Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Harvick using eighth-place 2015 Martinsville chassis this week.

Kevin Harvick is 7/1 to win at Martinsville on Sunday.
Kevin Harvick Chassis Information: 
Chassis No. 4-864: Kevin Harvick will pilot the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS built on Chassis No. 4-864 in the Martinsville 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Built in 2014, Chassis No. 4-864 made its debut at Martinsville in March 2014, when it started 18th , led one lap and finished seventh. It made its second appearance at Martinsville in October 2014, when it started 33rd and finished 33rd after being collected in an accident with Matt Kenseth. Its first appearance in 2015 also came at Martinsville, where it started 17th, led 154 laps and finished eighth after getting shuffled back on several late-race restarts. Its most recent start came at Martinsville in November 2015, where is started 12th, led 38 laps and finished eighth.

Jimmy John’s Racing Team Report – Martinsville Page Two Martinsville Speedway Notes of Interest:
Freaky Fast Since 2014: Harvick is in his 16th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and his third at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) with crew chief Rodney Childers at the helm. In their first two seasons together, Harvick and Childers combined to produce eight victories, nine poles, 37 top-five finishes and 48 top-10s; led 4,431 laps; won the 2014 Sprint Cup title; and finished runner-up in 2015 to champion Kyle Busch. 

2016 Race Winner: Harvick is one of four Sprint Cup winners through the first five races of 2016. He scored his lone Sprint Cup win of the season March 13 at Phoenix International Raceway in one of the closest finishes in Sprint Cup history when he beat runner-up Carl Edwards to the finish line by .01 of a second. The win should secure Harvick a spot in the 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup. 

2016 Loop Leader: According to NASCAR Stats and Information, Harvick leads all Sprint Cup drivers in 2016 in points (194), driver rating (124.4), top-10s (five), average finish (4.0), quality passes (470), fastest laps (193), percentage of fastest laps run (41.2), laps in the top-15 (1,225), percentage of laps in the top-15 (93.2), laps led (413), percentage of laps led (31.4), average running position (5.777), miles led (626.24) and percentage of laps run on the lead lap (99.77). He also ranks second in bonus points (10) and third in average starting position (8.2). 

9,000 Laps Led and Counting: Harvick led 139 laps in the Good Sam 500k at Phoenix to surpass 9,000 laps led for his Sprint Cup career. He is one of only five active Sprint Cup drivers to lead more than 9,000 laps. The others are Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth. After leading 142 laps two weekends ago at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Harvick now sits at 9,270 laps led for his Sprint Cup career. 

Harvick in the Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville: The Martinsville 500 will mark Harvick’s 30th career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville. Harvick has one win, three top-five finishes and 14 top-10s at the half-mile oval. The 40-year-old driver has led 556 laps, has an average starting position of 14.4, an average finish of 15.9, and has completed 97.7 percent (14,193 of 14,534) of the laps he’s contested there. 

Harvick in the Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville: Harvick has made 17 starts in the Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville. Harvick has two poles, seven top-five finishes and nine top-10s. He has led 595 laps, has an average starting position of 8.1, an average finish of 11.6, and has completed 97.1 percent (3,846 of 3,960) of the laps he’s contested there. 

Career Totals: Harvick has 32 wins, 140 top-fives and 262 top-10s in 543 career Sprint Cup starts heading into Sunday’s Martinsville 500.

Jimmie Johnson has 18 top-5s in 28 Martinsville starts

Jimmie Johnson is 9/2 to win at Martinsville Sunday.
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Hometown: El Cajon, California
Age: 40
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Jimmie Johnson on racing at Martinsville
“If it was up to me, we would race at Martinsville five times a year. I love that place. It's special to me and the Lowe’s team. I’ve had a great weekend off, and I’m ready to get back into the race car.”

ICYMI 77: Jimmie Johnson captured his 77th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Auto Club Speedway two weeks ago, which gave him sole possession of seventh on the all-time wins list. The six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver now trails sixth-place Cale Yarbrough (83 wins) by six wins and fourth-place Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84) by seven wins.

STRONG START: Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe’s team have had a strong start to the season. After five races, Johnson has two wins, three top-five finishes and three top-10s. He has led 171 laps so far, including a race-high 76 at Las Vegas, and is currently second in the series standings.

MASTERING THE PAPERCLIP: Forty-eight different Sprint Cup drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway, led by Richard Petty with 15 victories. Johnson leads the series among active drivers with eight wins. He is also the most recent driver to win consecutive races (Fall 2012/Spring 2013) at Martinsville.

SERIES BEST: Johnson has many series-best accolades at Martinsville Speedway according to NASCAR’s loop data. Among active drivers, he has the series-best average finish of 6.909, the best driver rating of 118.4 and the series-fastest green-flag speed of 91.629 mph. He also leads all active drivers with 9,425 laps in the top-15 during that span.

HELMET OF HOPE: The Jimmie Johnson Foundation is accepting nominations for the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope program until Thursday, April 14. Non-profit organizations that support K-12 public education in the United States, including parent/teacher organizations, are eligible to be nominated. In all, five charities will be selected to receive a $25,000 cash grant, a Blue Bunny ice cream party and have their logo featured on six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Johnson’s helmet during the race on August 7, 2016, at Watkins Glen International. Visit www.helmetofhope.org to nominate a charity. Click here to read about how the Helmet of Hope has helped charitable organizations in the past.

JIMMIE JOHNSON WELLNESS CHALLENGE RETURNS: Registration is open for the 2016 Jimmie Johnson Foundation Wellness Challenge. Register now for early-bird pricing and register for all three events to receive a reduced rate. The first event is May 22, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 5K in Huntersville, North Carolina. Log on to www.jjfwellnesschallenge.org for more details.


 

2016 Season

  • 2nd in standings
  • 5 starts
  • 2 wins
  • 0 pole positions
  • 3 top-five finishes
  • 3 top-10 finishes
  • 171 laps led
 
 

Career

  • 512 starts
  • 77 wins
  • 34 pole positions
  • 210 top-five finishes
  • 317 top-10 finishes
  • 17,880 laps led
 
 

Track Career 

  • 28 starts
  • 8 wins
  • 3 pole positions
  • 18 top-five finishes
  • 22 top-10 finishes
  • 2,746 laps led

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Johnson favored to win ninth Grandfather clock trophy

Chevrolet has won nine of past 10 Martinsville races.
LAS VEGAS -- We get our first 2016 taste of short track racing at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday where Jimmie Johnson is the 9-to-2 favorite by the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook to win his ninth race on the flat, half-mile layout.

There was an 11-race stretch from 1997 to 2002 with 11 different winners, but since then the races have been won a by a select few. Johnson has his eight wins and Denny Hamlin has five wins. Jeff Gordon is now retired, but he won nine times at Martinsville during his career.

With Gordon no longer driving, who will become that third driver to join Johnson and Hamlin as drivers to beat? The odds show Joey Logano (6/1) in his Penske Ford is ready to become that driver, even though a Chevrolet has won nine of the past 10 Martinsville races and 20 of the past 26.

Let's take a look at each of the driver's history at Martinsville:

JIMMIE JOHNSON 9/2 - It's been six races since he won the last of his eight Grandfather clock trophies at Martinsville, but when looking at his overall record, you can't helped but be impressed from a historical perspective on a track that's been running two races a year since 1950. In 28 career starts, he's had 18 top-five finishes with a 7.46 average. He's also led 2,747 laps, which is most among all active drivers. He's got a ways to go to catch Richard Petty's track record 15 wins, but his accomplishments in such a short span in a more competitive era is a testament to just how great Johnson really is.

DENNY HAMLIN 6/1 - A Chevrolet has won 20 of the past 26 Martinsville races and it's been Hamlin's Toyota that is responsible for five of wins that Chevy didn't take. The native Virginian has been racing at Martinsville his entire career, and it's proven to be his best type. He loves the short tracks and seems to have a bit of an edge entering and exiting turns at maximum speed without killing the brakes. His eighth-place average finish is second only to Johnson — the two are the only drivers with an average better than 10th-place. He won this race last season and finished it off with one of the most classic drifting burnouts ever seen in the sport.

Read More Here......Complete odds posted at TheLinemakers.com

Hard work paying off for Austin Dillon's team heading to Martinsville

Austin Dillon is 60/1 to win at Martinsville.
This Week’s Dow Chevrolet SS at Martinsville Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 489 in the Martinsville 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Dillon at Martinsville Speedway …In four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is 12th in October 2014. He made four appearances at the track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, earning his best finish of third in October 2011.

Year 3 on the No. 3 … Returning primary sponsor of the No.3 Chevrolet SS, Dow enters its third season with RCR and driver Austin Dillon. Together, both teams embrace the power of science, technology and safety as RCR tests Dow products under the most strenuous conditions. Dow also drives innovation to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems, bringing a broad range of sustainable products and solutions to customers in nearly 180 countries with more than 6,000 product families manufactured across the globe. More information about Dow can be found at dow.com

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

You and the No. 3 team have had a great start to the season. To what do you contribute your successes?

“I think our hard work has been paying off. We’ve been working well together as a group. As a team we’re just not taking no for an answer. We’re working hard and not giving up on anything. We’re not cutting any corners and not just settling. We want to do better and we push each weekend.”

Do you feel like you grew up at Martinsville Speedway since it is so close to home for you?
“I remember driving up with my dad and my grandfather certain days to watch the race. I remember just sitting and watching the races. It’s right in our backyard, proximity-wise to RCR, so it’s not a far drive. I drive up to Martinsville Speedway now every day for race weekend so it’s nice to be able to sleep in your own bed. It’s a fun track and I enjoy going there.”

You haven’t qualified all that well at Martinsville Speedway but you’ve raced very well there. Why is that?
“I’m not sure. I just have not figured out how to go fast for just one lap at Martinsville Speedway. My cars seem to hang on pretty well there. Last year we got in there, we banged around and we did our job. I would love to qualify a little better because that really makes your race a lot easier moving forward. We’ll focus a lot going into qualifying so that we can try to get a better starting position and then if we can do that, we race consistently there so hopefully we can keep it up front and run well.”

Will the low downforce package be a factor at all at Martinsville Speedway?
“I think for RCR the low downforce package was a contributing factor at the only other short track we’ve raced at so far this season, Phoenix International Raceway. At Martinsville Speedway the braking might turn into more of an issue than it was last year. You don’t have the spoiler that you had and anytime you have that spoiler sticking in the air it slows you down so I think the low downforce package will make it so that we are a little bit harder on brakes this year at Martinsville Speedway.”

- Richad Childress Racing

Ryan Newman says patience the key to Martinsville success

Ryan Newman won at Martinsville in 2012.
This Week’s Grainger Chevrolet SS at Martinsville Speedway … Ryan Newman will pilot car No. 490 at the half-mile oval. This is the first time this season the car will be in action for Sprint Cup Series competition.

Newman at the Paperclip …Newman will make his 517th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the series embarks on its first short-track race of the season. In 28 Sprint Cup Series events at Martinsville Speedway, Newman visited victory lane at this event in 2012. The Rocket Man also owns three pole awards … all happening in the fall events in 2002, ’04 and ’09. In total, he owns eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes along with 196 laps led in competition. The South Bend, Ind., native has an average start of 9.3 and average finish of 15.2.

About W.W. Grainger, Inc…. W.W. Grainger, Inc., with 2015 sales of $10 billion, is North America’s leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with operations also in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

RYAN NEWMAN QUOTES:

What is the key to getting around Martinsville?

“It’s really about being patient at Martinsville. That’s one of the biggest things. Speed wise, it’s about getting off the corners in Turns 3 and 4 at the end of a run as well as getting into the corners is equally important at the start of a run. Martinsville is a very demanding track. You have to be patient and you have to make sure in case of an accident, you don’t let road rage get the best of you.”

What is the hardest thing to figure out about that place?

“From what we’ve seen in the last couple of races, it’s important not to be the bi-product of someone’s misfortune. There’s been a couple of big crashes there in the backstretch a couple of different times during different events. You just want to try and not get caught in someone else’s mess.”

What do you enjoy about short-track racing?
“I just like it because it’s fun. It’s being able to use the brake pedal and making a difference or impact on the performance of your car that’s nice. It’s something we can look forward to with this new package which shouldn’t have as much of an effect at Martinsville as other faster race tracks, but it all adds up.”

How do you feel your season has gone so far?
“I think we’ve had a fairly competitive car. Our finishes have been horrible. Phoenix was a big letdown with the tire failure. We had another failure at Atlanta with a few laps to go. That was a big deal. We had a top-five Chevrolet there. We have not finished where we’ve been running and that’s very disappointing. It’s still so early. We are down in points but I still feel like we’ve had a good start to the season and a good package to work with. For us, it’s about overcoming the early adversity and keeping the fight going which this team has always been good at doing. In this sport, you have to be able to do that. We also have to keep building faster race cars and qualifying better. Qualifying is the key. Starting up front and staying there is so important to us right now, especially at tracks that produce long, green-flag runs.”

- Richard Childress Racing

2016 STP 500 Preview: Look for much of same at Martinsville

First short track race of 2016 is at Martinsville Speedway Sunday.
LAS VEGAS -- If you've been betting NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Martinsville Speedway over the past 13 years, you've seen a pattern developing where only a few drivers have won, which is in stark contrast to what was witnessed just a few years earlier when a couple of high priced bombs cashed in.

In 25 of the past 26 races on the flat half-mile layout, one of the short favorites has won. The only payout higher than 12/1 odds was Ryan Newman at 30/1 in 2012. Chevrolet has won nine of the past 10 races there and 20 of the past 26, with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon grabbing the bulk of the wins. The non-Chevy to do well over that span is Denny Hamlin who has won five times in his Joe Gibbs Toyota, including last spring.

Who wants to bet the favorites? That's no fun, but at the same time with so many of them cashing, you'd be kind of stupid to not structuring your wagers accordingly for what is almost a certainty to happen again.

It used to be that racing at Martinsville was an equalizer for drivers where the best equipment didn't always win like happens at most other tracks. It was all about the driver and who could stick the car around the 1,000 turns the best while keeping their brakes fresh.

From a betting standpoint, it opened up all kinds of awesome possibilities. For a brief stretch, we witnessed winning payouts with Bobby Hamilton at 25/1, Ricky Rudd at 30/1, John Andretti at 45/1 and Ricky Craven and 40/1.

But since then, it's been basically three drivers dominating, one of which is eight-time winner Johnson who comes in as the 9/2 favorite to win Sunday's STP 500.

Carl Edwards still searching for first Martinsville Grandfather clock

Carl Edwards is 18/1 to win his first career race at Martinsville.
Carl Edwards / No. 19 ARRIS Toyota Preview
STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway

No. 19 ARRIS Toyota News and Notes:


Martinsville Speedway is the smallest track on the NASCAR circuit nestled in the mountains of southern Virginia with a lot of history. Statistically it has been a tough track for Edwards, but he’s been continually getting better on the paperclip oval. With Dave Rogers at the helm, ARRIS on board and the support of his JGR teammates, he expects to keep improving and be in the hunt for their unique Grandfather Clock trophy.
In 23 Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville, Edwards has completed 11,351 of 11,534 laps (98.4 percent) and has led for a total of 44 laps. Edwards has earned one top-five and five top-10 finishes there. His average start is 16.3 and his average finish is 15.9.
RACE INFO: The STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway (.526-mile) begins at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 3rd. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

Edwards’ 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season Stats:
StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
50340759.67.4
Edwards’ Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Stats:
StartsWinsTop 5Top 10PolesLaps LedAvg. StartAvg. Finish
4142511820616529314.713.5


From the Cockpit:
Carl Edwards:
“Alright, Dave Rogers and this No. 19 crew like a challenge. Getting me to victory lane at Martinsville is going to be a good one. I have struggled there, but I truly have no reason not to run well at this race. It’s because I’ve got great cars and great teammates. Denny Hamlin’s help last year really stepped up my performance there. I’m excited to go to Martinsville. I’m as excited to go to Martinsville as I ever have been. It’s a really tough race track. Like Dave Rogers said it’s a real challenge and anybody who wins there, they earn it. To me with an average finish of about 16th, it’s obviously been a tough place for me. We ran really well in the spring last year. That was really a turning point for me. We learned a lot and hopefully we can build on that. We’ve been having some great runs. We’ve been performing really well, leading laps, we’ve had fast cars in qualifying and we feel like we have a really good plan. If I could choose which car I wanted to be in and which team I wanted to be on, it would be this No. 19 ARRIS team with Dave Rogers and the fastest crew on pit road going to Martinsville. I’ve got a good feeling about it and I’m ready to go race.”

From the Pit Box:
Dave Rogers
: “Martinsville is one of my favorite race tracks on the circuit. The tight corners and lack of bank angle put a premium on mechanical grip. Likewise, it opens the door for the drivers to manipulate balance conditions by changing driving style. This combination always provides exciting racing and guarantees that whichever team wins Martinsville will have earned it. Our No.19 ARRIS team is looking forward to the challenge.”

About ARRIS SURFboard® Modems & Gateways
ARRIS SURFboard products are your “gateway” to entertainment. They let you enjoy the latest entertainment, the world’s fastest speeds, and the coolest new services throughout your home, and beyond. And they’re available at your favorite retail store.

- Joe Gibbs Racing

Martinsville only track Kyle Busch has never won at

Kyle Busch is 7/1 to win at Martinsville Sunday.
HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (March 29, 2016) – Among Kyle Busch’s 157 overall victories among NASCAR’s top three series – Sprint Cup, Xfinity, and Camping World Truck – there aren’t many tracks that aren’t represented in his vast trophy collection.

Of the 23 venues where Sprint Cup events are hosted, Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S 75th Anniversary Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has won at least once at 22 of those tracks in at least one of NASCAR’s top three series. After crossing off Pocono (Pa.) Raceway last season with a Truck Series win, there’s just one track remaining, and that’s Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, site of Sunday’s STP 500 Sprint Cup race.

The .526-mile paperclip-shaped short track in Southern Virginia hasn’t always been a track where Busch has felt comfortable, but that’s changed in recent years thanks to plenty of help from his JGR teammates, along with fast cars provided by the Huntersville, North Carolina operation.
Busch is still searching for his first 7-foot-tall clock that track president Clay Campbell’s late grandfather and track founder H. Clay Earles began awarding Martinsville race winners more than five decades ago.

Despite the lack of a Martinsville’s exclusive grandfather clock trophy in his vast collection, Busch has plenty of reasons for optimism this weekend as his M&M’S team keeps getting closer and closer to that elusive win with each return. Even though there is still a blank in the Martinsville win column, Busch’s resume at the track now includes nine top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in his 21 Sprint Cup starts there.

So as Busch heads to Martinsville this weekend, he hopes to not only cross another track off the win list, but also be able to bring home his first Martinsville grandfather clock after knocking on the door for several years at the Southern Virginia short track.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

You’ve been so close to winning at Martinsville, lately. Are you hoping this weekend you can finally get that first win there?

“I certainly hope so. I’ve led a bunch of laps there but we just haven’t been able to hold it for the end of the 500 laps. It’s certainly a racetrack where you can be leading the race and think you’ve got a shot to win the thing in the last 30 laps, and then get beat on from behind and moved out of the way. It’s certainly a racetrack where it’s indicative that, if you’re just a little bit off, then the guys are going to be right on your rear bumper and trying to get by you. For us, it’s been a challenge, but we’re getting better at it and learning some more as we go along. I wasn’t able to race there last spring because of my injury, but (substitute driver) David Ragan ran really well there, finished in the top-five, and I was able to finish in the top-five there in the fall race. That gives me some confidence that our team has what it takes to get it done there. It would be pretty cool during the 75th anniversary of M&M’S to bring them to victory lane at such a historic venue like Martinsville. We would like to be able to have a good run like this team did there in both races last year, but also take it to the next level with a win for our M&M’S Camry.”

Is Martinsville similar to any other short tracks you’ve raced on?

“You say it’s similar probably just because the size of it being a half-mile, but Martinsville is not like any other racetrack I’ve ever raced on. Not even close. Denny Hamlin would probably be able to assess that statement a little better because he grew up at Southside (Speedway in Midlothian, Va.) and that is a lot closer to this place. Although it’s a quarter-mile, it’s flat and it’s like racing in a parking lot. For me, I’ve raced on three-eighths-mile, half-mile and three-quarter-mile racetracks all across the West and they were banked, they were flat, but nothing that was so conducive to heavy braking and all that kind of stuff like Martinsville. It’s certainly a challenge to figure out how to get around here and it makes it tough on you because the guys who are good here have run here for that many years. There’s always that transition period of younger guys coming in here and having to spend their time and cut their teeth and learn what it takes to run around this place.”

What is the key to you getting a win at Martinsville?
“I’d like to think we’re really close. We’ve been good there – especially the last couple of races there, we’ve been really good. It’s a tough racetrack and, anytime you come in the pits and make an adjustment on your car, you certainly hope it goes the right way, or you make enough of it, or you don’t make too much of an adjustment. It seems like I haven’t quite scienced that out for the last run there. The last run can be tricky, too, because you can be coming off a 50-lap run on right-side tires and take four and you’ve only got 30 (laps) to go, or you could have 80 to go and you know you have to manage that run all the way to the end.”

What is it that makes Martinsville so different when it looks so similar to other short tracks?

“Every track is different. There aren’t two racetracks out there that are the same. I would say probably the closest racetrack I grew up racing on was in San Bernardino, California – it was Orange Show Speedway. That’s closest to what Martinsville is. I only ran Legends cars there, so it’s not a true telling. It was only a quarter-mile. It’s just a tough place because you’re so hard on brakes, but your minimum speed there – everybody’s is – the same, pretty much. You’re looking to find things that will make your car just that much faster there. You want to drive into the corner 1 foot deeper than that other guy. You want to step on the gas a foot sooner than that other guy, and you want to roll a half-mile-an-hour better than that other guy. That’s why it’s so finicky and so hard there, because everybody runs so tight that, any little thing you can find, it can help a lot.”

Notes of Interest:
The STP 500 will mark Kyle Busch’s 396th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his 22nd Sprint Cup start at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.

Busch has career totals of 34 wins, 18 poles, 134 top-fives, 198 top-10s and 11,111 laps led in 395 career Sprint Cup races. His most recent Sprint Cup win came six races ago in last year’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, clinching his first Sprint Cup championship. Busch notched his most recent pole position two races ago at Phoenix International Raceway, the 18th of his career.

Busch has nine top-five finishes and 10 top-10s and has led a total of 487 laps in 21 career Sprint Cup starts at Martinsville. His average Martinsville finish is 15.1.

34 Career Sprint Cup Wins:
With his Sprint Cup win at Homestead last season, the 34th of his career, Busch sits 21st on the all-time Sprint Cup win list.

Trimming the List: Busch has won Sprint Cup Series races at 19 of the 23 tracks at which the Sprint Cup Series competes. The only four tracks Busch has failed to reach victory lane in the Sprint Cup Series are Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, and Martinsville. In addition to his 2015 Sprint Cup championship, Busch checked off Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway as venues where he was able to score Sprint Cup victories.

157 and Counting:
Busch enters Fontana with 157 career wins among NASCAR’s top three divisions – Sprint Cup (34), Xfinity (79) and Truck (44) – after winning the Xfinity Series race at Phoenix two races ago.

- True Speed Communication for M&M’s Racing

Kurt Busch 21.5 average finish at Martinsville, his worst among all tracks

Kurt Busch is 15/1 to win for third time at Martinsville.
KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (March 29, 2016) – After a quick glance at the results at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway for Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), it’s fairly easy to see why he has a love-hate relationship with the Virginia short track.

He has endured times of feast and famine at the .526-mile paperclip. In 31 starts at the shortest track on the Sprint Cup circuit, Busch has two wins, three top-five finishes and five top-10s. It’s the other finishes that have been less than kind to Busch. Those are the results that have played a part in making his average Martinsville finish 21.5, which happens to be his worst of the active tracks on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.

Busch scored his first Martinsville win in October 2002. It was his second career Sprint Cup victory and a record-breaking one, at that, as he took the green flag from the 36th starting position – the deepest in the field a Martinsville winner had ever started. Busch was able to take advantage of a strong racecar and work his way to the front of the field, leading 111 laps en route to the win, which came in just his fourth career start at Martinsville in Sprint Cup competition.

Fast-forward to March 2014, when the 2004 Sprint Cup champion was able to end an 83-race winless streak by claiming his second Martinsville victory. The win was special for Busch, but was even more so for Haas Automation founder Gene Haas, who co-owns SHR with three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart. When Haas hired Busch, his directive was clear: win – be the guy to finally place the Haas Automation-sponsored Chevrolet SS in victory lane. Victory had eluded the largest CNC machine tool builder in the Western World for 114 races and 11 different drivers since 2002.

Despite the lack of results there that one would expect from the Las Vegas native, Busch has made the most of his races at Martinsville by being listed as running at the end of all but two of his 31 starts there. He has completed 15,086 of the 15,534 laps run during that span for a lap-completion rate of 97.1 percent. So while strong finishes at Martinsville may not occur with regularity for Busch, he always seems to make the most of what he’s got. Also in his favor is crew chief Tony Gibson, who also has a win to his credit at Martinsville as he led Ryan Newman to victory lane in April 2012.

While he has experienced success at Martinsville, Busch would still label the Virginia track as his own personal Achilles heel. As the series travels to Southern Virginia for Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500, Busch will hope to continue on his impressive start to the 2016 season. With four top-10 finishes in the first five races, the No. 41 team is already focused on gaining the wins and consistency it will need over the next 21 races in hopes of once again joining the 16-driver, 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Talk a little bit about Martinsville. Is there a reason that the track suits you?

“It’s been a good track to me over the years. It’s one of those tough tracks, though. Short tracks, things happen. Things move quickly. I think it has to do with level of patience and technology advancements each time we race at Martinsville. Sometimes the racecar drives very differently. Some of the old patterns that we all learned as short-track racers apply, but you have to apply them in different ways.”

Talk about the evolution from a time when brakes were the most important thing to now where it’s all about finding grip.
“Technology has advanced so far to where the brakes aren’t necessarily an issue. It used to be that brakes were the main concern. You had to make sure you saved them, that you didn’t wear them out and that you had them for the latter part of the race. Now, with newer technology, the brakes don’t seem to have as many issues, but it’s a matter of how much you can get out of the rear tires for grip, which has always been an issue at Martinsville, trying to get that traction out of the corner and down the straightaway. For me, it’s all about corner exit. It’s trying to get that traction put down and trying to turn underneath another car to complete a pass.”

What is it that makes Martinsville such a special racetrack?
“I know that everybody looks forward to coming to Martinsville to see the action at a short track. It’s very different than all the other racetracks on the circuit because of the intimate setting. Pit road, the racetrack, the fans are right on top of it and, as drivers and teams, you feel that intensity from the fans and so it’s great to have their passion. And the ability for the fans to be so close to the action at Martinsville, that’s what makes this place so unique.”

How much more important is track position at a place like Martinsville?

“Track position is everything, everywhere but, at Martinsville, it is just so easy to lose it. It doesn’t take much to find yourself going backward, whether it’s a situation with someone bumping you out of the way or you get too high on the track and up in the marbles. Then, deal with what that does to the tires and, boom, next thing you know, you may have had a 10th-place car and now you are 18th. It’s a goal all day to work your way forward and then just to have smooth pit stops to carry you through those midpoints of the race. Then, at the end, when everything is on the line, you have to be aggressive and you can’t be afraid to use the fenders on people to get that solid finish.”

Chassis No. 865

Kurt Busch will pilot Chassis No. 865 in Sunday’s Martinsville 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Formerly a No. 10 chassis for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate Danica Patrick, Chassis No. 865 debuted in March 2014 at Martinsville , where Patrick started 10th but struggled with an ill-handling racecar and finished 32nd. Its next event was in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where she started 29th and finished 22nd. Chassis No. 865 then raced again at Martinsville in October, where Patrick started 30th and finished 34th after being involved in a massive accident on the frontstretch late in the race. Chassis No. 865 was utilized in both races at Martinsville in 2015, where Busch finished 14th in March and was in contention for the win in October when he was caught up in an incident not of his own making and was relegated to a 34th-place finish. Chassis No. 865 will make its first start of the 2016 season Sunday at Martinsville.

Martinsville Speedway Notes of Interest:
Kurt Busch has career totals of 27 wins, 21 poles, 117 top-five finishes and 226 top-10s in 545 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts heading into Sunday’s Martinsville 500at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. His most recent Sprint Cup win came at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn on June 14, 2015.

Sunday’s Martinsville 500 will mark Busch’s 32nd career Sprint Cup start at Martinsville. Busch has two wins, one pole, three top-five finishes and five top-10s at the .526-mile oval. Additionally, the 37-year-old driver has led 464 laps, has an average starting position of 19.6, an average finish of 21.5, and has completed 97.1 percent (15,086 of 15,534) of the laps he’s contested there.

Twice a Winner at Martinsville – Busch won his first race at Martinsville in October 2002. It was his second Sprint Cup victory and a record-breaking one at that as he took the green flag from the 36th starting position – the deepest in the field a Martinsville winner had ever started.

His most-recent Martinsville win came in March 2014. He held off six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and eight-time Martinsville race-winner Jimmie Johnson to win the Martinsville 500.

The Las Vegas native has one pole to his credit (October 2006) at Martinsville. Busch has 21 career Sprint Cup poles.

A Place of Firsts – Busch’s March 2014 win at Martinsville was the first for Haas Automation as a primary sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series. Prior to Martinsville, Haas Automation was winless as a primary sponsor for 11 different drivers and 115 races since 2002. Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in the Western World, is owned by Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) founder and co-owner Gene Haas.

SHR at Martinsville – In 38 previous Sprint Cup races at Martinsville, SHR has posted one pole, three wins, six top-fives and 16 top-10s, have been atop the leaderboard for 432 laps, and have completed 97.4 percent of the laps contested (18,552 of 19,048).

Get to the Points – With his 30th-place finish last Sunday in the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, Busch enters Martinsville seventh in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship point standings.

SHR in 2016 – Five races into the 2016 season, SHR’s four Sprint Cup entries have recorded one win, two poles, four top-five finishes and nine top-10s. SHR Chevrolets have completed 5,144 of 5,260 laps contested, and collectively have led 506 laps.

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Martinsville Speedway Track Facts: 2016 STP 500

Denny Hamlin is 6/1 to win in his home state at Martisnville Sunday.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2016 Top 10 at Martinsville Speedway

Rank
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
1
Kevin Harvick
29
0
1
3
14
1
15.9
94.6
2
Jimmie Johnson
28
3
8
18
22
1
7.5
118.4
3
Carl Edwards
23
0
0
1
5
0
15.9
81.5
4
Denny Hamlin
20
3
5
11
16
1
8.0
110.6
5
Kyle Busch
21
1
0
9
10
1
15.1
96.5
6
Joey Logano
14
2
0
4
5
0
14.9
89.7
7
Kurt Busch
31
1
2
3
5
2
21.5
80.2
8
Dale Earnhardt Jr
32
0
1
13
18
2
12.9
99.4
9
Brad Keselowski
12
0
0
2
6
0
15.5
87.8
10
Austin Dillon
4
0
0
0
0
1
21.5
63.5
* – Based on last 22 races at Martinsville Speedway (2005 – 2015).
                                               


Martinsville Speedway Data
Season Race #: 6 of 36 (04-03-16)
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 0 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  800 feet
Backstretch Length:  800 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 263 miles

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Martinsville
Jimmie Johnson........................ 118.4
Denny Hamlin............................ 110.6
Dale Earnhardt Jr........................ 99.4
Kyle Busch................................. 96.5
Kevin Harvick.............................. 94.6
Clint Bowyer............................... 92.5
Joey Logano.............................. 89.7
Brad Keselowski......................... 87.8
Jamie McMurray.......................... 86.9
Ryan Newman............................. 86.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2015 pole winner:
Joey Logano, Ford
98.461 mph, 19.232 secs. 03-27-15

2015 race winner:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota
68.843 mph, (03:49:13), 03-29-15

Track qualifying record:
Joey Logano, Ford
100.201 mph, 18.898 secs. 03-28-14

Track race record:
Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
82.223 mph, (3:11:55), 09-22-96
Martinsville Speedway:
History
·         Opened in September 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.
·         The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville was on July 4, 1948.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was Sept. 25, 1949.
·         The track was paved in 1955.
·         The first 500-lap event at Martinsville was in 1956.
·         Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976.
Starts
·         There have been 134 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
·         609 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville; 387 in more than one.
·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty has the all-time most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville with 67; Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the most starts among active drivers with 32.
·         Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 9.3. Denny Hamlin (9.8) is the only other active driver with an average starting position at Martinsville inside the top 10.
·         In total 60 drivers have made their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Martinsville.
·         Chase Elliott (03/29/2015) and Michael McDowell (3/30/2008) are active drivers that made their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts at Martinsville Speedway.
Poles
·         Curtis Turner won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Martinsville Speedway in 1949.
·         59 drivers have Coors Light poles at Martinsville, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with eight;Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman lead all active drivers with three each.

·         13 drivers have won two or more consecutive Coors Light poles at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent wasJoey Logano sweeping both poles last season.  
·         Four of the 13 have won three consecutive poles at Martinsville: Glen Wood (Fall of 1959 and 1960 sweep);Darrell Waltrip (1979 sweep and spring 1980); Mark Martin (fall of 1990 and 1991 sweep); Jeff Gordon (2003 sweep and spring 2004).
·         Youngest Martinsville pole winner: Ricky Rudd (4/26/1981 – 24 years, 7 months, 14 days).
·         Oldest Martinsville pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (4/26/1987 – 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).
·         12 drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Martinsville Speedway; the last two most recent are Scott Riggs (4/10/2005) and Tony Stewart (4/18/1999).
Wins
·         48 different drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway, led by Richard Petty with 15; Jimmie Johnson leads the series among active drivers with eight wins.
·         24 drivers have multiple wins at Martinsville Speedway; nine drivers have won five or more times.
·         Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 23 – Jeff Gordon (nine), Jimmie Johnson (eight), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoffrey Bodine (one) and Dale Earnhardt Jr.(one).
·         21 of 134 races (15.6%) at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the Coors Light pole; four of those 21 wins came from active drivers: Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2012, spring 2013) and Denny Hamlin (2010).
·         The Coors Light pole is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Martinsville producing more wins (21) than any other starting position.
·         36 of the 134 (26.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the front row: 21 from the pole and 15 from second-place.
·         96 of the 134 (71.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Seven of the 134 (5.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 – including both races in 2015
·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 36th, by Kurt Busch in the fall of 2002.
·         Youngest Martinsville winner: Richard Petty (04/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days).
·         Oldest Martinsville winner: Harry Gant (09/22/1991 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).
·         12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway. Fred Lorenzenwon four NSCS races straight (the most) from the fall of 1963 through the spring of 1965.  Jimmie Johnson is the most recent driver to win consecutive races (fall of 2012 / spring of 2013) at Martinsville.
·         Ryan Newman competed at Martinsville Speedway 20 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any the six active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
·         Two active drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Martinsville Speedway: Kevin Harvick (19) and Ryan Newman (20).
·         11 drivers posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Ricky Craven (10/15/2001).
·         Chevrolet leads series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 55 victories – including the nine of the last 10 races.

Additional Finishing Positions
·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in runner-up finishes at Martinsville Speedway with seven; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with five, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth with two each. 
·         Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 30; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with 18, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 13.
·         Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon lead the series in top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 37 each;Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with 22, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr with 18.
·         Two active drivers have a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series average finish in the top 10 at Martinsville: Jimmie Johnson (7.5) and Denny Hamlin (8.1).
·         Greg Biffle has participated in the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway without a DNF (26).

Track Event Specific Stats
·         There have been five NSCS green-white-checkered finishes at Martinsville Speedway: fall 2007 (500/506), fall 2008 (500/504), fall 2009 (500/501), spring 2010 (500/508), and spring 2012 (500/515).
·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions eight times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was the fall race of 2011.
·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the April 1, 2007 race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.065 second.

Female Competitor Stats
·         Danica Patrick is the only female driver to compete at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Below are Patrick’s stats at Martinsville.   
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
Driver Rating
Danica Patrick
16
40
11/1/2015
49.8
Danica Patrick
16
7
3/29/2015
86.9
Danica Patrick
30
34
10/26/2014
61.3
Danica Patrick
10
32
3/30/2014
52.4
Danica Patrick
41
17
10/27/2013
64.7
Danica Patrick
32
12
4/7/2013
72.6

NASCAR in Virginia
·         There have been 290 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among nine tracks in the state of Virginia.
Track Name
City
NSCS
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville
134
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond
119
South Boston Speedway
South Boston
10
Langley Field Speedway
Hampton
9
Old Dominion Speedway
Manassas
7
Southside Speedway
Richmond
4
Starkey Speedway
Roanoke
4
Norfolk Speedway
Norfolk
2
Princess Anne Speedway
Norfolk
1


NASCAR In Virginia
·         175 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Virginia.
·         Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott are both from Virginia and have been inducted into the 2015 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  
·         Leonard Wood from Stuart, Va. was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013 and his brother Glen Wood also from (Stuart) Virginia was inducted in 2012.
·         19 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series. 11 of the 19 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Driver
NSCS
NXS
NCWTS
Denny Hamlin
27
14
2
Joe Weatherly
25
0
0
Ricky Rudd
23
1
0
Jeff Burton
21
27
0
Curtis Turner
17
0
0
Ward Burton
5
4
0
Glen Wood
4
0
0
Elliott Sadler
3
10
1
Emanuel Zervakis
2
0
0
Lennie Pond
1
0
0
Wendell Scott
1
0
0
Tommy Ellis
0
22
0
Jimmy Hensley
0
9
2
Rick Mast
0
9
0
Hermie Sadler
0
2
0
Elton Sawyer
0
2
0
Stacy Compton
0
0
2
Jon Wood
0
0
2
Jeb Burton
0
0
1



NASCAR Pre-Race Loop Data Leaders At Martinsville Speedway
Driver Rating
Jimmie Johnson
118.4
Average Running Position
Jimmie Johnson
8.025
Closers
Greg Biffle
2.3 avg. spots gained
Fastest Driver Early In The Run
Jimmie Johnson
93.054 mph
Fastest Driver Late In  The Run
Jimmie Johnson
90.428 mph
Fastest Laps Run
Jimmie Johnson
9.6% (1,056)
Fastest On Restarts
Jimmie Johnson
99.093 mph
Green Flag Passes
Dale Earnhardt Jr
1,334
Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson
827
Green Flag Speed
Jimmie Johnson
91.629 mph
Laps Led
Jimmie Johnson
23.3% (2,575)
Laps In The Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
85.4% (9,425)
*Loop Data was established in 2005


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Milestones
Drivers
Has
Needs
Milestones
Martin Truex Jr.
374
1
Make his 375th career NSCS start; he is 60th on all-time list
Trevor Bayne
99
1
Make his 100th career NSCS start; he is 192nd on all-time list
Matt Kenseth
36
1
Tie Bobby Isaac and Tim Flock for 18th on all-time wins list
Kevin Harvick
32
1
Tie Fireball Roberts for 22nd on all-time wins list
Denny Hamlin
27
1
Tie Rex White for 25th on all-time wins list
Kurt Busch
27
1
Tie Rex White for 25th on all-time wins list
Jimmie Johnson
34
1
Tie Ned Jarrett for 19th on all-time poles list
Denny Hamlin
23
1
Tie Alan Kulwicki for 28th on all-time poles list
Dale Earnhardt Jr
249
1
Post 250th career NSCS top-10 finish; 24th on all-time list
Ryan Newman
215
1
Tie Sterling Marlin for 29th on all-time top 10s list
Jimmie Johnson
17,880
120
To become ninth NSCS driver all-time to lead 18,000 laps
Track Specific Milestones

Drivers
Has
Needs
Milestones
Denny Hamlin
3
1
Break the tie with Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series most poles by an active driver at Auto Club Speedway
Jimmie Johnson
3
1
Break the tie with Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series most poles by an active driver at Auto Club Speedway
Ryan Newman
3
1
Break the tie with Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series most poles by an active driver at Auto Club Speedway
Jimmie Johnson
8
1
To tie Jeff Gordon (9) for third most NSCS Martinsville wins all-time