NASCAR Cup Series

Matt Kenseth makes his return to Martinsville this weekend, one of only five tracks on the Cup circuit the 2003 Cup Champion hasn’t yet won at.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney made a pit stop in South Florida on Wednesday in advance of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, November 16-18.

Then there were eight, as the surviving championship contenders take to the track this weekend at Martinsville. It is damn near over, but that overweight soprano has yet to warble, so we have a few notes to wait for between now and Homestead.

Richard Childress Racing at Martinsville Speedway ... In 167 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011). RCR Chevrolet teams have earned 30 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the team's first start there on April 10, 1972. Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR's top division, contributed four of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.

Chase Elliott on having added pressure as the playoffs continue: “I think that needs to be the mindset, for sure. I think every week has to be pressure-packed. You have to keep the pressure on yourselves. If you were to make it to Homestead, you have to pretty much win Homestead. I think you have to have that mentality every week. The points game is nice, I guess, to play. Really, you just need to care about winning. If you're trying to win, putting yourself in position to win, that's way more important than just barely trying to squeak through. Having the ability to win, do it weekly, putting yourselves in those positions week by week is the most important thing. If we can do that these next three weeks, I think we can give ourselves a chance.”

SMITH BY THE NUMBERS: In 12 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Martinsville, Regan Smith has an average start of 22.8 and an average finish of 25.6. He’s completed 5,827 of 6,027 (96.7 percent) career laps and has led for a total of two laps at the half-mile track.

Stenhouse has 11 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Martinsville with an average starting position of 23.2. Out of his 11 starts, Stenhouse has scored two top-10 finishes, both coming last season.

AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 KROGER CLICKLIST CAMARO ZL1 - RACING AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY: "I love racing at Martinsville Speedway," Allmendinger said. "It's definitely my favorite short track that we race at on the schedule. Just knowing the history behind racing at Martinsville Speedway is so special to be able to race the Kroger ClickList Camaro ZL1 there."

Martinsville Preview: With only four races remaining in the 2018 season, the Series returns to Martinsville for Sunday’s 500-lap event around the half-mile ‘Paperclip’. Hamlin is no stranger to the short track’s Victory Lane and has captured a career-best five wins at Martinsville in 25 total starts. He also boasts a career-best 12 top-five and18 top-10 finishes with 1,505 laps led around the narrow oval.

Honoring the best driver to ever race at Martinsville Speedway, Pioneer Records Management, a division of Pioneer Technology Group, announced today they will primary sponsor a special Petty Blue No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in celebration of the "The King" Richard Petty and his record 15 wins at the track. Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. will race the No. 43 that ruled Martinsville throughout the 1960's and 70's.