One Race Left to Decide Who Makes the Championship 4

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Halloween Toyota, leads Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019, in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Kevin Harvick’s victory Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway not only earned him a guaranteed position among the Championship 4 drivers to challenge for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title – it certainly upped the intrigue-level for Sunday’s already championship crucial Bluegreen Vacations 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Phoenix’s ISM Raceway.

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Denny Hamlin Goes from Favorite to Long Shot in One Wild Ride

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 03: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Office Toyota, is introduced prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 03, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

The weekend was going well for Denny Hamlin—up until the 80th lap of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500.

Hamlin came to Texas Motor Speedway second in the Playoff standings and qualified third for the second race of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

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High Emotion Permeates the 2019 NASCAR Playoffs

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019, in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – That Martin Truex Jr. led a race-best – and career-high – 464 of 500 laps last Sunday en route to his series-leading seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season cannot be lost in the post-race shoving fracas that took place between his fellow Playoff contenders Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano at Martinsville Speedway.

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Martin Truex Jr. Advances to the Championship Final Four with Martinsville Win

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019, in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

Only two more races of the Round of 8 are left to run before the final four drivers do battle for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship crown. On Sunday afternoon, Martinsville Speedway was the first race of this round. Several drivers held a lot of promise heading into Sunday’s race with many drivers believing that Martinsville Speedway is the track to win and punch their ticket to the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

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For Logano and Hamlin, Feelings are Hurt, but Not Playoff Hopes

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, and their crews have an altercation on pit lane following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 27, 2019 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Joey Logano had hoped to settle his differences with Denny Hamlin with a conversation.

Instead, the discussion turned physical, as Hamlin and Logano—and their respective crews—battled briefly on pit road after Sunday’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

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