2023 Xfinity 500

The 2023 Xfinity 500 is the 35th race of the 2023 International Stock Car Racing Series. It was supposed to take place on October 29th, but was postponed to October 31st.

Due to the race being held on Halloween Night, the announcers and pit reporters wear different costumes, which would be seen in the Trivia section of this page.

Berry Hightower wins his way into the final four.

The only DNQ was Noca Loca.

## Transcript

### Pre-Race (Trick-Or-Treat, and Standings entering the final four)

Gossip Boy: BOO!!! What's up everyone?! We are here at Martinsville Superspeedway for the final race of the third CHASE round, the Xfinity 500! My name is Gossip Boy, and these are my friends Princess and Min!

Princess: Hi again!

Min: Hello!

Gossip Boy: Guys, do you know what date it is?

Min: October 31st!

Gossip Boy: And do you know what that means?

Min, Gossip Boy, and Princess: TRICK-OR-TREAT EVERYONE! (the words "Happy Halloween!" appear on the screen.)

Min: That's right, tonight is Halloween night! The day where everyone, yes even race fans, can dress up as different costumes for trick-or-treating. Gossip Boy and Princess, what are you wearing for Halloween tonight? I am dressed up as Katt.

Gossip Boy: Well, I am pretending to be a ghost for this year's halloween. And Prin.........Princess, why aren't you in a costume as yet?

Princess: I am......I am just in my Kung Fu Girl form.

Min: That-that's not even a costume.

Princess: It looks like one to me. All thanks to..... (she puts her left leg up, revealing Kung Fu Sock.)

Kung Fu Sock: Me!

(Min and Gossip Boy laugh in amazement.)

Min: Still, it doesn't count as wearing a costume. But if you like it as it is, fine. I'm just hoping that you're not mocking my friend Tee Zeng.

Princess: (frowns)

Gossip Boy: Well, now that is taken care of, here is what we are expecting for tonights race. There are only two more spots left for a driver to get into the Champ 4 with Brian Carter and A. J. Chuanli. One of these drivers is B. J. Lestrana, and Waldo's with him. Waldo?

(No response)

Min: Uh, this is Min from the NBC booth. Waldo? Can you hear us?

(Again, no response)

Princess: Where in the spookies is Waldo?

(We then go to pit lane, Waldo, in a Mitsurin costume can be seen in the crowd. After hearing his name, he then goes back to the TV camera screen.)

Waldo: Over here guys. In case you haven't realized, I am in a cat costume, but not just any ordinary cat costume, but one similar to Mitsurin, and yes, this is my costume I'm wearing for Halloween. Anyways, I am here with B. J. Lestrana, driver of the #11, and Brian, what's your expectations in this race?

B. J.: This appears to be my best track of my racing career. Out of the 30 wins of my career, I have five wins at this very track. Came up short of a title many times, last year, I was beaten by "The Melon Man" himself. In this race, I will try and keep the car clean, and have a high finish. Maybe then, the opportunity might come. A chance for the final four, and let's get this done for Joe Gibbs!

Waldo: Lestrana starts fifth in tonight's race at Martinsville. Wenda is with the #17 driver.

Wenda: Here dressed up as Molly Mabray with the #17 of Emmy Frisk. Emmy, are you confident about tonight's race?

Emmy: Not sure actually. I was extremely great when the Chase started. I'm sure we can get it done with this Fastenal car, and see if we can get Lucy Clover a second owner's title.

Wenda; Emmy hopes she can get into the final four, but to do that, she will have to start deep in the field, 26th.

### Start

Gossip Boy: Green flag's out at Halloween Night!

Min: Let's get spooky at Martinsville!

### Lap 104 accident

Gossip Boy: A battle for 22nd with Nimy Shaw and Samuel Deluca .

Min: OH! Shaw's turned by Dex Lewis!

Princess: There's the first lantern, yes, we call cautions on halloween lanterns.

(Replay)

Min: Here is what happened. You can see the #3 of Lewis tap Shaw's rear bumper and she spins out.

Princess: Shaw can never catch a break this year.

### Lap 216 spins

Princess: What are your expectations on Emmy into the final four now, Min and Gossip Boy?

Gossip Boy: Right now she's currently 6th. If she wants to gain more spots, she might have the opportunity in Turn 2.

Min: Well, that opportunity might have to wait as we have a spinner in the back.

Princess: That's Miera Zenrois spinning in Turn 4. Caution-er, lantern Number 2 is out.

Min: Replay please?

(Replay)

Gossip Boy: Yeah, Pirelli tires again. No help, just blown Pirelli Tires.

### Lap 271 Pitstop and big wreck

Gossip Boy: Hightower who's led 101 of the 500 laps so far leads us down to the pit area. Scott?

(In pit lane)

Scott: Hightower has reported a vibration on the 211th lap of this race, and he told his crew chief that there would be some minor adjustments on this car. As that is worked on, I will pass it on to Hailey.

Hailey: Emmy Frisk pits from 5th here, she is fighting for her Final 4 spot while her teammate Greg Phillip is only having fuel to make it to the end. Frisk's away! Tully?

Tulip: B. J. Lestrana has led 99 of the laps so far, as he will have a full gas of fuel and four tire change on the #11 machine. He's away. We have a caution on the track guys!

(In the booth)

Princess: (annoyed) I told you, Tully, we call cautions lanterns!

(In the pit lane)

Tulip: Sorry.

(In the booth)

Min: Tulip was right, lantern #3 is out due to a big mess on the backstretch.

Gossip Boy: Due to the smoke, there's only one way to find out the cause of caution.

Min: Replays please?

(replay)

Princess: See the 77 of Larry and the #22 of Maya? That's where the wreck starts. Larry gets tapped by Maya, and due to the width of the track, there is nowhere for anyone else to go.

Gossip Boy: You can see the 1 of Linda Pronsteck, the 2 of Y . K. Wing, the 6 of Greg Phillip, the 15 of Lore Ida, the 36 of Shane Yuxuan and the 93 of Kayla Morgan. That's six cars involved.

Min: So far, only Lore Ida has enough damage to make him retire from the event.

(Live)

Gossip Boy: And look who has the lucky treat! Nimy Shaw gets her lap back!

Min: We call "Lucky Dogs" in Halloween "Lucky Treats".

### Lap 303 spin

Princess: And Slate's around again in Turn 1 this time after contact from Powderkreg! Lantern #4 of the night!

### Lap 324 spin

Min: Again!

Gossip Boy: Shane Yuxuan around after contacting Thian Ellington!

Princess: That's lantern #5 of the night!

Gossip Boy: Worrying for the #17 of Emmy Frisk as she took the lead from Berry a few laps prior.

### Pace Car Breaks Down

Min: What the heck! What the actual heck!?

Gossip Boy: The pace car is broken down! During pace laps!

Princess: Mind you that this Is halloween night, so anything unusual might happen, on and off the track.

Gossip Boy: Well, that means the pace car would be towed.

### Final Lap

Min: One more time around!

Princess: Hightower took the lead from Scott a lap prior!

Gossip Boy: Is there one more chance for Lestrana or Frisk to make their moves. Lestrana is in third, and Frisk is in fifth. She needs to move up one more spot.

Min: I don't think there's enough time for either driver.

Princess: Checkered flag flies for Berry Hightower. He wins at Martinsville!

(12 team radio)

Berry: PHOENIX, HERE WE COME!

(17 team radio)

Emmy: Did we make it in?

Emmy's crew chief: It's too late, Emmy. The phantom got us this time.

Emmy: Dang it!

(11 team radio)

B. J.: WOHOO! THIRD PLACE FINISH! Does this mean anything great?

V. X. (B. J.'s crew chief): Again, Martinsville got us. Missed out for the third straight time.

B. J.: CURSE YOU MARTINSVILLE!

(24 team radio)

Zayn: I'M GOING INTO THE FINAL FOUR WITH CARTER, CHUANLI, AND HIGHTOWER!

Cameron: Yep, that's true. You're going for a title!

## Results

1. Berry Hightower - 400 laps
2. Aadan Scott - 400 laps
3. B. J. Lestrana - 400 Laps
4. Emmy Frisk - 400 laps
5. Xantarea Bocara - 400 laps
6. 6-36 TBA

## Trivia

* Here are the staff members' costumes:
	+ Gossip Boy: Generic Ghost costume
	+ Princess: Kung Fu Girl (technically not a costume, but the same form as in Kung Fu Girl's Show)
	+ Min: Katt
	+ Waldo/Wally: Mitsurin
	+ Wenda: Molly Mabray
	+ Scott Denoga: Mummy
	+ Hailey Banks: Clemy

Only Tulip Olsen has her casual form.

* Had Berry Hightower not crossed the finish line first, B. J. Lestrana could have been in the final four, alongside Emmy Frisk who were both eliminated.