‘Getting there’: SVG comes up short of Martinsville top 10

The Trackhouse Racing driver began the 500-lapper from 22nd and ran around the top 10 for much of the contest – finishing Stage 1 in 12th and Stage 2 in eighth.

Stage 3 proved the difference. The #88 Chevrolet Camaro struggled for rear grip in the cool conditions and struggled to fire off the corners.

Van Gisbergen eventually began to run times as quick as the top three drivers once his tyres came in, but it was too late.

Ultimately, SVG couldn’t make headway, and on a late restart could only claim 14th.

“Good job guys,” van Gisbergen said to his Trackhouse Racing team on the radio.

“Our cars are getting better and you guys are getting me through it. Awesome job.

“We’re getting there. I feel like this result should have been better but that’s all right.”

The race was won by Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, who came into the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series season in a must-win position.

Byron dominated the contest, leading more than 300 laps in the #24 Chevrolet Camaro to book his Championship 4 spot.

However, it did require some aggression. With 43 laps to go, Byron put the bumper to then-race leader Ryan Blaney in the #12 Team Penske Ford Mustang to retake the lead.

Bryon survived a late race restart to beat Blaney to the chequered flag by 0.717s.

“Damn, I got a lot to say. Things have a way of working out,” said Byron.

“God really tests your resilience a lot of times. We’ve been tested. Just unbelievable. I’m out of breath. Thank you, fans, for coming out. Bad-ass crowd.

“I watched my first NASCAR race up there just before start-finish line. Man, I am just so thankful, excited to see my family, just celebrate this one.

“We obviously go to Phoenix. Just go try to kick ass there.

“We just worked so hard, all these guys work so hard. You put everything into Sundays. Sometimes you don’t get anything in return.

“That’s been the last couple weeks. Honestly, throughout the year, had some close calls. But yeah, sometimes life is that way. You just got to keep being resilient. We were. Just feels damn good.”

Like Byron, Blaney was in a must-win position to clinch a Championship 4 berth, and ultimately came up short.

Blaney’s drive was commendable in its own right, having qualified a lowly 31st.

The Team Penske driver said the move for the race lead was fair.

“Yeah, I look back on that long run before the last yellow where William got by me. I just got loose, trying to work through that,” Blaney explained.

My rear drive was fading quick. I tried to manage a lot in the beginning. Yeah, just was starting to fade. I was trying to protect. Yeah, I mean, that’s just two guys going for it. I don’t blame him for taking that.

“I have kind of lost momentum. I would have done the same thing, to be honest with you. I knew it was going to be tight. I tried to crowd as much as I could. I’m just proud of this whole 12 group.

“Everybody who puts a lot into our program. Starting where we did and making the ground up we made early was impressive.

“They gave me a great car and race trim, and getting the lead was great. (Byron) was just a little better than us at the end.

“I seemed to lose a little bit rear drive quicker than he did. He was able to keep it longer than me. That’s how he got the lead.

“Thought I got a good restart, the last one. Kind of entered up top, tried to carry speed, and he just motored right around me on the bottom. Pretty impressive.

“Just proud of the effort. A shame we’re not going to Phoenix as part of the Championship 4. We’ll be doing the best we can to finish the year out strong.

“But I’m just proud of, like I said, the 12 guys. They have gave 100 percent of what they had. That’s all you can ask for. Wasn’t quite enough tonight. We’ll just move on.”

Third went to Chase Elliott in the #9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro while Ross Chastain was the best non-Playoffs driver in fourth.

The Championship 4 drivers who will go head-to-head at Phoenix are Denny Hamlin (#11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry), Chase Brisceo (#19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry), William Byron (#24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro), and Kyle Larson (#5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro).

Joey Logano (#22 Team Penske Ford Mustang) and Christopher Bell (#20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry) were eliminated alongside Elliott and Blaney.

Results: NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500, Martinsville Speedway

Get the latest NASCAR news, stats, and US racing coverage at Speedcafe US