Honestly, if you were watching the Dude Wipes 250 at Martinsville Speedway, you saw more than just a race. You saw a guy finally exhaling. Aric Almirola didn't just win a trophy on that Saturday night in April 2024; he basically erased a ghost that had been following him around for seventeen years.
He took home the win, but the big headline for a lot of fans was that Aric Almirola wins Martinsville Dash 4 Cash bonus, pocketing a cool $100,000. It's the kind of night that reminds you why short-track racing in Virginia is so special. The "Paperclip" is famous for being ruthless, and this race lived up to the reputation. It wasn't a clean, Sunday-drive kind of victory. It was a three-wide, paint-swapping, overtime-scramble kind of win.
The Asterisk is Finally Gone
To understand why Almirola was so emotional after climbing out of that No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, you have to go back to 2007. Back then, at the Milwaukee Mile, Aric started a race for Coach Gibbs but had to hand the car over to Denny Hamlin mid-race because Denny was late getting there from a Cup race in Sonoma. Denny won. Because Aric started the car, the record books gave him the win.
He hated it.
He’s spent nearly two decades feeling like he had an asterisk next to his name in the JGR shop. Winning at Martinsville wasn't just about the check or the points; it was about proving he could finish what he started for Joe Gibbs. "I've had an asterisk next to a win for Coach for 17 years," Almirola said after the race. It’s kinda poetic that he finally got his "real" JGR win at his favorite track.
How He Did It: The Overtime Chaos
The race was mostly the Aric Almirola show. He led 148 of the 251 laps. He won the first stage. He looked untouchable for huge chunks of the night. But this is Martinsville. Nothing is easy.
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Late in the game, things got messy. Sam Mayer, driving for JR Motorsports, managed to get around Almirola with only eight laps to go. For a minute there, it looked like Almirola was going to dominate the whole night only to lose it at the buzzer. Then came the caution that changed everything, pushing the race into NASCAR Overtime.
On that final restart, Mayer had the lead. Almirola was on the outside. Sheldon Creed, Almirola's JGR teammate, decided to make things interesting by diving to the inside of Mayer. Suddenly, it was three-wide going into Turn 1.
- Mayer got caught in the middle.
- Creed was digging on the bottom.
- Almirola stayed glued to the outside.
There was contact—plenty of it—but Almirola used that outside momentum to clear them both coming off Turn 2. Just as he took the white flag, a massive wreck broke out behind him involving Riley Herbst, Brandon Jones, and Ryan Ellis. The caution came out, freezing the field, and Almirola cruised home under yellow.
The $100,000 Dash 4 Cash Bonus
Winning the race is one thing, but Aric Almirola wins Martinsville Dash 4 Cash was the cherry on top. This program is a massive deal in the Xfinity Series. It’s a four-race stretch where the top four eligible finishers from the previous week's race (excluding Cup regulars) battle for a $100,000 bonus.
Almirola was eligible alongside Chandler Smith, Jesse Love, and Parker Kligerman. By taking the checkered flag, he beat the other three and secured the cash. It's a huge boost for any team, but for a guy who is "semi-retired" and just racing for the fun of it, it's a hell of a way to spend a Saturday night.
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Because Aric wasn't scheduled to run the following race at Texas Motor Speedway, the eligibility for the next Dash 4 Cash round shifted. The four drivers who moved on to fight for the next check in Fort Worth were Sam Mayer, Chandler Smith, Justin Allgaier, and Sheldon Creed.
The New Kid on the Block: Carson Kvapil
While Almirola was celebrating, everyone in the garage was talking about Carson Kvapil. Making his Xfinity Series debut for JR Motorsports, Kvapil finished fourth.
That’s insane.
Most veterans will tell you Martinsville is the hardest place for a rookie to stay out of trouble, let alone finish in the top five. He was mixing it up with the leaders all night. If Almirola was the story of the veteran finding redemption, Kvapil was the story of the next generation arriving with a loud bang.
Key Takeaways from the DUDE Wipes 250
The race had 11 cautions for 68 laps. That tells you how physical it was. Nobody left with a clean car.
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Sam Mayer was understandably frustrated. He felt like he had the win in his pocket before the overtime restart turned into a bumper-car session. He finished second, followed by Chandler Smith in third. Smith actually started from the back of the field because he crashed his primary car in practice. The JGR crew had to work until 2:00 AM to get his backup ready. To come from the rear to a podium finish at a short track is legendary work by that No. 81 team.
Here is the basic breakdown of how the top finishers shook out:
- Aric Almirola (Winner & Dash 4 Cash)
- Sam Mayer
- Chandler Smith
- Carson Kvapil
- Justin Allgaier
- Sheldon Creed
What This Means for Your Next NASCAR Fix
If you're looking to follow the momentum from this race, there are a few things to keep an eye on. First, the Dash 4 Cash continues to be the most exciting mid-season incentive. It creates "races within the race" that keep the intensity high even when someone is dominating.
Second, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity program is clearly the benchmark right now. Whether it's Almirola, Smith, or Creed, those Toyotas are fast everywhere.
For fans who want to see Almirola again, remember he’s on a part-time schedule. He’s focusing on family and just "scratching the itch," as he puts it. But every time he shows up at a short track, he's the guy to beat.
If you're heading to a race or just watching on TV, keep a close eye on those overtime restarts. As we saw at Martinsville, being the leader isn't always the best spot to be when the field goes three-wide behind you. Sometimes, the outside line and a bit of luck are all you need to clear the chaos and take home the big check.
Check the upcoming Xfinity schedule to see when the next Dash 4 Cash race happens—it's usually the best gambling value and the most aggressive racing you'll see all year. Stay tuned to the entry lists to see when Almirola pops back up in that No. 20 car, especially when the series heads back to short tracks like Richmond or Bristol.