This year in the Cup Series we’ve seen seven races and seven different drivers in Victory Lane. Will the streak continue as NASCAR travels to Martinsville Speedway?
Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers with five wins at “The Paperclip” and is the top contender to score his first victory this season. Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. have two wins each while Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman have one win at Martinsville.
The racing action begins Thursday at 8 p.m. when the Whelen Modifieds hit the track. Notables on the entry list include JTG-Daugherty Cup Series driver Ryan Preece, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman and 2000 Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte.
Friday evening features the Xfinity Series Cook Out 250 and the Cup Series closes out the weekend Saturday with its first night race of the season. It will also be only the second night race hosted by the track in Cup Series history.
The Camping World Truck Series does not compete this weekend but will return next week at Richmond Raceway.
All times are Eastern.
Thursday, April 8
2:30 – 4 p.m.: NWMT Practice
6 p.m.: NWMT Qualifying (Impound) Two laps, All positions
7:45 p.m.: NWMT Driver Intros (with drivers standing by their cars)
8 p.m.: Whelen Modified Virginia Is for Racing Lovers 200 (200 Laps, 106.6 Miles) MRN/TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold (Live)
Friday, April 9
7:40 p.m.: Xfinity Driver Intros (with drivers standing by their cars)
8 p.m.: Xfinity Cook Out 250 (Stages 60/120/250 Laps = 131.5 Miles) FS1/MRN/TSN/ SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Harrison Burton
Postponed – The Xfinity race is scheduled to resume on Lap 92 of 250 at noon ET Sunday on FS1.
Saturday, April 10
7:25 p.m.: Cup Series Driver Intros (with drivers standing by their cars)
7:30 p.m.: Cup Series Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500 (Stages 130/260/500 Laps = 263 Miles) Start time delayed due to rain
FS1/MRN/TSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Pole: Joey Logano
Postponed – The Cup Series race will resume Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on FS1.
Notes:
2021 Cup Series winners:
Michael McDowell – Daytona 500
Christopher Bell – Daytona Road Course
William Byron – Homestead-Miami
Kyle Larson – Las Vegas
Martin Truex Jr. – Phoenix
Ryan Blaney – Atlanta
Joey Logano – Bristol Dirt
Martinsville Speedway Data
Season Race #: 7 of 36 (04-10-21)
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 0 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 800 feet
Backstretch Length: 800 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 263 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 130 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 240 laps
Martinsville Speedway Qualifying Information:
2020 pole winner: None – Starting Lineup was decided by a random draw: Ryan Blaney started on the pole.
Track qualifying record: Joey Logano, Ford (100.201 mph, 18.898 secs. on 03-28-14)
Kurt Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series(NCS) in starts among active drivers with 41 starts, followed by Kevin Harvick with 39, and Ryan Newman with 38. NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NCS with 67.
Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the NCS in average starting position with a 7.917 in 24 starts at Martinsville. Logano leads the series among active drivers with the most poles with five (2015 sweep, spring 2016, fall 2017 and spring 2019).
Martinsville Speedway Race Information:
2020 race winner: Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (77.378 mph, (03:23:56), on 06-10-20)
Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet (82.223 mph, (3:11:55), on 09-22-96)
Denny Hamlin leads the NCS among active drivers in wins at Martinsville Speedway with five (2008, 2009, 2010 sweep, 2015). Martin Truex Jr. was the most recent driver to win consecutive NCS races (Oct. 2019; June 2020).
Hendrick Motorsports leads the NCS in wins with 25 wins. Jeff Gordon (nine), Jimmie Johnson (nine), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoffrey Bodine (one), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one), and Chase Elliott (one).
Hamlin leads the NCS among active drivers in average finishing position of 9.933 in 30 starts, followed by Brad Keselowski at 10.182 in 22 starts. Hamlin also leads all active drivers in the series in laps led with 1,608 (11%).
A total of 11 manufacturers have won in the NCS at Martinsville Speedway. Led by Chevrolet (57), Ford (30), Plymouth (12), Dodge (10), Toyota (9), Pontiac (8), Oldsmobile (8), Buick (3), Chrysler (3), Hudson (2), and Mercury (2).
Top 12 Driver Ratings at Martinsville
Denny Hamlin – 105.0
Kyle Busch – 102.7
Brad Keselowski – 99.8
Ryan Blaney – 98.5
Joey Logano – 97.3
Chase Elliott – 95.3
Kevin Harvick – 93.8
Martin Truex Jr – 84.4
Ryan Newman – 83.8
Kurt Busch – 82.0
William Byron – 74.9
Kyle Larson – 73.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (32 total) among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway.
