To Joe Gibbs Racing, it was a big deal. And completely unexpected.
NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe visited Victory Lane Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway after executing a last-lap, overtime pass, shocking many associated with the Huntersville, N.C.-based organization.
How big of a deal was it?
Consider Briscoe had never previously won at a drafting track – at any level. He clinched his first appearance in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2.
Crew chief James Small had also been shut out at superspeedways, too. And, not to mention, Martin Truex Jr., who retired after last season, often struggled at larger venues.
“Absolutely amazing,” Small said, via NASCAR RR. “We had fast cars in the past, but usually luck has evaded us. Today everything kind of came together.”
Briscoe and JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, who won at Las Vegas on Oct. 12, qualified for the final. JGR driver Christopher Bell could make it a power trio. The No. 20 Toyota team enters next Sunday’s Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway 37 points above the cutoff line. No. 4-ranked Kyle Larson, the 2021 Cup titleholder, is 36 points above Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron and 38 over defending champion Joey Logano.
Welcome to the Championship 4, @chasebriscoe! pic.twitter.com/MfdwOzyWy3
— Xfinity Racing (@XfinityRacing) October 19, 2025
NASCAR National Series, Whelen Modified Tour Weekend Schedule
Here is a list of NASCAR National Series events this weekend at Martinsville Speedway (All Times ET):
Thursday
- 12:35 p.m.: Whelen Modified Tour practice 1
- 1:45 p.m.: Whelen Modified Tour final practice
- 3:30 p.m.: Whelen Modified Tour qualifying
- 7:30 p.m.: Whelen Modified Tour Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 race
Friday
- 2:05 p.m.: Truck Series practice
- 3:10 p.m.: Truck Series qualifying
- 6 p.m.: Truck Series Slim Jim 200 race
Saturday
- 1 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice
- 2:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying
- 4:30 p.m.: Cup Series practice
- 5:40 p.m.: Cup Series qualifying
- 7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 race
Sunday
- 2 p.m.: Cup Series Xfinity 500 race
It’s our time to shine. IT’S RACE WEEK! #Xfinity500 | #IAARitchieBros250 | #SlimJim200 | #VAisforRacingLovers300 pic.twitter.com/fk0e4zxodu
— Martinsville Speedway (@MartinsvilleSwy) October 19, 2025
NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Entry List
NASCAR Cup Series officials released the entry list for Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway:
Entry, Driver, Car No.
- 1, Ross Chastain, No. 1 Chevrolet
- 2, Austin Cindric No. 2 Ford
- 3, Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet
- 4, Noah Gragson, No. 4 Ford
- 5, Kyle Larson, No. 5 Chevrolet
- 6, Brad Keselowski, No. 6 Ford
- 7, Justin Haley, No. 7 Chevrolet
- 8, Kyle Busch, No. 8 Chevrolet
- 9, Chase Elliott, No. 9 Chevrolet
- 10, Ty Dillon, No. 10 Chevrolet
- 11, Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota
- 12, Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Ford
- 13, AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Chevrolet
- 14, Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ford
- 15, Chase Briscoe, No. 19, Toyota
- 16, Christopher Bell, No. 20 Toyota
- 17, Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford
- 18, Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford
- 19, Bubba Wallace, No. 23 Toyota
- 20, William Byron, No. 24 Chevrolet
- 21, Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Ford
- 22, Riley Herbst, No. 35 Toyota
- 23, Zane Smith, No. 38 Ford
- 24, Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford
- 25, John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Toyota
- 26, Erik Jones, No. 43 Toyota
- 27, Tyler Reddick, No. 45 Toyota
- 28, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Ford
- 29, Alex Bowman, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 30, Cody Ware, No. 51 Ford
- 31, Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota
- 32, Ryan Preece, No. 60 Ford
- 33, Casey Mears, No. 66 Ford
- 34, Michael McDowell, No. 71 Chevrolet
- 35, Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Chevrolet
- 36, Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Chevrolet
- 37, Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Chevrolet
Drama at @TALLADEGA on the final lap.
Sounds about right. 😏 pic.twitter.com/mb42csKiAt
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 20, 2025
