Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Waterfowl Chevrolet Team Battle Hard to Earn 16th-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Finish: 16th Start: 20th Points: 15th
“We battled hard today. It was an eventful day for our Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Waterfowl Chevrolet but this No. 3 team just kept grinding it out. We kept our heads down, made the next best decision and got our balance in a really good spot in the second half of the race. Proud of the effort, and we will look to finish our season strong next week in Phoenix.” -Austin Dillon
Positive In-Race Adjustments Lead Kyle Busch and the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet Team to Strong 13th-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Finish: 13th Start: 7th Points: 22nd
“After a strong qualifying effort with the No. 8 BetMGM Chevrolet, we battled a tight center that led us to go a lap down early in the race. The entire Richard Childress Racing team made adjustments throughout the race that not only got us back on the lead lap, but had us inside the top 10 at race’s end. We leave Martinsville Speedway with a 13th-place finish, and will look to Phoenix next week with our focus on concluding the season with a win.” -Kyle Busch
Bell falls just shy in points; Briscoe and Hamlin will represent Toyota in Championship 4 at Phoenix
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 26, 2025) – Christopher Bell led Toyota with a seventh-place finish Sunday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway. Bell was aiming for his fourth Championship 4 appearance and had hoped to join Toyota teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin in next weekend’s Championship finale at Phoenix Raceway. But the day didn’t go his way, as he fell seven points short of making the Final 4 cutoff.
Hamlin advanced to his first Championship 4 since 2021 with his win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, while Briscoe will be making his first career Championship 4 appearance where he punched his ticket via a win at Talladega Superspeedway.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Martinsville Speedway Race 35 of 36 – 263 miles, 500 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, William Byron* 2nd, Ryan Blaney* 3rd, Chase Elliott* 4th, Ross Chastain* 5th, Kyle Larson* 7th, CHRISTOPHER BELL 11th, TYLER REDDICK 12th, TY GIBBS 18th, BUBBA WALLACE 21st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 34th, ERIK JONES 36th, DENNY HAMLIN 36th, RILEY HERBST 37th, CHASE BRISCOE *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Coofandy Menswear Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 7th
What were you lacking with the 20 car?
“It seemed like we were just lacking a little bit of long run pace. When I got the balance close at times, I could take off on tires and do ok and make some passes and maintain my position. And then, the consistent theme of the day was just falling backwards as the tires got old. We weren’t strong enough at Martinsville this weekend. We practiced in the teens, qualified in the teens and kind of raced back there most of the day. I feel content with the results, the four who are going there are legitimate contenders and whoever the champion is will be well deserved. The 20 team just wasn’t good enough.”
Would you like to see something different next year with the points format?
“We need to worry about next year after Phoenix. This year, there’s four great drivers and all have had championship seasons. Whoever the champion is going to be well deserving, I think the format worked out this year.”
What did you need to make up the track position to fight for a spot in the Championship 4?
“I feel like I just needed a bit of long run pace. Whenever we got the balance right, I was pretty fast on the short run and I could make passes and keep up with the best cars, then I would just fall off and those guys would get back by me.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 King’s Hawaiian Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 35th
What did you feel behind the wheel?
“I felt like the car was coming to us, but I know what you are asking. I felt like we were in a good spot there where we just started to close back in on (Ryan) Blaney. We got the track position we needed. I feel bad for King’s Hawaiian, I’m not sure we have finished a race so far with these guys so I hate it for them. I didn’t feel anything, it was running and then it was just no noises, no sounds, no indication. I decelerated into turn one and it just shut off, that was it. We’ll work on it I guess and try to get them next week.”
How concerned are you about this issue for next week?
“I’m obviously concerned, but there obviously nothing I can do about it. We’ll live with it and hopefully we’ll get back next week and we are just going to have to see how it goes. I’m confident in the speed that we’ll have next week. I’m really confident in what this team is going to bring next week and we’ll bring our best, hopefully it lasts.”
Was there any indication on what happened?
“Everything was fine and then it just lost power into turn one and that was it. No noises or anything, but just silence because it wasn’t running.”
What did you expect out of Martinsville and what did you get today?
“I thought that the left side tire was a good change. It certainly makes you manage it, but also more cars have been on the track and the track is starting to rubber. It hasn’t wore as much as I would have expected and the lap time fall off was not quite as much. But a good experiment, I think it can put on good races.”
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 37th
Was there any indication whether you were having issues before?
“No indication. I was just running around there. I felt really good about coming here and where we were at and racing with (Kyle) Larson there and went to upshift and something happened. I’m not really sure, it’s unfortunate. We’ll go on to next week and that won’t matter anyways.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Ty Dillon and the No. 10 Chevrolet team started Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway from the 26th position. With a solid car, Dillon was able to advance early in the race before falling a lap down late in stage one. Unable to get back on the lead lap due to strategies and timing of cautions, Dillon finished the race in 26th, two laps down to the leaders.
AJ Allmendinger qualified 33rd for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. In the opening stage, Allmendinger reported early that his No. 16 Black’s Tire Service Chevy lacked turn. The team worked to make adjustments to help Allmendinger with the handling so he could preserve the tires better on each run. When pitting under green in Stage 2, Allmendinger was penalized for speeding. The No. 16 returned to pit road for a pass through to serve the penalty. Throughout the remainder of the race, the team worked to make adjustments and take notes to improve the team’s short track program over the off-season. Allmendinger went on to finished in 28th-place.
About Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
Christian Eckes qualified ninth for the IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250. When the first caution of the night came out on lap 34, he and his teammates stayed out, all restarting in the top five. Eckes went on to finish the opening stage in eighth. The team went to work to make multiple adjustments on the No. 16 Celsius Chevy, before Eckes started the second stage from 30th. Firing off better in the second stage, he went on to finish third. Eckes started the final stage from 20th and went on to finish 27th.
Daniel Dye qualified 22nd for the IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250. When the first caution of the night came out on lap 34, Dye and his teammates stayed out, all restarting in the top five. He went on to finish the opening stage in 17th. Dye struggled with turn in the No. 10 Champion Container Chevy throughout the second stage and made contact with another competitor coming to the white flag. He finished the second stage in 29th and stayed out to start the final stage from 17th. Coming to four laps to go, Dye’s right-front tire went down, bringing out an overtime-inducing caution. He went on to finish 33rd.
Brenden Queen qualified 8th for the IAA & Ritchie Bros. 250. Queen raced his way into the top five before the first caution of the night came out on lap 34. He and his teammates stayed out, and Queen inherited the lead, before finishing the opening stage in third. Happy with the handling of the No. 11 Campers Inn RV Mobile Medic Chevy, Queen pitted for tires and fuel only during the first stage break and started the second stage from 29th. When the next caution flag came out on lap 91, Queen stayed out and restarted third, before finishing the second stage one spot better than the first. Working his way back through traffic to start the final stage, Queen was spun from 12th place and received terminal suspension damage. His night ended early, and he was relegated to a 35th-place finish.
About Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 27 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Team Finish 23rd at Martinsville Speedway to Lock Themselves into 2026 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Battle
Finish: 23rd Start: 21st Points: 3rd
“What a day we had. We miscalculated our pit road lights a little bit, and then had a small penalty, and so we had no stage points today. On top of all of that, I don’t feel like I am very good here, and I was doubting the handling of our Whelen Chevrolet. We weren’t as fast as we were hoping. However, as a team we used our heads, stayed aware of our surroundings, and were very smart about the race. I pride myself in that, I pride my crew chief, Danny Stockman, in that, and our whole team. I’m overall just proud of the entire RCR and ECR organization. My teammate, Austin Hill, is in position to battle for an Owner’s Championship, and I’m locked into the Final Four and in position to battle for a Driver’s Championship. We have something to be proud of, even though today wasn’t our finest work. We’re going to focus on Phoenix Raceway, a place we know we’re really good at, and putting together the best race we can.” – Jesse Love
Austin Hill and the No. 21 Global Industrial Chevrolet Team Earn Top-15 Finish at Martinsville Speedway: Focused on NASCAR Xfinity Series Owner’s Championship Battle Leading into Phoenix Raceway
Finish: 12th Start: 6th Points: 9th
“Well, that wasn’t a pretty top-15 finish, but our Global Industrial team will take it. The whole race was a grind. Our Chevrolet was extremely tight for most of the night, but we kept throwing adjustment at it. Finally by the end, the car was the best it had been at finishing the corner, while still being on the tight side. This No. 21 team continues to prove that we don’t quit, and now we will focus on winning an Owner’s Championship for Richard Childress. That would mean a lot to me personally, and to our whole organization.” -Austin Hill
Jones finishes third, falls just four points short of advancing to the Championship
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 25, 2025) – Rookie Taylor Gray held off Sammy Smith and Toyota teammates Brandon Jones and Aric Almirola in a two-lap overtime shootout Saturday night at Martinsville Speedway to capture his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory.
Jones, who was vying to move onto the Championship 4, battled hard all race and had himself in a position to advance. Jones’ effort was valiant, as he dug himself out of a 20-point hole and ended up just four points shy of a Championship 4 appearance.
Toyota GAZOO Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Martinsville Speedway Race 32 of 33 – 131.5 miles, 250 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, TAYLOR GRAY
2nd, Sammy Smith*
3rd, BRANDON JONES
4th, Sheldon Creed*
5th, ARIC ALMIROLA
8th, DEAN THOMPSON
10th, JUSTIN BONSIGNORE
17th, PATRICK STAROPOLI
37th, TAKUMA KOGA
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
Is the feeling as good as you imagined to finally be in victory lane?
“About damn time I got me a clock. 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.”
What was the final restart like and what led you to victory lane at Martinsville?
“Whenever the caution came out with five laps to go I was like, this is my luck every time I come to this dang place. I was able to get a really good restart and able to drive away with it. I had a really good racecar, I can’t thank Jason Ratcliff enough and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing for bringing awesome racecars, especially this race. They give me an opportunity to come here and win every time I show up to this race. We were as fast as Xfinity mobile tonight, it’s been way too long since I’ve been here.
What was going through your mind with so many variables at the end of the race?
“It was tough. Aric (Almirola) and I were probably the two best cars in that stint and Aric was racing so hard, it was so fun racing with him and learning from a Cup veteran like he is. It was super fun racing with him, frustrating but fun, but that’s what this place is all about. I think just knowing how long its been since I’ve been here. Knowing how hard I’ve worked to get back to this spot and how many opportunities we’ve had this year and things have no gone our way, or we haven’t executed the race like we needed to. To finally close one out and finish like we should have like we did in the spring means a lot.”
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Dawn Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
You guys fought so hard but where ultimately did you fall short?
“First off, we executed the day really well. Everyone did their part today, the pit crew was absolutely awesome like they typically are. We got track position early in the race and then we were pretty much the top playoff car for the majority of it. That’s really the way you have to do it, but in the end the trick was start behind the 54 (Gray) and get a good launch and didn’t get a great launch. I don’t know if that comes down to not prepping the tire correctly or getting it ready, but I spun the tire a bit and Taylor didn’t and he took off. At that point I had to make decision whether I harpoon the kid. I didn’t want to wreck myself doing that and I didn’t want to wreck Taylor doing that, he was going for a win as well. I’m proud and happy for him he’s been working hard at it. My next line of defense was hoping the 8 (Sammy Smith) was going to get more aggressive and try to move him and I take advantage. The day until the very last restart was executed flawlessly. I’m dejected that we didn’t make it but I’m happy the guys fought. There was a lot of late nights on this racecar to get it ready. There was no lack of effort on anyone’s end. We are competing for wins and so close to get to the final four for Menard’s. I’ve been waiting a really long time to get them back in the final four in the Xfinity Series. Been close, but you look back at the year and it’s always going to be like this. You have a better Talladega or a better Vegas and then you don’t have to go win. We’ll continue to press forward, we’ve done so much this year, we’ve made big strides and we’ve got one more to try and go win next weekend. Big thanks to Dawn and Dawn dish, Menard’s, Toyota, and Joe Gibbs Racing for giving us vehicles that are capable to go out there and compete. It was a high pressure situation but I was having fun and can smile about it.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Ford Racing Notes and Quotes NASCAR Xfinity Series IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 — Martinsville Speedway Saturday, October 25, 2025
Ford Finishing Results:
4th – Sheldon Creed 7th – Sam Mayer 11th – Harrison Burton 15th – Ryan Sieg 21st – Kyle Sieg 32nd – Mason Maggio
SAM MAYER, No. 41 Audibel Ford Mustang Dark Horse – YOU AND JEB BURTON TANGLED A COUPLE OF TIMES TONIGHT. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? “He caused a 20-car pileup at Talladega, which put us in the spot we’re in going into today, so it was his fault to begin with. Him left-hooking the 20 car in the middle of the tri-oval at Talladega is just an absolutely silly thing to have happen, and me getting caught up in it sucks because everyone at Haas Factory Team has worked their freaking tails off all year to have a shot at a championship and those probably 25 points that we could have gotten at Talladega is the reason we didn’t make it. It definitely sucks to be in that spot for myself because it made me have to race a lot harder tonight. There are a lot of hurt feelings for sure. I have hurt feelings myself because I’m getting raced like absolute dog water, but I’m just really proud of all these guys at Haas Factory Team. We’ve worked our tails off all season and definitely disappointed to not make the Champ 4, but it definitely wasn’t a lack of effort. We gave it all we had.”
SO THE SPIN AFTER THE RACE WASN’T FOR HIM KNOCKING YOU OUT OF THE WAY FOR THE SPOT, OR WAS IT MORE ABOUT TALLADEGA AND THAT SITUATION? “It’s a principle thing. He’s the worst person to race around in the entire garage. He has a reputation of being over his head every single week and this was a prime example of it. He just can’t take no for an answer and a guy with a purple spoiler racing for something huge, moved him out of the way and went on and was faster than him in the end and as soon as he got back to me he gave it the beans and tried to wreck me three corners in a row. Thank God I have enough car control to where I can hold onto it and not wreck, but he has no respect for someone racing for something bigger than what he is, and I mean, what is he? He’s like 35th in points and I don’t know what he’s trying to do. It’s awful.”
SHELDON CREED, No. 00 Friends of Jaclyn Ford Mustang Dark Horse – WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED TONIGHT? “I just needed to be probably a little better. I wasn’t terrible, but I don’t know, that top four could just kind of run and my car would kind of come to me after 20 laps or so. There are really no excuses. We just needed to be a little better to maybe be in the position the 8 or the 20 were in, where restarting fourth there, I’m really surprised the 20 didn’t kind of try to push the 54 up or even the 8. I thought he was for sure gonna try. To see a Martinsville finish end like that is probably good for the series. I think guys are maturing and I feel like all of us are just trying to race each other a little better, but I just felt like the 20 or the 8 could have maybe pushed the issue a little more there.”
DO YOU THINK THE WAY THE SPRING RACE ENDED HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS BEING CLEANER? “Yeah, but I think pushing somebody up off the bottom and trying to drag race him down the straightaway is fair game, especially to go to the final four, so I would have understood if it happened to me, or if I was running second entering three coming to the checkered, I would have for sure tried to at least push him off the bottom. All in all, it was not a bad night. We kept all the fenders on it and restarted in the top five the last couple of restarts.”
The days when you had to sit in front of a TV in order to watch matches in the right way are gone. Your phone is now your new football companion, providing live statistics, tactical analysis, and real-time information wherever you go. You can now watch live football statistics wherever you are, be it at work, on the commute or simply because you just feel like being mobile.
The trick is to understand what apps can provide the goods and how to use them without being lost in the ocean of numbers and notifications.
Why Is Mobile Availability A Must-Have Feature for Football Analytical Platforms?
Stat tracking on mobile is no longer something that fantasy football fanatics or betting enthusiasts would enjoy. Live statistics are used by regular supporters to have a glimpse of what is really going on at the matches, not only the scoreline.
When you are watching Arsenal vs Liverpool and the Gunners are dominating possession at 63% yet they are losing 1-0, you are aware that the equalizer is likely to be on its way. The stories behind the numbers can be missed by commentary.
Modern football moves fast. Tactical switches happen mid-match. Form players get rotated. Injuries force changes. Mobile stats help you stay on top of these developments as they unfold rather than reading about them hours later on social media. You’re basically getting the same information that professional analysts see, just packaged for your pocket.
Essential Features Your Stats App Needs
Not all football apps are created equal. Some focus on scores and lineups. While others like live scores by Predixly on mobile dive deeper into tactical metrics.
Here’s what separates the proper platforms from the basic score trackers.
Real-time updates are non-negotiable.
Comprehensive coverage matters if you follow multiple competitions.
Player-level statistics separate professional-grade apps from basic trackers.
Historical context in data archives let you compare today’s numbers against historical averages.
How to Actually Use Mobile Stats During Matches?
Let’s take a recent Premier League match as an example. Manchester City hosting Brentford last weekend provided a perfect demonstration of how mobile stats enhance understanding.
Source – Predixly.com
City was dominating possession early on, 68% in the first 20 minutes, yet Spurs were making the better chances, 0.9 xG compared to 0.6 of City. Your eyes may believe that City was playing the game but the statistics tell that Spurs were the actual threat despite having less ball time.
Are you looking at the personal statistics, you notice that Haaland has not dropped deep, but made all of his touches in the box. Spurs were winning 57% of their duels in the midfield that is the reason they wired up the regular groove of City. These small points make a mere watch an in-depth analysis.
Setting Up Your Mobile Stats Workflow
Customize your notifications carefully. Getting pinged for every throw-in drives you mental. Set alerts for goals, cards, and major events only. Some apps let you choose specific players to track, which works brilliantly for fantasy managers who need updates on their captain’s performance.
Use the Favorites function to bookmark teams and competitions you follow regularly. Most quality apps let you star your preferred clubs so their matches appear first in your feed. This saves endless scrolling through matches you don’t care about.
Enable widget views on your home screen for at-a-glance information. You can check scores and basic stats without even opening the app fully. iOS and Android both support football widgets that refresh automatically.
Download match data for offline viewing if your platform offers it. This helps when you’re traveling or have dodgy signal but still want to review statistics from matches you missed.
Source – Predixly.com
What Makes Predixly Stand Out on Mobile?
While multiple platforms offer mobile stats, some handle the experience better than others. Predixly’s mobile interface deserves mention for several reasons that matter to serious supporters.
The platform updates without requiring manual refreshes, so you’re always seeing current information as matches progress. This seems basic but many apps still require you to pull down to refresh constantly, which gets tiresome quickly.
Coverage spanning 1,500+ tournaments means you’re not stuck with just the popular leagues. Following a Portuguese second division match? Covered. Checking Norwegian league stats? Available. This breadth particularly helps fans following multiple competitions or scouting players from less mainstream leagues.
Taylor Gray erased the heartbreaks over his previous two outcomes at Martinsville Speedway by scoring redemption in the form of a first NASCAR Xfinity Series career victory in the IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 on Saturday, October 25.
The 20-year-old Gray from Artesia, New Mexico, led the final 52 of 253 over-scheduled laps. After qualifying in 13th place, he methodically carved his way to the front. While battling a bevy of Playoff competitors and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Gray assumed the lead for the first time during a late-race restart with 49 laps remaining.
Despite having his steady advantage stalled three times for the duration of the event, including a late-race caution with four laps remaining that sent the event into overtime, Gray executed with a strong launch during the overtime attempt. He then had enough horsepower to both steer and maintain his entry ahead of the competition for two laps to achieve his first breakthrough victory across NASCAR’s top-three national touring series.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Harrison Burton notched his first Xfinity career pole position with a pole-winning lap at 95.429 mph in 19.843 seconds. Joining Burton on the front row was rookie Carson Kvapil, the highest-starting Playoff contender and the latter of whom clocked in his best qualifying lap at 95.405 mph in 19.848 seconds.
Prior to the event, Championship 4 finalist Connor Zilisch and Anthony Alfredo dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries.
When the green flag waved and the event commenced, Harrison Burton used the inside lane to launch ahead of Carson Kvapil and the field entering the first turn. Through the first two turns, Aric Almirola made a move beneath Kvapil and challenged the latter for the runner-up spot. As Almirola dueled with Kvapil before he muscled ahead of the latter for the runner-up spot in Turn 4, Burton proceeded to lead the first lap.
Over the next four laps, Burton maintained a lead that stood to two-tenths of a second over Almirola. Justin Allgaier, Kvapil and Sheldon Creed followed suit in the top five, respectively. Behind, Ryan Sieg, Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones and Taylor Gray trailed in the top 10, respectively, as Burton retained the lead by a tenth of a second over Almirola on the 10th lap.
Through the first 25-scheduled laps, Almirola, who assumed the lead from Burton on Lap 17, was leading by more than a second over Allgaier while Burton dropped to third place. Ryan Sieg and Queen followed suit in the top five ahead of Creed, Jones, Gray, Kvapil and Sammy Smith, while Justin Bonsignore, Jeb Burton, Austin Hill, Christian Eckes and Brennan Poole pursued in the top 150, respectively. Playoff contenders Jesse Love and Sam Mayer were racing in 17th and 19th, respectively, while Connor Zilisch was mired in 29th.
Six laps later, the event’s first caution flew when Myatt Snider spun in Turn 2. During the caution, some led by Almirola and including Allgaier, Burton, Ryan Sieg, Creed, Brandon Jones, Gray, Kvapil, Sammy Smith, Hill and Love pitted their respective entries for the first time while the rest led by Queen remained on the track. During the pit stops, Love and Nick Sanchez were sent to the tail end of the field for speeding on pit road.
The start of the next restart on Lap 38 featured Queen leading the field while Mayer bumped and moved Jeb Burton up the racing groove entering Turn 1, which enabled Mayer to move into the runner-up spot. Queen proceeded to extend his lead to a second by Lap 45 while Mayer, Allgaier, Eckes and Daniel Dye trailed in the top five.
Following the event’s second caution that flew on Lap 45 when Connor Mosack spun through Turns 3 and 4, the event restarted under green with eight laps remaining in the first stage period. At the start, Queen maintained the lead over Mayer while Allgaier, Eckes and Jones followed suit. Queen proceeded to lead the next lap before Mayer overtook the latter and assumed the top spot. Mayer proceeded to lead through Lap 57 before Allgaier assumed the lead.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 60, Allgaier captured his 14th Xfinity stage victory of the 2025 season. Almirola followed suit in second ahead of Queen, Jones and Mayer. Zilisch, Harrison Burton, Eckes, Creed and Corey Day completed the top 10. With five of eight Playoff contenders racking up the event’s first round of stage points by finishing in the top 10 on the track, the remaining three, which included Kvapil, Sammy Smith and Love, were mired in 11th, 15th and 25th, respectively.
Under the first stage break period, a handful of competitors led by the leader Queen and including Eckes, Mayer, Dye, Parker Retzlaff and Garrett Smithley pitted while the rest led by Allgaier remained on the track.
The second stage period started on Lap 72 as Allgaier and Jones occupied the front row. At the start, Allgaier used the inside lane to muscle ahead of Jones through the first two turns. As Allgaier proceeded to lead just past the Lap 75 mark, Jones fiercely fended off teammate Almirola for the runner-up spot while Zilisch and Harrison Burton battled for fourth place in front of Corey Day, Creed, Kvapil and Anthony Alfredo.
At the Lap 80 mark, Allgaier was leading by a tenth of a second over Jones while Almirola, Harrison Burton and Zilisch followed suit in the top five ahead of Creed, Kvapil, Gray, Corey Day and Ryan Sieg, respectively. Meanwhile, Sammy Smith, Love and Mayer were mired in 12th, 19th and 29th, respectively.
Ten laps later, Allgaier stabilized his advantage to three-tenths of a second over Almirola, the latter of whom overtook teammate Jones for the spot. Another lap later, the caution flew when Jeb Burton spun through the first two turns. During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Allgaier pitted for service while the rest led by Kvapil and including Mayer remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, Love received a second penalty, this time for an equipment interference.
When the race restarted under green on Lap 98. Kvapil fended off Queen to lead the field through the first two turns and the backstretch. As the field behind jostled and fanned out for positions, Kvapil, who was pursuing stage points to maintain his advantage above the top-four cutline to make the Championship 4 round, proceeded to lead the next lap and the Lap 100 mark.
By Lap 110, Kvapil continued to lead by three-tenths of a second over Queen as Eckes, Mayer, Allgaier, Anthony Alfredo, Gray, Sanchez, Jones and Almirola followed suit in the top 10, respectively. Meanwhile, Creed was scored in 11th place and racing three spots ahead of Sammy Smith, while Zilisch was mired in 18th place. In addition, Love, who was trying to rally from his second pit road penalty, was mired in 31st place.
When the second stage period concluded on Lap 120, Kvapil captured his second Xfinity stage victory of the 2025 season. Kaulig Racing’s Queen and Eckes settled in second and third while Mayer, Gray, Allgaier, Jones, Almirola, Creed and Alfredo were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, five of eight Playoff contenders racked up the event’s second round of stage points while Sammy Smith, Zilisch and Love were mired outside the top 10 in 12th, 17th, and 30th, respectively.
During the second stage break period, some led by Kvapil and including Queen, Eckes, Alfredo, Sanchez, Zilisch, Justin Bonsignore, Retzlaff, Austin Green, Ryan Ellis, Jeb Burton, Jeremy Clements and Love pitted while the rest led by Mayer remained on the track. Before those who pitted, pit road was closed for an extensive period of time due to dropped fluid all across the circuit and from Thomas Annunziata’s entry.
With 113 laps remaining, the third and final stage period commenced as Mayer and Gray occupied the front row. At the start, Mayer fended off Gray for nearly a full lap before he cycled back to the frontstretch and led the next lap. Mayer then proceeded to lead with 110 laps remaining as the field behind jostled for spots.
Down to the final 100 laps of the event, Mayer stretched his advantage to more than a second over runner-up Allgaier, third-place Almirola, and fourth-place Gray while Jones, Ryan Sieg, Sammy Smith, Harrison Burton, Creed and Patrick Staropoli trailed in the top 10. Meanwhile, Kvapil, who had fresh tires, was mired in 21st as Love was mired in 25th behind Zilisch.
Ten laps later, Mayer had his advantage decreased to two-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Almirola. Another two laps later, Almirola assumed the lead from Mayer and teammate Gray followed suit. This dropped Mayer to third place in front of Allgaier and Ryan Sieg as Jones, Sammy Smith, Harrison Burton, Staropoli and Creed pursued in the top 10. Meanwhile, teammates Kvapil and Zilisch climbed to 17th and 18th, respectively, while Love was mired in 30th.
Then, within the final 80 laps, the battle for the lead between teammates Almirola and Gray crescendoed as the latter drew himself alongside the former in a side-by-side battle through every turn and straightaway. Amid Gray’s challenges, Almirola managed to retain the top spot as his lead stood to less than two-tenths of a second with 70 laps remaining.
With 60 laps remaining, teammates Almirola and Gray, both of whom had been battling for the lead over the previous 10 laps, continued to do so as Almirola led by a tenth of a second over Gray and amid Gray’s repeated challenges. Meanwhile, teammate Justin Bonsignore trailed in third place by five seconds while Mayer, Jones, Allgaier, Ryan Sieg, Sammy Smith, Creed and Staropoli all pursued in the top 10. Meanwhile, Love was a lap down in 32nd while Zilisch and Kvapil battled within the top-15 mark.
Two laps later, the caution flew for a multi-car wreck that erupted in Turn 4 when Brennan Poole bumped Queen into Josh Williams, which sent the latter two spinning. Amid Queen’s spin, Poole then got hit by Zilisch and both along with Corey Day and Queen, came to a rest towards the inside wall while Kvapil barely dodged the carnage.
During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Almirola pitted for service while the rest led by Sanchez remained on the track.
The start of the next restart, with 49 laps remaining, featured Sanchez and Gray dueling for the lead for nearly a full lap. Gray, who was racing on the outside lane, gained an advantage entering the frontstretch to lead the next lap and clear Sanchez while Almirola assumed the runner-up spot during the following lap. During the next lap, Jones assumed third place while Sanchez retained fourth ahead of Sammy Smith, Bonsignore, Creed and Mayer. Meanwhile, and amid a flurry of on-track battles and contacts, Gray retained the lead with 45 laps remaining.
Down to the final 35 laps of the event, Gray was leading by three-tenths of a second over teammate Almirola while his other teammate and Playoff contender Jones followed suit in third place by half a second. Meanwhile, Sammy Smith occupied fourth place, two spots ahead of Creed, while Mayer and Kvapil trailed in eighth and 10th, respectively. Meanwhile, Allgaier was back in 14th, Zilisch was mired in 20th and Love was strapped a lap down in 32nd.
Three laps later, and as Gray’s lead grew to nine-tenths of a second, the caution returned due to Retzlaff and Brad Perez both spinning in Turn 2. During the next restart with 25 laps remaining, the caution returned two laps later when Kvapil, who was racing within the top-10 mark, spun in Turn 4 after he got hit by Ryan Sieg as Sieg locked up his tires. Amid the incident, Gray retained the lead over teammate Almirola. In addition, Kvapil’s incident moved fourth-place Brandon Jones above the cutline while Kvapil, who fell back to 30th amid his spin, dropped below the cutline.
As the event restarted with 17 laps remaining, Gray retained the lead over Almirola while Sammy Smith, Jones, Creed, and Mayer followed suit. Behind Gray, Smith overtook Almirola for second place a lap later. Smith’s move moved him into a tie with Jones for the final transfer spot in the Playoff standings as Jones was in fourth on the track in front of Creed and Mayer.
With 10 laps remaining, Gray maintained the lead by six-tenths over Sammy Smith while Jones was in third. With Kvapil mired in 22nd, he and Jones were scored tied for the final transfer berth with Smith trailing by a single point. Over the next five laps and as Gray stretched his lead, Kvapil moved up to 19th. This then allowed Kvapil to move back above the cutline by three points over Jones while Jones battled and overtook Smith for second.
Then, with five laps remaining, a caution was flown due to Daniel Dye stalling on the track. Dye’s incident sent the event into overtime. At the start of overtime, Gray executed a strong launch from the inside lane to muscle ahead of Smith, Jones and the rest of the field through the first two turns. As Gray led through the backstretch, Smith managed to muscle ahead of Jones from the outside lane and commenced his pursuit of Gray for the lead and a potential berth to the Championship 4 round while Jones was locked in a battle with Creed and Almirola for third place.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Gray remained in the lead by three-tenths of a second over a hard-charging Smith and a bevy of competitors jostling for late positions. Through the first two turns, Smith slowly reeled in on Gray’s rear bumper, but he could not get to the latter’s rear bumper through the backstretch. With Smith unable to draw himself back to Gray’s rear bumper through Turns 3 and 4, Gray was able to cycle back to the frontstretch victorious as he claimed his first career checkered flag by three-tenths of a second.
With the victory, Gray, who won in his 45th career start, became the 181st competitor overall to win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the first competitor to record a first career win at Martinsville since Josh Berry made the previous achievement in 2021.
Gray’s first career victory also marked the first win for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 54 Toyota team since Ty Gibbs won both the 2022 season finale and the championship at Phoenix Raceway. It was also the first for former championship-winning crew chief Jason Ratcliff since he won with Denny Hamlin at Darlington Raceway in September 2023.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“Gosh, [it’s] about damn time I get me a clock, baby!” Gray exclaimed on the frontstretch on the CW Network. “Man, I cannot thank everybody on this No. 54 team. Such an awesome race car. [Crew chief] Jason Ratcliff, all these [No. 54] guys, the pit crew did an awesome job tonight. Everybody on this group bring awesome race cars to this racetrack and gave me an opportunity to race every time I come here.”
Playoffs
With Gray’s first NASCAR career victory serving as one storyline, the other was the outcome of who made the Championship 4 round and who did not. With respective finishes of 23rd and 18th, Jesse Love and Carson Kvapil claimed the final two transfer berths to the final Playoff round by 18 and four points. As a result, they join Connor Zilisch and the reigning champion Justin Allgaier as the four competitors who will contend for next weekend’s Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway.
The result left Kvapil satisfied amid an adversity-filled event that nearly had the Mooresville, North Carolina, native below the cutline following his late spin. Despite being left on worn tires, Kvapil managed to navigate his way back up the top-20 mark on the track and capitalize on Gray’s victory to clinch his first-ever Championship 4 berth in his first full-time campaign in the Xfinity circuit.
“It was probably the most nerve-racking racing I’ve done in my career,” Kvapil said. “This whole No. 1 group really fought hard all race long to give us an opportunity to get to this spot, to be in the Final Four. I can’t thank them enough for that. It all worked out. I’m definitely happy and [it’s] gonna be really exciting going to Phoenix.”
Meanwhile, Sammy Smith, Brandon Jones and Sheldon Creed did not make the Championship 4 round despite finishing second, third and fourth in the final running order. Sam Mayer, who wrecked Jeb Burton at the conclusion of the event following their pair of on-track run-ins earlier, also did not make the final round after he finished in seventh.
There were 11 lead changes for nine different leaders. The event featured nine cautions for laps. In addition, 31 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.
Results:
1. Taylor Gray, 52 laps led 2. Sammy Smith 3. Brandon Jones 4. Sheldon Creed 5. Aric Almirola, 51 laps led 6. Jeb Burton 7. Sam Mayer, 32 laps led 8. Dean Thompson 9. Connor Zilisch 10. Justin Bonsignore, one lap led 11. Harrison Burton, 16 laps led 12. Austin Hill 13. Corey Day 14. Myatt Snider 15. Ryan Sieg 16. Anthony Alfredo 17. Patrick Staropoli 18. Carson Kvapil, 40 laps led, Stage 2 winner 19. Nick Sanchez, five laps led 20. Blaine Perkins 21. Kyle Sieg 22. Ryan Ellis 23. Jesse Love 24. Austin Green 25. Connor Mosack 26. Justin Allgaier, 37 laps led, Stage 1 winner 27. Christian Eckes 28. Josh Williams 29. Parker Retzlaff 30. Garrett Smithley 31. Brad Perez 32. Mason Maggio, one lap down 33. Daniel Dye, one lap down 34. Jeremy Clements, 27 laps down 35. Brenden Queen – OUT, Accident, 19 laps led 36. Brennan Poole – OUT, DVP 37. Takuma Koga – OUT, Carburetor 38. Thomas Annunziata – OUT, Rear Gear *Bold indicates Playoff competitors.
Playoff standings:
1. Connor Zilisch – Advanced 2. Justin Allgaier – Advanced 3. Jesse Love – Advanced 4. Carson Kvapil – Advanced 5. Brandon Jones – Eliminated 6. Sammy Smith – Eliminated 7. Sam Mayer – Eliminated 8. Sheldon Creed – Eliminated
The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is set to conclude at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, where a champion will be crowned. The finale is scheduled to occur next Saturday, November 1, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN and SiriusXM.
Toyota GAZOO Racing – Denny Hamlin NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 25, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Saturday evening following qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 King’s Hawaiian Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
What was the car like for you in practice?
“I thought it was good. I thought the tire was good. The tire Goodyear brought here was a good choice and what they developed is a throwback to 15 years ago. You definitely have to manage the car. All the drivers are going to have to do their job tomorrow to make it last, so we will see how it goes.”
Will you have to start from the rear of the field tomorrow?
“I hope not. You got to know what the problem is before you can actually fix it. I don’t know that we know what the problem is.”
You spent all day Tuesday through Thursday in court. How much did that take out of you this week?
“I’m tired, but I didn’t stop working. I was just at the shop until nine 10 o’clock at night. I go from court to the shop, we don’t stop being prepared.”
Can you talk about the banner ceremonies you do at the Joe Gibbs Racing shop after each win? Does that importance fade over time or is it always special?
“From my standpoint, I run out of things to say. I try to get as creative as I can, each one is a little bit different. You don’t get to see the carpet walkers all the time on the second floor who are not touching the racecar. You have the competition side on the other side, and you got folks in the fabrication shop, you just don’t see those folks that often. It’s just an opportunity to see them face-to-face and thank them, otherwise the only other time we get to thank them is in victory lane or at the Christmas party at the end of the year. It’s our only shot. We try to do our best to show our appreciation because we know it’s our face time with them.”
How would you characterize the settlement talks this week?
“It was ok the first day, not great the second day and I don’t know, it didn’t end in any resolution unfortunately.”
What hurdles do you think remain to prevent this case from going to trial?
“Just days in the week, that’s it. Both sides probably feel strong about their case. You sat in the court and heard the arguments. I’ll let you come up with your own opinion, but I think one of us is on a suicide mission.”
Why is this year different and you are able to win your first championship?
“It’s week-to-week. I wish I could tell you that we are just faster, I don’t know. We have an equal chance as Corey Heim, who has dominated his season. He’s still got a 25% chance, and that’s what we are going to have next week. I’m optimistic about where we are running. These NASCAR races sometimes come down to things that are just unpredictable. You just hope that the things that are out of your control don’t inhibit you in any kind way. But I think on the racetrack if we do our jobs I think we will be one of the guys who will contend next week.”
What’s next after the 60-win milestone?
“I’m not really sure. I probably need to think about it in the offseason, truthfully. I’ll think about the races I have left. There are goals, I haven’t won in Indy, that’s one that comes top of mind that I would love to accomplish. I live to go fast every weekend and try to be everyone else. Everyone from here on out is going to be special and I’m going to cherish them.”
How big of a relief of winning at Vegas and not having to sweat being above the cutline here at Martinsville?
“It’s really sweet to come here and not have to worry about it at all. The way it’s shaping up I’ve seen today in practice, I don’t think any one of these guys are safe. I think it’s going to come down to the wire to see who wins this thing. We know that two are in, but I think everyone else is up for grabs. It’s going to be close.
How much of what you are willing to do comes into play when it comes down to the final laps of this race needing to get into the Championship 4?
“I think what is unique about the situation this year is there are four who know they have to win. In years past, we’ve had probably one or two who had to win and then had a lot of guys who just are iffy on points, depending on their day. I think this is so cut and dry that there are six who believe they have to win the race because more than likely that if a Kyle Larson or Christopher Bell runs second, I believe they are going to run second to one of those guys in the bottom four. So it’s a race against each other. There’s just a lot of different storylines and thoughts and you all are doing a really good job of telling that story.”
Is there anything you are working on here at Martinsville that will be able to help you next week at Phoenix?
“The list is too long. I can’t tip my hat on that, getting better is the short answer. As a driver, I have always thought that Phoenix has not been my strong suit even though it’s in my wheelhouse of shorter flat tracks. So half the focus has been on myself more so than trying to get everything I can out of the car.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
