Beyond the Flag
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NASCAR Cup Series: Top 5 races to watch in 2020

By Marty Czekala

AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, takes the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on November 10, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, takes the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway on November 10, 2019 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 27: Martin Truex Jr, driver of the #19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

4. Xfinity 500

  • Martinsville Speedway
  • Race 35/36 (third race in the Round of 8)
  • Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC

This is another short track showdown that will act as a cutoff race in the playoffs.

This race has been intense and has always featured more than its fair share of controversy. Now it is also the race that will determine who gets to compete for a championship the following week.

Let’s take the 2017 Martinsville playoff race, for example, and assumed the entire race was the same and then the next race was at Phoenix Raceway for the championship. This would have been the final chance to get in, whether the two previous winners in the round of 8 were playoff drivers or not.

Chase Elliott vs. Denny Hamlin. No further round of 8 races. Elliott gets turned with just over two laps to go, ensuring another restart. Hamlin gets shoved out of the way, and Kyle Busch wins and races for a championship.

Plus the post-race conflict between Elliott and Hamlin. Holy. Cow.

And this race used the low downforce package similar to what you will see in 2020!

How about the same race a year later: Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. battling for the final guaranteed spot into the Championship 4. What if Logano is in a must-win situation and has to put the bump and run on Truex in order to get the final win before the Championship 4 and the same argument ensues between the two?

Short track tempers. I love it.

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