Chase Elliott fails to make Championship 4 after third-place run at Martinsville

For the second year in a row, a podium effort from Chase Elliott in the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series season wasn't enough for NASCAR's most popular driver to make the Championship 4. 

Elliott came into Sunday's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway needing a victory to advance to NASCAR's championship race at Phoenix. After finishing fourth in Stage 1 and Stage 2, it was clear that the 2020 champion had speed under the hood of his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. 

But said speed simply wasn't enough for Elliott to outduel William Byron and Ryan Blaney, who went on to finish 1-2 with Elliott trailing behind in third. 

Only in the closing laps was Elliott able to nab third from Ross Chastain, who was not racing for a Championship berth. 

Chase Elliott's effort not enough to advance

It's the third year in a row that Elliott, who won the 2020 fall race at Martinsville in a must-win situation, has failed to make the Championship 4 after he made three straight trips to Phoenix from 2020-22. 

While Elliott can't win a second title next week at Phoenix, 2025 has still been a positive season for the No. 9 team. It was Elliott's first multi-win season since 2022, and Elliott will certainly be considered a championship favorite when February rolls around.