NASCAR team not competing at Martinsville, 2024 return questionable

NY Racing Team made their eighth appearance (ninth including their Daytona 500 DNQ) of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season in this past Sunday afternoon's Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and for the seventh time, they did so with J.J. Yeley behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet.

However, the No. 44 car is not on the entry list for this coming Sunday afternoon's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the penultimate race of the season.

The only non-chartered car on the entry list for this 500-lap race around the four-turn, 0.526-mile (0.847-kilometer) Ridgeway, Virginia oval is the No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford, which is set to be driven by Josh Bilicki. This race is set to be their 12th of the season and fourth with Bilicki behind the wheel.

Whether or not NY Racing Team return for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway remains to be seen.

Regardless, their presence in select races throughout the 2024 season was a welcome sight following a 2023 season in which they did not compete at all. Joey Gase's 20th place finish at Daytona International Speedway back in August matched the best in team history. Greg Biffle also finished in 20th at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2022.

The 2022 season, which saw them compete in five races, was their first Cup Series campaign since 2018, when they made their one and only start from the end of the 2015 season to the start of 2022.

The team have not fielded a car at Phoenix since 2015, when Travis Kvapil failed to qualify. They have not actually competed at the four-turn, 1.022-mile (1.645-kilometer) Avondale, Arizona oval since 2013, when Scott Riggs drove in what was the team's second ever Cup Series race. Their first also came at Phoenix the year before, with David Reutimann behind the wheel.

But given the fact that Phoenix is Yeley's hometown, it would not be surprising to see them field the No. 44 Chevrolet one final time in 2024 next week after missing this coming weekend's Martinsville race.

Tune in NBC at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, November 3 for the live broadcast of the Xfinity 500 from Martinsville Speedway. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss the penultimate race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season!