At 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.

Notebook

·         There have been 127 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.

·         Curtis Turner won the pole for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville in 1949.

·         Red Byron won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

·         57 drivers have won poles, led by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Jeff Gordon, with seven poles, can tie that mark this weekend.

·         Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip share the consecutive pole record, each with three.

·         47 different drivers have won, led by Richard Petty’s 15.

·         Jeff Gordon leads active drivers with seven wins. Jimmie Johnson has six and Denny Hamlin has four.

·         19 races have been won from the pole, the last by Denny Hamlin in October 2010.

·         Petty Enterprises has won 19 races, more than any other organization. Hendrick Motorsports, with 18 wins, can tie that mark this weekend.

·         Kurt Busch won the 2002 fall race from the 36th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

·         Three active drivers average a top-10: Jimmie Johnson (5.7), Denny Hamlin (6.4) and Jeff Gordon (7.0).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winner: Richard Petty (4/10/1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway winner: Harry Gant (9/22/1991 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Ricky Rudd (4/26/1981 – 24 years, 7 months, 14 days). Oldest NSCS Martinsville Speedway pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (04/26/1987 – 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).

 

Martinsville Speedway Data

Chase Race #: 7 of 10

Season Race #: 33 of 36 (10-28-12)

Track Size: 0.562-mile

Banking/Turns: 12 degrees

Banking/Straights: 0 degrees

Frontstretch Length:  800 feet

Backstretch Length:  800 feet

Race Length: 500 laps / 263 miles

 

Top 12 Driver Rating at Martinsville

Jimmie Johnson........................ 121.4

Jeff Gordon.............................. 120.8

Denny Hamlin............................ 113.4

Tony Stewart............................. 101.5

Dale Earnhardt Jr...................... 100.1

Kyle Busch................................. 94.4

Kevin Harvick.............................. 93.9

Ryan Newman............................. 90.1

Jeff Burton................................. 88.9

Clint Bowyer............................... 87.9

Jamie McMurray.......................... 83.2

Brad Keselowski......................... 82.3

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: None Due To Weather

 

2011 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 68.648 mph, (3:49:52), 10-30-11

 

Track qualifying record: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 98.083 mph, 19.306 sec., 10-21-05

 

Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, (3:11:55), 9-22-96

NASCAR in Virginia

·         There have been 277 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Martinsville Speedway	Martinsville	127
Richmond International Raceway	Richmond	113
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

·         165 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Virginia.

·         There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Joe Weatherly	25	0	0
Ricky Rudd	23	1	0
Denny Hamlin	22	11	1
Jeff Burton	21	27	0
Curtis Turner	17	0	0
Ward Burton	5	4	0
Glen Wood	4	0	0
Elliott Sadler	3	9	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

 

 

DRIVER-SPECIFIC STATISTICS AT MARTINSVILLE

 

1 - Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.9

2012 Rundown

·         Five wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.4

·         Led 18 races for 642 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Two top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.4 in five races

·         Average Running Position of 15.2, 13th-best

·         Driver Rating of 82.3, 14th-best

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 90.792 mph, 13th-fastest

 

2 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.1

2012 Rundown

·         Three wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 10.4

·         Led 23 races for 1,358 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Six wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 5.8 in 21 races

·         Average Running Position of 6.4, second-best

·         Series-best Driver Rating of 121.4

·         742 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·         685 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

·         Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 91.456 mph

·         Series-high 6,854 Laps in the Top 15 (91.0%)

·         Series-high 542 Quality Passes

 

3 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.6

2012 Rundown

·         Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 11.9

·         Led 22 races for 1,168 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Four wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 6.4 in 14 races

·         Average Running Position of 8.5, third-best

·         Driver Rating of 113.4, third-best

·         495 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·         683 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 91.289 mph, third-fastest

·         5,844 Laps in the Top 15 (83.1%), third-most

·         457 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

4 - Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation for Women Toyota)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.6

2012 Rundown

·         Three wins, eight top fives, 20 top 10s

·         Average finish of 11.0

·         Led 12 races for 234 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         One top five, seven top 10s

·         Average finish of 14.7 in 13 races

·         Average Running Position of 14.0, seventh-best

·         Driver Rating of 87.9, 10th-best

·         127 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 90.903 mph, ninth-fastest

·         4,397 Laps in the Top 15 (67.3%), 10th-most

·         370 Quality Passes, ninth-most

 

5 - Kasey Kahne (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5

2012 Rundown

·         Two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; four poles

·         Average finish of 13.1

·         Led 10 races for 263 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         One top five, two top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 21.7 in 17 races

·         Average Running Position of 21.8, 22nd-best

·         Driver Rating of 73.5, 21st-best

·         162 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

 

6 - Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.1

2012 Rundown

·         Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 11.0

·         Led 11 races for 423 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Two top fives, four top 10s

·         Average finish of 21.4 in 13 races

·         Average Running Position of 22.1, 25th-best

·         Driver Rating of 68.4, 24th-best

 

7 - Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.5

2012 Rundown

·         Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 13.2

·         Led 14 races for 420 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 13.2 in 27 races

·         Average Running Position of 10.3, fourth-best

·         Driver Rating of 101.5, fourth-best

·         375 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 91.104 mph, fifth-fastest

·         5,680 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), fifth-most

·         358 Quality Passes, 11th-most

 

8 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Pepsi MAX Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8

2012 Rundown

·         One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 14.3

·         Led 21 races for 462 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Seven wins, 25 top fives, 31 top 10s; seven poles

·         Average finish of 7.1 in 39 races

·         Series-best Average Running Position of 6.4

·         Driver Rating of 120.8, second-best

·         Series-high 826 Fastest Laps Run

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 91.447 mph, second-fastest

·         6,775 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%), second-most

·         486 Quality Passes, second-most

 

9 - Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5

2012 Rundown

·         Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 11.0

·         Led 20 races for 476 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Three top fives, eight top 10s

·         Average finish of 16.0 in 25 races

·         Average Running Position of 17.5, 17th-best

·         Driver Rating of 79.1, 17th-best

·         764 Green Flag Passes, third-most

·         3,500 Laps in the Top 15 (46.5%), 13th-most

 

10 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.5

2012 Rundown

·         Four top fives, 11 top 10s

·         Average finish of 12.0

·         Led 8 races for 241 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s

·         Average finish of 16.0 in 22 races

·         Average Running Position of 14.2, eighth-best

·         Driver Rating of 93.9, seventh-best

·         186 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 90.911 mph, eighth-fastest

·         4,773 Laps in the Top 15 (63.4%), seventh-most

·         363 Quality Passes, 10th-most

 

11 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.1

2012 Rundown

·         Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles

·         Average finish of 10.5

·         Led 16 races for 721 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         Two top 10s

·         Average finish of 21.9 in 19 races

·         Average Running Position of 21.8, 24th-best

·         Driver Rating of 67.6, 26th-best

·         709 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

 

12 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)

·         Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

·         One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 10.3

·         Led 13 races for 358 laps

Martinsville Speedway Outlook:

·         10 top fives, 14 top 10s

·         Average finish of 12.6 in 25 races

·         Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best

·         Driver Rating of 100.1, fifth-best

·         435 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

·         Series-high 841 Green Flag Passes

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 91.133 mph, fourth-fastest

·         5,710 Laps in the Top 15 (75.8%), fourth-most

·         474 Quality Passes, third-most

 

Chase Contenders

The Top 12

Following Race 32 of 36

                                                                                Rank        Season

                                                                                Last          Driver

Driver                             Points   Wins      Poles        Week        Rating

1. Brad Keselowski     2,250       5           0              1             97.9

2. Jimmie Johnson    2,243       3           2              2           109.1

3. Denny Hamlin         2,230       5           3              3           102.6

4. Clint Bowyer           2,225       3           0               4             94.6

5. Kasey Kahne           2,220       2           4               5             95.5

6. Martin Truex Jr.      2,207       0           1               7             97.1

7. Tony Stewart           2,203       3           1               8             87.5

8. Jeff Gordon            2,199       1           2              9             96.8

9. Matt Kenseth           2,195       3           1             11           101.5

10. Kevin Harvick         2,191       0           0             10             91.5

11. Greg Biffle               2,188       2           3               6           101.1

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.  2,128       1           1             12             97.6

    ___________________________________________________________

 

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. Kyle Busch                     964         36. Brian Vickers             213

14. Carl Edwards                  911         37. Michael McDowell      167

15. Ryan Newman                903         38. J.J. Yeley                  155

16. Paul Menard                   889         39. Josh Wise                 123

17. Marcos Ambrose             860         40. Ken Schrader             111

18. Joey Logano                   857         41. Stephen Leicht           107

19. Jeff Burton                     780         42. Scott Speed               103

20. Jamie McMurray             770         43. Michael Waltrip            94

21. Aric Almirola                   734         44. Terry Labonte             94

22. Juan Pablo Montoya        728         45. Tony Raines               71

23. Regan Smith                   713         46. Scott Riggs                52

24. Bobby Labonte                678         47. Brendan Gaughan         50

25. Mark Martin                    623         48. Boris Said                   34

26. Kurt Busch                     599         49. Bill Elliott                     14

27. David Ragan                   564         50. Hermie Sadler III          13

28. David Gilliland                 563         51. Mike Olsen                  11

29. Travis Kvapil                   559         52. Robby Gordon             11

30. Casey Mears                  533         53. Mike Skinner               10

31. Landon Cassill                519         54. Kelly Bires                    9

32. AJ Allmendinger              429         55. Tomy Drissi                  6

33. Dave Blaney                   373         56. Stacy Compton             5

34. David Reutimann             351         57. David Mayhew              4

35. David Stremme               216         58. Patrick Long                  2

                                                       

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season. After race No. 26, the top 10 earn a berth in the Chase. Spots 11 and 12 – the Wild Cards – will go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20.

 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2012 Top 12 at Martinsville Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Brad Keselowski	5	0	0	0	2	0	13.4	82.3
2	Jimmie Johnson	21	1	6	14	18	1	5.8	121.4
3	Denny Hamlin	14	2	4	9	12	1	6.4	113.4
4	Clint Bowyer	13	0	0	1	7	1	14.7	87.9
5	Kasey Kahne	17	1	0	1	2	4	21.7	73.5
6	Martin Truex Jr.	13	0	0	2	4	1	21.4	68.4
7	Tony Stewart	27	3	3	9	15	1	13.2	101.5
8	Jeff Gordon	39	7	7	25	31	0	7.1	120.8
9	Matt Kenseth	25	0	0	3	8	2	16.0	79.1
10	Kevin Harvick	22	0	1	3	10	0	16.0	93.9
11	Greg Biffle	19	0	0	0	2	0	21.9	67.6
12	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	25	0	0	10	14	2	12.6	100.1

* – Based on last 15 races at Martinsville Speedway.