This weekend NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway for some short-track racing.
Chase Elliott will also make his much-anticipated return to Cup Series competition after missing the previous six races due to a broken left leg sustained in a snowboarding accident on March 3.
“We’re looking forward to having Chase back in his race car to pick up where he left off,” Rick Hendrick said in a statement issued by Hendrick Motorsports Wednesday afternoon.
“Since the injury, he’s worked extremely hard and focused all his time and energy on returning to the No. 9 team. Throughout the last six weeks, he’s stayed fully engaged with everything we’re doing, and we know he’s chomping at the bit to get on the racetrack and compete for wins.”
Martinsville Speedway has hosted 148 Cup Series races since the first event in 1949. There have been 57 different race winners and this weekend 10 of those drivers will be competing on Sunday.
Denny Hamlin tops the list with five victories, followed by Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch with two wins each. Christopher Bell, William Byron, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick have each visited Victory Lane once at the 0.526-mile track.
The Xfinity Series has hosted 39 races at Martinsville with 25 different race winners. Saturday’s race will host the second segment of the Dash 4 Cash competition. Justin Allgaier won the first segment at Richmond and will compete against Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek and Chandler Smith for the $100.000 bonus.
Friday night the Camping World Truck Series hits the track for the 45th race held at Martinsville. Four of the drivers entered have won previously at ‘The Paperclip” and include Kyle Busch (2016, 2019), Matt Crafton (2014, 2015), Grant Enfinger (2020) and Zane Smith (2021).
Friday, April 14
3 p.m.: Truck Series Practice – Group 1 & 2 – FS1
3:35 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying (Impound) Single Vehicle/2 Laps/All Entries) FS1
5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice – Group 1 & 1 – FS1
5:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying (Impound) Single Vehicle/2 Laps/All Entries) FS1
7:30 p.m.: Truck Series Long John Silver’s 200
Stages 50/100/200 Laps = 105.2 Miles
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $693,842
Post Truck Series Race: Press Pass
Saturday, April 15
4:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice – Group A & B
FS2/MRN/SiriusXM
5:20 p.m.: Cup Series Qualifying (Impound) Group A & B – Single Vehicle/2 Laps/2 Rounds) FS2/MRN/SiriusXM
7:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Call811.com Before You Dig. 250
Stages 60/120/250 Laps = 131.5 Miles
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $1,403,623
Post Xfinity Series Race: Press Pass
Sunday, April 16
3 p.m.: Cup Series NOCO 400
Stages 80/180/400 Laps = 210.4 Miles
FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
The Purse: $7,324,203
Post Cup Series Race: Press Pass
