TUMS Fast Relief 500

See all

UPDATED CHAMPIONSHIP PROBABILITY TABLE: JOHNSON ROUTING THE FIELD

Following Sunday's race in Martinsville we have a new, updated championship probability table. As always, the numbers are determined by... MORE

Posted: 44 weeks 1 day ago | (1) Comment | Email This

HAMLIN WINS IN MARTINSVILLE AS JOHNSON INCREASES CHASE LEAD

Denny Hamlin won the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville on Sunday, which is great and all, but the real... MORE

Posted: 44 weeks 3 days ago | (4) Comments | Email This

EARNHARDT LOSING STREAK REACHES 53

Martinsville, Va. _ Just when you thought Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s season of unrelenting misery and inexplicable failure could not get... MORE

Posted: 44 weeks 3 days ago | (2) Comments | Email This

+ Add TopicSee all

No forum topics at this time.

+ Add Image See all

No photos at this time.

Track:

Martinsville

Race Sponsor:

None

Distance:

263 miles

Laps:

500

Track length: 0.526 mile
Banking: Corners - 12 degrees; straights - 0 degrees
Frontstretch: 800 feet
Backstretch: 800 feet
Track Width: 55 feet
Race length: 500 laps
Grandstand seating capacity: 65,000
Opened: 1947

Martinsville is a short track. In fact, it’s the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit. Drivers either love short tracks or hate them. Since most got their start racing on short tracks, this is a popular place to visit, especially during the Chase when there are so many 1.5 mile tracks in a row.

Martinsville is different from Bristol and Dover in two ways. The track is shaped like a paper clip. Driver will have two reasonably long straightaways with zero banking, then hit two tight corners. Since it’s a 500-lap race, you don’t have to be a math major to realize how tested the brakes will be Sunday. Martinsville also has asphalt on the straightaways and concrete along the turns. Drivers rarely feel 100 percent super-duper all the way around the track. There’s always a chance for someone to slip up.

Qualifying here is huge. The pits are tight, so getting a good stall is a legit bonus. Plus, there’s a 1/4 lap difference between first and last on a double file restart. It’s easy to get caught in traffic, or lapped, even if you have a good car.

Now some other random facts to impress your friends Sunday:

- Martinsville opened in 1947. It is the only track to host a race in NASCAR’s top series every year since 1949.
- Winners receive a grandfather clock instead of a trophy.
- A Chase driver will probably win. The top five drivers in terms of average finish are all in the Chase.
- Stunner of all stunners, Jimmie Johnson has the highest average finish at Martinsville.
- Stunner of all stunners, Jimmie Johnson is the defending race champion. He also won here earlier in the year.
- Stunner of all stunners, Jeff Gordon has the most career wins at Martinsville, with seven.
- Jeff Gordon must have a really big house to fit all those clocks or give some rocking Christmas presents to his friends and family.
- No driver has qualified with a speed over 100 MPH.
- Several sites suggest the hot dogs at Martinsville are really good.
- Martinsville won’t reveal the recipe that makes their hot dogs so great.
- I am going to stop typing so I can get a hot dog.


	LOL RACE PICS: FOR THE SON OF MONTOYA //MORE 150 views

	RACING FOR THE LOVE OF THE SPORT //MORE 340 views

	DRIVERS FIND CROSSOVER SUCCESS ON THE POP CHARTS //MORE 414 views

	NIGHT RACING VERSUS DAY RACING //MORE 477 views

	JOHNSON CRASHES AT BRISTOL //MORE 548 views

Hot Links

Power rankings (SI.com)
Reality show to air on BET (AP)

Hot Links

Check out our NASCAR crashes

Technorati Profile

Add to Technorati Favorites

Who is your pick to with the AC500? 1347 views \| 0 replies in the last hour	0 replies
Are you a big Kasey Kahne fan? 1549 views \| 0 replies in the last hour	0 replies
Day One: Torn Up Race Cars 1530 views \| 0 replies in the last hour	0 replies
2010 NASCAR Season 1778 views \| 0 replies in the last hour	7 replies

Anonymous Login / Create Account

TUMS Fast Relief 500

UPDATED CHAMPIONSHIP PROBABILITY TABLE: JOHNSON ROUTING THE FIELD

HAMLIN WINS IN MARTINSVILLE AS JOHNSON INCREASES CHASE LEAD

EARNHARDT LOSING STREAK REACHES 53

Anonymous

Login / Create Account