MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Ryan Blaney celebrated his victory at Martinsville Speedway, a victory that launched the defending NASCAR champions into the title-deciding season finale.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell and William Byron waited awkwardly next to their parked cars for NASCAR to decide who would be the fourth and final driver in the winner-take-all decider at Phoenix Raceway.

The question was whether Bell had crashed into a wall on the final lap and driven along it to gain momentum that would give him the final overtake he needed to get past Byron and secure the final spot in the championship . The move was very similar to the one Ross Chastain used in Martinsville two years ago – dubbed “Hail Melon” – and subsequently led to a ban for the following offseason.

Blaney returned to the championship finale to defend his title against Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick. The fourth finalist waited what felt like an eternity for a NASCAR decision.

Bell's running over the wall was ultimately ruled illegal and Byron saved Hendrick Motorsports from a humiliating third round of the playoffs. Three Hendrick drivers vied for the four spots in the final and only Byron qualified – and only because Bell committed a safety violation.

“We had the situation here with Ross, we went to Phoenix, there were a lot of conversations with the drivers that this wasn't a move they wanted to make,” said Elton Sawyer, NASCAR's senior vice president of competition. “In the off-season, a meeting with the industry, a meeting with our drivers, was not a step for a guy that they wanted to take.”

So it was banned.

Bell argued he had no choice when he crashed into the wall trying to avoid his Toyota colleague Bubba Wallace, who claimed he had a punctured tire. Bell drove some away to gain momentum, and it gave him the pass he needed to score points with Byron for last place next week at Phoenix Raceway.

“I understand that the rule is designed to prevent people from going over the wall, but my move was completely different than Ross's,” said Bell, who was barred from taking part in the championship race for the third year in a row.

“I slid against the wall and caught my foot in it. I guess that’s a losing move,” Bell continued. “I didn't intentionally throw it on the ground and run into the fence – I slid into the wall and that's all she wrote.”

Byron said: “He rode over the wall and there is a clear rule against riding on the wall. In my eyes, that's what counts. When something like this happened in the past, it was fair game. But now the rule against it applies.”

Blaney, meanwhile, overtook Hendrick driver Chase Elliott with 15 laps to go and won for the second straight year at the Virginia track. His win last year brought him his first cup title.

The title will go to the highest-placed driver between Blaney, Byron, Logano and Reddick next Sunday.

“To have another shot at the championship is really special,” Blaney said. “Try to play back to back next week. I have nothing left. Oh my God, I’m tired.”

Blaney lost an automatic starting spot in the finale last week when Reddick passed him in the final corner at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The victory gives team owner Roger Penske two chances for his third title this year: Penske teams won both the sports car championships in IMSA and, on Saturday, the World Endurance Championship.

Blaney's win was the 100th for Team Penske since partnering with Ford. Logano won the title in 2022, Blaney won in 2023 and now Penske has a shot at three consecutive Cup titles.

“A lot of momentum. It’s nice to have two Penske cars,” Blaney said. “It’s nice to be with (Logano) and have a good chance to bring Roger another title, a third title in a row. So these guys are the best at what they do and it was so much fun running with them and sharing wins and championships.

“It’s very strong in our organization right now and hopefully it carries over.”

Elliott finished second at Martinsville, Kyle Larson was third and Penske driver Austin Cindric was fourth, but was ineligible for a championship spot.

Denny Hamlin went from last to fifth but was eliminated from the playoffs and Byron finished sixth and was given the final spot in the championship field when Bell's pass was ruled illegal. Bell finished 22nd after an early spin in the race. He had a sufficiently large points cushion that he shared last place in the championship field with Byron.

Byron and Blaney return to the championship race for the second consecutive year; Logano is the only two-time champion in the field and Reddick is making his debut in the title race.

The field is represented by two Ford drivers, a Toyota and Hendrick's Chevrolet.

Truex speed penalty

Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time NASCAR racing after next week's race, started the penultimate race of his Joe Gibbs Racing career from the pole.

He led the first 42 laps in his Toyota until he had to make his scheduled pit stop and Truex was cited for speeding on pit road. The penalty caused him to lose three laps of time and ruined his race.

Truex, who was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, later received a second speeding penalty and finished 24th on Sunday.

Next

Next Sunday's season finale will take place at Phoenix Raceway, where the highest-placed driver among Logano, Reddick, Blaney and Byron will win the championship. Chastain is the defending champion but was ineligible for the title last November.