Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia, going into the Cook Out 400 on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Martinsville Speedway – Stats & Tidbits:

TRACK INFO & DATA
Season Race #: 8 of 36 (04-07-24)
Race Purse: $7,669,028
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch & Backstretch Length:  800 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 100 laps (ends on 180)
Final Stage Length: 220 laps (ends on 400)

QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 100.201 mph, 18.898 secs. March 26, 2014 

2023 Spring Martinsville Pole Winner:
Ryan Preece, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, 94.780 mph, 19.979 secs. April 15, 2023

Track Race Record:
Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, (3:11:55), September 22, 1996

2023 Spring Martinsville Race:
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 74.005 mph, (2:50:35), April 16, 2024

HISTORY

  • Opened in September of 1947 by H. Clay Earles, Martinsville Speedway, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.
  • The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville Speedway was on July 4, 1948.
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was on September 25, 1949, and was a 200 lap (100 mile) race that was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Red Byron driving an Oldsmobile for car owner Raymond Parks.
  • The track was paved during the summer months of 1955. The first race at the track that season was on dirt (May 15) and the second race of the year was the first on the paved track (Oct. 16). Prior to paving the track, the Cup Series ran 12 races total on the dirt at Martinsville (1949-1955).
  • The first 500-lap (250 mile) event at Martinsville Speedway was in 1956 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker from the pole position. Baker was driving a 1956 Dodge for car owner Carl Kiekhaefer.
  • Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976 at Martinsville Speedway.
  • In 2017, lights were added to Martinsville Speedway.
  • In total, there have been 150 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
  • Martinsville Speedway, at 150 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races, has hosted the second-most points paying events all-time, behind only Daytona International Speedway at 154.

STARTS

  • A total of 652 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway; 424 have competed in more than one.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Martinsville Speedway with 67.
  • The top five in Cup Series Martinsville starts are Richard Petty (67), Dave Marcis (55), Ricky Rudd (55), Ken Schrader (54) and Kyle Petty (54).
  • Kyle Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway with 37 starts.
  • The top five in Cup Series Martinsville starts among active drivers are Kyle Busch (37), Denny Hamlin (36), Martin Truex Jr. (36), Joey Logano (30), and Brad Keselowski (28).
  • Fonty Flock leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.125 in nine starts.
  • Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with an 8.400 in 31 starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

RankAll-Time DriversAvg StartRacesRankActive DriversAvg StartRaces
1Fonty Flock3.12591Joey Logano8.40031
2Fred Lorenzen4.294172Denny Hamlin8.80637
3Frankie Schneider5.00033Ryan Blaney9.43817
4Tim Flock5.889114Chase Elliott9.58818
5Cale Yarborough5.935315Brad Keselowski11.39329
6Johnny Patterson6.00036Kyle Larson11.44419
7Bobby Isaac6.067157Kyle Busch11.67638
8Dick Hutcherson6.20058Chase Briscoe12.5007
9Joe Millikan6.20059Martin Truex Jr13.02837
10David Pearson6.5712810Ty Gibbs13.3334
  • In total, 82 different drivers have made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway (1949-2024).

First-Time DriversDateFirst-Time DriversDateFirst-Time DriversDate
1Kyle Weatherman10/29/201729Ed Jordan4/24/196657Ken Pace10/17/1954
2Gray Gaulding10/30/201630Johnny Wynn4/24/196658Joel Million5/16/1954
3Chase Elliott3/29/201531Terry Murchison4/25/196559Bill Morgan10/18/1953
4Kyle Fowler10/26/201432Ronnie Croy9/27/196460Bob Sampson10/18/1953
5Scott Speed10/19/200833Art Malone9/24/196161Bud Harless10/18/1953
6Michael McDowell3/30/200834Wayne Lambath9/24/196162Eddie Skinner5/17/1953
7Chad Chaffin10/24/200435Allen Franklin4/30/196163Gifford Wood5/17/1953
8Mario Gosselin10/24/200436Ernie Gahan4/10/196064Glen Wood5/17/1953
9Travis Kvapil10/24/200437Pat Moore4/10/196065J.L. Justice5/17/1953
10Mike Bliss9/27/199838Erwin Carpenter9/27/195966Bob Welborn10/19/1952
11Stacy Compton4/21/199639Jerry Smith9/27/195967Julian Petty10/19/1952
12Elton Sawyer4/23/199540Ben Benz4/20/195868Jack Wade10/14/1951
13Jeff Purvis4/29/199041Barney Oldfield5/19/195769Bill Holluck5/6/1951
14Tony Spanos4/26/198742Bill Lutz10/28/195670Bill Lawrence5/6/1951
15Jerry Cranmer4/27/198643Bill Poor10/28/195671Jack Holloway10/15/1950
16Mike Skinner4/27/198644Bun Emery10/28/195672John Manning10/15/1950
17Sam Ard9/23/198445Larry Frank10/28/195673Runt Harris10/15/1950
18Dale Jarrett4/29/198446Larry Odo10/28/195674Bill Long5/21/1950
19Bob McElee9/27/198147Norman Schihl10/28/195675Bob Collins5/21/1950
20Butch Lindley9/23/197948Bob Duell5/20/195676Donald Thomas5/21/1950
21Bruce Blodgett4/25/197649George Cork5/20/195677Frank Boylan5/21/1950
22Satch Worley9/29/197450Jim Rhoades5/20/195678Macon Powers5/21/1950
23Jimmy Hensley4/30/197251Reitzel Darner5/20/195679Ruel Smith5/21/1950
24Dave Alonzo9/28/196952Sherman Utsman5/20/195680Al Wagoner9/25/1949
25Buddy Young4/27/196953Jimmy Pardue10/16/195581Clyde Minter9/25/1949
26Paul Radford4/23/196754Gordon Smith5/15/195582Kenneth Wagner9/25/1949
27Tommy Ingram4/23/196755Jim Cooper10/17/1954
28Jimmy Trull9/25/196656John Dodd Jr10/17/1954
  • Chase Elliott (March 29, 2015) and Michael McDowell (March 30, 2008) are the only active drivers who have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.
  • The most recent driver to make their NASCAR Cup Series debut at Martinsville Speedway was Kyle Weatherman on October 29, 2017.
  • The best finish by a driver making their first career start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway was by Clyde Minter in 1949 when he started seventh and finished fourth. Minter was the only driver of the 82 to finish inside the top-five in his first appearance in the series at Martinsville Speedway.

POLES

  • In total 63 different drivers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway; 29 of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners have won multiple poles.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway in 1949.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Martinsville Speedway with eight poles (1979, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1992).
  • Seven of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.

Active Pole WinnersPolesSeasons
Joey Logano52019, 2017, 2016, 2015 sweep
Denny Hamlin42019, 2013, 2010, 2007
Martin Truex Jr22023, 2016
Kyle Busch22018, 2014
Ryan Preece12023
Chase Elliott12022
Kyle Larson12022
  • Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in poles at Martinsville with five (2015 sweep, spring 2016, fall 2017 and spring 2019).
  • A total of 13 different drivers have won two or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Joey Logano who won three consecutive poles from 2015-2016.
  • Five drivers have won three or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway in the series:
    • 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)
    • Joey Logano (2015 sweep, 2016 spring)
  • Youngest Cup Series Martinsville pole winner: Ricky Rudd (April 26, 1981 – 24 years, 7 months, 14 days).
  • Oldest Cup Series Martinsville pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (April 26, 1987 – 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).
  • A total of 13 different drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway; none are active this weekend.

First Time Cup Pole Winners At MartinsvilleDate 
Curtis TurnerSunday, September 25, 1949
Buck BakerSunday, May 21, 1950
Fonty FlockSunday, October 15, 1950
Perk BrownSunday, October 19, 1952
Glen WoodSunday, October 12, 1958
Bobby JohnsSunday, May 3, 1959
Lennie PondSunday, April 23, 1978
Ricky RuddSunday, April 26, 1981
Ricky CravenSunday, April 21, 1996
Kenny WallaceSunday, April 20, 1997
Tony StewartSunday, April 18, 1999
Scott RiggsSunday, April 10, 2005
Ryan PreeceSunday, April 16, 2023
  • A total of 50 different organizations have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 19 poles.
  • Hendrick Motorsports has won a series leading 19 poles at Martinsville Speedway among seven drivers: Geoff Bodine (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989), Tim Richmond (1986), Jeff Gordon (2001, 2002, 2003 sweep, 2004, 2007, 2008), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2012, 2013), Kasey Kahne (2012), Chase Elliott (2022), Kyle Larson (2022).

WINS

  • A total of 59 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway all-time, and 27 of the 59 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Martinsville Speedway have won multiple times.
  • This weekend, 11 of the 59 different NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winners will be active.

Active Martinsville WinnersWinsSeasons
Denny Hamlin52015, 2010 sweep, 2009, 2008
Martin Truex Jr32021, 2020, 2019
Brad Keselowski22019, 2017
Kyle Busch22017, 2016
Ryan Blaney12023
Kyle Larson12023
Christopher Bell12022
William Byron12022
Alex Bowman12021
Chase Elliott12020
Joey Logano12018
  • The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was on September 25, 1949, and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Red Byron driving an Oldsmobile for car owner Raymond Parks.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 15 victories (1960, 1962, 1963, 1967 sweep, 1968, 1969 sweep, 1970, 1971, 1972 sweep, 1973, 1975, 1979) – tied with North Wilkesboro (R. Petty, 15 wins) for the most wins at a single track in the series.
  • Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in wins at Martinsville Speedway with five victories (2008, 2009, 2010 sweep, 2015).
  • A total of 13 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Fred Lorenzen won the most consecutive Cup Series Martinsville races with four straight from the fall of 1963 through the spring of 1965.
  • Martin Truex Jr. was the most recent driver to win consecutive Cup races at Martinsville (Oct. 2019; June 2020).
  • A total of 12 different drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Ricky Craven (10/15/2001).

First-Time Cup Race Winners At Martinsville Date
Herb ThomasSunday, October 15, 1950
Dick RathmannSunday, April 6, 1952
Jim PaschalSunday, October 18, 1953
Jack SmithSunday, October 28, 1956
Bob WelbornSunday, October 6, 1957
Fred LorenzenSunday, April 9, 1961
Earl RossSunday, September 29, 1974
Dave MarcisSunday, September 28, 1975
Morgan ShepherdSunday, April 26, 1981
Harry GantSunday, April 25, 1982
Geoff BodineSunday, April 29, 1984
Ricky CravenMonday, October 15, 2001
  • Youngest series Martinsville winner: Richard Petty (April 10, 1960 – 22 years, 9 months, 8 days).
  • Oldest series Martinsville winner: Harry Gant (September 22, 1991 – 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).
  • A total of 25 different starting positions have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville. Note: In four of the early races at Martinsville Speedway (1950, Spring 1953, Fall 1953 and Spring 1954), the starting positions were not provided on the official race reports; therefore, the below chart is based off the provided starting positions of the winners of the remaining 146 races. 
  • The first starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Martinsville, producing more wins than any other starting position (21 victories – a winning percentage of 14.58%).
  • In total 16 different drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series from the pole or first starting position.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins from the pole or first starting position at Martinsville Speedway with three (2008, 2012, 2013) Note: Jimmie Johnson won the 2008 Martinsville Cup race from the first starting position due to qualifying being cancelled due to weather.
  • 36 of the 144 (24.66%) 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.
  • The deepest in the field that a NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race winner has started is 36th, by Kurt Busch in the fall of 2002.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Martinsville Speedway

Note: In four of the early races at Martinsville Speedway (1950, Spring 1953, Fall 1953 and Spring 1954), the starting positions were not provided on the official race reports; therefore, the below chart is based off the provided starting positions of the winners of the remaining 146 races. 

Starting PositionWinsWinning %Starting PositionWinsWinning %
12114.38%1464.11%
21510.27%1542.74%
31711.64%1610.68%
4149.59%1742.74%
596.16%1810.68%
685.48%1932.05%
796.16%2042.74%
832.05%2121.37%
964.11%2210.68%
1053.42%2321.37%
1132.05%2410.68%
1232.05%3610.68%
1332.05%
StatsWinning %Wins
Winning from the first starting position:14.38%21
Winning from the front row:24.66%36
Winning from a top-five starting position:52.05%76
Winning from a top-10 starting position:73.29%107
Winning after starting outside the top 20:4.79%7
  • Martin Truex Jr. competed at Martinsville Speedway 28 times before winning in 2019; the longest span of any the 11 active NASCAR Cup Series winners.
  • Michael McDowell leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in starts without a win at Martinsville with 26 starts; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has the second-most starts without a win at Martinsville with 22.
  • In total 39 different car owners have won at Martinsville Speedway.

Top Five in Organization Wins at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time)

OrganizationsWins
Hendrick Motorsports28
Petty Enterprises19
Joe Gibbs Racing14
Junior Johnson & Assoc.12
Team Penske10
  • Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 28 wins among nine drivers – Jeff Gordon (nine), Jimmie Johnson (nine), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoffrey Bodine (one), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one), Chase Elliott (one), Alex Bowman (one), William Byron (one), Kyle Larson(one).
  • A total of 11 manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:

RankManufacturerCup WinsLast Win
1Chevrolet602023
2Ford312023
3Plymouth121972
4Toyota112022
5Dodge102004
6Pontiac82002
7Oldsmobile81991
8Buick31982
9Chrysler31955
10Hudson21952
11Mercury21973
  • The first manufacturer to win in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway was Oldsmobile and the vehicle was driven by Red Byron. 
  • The longest consecutive wins streak a manufacturer has had at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series is eight straight wins by Chevrolet from 2011 – 2014.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

  • A total of 71 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Martinsville Speedway, and 36 of 71 have multiple runner-up finishes at the half-mile track.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in second-place finishes with seven runner-up finishes (1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000).
  • Kyle Busch (2012, 2017, 2018, 2021) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville with four runner-up finishes each

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

RankAll-Time DriversRunner-UpsRankActive DriversRunner-Ups
1Dale Earnhardt71Kyle Busch4
2Bobby Allison62Denny Hamlin3
Lee Petty6Joey Logano3
4Cale Yarborough54Brad Keselowski2
Jeff Gordon5Chase Elliott2
Richard Petty5Ryan Blaney2

Top-Five Finishes

  • A total of 157 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Martinsville Speedway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 30; followed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon with 29.
  • Denny Hamlin lead all active Cup drivers in top-five finishes with 19 top fives at Martinsville Speedway.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

RankAll-Time DriversTop FivesRankActive DriversTop Fives
1Richard Petty301Denny Hamlin19
2Jeff Gordon292Kyle Busch17
3Darrell Waltrip273Brad Keselowski12
4Denny Hamlin194Joey Logano11
5Jimmie Johnson195Martin Truex Jr10

Top-10 Finishes

  • A total of 271 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Martinsville.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 38 top 10s; followed by Richard Petty with 37.
  • Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top 10s at Martinsville with 25; followed Kyle Busch with 21.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

RankAll-Time DriversTop 10sRankActive DriversTop 10s
1Jeff Gordon381Denny Hamlin25
2Richard Petty372Kyle Busch21
3Darrell Waltrip313Joey Logano18
4Bobby Allison284Brad Keselowski17
5Terry Labonte275Martin Truex Jr16

Average Finish

  • Dick Hutcherson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.8 average finish in five starts.
  • Ryan Blaney leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Martinsville Speedway with a 9.0 in 16 races.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

RankAll-Time DriverAvg StartRacesRankActive DriversAvg FinishRaces
1Dick Hutcherson3.80051Ryan Blaney9.00016
2Frank Mundy4.00032Denny Hamlin10.13936
3Bill Amick4.50023Joey Logano10.93330
4Bill Snowden5.00024Chase Briscoe12.6676
5Bud Moore5.00025Kyle Busch12.81137
6Lee Petty5.542246Brad Keselowski13.21428
7Swede Savage6.50027Chase Elliott13.23517
8Jeff Gordon6.745478Christopher Bell13.8758
9Dick Rathmann7.00059William Byron14.91712
10Glenn Dunaway8.667310Martin Truex Jr15.88936

TRACK/EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

  • Qualifying has been cancelled 14 times in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:

No.Date of RaceDrivers That Started First Due To Qualifying CancelledReason
1Sunday, May 17, 1953Joe EubanksWeather
2Sunday, May 16, 1954Ralph LiguoriWeather
3Sunday, October 16, 1955Gwyn StaleyWeather
4Sunday, September 24, 1995Jeff GordonWeather
5Sunday, October 19, 2008Jimmie Johnson – Only one to winWeather
6Sunday, March 29, 2009Jeff GordonWeather
7Monday, March 29, 2010Kevin HarvickWeather
8Sunday, October 30, 2011Carl EdwardsWeather
9Sunday, April 2, 2017Kyle LarsonWeather
10Monday, March 26, 2018Martin Truex JrWeather
11Wednesday, June 10, 2020Ryan Blaney – Random DrawPandemic
12Sunday, November 1, 2020Brad Keselowski – Metric QualifyingPandemic
13Sunday, April 11, 2021Joey Logano – Metric QualifyingPandemic
14Sunday, October 31, 2021Kyle Larson – Metric QualifyingPandemic
  • Eight NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been shortened due to weather:

DateScheduledActualFewer LapsRace WinnerRunner-up
Sunday, April 23, 1995500356144Rusty WallaceTed Musgrave
Sunday, April 24, 1977500384116Cale YarboroughBenny Parsons
Sunday, September 26, 1976500340160Cale YarboroughDarrell Waltrip
Sunday, September 30, 197350048020Richard PettyCale Yarborough
Sunday, May 31, 1970500377123Bobby IsaacBobby Allison
Sunday, April 9, 1961500149351Fred LorenzenRex White
Sunday, October 12, 1958500350150Fireball RobertsSpeedy Thompson
Sunday, October 17, 195420016535Lee PettyHershel McGriff
  • There have been eight Cup Series races that have ended in NASCAR Overtime at Martinsville Speedway:

DateScheduledActualOvertimeRace WinnerRunner-up
Saturday, April 9, 20224004033William ByronJoey Logano
Sunday, October 31, 20215005011Alex BowmanKyle Busch
Sunday, October 29, 20175005055Kyle BuschMartin Truex Jr.
Sunday, April 1, 201250051515Ryan NewmanAJ Allmendinger
Monday, March 29, 20105005088Denny HamlinJoey Logano
Sunday, October 25, 20095005011Denny HamlinJimmie Johnson
Sunday, October 19, 20085005044Jimmie JohnsonDale Earnhardt Jr
Sunday, October 21, 20075005066Jimmie JohnsonRyan Newman
  • Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the April 1, 2007 race won by Jimmie Johnson with a Margin of Victory of 0.065-second over second-place Jeff Gordon.

Top Five Closest NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Martinsville Speedway

Margin of VictoryDateRace WinnerRunner-Up
0.065Sunday, April 1, 2007Jimmie JohnsonJeff Gordon
0.107Sunday, October 28, 2018Joey LoganoDenny Hamlin
0.141Sunday, October 29, 2017Kyle BuschMartin Truex Jr
0.141Monday, October 15, 2001Ricky CravenDale Jarrett
0.170Sunday, October 30, 2011Tony StewartJimmie Johnson
  • Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the largest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the November 1, 2020 race won by Chase Elliott with a Margin of Victory of 6.577-seconds over second-place Ryan Blaney.

Top Five Largest NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Martinsville Speedway

Margin of VictoryDateRace WinnerRunner-Up
6.577Sunday, November 1, 2020Chase ElliottRyan Blaney
6.376Monday, April 20, 1998Bobby HamiltonTed Musgrave
4.705Wednesday, June 10, 2020Martin Truex JrRyan Blaney
4.142Sunday, April 16, 2023Kyle LarsonJoey Logano
2.770Sunday, September 26, 1993Ernie IrvanRusty Wallace

LEAD CHANGES

  • The most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is 33, set in the March 30, 2014 race won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson.
  • The fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is one, and it has occurred three different times – 1950, 1958 and 1961.

LAP LEADERS

  • A total of 161 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Martinsville Speedway.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 3,851 laps led (29%) in 31 starts.

RankAll-Time DriversRacesLedCompleted% Led
1Cale Yarborough313,85113,39229%
2Jeff Gordon473,77923,26916%
3Rusty Wallace443,63219,82918%
4Darrell Waltrip523,61723,72715%
5Richard Petty672,96427,89111%
6Jimmie Johnson382,93218,76516%
7Fred Lorenzen172,7316,63841%
8Denny Hamlin372,38217,32414%
9Bobby Allison441,98618,27111%
10Dale Earnhardt441,94718,90710%
  • The most laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was 493 laps led of the scheduled 500 (98.6%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen on Sept. 27, 1964; he started from the pole.
  • The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series driver that did not win the race at Martinsville Speedway was 432 laps led of the scheduled 500 (86.4%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison on Sept. 24, 1972; he started from the pole but finished second.
  • The fewest laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was four laps of the scheduled 500 by John Andretti on April 18, 1999; he started the race 21st.
  • Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville with 2,382 (14%) in 36 starts.

RankActive DriversRacesLedCompleted% Led
1Denny Hamlin362,38217,32414%
2Kyle Busch371,42917,9848%
3Joey Logano301,12314,7808%
4Martin Truex Jr361,06317,2926%
5Chase Elliott171,0408,17713%
6Brad Keselowski2889813,4527%
7Ryan Blaney165227,8057%
8William Byron122215,6024%
9Kyle Larson182108,1403%
10Christopher Bell81593,7974%

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

  • Danica Patrick is the only female driver to compete at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Below are Patrick’s stats at Martinsville.

DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateDriver Rating
Danica Patrick231710/29/201761.7
Danica Patrick29234/2/201754.2
Danica Patrick242410/30/201653.2
Danica Patrick28164/3/201669.2
Danica Patrick164011/1/201549.8
Danica Patrick1673/29/201586.9
Danica Patrick303410/26/201461.3
Danica Patrick10323/30/201452.4
Danica Patrick411710/27/201364.7
Danica Patrick32124/7/201372.6
Averages24.922.2 62.6

NASCAR IN VIRGINIA

NASCAR tracks in Virginia

NASCAR Tracks in VirginiaCityCupXfinityTruckCombinedFirst Year
Martinsville SpeedwayMartinsville15041462371949
Richmond RacewayRichmond13578152281953
Langley Field SpeedwayHampton9140231964
New River Valley SpeedwayDublin04041989
Norfolk SpeedwayNorfolk20021956
Old Dominion SpeedwayManassas70071958
Princess Anne SpeedwayNorfolk10011953
South Boston SpeedwaySouth Boston10353481960
Southside SpeedwayRichmond40041961
Starkey SpeedwayRoanoke40041958
Totals32217264558

VIRGINIA IN NASCAR

  • A total of 188 different drivers with their home state recorded as Virginia have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race.
  • 20 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series. 11 of the 20 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • In total the drivers from Virginia have won 275 NASCAR national series races combined.

NASCAR National Series Winners From Virginia

NASCAR Winners From VirginiaCupXfinityTruckCombined
Denny Hamlin5318273
Joe Weatherly250025
Ricky Rudd231024
Jeff Burton2127048
Curtis Turner170017
Ward Burton5409
Glen Wood4004
Elliott Sadler313117
Emanuel Zervakis2002
Lennie Pond1001
Wendell Scott1001
Tommy Ellis022022
Jimmy Hensley09211
Rick Mast0909
Jeb Burton0213
Hermie Sadler0202
Elton Sawyer0202
Brandon Brown0101
Stacy Compton0022
Jon Wood0022
Totals15511010275

— NASCAR —