Which four NASCAR drivers failed to punch the Championship 4 ticket? Exploring Martinsville's chaotic playoff elimination battle
The final race of the NASCAR playoffs, the round of eight, ended controversially, and two of the six drivers secured their spots in the Championship 4 round. Drivers including Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin ruled out of the final race after the defending champion Ryan Blaney won the Xfinity 500 held on November 3, 2024, at the Martinsville Speedway.
Along with the Team Penske driver, HMS driver William Byron also advanced to the final round of the 2024 season after Christopher Bell was penalized in the final lap of the race. However, Bell is not the only driver whose dreams of lifting the Cup Series championship were shattered in the last race. Let's take a look at the drivers who failed to advance to the NASCAR finals.
#1 Christopher Bell got slammed with a penalty by NASCAR
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell finished in P18 and secured his ticket for the Championship 4 round, dethroning his rival William Byron. However, a few minutes later, NASCAR slammed Bell with a penalty and disqualified him from the race after he executed Ross Chastain's Hail Melon-like move in the final lap.
The sanction association banned the move after Chastain executed the move at the same venue. This sparked chaos among the motorsports community. NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck even questioned NASCAR VP Elton Swayer about the reason behind neglecting the #23 driver Bubba Wallace and Chevy drivers slowing down and not slamming both drivers with the same penalty.
#2. Kyle Larson
Despite his record-breaking wins in the 2024 season, the Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson failed to secure his spot in NASCAR's final race. Larson qualified for the race in ninth place with a best time of 19.809 seconds and a top speed of 96.593 mph. He then moved up three ranks and finished Stage 1 in sixth place. In Stage 2, he jumped two ranks more and ended the stage in fourth place.
The Cup Series driver finished third in the final stage and led 71 laps in the 500-lap race. He took the lead in lap 414 and held the lead till Ryan Blaney took the lead from him in the final moments of the race.
#3. Chase Elliott
Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott has been racing at the Martinsville Racetrack since 2018 and has competed in 19 races till now. He was close to securing his second win at the Xfinity 500 race, but Ryan Blaney snuck the win, overtaking Elliott in the last lap of the race, leaving him in the runner-up position.
#. 4 Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing and Christopher Bell's teammate Denny Hamlin once again failed to complete his dream of lifting the NASCAR Cup Series Championship trophy. The veteran driver has been trying to accomplish the feat for over two decades. Hamlin has struggled since the beginning; he struck the wall on turn three after the throttle of his car got stuck during the qualifying laps.
Denny Hamlin began the race from P37, the last spot, and made a surprising recovery in Stage 1, finishing in P15. Despite a bad start, Hamlin showcased his years of experience and finished in P3 by the end of Stage 2. But sadly, the #11 driver finished P5, ruling out of the Championship 4 round.