William Byron won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, leading 362 of the race’s laps for his first victory of the season. Chase Elliott finished second. Kyle Larson, the points leader, finished ninth and now heads into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway needing only to finish the race to clinch the championship.
While the front of the field produced a lopsided result, the back of the pack generated the day’s biggest controversy. Driver Carson Hocevar was involved in a heated on-track battle with Austin Cindric, repeatedly brake-checking Cindric’s car before contact ended Cindric’s day. Cindric declined to speak to NBC after the race.
The incident drew sharp reactions from current and former drivers. Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace wrote on social media, “Holyeeee s–t!! I’ve never witnessed anything like this.” Current driver Corey LaJoie said simply, “Good God Almighty.” Even Hocevar’s own spotter, Tyler Green, was heard on the radio telling him, “Hey just go. Please? Just go.”
Fans reacted online by calling for NASCAR to park Hocevar, who has been at the center of multiple on-track disputes throughout the season. With one race remaining before the championship finale at Homestead, it remains to be seen whether other drivers will look to settle scores with him on the track.
Ratings rebound at Talladega
NASCAR’s television audience bounced back somewhat after a weak showing at Phoenix, which drew just 1.2 million viewers. Last week’s race at Talladega, broadcast on NBC, drew 2.5 million viewers, up 1% from last year though down from 3.1 million in 2024. It was the highest-rated Cup Series race since the season finale at Daytona in August. Some within NASCAR attribute part of the earlier ratings dip to changes in how Nielsen measures viewership rather than a true decline in audience.
Dillon flies with Trump to Daytona
Driver Austin Dillon and team owner Richard Childress accompanied former President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One to a rally in Daytona last Friday. Dillon posted about the trip on Instagram, writing, “Air Force One with Pop Pop. God Bless the USA,” referring to Childress, his grandfather.
The Cup Series season concludes next Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Larson will attempt to clinch the championship.
