It was a day and evening of firsts at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, Harrison Burton scored his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series pole. For the nightcap, Taylor Gray finally pulled through in a dramatic late-race battle with his rival, Sammy Smith, to score his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win at a place that has dealt him so much heartbreak, Martinsville Speedway.
Race Results: IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 at Martinsville
“About damn time I got me a clock,” Smith said in his victory interview on The CW. “I cannot thank everyone enough on this 54 team, such an awesome racecar. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and the pit crew did an awesome job tonight. Everyone on this crew bring me awesome racecars to the track and give me an opportunity to race for a win every time I come here.”
Additionally, this was the first-ever win for Ty Gibbs, who was officially listed as the owner of Gray’s No. 54 car in the offseason, as a team owner. Gibbs gave a glowing review of Gray’s ability to close out the win on Saturday night.
“Yeah, I think Taylor did a great job. He had great restarts, and that’s what separated him from maybe being wrecked,” Gibbs explained. “I think he did a great job on those restarts, great execution, and he did everything he needed to get the win.”
While Gray did a great job of scooting away from Smith, who crashed Gray from the lead in the race at Martinsville in the spring, Gray also felt Smith raced a little smarter this time around, knowing that fisticuffs were likely if he crossed a line again.
“I think he knew better,” Gray said of Smith. “I think he was going to get himself in a fight if he wrecked me. So, yeah, I think he probably played this one out a little smarter than last time.”
With Smith needing the win to advance to the Championship 4, it was kind of surprising that he didn’t approach closer to the line of what is acceptable etiquette on track than he did, but perhaps this will allow the beef between he and Gray simmer as they head into the 2026 season.
Brandon Jones, like Smith, was unable to advance to the Championship 4 despite a solid third-place run, and it was the same song, different verse for Sheldon Creed, who finished fourth, and Sam Mayer, who made a lot of enemies on his path to a seventh-place finish.
The four drivers, who advanced to the Championship 4 next weekend in Phoenix, were Connor Zilisch (finished 9th), Carson Kvapil (18th), Jesse Love (23rd) and Justin Allgaier (26th).
