Before fading to P16 at Talladega Speedway last Sunday, NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano led 35 laps and thought he had the machine to challenge for the win and a spot in the Championship 4 race on Nov. 2.
Then, the reigning circuit champion lost his groove.
“It’s pretty apparent the seond we lost control of the race,” Logano said, via Ford Racing PR. “The car behind me was saving gas, that didn’t help us and killed the whole bottom lane.”
Logano faded from the lead to the middle pack, setting up a must-win situation next Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
Logano enters the Round of 8 finale with +800 odds to capture the Xfinity 500 title, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Ryan Blaney (+380) was favored.
Below, we’ll preview the top storylines heading into Sunday’s Xfinity 500, go over the odds, and give our best bets for the 35th race on the 2025 NASCAR schedule.
P16 Finish at Dega | Martinsville is next and it’s all or nothing for us. Stage points won’t matter. Winning is all that matters. pic.twitter.com/TbWwYOmIV9
— Joey Logano (@joeylogano) October 19, 2025
NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Storylines
- Chase Elliott, the popular 2020 Cup champion, crashed out on Lap 51 at Talladega and placed last. Will Elliott soon lose out on a Championship 4 bid and a repeat vote in the drivers’ popularity vote?
- Passed on the last OT lap by Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace earned a P4 and continued to help set the pace at Talladega, finishing in the top 10 in his past three outings at the drafting track.
- Ty Gibbs placed P3, snapping a 12-race skid outside of the top five, but his best work may have been helping to push Briscoe to victory Sunday.
Ty Gibbs congratulates Chase Briscoe after the race.
🎥: @Jgr54Team pic.twitter.com/lNq02hUrPm— Zach (@Team54Updates) October 19, 2025
Xfinity 500 Driver Odds
Here is an early look at the drivers’ odds for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, according to FanDuel Sportsbook:
| Driver | NASCAR Cup Series’ Xfinity 500 Odds |
|---|---|
| Ryan Blaney | +380 |
| Denny Hamlin | +600 |
| Christopher Bell | +600 |
| Kyle Larson | +600 |
| Chase Elliott | +650 |
| William Byron | +750 |
| Joey Logano | +800 |
| Chase Briscoe | +1900 |
| Bubba Wallace | +3300 |
| Josh Berry | +3500 |
| Ross Chastain | +4000 |
| Alex Bowman | +4500 |
| Ty Gibbs | +5000 |
| Brad Keselowski | +5500 |
| Tyler Reddick | +6500 |
| Austin Cindric | +8000 |
| Ryan Preece | +8000 |
| Carson Hocevar | +8000 |
| Chris Buescher | +8000 |
| Kyle Busch | +8000 |
| Austin Dillon | +17500 |
| Todd Gilliland | +25000 |
| Daniel Suarez | +25000 |
| Noah Gragson | +25000 |
| AJ Allmendinger | +25000 |
| Erik Jones | +30000 |
| Michael McDowell | +30000 |
| Zane Smith | +30000 |
| Casey Mears | +50000 |
| Shane van Gisbergen | +50000 |
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | +50000 |
| Cole Custer | +50000 |
| John Hunter Nemechek | +50000 |
| Riley Herbst | +50000 |
| Cody Ware | +50000 |
| Justin Haley | +50000 |
*-Odds current at time of publication
Xfinity 500 Predictions and Picks
Here are our best NASCAR Cup Series bets for the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway:
Ryan Blaney (+380)
Blaney, the race’s sports-betting favorite, needs a win. The No. 7-ranked playoff driver needs to make up 47 points. He’s at the right venue, considering the 2023 Cup titleholder compiled two wins and five top-five finishes in his past seven outings at Martinsville.
Christopher Bell (+600)
Vying to become Joe Gibbs Racing’s third driver qualify for the final four, Bell appears safe, 37 Points above the cutoff line. In 2024, Bell was flagged for a safety violation during a wall ride and was eliminated from the playoffs. He remembers.
William Byron (+750)
Ranked fifth among playoff pilots, 36 points below the transition line, Byron cannot afford to run a conservative race Sunday. With two wins since 2022 at the short track, Byron may need a repeat performance for a chance to advance to his third Championship 4 appearance.
Christopher Bell on battling Kyle Larson for the final Champ 4 spot at Martinsville if one of the four drivers below the cutline wins at Martinsville. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/WTxlpWMoIA
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 20, 2025
