, he was first off pit road under caution and still at the point when Stage 2 went green on Lap 143.

The driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet led all 130 laps in Stage 2, but a caution on Lap 242 changed the tenor of the race. Blaney was one of seven lead-lap drivers who pitted on Lap 245, and after Byron came to pit road during the stage break, Blaney lined up second beside Tyler Reddick for a restart on Lap 272.

Blaney soon had the lead and control of the race—and maintained it until Byron made the winning pass on Lap 457.

The final restart after Carson Hocevar’s third spin of the afternoon was academic. Byron pulled away and wasn’t challenged over the final 11 laps. Even Blaney was impressed.  

“Thought I got a good restart, the last one,” said Blaney, who led 177 laps. “Kind of entered up top, tried to carry speed, and he just motored right around me on the bottom. Pretty impressive.

“Just proud of the effort,” added Blaney, who had won the previous two fall Playoff races at Martinsville. “A shame we’re not going to Phoenix as part of the Championship 4. We’ll be doing the best we can to finish the year out strong. But I’m just proud of the 12 guys. They have gave 100 percent of what they had. That’s all you can ask for.

“Wasn’t quite enough tonight. We’ll just move on.”

Non-Playoff drivers Ross Chastain and Ryan Preece ran fourth and sixth, respectively. Todd Gilliland Josh Berry were ninth and 10th.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Xfinity 500

Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville, Virginia

Sunday, October 26, 2025

                1. (1)  William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 500.

                2. (31)  Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 500.

                3. (8)  Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 500.

                4. (13)  Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 500.

                5. (3)  Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 500.

                6. (18)  Ryan Preece, Ford, 500.

                7. (12)  Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 500.

                8. (4)  Joey Logano (P), Ford, 500.

                9. (16)  Todd Gilliland, Ford, 500.

                10. (27)  Josh Berry, Ford, 500.

                11. (14)  Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 500.

                12. (2)  Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 500.

                13. (7)  Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 500.

                14. (22)  Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 500.

                15. (10)  Austin Cindric, Ford, 500.

                16. (20)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 500.

                17. (6)  Cole Custer, Ford, 500.

                18. (21)  Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 500.

                19. (34)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 499.

                20. (19)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 499.

                21. (24)  John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 499.

                22. (30)  Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 499.

                23. (17)  Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 499.

                24. (11)  Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 499.

                25. (23)  Zane Smith, Ford, 498.

                26. (26)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 498.

                27. (32)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 498.

                28. (33)  AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 497.

                29. (29)  Chris Buescher, Ford, 497.

                30. (35)  Noah Gragson, Ford, 497.

                31. (15)  Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 497.

                32. (36)  Cody Ware, Ford, 488.

                33. (37)  Casey Mears(i), Ford, Electrical, 478.

                34. (28)  Erik Jones, Toyota, Accident, 406.

                35. (5)  Denny Hamlin  (P), Toyota, Engine, 334.

                36. (25)  Riley Herbst #, Toyota, Engine, 323.

                37. (9)  Chase Briscoe (P), Toyota, Engine, 295.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  73.744 mph.

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 33 Mins, 59 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .717 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  10 for 78 laps.

Lead Changes:  7 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   W. Byron (P) 1-30;M. McDowell 31-35;W. Byron (P) 36-265;*. Reddick 266-271;R. Blaney (P) 272-376;R. Chastain 377-384;R. Blaney (P) 385-456;W. Byron (P) 457-500.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  William Byron (P) 3 times for 304 laps; Ryan Blaney (P) 2 times for 177 laps; Ross Chastain 1 time for 8 laps; * Tyler Reddick 1 time for 6 laps; Michael McDowell 1 time for 5 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 24,22,5,9,54,11,12,20,34,2

Stage #2 Top Ten: 24,5,20,9,34,19,60,88,45,43

The post William Byron makes championship field with 11th-hour win at Martinsville appeared first on Martinsville Tourism.

Driving the No.54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Gray pulled away from former nemesis Sammy Smith after an overtime restart on Lap 252 and held on to win the IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250 at the 0.526-mile short track.

When Gray took the checkered flag, keeping Playoff contenders Smith and Brandon Jones behind him, Kvapil had a place in next Saturday’s Championship 4 Race at Phoenix Raceway.

After a frenetic drive from 30th place in the final 17 laps of regulation, Kvapil advanced to the Xfinity title race by four points over Jones and five over Smith. Kvapil joins Jesse Love, Justin Allgaier and rookie Connor Zilisch in the championship event.

Eliminated along with Jones and Smith were Sam Mayer, who took out his frustrations on Jeb Burton’s car after the race, and fourth-place finisher Sheldon Creed, who couldn’t prevail in a must-win situation entering the event.

The Playoff drama, however, did nothing to diminish the effort of Gray, who surged into the lead after a restart on Lap 202 and held it the rest of the way.

Gray was driving toward a probable victory in regulation when Daniel Dye’s Chevrolet began spewing sparks and stopped on the track to cause the ninth caution of the evening and force overtime.

With a great launch on the overtime restart, Gray pulled away to win by 0.344 seconds over Smith and 0.650 seconds over Jones.

“(Crew chief) Jason Ratcliff, all these guys—the pit crew did an awesome job tonight,” exulted Gray, who led a race-high 52 laps in his 45th start in the series. “They give me opportunities to win every time I walk through the gates to this race track.

“I knew I needed to get a good enough launch so that I wouldn’t have anyone in reach of me heading into Turn 1. At that point, I knew we had a good enough car to drive away from the guys behind me.”

Last spring, Gray was in a similar position before Smith knocked him out of the way in the closing laps with such aggression that NASCAR penalized the driver of the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

In Saturday’s race, Smith drove with more restraint in his pursuit, and Gray had his maiden victory in the series.

“I feel like we’re good enough to be in the final four,” Smith said. “We weren’t good enough in the Playoffs to do that. It really sucks, so we’ll just regroup and keep digging.”

Love, who came to Martinsville with a 40-point cushion above the elimination line, suffered through an evening fraught with errors, including a pair of pit road penalties, and finished 23rd. Nevertheless, he advanced by 18 points over Jones.

Kvapil seemed secure in points until a chain-reaction collision involving Ryan Sieg and Harrison Burton sent his No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet spinning on Lap 227.

Kvapil restarted 30th and drove frantically through the field to finish 18th and preserve his spot in the Championship 4.

“That was probably the most nerve-wracking racing I’ve done in my career,” Kvapil said. “Obviously, we were sitting in a pretty good spot before we got turned around there…

“I think the sky’s the limit for these guys. Our season hasn’t been the flashiest … but you never know. It all comes down to one race, and we’ve got a 25-percent chance of winning.”

Aric Almirola, who will battle for the Xfinity owners’ championship next Saturday against Allgaier, Zilisch and Austin Hill, finished fifth behind Creed. Jeb Burton, Mayer, Dean Thompson, Connor Zilisch and Justin Bonsignore completed the top 10.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250

Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville, Virginia

Saturday, October 25, 2025

                  1. (13)  Taylor Gray #, Toyota, 253.

                  2. (15)  Sammy Smith (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  3. (11)  Brandon Jones (P), Toyota, 253.

                  4. (5)  Sheldon Creed (P), Ford, 253.

                  5. (3)  Aric Almirola (P), Toyota, 253.

                  6. (12)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 253.

                  7. (24)  Sam Mayer (P), Ford, 253.

                  8. (30)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 253.

                  9. (38)  Connor Zilisch # (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  10. (14)  Justin Bonsignore, Toyota, 253.

                  11. (1)  Harrison Burton, Ford, 253.

                  12. (6)  Austin Hill (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  13. (23)  Corey Day, Chevrolet, 253.

                  14. (19)  Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 253.

                  15. (7)  Ryan Sieg, Ford, 253.

                  16. (29)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 253.

                  17. (33)  Patrick Staropoli, Toyota, 253.

                  18. (2)  Carson Kvapil # (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  19. (18)  Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 253.

                  20. (17)  Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 253.

                  21. (27)  Kyle Sieg, Ford, 253.

                  22. (25)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 253.

                  23. (21)  Jesse Love (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  24. (37)  Austin Green, Chevrolet, 253.

                  25. (26)  Connor Mosack(i), Chevrolet, 253.

                  26. (4)  Justin Allgaier (P), Chevrolet, 253.

                  27. (9)  Christian Eckes #, Chevrolet, 253.

                  28. (32)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 253.

                  29. (10)  Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 253.

                  30. (31)  Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 253.

                  31. (28)  Brad Perez, Chevrolet, 253.

                  32. (34)  Mason Maggio, Ford, 252.

                  33. (22)  Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 252.

                  34. (35)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 226.

                  35. (8)  Brenden Queen, Chevrolet, Accident, 197.

                  36. (16)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, DVP, 195.

                  37. (36)  Takuma Koga, Toyota, Carburetor, 149.

                  38. (20)  Thomas Annunziata, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 120.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  63.12 mph.

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 6 Mins, 30 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .344 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  9 for 71 laps.

Lead Changes:  11 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   H. Burton 1-16;A. Almirola (P) 17-33;J. Allgaier (P) 34;B. Queen 35-53;S. Mayer (P) 54-57;J. Allgaier (P) 58-93;C. Kvapil # (P) 94-133;S. Mayer (P) 134-161;A. Almirola (P) 162-195;J. Bonsignore 196;N. Sanchez # 197-201;T. Gray # 202-253.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Taylor Gray # 1 time for 52 laps; Aric Almirola (P) 2 times for 51 laps; Carson Kvapil # (P) 1 time for 40 laps; Justin Allgaier (P) 2 times for 37 laps; Sam Mayer (P) 2 times for 32 laps; Brenden Queen 1 time for 19 laps; Harrison Burton 1 time for 16 laps; Nick Sanchez # 1 time for 5 laps; Justin Bonsignore 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 7,19,11,20,41,88,25,16,00,17

Stage #2 Top Ten: 1,11,16,41,54,7,20,19,00,42

The post Taylor Gray nabs first Xfinity win; Jesse Love, Carson Kvapil lock into Champ 4 appeared first on Martinsville Tourism.

Heim won both stages in the Slim Jim 200 on the way to his 11th victory of the season, extending his own series record. The driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota led a race-high 77 laps and beat Kaden Honeycutt to the finish line by 0.451 seconds in overtime.

The real drama in the elimination race took place immediately behind the race winner. Honeycutt finished a career-best second, the position he needed to oust Riggs from the Playoffs on a tiebreaker that rewards the best finish in a given Playoff round.

Riggs came home third, followed by non-Playoff drivers Brent Crews and Corey LaJoie. Defending series champion Ty Majeski (seventh) and Tyler Ankrum (ninth) secured the remaining two berths in the Oct. 31 Championship 4 finale at Phoenix Raceway—by one point over Honeycutt and Riggs.

Fastest in practice, Riggs won the pole and led the first 27 laps, but after the second caution of the evening for fluid on the track, Riggs missed a shift on the ensuing Lap 29 restart and fell to sixth in the running order.

As the race neared conclusion, Honeycutt engineered a masterful restart from the fifth position on Lap 186, gained the front row when Crews chose to line up behind Heim, his teammate, for a restart on Lap 192 and held the second spot—and the one critical point he needed—through the overtime finish.

In the wild two-lap overtime, Riggs beat Crews to the finish line but couldn’t catch Honeycutt.

“I was dejected even when I thought we were in (the Championship 4) at first,” said Riggs, a three-time winner this year. “I just don’t like racing that way, man. I’m hearing, ‘Gotta get one (position), gotta get one,’ and everybody knows how it is.

“If I’ve got the opportunity to get in for my team, I’m going to do it, even if I don’t want to do it … It all kind of started with that missed shift on that restart. I’m not really sure what happened. I’ve never missed a shift in a truck my whole career.

“We do have some new transmissions. I guess I’m just not quite used to them yet. I’m pretty upset about that. I think things could have been a lot different.”

Honeycutt, who took over the No. 52 Toyota from injured Stewart Friesen at Richmond in August, was elated to finish on the positive side a breathtakingly close battle for the final three Championship 4 spots.

“Oh, man, we get to go next week,” said Honeycutt, who was released from his ride at Niece Motorsports after his plans to change teams surfaced. “I very easily should have been at home watching this race…

“I get to go and carry this race team (Halmar-Friesen Racing) to Phoenix next week to have some fun and see if we can contend for that championship.” 

Heim, who already had qualified for the championship race, simply wanted to maintain momentum into the final week of the season.

“I don’t want to jump to any conclusions yet,” Heim said of his title prospects. “We’ve got a big race next week…

“We wanted to capitalize on our day and make the best of it. Once we got out front, we showed that we really had something to work with here. We’ve got a big one next week to close it out. It’s going to be tough, but I’m confident we can do it.”

Two Playoff contenders saw their hopes of advancing to the Championship 4 evaporate long before the race ended. On Lap 73, side-by-side contact with Honeycutt’s Toyota cut the left rear tire on Rajah Caruth’s Chevrolet.

Caruth slowed suddenly and spun in Turn 1, crashing into the outside wall with enough force to knock him out of the race. Having entered the elimination event 14 points above the cut line, Caruth was suddenly out of the running for the title.

“We were in a really good spot, but it is what it is,” said Caruth, who had finished ninth in the first stage. “We’ll keep pushing, and the sun will come up tomorrow. It sucks now, but that’s part of it.”

Daniel Hemric, who came to Martinsville realistically needing a victory to advance, sustained significant damage to both ends of his No. 19 Chevrolet when he was sandwiched on the on Lap 29 restart when Riggs missed the shift.

Hemric’s truck began overheating, and after losing two laps under repairs, he failed to score points in either of the first two stages. The beneficiary under two cautions, Hemric regained the lead lap but his winning chances—and hopes for a Championship 4 berth—were gone.

On Lap 166, Hemric took his truck to the garage, dropping out of the race in 31st place.

Also eliminated from Championship 4 eligibility was Grant Enfinger, who entered the race 40 points below the elimination line and finished 12th.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Slim Jim 200

Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville, Virginia

Friday, October 24, 2025

                  1. (4)  Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 203.

                  2. (5)  Kaden Honeycutt (P), Toyota, 203.

                  3. (1)  Layne Riggs (P), Ford, 203.

                  4. (21)  Brent Crews, Toyota, 203.

                  5. (16)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 203.

                  6. (18)  Chandler Smith, Ford, 203.

                  7. (3)  Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 203.

                  8. (12)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 203.

                  9. (6)  Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 203.

                  10. (13)  Brenden Queen(i), Chevrolet, 203.

                  11. (2)  Giovanni Ruggiero #, Toyota, 203.

                  12. (8)  Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, 203.

                  13. (19)  Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 203.

                  14. (11)  Ben Rhodes, Ford, 203.

                  15. (29)  Patrick Staropoli(i), Toyota, 203.

                  16. (26)  Timmy Hill, Toyota, 203.

                  17. (28)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 203.

                  18. (22)  Jake Garcia, Ford, 203.

                  19. (14)  Dawson Sutton #, Chevrolet, 203.

                  20. (31)  Justin Carroll, Toyota, 203.

                  21. (20)  Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 203.

                  22. (25)  Conner Jones, Chevrolet, 203.

                  23. (32)  Frankie Muniz #, Ford, 203.

                  24. (27)  Casey Mears, Ford, 201.

                  25. (30)  Logan Bearden(i), Chevrolet, 197.

                  26. (24)  Toni Breidinger #, Toyota, 196.

                  27. (23)  Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 194.

                  28. (10)  Andres Perez De Lara #, Chevrolet, 189.

                  29. (15)  Matt Crafton, Ford, Brakes, 180.

                  30. (17)  Connor Mosack #, Chevrolet, Accident, 179.

                  31. (9)  Daniel Hemric (P), Chevrolet, Engine, 163.

                  32. (33)  Alan Waller, Ford, Accident, 136.

                  33. (34)  Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Too Slow, 114.

                  34. (7)  Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 72.

                  35. (35)  Clayton Green, Ford, Electrical, 0.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  58.34 mph.

Time of Race:  1 Hrs, 49 Mins, 49 Secs. Margin of Victory:  .451 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  11 for 75 laps.

Lead Changes:  10 among 6 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   L. Riggs (P) 1-27;T. Majeski (P) 28-47;C. Heim (P) 48-106;B. Crews 107-110;G. Ruggiero # 111-135;B. Crews 136-161;C. Smith 162;B. Crews 163-184;C. Heim (P) 185;B. Crews 186;C. Heim (P) 187-203.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Corey Heim (P) 3 times for 77 laps; Brent Crews 4 times for 53 laps; Layne Riggs (P) 1 time for 27 laps; Giovanni Ruggiero # 1 time for 25 laps; Ty Majeski (P) 1 time for 20 laps; Chandler Smith 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,98,9,18,15,34,52,17,71,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,98,34,9,15,18,1,52,41,99

The post Corey Heim wins record 11th race this season in dramatic elimination event appeared first on Martinsville Tourism.

Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Race
For the second time in the series history, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup lined up to race on an oval, and the competition was nothing short of intense with driver Jeremy Fletcher reigning victorious at Martinsville Speedway.

The race provided action from start to finish, with rookie driver Frankie Boroso starting on pole in the first 100 laps of the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 opening segment.

The open-top cars raced smoothly around the famed short track up until lap 69, when an incident near the Turn 2 cutout saw sand barrels taking the brunt of the hit, bringing out a red flag with Nathan Nicholson at the lead.

After the restart, an intense battle ensued between the top four cars. Nicholson, Fletcher, Boroso and Westin Workman put up a fight until a caution at lap 96 shook things up, extending the race and bringing out the green-white-checkered flag.

After over 100 laps of on-track action, it all came down to the final lap. Contact between Fletcher and Nicholson caused Nicholson to go into the wall, bringing it to an all-out drag race across the line with a photo finish between Workman and Fletcher.

Fletcher came out on top by a margin of 0.003 seconds, driving his Mazda MX-5 to Victory Lane before the second segment of the 300-lap doubleheader kicked off with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Finale.

NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Finale
Justin Bonsignore took home the Martinsville Speedway clock, but it was Austin Beers’ time to shine as the 22-year-old became the youngest champion in NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour series history.

Beers bested current NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2013 Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece in the record books for the youngest titleholder.

It was only fitting that the 40th anniversary season of the modern NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour came down to a dramatic battle on the famed half-mile track between the seasoned veteran and four-time Tour champion Bonsignore, and the young up-and-coming Beers.

While Beers may be the youngest champion in Tour history, the significance of joining the impressive list of names who have won the title isn’t lost on him.

“It’s pretty insane to think about,” Beers said post-race. “Growing up going to these modified races with my dad [Eric Beers] when he was running the Tour, and just dreaming of running on the Tour. And now being the champion with all those guys, like Mike [Stefanik] and Justin [Bonsignore]. Justin, I have a lot of respect for. Mike, I pride myself in being like Mike a little bit. Living legends that are champions of this division. I didn’t think I would even have the opportunity to run on the Whelen Modified Tour seven years ago, so to be a champion in this division is just unbelievable.”

Beers held the points lead through the majority of races this season and came into the season finale at Martinsville leading Bonsignore by 14 points as he pursued his first Tour title. He simply needed to finish eighth or better – no matter what Bonsignore did tonight – to capture the crown.

But it wasn’t going to be as simple as Beers hoped. Bonsignore came ready to capture every possible point he could to close the gap – earning points for being the fastest qualifier, leading a lap, and leading the most laps (121), in addition to winning the race.

Beers relied on what brought him to the championship – consistency. He led four laps after a restart with 76 laps to go, but settled back into fourth place and held his spot there.
With Beers settled into the top five, and Bonsignore in the lead, Patrick Emerling came to a stop between turns three and four, bringing out the caution with three laps to go in the race – and in the championship battle.

Bonsignore restarted from the lead on the inside row with Beers right behind him. The pair, who have exhibited tremendous mutual respect throughout the championship battle, had a clean restart. And while Bonsignore pulled away for the win, Beers’ second-place finish was all he needed to hold onto his championship lead by eight points to win his first Whelen Modified Tour title.

Bonsignore had nothing but praise for Beers and Mike Murphy, the owner of Beers’ No. 64 entry.

“I hate that he beat me to do it,” Bonsignore joked in reference to Beers winning the championship. “He’s a great young man, and I don’t know how, we just hit it off. We became really good friends at the track and I kinda would try to give him advice and take him under my wing a little bit. Eric, his dad, was obviously a great Tour driver for a long time. And his mom, they’re just great people. I’m super happy for them and the Murphy family.

“I hate that I’m the guy that lost to him, but I’m super proud of him and their team.”

Stephen Kopcik was crowned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year after finishing sixth in points this season. He finished third at Martinsville to bring his top-five tally on the year to three races (also Seekonk Speedway and White Mountain Motorsports Park, and tallied 11 top-10 results.

The Whelen Modified Tour opened championship day by releasing the 2026 schedule, highlighted by the highly anticipated return of Stafford Speedway and Oxford Plains Speedway. Martinsville Speedway will move to an early season slot to help set the tone for the season, while the championship finale moves back to Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park.

The Tour will once again kick off at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday, Feb. 7, marking the fifth straight year the high-powered Modifieds will open their season at the 0.48-mile Florida oval near NASCAR headquarters.

While the 2025 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour reached its conclusion at Martinsville Speedway, the race weekend continues on at the half-mile track with three NASCAR national series Playoffs races, starting on Friday evening, Oct. 24, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Slim Jim 200, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250 on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon when drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will compete in the Xfinity 500, closing out the penultimate race weekend of the 2025 season and deciding the Championship Four in all three NASCAR national series.

For more details or to purchase tickets to the triple-header spring race weekend at Martinsville Speedway, please visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Tickets are also available for purchase via phone at 877-RACE-TIX.

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IAA and Ritchie Bros. have joined the excitement of the upcoming NASCAR Playoffs race weekend at Martinville Speedway, serving as entitlement partner for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.

The IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25, as part of an action-packed weekend of racing at the famed short track.

“There’s truly no better welcome to NASCAR for IAA and Ritchie Bros. than the fall Playoffs race weekend here at Martinsville Speedway,” said Clay Campbell, President, Martinsville Speedway. “There are few other tracks on the schedule where you can physically feel the energy from the stands and the intensity in the atmosphere, and that’s exactly what our partners, competitors and fans will experience throughout the entire weekend.” 

IAA and Ritchie Bros., both RB Global, Inc. companies, provide value-added insights, services and transaction solutions for buyers and sellers of commercial assets and vehicles worldwide. IAA is a leading global digital marketplace connecting vehicle buyers and sellers, and Ritchie Bros. is the world’s largest auctioneer of commercial assets and vehicles offering online bidding.

This is IAA’s and Ritchie Bros.’ first joint collaboration with Martinsville Speedway and NASCAR.

“We’re proud to see our brands, IAA and Ritchie Bros., come together as entitlement sponsor for the Martinsville Speedway race,” said Brent Bradshaw, Vice President, Global Real Estate and Environmental Health, Safety & Security for RB Global. “We greatly value our partnership with NASCAR and our shared commitment to performance, teamwork and community – values that drive our organization on and off the track.”

Fans can witness an entire weekend of intense competition and entertainment in the upcoming NASCAR race weekend at Martinsville Speedway.

The weekend kicks off on Thursday night, Oct. 23, with the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 doubleheader event featuring the return of the Mazda MX-5 Cup, followed by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship.

The weekend continues with three NASCAR Playoffs races, starting on Friday evening, Oct. 24, with the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Slim Jim 200, followed by the Xfinity Series IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250 on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon when drivers in the Cup Series will compete in the Xfinity 500, closing out the penultimate race weekend of the 2025 NASCAR season and deciding the Championship Four in all three NASCAR national series.

For more details or to purchase tickets to the triple-header spring race weekend at Martinsville Speedway, please visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Tickets are also available for purchase via phone at 877-RACE-TIX.  

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The Slim Jim 200 will take place on Friday, Oct. 24, under the lights at the famed short track, where the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Four will be decided.

“It’s always exciting to welcome new faces, fans and partners to Martinsville Speedway, and we look forward to having Slim Jim be a part of our race weekend experience,” said Clay Campbell, President, Martinsville Speedway. “Slim Jim knows a thing or two about boldness and intensity and that’s exactly what short track racing is, bold and intense. Between the fantastic crowds and the atmosphere that comes with playoff racing, it’s sure to be a great weekend all around.”

Slim Jim is no stranger to NASCAR, previously partnering with various teams and drivers, however this is their first partnership with Martinsville Speedway. The snack brand was formerly the entitlement partner for the NASCAR All-Pro Series, a series whose aim was to showcase the best short-track racers in the country, making the collaboration with the famed short track a fitting one.

“Slim Jim is fired up to be part of NASCAR race weekend,” said Matthew Brown, Brand Director of Slim Jim. “It’s a perfect match for our bold brand and even bolder fans. We’re thrilled to bring the energy and excitement of Slim Jim to the track and celebrate with NASCAR fans.”

The NASCAR Playoffs race weekend at Martinsville Speedway kicks off on Thursday night, Oct. 23, with the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 doubleheader event featuring the return of the Mazda MX-5 Cup, followed by the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Championship.

The weekend continues with three NASCAR Playoffs races, starting on Friday evening, Oct. 24, with the Slim Jim 200, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs race on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The weekend concludes on Sunday afternoon where drivers in the NASCR Cup Series will compete in the Xfinity 500, closing out the penultimate race weekend of the 2025 NASCAR season and deciding the Championship Four in all three NASCAR national series.

For more details or to purchase tickets to the triple-header spring race weekend at Martinsville Speedway, please visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Tickets are also available for purchase via phone at 877-RACE-TIX.  

The post Slim Jim Named Entitlement Partner for NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs Race at Martinsville Speedway appeared first on Martinsville Tourism.

Get ready for one unforgettable evening in Bassett! The Bassett Hwy 57 Cruise-In is wrapping up its 2025 season with a 10th Anniversary Celebration that’s bigger and better than ever.

Saturday, October 18
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM
3525 Fairystone Park Hwy, Bassett, VA 24055

It’s been a decade of horsepower, nostalgia, and community pride — and what better way to close out the season than with Race Night and Trunk-or-Treat!

What to Expect

• Race Night: Experience the thrill up close with tons of race cars on display — from dirt track legends to drag strip favorites.
• Live Music by 220 South: Cruise through the evening with great rock tunes and high-energy vibes.
• Trunk-or-Treat: Bring the kids for a safe and fun trick-or-treating experience right at the Cruise-In!
• DJ Entertainment by B99.9: Keeping the party going with your favorite hits all afternoon.
• Food & Vendors: Satisfy your cravings and browse cool merchandise from local vendors.
• Family-Friendly Fun: It’s the perfect event to celebrate community, cars, and good times together.

Event Guidelines

To make sure everyone enjoys the evening safely, please remember:
No alcohol
No firearms or weapons
No pets (service animals only)
No burnouts or reckless driving
No tents
Be respectful of others and their vehicles
Dispose of trash properly and help keep the area clean

Whether you’re a lifelong car enthusiast, a racer, or just looking for a fun evening with the family, this is the place to be. Come celebrate 10 incredible years of the Bassett Hwy 57 Cruise-In and help send off the 2025 season with a roar!

Invite your friends, bring the family, and make memories at the final Cruise-In of the year!

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Pembelton battled his way through all 200 laps of NASCAR’s biggest and most prestigious Late Model Stock Car race, navigating cautions, weather and the rest of the field to earn the victory. This marks Pembelton’s second ValleyStar Credit Union 300 win, previously winning in 2021.

“Winning this race is unbelievable. This one definitely came a lot harder than the first one did, but I was able to capitalize,” said Pembelton. “I was very emotional coming to the line there and I knew Lee was going use me up and he did. I used him up a little bit too, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

A restart in the second half of the race saw Pembelton take the lead from Lee Pulliam, causing a shift in the lineup. Pulliam and Pembelton swapped leads a few times following a brief weather delay with 25 to go, but Pembelton eventually came out on top ahead of Pulliam after a neck-and-neck finish to the checkered flag, making his way to victory lane.

Pulliam started the race on the front row beside Carson Loftin after both drivers won their respective Heats earlier on in the day. Loftin ended the race in tenth.

Trevor Ward and Tristan McKee, who made up the second row after winning Heat races No. 3 and 4, had late race troubles. Mckee’s night ended around lap 160 following an incident, while Ward was shown the black flag after jumping a restart around lap 111, ending his night in 27th.

Two-time Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Champion Connor Hall finished 11th in the field in the final leg of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, giving him the edge he needed and ultimately earning the title of Triple Crown Champion.

“This is a great first Triple Crown win, obviously a great edition to my Late Model Stock Car racing resume,” said Hall. “When I joined JR Motorsports, I thought it was going to be pretty hard to make a ‘first’ for a team that’s won pretty much everything, so to give JR Motorsports and everyone back at the shop their first opportunity for a Triple Crown was super special for me.”

Before heading into the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 race weekend, Connor Hall led the Triple crown standings with an average finish of 1.5. Hall locked himself into the feature race after earning the win during the first leg of the Triple Crown at Langley Speedway earlier this year.
Drivers Woody Howard and Ronnie Bassett Jr. were tied for second in the standings going into the final leg of the Virginia Late Model Triple Crown, however Bassett’s race ended early after an incident on lap 21 of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Howard failed to qualify for the feature race after finishing outside the Top 10 in Heat Race No. 4.

Parker Eatmon finished second in the Triple Crown standings while Carson Loftin finished third.

Next up at Martinsville Speedway will be the NASCAR Playoffs race weekend featuring an action-packed lineup of racing and entertainment. It all begins on Thursday, Oct. 23 with the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 300 doubleheader, starting with the Whelen Madza MX-5 Cup, directly followed by the Whelen Modified Tour Championship under the lights at the famed short track.

Then, starting Friday, fans can witness drivers in all three NASCAR national series as they compete for the final chance to race their way into the Championship.

First up is the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs race on Friday, Oct. 24, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs on Saturday, Oct. 25. The weekend concludes on Sunday, Oct. 26, as drivers from the Cup Series compete in the penultimate race of the 2025 season, in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Fans can purchase tickets to the 2025 NASCAR Playoffs Race Weekend, as well as all other race weekends at Martinsville Speedway, via phone at 877-RACE-TIX or online at martinsvillespeedway.com.

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The MHC Historical Society is proud to announce its partnership with the Virginia 250 Car Project, with VA250 and Arrington Engines.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Virginia, the American Revolution and the nation, the Virginia 250 car will set a new world record – a NASCAR-spec Dodge Charger race car to go 250 miles per hour at NASA’s 15,000-foot runway at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility on January 2, 2026.

The car and engine are designed and developed by Joey Arrington of Arrington Manufacturing, who built the engine which set the standing record of 244.9 mph as confirmed by Guinness World Records in Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in 2007.

A film crew and helicopter will record this monumental event as the driver attempts to cross the 250 mph mark to honor and kick off the 250th year celebration of America. This event also will give a nod to Virginia’s history in racing and demonstrates that some of the best equipment in the world still originates in Virginia, sealing its rightful place in racing today.

Join us in the race to celebrate the quarter-millennial anniversary of the United States!

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