NASCAR has a buzzy slogan for the third-round finale of its Cup Series playoffs.

With half of the remaining eight drivers desperate for a victory to reach the Championship 4 finale, Sunday is “Must-Win at Martinsville Speedway!”

That certainly has a better ring to it than “Manipulation at Martinsville!” or “Martinsville’s Massive Scandal!”

Those were the headlines written about what transpired last November at the 0.526-mile oval in southwest Virginia.

A coordinated effort between multiple teams and manufacturers to engineer the results erupted in a controversial finish to the third-round finale. Officials took nearly 30 minutes to sort out that William Byron would advance over Christopher Bell to race for the title in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

NASCAR issued a record $600,

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