Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Martinsville Speedway Track Facts: 2018 STP 500

Martinsville Speedway just might produce the best type of racing in NASCAR.

Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Martin Truex Jr
24
1
0
3
8
2
19.6
76.6
 
2
Kyle Busch
25
1
2
13
14
1
13.1
102.6
 
3
Joey Logano
18
4
0
5
7
0
14.2
92.0
 
4
Brad Keselowski
16
0
1
6
10
0
12.4
96.0
 
5
Ryan Blaney
4
0
0
0
1
0
17.8
81.2
 
6
Denny Hamlin
24
3
5
12
18
2
10.0
106.2
 
7
Kyle Larson
8
0
0
1
1
3
23.6
73.4
 
8
Kevin Harvick
33
0
1
4
15
1
15.8
93.7
 
9
Clint Bowyer
24
0
0
5
14
2
14.0
89.4
 
10
Aric Almirola
18
0
0
1
3
4
22.4
66.1
 
11
Kurt Busch
35
1
2
3
5
3
21.7
78.9
 
12
Austin Dillon
8
0
0
2
2
1
15.6
73.4
 
13
Erik Jones
2
0
0
0
0
0
19.0
71.9
 
14
Ryan Newman
32
3
1
8
15
2
14.8
85.8
 
15
Paul Menard
21
0
0
0
2
1
19.9
64.5
 
16
Alex Bowman
4
0
0
0
0
0
31.0
44.8
 
* – Based on last 25 races at Martinsville Speedway (2005 – 2017).


                                               

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top Loop Data Leaders

Martinsville Speedway
Statistical Categories:
Leaders
Loop Data
Driver Rating
Jimmie Johnson
115.8
Average Running Position
Jimmie Johnson
8.185
Laps Led
Jimmie Johnson
2,691 laps (20.6%)
Laps in the Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
84.8% (11,059 laps)
Fastest Laps Run
Jimmie Johnson
1,124 laps (8.6%)
Green Flag Passes
Kurt Busch
1,315
Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson
888
Green Flag Speed
Jimmie Johnson
91.394 mph
* The above stats are based on Loop Data from 2005 - 2017




Martinsville Speedway Data
Season Race #: 06 of 36 (03-25-18)
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
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 130 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 240 laps

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Martinsville
Jimmie Johnson........................ 115.8
Denny Hamlin........................... 106.2
Kyle Busch............................... 102.6
Brad Keselowski......................... 96.0
Kevin Harvick............................. 93.7
Joey Logano............................... 92.0
Clint Bowyer............................... 89.4
Ryan Newman............................ 85.8
Jamie McMurray......................... 84.7
Chase Elliott............................... 83.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (25 total) among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2017 pole winner:
None – Due To Weather

2017 race winner:
Brad Keselowski, Ford
70.139 mph, (03:44:59), 04-02-17

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 Monster Energy NASCAR 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.
·        There have been 138 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
Starts
·        621 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville; 397 in more than one.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Martinsville with 67.
·        Kurt Busch leads the series in starts among active drivers at Martinsville with 35.
·        Fonty Flock (8 starts) leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.125.
·        Joey Logano (18 starts) leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 8.667.
·        Joey Logano (8.7), Chase Elliott (9.4), Ryan Blaney (9.5), Ryan Newman (9.6), and Denny Hamlin (9.6) each have an average starting position at Martinsville inside the top 10.
·        In total, 62 drivers have made their first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville.
·        Gray Gaulding (10/30/2016), Chase Elliott (03/29/2015) and Michael McDowell (3/30/2008) are the active drivers who have made their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.

Poles
·        Curtis Turner won the inaugural MENCS Busch Pole Award at Martinsville Speedway in 1949.
·        61 different drivers have won poles at Martinsville, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with eight Busch Pole Awards.
·        Joey Logano leads the series among active drivers with the most poles at Martinsville with four – 2015 sweep, Spring 2016 and Fall 2017. 
·        27 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have multiple poles at Martinsville.
·        13 drivers have won two or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Joey Logano who won three consecutive poles at Martinsville from 2015-2016. 
·        Five drivers 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) and Joey Logano (2015 sweep, 2016 spring).
·        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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway; the two most recent are Scott Riggs (4/10/2005) and Tony Stewart (4/18/1999).
Wins
·        50 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway, led by Richard Petty with 15 victories.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series among active drivers with nine wins at Martinsville; followed by Denny Hamlin with five. Only seven active drivers have won at Martinsville.
·        Jimmie Johnson can become the third driver in series history to record 10 or more wins at more than one track with a win this weekend; joining NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip.
Driver
Tracks With 10 Or More Wins
Richard Petty
Martinsville (15), North Wilkesboro (15), Richmond (13), Rockingham (11), Daytona (10)
Darrell Waltrip
Bristol (12), Martinsville (10), North Wilkesboro (10)
Jimmie Johnson
Dover (11)
David Pearson
Darlington (10)
Dale Earnhardt
Talladega (10)

·        25 drivers have multiple wins at Martinsville Speedway; nine drivers have won five or more times; two are active: Jimmie Johnson (nine) and Denny Hamlin (five). 
·        Hendrick Motorsports leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 24 wins – Jeff Gordon (nine), Jimmie Johnson (nine), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoffrey Bodine (one) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one).
·       20 of 138 races (14.5%) at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the Busch pole; three of those 20 wins came from active drivers: Jimmie Johnson (2012, spring 2013) and Denny Hamlin (2010) – Note: Johnson won from the first starting position in 2008, but qualifying was not held due to weather. A total of 21 wins have come from the first starting position.

·        The first starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Martinsville, producing more wins (21) than any other starting position.
·        36 of the 138 (26.1%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the front row: 21 from the first starting position and 15 from the second starting position.
·        72 of the 138 (52.2%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a top-five starting position.
·        99 of the 138 (71.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.
·        Seven of the 138 (5.1%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 – including both races in 2014.
·        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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway.
    • Fred Lorenzen won four MENCS 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 (2012 Playoff race / spring of 2013) at Martinsville.
·        Kyle Busch competed at Martinsville Speedway 21 times before winning in 2016; the longest span of any the seven active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners.
·        Four active winners have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Martinsville Speedway: Kevin Harvick (19), Ryan Newman (20), Kyle Busch (21) Brad Keselowski (14).
·        11 drivers posted their first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Ricky Craven (10/15/2001).
·        A total of 11 manufacturers have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville; led by Chevrolet with 56 victories. Ford has 27 wins and Toyota has seven wins at Martinsville.

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 four.
·        Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 30; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with 19, followed by Kyle Busch with 13.
·        Jeff Gordon lead the series in top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 38; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in top 10s at Martinsville with 24; followed by Denny Hamlin with 18.
·        Dick Hutcherson (five starts) leads the series in average finish at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.800.
·        Jimmie Johnson (32 starts) leads the series among active drivers in average finish at Martinsville Speedway with a 7.687; followed by Denny Hamlin 10.0 (24 starts).

Track Event Specific Stats
·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions 11-times in the Monster Energy NASCAR Series at Martinsville Speedway: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1970, 1989, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2017.
·        Eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been shortened due to weather:
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
No. of Fewer Laps
Race Winner
Runner-up
4/23/1995
500
356
144
Rusty Wallace
Ted Musgrave
4/24/1977
500
384
116
Cale Yarborough
Benny Parsons
9/26/1976
500
340
160
Cale Yarborough
Darrell Waltrip
9/30/1973
500
480
20
Richard Petty
Cale Yarborough
5/31/1970
500
377
123
Bobby Isaac
Bobby Allison
4/9/1961
500
149
351
Fred Lorenzen
Rex White
10/12/1958
500
350
150
Fireball Roberts
Speedy Thompson
10/17/1954
200
165
35
Lee Petty
Hershel McGriff

·        There have been six Monster Energy Series races that have ended in NASCAR Overtime at Martinsville Speedway:
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
NASCAR Overtime
Race Winner
Runner-up
10/29/2017
500
505
5
Kyle Busch
Martin Truex Jr.
4/1/2012
500
515
15
Ryan Newman
AJ Allmendinger
3/29/2010
500
508
8
Denny Hamlin
Joey Logano
10/25/2009
500
501
1
Denny Hamlin
Jimmie Johnson
10/19/2008
500
504
4
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr
10/21/2007
500
506
6
Jimmie Johnson
Ryan Newman


Track Event Specific Stats
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the April 1, 2007 race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.065 second over second-place Jeff Gordon.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 3,851 laps led.
·        Jimmie Johnson currently leads all active drivers in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 2,862. Johnson needs to lead 138 laps or more to become just the fifth driver in series history to lead 3,000 or more laps at multiple tracks joining NASCAR Hall of Famers Cale Yarbrough (five tracks with 3,000 or more laps led), Richard Petty (four tracks), Rusty Wallace (three tracks) and Darrell Waltrip (two tracks). Below are the seven drivers in series history to lead 3,000 or more laps at a single track:
Driver
Tracks With 3,000 Or More Laps Led
Cale Yarborough
Bristol (4,305), Martinsville (3,851), Rockingham (3,732), Nashville Fgds (3,632), Atlanta (3,283)
Richard Petty
North Wilkesboro (5,308), Richmond (5,136), Nashville Fgds (3,957), Rockingham (3,130)
Rusty Wallace
Bristol (3,743), Martinsville (3,632), Richmond (3,024)
Darrell Waltrip
Martinsville (3,617), Bristol (3,436)
Jeff Gordon
Martinsville (3,779)
Dale Earnhardt
Bristol (3,751)
Jimmie Johnson
Dover (3,105)

Female Competitor Stats
·        Danica Patrick is the only female driver to compete at Martinsville Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Below are Patrick’s stats at Martinsville.  
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
Driver Rating
Danica Patrick
23
17
10/29/2017
61.7
Danica Patrick
29
23
4/2/2017
54.2
Danica Patrick
24
24
10/30/2016
53.2
Danica Patrick
28
16
4/3/2016
69.2
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
Averages
24.9
22.2

62.6


NASCAR In Virginia
·        There have been 505 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.
·        Martinsville Speedway hosted the very first NASCAR national series race in the state of Virginia on Sept. 25, 1949 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event was won by Red Byron (Oldsmobile).
Track Name
City
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Total Races
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville
138
34
38
210
Richmond Raceway
Richmond
123
68
11
202
South Boston Speedway
South Boston
10
35
3
48
Langley Field Speedway
Hampton
9
14
0
23
Old Dominion Speedway
Manassas
7
0
0
7
New River Valley Speedway
Dublin
0
4
0
4
Southside Speedway
Richmond
4
0
0
4
Starkey Speedway
Roanoke
4
0
0
4
Norfolk Speedway
Norfolk
2
0
0
2
Princess Anne Speedway
Norfolk
1
0
0
1
Totals

298
155
52
505

Virginia in NASCAR
·       180 drivers that have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race have their home state recorded as Virginia.
·        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 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Driver
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Denny Hamlin
31
17
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
13
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


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
 
STARTS
 
Driver: Aric Almirola
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
249
1
 
Almirola will become the 107th driver to make 250 Monster Energy Series starts.
 
WINS
 
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
83
1
 
Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for fourth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
 
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
43
1
 
Tie Bill Elliott for 16th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
40
3
 
Tie Kyle Busch for 17th on the all-time MENCS wins list.
 
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
31
1
 
To tie Dale Jarrett for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
29
1
 
Tie Denny Hamlin for 25th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
 
POLES
 
Driver: Ryan Newman
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
51
3
 
Tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
35
1
 
To tie Rusty Wallace for 18th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
27
2
 
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
28
1
 
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
 



Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
Top Fives
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
171
4
Tie Bill Elliott for 20th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top fives list.
Top 10s
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
310
1
To tie Buddy Baker for 16th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top 10s list.
Laps Led
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
18,663
337
Needs 337 laps led to become the ninth driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 19,000 laps.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
14,589
411
Needs 411 laps led to become the 10th driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 15,000 laps.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
11,524
476
Needs 476 laps led to become the 15th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 12,000 laps.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,951
49
Needs 49 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,925
75
Needs 75 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
6,658
342
Needs 342 laps led to become the 29th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 7,000 laps.


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