Aric Almirola has once again played spoiler to the drivers in the thick of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, winning Saturday’s National Debt Relief 250 at Martinsville Speedway in dominant fashion.
The Tampa, Florida-native, who stepped back from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of last season, scored his third Xfinity Series victory of the season, leading 150 of 250 laps at the half-mile paperclip.
It’s the ninth victory of the season for the No. 20 Toyota GR Supra team, which has been led this season by standout first-year crew chief Tyler Allen. Saturday’s victory at Martinsville ensures the team will compete for the Owner’s Championship at Phoenix next weekend.
To capture the victory, Almirola needed to run 16 perfect laps during the race’s final green-flag run, as Sammy Smith surged to the front of the pack in the late stages and made a brilliant effort to try and secure a victory, one that would have locked him into the Championship 4.
“What an amazing race car, so proud of Tyler [Allen, crew chief] and all of the guys on this team. We had an amazing car here in the Spring and we made a few tweaks to it because I wasn’t totally happy with it in the Spring, and we showed up yesterday and we were awful, and I was like ‘Oh no, what did we do’,” Almirola said post-race. “They went to work overnight and came up with a lot of changes to make with the car and it was so hooked up today, it would just do everything I wanted it to.”
Smith, who entered Martinsville in a must-win situation, finished in the runner-up position and therefore was eliminated from the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
Chandler Smith, a teammate to Almriola at Joe Gibbs Racing, brought home a third-place result. The Talking Rock, Georgia native has been clear about his lack of plans for the 2025 NASCAR campaign but was unable to advance into the Championship 4.
Cole Custer and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top five, with both drivers managing to put together strong enough runs to advance into the final round of the post-season and have a chance at the title next weekend at Phoenix.
Sheldon Creed finished sixth, rebounding from a late-race speeding penalty. Anthony Alfredo, Parker Kligerman, Jeb Burton, and Myatt Snider rounded out the top-10.
Jesse Love, who announced a contract renewal with Richard Childress Racing this past week, ended up 12th, and was also subsequently eliminated from the Playoffs. His teammate, Austin Hill, finished 14th.
The most notable incident of the evening wasn’t even something that happened on the racetrack, but rather an altercation post-race between Cole Custer and Chandler Smith.
Both drivers were fighting for their lives in the post-season, and throughout the event, there were several instances of contact that led Chandler Smith to be angry with Cole Custer, and vice versa.
Tempers flare on pit road after the race! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Iiss8Et2VI
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 2, 2024
That discussion turned physical momentarily, with Smith taking a swat at the head of Custer on pit road. Officials and security quickly broke up the fight, and the two drivers went on their separate ways.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will finish its 2024 season at Phoenix Raceway next weekend. Coverage of the event, on Saturday, November 9 will take place on The CW, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, AJ Allmendinger, and Austin Hill will be the four drivers competing for the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.
