The 35th race of the racing season and the much-awaited decider event before we head to Phoenix is around the corner. The 500-laps in Martinsville have drawn verdicts on the fates of many over the years. Few have triumphed while most others succumbed. In the culmination of the glorious 2023 season, the same is expected as we enter Virginia for the Xfinity 500 race, with two spots of the possible four filled out for the Championship 4 race in Phoenix.

With two more places left to fill, and six drivers fighting for those, the odds are heavily in favor of NASCAR’s recently crowned “villain,” Denny Hamlin. Let’s take a look at how the other contenders line up ahead of this crucial event.

A game of numbers before the engines sputter for the penultimate event

Approaching the laps around the 0526-mile track in Martinsville, Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell will not have to sweat it out for the win. The duo has won races in the playoff’s 3rd round and has already claimed the tickets to Phoenix. Remaining on the list are six drivers of the highest caliber, including the likes of Ryan Blaney and William Byron.

Despite sitting at 7th in the standings and facing a herculean task ahead of him, it is Denny Hamlin who has emerged to be the favorite to win the race. Surprisingly, an overwhelming favorite, as listed on DraftKings, Hamlin is at (+275) to conquer Martinsville. This pick could largely be owed to the do-or-die situation that he faces.

Trailing Hamlin at a distance is Rick Hendrick’s ace William Byron (+700). With the most wins in the grid, the #24 driver is yet to fix his place in the final 4. Of those still aiming for a shot at Phoenix, Martin Truex Jr (+900) and Ryan Blaney (+1100) appear further down the line. With the track not being one of his better ones, Reddick faces very steep odds (+1500) to create an impact. Fortunately for him, the position that he is now, in itself, is a record for his young team, 23XI Racing. Falling last down on the pecking order for fans is Chris Buescher (+2200).

Denny Hamlin’s playoff dominance is not something unknown to the racing community. But as we all know, unpredictability will be at its very peak in the upcoming ultimate-stakes race. Just last year, we saw Hamlin losing his Championship 4 spot to Ross Chastain in the final lap at this very track. Yet another major upset could very well be on the way. The only question is, who’ll be causing it?

Pressure to perform: On-track results of the Martinsville Speedway favorites

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This year, we had a season that finally appeared to be the one in which Hamlin took his first Championship. But with the way the playoffs have unfolded, he could very well be eliminated on Sunday. Martinsville Speedway is a track where he has seen the victory lane 5 times. But not once since 2015. His crew chief Chris Gabehart said, “We’re below the cutline, a team that’s worthy of getting (to the Championship 4), driver has 51 wins, hasn’t won a championship, clearly deserving, tons of wins at Martinsville, always has the audience’s attention and we’re super-capable.” (as reported by motorsport.com)

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Regardless of Hamlin’s ability to win, Gabehart is right about the fact that the driver has the audience’s attention. Next up on the list in order was the #5 driver Kyle Larson followed by his teammate, #24 William Byron. Over his 11 appearances at the track, Byron has 6 top-10 finishes and 1 victory lane visit (2022). Sitting comfortably on the points table, a good run should push him through.

Another surprising entree on the top order is Martin Truex Jr. Still not recovering from his terrible postseason, it is a big question if past expertise would lend Hamling’s #19 teammate a hand on Sunday. Nevertheless, he does have 3 victory lanes at the track. One of the favorites from outside the playoff border is RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski. Despite not having a great record, he holds (+850) to win. On Sunday, the game will be one that doesn’t follow predictions or the past. As is the nature of the sport, let’s hold onto our seats as the grid takes us for yet another thrilling showcase of speed and skill!

Read More: How To Travel? Where To Stay? Ticket Prices & More for NASCAR Race at Martinsville