Cup Series: Full Entry List For the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway

Sarah Talker

If you thought Talladega was wild, you’d better get ready, because Martinsville is expected to be a heck of a lot more chaotic. The 0.256-mile track is one of the shortest on the NASCAR circuit and can be tricky for drivers to maneuver due to its steep 12-degree banking and sharp corners, which are notorious for making or destroying championship dreams. The chaos of restrictor-plate racing is behind us, but there’s no time to breathe.

The Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway is the last stop before the Championship 4, and the pressure is at a boiling point. The green flag drops this Sunday, and for four drivers, it’s do-or-die time. We’ve got two drivers feeling pretty good right now, with their tickets already punched for the final showdown.

Denny Hamlin went out and dominated at Las Vegas, securing his spot early. Then you had Chase Briscoe, who battled through the madness at Talladega to grab a win and lock himself in. It’s a huge relief for those teams, knowing they can focus solely on Phoenix. But for everyone else? It’s a full-blown dogfight.

Who’s In and Who’s Out? Martinsville Playoff Picture

Heading into the weekend, the bubble is as tight as it gets. Christopher Bell is sitting in a decent spot, 37 points to the good. Right there with him is Kyle Larson, who has a solid 36-point cushion. They aren’t safe by any means—a bad day at “The Paperclip” can wipe that advantage out in a heartbeat, but they control their own destiny. A clean race, and they’re likely moving on.

Then you look below the cutline, and you can just feel the tension. William Byron is staring down a 36-point deficit. That’s a tough hill to climb, but it’s not impossible. Joey Logano is right there with him, 38 points back. You know a veteran like Logano is going to throw everything he has at this race.

The real desperation starts with Ryan Blaney, who’s 47 points out. He pretty much needs a win, plain and simple. And then there’s Chase Elliott. After a rough Round of 8, he’s a whopping 62 points back. For NASCAR’s most popular driver, the mission is clear: win at Martinsville, or his championship hopes are over. There’s no other way. It’s a long shot, but if anyone can pull a rabbit out of the hat when their back is against the wall, it’s him.

Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway

Cup Series: Entry List

(i) indicates drivers on this entry list who are ineligible for playoff or championship points 

  • 1. Ross Chastain, No.1 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 2. Austin Cindric, No. 2 (Team Penske, Ford)
  • 3. Austin Dillon, No. 3 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 4. Noah Gragson, No. 4 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
  • 5. Kyle Larson, No. 5 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 6. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
  • 7. Justin Haley, No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 8. Kyle Busch, No. 8 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 9. Chase Elliott, No. 9 (Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
  • 10. Ty Dillon, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 11. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 12. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
  • 13. AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 14. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
  • 15. Chase Briscoe, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 16. Christopher Bell, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 17. Josh Berry, No. 21 (Wood Brothers Racing, Ford)
  • 18. Joey Logano, No. 22 (Team Penske, Ford)
  • 19. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23Xl Racing, Toyota)
  • 20. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 21. Todd Gilliland, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
  • 22. Riley Herbst, No. 35 (23Xl Racing, Toyota)
  • 23. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
  • 24. Cole Custer, No. 41 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 25. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
  • 26. Erik Jones, No. 43 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
  • 27. Tyler Reddick, No. 45 (23Xl Racing, Toyota)
  • 28. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (HYAK Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 29. Alex Bowman, No. 48 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 30. Cody Ware, No. 51 (Rick Ware Racing, Ford)
  • 31. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 32. Ryan Preece, No. 60 (RFK Racing, Ford)
  • 33. Casey Mears (i), No. 66 (Garage 66, Ford)
  • 34. Michael McDowell, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 35. Carson Hocevar, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 36. Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 37. Daniel Suárez, No. 99 (Trackhouse Racing, Chevrolet)

A Milestone for a Veteran

In the midst of all this playoff drama, we’ve got a feel-good story with Casey Mears. The veteran is back in the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford. He’s 47 years young and still mixing it up with the best of them. He had a solid 18th-place run at Talladega, and this Sunday at Martinsville will mark his 600th career NASCAR start.

That’s a testament to his passion and longevity in a sport that chews up and spits out even the most talented drivers. It’s a huge milestone, and you can be sure the garage will be showing him the respect he deserves. The stage is set. The drama is palpable. Martinsville is a track that demands perfection and punishes mistakes.

It’s a pressure cooker, and it’s the perfect place to decide who will fight for the championship. Get ready for some old-school, short-track racing where tempers will flare, and legends will be made. You won’t want to miss a single lap.

Ahead of the Green Flag

This isn’t just another race. This is Martinsville under the lights with Championship 4 berths hanging in the balance. The 500-lap event will test patience, precision, and nerves. Drivers will push their equipment to the absolute limit, knowing that one aggressive move could either secure a championship opportunity or end their season.

The half-mile paperclip has a reputation for producing drama. Tempers flare. Sheet metal gets traded. Leaders get caught in traffic. That unpredictability means nobody can relax until the checkered flag waves. For six drivers, Sunday afternoon represents their last chance to keep championship dreams alive.

For thirty-one others, Sunday at Martinsville is an opportunity to play spoiler and grab a career-defining victory. And for everyone watching, it promises to be three-plus hours of intense, edge-of-your-seat short track racing. The entry list is set. The stage is prepared. Now it’s time to race at Martinsville Speedway.

Sarah is a writer with a passion for delivering interesting yet informative news stories about motorsports including NASCAR, IMSA, F1, and IndyCar. She has covered the Daytona 500 and the Wurth 400 live and is highly passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise across the motorsports industry.

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