Byron Larson Secure NASCAR Championship 4 Spots at Martinsville Finale

William Byron and Kyle Larson secured the final spots in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 after strong performances at Martinsville Speedway, with Byron winning the crucial race by leading 304 laps and narrowly defeating Ryan Blaney, while Larson finished fourth to edge out Christopher Bell by seven points. Byron's victory was pivotal, coming after two recent setbacks, and it helped Hendrick Motorsports break Team Penske's recent dominance, as both Blaney and defending champion Joey Logano were eliminated. Larson, a former champion, and Byron, the regular-season champion, will join Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe in the title race at Phoenix Raceway, where the championship will be decided by the best finisher among them. Throughout their careers, both Larson and Byron have shown strong performances at Phoenix, with Larson having ten top-five finishes and Byron nine top-ten finishes there, underscoring their readiness for the final showdown. The Championship 4 drivers come from two teams, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, highlighting a competitive title fight. Hamlin and Briscoe had already clinched their spots earlier due to wins in the semifinal round despite Hamlin suffering mechanical issues in the Martinsville race.