Martinsville Event Info:
Date: Sunday, November 1st
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Ridgeway, VA
Format: 500 Laps, 263 miles, Stages: 130-260-500
TV: NBC
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 1:00 p.m. ET, Cup Practice (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 2:05 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:00 p.m. ET, Cup Race (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Pace Laps:
- This race marks a significant milestone for Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing as driver Chris Buescher makes his 400th Career Start after leading 53 laps this past weekend in Talladega.
- As part of the Kroger Racing program, Nerds Gummy Clusters will partner with Buescher and the 17 team this week. Ferrara (parent company of Nerds) is providing 3,000 pounds of Nerds Gummy Clusters to the racetrack for all midway vendors to hand out for Halloween.
- Martinsville Speedway hosts its annual fall race this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series embarks on the second to last race of the 2026 season.
6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Mike Skarbowski
Partner: TravelCenters of America
17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Kroger / Nerd’s Gummy Clusters
60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com
Keselowski at Martinsville Speedway
Starts: 33
Wins: 2 (2017, 2019)
Top-10s: 18
Poles: 1 (2020)
The 2012 NASCAR Cup Series Champion owns a pair of Martinsville clocks (2017, 2019), showcasing consistent strength on the paperclip shaped half mile.
18 Martinsville top 10 finishes – Most of all tracks
36 Career wins – 7 Short track wins
The Michigan native has also shown strong single lap speed at Martinsville, scoring one pole (2020) and regularly qualifying near the front.
Buescher at Martinsville Speedway
*Career Cup Series Start # 400
Starts: 22
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —
Chris Buescher heads to Martinsville embarking on a career milestone of 400 career starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Buescher makes his 23rd Martinsville start this weekend, entering with a pair of top‑10 finishes and continued progress on the half‑mile.
His best qualifying effort (4th) at Martinsville came in recent seasons as he’s shown increased single‑lap speed, contributing to his overall trend of stronger starting positions.
134 Laps led this season – 53 Laps led at Talladega last week (40%)
6 Career wins – 2 Short track wins (2022 Bristol & Richmond 7/23)
Preece at Martinsville Speedway
Starts: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: 1 (2023)
As a short track ace, Ryan Preece is one to watch this weekend. With a background in short track racing, winning his first ever Modified race and NCS Pole at Martinsville, additionally Preece went to victory lane to start the 2026 season, winning the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium to open 2026.
Preece has earned 3 top‑10 finishes at Martinsville, showcasing his comfort on flat, abrasive short tracks where precision and patience pay off.
387 Career laps led – 135 Martinsville laps led (35%)
Qualifying has been a bright spot for the Connecticut native at Martinsville, where he scored a pole in 2023 and has routinely shown single‑lap speed on similar layouts.
Overall, Preece continues to trend upward on short tracks, carrying both confidence and momentum into this weekend’s return to one of NASCAR’s most historic venues.
RFK Paperclip Preview
Cup Wins: 4 (Martin, 1992; Burton, 1997; Martin, 2000; Busch, 2003)
Masters of the Paperclip: RFK Racing has a long and respected history at Martinsville Speedway, earning four Cup Series victories at the iconic half‑mile. From Mark Martin’s 1992 win to Jeff Burton’s 1997 triumph, and Martin’s return to Victory Lane in 2000, RFK established itself early as a short‑track force. Kurt Busch added to the legacy in 2003, cementing RFK as a perennial contender on the tight bullring.
Short‑Track Strength: Over the decades, RFK has built a reputation for excelling on demanding short tracks, and Martinsville has been one of the team’s most consistent showcases of that identity.
A Multi‑Series Footprint: Beyond the Cup Series, RFK’s impact at Martinsville stretches into the Truck Series as well. Jon Wood (2003) and Ricky Craven (2005) delivered memorable NCTS victories, showcasing RFK’s strength across multiple divisions at the paperclip‑shaped half‑mile.
RFK Martinsville Speedway Wins
1992 Martin Cup
1997 Burton Cup
2000 Martin Cup
2003 Busch Cup
2003 Wood NCTS
2005 Craven NCTS
Last Time Out & Where They Stand
Talladega: Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing wasn’t fueling around in Talladega Sunday. Brad Keselowski ignited a Stage One strategy that became the talk of the race. Taking advantage of many drivers who were saving fuel and not at full throttle, he blasted to the front at full speed. His RFK teammates Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece followed and together they drafted well ahead of the field, putting several drivers a lap down. The three swapped positions at the front and were able to finish 1-2-3 in the opening segment. Combined the RFK trio lead 88 of the race’s 189 circuits. As the laps wound down Keselowski was in the mix for the race win when, with five laps to go, he and Buescher were both swept up in a multi car crash. Keselowski finished 24th and Buescher 32nd. Preece avoided that incident, and was able to overcome damage in a Stage Two crash, to finish 13th.
Points Standings: Preece: 15th, Buescher: 16th, Keselowski: 19th
