The 2024 NASCAR Cup season has finally unveiled its quartet of Championship contenders, though not without a stir and a hitch in the announcement timeline. Mirroring last year’s surprise, Ryan Blaney once again turned heads with a victory in the last race of the Round of 8.
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William Byron’s qualification was just as jaw-dropping, especially after Christopher Bell was expectedly penalized. In the final lap of the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Byron, cruising in sixth place, was hanging by a thread, just one point clear of the cut-off. On the other hand, Bell, lagging at nineteenth, was only a point shy of the top four.
In a tactical slowdown, Bubba Wallace dropped his pace by 2.4 seconds, throwing Bell a lifeline to potentially claw back into contention and snatch that crucial point. In the thick of the turmoil, Bell pulled a move to edge closer to the wall and overtake Wallace, a maneuver that momentarily catapulted him into the final four.
However, NASCAR’s eventual ruling penalized the #20 driver for his last-lap antics, relegating him to 22nd place, drawing parallels to the infamous “Hail Melon” stunt Ross Chastain executed at Martinsville in 2022 to secure his spot in the championship 4.
While awaiting the judgment, NASCAR experts were speculating over the final moments of the last Round of 8 race. Jeff Gluck weighed in on X: “NASCAR still deciding on Bell’s move. Wall-rides are illegal after the Hail Melon, so they need to make the call as to whether it was a wall-ride.”
Bob Pockrass’s tweet finally set the record straight with a succinct “Byron advances.” But, the verdict didn’t resonate well with the NASCAR die-hards, who accused Hendrick Motorsports of swaying NASCAR’s judgment.
A disgruntled fan expressed his frustration, declaring, “Absolute joke of a decision,” while another lamented, “That is a completely ridiculous decision.” The fanbase continued to air their grievances, with one exclaiming, “Absolute joke. Ignoring blatant race manipulation lmao.” Another skeptic pointed out a perceived inconsistency, arguing, “But Byron has Chastain and Dillon BLOCKING? That’s not a penalty?”
But Byron has Chastain and Dillon BLOCKING? That’s not a penalty?
— MyNameIsJC 🏁😤 (@Number9IsDaLife) November 3, 2024
Bell reels from the decision
Had he broken into the championship 4, it would have marked his third straight appearance in the finals. In 2022, Bell finished in third place, and last year, he secured fourth. This year, however, the penalty knocked him down to fifth place, just shy of the final four.
When confronted with NASCAR’s verdict, which cited a safety rules violation for a wall ride, Bell was at a loss for words. “I don’t know what to say,” he said.
Delving deeper, he clarified, “I understand that the rule was made to prevent people from riding the wall, but my move was completely different than what Ross [Chastain’s] was. I got loose, getting into the corner a slid right into the fence. I don’t know what else to say.”
The stage is now set for the final show at Phoenix Raceway, where Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano, and William Byron will vie for the title on November 10.
