NASCAR Cup Series

Officials from Rick Ware Racing (RWR) announced today that Halifax, Va. native Jeb Burton (@JebBurtonRacing) will pilot the team’s No. 51 JACOB Companies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday afternoon’s First Data 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Camping World Truck Series will be in action at Martinsville Speedway while the NASCAR Xfinity Series is off. The Monster Energy Series heads to the first race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Playoffs, while the Camping World Truck Series enters the first race in the Round of 6.

Roush Fenway Racing gears up for the final short track race of the 2018 season this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) heads to Martinsville Speedway, the shortest track on the circuit, for a 500-lap event on Sunday. RFR has visited victory lane six times at the famed .526-mile track, including four times in the Cup series.

Americans have loved the sport of racing for years and years, starting with horses and dogs and turning into motor bikes and cars as we have progressed. Competitive racing is now at a whole new level and people from around the world come to watch some of the most popular motor racing events. Whether we love to watch or love to race ourselves, we cannot get enough of this sport. However, with the thrill of this sport also comes the danger of injuries and even death as drivers reach speeds that we could never imagine. Thankfully, injuries are not often fatal, although some may come out with a broken bone or two. Below are some of the worst crashes in motor racing from over the years.

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.