Talladega produced plenty of chaos last week, but when the smoke cleared, it was Kyle Larson who found himself in Victory Lane once again. Larson’s incredible postseason run outside of the anomaly at Phoenix has given the #5 team a big lead heading into the final two races of the season. Now, NASCAR heads to Martinsville for the 2026 Xfinity 500.
The close confines of Martinsville have been known to produce championship-shifting moments as well. Can anyone mount a challenge this week, or will Kyle Larson secure his third championship a week ahead of the finale at Phoenix?
Let’s dive in.
2026 Xfinity 500 Entry List
Josh Bilicki represents the lone non-charter entry this weekend at Martinsville. Bilicki will be behind the wheel of the #66 for Garage 66.
Short tracks make for short tempers. 😬 pic.twitter.com/ZqsY2usb7Q
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 28, 2026
Martinsville’s paperclip 0.5-mile layout leads to plenty of beating and banging as drivers jockey for position. The NextGen car limits passing opportunities here, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see strategy play a role here. Track position will be immensely important on Sunday.
Chase Standings
Kyle Larson had concerns heading into Talladega after a poor performance at Phoenix shrank his championship lead. Larson left the iconic circuit with the biggest lead of the Chase thus far. His strong performance and win at Talladega have given him nearly a full race lead over the competition. Disaster can strike at any time, but it seems like Larson has this championship all but locked up, though, mathematically speaking, only nine drivers are eliminated.
- Kyle Larson
- Denny Hamlin -73
- Christopher Bell -74
- Chase Briscoe -79
- Joey Logano -100
- Ryan Blaney -107
- Tyler Reddick -126
- Austin Cindric -183
- Ty Gibbs -183
- Carson Hocevar -198
- William Byron -214
- Chase Elliott -218
- Bubba Wallace -218
- Daniel Suarez -240
- Ryan Preece -249
- Chris Buescher -255
For Kyle Larson to lose his vice grip on the 2026 championship, the #5 team will need to have trouble, and one of the remaining contenders will need to find Victory Lane while racking up stage points. Hamlin and Blaney are the most likely to find success here at Martinsville, but I don’t think Larson will give them an opportunity for a win to mean anything as the #5 will head to Homestead with the championship all but secured.
2026 Xfinity 500 Race Predictions
Two drivers come to mind when it comes to predicting winners at Martinsville. Ryan Blaney in the #12 and Denny Hamlin in the #11. Both seem to run exceedingly well here and have had success in the past. Both will also be hoping to mount one last charge for the championship.
Hamlin’s teammate in the #20, Christopher Bell, will likely factor into the race as well, while Chase Elliott in the #9 can’t be factored out as a potential winner either. While Kyle Larson’s recent form means he’s likely going to be in the mix at Martinsville, I don’t think he’ll be the race winner – instead falling somewhere deeper in the top ten.
You do what you gotta do. pic.twitter.com/qXJrGmvmdA
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 27, 2026
Ultimately, I do think Ryan Blaney gets the job done at Martinsville and goes back to Victory Lane at a track he has found success at before. However, I also think Kyle Larson does enough to clinch the championship before heading to Homestead.
Check out the schedule below so you don’t miss any on-track action this week!
Friday 10/30
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice – 11:30 a.m. CT on FS2
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying – 12:35 p.m. CT on FS2
NASCAR O’ Reilly Auto Parts Series Practice – 2:00 p.m. CT on the ESPN App
NASCAR O’ Reilly Auto Parts Series Qualifying – 3:05 p.m. CT on the ESPN App
Black’s Tire 200 presented by Down East Heating & Air Conditioning (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) – 5:00 p.m. CT on FS1
Saturday 10/31
NASCAR Cup Series Practice – 12:00 p.m. CT on TruTV
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – 1:05 p.m. CT on TruTV
National Debt Relief 250 (NASCAR O’ Reilly Auto Parts Series) – 3:00 p.m. CT on the CW
Sunday 11/01
Xfinity 500 (NASCAR Cup Series) – 1:00 p.m. CT on NBC and HBO Max
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