Kurt Busch had barely shed his rookie status when he picked up his first victory at Martinsville Speedway. It was way back in 2002 and he was just a year removed from his rookie campaign.
“I’m ready for Martinsville this weekend. I’ve got a few top 10’s in a row there and last time I came from the back all the way to finish ninth. We don’t seem to practice good at Martinsville or qualify good, but we race our way to the front. So hopefully this weekend we’ll turn that around a little bit.
Clint Bowyer has never won one of those coveted trophies but he has come close numerous times including last year’s race when he finished second. That finish was followed by a third-place run in the fall. In total Bowyer has 10 top-10 finishes in 16 starts at the paper-clip-shaped track.
“This No. 2 Miller Lite team has made steady improvements to our short-track program over the last few years. On top of that our Ford Fusion has had speed everywhere that we’ve been this year. The team is executing well on race day and I’m looking forward to this weekend.
“Last year we were involved in accidents early in both races. Martinsville is a tough track. Last year was my first time to race there and I learned a lot that I can carry into this weekend. Our main goal is to stay out of trouble and hopefully leave Martinsville with a top-15 finish.”
Leavine Family Racing's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Martinsville Speedway ... Team owner Bob Leavine has three starts at the Martinsville Speedway. Leavine Family Racing finished 41st a year ago in the spring event and finished 40th in October event at the Martinsville, Va. facility.
David Ragan, driver of the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford, comments on racing at Martinsville Speedway: "I like Martinsville. I grew up racing Legends cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Atlanta, even some in Texas on those flat, quarter-mile tracks. It's fun and I enjoy it. We did a good job qualifying in the top 10 there the last time we went, so we'll look to go back and do that again.
The NASCAR Cup Series will hit the track for the first time in 2026 this weekend as the sport’s top division makes its return to the Winston-Salem, North Carolina, short-track famously known as “The Madhouse” for the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse, will be starting his second season behind the wheel for Wood Brothers Racing when the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium kicks off the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
By 2026, Asian sports fans – especially in the Philippines – engage through streaming, social communities, real-time stats, and interactive features, with betting platforms becoming a natural second-screen layer.
Sioux Chief Manufacturing, one of America’s leading manufacturers of rough plumbing products, will sponsor the pole award across the ARCA Menards Series platform in 2026.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin has Jack Roush’s lone win in the Clash event, winning back in 1999. He started from the 13th position and went on to lead the final 16 laps, topping Ken Schrader and Bobby Labonte on the podium for the victory.
