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The NASCAR Cup Series postseason reaches its penultimate event this weekend with the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. ET, the race will be nationally televised on NBC and can be streamed live on Fubo, which provides a free trial for new subscribers.
Following a chaotic outing at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, where Kyle Larson captured the checkered flag in the YellaWood 500, the series now shifts to the half-mile paperclip-shaped short track. Larson's victory extended his points lead to a commanding 73 markers, leaving Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe as his closest pursuers. With only one race remaining before the Championship 4, contenders will need a strong performance in Virginia to keep their title hopes alive.
For fans unable to watch on television, SiriusXM will provide live radio coverage on channel 90. The SiriusXM Sports Pass offers access to live broadcasts of NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college sports, and more, with a free first month and subsequent plans starting at $5 per month or $49 annually.
Key Analysis
Larson's substantial lead means his competitors must either win or score maximum stage points to close the gap. Martinsville's tight corners and short straights often produce bump-and-run tactics and late-race fireworks, making it a pivotal cutoff race. Hamlin, a Virginia native and Martinsville master, will likely need a statement victory to challenge Larson's advantage, while Bell and Briscoe must avoid mistakes to stay within striking distance.
2026 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule (All Times ET)
- Feb. 4: Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray, Bowman Gray Stadium, 6 p.m. (Winner: Ryan Preece)
- Feb. 12: Duel 1 at Daytona, Daytona International Speedway, 7 p.m. (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Feb. 12: Duel 2 at Daytona, Daytona International Speedway, 8:45 p.m. (Winner: Chase Elliott)
- Feb. 15: Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, 1:30 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- Feb. 22: Autotrader 400, EchoPark Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 1: DuraMax Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 8: Straight Talk Wireless 500, Phoenix Raceway, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- March 15: Pennzoil 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 4 p.m. (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- March 22: Goodyear 400, Darlington Raceway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- March 29: Cook Out 400, Martinsville Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Chase Elliott)
- April 12: Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Ty Gibbs)
- April 19: AdventHealth 400, Kansas Speedway, 2 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- April 26: Jack Link's 500, Talladega Superspeedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Carson Hocevar)
- May 3: Wurth 400, Texas Motor Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Chase Elliott)
- May 10: Go Bowling at the Glen, Watkins Glen International, 3 p.m. (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)
- May 17: All-Star Race, Dover Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- May 24: Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 6 p.m. (Winner: Daniel Suarez)
- May 31: Cracker Barrel 400, Nashville Superspeedway, 7 p.m. (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 7: FireKeepers Casino 400, Michigan International Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 14: Great American Getaway 400, Pocono Raceway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Denny Hamlin)
- June 21: Anduril 250, Naval Base Coronado, 4 p.m. (Winner: Corey Heim)
- June 28: Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma Raceway, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Shane van Gisbergen)
- July 5: eero 400, Chicagoland Speedway, 6 p.m. (Winner: Chase Briscoe)
- July 12: Quaker State 400, EchoPark Speedway, 7 p.m. (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- July 19: Window World 400, North Wilkesboro Speedway, 7 p.m. (Winner: Joey Logano)
- July 26: Brickyard 400, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2 p.m. (Winner: Corey Heim)
- Aug. 9: Iowa Corn 350, Iowa Speedway, 3:30 p.m. (Winner: Ty Gibbs)
- Aug. 15: Cook Out 400, Richmond Raceway, 7 p.m. (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Aug. 23: Dollar Tree 301, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Ryan Blaney)
- Aug. 29: Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona International Speedway, 7:30 p.m. (Winner: Ryan Preece)
- Sept. 6: Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, 5 p.m. (Winner: Christopher Bell)
- Sept. 13: Enjoy Illinois 300, World Wide Technology Raceway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Sept. 19: Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway, 7:30 p.m. (Winner: Joey Logano)
- Sept. 27: Hollywood Casino 400, Kansas Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Oct. 4: South Point 400, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 5:30 p.m. (Winner: Chase Briscoe)
- Oct. 11: Bank of America 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Chase Briscoe)
- Oct. 18: Freeway Insurance 500, Phoenix Raceway, 3 p.m. (Winner: Tyler Reddick)
- Oct. 25: YellaWood 500, Talladega Superspeedway, 2 p.m. (Winner: Kyle Larson)
- Nov. 1: Xfinity 500, Martinsville Speedway, 2 p.m. (TV: NBC, Fubo)
- Nov. 8: Cup Series Championship Race, Homestead-Miami Speedway, 3 p.m. (TV: NBC, Fubo)
Originally reported by yahoo.