Tag: Martinsville Speedway

Fans and drivers went to Martinsville Speedway a little bewildered by news of a “new” famous Martinsville hot dog. If you could tell any difference by the checkered flag on Sunday you must have some kind of super sense for processed meat products…

By the time the checkers fell on Sunday and the STP 500 it is a good bet nobody was concerned about hot dogs. Virginia native Denny Hamlin drove the #11 Fed-Ex / Joe Gibbs Toyota to the win and huge applause from the stands.

It was a good day for some and others fell back during the first short track race of the season. Many who tend to do well were caught with mechanical issues, wrecks or just out of the rhythm. Jimmie Johnson and team mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. suffered issues that put them down several laps. Dale, Jr. was involved in a crash that had him back out several laps later with no front end sheet metal.

Jeff Gordon held the front for a bit and went on to finish 9th but was still hit during the race with a pit road penalty that put him back. Kasey Kahne even lead some and finished 11th.  All in all a split day of results for the Hendrick cars.

Stewart-Haas teams were up front and overall did well but couldn’t manage the end with Hamlin. Kevin Harvick lead a good chunk but couldn’t extend his run of top-2 finishes (8th). Kurt Busch also held the front but fell back to 14th at the end. Tony Stewart ran mid pack early on but by the later laps was up front to challenge but was edged outside and the train went by as he finished 20th. It was Danica Patrick that seemed to get in the groove at Martinsville, avoided some traffic and crashes and finished 7th.

It was the Joe Gibbs and Penske teams that filled the top 5 at the finish having a good race day in general. JGR cars finished 1st (Denny Hamlin), 4th (Matt Kenseth) and 5th (David Ragan in for Kyle Busch). Penske teams of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano finished  2nd and 3rd with Logano starting on the pole.

Others in the top 10 were Martin Truex, Jr (6th) and Jamie McMurray (10th).

For fans it was a big day of racing with 31 lead changes involving 13 drivers and a familiar winner. 16 cautions gave fans a chance to examine their hot dogs for any signs of change.

It could be a momentum changing race for Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin in particular.

The Easter break is on and the circus rolls on afterward to Texas then back to closer racing at Bristol (4-19) and Richmond (4-25).

PHOTOS: Friday Practice | Saturday Practice | Kroger 250 | STP 500

 

It rains in Martinsville. It seems to be a constant that a cloud that hates racing will make its way to Virginia just to spread a little Spring shower on the historic little racetrack.

Fortunately, it cleared off enough to get some practice in for the STP 500 and the Kroger 250. Qualifying may be pushed back a bit but that should happen also.

With nothing else to do quite a few made their way in to talk about racing at Martinsville. Like so many other tracks in the wake of some hard hits Martinsville is also adding some cushion to the barrier walls. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. acknowledged this and the forward momentum NASCAR has been taking with track safety. He said there may be some way to go but it is so different than just a few years ago.

Jeff Gordon talked about his last two visits to Martinsville and that it has always been a favorite and a challenge to race and win there.

Aric Almirola spoke a bit about the Petty family and the Victory Junction Gang Camp for children with illnesses and special needs.

Then there were hot dogs and that seemed to lighten things up a bit. Gordon said he never had one of the old ones. Dale Jr. said he was gonna have a couple of the new ones. Everyone seemed to thing it was much over nothing as they still look and taste the same and let’s go racing.

Practice was put off a bit for the rain but they got some laps in. A.J. Allmendinger came off the track with the fastest laps of the Friday session. We can only wait to see if that holds into qualifying.

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We’re on the eve of racing back on this side of the world. The “west coast swing” was indeed an interesting twist to watch with Kevin Harvick taking two and Brad Keselowski coming out on the last lap at Fontana to grab the third.

If you are on your way to Bristol, turn around. They flipped it. Martinsville is on before Bristol this year. The STP 500 and Kroger 250 are this weekend. They are bringing the haulers in today (Thursday 3-26).

So far it has been Team Penske, Stewart-Haas and Hendrick Motorsports in the checkers. Two of these winners have already referenced Martinsville as a highlight and a welcome sight to return to the east and the roots of racing.
Kevin Harvick, on a visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, said he is looking forward to Martinsville Speedway

“I think as you look at the West Coast swing and the three races and the travel and everything that comes with it, I think everybody is extremely excited to come back to Martinsville… To start the weekend to be able to drive your own vehicle to the race track and end the weekend coming home and sleeping in your own bed is something everybody is excited about.”

Harvick spoke about the aspects that make Martinsville one of the jewels of the season.

“You add in the short track factor and just getting back to the roots of everything we’ve done leading up to our Sprint Cup careers…. It’s like Talladega in the fact you never know when something is going to happen. Just like last year we were rolling good. We had qualified bad and came up through the field and worked into the top five. A restart went wild and we wound up backwards in the fence. That’s really what short-track racing is all about and that happens a lot at Martinsville.”

He said it is a balance of driving and keeping the emotions in check and keeping the car in a condition to finish up front. With the bumping around in tight spaces there are going to be tempers and dents and Martinsville is special in the way fans get to see all of it from their seat.

Jimmy Johnson also visited the Speedway and a group of kids from local Rich Acres Elementary School. The “Go Far Club” kids and Johnson talked about health and fitness and Johnson’s training to drive and run. As a runner, cyclist and swimmer he spends quite a bit of time staying fit and that translates to stamina behind the wheel.

The #48 driver also hit on fond memories of winning at Martinsville but also the frustrations of learning to do it. An apparent turning point came several years ago when he was lapped by Tony Stewart and that lit a fire of determination to grasp the skills needed to master the historic track.

He has 8 wins at Martinsville…

Clint Bowyer also visited Martinsville just this week and was also excited to get back to the roots of NASCAR and the east coast. Like Johnson, Bowyer mentioned the frustrations of racing here and the learning curve to get into the groove. From the driver’s seat he said it is a lighter touch than you would think to drive it and if you get off your line, brake too soon or late, gas on too soon or too late you get bounced. It is a race not only against the other drivers but also against the track to keep that perfect line for 500 laps.

Bowyer also said the hot dogs are still Martinsville hot dogs. It’s the thing of being here at the race surrounded by all that is Martinsville that makes the flavor happen as he finished one of the pink, chilli dogs. He said everything that makes racing here so unique is what makes the hot dog what it is.

At the end of the day it is still a hot dog and just one of the aspects of historic racing at Martinsville Speedway.
Racing is on this weekend (March 27-28-29). Grab a jacket as the temperatures may be a little low but the sun is expected to be shining and the dogs will be hot. The Camping World Series Kroger 250 is Saturday. The Sprint Cup STP 500 is Sunday. Virginia Lottery Pole Day is Friday.

Martinsville race week for the 2014 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 has been one for many to remember for a very long time. There will be discussions and “I was there!” bragging rights over Dale Jr.’s win for quite a while. His drive to victory was a thing to see and generates yet another chapter for the historic little track in Martinsville.
Even more so when you consider all of the little bits that add the frosting to the victory cake. Dale Jr. grew up in the shadow of Martinsville grandfather clocks as his iconic father won there several times. He earned his first win of the CHASE playoffs after being eliminated from championship contention just one week before. He is a spokesman for Goody’s. He drives for Rick Hendrick which also owns the #24 car of Jeff Gordon, a main rival to his father. Hendrick suffered a deep loss of family and friends from an aircraft crash at Martinsville and a team victory helps ease the pain of returning. Dale Jr. lost his father at a race track. The little bits of history that create the foundations to generate more history are abundant.
Yet Dale Earnhardt, Jr. earning his first win at the little historic track is just another piece of the timeline for the smallest track in the CHASE.
The folks at Martinsville Speedway have never let the words “little” or “small” get in their way as they consistently weave big things into their racing events. The history of racing there and the grandstand view from practically every seat to see practically everything happen makes this place a favored fan destination. It is also a perfect setting to get fans involved in ways that larger facilities just can not do in the same way.
The October race put much of this in motion. Breast Cancer Awareness month was highlighted at every turn with the race curbing painted pink. The Chevrolet pace cars were pink. As part of this, Chevrolet partnered with the speedway and brought cancer survivors into the race experience with a special ride-along on the track following the VA Lottery Pole Day.

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Race drivers Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex, Jr. and Ron Hornaday drove the pink Chevy pace cars and a Chevy pace truck with these special passengers hanging on for the ride. Surviving through the fight with cancer was certainly more difficult than taking turns at a race track with a NASCAR star but the smiles on their faces seemed to indicate this was much more fun.
The simple matter of size makes it much easier for fans to see on-track activity such as driver introductions, interviews and Grand Marshall Richard Petty. The compressed real estate of the track also contributed as it took little time away from tight schedules to help bring one young fan into the mix with driver Clint Bowyer.
At a pre-event sponsor dinner in Roanoke, VA a couple of weeks before the race, Bowyer happened to meet this young fan. Bowyer is a fun fellow. He doesn’t wear the NASCAR fame as an unapproachable shield. He jokes, he laughs, he smiles…  He jumps into the fan experience and has fun with it. It was evident on race day as he paused even moments before the race to pose with fans next to the #15 AAA Toyota. It was evident as he slid into the restaurant booth weeks before and just started having a one-on-one with this young man as if they had been friends that just happened to meet while being out.
The result was a coordination with speedway staff to get the boy and his family into the infield on race weekend, have a tour with Clint Bowyer that involved the #15 hauler, the garage and a sit down in the race car. It is a memory sure to linger well beyond the checkered flag.

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Bowyer later challenged for the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500, led several laps and finished in the top 10 at 7th place. It is very likely there was a young fan in the stands with an autographed #15 hat cheering him on.
These are small pieces of what makes Martinsville Speedway special for so many people. The views, the people, the memories…  It is the small track with big things woven into the fabric of its history for so many. It is why racing here is a highlight for drivers and fans.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., some very special survivors and a young race fan have their memories. 95,000 fans on that race day have their own stories to share about “being there when Dale Jr. won” and the folks at Martinsville Speedway are cleaning up and starting the cycle all over again for racing in 2015.

To see more fan memories and even post your own check this Facebook post from Martinsville Speedway!
Go get some memories and go racing!

The irony is thick as the day closed on the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Consider… Talladega was just one week ago. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran into some unfortunate luck in the final laps and was pushed out of contention for the CHASE and the Sprint Cup championship. During a pre-race presentation, Dale Jr. spoke of growing up with his father’s grandfather clock from Martinsville always in plain view.

With CHASE drivers pushing every limit, it was Dale Earnhardt, Jr. who drove the #88 to Victory Lane to earn his own Martinsville grandfather clock.

Team mate Jeff Gordon also had a good day to take a lead in the CHASE. Ryan Newman, an underdog coming into the CHASE, is sitting in the 2nd slot. Oddly enough, it was Newman who visited Martinsville High School as the CHASE was announced and getting under way. Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin round out the top 5 in current Eliminator Round points.

The CHASE has been throwing drama at the tracks and the fans this season and Dale Jr.’s first win at Martinsville has added to it while shaking the grandstands at Martinsville to a post-race rumble. There is more on the way with 3 races to go…

Drop everything and go racing!

Full Gallery from Martinsville Speedway!

The CHASE has come to Martinsville Speedway as the eight drivers remaining for the championship run enter the Eliminator Round. Some big names were dropped at Talladega. You can safely wager that will not alter any driver’s attitude of going for the win at the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.

Practices went off Friday for VA Lottery Pole Day as teams made use of the one session to dial in the cars for qualifying later that day. The Camping World Series trucks also took up lap time practice for the Kroger 200 to run Saturday.

As Sprint Cup qualifying rolled through CHASE drivers found themselves starting in the field as Jamie McMurray captured the top spot for the Coors Light Pole Award.

Logano, Kenseth, Stewart and Hamlin rounded out the top five qualifying slots.

Practices for Sprint Cup will resume Saturday with qualifying and racing for the Kroger 200.

Click HERE for a gallery of VA Lottery Pole Day!

 

The Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 is Sunday. The CHASE is on but that doesn’t mean that drivers and teams not in the line for the championship are going to give in and not go for the win. There will be some good racing and challenges to everyone on the track.
The Kroger 200 is Saturday with the Camping World Truck Series. The points and run for this series is full of challenges for the championship also.
Friday, Virginia Lottery Pole Day is a great day to see practice, qualifying and a better chance to catch a driver without the giant crowds.
Some other details to know:

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The October NASCAR events at Martinsville Speedway will mark 50 years of racing there. In September of 1964 Fred Lorenzen crossed the line for the win and took home a grandfather clock.  On this 50th anniversary of racing for the clock it is ticking on the CHASE and the next owner of one of these unique trophies.
The Marching Tar Heels of UNC-Chapel Hill will be performing the National Anthem. The Warbirds will perform a fly-over with five historic aircraft. The pre-race drivers’ meeting will also be held on pit road in view of the grandstands in order to give fans a bit more access to some of the race day activity. Ticket packages, Q&A sessions, track walks and more are available online at martinsvillespeedway.com.
Oh… This may be important… A fellow named Richard Petty will be the Grand Marshall for Sunday. Apparently, this gentleman holds the record of 15 wins at Martinsville…
Of course there will be plenty to see in the midway as well. All the drivers’ merchandise trailers will be out and many drivers will make appearances at various sponsor locations. Check your program on race day for these details. It is also late in the season. No guarantees but dare I say “close out sales”…
There is also a lot of evening activity with free concerts Friday and Saturday evening presented by Martinsville Speedway and the folks that put on the fantastic summer Roosterwalk music festival. Four bands each evening and the concession sales will be benefiting several local charities so go enjoy some tunes and support the community. For details on the Turn 5 concerts, check out roosterwalk.com
For the championship run that rolls out the Eliminator Round at Martinsville the drivers still in contention for the Sprint Cup Championship are Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth. After the bangs and bumps of Talladega, some favorites were knocked off the grid. Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne were left out. However, don’t let that stop you from cheering for your favorite driver. Wouldn’t it be great, just as a for instance, if Dale Jr. put all those “Cup” runners in their place and won…? Or Johnson, or Busch… or even Kahne or one of the others that wasn’t even in the CHASE to begin with…?
Martinsville will be a race for the championship or to get digs in on those that are still in it. There is a lot of history (Petty, Warbirds, 50 years…) and music (UNC, Roosterwalk Turn 5) and a lot of racing to prove out the weekend.
To sum up… Go Racin’!