NASCAR Cup PR

As Paul Menard and the No. 21 Quick Lane team prepare for Sunday’s First Data 500 on the tight confines of Martinsville Speedway, Menard is hoping for a drama-free race, at least until the final laps.

William Byron on racing at Martinsville: “I was watching the fall Martinsville race back from 2017 and 2018. Last year’s race was relatively calm but the year before, that race was absolutely crazy. There was a lot of action, and as a fan it was fun to watch. I think it will be more like that this year with very close racing and tempers on edge. There’s really only one way to get around that place and that’s right on the curb. You just try to keep it stuck to the curb all day and hopefully that pays off.”

Chevrolet drivers Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson advanced to the Round of 8 of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Heading into the seventh of 10 races – on the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway oval – a look at their success in 32 starts:

Roush Fenway Racing makes heads to The Commonwealth this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) returns to Martinsville Speedway for 500 miles of racing at The Paperclip. RFR has visited victory lane six times at the famed .526-mile track including four times in the Cup series.

“At Martinsville, a lot of strategy is about risk vs reward. You've got to think about making moves when you have the opportunity, but if that move causes you to push in a fender, or restrict airflow, it's going to hurt you for the rest of the day. And you also need to think about where you want to be in another 200, 300 laps as the race is winding down. It's a mentally tough day, for sure, but it can also be a lot of fun. I'm excited to hit the track in our No. 34 A&W Ford Mustang."

DIBENEDETTO BY THE NUMBERS: In nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Martinsville, Matt DiBenedetto has an average start of 30.6, an average finish of 31.6, and he’s completed 3,997 of 4,505 (88.7 percent) career laps at the half-mile Virginia track.

Stenhouse has 13 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Martinsville with an average starting position of 22.8.

Newman will make his 36th Cup start at Martinsville this weekend. In 35 prior events, Newman has an average finish of 14.9 with 16 top-10s and eight top-fives with one win.

Martinsville Preview: With only four races remaining in the 2019 season, the Series returns to Martinsville for Sunday’s 500-lap event around the half-mile “Paperclip.” Denny Hamlin is coming off a victory at Kansas Speedway and hopes to continue his success around the narrow oval. Sitting third in points, Hamlin is dialed in and ready to move deeper into the playoffs.

Ryan Newman’s No. 6 Ford Mustang will pay homage to another legendary American vehicle this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Martinsville Speedway, carrying the iconic Blue Bird School Bus colors.