The 2023 Dead On Tools 250 was the 32nd stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series, the final race of the Round of 8, and the 4th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, in Ridgeway, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a permanent paper-clip shaped racetrack. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 250 laps, but was extended to 256 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wild race that resulted in 15 cautions, Justin Allgaier, driving for JR Motorsports, would survive the chaos on the final lap, and hold off Sheldon Creed in a close finish to earn his 23rd career NASCAR Xfinity Series win, and his fourth of the season. He would also earn a spot in the Championship 4. Sammy Smith would dominate the majority of the race, winning the second stage and leading a race-high 147 laps. After navigating through the field in the final stage, he would finish third. To fill out the podium, Creed, driving for Richard Childress Racing, and Smith, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
The race was mostly known as an exciting battle for the final Championship 4 spot between Allgaier, Austin Hill, and Cole Custer. Coming into the race, the three drivers were only separated by four points. Both Custer and Hill were involved in the last lap wreck, but it would be Custer who would prevail by six points over Hill. Sam Mayer, Allgaier, John Hunter Nemechek, and Custer would advance into the Championship 4. Hill, Sammy Smith, Creed, and Chandler Smith would be eliminated from championship contention.
Background Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track is also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (P) denotes playoff driver. (OP) denotes owner's playoffs car.
#DriverTeamMake00Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord1Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet02Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet4J. J. YeleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet6Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet07Devin JonesSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet7Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet08Chad FinchumSS-Green Light RacingFord8Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet10Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet11Layne RiggsKaulig RacingChevrolet16Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet18Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota19Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota21Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet24Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota25Brett MoffittAM RacingFord26Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota27Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet28C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord29Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord31Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet35Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet38Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord39Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord43Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet44Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet45Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet48Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet51Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet53Akinori Ogata (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet66Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota78Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet91Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet92Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet98Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice For practice, drivers will be separated into two groups, Group A and B. Both sessions will be 15 minutes long, and was held on Friday, October 27, at 5:00 PM EST. Blaine Perkins, driving for Our Motorsports, would set the fastest time between both sessions, with a lap of 20.480, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed102Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet20.48092.461220John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20.53592.213325Brett MoffittAM RacingFord20.58491.994Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, October 27, at 5:35 PM EST. Since Martinsville Speedway is a short track, the qualifying system used is a single-car, two-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole. Sammy Smith, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 20.035, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20.03594.51527Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20.04794.458300Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord20.05194.439498Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord20.09894.218520John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota20.11394.14869Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet20.11994.120716Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet20.12194.11182Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet20.12694.087921Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet20.13994.0271031Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet20.15293.9661119Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20.15893.938128Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet20.20593.7191339Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord20.20693.7151410Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet20.20893.7051548Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet20.21893.6591625Brett MoffittAM RacingFord20.22293.641171Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet20.28493.3541891Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet20.29593.3041911Layne RiggsKaulig RacingChevrolet20.33593.1202051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet20.33693.116214J. J. YeleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet20.42092.7332278Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet20.43192.6832326Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota20.44192.6372492Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet20.44992.6012524Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota20.49292.4072644Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet20.49392.402276Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet20.50592.3482829Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord20.53592.2132945Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet20.54792.1593008Chad FinchumSS-Green Light RacingFord20.55592.1243102Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet20.59091.9673243Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet20.62291.8243338Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord20.69991.483Qualified by owner's points3428C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord20.76191.2093535Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet20.76291.2053653Akinori Ogata (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet21.06389.9023707Devin JonesSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet21.44488.3043827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet––Failed to qualify3966Timmy Hill (i)MBM MotorsportsToyota20.86390.764Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 60 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts17Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet10200Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord9320John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota8421Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet7518Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota6678Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet5798Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord4819Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota3916Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet21091Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 60 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts118Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota1028Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet9319Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota842Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet7526Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota6631Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet5716Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet4800Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord399Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet21098Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord1 Stage 3 Laps: 136 Pos.St#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts127Justin Allgaier (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet25621Running50282Sheldon Creed (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2561Running423118Sammy Smith (R) (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota256147Running504498Riley HerbstStewart–Haas RacingFord2560Running385128Josh BerryJR MotorsportsChevrolet2560Running4161410Daniel Hemric (OP)Kaulig RacingChevrolet2560Running3171031Parker Retzlaff (R)Jordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2560Running3582278Anthony AlfredoB. J. McLeod MotorsportsChevrolet2560Running3493827Jeb BurtonJordan Anderson RacingChevrolet2560Running28101548Parker KligermanBig Machine RacingChevrolet2560Running27111911Layne RiggsKaulig RacingChevrolet2569Running26122644Rajah Caruth (i)Alpha Prime RacingChevrolet2560Running0133428C. J. McLaughlinRSS RacingFord2560Running24142492Josh WilliamsDGM RacingChevrolet2560Running23151119Myatt SniderJoe Gibbs RacingToyota2561Running331669Brandon JonesJR MotorsportsChevrolet2560Running23172051Jeremy ClementsJeremy Clements RacingChevrolet2560Running2018520John Hunter Nemechek (P)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota25654Running2719300Cole Custer (P)Stewart–Haas RacingFord2561Running30201625Brett MoffittAM RacingFord2560Running1721921Austin Hill (P)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet25522Accident23223102Blaine Perkins (R)Our MotorsportsChevrolet2550Accident15231891Josh BilickiDGM RacingChevrolet2550Accident15243243Ryan EllisAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2450Transmission1325171Sam Mayer (P)JR MotorsportsChevrolet2440Accident12262945Jeffrey EarnhardtAlpha Prime RacingChevrolet2440Accident11273008Chad FinchumSS-Green Light RacingFord2440Accident10282326Kaz GralaSam Hunt RacingToyota2430Accident15293338Joe Graf Jr.RSS RacingFord2400Running8303535Chris Hacker (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet2370Radiator0312524Connor Mosack (R)Sam Hunt RacingToyota2320Radiator632276Brennan PooleJD MotorsportsChevrolet2180Engine5333653Akinori Ogata (i)Emerling-Gase MotorsportsChevrolet2170Oil Line034214J. J. YeleyJD MotorsportsChevrolet2070Accident3351339Ryan SiegRSS RacingFord2030Steering236716Chandler Smith (R) (P)Kaulig RacingChevrolet1870Accident7373707Devin JonesSS-Green Light RacingChevrolet1310Engine1382829Kyle SiegRSS RacingFord400Accident1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 3 1 Sam Mayer 4,000 3 2 Justin Allgaier 4,000 (-0) 2 3 John Hunter Nemechek 4,000 (–0) 2 4 Cole Custer 4,000 (–0) 2 5 Austin Hill 2,229 (–1,771) 6 Sammy Smith 2,215 (–1,785) 2 7 Daniel Hemric 2,208 (–1,792) 2 8 Parker Kligerman 2,188 (–1,812) 1 9 Sheldon Creed 2,187 (–1,813) 3 10 Chandler Smith 2,176 (–1,824) 11 Josh Berry 2,137 (–1,863) 12 Jeb Burton 2,101 (–1,899)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 12 positions are included for the driver standings.
References