Aric Almirola claimed victory in the Xfinity Series race on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway, which opened the door for Cole Custer to defend his NASCAR championship title.
Almirola, competing part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing, was not in contention for the playoffs. With AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill already securing their playoff spots, the race featured two available positions among six contenders.
Almirola’s triumph marked his third win of the season and shifted the last two playoff slots to be determined by points. During a tense final 16-lap sprint, Almirola successfully fend off challenges from Sammy Smith and Chandler Smith, both of whom would have qualified for the championship race at Phoenix Raceway with a victory at Martinsville.
Ultimately, the coveted spots went to Custer, the defending Xfinity Series champion who finished the race in fourth place, and Justin Allgaier, who secured fifth.
The race also featured escalating tensions between Custer and Chandler Smith, who clashed towards the end of the competition. This confrontation became heated, culminating in Smith throwing a punch at Custer.
Custer remarked that the two have been at odds for the majority of the season, while Smith alluded to a fierce racing approach when they meet again next Saturday.
Custer also faced conflict earlier in the race, engaging in a skirmish with Allmendinger that resulted in Allmendinger crashing.
The incident occurred just 12 laps into the race, as Custer attempted to maneuver past Allmendinger. A shove from Custer sent Allmendinger off balance, and as he tried to reclaim his position on the track, he ended up crashing.
Custer commented on the radio, “I had to go, he wasn’t going to take it, took himself out.”
Allmendinger, like Smith, expressed displeasure over Custer’s tactics.
“Can’t wait to get to Phoenix,” he remarked tersely when discussing the encounter.
When informed of Custer’s take on the wreck, Allmendinger dismissed the remarks, stating, “We’re going to go win a championship, so that’s the mindset. It’s all good.”