NASCAR Cup Series

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team finished an impressive eighth in overtime in the First Data 500 at chilly Martinsville Speedway and improved their position in the NASCAR Playoffs standings from seventh to sixth, six points behind the Round 3 cutoff.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Coming to the green to start overtime for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Denny Hamlin was the race leader. Coming to the white flag, he was still the race leader, but with Kyle Busch to his inside. Coming to the checkered flag, Busch took the checkered flag as the field wrecked behind him.

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 NAPA CHEVROLET SS – Finished 27th - OBVIOUSLY, YOU’RE UNHAPPY. DENNY HAMLIN SAID HE GOT INTO THE BACK OF YOU. HOW DID YOU SEE THINGS? “Yeah, well, he came over and talked to me on the back straightaway and he said somebody was pushing him, but it wasn’t two car lengths between him and the next guy. So, my Momma always said if you don’t have anything nice not to say anything at all. So, it’s not even worth my time. We’ll just go on to Texas.”

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Joey Logano topped the chart in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx / Walgreens Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Talk about your favorite memories here and how you’re going to approach this weekend. “You know it is a very important race track but it’s still only 33 percent of this round. Each track is equally important unless you win this race. I think we need to be successful here, we need to gain some points. This is obviously statistically our best shot even though I feel like we can win each and every week. I feel pretty good about it. A lot of good memories here. 2009 maybe when we came from ninth with three laps to go to win the race was probably my favorite memory at this race track, but it’s been a good one."

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Denny Hamlin topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Martinsville Speedway and discussed writing a book, the potential of other drivers outside of NASCAR hopping in a JR Motorsports Chevy, why he feels blessed and many other topics.

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion, and owners Len and Eddie Wood, paid a visit to the Martinsville Speedway infield media center before today’s first practice session to talk about advancing to the Round of 8 and competing at their home track.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the first race in the Round of 8. The track has been a part of the Playoffs since its inception in 2004. Five times the driver who won this race has gone on to claim the championship trophy.

Petty race teams have been competing at the .526-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway since 1949, when Lee Petty finished second when track was a dirt oval. As the years went by, Lee, Richard Petty, Jimmy Hensley and John Andretti all collected wins at the historical track under the Petty name. A total of 20 grandfather clocks have been gathered along the way.