2022 Xfinity 500

The 2022 Xfinity 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 30, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps on the .526 mile (.847 km) short track, it was the 35th race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, the ninth race of the Playoffs, and final race of the Round of 8.

2022 Xfinity 500
Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Race 35 of 36 in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series
DateOctober 30, 2022 (2022-10-30)
LocationMartinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia
CoursePermanent racing facility
.526 mi (.847 km)
Distance500 laps, 263 mi (423.5 km)
WeatherClouded sky
Average speed113.5 mph (182.7 km/h)
Pole position
DriverHendrick Motorsports
Time19.709
Most laps led
DriverDenny HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing
Laps203
Winner
No. 20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersRick Allen, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Radio in the United States
RadioMRN
Booth AnnouncersAlex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace
Turn AnnouncersDave Moody (Backstretch)

This race, won by Christopher Bell, was noted for Ross Chastain's "Hail Melon" finish, in which Chastain rode the wall in a move described as similar to those done in racing video games to secure a fourth-place finish that locked him to the Championship 4 race. Chastain's move also set an all-new track record.[8][9]

Report

Background

Martinsville Speedway, the track where the race was held.

Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track is also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
No.DriverTeamManufacturer
1Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet
2Austin Cindric (R)Team PenskeFord
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord
5Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
6Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingFord
7Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsChevrolet
8Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
9Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
10Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
12Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord
14Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord
15J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingFord
16A. J. Allmendinger (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet
17Chris BuescherRFK RacingFord
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
19Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
20Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
21Harrison Burton (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
23Ty Gibbs (i)23XI RacingToyota
24William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
31Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet
34Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord
38Todd Gilliland (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord
41Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord
42Ty DillonPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet
43Erik JonesPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet
45Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota
47Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
48Noah Gragson (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
51Cody WareRick Ware RacingFord
77Landon Cassill (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
78B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord
99Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet
Official entry list

Practice

Denny Hamlin was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 19.916 seconds and a speed of 95.079 mph (153.015 km/h).[10]

Practice results

PosNo.DriverTeamManufacturerTimeSpeed
111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19.91695.079
212Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord19.91795.075
39Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet19.94994.922
Official practice results

Qualifying

Kyle Larson scored the pole for the race with a time of 19.709 and a speed of 96.078 mph (154.623 km/h).[11]

Qualifying results

PosNo.DriverTeamManufacturerR1R2
15Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet19.73319.709
29Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet19.68319.721
314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord19.65919.721
412Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord19.81419.740
541Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord19.71819.780
66Brad KeselowskiRFK RacingFord19.75419.783
799Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet19.77419.810
84Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord19.75219.822
91Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet19.75319.828
1021Harrison Burton (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord19.74219.933
1111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19.763
1222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord19.766
1334Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord19.788
147Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsChevrolet19.825
1510Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord19.829
163Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet19.839
1748Noah Gragson (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet19.845
1818Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19.849
1938Todd Gilliland (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord19.861
2020Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota19.882
2116A. J. Allmendinger (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet19.888
2217Chris BuescherRFK RacingFord19.891
2343Erik JonesPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet19.898
2445Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota19.924
2524William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet19.942
2623Ty Gibbs (i)23XI RacingToyota19.943
2719Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19.958
288Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet19.980
2931Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet19.987
302Austin Cindric (R)Team PenskeFord19.998
3147Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet20.086
3242Ty DillonPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet20.103
3377Landon Cassill (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet20.210
3478B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord20.247
3515J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingFord20.356
3651Cody WareRick Ware RacingFord20.840
Official qualifying results

Race

Heading into the finish, Ross Chastain clinched his spot into the Championship 4 by the way of a last-ditch wall-ride that has been described as a "video game-like move" in the final lap.[8] Chastain's move also set a new Cup Series lap record on the track at 18.845 seconds.[9] The move has been dubbed the Hail Melon by many in the sport. Christopher Bell's race victory also placed him into the championship race, with Joey Logano (who won a race in the Round of 8) and Chase Elliott also advancing.

Stage Results

Stage OneLaps: 130

PosNoDriverTeamManufacturerPoints
111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10
29Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet9
341Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord8
45Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet7
514Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord6
620Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota5
712Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord4
81Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet3
999Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet2
1010Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord1
Official stage one results

Stage TwoLaps: 130

PosNoDriverTeamManufacturerPoints
111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota10
29Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet9
35Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet8
441Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord7
520Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota6
612Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord5
722Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord4
81Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet3
999Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet2
1045Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota1
Official stage two results

Final Stage Results

Stage ThreeLaps: 240

PosGridNoDriverTeamManufacturerLapsPoints
12020Christopher BellJoe Gibbs RacingToyota50051
215Kyle LarsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50050
3412Ryan BlaneyTeam PenskeFord50043
491Ross ChastainTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet50039
51111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota50052
61222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord50035
72524William ByronHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50030
82445Bubba Wallace23XI RacingToyota50030
9314Chase BriscoeStewart-Haas RacingFord50034
1029Chase ElliottHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50045
111021Harrison Burton (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord50026
12799Daniel SuárezTrackhouse Racing TeamChevrolet50029
131938Todd Gilliland (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord50024
14541Cole CusterStewart-Haas RacingFord50038
151510Aric AlmirolaStewart-Haas RacingFord50023
1684Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingFord50021
171334Michael McDowellFront Row MotorsportsFord50020
182343Erik JonesPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet49819
192623Ty Gibbs (i)23XI RacingToyota4980
202719Martin Truex Jr.Joe Gibbs RacingToyota49817
21147Corey LaJoieSpire MotorsportsChevrolet49816
223147Ricky Stenhouse Jr.JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet49815
232116A. J. Allmendinger (i)Kaulig RacingChevrolet4980
242217Chris BuescherRFK RacingFord49713
251748Noah Gragson (i)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet4970
26302Austin Cindric (R)Team PenskeFord49711
272931Justin HaleyKaulig RacingChevrolet49710
283651Cody WareRick Ware RacingFord4959
291818Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota4948
303515J. J. Yeley (i)Rick Ware RacingFord4880
313242Ty DillonPetty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet4666
323377Landon Cassill (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet4600
33163Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3164
343478B. J. McLeod (i)Live Fast MotorsportsFord2250
35288Tyler ReddickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1882
DSQ66Brad Keselowski[a]RFK RacingFord5001
Official race results

Race statistics

  • Lead changes: 8 among 5 different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 6 for 53
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 3 hours, 24 minutes and 18 seconds
  • Average speed: 77.239 miles per hour (124.304 km/h)

Media

Television

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 1997 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2014 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Dillon Welch handled the pit road duties from pit lane.

NBC
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Rick Allen
Color-commentator: Jeff Burton
Color-commentator: Steve Letarte
Color-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dave Burns
Parker Kligerman
Marty Snider
Dillon Welch

Radio

MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and 7 time Martinsville winner Rusty Wallace had the call for MRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody covered the action for MRN when the field raced down the backstraightway into turn 3. Steve Post, Winston Kelley, Brienne Pedigo and Kim Coon covered the action for MRN from pit lane.

MRN
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Alex Hayden
Announcer: Jeff Striegle
Announcer: Rusty Wallace
Backstretch: Dave MoodySteve Post
Winston Kelley
Brienne Pedigo
Kim Coon

Standings after the race

Manufacturers' Championship standings
PosManufacturerPoints
1Chevrolet1,290
2Ford1,210 (–80)
3Toyota1,158 (–132)
  • Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.

Notes

References


Previous race:
2022 Dixie Vodka 400
NASCAR Cup Series
2022 season
Next race:
2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race