More Martinsville Speedway News

When NASCAR Legend Beat Second-Degree Burns to Seize the Daytona 500 Title

Steven Taranto shares the heroic story of NASCAR legend Ricky Rudd, who battled second-degree burns to secure victory at Martinsville in 1998.
Ricky Rudd with Jeff Gordon

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals the Only Time He Needed “Extra Strength” in His Career

In 2011, Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt the heat at Martinsville during a chaotic race that saw him involved in wrecks while Tony Stewart took the cake.
BRISTOL, TN – SEPTEMBER 20: Dale Earnhardt, Jr ( 88 JR Motorsports Hellmann s Chevrolet) talks with members of his crew

Revisit 2024’s Most Shocking NASCAR Moments Ahead of the 2025 Season

From shocking wins to jaw-dropping finishes to high-profile pit road brawls, these are the moments that defined NASCAR’s wildest year yet.
AUTO: JUN 30 NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400

Rick Hendrick & Co Stun Chevrolet With Powerful Tribute to 40 Years of Unmatched Loyalty

From Jeff Gordon in the 90s, Jimmie Johnson in the 2000s, and Kyle Larson today, Rick Hendrick always had one brand by his side - Chevrolet.
Syndication: Detroit Free Press Rick Hendrick talks about the many Corvettes in his collection as he stands inside his 5

Jimmie Johnson Confesses Almost Missing His 7th Championship Title With Humble Claim

Despite holding a trailblazer legacy, Jimmie Johnson admits to thorns in his path to his final championship bid in 2016.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 – Practice

When Furious Danica Patrick Grabbed Denny Hamlin by the Collar in Heated Face-Off

Check out, when a fiery clash between Denny Hamlin and Danica Patrick ignited some major drama, showcasing fierce rivalries and raw emotion.
Denny Hamlin Danica Patrick

Kevin Harvick’s Worst Moments Ever as a NASCAR Driver Ft. Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch

Even a star racer like Kevin Harvick can have his unpleasant moments - as he did a few times at polar ends of his career.
Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch

NASCAR Throwback: Hendrick Motorsports Looks Back at Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Emphatic Martinsville Victory in 2014

Taking a trip down memory lane, Hendrick Motorsports relived Dale Earnhardt Jr's iconic victory at Martinsville Speedway in 2014.
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NASCAR Star Takes a Hilarious Dig at Gateway Dirt Nationals Drama After Heated Feature Exchange

NASCAR driver Ryan Ellis took to X to drop his take on an on-track fight that broke out between Dakota Smith and Dean Carpenter.

NASCAR Insider Sympathises With Christopher Bell’s Misfortune as He Bets on Joe Gibbs Racing’s New Face

NASCAR insiders show faith in Christopher Bell after being denied a championship 4 spot following a stellar playoff run.
Christopher-Bell

Did Chevy’s ‘Ugly’ Martinsville Tactics Trigger NASCAR Community’s Hate for Joey Logano?

Joey Logano faces major backlash and criticism from fans after Martinsville turns out to be an entertaining race with Blaney winning.
NASCAR: Cup Practice

Denny Hamlin Gangs Up With Dale Jr With Shots at NASCAR’s Stingy Tactics Amid Lawsuit Hypocrisy

NASCAR’s uniform changes spark fury from Dale Jr. and Denny Hamlin, as teams fight for survival without sponsors in the face of legal drama.
Dale Earnhardt Jr and Denny Hamlin

About Martinsville Speedway

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USA Today via Reuters

Martinsville Speedway- 2021 Latest News, Winners, Qualifying, Track

Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR stock vehicle racing short track in Henry County, Ridgeway, Virginia. It is owned by the International Speedway Corporation. At 0.526 miles (847 m) long, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The track was additionally one of the previously cleared oval tracks in NASCAR, being inherited in 1947 by accomplices H. Earth Earles, Henry Lawrence, and Sam Rice per Virginia House Joint Resolution No. 76 on the passing of H. Mud Earles.

It is additionally the lone race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its start in 1948. Alongside this, Martinsville is the solitary NASCAR oval track on the NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, and concrete to cover the turns.

History

The track is frequently alluded to as a paper clip formed and is banked just 12° in the turns. The blend of long straightaways and level, slender transforms makes it hard to slow down going into turns and smooth increasing speed leaving turns an absolute necessity.

The track was cleared in 1955 and in 1956 it facilitated its initial 500-lap race. In 1976, the turns were repaved with concrete. By 2004, the then 28-year-old cement had shown critical wear. On April 18, 2004, an enormous lump of cement got removed from the track's surface and made extreme harm to the assemblage of Jeff Gordon's vehicle.

In response to this, the track was completely repaved with new concrete and black-top.

Until 1999, Martinsville was infamous for having two pit streets. The backstretch pit street was by and large kept away because if a group needed to pit there during an alert, any vehicle pitting on the front stretch had the benefit of pitting first and not holding fast to pace vehicle speed after leaving their pit street.

This was corrected when pit street was reconfigured to stretch out from the passageway of turn 3 to the exit of turn 2.

The main NASCAR event held on July 4, 1948. In 1951, just four vehicles were running toward the completion, the least of any race held at the speedway. In 1960, Richard Petty turned into the youngest victor at Martinsville, at 22 years, 283 days. Petty has the most successes (15).

Quick Facts

Location340 Speedway Road Ridgeway, Virginia, U.S. 24148
OperatorInternational Speedway Corporation
Major EventsNASCAR Cup Series

Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500

Xfinity 500

NASCAR Xfinity Series

TBA

Draft Top 250

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Hall of Fame 200

NASCAR Whelen All-American Series

ValleyStar Credit Union 300

Length0.526 mi (0.847 km)
Most WinsRichard Petty (15)
Most StartsRichard Petty (67)
PolesDarrell Waltrip (8)