Wednesday, October 28, 2015

2015 Week 33 Preview: Martinsville

Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500

Martinsville Speedway


By Richard Tix

Now that NASCAR is mid week some of the drama has settled down in the racing community. The angry tweets that were included to DeLana Harvick have slowed down (which might I add is totally uncalled for and embarrassing. It is not ok no matter how upset you are to go after Harvicks wife. It is bad enough the stuff "fans" tweet to driver, but to include someone who is not involved is down right pitiful. It is the downfalls of a social media world that is normally a great place to get information and reach out to fan bases).

NASCAR ruled that they found nothing on the incident and would not punish anyone with no evidence. Now, I will still stand by my statements in the Talladega Review, but I also noted that if nothing is found that NASCAR can not do anything, so we need to move on.

That Talladega race will always be remembered for the finish, but this week a new Chase round starts and only 8 drivers have a shot at Miami. Gordon is actually a favorite this weekend as he could lock himself in with a Martinsville win (8 career wins), but guys like Johnson, Hamlin, and Kenseth could wreck the party. Not to mention strong runs from Logano, Harvick, or Keselowski (all Chase drivers).

Martinsville is also a track that bad blood brought up in the last round could come back out. Kenseth or Hamlin (still upset about the Harvick incident) could retaliate. So, plenty of story lines follow NASCAR into this weekend and it will be fun to see which, if any, play out.

If you need more to get excited about, check out some Martinsville Finishes in this Video Article.




The Good
  • Jeff Gordon- Gordon has been around Martinsville, just a few times... In his 45 starts he has 36 top 10's and 28 top 5's. Gordon also has 8 career wins, so maybe he can lock himself into the Finale at Miami this weekend?
  • Jimmie Johnson- 27 career starts and 22 top 10's. He does have back to back 30+ finishes, but that doesn't mean he has lost his touch, he still has 8 career wins here.
  • Denny Hamlin- This Springs Martinsville winner, Hamlin now has 5 career wins that just trail's the two above drivers for most wins of a current driver. He could steal a win from a Chase contender.
  • Matt Kenseth- Martinsville has become a much better track for Kenseth as of late. He comes in with four straight top 10's including two top 5's. In the last 7 he has 5 top 10's and 7 top 15's. He has yet to win here, but if he runs like he has been he could be a threat.
The Middle
  • Kyle Busch- His last three finishes at Martinsville have all fallen between 11th and 15th. In his last six starts here he has an average finish of 18.33.
The Bad
  • Ryan Newman- Newman has had his share of good finishes here, but lately that hasn't been the case. Newman has 4 finishes of 20th or worse in his last 5 starts here. In the last 10 here he only has 3 top 10's.
  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Five starts and no top 10's, one top 15, and two top 25's. Stenhouse also has three finishes of 31st or higher here.
  • Kyle Larson- Is it that Kyle just can't keep it clean here? I am not sure, but Kyle has three starts here and all three are 27th or worse. He also started 26th or worse two of the three starts which does not help his cause.
Track Stats
  • 8 straight Chevy wins here at Martinsville before Denny Hamlin won earlier this year.
  • Other then Denny Hamlin (Toyota) Chevy has won 17 straight races. That's 17 of the past 22 races. If you add in Rusty Wallace's win in 2004 (Dodge) its 19 of the past 25.
  • The race has been won from the Pole 4 times in the last 14 races.
  • Most cautions was 21 in 2004 for 127 laps.
  • The farthest back a winner has started from was 36th (Kurt Busch) in 2002 (10/20/2002). Kurt won in 2014 after starting 22nd (3/30/2014) and Dale Jr won after starting 23 (10/26/14)
  • Since 2003 Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, or Denny Hamlin have won 18 of 25 races.
  • Richard Petty has the most career Martinsville wins: 15 to go along with 30 top 5's and 37 top 10's. 
  • Darrell Waltrip has the most career pole awards at Martinsville with 8.
Martinsville Speedway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1949-06
9/25/1949
15
Red Byron
3
'49 Oldsmobile
1950-04
5/21/1950
25
Curtis Turner

'50 Oldsmobile
1950-17
10/15/1950
21
Herb Thomas
19
'50 Plymouth
1951-08
5/6/1951
35
Curtis Turner
7
'50 Oldsmobile
1951-34
10/14/1951
23
Frank Mundy
3
'51 Oldsmobile
1952-05
4/6/1952
22
Dick Rathman
9
'51 Hudson
1952-31
10/19/1952
29
Herb Thomas
2
'52 Hudson
1953-11
5/17/1953
35
Lee Petty

'53 Dodge
1953-36
10/18/1953
26
Jim Paschal

'53 Dodge
1954-12
5/16/1954
24
Jim Paschal

'53 Oldsmobile
1954-36
10/17/1954
44
Lee Petty
1
'54 Chrysler
1955-15
5/15/1955
27
Tim Flock
4
'55 Chrysler
1955-42
10/16/1955
28
Speedy Thompson
17
'55 Chrysler
1956-18
5/20/1956
35
Buck Baker
1
'56 Dodge
1956-54
10/28/1956
40
Jack Smith
23
'56 Dodge
1957-17
5/19/1957
24
Buck Baker
14
'57 Chevrolet
1957-49
10/6/1957
40
Bob Welborn
2
'57 Chevrolet
1958-12
4/20/1958
47
Bob Welborn
20
'57 Chevrolet
1958-49
10/12/1958
40
Fireball Roberts
4
'57 Chevrolet
1959-13
5/3/1959
40
Lee Petty
24
'57 Oldsmobile
1959-41
9/27/1959
47
Rex White
14
'59 Chevrolet
1960-10
4/10/1960
37
Richard Petty
4
'60 Plymouth
1960-40
9/25/1960
31
Rex White
2
'60 Chevrolet
1961-13
4/9/1961
27
Fred Lorenzen
2
'61 Ford
1961-18
4/30/1961
30
Junior Johnson
17
'61 Pontiac
1961-47
9/24/1961
29
Joe Weatherly
4
'61 Pontiac
1962-15
4/22/1962
32
Richard Petty
7
'62 Plymouth
1962-50
9/23/1962
37
Nelson Stacy
3
'62 Ford
1963-19
4/21/1963
33
Richard Petty
8
'63 Plymouth
1963-48
9/22/1963
36
Fred Lorenzen
2
'63 Ford
1964-19
4/26/1964
33
Fred Lorenzen
1
'64 Ford
1964-56
9/27/1964
40
Fred Lorenzen
1
'64 Ford
1965-12
4/25/1965
36
Fred Lorenzen
2
'65 Ford
1965-50
9/26/1965
37
Junior Johnson
3
'65 Ford
1966-14
4/24/1966
40
Jim Paschal
1
'66 Plymouth
1966-46
9/25/1966
40
Fred Lorenzen
2
'66 Ford
1967-14
4/23/1967
37
Richard Petty
2
'67 Plymouth
1967-45
9/24/1967
40
Richard Petty
5
'67 Plymouth
1968-12
4/28/1968
40
Cale Yarborough
3
'68 Mercury
1968-44
9/22/1968
40
Richard Petty
6
'68 Plymouth
1969-16
4/27/1969
40
Richard Petty
6
'69 Ford
1969-46
9/28/1969
40
Richard Petty
6
'69 Ford
1970-18
5/31/1970
39
Bobby Isaac
2
'69 Dodge
1970-45
10/18/1970
30
Richard Petty
4
'70 Plymouth
1971-15
4/25/1971
30
Richard Petty
3
'71 Plymouth
1971-41
9/26/1971
30
Bobby Isaac
1
'71 Dodge
1972-10
4/30/1972
36
Richard Petty
3
'72 Plymouth
1972-27
9/24/1972
36
Richard Petty
4
'72 Plymouth
1973-09
4/29/1973
34
David Pearson
1
'71 Mercury
1973-26
9/30/1973
36
Richard Petty
6
'73 Dodge
1974-09
4/28/1974
30
Cale Yarborough
1
'74 Chevrolet
1974-27
9/29/1974
30
Earl Ross
11
'72 Chevrolet
1975-09
4/27/1975
30
Richard Petty
6
'74 Dodge
1975-24
9/28/1975
30
Dave Marcis
7
'74 Dodge
1976-09
4/25/1976
30
Darrell Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
1976-25
9/26/1976
30
Cale Yarborough
4
Chevrolet
1977-09
4/24/1977
30
Cale Yarborough
5
Chevrolet
1977-25
9/25/1977
30
Cale Yarborough
3
Chevrolet
1978-09
4/23/1978
30
Darrell Waltrip
3
Chevrolet
1978-25
9/24/1978
30
Cale Yarborough
6
Oldsmobile
1979-09
4/22/1979
30
Richard Petty
2
Chevrolet
1979-26
9/23/1979
30
Buddy Baker
7
Chevrolet
1980-09
4/27/1980
32
Darrell Waltrip
1
Chevrolet
1980-27
9/28/1980
31
Dale Earnhardt
7
Chevrolet
1981-09
4/26/1981
31
Morgan Shepherd
12
Pontiac
1981-26
9/27/1981
30
Darrell Waltrip
1
Buick
1982-08
4/25/1982
31
Harry Gant
3
Buick
1982-27
10/17/1982
31
Darrell Waltrip
3
Buick
1983-07
4/24/1983
32
Darrell Waltrip
3
Chevrolet
1983-25
9/25/1983
29
Ricky Rudd
2
Chevrolet
1984-08
4/29/1984
31
Geoffrey Bodine
6
Chevrolet
1984-25
9/23/1984
31
Darrell Waltrip
3
Chevrolet
1985-08
4/28/1985
30
Harry Gant
13
Chevrolet
1985-23
9/22/1985
31
Dale Earnhardt
11
Chevrolet
1986-08
4/27/1986
31
Ricky Rudd
4
Ford
1986-24
9/21/1986
30
Rusty Wallace
8
Pontiac
1987-08
4/26/1987
31
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1987-24
9/27/1987
31
Darrell Waltrip
14
Chevrolet
1988-08
4/24/1988
32
Dale Earnhardt
14
Chevrolet
1988-24
9/25/1988
32
Darrell Waltrip
20
Chevrolet
1989-08
4/23/1989
32
Darrell Waltrip
10
Chevrolet
1989-24
9/24/1989
32
Darrell Waltrip
2
Chevrolet
1990-08
4/29/1990
32
Geoffrey Bodine
1
Ford
1990-24
9/23/1990
31
Geoffrey Bodine
14
Ford
1991-08
4/28/1991
32
Dale Earnhardt
10
Chevrolet
1991-24
9/22/1991
32
Harry Gant
12
Oldsmobile
1992-08
4/26/1992
32
Mark Martin
14
Ford
1992-24
9/28/1992
31
Geoffrey Bodine
7
Ford
1993-08
4/25/1993
34
Rusty Wallace
5
Pontiac
1993-25
9/26/1993
34
Ernie Irvan
1
Ford
1994-08
4/24/1994
36
Rusty Wallace
1
Ford
1994-26
9/25/1994
36
Rusty Wallace
7
Ford
1995-08
4/23/1995
36
Rusty Wallace
15
Ford
1995-26
9/24/1995
36
Dale Earnhardt
2
Chevrolet
1996-08
4/21/1996
36
Rusty Wallace
5
Ford
1996-26
9/22/1996
36
Jeff Gordon
10
Chevrolet
1997-08
4/20/1997
42
Jeff Gordon
4
Chevrolet
1997-27
9/28/1997
42
Jeff Burton
10
Ford
1998-08
4/20/1998
43
Bobby Hamilton
1
Chevrolet
1998-27
9/27/1998
43
Ricky Rudd
2
Ford
1999-08
4/18/1999
43
John Andretti
21
Pontiac
1999-28
10/3/1999
43
Jeff Gordon
5
Chevrolet
2000-08
4/9/2000
43
Mark Martin
21
Ford
2000-28
10/1/2000
43
Tony Stewart
1
Pontiac
2001-08
4/8/2001
43
Dale Jarrett
13
Ford
2001-30
10/15/2001
43
Ricky Craven
6
Ford
2002-08
4/14/2002
43
Bobby Labonte
15
Pontiac
2002-32
10/20/2002
43
Kurt Busch
36
Ford
2003-09
4/13/2003
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2003-32
10/19/2003
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
2004-08
4/18/2004
43
Rusty Wallace
17
Dodge
2004-32
10/24/2004
43
Jimmie Johnson
18
Chevrolet
2005-06
4/10/2005
43
Jeff Gordon
16
Chevrolet
2005-32
10/23/2005
43
Jeff Gordon
15
Chevrolet
2006-06
4/2/2006
43
Tony Stewart
3
Chevrolet
2006-32
10/22/2006
43
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2007-06
4/1/2007
43
Jimmie Johnson
20
Chevrolet
2007-32
10/21/2007
43
Jimmie Johnson
4
Chevrolet
2008-06
3/30/2008
43
Denny Hamlin
2
Toyota
2008-32
10/19/2008
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2009-06
3/29/2009
43
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2009-32
10/25/2009
43
Denny Hamlin
17
Toyota
2010-06
3/29/2010
43
Denny Hamlin
19
Toyota
2010-32
10/24/2010
43
Denny Hamlin
1
Toyota
2011-06
4/3/2011
43
Kevin Harvick
9
Chevrolet
2011-33
10/30/2011
43
Tony Stewart
4
Chevrolet
2012-06
4/1/2012
43
Ryan Newman
5
Chevrolet
2012-33
10/28/2012
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2013-06
4/7/2013
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2013-33
10/27/2013
43
Jeff Gordon
9
Chevrolet
2014-06
3/30/2014
43
Kurt Busch
22
Chevrolet
2014-33
10/26/2014
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
23
Chevrolet
2015-06
3/29/2015
43
Denny Hamlin
15
Toyota


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