Ford driver Fred Lorenzen holds the record for consecutive victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville with four from 1963-65. Six other drivers have won three straight (Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin).
Travis Geisler (Director of Competition, Penske Racing) “I think Martinsville is what it is. We all know it to be a really challenging racetrack from a lot of different perspectives. I think if you look at the brake systems, certainly you’ve got to have everything pretty much perfect for this weekend.
Those are just some memorable driver and crew chief combinations and ones that happened to be pretty successful. By the end of the 2012 season there might be a new pair to add to the list: Greg Biffle and Matt Puccia.
Paulie Harraka is not only competing in the Camping World Truck Series and finishing his senior year at Duke but, this weekend, the Rookie of the Year candidate will be taking his Truck high tech at Martinsville.
Nearly every team in racing has a track they consider one of their biggest challenges. For Carl Edwards and the No. 99 Fastenal team that track is Martinsville Speedway.
Pizza Ranch, the popular Midwest pizza and chicken buffet restaurant, has renewed its sponsorship of Pizza Ranch Victory Lane and will continue to deliver a winning pizza to every driver who visits it at Iowa Speedway through the 2013 season.
Kentucky Speedway’s Ford Fan Day will offer guests a multitude of activities, a behind-the-scenes view of all areas of the 107,000-capacity facility, U.S. Legends International quarter-mile track racing, chances to win prizes as well as previews of road and parking improvements on Saturday, April 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Race fans who love pizza will get a double treat as Papa John's is offering a VIP experience with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the Coca-Cola 600, on May 27, with the Papa John's Pizza Party at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, has started the 2012 Nationwide season with the best finishing average of his NASCAR career.
EXPRESS NOTES: California Recap: FedEx Racing team crew chief Darian Grubb elected to bring Denny Hamlin to pit road under caution for rain in hopes that Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway would restart, but the skies opened and the remainder of the 200-lap event was cancelled on Lap 129 with the #11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry recording an 11th-place result.
