Nemechek took only five laps to grab the lead for the first time and ended up leading 198 of the 250 laps, and cruised to the victory by 1.518 seconds over Sammy Smith.
A late-race caution for a wreck involving Riley Herbst and Sam Mayer set up a restart with 17 laps to go but Nemechek quickly pulled away and was never seriously challenged for the lead.
The is Nemechek’s second this season and fourth of his career. Not only does he win a coveted Martinsville grandfather clock but he also claims the $100,000 Dash4Cash program bonus.
“I can’t say enough about this whole team,” Nemechek said. “If you would have asked me yesterday if we would have won, I thought we were a 10th-place car in practice; I didn’t think we were very good.
“Just grateful that the guys made the right adjustments and gave me a fast (car). Let’s celebrate! Coy (Gibbs) – I wish he was here to celebrate with us. Second one of the year!”
Cole Custer ended up third, Josh Berry overcame a late flat tire to finish fourth and Brandon Jones rounded out the top-five.
Completing the top-10 were Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric, Derek Kraus, Brett Moffitt and Chandler Smith,
Nemechek, Sammy Smith, Custer and Berry will be eligible for the $100,000 Dash4Cash bonus next weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
Race winner John Hunter Nemechek, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Supra
Photo by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images
Stage 3
Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, all the lead-lap cars decided to pit with Nemechek first off pit road.
On the restart on Lap 132, Nemechek was followed by Sammy Smith, Jones, Custer and Berry.
Joe Graf Jr. and Ryan Ellis wrecked in Turn 1 on Lap 135 to place the race under caution for the fifth time. Berry was forced to pit under the caution to replace a flat tire.
The race resumed on Lap 143 with Nemechek still in command.
Leland Honeyman, Dawson Cram and Alex Labbe wrecked off Turn 2 on Lap 144 to place the race back under caution. Nemechek remained out front on the restart on Lap 156.
Josh Williams spun off Turn 2 and came to a stop on the track which forced NASCAR to place the race back under caution on Lap 163. Nemechek still led the way on the restart on Lap 169.
With 50 laps remaining, Nemechek retained almost a 1-second lead over Custer as Sammy Smith ran third.
Jeremy Clements slammed into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 209 which brought out the eighth caution of the race.
Most of the lead-lap cars pit with Nemechek again first off pit road. Allgaier remained on the track and inherited the lead and led the way on the restart on Lap 218.
It took just a little over a lap for Nemechek, on fresh tires, to power past Allgaier and reclaim the lead.
Herbst and Mayer wrecked in Turn 2 after Ryan Truex got into the back of Mayer on Lap 222 to place the race back under caution.
Nemechek remained in the lead on the restart on Lap 233.
Stage 2
Nemechek grabbed the lead with 13 laps to go and cruised to the Stage 2 win over Berry.
Custer was third, Sammy Smith fourth and Hemric rounded out the top-five.
Following the break between Stages 1 and 2, most of the lead-lap cars pit but Austin Hill was among those who stayed out and inherited the lead. He led the way on the restart on Lap 72.
Berry finally ran down Hill on Lap 74 and moved into the lead for the first time in the race.
By Lap 80, Nemechek had already made his way to second on new tires and set his sights on Berry to challenge for the lead.
Kaden Honeycutt appeared to blow and engine on Lap 87 and came to a stop in Turn 2, which brought out the third caution of the race.
Following an exceptionally long cleanup, the race finally restarted on Lap 101 with Berry out front.
Exiting Turn 4 after the restart, Sammy Smith nudged Berry out of the way and moved into the lead for the first time in the race.
Nemechek powered around Sammy Smith on Lap 107 to reclaim the top spot.
With five laps remaining in the stage, Nemechek had built up a 1.9-second lead over Berry as Sammy Smith dropped to third.
Stage 1
Nemechek easily held off Sammy Smith to take the Stage 1 win, his second stage victory of the 2023 season.
Custer was third, Mayer third and Herbst rounded out the top-five.
Custer started on the pole and led the first five laps until Nemechek got around him off Turn 4 to move out front on Lap 6.
With 30 laps remaining in the stage, Nemechek maintained a small lead over Custer as Sammy Smith ran third.
Moffitt spun around off Turn 4 on Lap 37 to bring out the first caution of the race. A handful of teams decided to pit but Nemechek remained on the track and in the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 44.
With five laps to go, Nemechek remained ahead of Sammy Smith with Custer in third.