40 Years Ago: The Day Earl Ross Propelled Canada into NASCAR Victory Lane

Image taken from STP Promotional Postcard

For the past several months, I had been counting down to a major milestone in Canadian motorsports that happened 40 years ago on this exact date. On September 29^th 1974, a stock car driver from the modest community of Ailsa Craig, Ontario pulled off a feat no competitor outside of the United States had accomplished. Taking place at the 0.526-miles short track oval of Martinsville Speedway, a 33-year old Earl Ross crossed the finish line first at a NASCAR Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) event. Driving a #52 Carling-sponsored Chevrolet owned by Junior Johnson, Ross won the Old Dominion 500 with a full lap lead over second-place Buddy Baker. Entering victory lane, the prominent Canadian maple leaf flag was carried onboard Ross's #52 car allowing his country to share in part of the celebration four decades ago.

Mentioning the 500-lap Martinsville Speedway race as a triumphant moment for Canada on the world stage, the memory of this moment is now also a memorial. On this past Thursday, September 18^th, sadness was shared among the Canadian stock car racing community as Earl Ross had passed away at the age of 73. Having heard news of his passing, I thought it would be more fitting to give tribute to him on this 40^th anniversary the legendary Canada's win against the titans of NASCAR.

A humble athlete, Earl Ross became a standout in Canadian short track racing prior to his high profile venture south of the border. Outside of London, Ontario was the place where his name grew into a something heard with enthusiasm by race fans but also trembled with fear in the eardrums of on-track competitors. Delaware Speedway was the scene where Ross demonstrated speed and consistency. The 1968 Late Model champion when the oval was ¼-mile, Earl Ross captured the Diamond and Late Model crown at a half-mile Delaware track in 1970. At this time and through the latter part of his career, the popular Canadian short track of Delaware Speedway presided as a special place for the driver.

In 1973, Ross first began burning pavement in major American stock car racing competition with major funding coming from Carling’s Red Cap Ale. A far cry from the half-mile Canadian track he cut his teeth, Earl Ross was first fielded by an ARCA race driving a #52 Chevrolet on the grand 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. Starting 11^th, Ross finished the race 13^th in his maiden event on the superspeedway. A week later, the Canadian stock car wheelman received a baptism by fire in the NASCAR Winston Cup series racing in the Daytona 500. Ross qualified 30^th in the so-called Great American Race piloting a Bobby Allison Racing car owned by Allan Brooke. His first NASCAR race lasted only 34 laps when a valve problem ended his first run against stock car greats like Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and A.J. Foyt. Ross made two more NASCAR Cup Series starts in 1973 at Talladega and Michigan but was met with mechanical problems on both occasions. In those early races, the Brooke-fielded car also featured Canadian crew chief Ken McKichan and several other Canadian crew members.

Photo Credit RacingOne/Getty Images

Getting his feet wet in the waters of the United States stock car competition in 1973, 1974 would be an all-out campaign for the Canadian. The year started once-again at Daytona in an ARCA race. In the 30-car, 200-mile race, Earl Ross qualified third and finished third. Following the second-runner-up finish, Ross’ 1974 NASCAR season started with his first completed race in Winston Cup resulting in an 11^th place run. After the Daytona race, the driver of the #52 car showed the circuit just what kind of talent could be bred on a Canadian short track. Ross took fifth in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finished runner-up to Richard Petty at the June race on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway. After Michigan, famous former driver and renowned team owner Junior Johnson took responsibility for the #52 Chevrolet.

During the month of September in 1974, Earl Ross was red hot. Qualifying on the front row at Richmond, he amassed back-to-back top-5 finishes at Dover and North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was at the end of that month where Ross pulled off his best ever result in NASCAR. Starting 11^th in the 500-mile event, Earl Ross won the Martinsville Speedway race after leading 79 laps in his 1972 Chevrolet race car. It was the first victory in the NASCAR’s top series by a non-American driver (the only until Juan-Pablo Montoya‘s win at Sonoma in 2007). In addition to winning at Martinsville, Ross grabbed the 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award and finished eighth in the overall points.

Despite 1974’s accolades, 1975 would not prove as fulfilling for Earl Ross. Due to Carling cut funding of his NASCAR efforts, Ross’ career in the south was effectively parked. He would make a pair of one-off appearances driving for Julie Donlavey in 1975 and L.G. DeWitt in 1976 with limited success. One of his last efforts in the Cup series came in 1978 attempting but failing to make that year’s Daytona 500.

Following his unceremonious end in NASCAR Winston Cup competition after a victorious but short 26-race career, Ross would make the odd appearance in ARCA, ASA, NASCAR Modified and even an SCCA Trans Am event at Mosport in the late 1970s into the 1980s. Returning to Canada and his old stomping ground of Delaware Speedway, Earl Ross entered the first McKerlie Millen 200 race in 1982. While it seemed that the former NASCAR Cup series Rookie of the Year had hung up his helmet, he remerged as a participant in the CASCAR Super Series during the mid-1990s driving a Ford co-owned by series champion Dave Whitlock. Competing for several seasons, the now-senior Ross could still pull off some impressive runs including a third at Capital City Speedway in 1997. Shortly following his retirement from CASCAR, his entire career was immortalized by inception to the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2000. 

Spending the better part of his 73 years on Earth wheeling a stock car on some of North America’s most challenging tracks, the legacy of Earl Ross has been a modest one. Despite the Canadian’s NASCAR Winston Cup series success, the time and even difficulty of some sports fans to truly accept driving a race car as an athletic competition has kept the achievement farther from the minds of the mainstream. For Earl Ross and his fans, there has been no request for vanity on what was a monumental moment in time 40 years ago at Martinsville. What Earl Ross proved in his life was how glorious, incredible feats sometimes arrive from an unassuming persona.


Thank you to www.canadianracer.com and www.ultimateracinghistory.com for aiding in the compilation of this article.

Is There a Conspiracy Behind Reutimann's Martinsville Caution?

Photo Credit: John Harrelson

The Martinsville Speedway hosted a classic short track event featuring the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at its very best. Sunday's Goody's Fast Relief 500 involved many of the greatest elements of auto racing including tight competition and edge-on-seat action. In the late moments of the Martinsville race, big questions also circulate on whether their was a juicy conspiracy alive for sparking headlines aside from the victor of the NASCAR Sprint Cup event.

On lap 497 of the race, suspense built when the Stewart/Haas Racing-owned #10 Chevrolet came to a stop on the frontstretch. A vehicle piloted by David Reutimann, the #10 Accell Construction Chevrolet stoppage on track came after several laps where the stock car was off the pace with the field. Bringing a yellow flag to the NASCAR Sprint Cup field with just 3 laps left in the regular scheduled distance of the 0.526-mile short track race, the caution erased what was almost certain for Hendrick Motorsports. Along with frustrating the Hendrick Motorsports team, Reutimann's stalled car on the race track attracted the ire of many drivers, teams and fans.

Arguing the caution was unnecessary since problems on the #10 Chevrolet present laps before should have drawn Reutimann to pit road, many drivers weighed in on the climax-inducing moment in the Goody's Fast Relief 500. On the Twitter feed of USA Today's auto racing writer Nate Ryan, is posted a comment quoting Dale Earnhardt Jr. [Dale Earnhardt Jr., on David Reutimann stopping on track: "I'd like to hear an excuse. Because I'm sure it would be laughable."] Ironically, Dale Earnhardt Jr himself was a not-so secretive perpetrator of a caution years ago at Bristol Motor Speedway. Implying through radio communications that he spun intentionally on track to draw a yellow flag, he was strictly penalized by NASCAR for the deception.

Despite being several laps down to difficulties earlier in the event, David Reutimann and the #10 Chevrolet fielded by Stewart/Haas Racing race for the all-important top-35 position in NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Owner points was feverish at the end. With only each position on track worth a point, the #10 Chevrolet competed hard for an invaluable position on the race track that would not have been initially recognized. As problem began the plague David Reutimann's machine in the remaining miles of the Martinsville Speedway race, At the end of the race, the #10 car of Stewart/Haas Racing is just 1-point out of the top-35 in the overall car owner standings behind the #83 Toyota of BK Racing (ironically Reutimann drove the team's #93 car for in the 2012 Daytona 500). Classified 35th in the final running order, the #10 Chevrolet finished just a lap ahead of the #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch but lost a position to the #36 car of Dave Blaney when the Stewart/Haas Racing car stopped one lap short. Outside of the top-35, Stewart/Haas Racing's efforts to put the #10 car into a guaranteed spot for NASCAR Sprint Cup races takes on increased significance when Danica Patrick is set to drive vehicle. With sizable investment on Patrick's 10-race tour for 2012, there was some major motivation for attempting to coast for another two laps.

Apart from the situation specifically for the #10 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Owner points standings, there could also be suspicion to one of the beneficiaries to the lap 497 caution. Team co-owner Tony Stewart's #14 Chevrolet had just fallen a lap down outside of the top-10 prior to the David Reutimann's car stopping on the short track. When the caution flew, Stewart's own car was the recipient of the free pass back onto the lead lap. By virtue of regaining the lead lap positioning thanks to David Reutimann's car stalling, Tony Stewart was able to claim 7th place at the finish of the Goody's Fast Relief 500. While coincidental, it would be downright absurd to engineer such as move since Tony Stewart was firmly in the top-35 as well as the early running for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase contention.


Called to the NASCAR official's hauler at the end of the race, Reautimann and the #10 car team is not immediately suspected of any deliberate or unsafe actions. In his own defense on his Twitter account, David Reutimann posted "I didn't just freakin stop. The motor blew up. I can't help it. Was trying to get to pit road. If it would run I would have." A two-time winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, David Reutimann's reputation on the race track has been particularly strong as a clean, fair competitor. Entering the Sprint Cup Series in 2007 with Michael Waltrip Racing's upfront Toyota effort, Reutimann has been dedicated to racing 2012 among BK Racing and Stewart/Haas Racing's #10 car. On Twitter after the race, Denny Hamlin commented, "Why is everyone so pissed at Reutimann? His car was broke. Wasnt the 5 broke too and knew it but stayed out till it blew up anyway?"

Hamlin Captures First Truck Victory

Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore/Getty Images for NASCAR

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

(October 29, 2011)

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—Making excellent use of a fresh set of tires, Denny Hamlin drove through the field after a pit stop on Lap 134 and won Saturday’s Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in his only start this year.

Ron Hornaday Jr. ran second to make a small dent in the advantage on series points leader Austin Dillon, who finished third. Johnny Sauter ran fourth, followed by rookie Joey Coulter and Kevin Harvick.

The victory was Hamlin’s first in the series in 12 starts, adding the driver of the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to the list of drivers, now 23 in number, who have won at least one race in each of NASCAR’s top three series.
“It’s a big deal for me, more than what people probably think,” said Hamlin, who has run one truck race per year in 2009, 2010 and 2011. “When they think we go down to these different series—Nationwide and truck—and we’re just going down there to try to get wins, from my standpoint, it’s very, very tough.

“The truck series is more competitive now than what it’s ever been, and it means as lot to myself to win a truck series race, especially running just one a year, usually. … This was just one of those weekends where everything worked out great for us.”
Hamlin passed Hornaday and Dillon moments after a restart on Lap 187, as Dillon slid up the racetrack in Turn 1 but managed to maintain control.

“We gave it to him—I did,” said Dillon, who expanded his points lead to 11 over 10th-place finisher James Buescher. “Just couldn’t make the first turn and ran into Ron. If I could have made it through the first turn, it would have been me (or) Ron in victory lane, I’m pretty sure. We had faster trucks.”
Hornaday said he expected Dillon to slip in the corner and was prepared for it.

“The lap before the (next-to-last) restart, I cleaned my tires off pretty good, and I still shoved my nose pretty good,” said Hornaday, who gained one point on Dillon and now is tied for third in the standings with Sauter, 15 points back. “When I saw Austin not weaving his truck as much as I did on the (last) restart, I knew he was coming up into me.

“I had to make sure his right front tire was at my door, and I could lean on him back a little bit, so we didn’t get up in the marbles. It worked out for both of us, other than Denny Hamlin snuck through the middle of both of us and stole the win—but we’ll take it.”
Dillon passed Harvick for the lead on Lap 141 shortly after a restart that followed the sixth caution of the race, caused by contact between Germain Racing teammates Todd Bodine and Max Papis, who battled until Papis spun off Bodine’s front bumper.
After Papis spun again to bring out the seventh caution, Dillon led the field to the green flag for a restart on Lap 152 and held the top spot until Ryan Sieg’s spin on Lap 172 caused caution No. 8. Moments before the yellow flew, Hornaday passed Harvick for second, setting up a battle between a four-time champion (Hornaday) and a driver seeking his first title (Dillon).

When the field restarted on Lap 179, Dillon and Hornaday held the top two spots, chased by Hamlin and Sauter, both on fresher tires. One caution later, Hamlin powered beneath both Hornaday and Dillon on a Lap 187 restart and pulled away for the win.



2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
Race Results


3 18 Denny Hamlin Toyota / Traxxas Toyota
2 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Steak-Umm Steaks / Chastity Baker Chevrolet
10 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
4 13 Johnny Sauter SafeAuto / Curb Records Chevrolet
12 22 Joey Coulter darrellgwynnfoundation.com / RCR Graphics Chevrolet
6 2 Kevin Harvick Tide / Kroger Chevrolet
13 21 Cale Gale Rheem Heating, Cooling and Water Heating Chevrolet
9 17 Timothy Peters GearWrench / Strutmasters.com Toyota
28 62 Brendan Gaughan South Point Hotel and Casino Toyota
5 31 James Buescher Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet
7 5 Todd Bodine NTB / Service Central Toyota
1 88 Matt Crafton Roto-Rooter / Menards Chevrolet
18 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. QualComm / AutoTrac Chevrolet
21 70 Jeff Agnew Clarence's Steak House Chevrolet
26 23 Jason White GunBroker.com Chevrolet
11 7 Miguel Paludo Stemco Duroline Toyota
8 6 Justin Lofton CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet
15 9 Max Papis GEICO Toyota
14 24 Elliott Sadler Virginia Lottery Chevrolet
29 36 Grant Enfinger England's Stove Works Dodge
16 29 Parker Kligerman Penske Truck Leasing Dodge
22 81 David Starr Zachry / BYF.org / ASI Limited Toyota
17 39 Ryan Sieg Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts Chevrolet
20 92 Clay Rogers Tri City Tire / Fleet HQ / BTS Tires & Wheels Chevrolet
24 66 Max Gresham World Crown 300 / Gresham & Associates Chevrolet
36 9 Bryan Silas Rockingham Speedway Ford
19 60 Cole Whitt Fuel Doctor / Red Bull Chevrolet
25 51 Josh Richards Joy Mining Machinery / U.S. Navy Seals Toyota
33 57 Norm Benning Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet
31 65 Tyler Tanner EF-65 Ford
27 97 Matt Lofton Strutmasters.com Toyota
34 32 Blake Feese AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet
30 20 Johanna Long Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota
32 7 TJ Duke Merrill Lynch Toyota
23 4 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
35 93 Mike Garvey S&W Services Chevrolet

Edwards Seizes Top Spot for Martinsville Cup Race

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR

From the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, the transition to the Martinsville Speedway 0.526-mile short track could lead to another unpredictable event in the second-half of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Cup. While the official Friday qualifying session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's TUMS Fast Relief 500 was rained out, the starting line-up for the Martinsville Speedway event was decided on car owner points.

Carl Edwards' recent storming run to the top of the Chase standings secured the top spot for Sunday's event. Regarded as a historically tough race track for the #99 Ford, Edwards has an average starting spot of 18.2 out of 14 races. As Carl Edwards seemingly dodged a major bullet in acquiring starting position for the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, so did his teammate Matt Kenseth in the #17 Ford. For the Roush Fenway Racing team, their last win at the Martinsville Speedway track in Sprint Cup occurred in 2002 with Kurt Busch driving the #97 car.

With all 12 Chase contenders lined up at the top of the field, the 500 laps at Martinsville Speedway could prove to be a challenging situation for one driver to gain a major advantage on rivals. In a session led by the #66 Toyota of Michael McDonnell's top time of 19.747 second or 95.893 miles per hour, the pivotal prep for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

Following final practice on Saturday afternoon, the plot for Sunday's race thickens as only 3 of the Chase's top-12 drivers placed in the top-10 fastest cars. All from the stables of Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson led the driver grouping with a 3rd fastest in the session driving the #48 Chevrolet. Ninth fastest on the race track practice was Jeff Gordon #24 Chevy while the #88 car of Dale Earnhardt Jr logged a 10th quickest time. Winning 10 of the 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup races run at the Martinsville Speedway short track from 2003 to 2009, Hendrick Motorsports has been winless in the past 4 visits by the series. Both Johnson and Earnhardt logged more than 100 laps on track at Martinsvile Saturday afternoon.

On a recent hot streak at the Virginian short track is Denny Hamlin. Though he finished 12th during the spring race at Martinsville, Hamlin drove his #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to three consecutive wins at the 0.526-mile oval. Involved in the Chase but largely out of contention for the title, Hamlin was 14th fastest in Saturday practice. Other Chase for the Sprint Cup notables in the practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the short track includes Kurt Busch registering 11th fastest, Kyle Busch in 15th, while the front row-starting Roush Fenway Racing group cars were 24th and 29th quickest with Matt Kenseth ahead of Carl Edwards.

Fourth to last on the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup series season, the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway has a race start time of 2pm Sunday.

2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
TUMS Fast Relief 500
Martinsville Speedway
Starting Line-up

1. 99 Carl Edwards Scotts Winterguard Ford
2. 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Ford
3. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
4. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet
5. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
6. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Halloween Toyota
7. 48 Jimmie Johnson Mylowes Chevrolet
8. 22 Kurt Busch Shell Pennzoil Dodge
9. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mt. Dew Paint the 88/NationalGuard Chev
10. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
11. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota
12. 39 Ryan Newman HAAS Automation Chevrolet
13. 33 Clint Bowyer American Ethanol / Cheerios Chevrolet
14. 4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
15. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Filtrete Ford
16. 43 A J Allmendinger AdvoCare Ford
17. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
18. 6 David Ragan UPS My Choice Ford
19. 5 Mark Martin CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
20. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
21. 27 Paul Menard Richmond / Menards Chevrolet
22. 20 Joey Logano Interstate Batteries Toyota
23. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
24. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
25. 83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Toyota
26. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
27. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
28. 0 David Reutimann Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
29. 47 Bobby Labonte Grilling.com Toyota
30. 51 Landon Cassill PhoenixCnstrctn/ThankATeacherToday Chev
31. 34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
32. 36 Dave Blaney Golden Corral Chevrolet
33. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota
34. 32 Ken Schrader U.S. Chrome / Southern Pride Ford
35. 38 Travis Kvapil Long John Silver's Ford
36. 71 Hermie Sadler Home Smart Ford
37. 7 Reed Sorenson SPEED Energy Dodge
38. 37 Mike Skinner MaxQ Motorsports Ford
39. 46 Scott Speed Green Smoke Ford
40. 66 Michael McDowell Victory Junction Toyota
41. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Pellet & Wood Stoves Toyota
42. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
43. 55 J J Yeley Front Row Motorsports Ford

Race Preview: NASCAR Sprint Cup Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway

Track Information

Race Title: Goody's Fast Relief 500
NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Number for 2011: 6 
Location: Martinsville, Virginia
Opened: 1947
First Cup Race: July 4th, 1948
Configuration: 0.526 mile Oval


Driver Statistics (Last 5 Events)

Past Pole Winners

2006- Jimmie Johnson
2007- Denny Hamlin
2008- Jeff Gordon
2009- Jeff Gordon
2010- Kevin Harvick


Past Winners

2006- Tony Stewart
2007- Jimmie Johnson
2008- Denny Hamlin
2009- Jimmie Johnson
2010- Denny Hamlin


Average Finishes of top-6 in 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Points

Carl Edwards- 15.2
Ryan Newman- 12.2
Kurt Busch- 19.4
Kyle Busch- 18.6
Jimmie Johnson- 3.6
Tony Stewart- 8.4

Hamlin and Team Hammers a 3rd Straight Martinsville Sprint Cup Win

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images

A 0.526 mile short track oval, many stock car fans accept the NASCAR Sprint cup race at Martinsville Speedway as the essence of the sport. The only track under one-mile presented on the final 10 races, the Martinsville Speedway's Tums Fast Relief 500 pits 43 high-horsepower stock cars in tight quarters.

Looking for an opportunity to steal the championship away from the dominant Chase leader, Hamlin enters a race track which has become his turf on the NASCAR Sprint Cup tour winning the last two Martinsville races. Starting on pole, the #11 FedEx Toyota of Hamlin was positioned immediately to set up a three-peat on the short track. A big qualifying session for Toyota cars, Marcos Ambrose started alongside the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 car.

While Denny Hamlin was able to lead the first 10 leads, his Toyota appeared very vulnerable through the much of the races' early laps once front row starter Marcos Ambrose shot to the lead. Tazmania's Ambrose produced a whirl-wind at the front early holding on to the top spot for 40 laps until the race's first caution for the #38 Ford.

Presenting the excellent chance for the first pit stops at Martinsville, tires and fuel were taken by everyone on the lead lap. With a fast, coordinated pit stop, the #39 Stewart/Haas Racing car driven by Ryan Newman emerged as the leader in front of David Reutimann's #00 Toyota which himself beat Ambrose out of pit road. As the three cars lead the field back to green on lap 53, it is interesting to note Newman, Reutimann and Ambrose would finish nowhere near the top of the Tums Fast Relief 500. Ryan Newman would lead 32 laps but suffered a rear end gear failure right at the halfway point of the Martinsville race. After being a top 5 contender, work behind the pit wall by the #39 crew was needed to repair the Chevrolet. Newman returned to the track to finish 30th place and 45 laps down to the leader.

The Michael Waltrip-backed cars (the #00 of Reutimann and #47 of Ambrose) were both filed to the back of the path with involvement in crashes. Marcos Ambrose was in fact a party in two consecutive cautions on lap 121 and 133. Reutimann lasted up to lap 235 when damaged in an accident with Brad Keselowski. Reutimann could finish 37th while the #47 Toyota would deliver Ambrose home in 34th place.

Leading on 5 different occasions between lap 83 to 228, Jeff Burton's #31 Richard Childress Racing-owned Chevrolet showed the same strength that he showed in the spring race at the track. Moving from 18th to become a front runner, Burton wasn't the only RCR driver enjoying a surge in the Tums Fast Relief 500 at the Martinsville short track. Coming from deep in 36th place, Kevin Harvick climbed into the top 10 quickly leading a lap by the 172nd circuit. One of only 97 laps Harvick would lead, the #29 car needed a good points day and would in fact gain ground on the leader of the Chase points.

Not restricted to the Richard Childress Racing cars, coming from the back became a regular ritual during the Tums Fast Relief all day. Amongst the most popular of the chargers to the front was the #88 Amp Energy Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Orderly moving into the top 10 through the first half of the race, Earnhardt Jr took the lead on lap 285 passing Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon for the top position under green. Leading for a total of 90 laps, JR Nation had a reason to cheer after more than a month since his last top-10 at New Hampshire. Though the #88 Chevy would diminish from being a top-5 contender late, the team had overall experienced a top-10 day leading into the Talladega race that favours Earnhardt.

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images

With 15 cautions occurring through the 500-lap distance at Martinsville Speedway, the close contact mangled not only race machines but the patience of competitors. Enjoying a most productive race, Jeff Burton would leave Martinsville frustrated after the Sunday afternoon action. First criticized by Denny Hamlin for brake-checking on restarts, Burton would himself be displeased with another driver; in fact his teammate Kevin Harvick when the two were making aggressive race contact while at the front. When a caution drew for unrelated issues to the twosome, Harvick mashed his side panels into the #31 Chevy appearing frustrated by Burton's driving. In an immediate post race television interview, Jeff Burton could not rationalize why the #29 car driver is upset of him under the incident musing how his teammate Harvick. "...seems to be the every time it’s a conflict, he’s involved. You would think over the amount of years that he’s done it, that he would get the hint. That he’s always in the middle of it." Burton said. Harvick and Burton's issues disregarded by both drivers on their websites during their post-race reports.

A dramatic display between the Richard Childress Racing drivers, both drivers finished in the top-10. This was not the case for the race's highest-profile coming together which involved the #24 Chevy of Jeff Gordon and the #2 Dodge of Kurt Busch. A lap 386 incident, Busch took exception to getting loosened by Gordon's car bumping the #2 car into turn 3. Coming out of turn 4, Kurt Busch's payback resulted in the #24 Chevrolet being turned on the front stretch. Sliding and making minor contact with the inside retaining wall, Busch sent a firm message to Gordon. Suffering ill effects of the spin, the #24 Chevy went from a top-10 race car to finishing 20th place, 2 laps down.

As the last interruption of the Tums Fast Relief 500 came between lap 399-402 when the #34 Ford spun, a 98 lap run provided the longest green flag run of the afternoon. Into the final stage of the Tums Fast Relief 500, the race came down to Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. As the #11 Toyota regained his race-winning pace. Leading 86 laps between lap 378 to 470, the #29 Chevy of Harvick was reeled in by Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota under a long green flag run passing for the top position on lap 471.

Making an impressive resurgence after a so-so vehicle, Hamlin's run in the #11 Toyota was overshadowed by 51-year old Mark Martin. Driving a #5 Ebay Motors Chevrolet twisted badly by an earlier accident, Martin and his Hendrick Motorsports crew defiantly stayed on the race track. Astonishingly breaking into the top-5 with short track racing battle scars, Mark Martin was realistically the fastest car at Martinsville passing Harvick for the runner-up position in the closing laps.

In victory lane, Denny Hamlin celebrated a 3rd consecutive victory at Martinsville Speedway with the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing team. A 7th win of 2010, Hamlin's prosperity on the Virginia state short track allowed him to close within 6 points of Jimmie Johnson within the Chase.

Following competition on the slowest track, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will race next on the fastest oval on the stock car schedule at Talladega Superspeedway. Called a 'Wild Card' race or even "the lottery" by Mark Martin last year, the AMP Energy 500 runs on Halloween Sunday.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Tums Fast Relief 500
Martinsville Speedway
Race Results

Top 10:

1. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 
2. 5 Mark Martin ebay Motors / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
3. 29 Kevin Harvick Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet
4. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Toyota 
5. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
6. 20 Joey Logano GameStop PowerUp Rewards Toyota
7. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet 
8. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
9. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
10. 12 Brad Keselowski No. 12 Penske Dodge

Other Notables
 
11) 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet
12) 43 A J Allmendinger Insignia HDTV Ford
14) 83 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Toyota
15) 17 Matt Kenseth Crown Royal Black Ford
16) 2 Kurt Busch Operation Home Front / Miller Lite Dodge
18) 26 Ken Schrader Air Guard Ford
19) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
20) 24 Jeff Gordon Dupont/National Guard Families Appreciation Chevrolet
24) 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet
30) 39 Ryan Newman Tornados Chevrolet
33) 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
34) 47 Marcos Ambrose Dollar General Country Million Sweepstakes Toyota
38) 33 Clint Bowyer BB&T Chevrolet

Finally! Veteran Hornaday Wins Martinsville Truck Race

Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images

 

Before the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway, the tour's most decorated driver Ron Hornaday Jr has never won at the historic short track. Despite winning on the almost every under one mile oval the Truck Series have visited (including a multitude of race tracks long since vanished from the modern NASCAR schedule), 16 starts for Hornaday had left the 46-time race winner and reigning series champion snake-bitten. After a green-white-checker finish where Hornaday fended off a determined Toyota driven by Kyle Busch, the driver of the #33 Chevrolet crossed the line first at Martinsville. Leading just 11 laps in the Kroger 200, those laps came at am important time for Hornaday's #33 Chevrolet.

As Hornaday did not present himself until the end of Martinsvile's Kroger 200, the race's lead was initially held by pole sitter Kyle Busch for the first 7 laps. As Sprint Cup regular Busch wanted to fill his trophy room with more Camping World Truck Series honours, his lead was maintained only until another Cup star surged past. The Kevin Harvick drove his #2 truck to what would be 35 laps.

Typical of Camping World Truck Series rounds on the 0.526 mile short oval, cautions came often during the 200 lap distance. A total of 11 yellow flags slowed the field for 59 laps. Two crashes occurring in the last 1/3rd of the Martinsville race proved to most extreme. Swarming into turn 3 on lap 165, the lead lap trucks of Timothy Peters and Matt Crafton made contact.

Getting punted on the restart, Timothy Peters skated up the race track getting bumped by the #23 of Jason White and the #3 of Austin Dillon. Losing momentum, Matt Crafton dived below Timothy Peters into turn 3 as two additional vehicles were matched side-by-side. Four-way into the turn, crowded real estate caused Crafton to touch the #17 Toyota one more time propelling Peter's truck hard into the outside barrier. The wrecked #17 car required almost 9 minutes of red flag time to clean up so the precious late laps of the Martinsville race would wrap up. Crafton continued on the finish 10th but the previous race winner Timothy Peters was forced into retirement due to heavy front-end damage to his #17 Toyota.

While Thorsport Racing's #88 Chevrolet of Matt Crafton fared well in the race's running, the #13 teammate vehicle of Johnny Sauter saw his fortunes turn from good to bad. Leading 49 laps before the halfway point of the Kroger 200, Sauter's day went south after an impact from James Buescher's #31 when the two were fighting for position into turn 1 on lap 159. As the #13 Chevy truck attempted to circulate for a finish, a rear tailgate cover began to lift off and hang loosely on the vehicle's rear causing a serious concern that Johnny Sauter would be black flagged. On lap 183, the Thorsport Racing crew instead to convinced the #7 Toyota of Justin Lofton to knock off the loose body panel under race condition. A trick exploited on several occasions through racing to avoid losing ground on pit road, it backfired this time in this case. As the #7 truck pushed against the rear sheet metal to rub off the tailgate cover of the #13 Chevy, the Toyota launched itself over top of the rear end crushing through Sauter's rear bodywork. 3rd in the 2010 Camping World Truck Series points, Johnny Sauter could do no better than 21st place. Justin Lofton would finish in 13th place but made few friends on the day. Also making contact with Kevin Harvick at the end, the #7 truck driver earned a conversation with 'Happy' Harvick.

Topping the laps led count on with 83 circuits, Todd Bodine convincingly paced the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway through the second half of the event. However, the #30 Toyota did not have the strength in the final short runs to hold off competitors. As first Kyle Busch's #18 Toyota maneuvered his way around Bodine, it was Ron Hornaday on lap 196 who took the lead and the race win.     

Todd Bodine finished 3rd in the final results and proceeds to lead the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series by a giant 282 point gap on Aric Almirola. Next on the tour's schedule is the Talladega event promising to be a wild race on October 30th.


2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
Race Results

1. 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Armour Vienna Sausage / Kroger Chevrolet
2. 18 Kyle Busch Toyota Tundra / Z-Line Designs Toyota
3. 30 Todd Bodine Germain.com Toyota 
4.  23 Jason White GunBroker.com / Pursuit Channel Toyota 
5.  51 Aric Almirola Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota
6. 5 Mike Skinner International Trucks / Monaco RV Toyota
7. 81 David Starr Zachry Toyota
8. 60 Stacy Compton SafeAuto Insurance / Melling Engine Parts Chevrolet
9. 4 Ricky Carmichael Monster Energy Chevrolet
10. 88 Matt Crafton Tide / Menards Chevrolet

Denny Hamlin Wins Martinsville Amid Bold Late Race Pit Strategy

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

Suppressing the agony of a season-long knee pain, Denny Hamlin used both a fresh set of tires and some considerable muscle to push past Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon to win the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Rescheduled after a steady rain soaked the Virginia short track event on Sunday, the 500 lap race started noontime Monday running under prominently clear skies. As the green flag fell to the relieved drivers and NASCAR fans, the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 started with NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader Kevin Harvick leading. Continuing to hold the lead after the race's first caution period between lap 43 to 47, Harvick's #29 Chevrolet would soon develop a critical mechanical problem. Braking issues would force the Richard Childress Racing #29 Chevrolet behind the wall early in the event. Finishing 35th and 100 laps down, Kevin Harvick is dealt a serious blow in the championship points which would not be completely realized until after the Martinsville race.



Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

With the customarily multitude of cautions (13 on this event), the major accident of the afternoon's race occurred on lap 171 when a 4-car mess through turn 3. Elliott Sadler, David Stremme, Paul Menard and AJ Allendinger are involved in the melee. The #26 Ford being driven by David Stremme and well as the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford of AJ Allmendinger suffered the worst damage with both vehicle spewing solids.

Through the last half of this Martinsville Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the first spot was dominated by the #31 CAT Chevrolet of Jeff Burton and the #11 FedEx Toyota driven by Denny Hamlin. Scheduled to have leg surgery on Monday afternoon prior to the Sunday race rain out, Hamlin was experiencing a difficult 2010 Sprint Cup campaign. Before Martinsville, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin had yet to score a single top 10 finish in 5 previous Sprint Cup races. Having won at Martinsville Speedway fall of 2009, the #11 FedEx Toyota was in full-readiness to gain 2010 momentum.

Through the latter laps, Denny Hamlin was leading but determined Jeff Burton was beginning to lean on the #11 Toyota. With under 20 laps to go, the challenge from the #31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet would fizzle as a right front tire begin to lose pressure forcing Jeff Burton off the pace. Attempting to soldier on, Burton continued to circulate at a slightly reduced speed several laps until the #31 Chevrolet's tire finally began to shredding. As Denny Hamlin appeared to have an drive to take the famous Martinsville Speedway Grandfather Clock trophy with a 2.6 second lead on teammate Kyle Busch, the caution fell for debris from Jeff Burton's tire.

On Denny Hamlin's way to Martinsville Speedway victory lane, his #11 Joe Gibbs Racing crew made a race winning decision which puzzled many. Leading with only a handful of laps remaining, Hamlin's #11 FedEx Toyota came to pit lane with teammate and 2nd place running #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch in tow. Being the only two top 10 cars to make a journey down for four-tire service, the Joe Gibbs Racing cars emerged rejoined the field near the back of the lead lap contenders for a restart just 5 laps to go. With the Martinsville short-track famous for its relatively flat corners and tight quarters racing, it was believed that Hamlin in company with Joe Gibbs Racing threw away victory. With Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas forfeiting their 1st and 2nd places leaving Hendrick Motorsports' #24 Dupont Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon in the lead.

On the lap 496 double-file restart, Gordon masterfully used his front row position to jet out to an uncontested 1st place run. As the #24 Chevrolet skated away, three-wide battles ensued for much of the top 10 positions with the Joe Gibbs Racing #11 and #18 making the hardest charges. While Denny Hamlin was able to push through into 4th by the second last lap, Kyle Busch found himself out of room. Squeezed, Kyle Busch was incidentally clipped by the #98 Ford of Paul Menard through turn 3. Just as Gordon prepared to take the white flag with an well-assured victory, the yellow flag fell as the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was less than 100 feet to the start-finish line.

Within the Green-White-Checker finish, Gordon's challengers were better able to pursue the #24 car taking full advantage of Jeff Gordon misplacing his car into turn one. With the clear and present fight coming from front row restarter #39 Chevrolet of Ryan Newman up high, Matt Kenseth pushed his Roush-Fenway Racing #17 Ford aggressively pass Jeff Gordon taking the lead out of Martinsville's turn 2. However, Kenseth's lead would only last down the backstretch as hard charges from Gordon and Hamlin forced the #17 Crown Royal Ford wide into turn 3 and 4. With the door opened, Hamlin out-powered Gordon through the white flag lap taking his second straight Martinsville Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup win.



Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR

Joey Logano, the youngest of Joe Gibbs Racing young driver lineup, was inspired by Hamlin's push into the lead following his teammate to take 2nd at the finish line. Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman and Michael Waltrip Racing's Martin Truex Jr rounded out the top-5 for the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500.

Of other notable drivers, Jimmie Johnson finished 9th, Dale Earnhardt Jr came in 15th, Mark Martin finished 21st and the Busch brothers finished together in 22nd and 23rd position with the younger brother Kyle edging Kurt. Having been in prime shape to steal the race through the Green-White-Checker, Matt Kenseth struggled around to finish 18th place. Kenseth has an opportunity to claim the points lead but lost too many positions at the end. Instead, Jimmie Johnson is the current 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader following the Martinsville event 14 points ahead of Greg Biffle.

Taking a week off for Easter, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour will stop at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday April 10th for the first point-scoring night race of the 2010 season.


2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Goodys Fast Pain Relief 500
Martinsville Speedway
Race Results

Pos # | Car # | Driver | Sponsor/ Car Make

1) 11 Denny Hamlin     FedEx Freight Toyota
2) 20 Joey Logano      The Home Depot Toyota
3) 24 Jeff Gordon      DuPont Chevrolet
4) 39 Ryan Newman      Haas Automation Chevrolet
5) 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
6) 83 Brian Vickers     Red Bull Toyota
7) 33 Clint Bowyer     BB&T Chevrolet
8) 99 Carl Edwards     Aflac Ford
9) 48 Jimmie Johnson    Lowe's Chevrolet
10) 16 Greg Biffle      US Census Ford
11) 47 Marcos Ambrose    Little Debbie Toyota
12) 12 Brad Keselowski   Penske Dodge
13) 77 Sam Hornish Jr.   Mobil 1 Dodge
14) 98 Paul Menard      NIBCO / Menards Ford
15) 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy Sgr Fr Lghtng/Ntnl Grd Chevrolet
16) 6 David Ragan      UPS Ford
17) 9 Kasey Kahne      Budweiser Ford
18) 17 Matt Kenseth     Crown Royal Ford
19) 37 David Gilliland    Gander Mountain Ford
20) 31 Jeff Burton      Caterpillar Chevrolet
21) 5 Mark Martin      CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
22) 18 Kyle Busch       Snickers Toyota
23) 2 Kurt Busch       Miller Lite Dodge
24) 19 Elliott Sadler   Stanley Ford
25) 36 Mike Bliss       Wave Energy Drink Chevrolet
26) 14 Tony Stewart     Old Spice / Office Depot Chevrolet
27) 34 Travis Kvapil    A&W All American Food Ford
28) 00 David Reutimann    TUMS Toyota
29) 71 Bobby Labonte     TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet
30) 1 Jamie McMurray         McDonald's Chevrolet
31) 38 Kevin Conway     Extenze Ford
32) 78 Regan Smith      Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
33) 82 Scott Speed      Red Bull Toyota
34) 7 Robby Gordon     VIPFanExprnce.com/Blake Shelton Toyota
35) 29 Kevin Harvick    Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet
36) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
37) 26 David Stremme    Air Guard Ford
38) 43 A J Allmendinger Charter Ford
39) 87 Joe Nemechek     NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
40) 13 Max Papis        GEICO Toyota
41) 09 Aric Almirola     Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
42) 66 Dave Blaney      PRISM Motorsports Toyota
43) 55 Michael McDowell PRISM Motorsports Toyota

Rain Forces NASCAR Sprint Cup Martinsville Event Postponed to Tomorrow

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Stopping the force of a combined 32,000 horsepower, the Virginia rain has prevented any of the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500's laps from being recorded. Holding the race's open ceremonies under the hope that the than-light rain would dissipate for clearer skies, race plans at Martinsville Speedway would have likely seen the event run to at least the 250 lap halfway point (making the race an official event). Before 3PM, NASCAR were forced to squash any plans of racing on Sunday announcing that the race's start will be postponed to tomorrow (Monday, March 29th) at noon. Serving as an iffy rescheduling, forecasts on the Martinsville, Virginia area tomorrow still calls for a 30% chance of showers. However, there's a 70% chance that at least half of the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 will be run.

With Kevin Harvick starting off in front, the race at Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series will be shown live on Fox.

Wash out at Martinsville Speedway Sets Sprint Cup Race by Owner Points; Harvick to lead field Sunday

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The second short track event in the NASCAR Sprint Cup's two-race mini series, teams enter the Martinsville Speedway knowing that this weekend's 500 lap affair on the flat, 0.526 mile oval is a contrast to the high-banked all-concrete oval of Bristol Motor Speedway. Having held a top NASCAR race since 1947, Martinsville Speedway history will this weekend include NASCAR's reintroduction of rear spoiler blades to the Sprint Cup stock car.

As was predicted through the week, rain poured on Virginia state and 0.526 mile Martinsville Speedway short track through the Friday afternoon canceling NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying. With the field set on the newly-established 2010 car owner points, Kevin Harvick narrow point lead margin was all the #29 Chevrolet needed to take the prime starting spot over Roush-Fenway Racing's #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth.

While qualifying for the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 was scrubbed, an afternoon practice session provided a baseline for where NASCAR Sprint Cup teams measure on the Martinsville Short track. In the practice session, Ryan Newman driving the #39 Stewart/Haas Racing-owned Chevrolet scored fastest lap time at 19.535 seconds, equating to an average speed of 96.934 miles per hour. Running on the tight 0.526 mile bullring, the time differentials of the top 13 cars in the practice was only 1/10th of a second.

Hendrick Motorsports placed well through the first practice on a track they have won 7 of the last 10 event held. Leading the Hendrick bunch, Mark Martin #5 Chevrolet placed just behind Newman at a time a mere 0.015 seconds slower. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson as well as Dale Earnhardt Jr were measured 4th, 7th and 15th respectively. Unfortunately with Sunday's grid positions being placed by car owner points, the quickest Hendrick Motorsport car will start deepest in the field in a still honourable 16th place spot.

In historic context, Martinsville Speedway had been a stumbling block for Roush-Fenway Racing Sprint Cup program. Often seen charging through the field during the race after slow qualifying times, it would be common to see the Roush-Fenway cars fight up to the top 10. Last season however, the now-Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing driver Jamie McMurray was the only top 10 finisher with a Roush-Fenway Racing Ford Fusion. Rain was probably a welcomed sight to the Four-car Ford operation as David Ragan was the highest placed team car in the practice session in 18th place. Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle both benefit with top 5 starts for the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 on Sunday.

As the practice saw the top 2 positions held by Hendrick-built cars, a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota driven by quick-learning Tasmanian import Marcos Ambrose took third spot. Hoping to turn around a disappointing result in the Food City 500 at Bristol, Ambrose finished 14th in his first run at Martinsville this time last year. Fall race winner of 2009 Denny Hamlin was 5th fastest in the practice but will be haunted early in Sunday's main event by a 19th place starting spot amounting from many misfortunes for the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the first 5 races of 2010.

With the Martinsville Speedway round for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series to be set on 2010 car owners points, Terry Cook, Casey Mears and Johnny Sauter wheeling a second Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet failed to qualify.

The Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway set to begin Sunday at 1PM but weather forecast call for a 70 percent chance of persistent rain in the Virginia state area. Weather permitting, the 6th race in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be airing on Fox as well as TSN in Canada.


NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starting Lineup for Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 Martinsville Speedway

Pos # | Car # | Driver | Sponsor/ Car Make

1) 29 Kevin Harvick    Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet
2) 17 Matt Kenseth     Crown Royal Ford
3) 48 Jimmie Johnson    Lowe's Chevrolet
4) 16 Greg Biffle      US Census Ford
5) 14 Tony Stewart     Old Spice / Office Depot Chevrolet
6) 2 Kurt Busch       Miller Lite Dodge
7) 31 Jeff Burton      Caterpillar Chevrolet
8) 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. AMP Energy Sgr Fr Lghtng/Ntnl Grd Chevrolet
9) 98 Paul Menard      NIBCO / Menards Ford
10) 18 Kyle Busch       Snickers Toyota
11) 24 Jeff Gordon      DuPont Chevrolet
12) 33 Clint Bowyer     BB&T Chevrolet
13) 99 Carl Edwards     Aflac Ford
14) 83 Brian Vickers     Red Bull Toyota
15) 1 Jamie McMurray         McDonald's Chevrolet
16) 5 Mark Martin      CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
17) 20 Joey Logano      The Home Depot Toyota
18) 82 Scott Speed      Red Bull Toyota
19) 11 Denny Hamlin     FedEx Freight Toyota
20) 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
21) 43 A J Allmendinger Charter Ford
22) 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
23) 9 Kasey Kahne      Budweiser Ford
24) 00 David Reutimann    TUMS Toyota
25) 19 Elliott Sadler   Stanley Ford
26) 39      Ryan Newman      Haas Automation Chevrolet
27) 6 David Ragan      UPS Ford
28) 78 Regan Smith      Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
29) 71 Bobby Labonte     TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet
30) 12 Brad Keselowski   Penske Dodge
31) 47 Marcos Ambrose    Little Debbie Toyota
32) 38 Kevin Conway     Extenze Ford
33) 77 Sam Hornish Jr.   Mobil 1 Dodge
34) 34 Travis Kvapil    A&W All American Food Ford
35) 37 David Gilliland    Gander Mountain Ford
36) 26 David Stremme    Air Guard Ford
37) 09 Aric Almirola     Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
38) 7 Robby Gordon     VIPFanExprnce.com/Blake Shelton Toyota
39) 36 Mike Bliss       Wave Energy Drink Chevrolet
40) 13 Max Papis        GEICO Toyota
41) 55 Michael McDowell PRISM Motorsports Toyota
42) 66 Dave Blaney      PRISM Motorsports Toyota
43) 87 Joe Nemechek     NEMCO Motorsports Toyota

Cup Series Reunited with the Rear Spoiler

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Through the past two weeks of coverage for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, it's interesting how much attention a slightly-contoured 64.5 x 3.5 inch piece of sheetmetal can receive within the NASCAR press. The Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be the first competition since 2007 where a spoiler will adorn the rear deck lid of NASCAR Sprint Cup cars.

The rear spoiler will of course replace the carbon-fiber rear wing as an aerodynamic enhancer to the tricky handling COT design Sprint Cup car. Under belief that the rear spoiler will restore some more needed downforce to the NASCAR vehicle, the spoiler blade will also be set at a fixed 70 degree angle to eliminate the adjustability option that the rear wing presented race teams. Regardless of the aerodynamic performance potential, the vanquishing of the notorious rear wing will immediately be greeted as a welcoming site on appearance alone.

Through a high-profile, two-day open test for Sprint Cup series teams at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jeff Burton driving his #31 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Chevrolet set the fastest lap. Clocked at 28.539 seconds with an average speed of 189.215 miles per hour, Burton's speed was more than 7/10ths of a mile of hour faster than Ryan Newman's pole lap for the 2009 Coca-Cola 600. Second fastest car in the Charlotte spoiler test was fellow RCR teammate Kevin Harvick at a comparably more leisurely speed of 187.885 MPH. Judging by the gaps between the top times recorded in the test, it seems reasonably to accept that the change from a wing to the rear spoiler will have little affect to speeds around the 1.5 mile oval.

While competing on the smallest and slowest track on the NASCAR Sprint cup schedule, this weekend's race on the Martinsville Speedway will be a test as maximum downforce will be sought in hustling around concrete paved corners.

While the the return of the rear spoiler is clearly a back to basics move for the NASCAR series, some future changes for the premier stock car racing tour will again challenge traditions. NASCAR has indicated through earlier reports this week that testing of fuel-injection is progressing well. Penciling in the replacement of the cornerstone carburetor setup Sprint Cup in 2011, a fuel-injected NASCAR engine may also run a gasoline blended with ethanol.

Race Preview: NASCAR Sprint Cup Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500

Martinsville Speedway

Track Length: 0.526 Mile
Highest Banking: 12 Degrees
Listed Race Distance/Actual Race Distance: 263 miles
Laps: 500 laps
Previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Events Held: 122

2009 Race Winner: None (Qualifying canceled due to weather)
2009 Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson


Lead Changes in Past 5 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 Bristol Motor Speedway Races

2009: 13
2008: 20
2007: 14
2006: 12
2005: 17


Cautions in Past 5 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 Bristol Motor Speedway Races

2009: 12
2008: 18
2007: 13
2006: 16
2005: 16


Top 5 Lap Leaders In Last 10 Races

1. Jimmie Johnson 1,380
2. Jeff Gordon 942
3. Tony Stewart 829
4. Denny Hamlin 737
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr 307


Top 5 Average Finishers In Last 10 Races

1. Jimmie Johnson 2.5
2. Jeff Gordon 2.9
3. Denny Hamlin 7.2
4. Tony Stewart 9.6
5. Juan Pablo Montoya 11.0 (Ran in only 6 past Martinsville events)


Wins at Car Make In Last 10 Races

Chevrolet: 8
Dodge: 0
Ford: 0
Toyota: 2


Cars Entered for 2010 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500: 46

Spoiling the Surprise: Rear Spoiler back on NASCAR Sprint Cup cars after Bristol

Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

For NASCAR fans who loathed the look of the Sprint Cup series' Car of Tomorrow platform, prepare to rejoice after this weekend's Food City 500 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR confirmed in a statement on Thursday that a rear spoiler will permanently replace the infamous rear wing. Rear downforce will once again be doubt with by a spoiler blade starting at the Martinsville Speedway next week.

When the Car of Tomorrow was in development, a spoiler was in consideration as an option but NASCAR selected the rear wing. NASCAR stated at that time the rear wing was chosen for its easier adjustably and was said to provide better control in traffic. It was believed that the wing on the deck lid would reduce the amount of turbulence acting on following cars causing a sensation called Aero-push. Besides functionality, it seemed NASCAR might have been trying to differentiate the new Sprint Cup car from the old car in effort to visually tout their engineering of this future race stock car.

However, as time went on, the Sprint Cup's new car was being seen as more of a competitive burden as the refined design made little-to-no difference in correcting Aero-push issues. On the fans' front, the out-of-place rear wing was seen as more of an attack against the purity of stock car racing. It came as a relieve to many earlier this year when NASCAR announced a phase-in plan to replace the wing with the spoiler.

With this weekend's Food City 500 serving as the last event for the rear wing, the chapter ends where it began three years ago. Coincidentally in 2007, Bristol Motor Speedway was the debut for the Sprint Cup series Car of Tomorrow platform.



Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR


With 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup series teams participating in a major spoiler test at Talladega Superspeedway this past week, NASCAR has also scheduled an upcoming two-day test for Sprint Cup teams at Charlotte Motor Speedway for March 23rd and 24th where additional work will be done to orientate drivers to the return of the spoiler.

Starting at Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR officials, competitors and fans will discover if the rear wing was the reason for complaint or just a Car of Tomorrow scapegoat.

To the Defense of Dale Earnhardt Jr

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR


While I'm a fan of almost every driver on the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, I've always had a particular fondness of Dale Earnhardt Jr. As you can expect, the 2009 and even the late 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup series has been quite trying as the #88 has been locked out of victory lane. Everything from tire problems, mechanical issues, and late-race accidents have erased any progress made by the #88 AMP/National Guard Chevrolet Impala team. Not helping the painful sight has been the ongoing coverage of Dale Earnhardt Jr's dismal race happenings.

Not requiring embellishment, Earnhardt Jr's problems were spotlighted heavily by the media outlets around NASCAR. Effectively leading the initiative to remove Tony Eury Jr long before Hendrick Motorsports made the move after the May Richmond race, the #88 Chevy's new crew chief Lance McGrew (a formidable Hendrick wrenchman) was unable to reverse the team's fortunes.

After the crew chief change, remarks had been leveled against Earnhardt himself insinuating he's 'past his prime' after winning 18 Sprint Cup series races. NASCAR.com's Duane Cross has even made an irrelevant career comparison to actress Lindsay Lohan when he wrote his column titled "Junior's struggles mount as life now imitates art". Personally, I fail to make the connection of a NASCAR driver's drought to a troubled female celebrity. A multitude of racing greats endured winless season recently including Jeff Gordon and even Mark Martin (two drivers enjoying Chase contention for 2009). With their struggles weren't nearly as well documented by the NASCAR press, Dale Earnhardt Jr's massive fanbase has certainly provided a newsworthy topic for moving pens (or tapping keyboards). Of course, it is so easy to blame the media and I guess it makes me self-hating in that regard to levy much criticism against the better established auto racing resources.

Television also appears to be against Dale Earnhardt Jr as broadcasts seem to go far to rub a little more salt in the wounds of a driver hurting from a hard 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. In today's (October 25th) running of the Martinsville Speedway Tums Fast Relief 500, ABC commentator Dale Jarrett sounded certain that Earnhardt contributed to Kasey Kahne's spin. On the replay of the incident, the #88 Chevrolet was more than five car lengths ahead of the red #9 Dodge when it veered loose on turn two. In their respect, sugar-coated praise for Earnhardt Jr and the #88 team should not be served to their Martinsville effort either. Three right front tire failures is an inexcusable mistake which is definitely a team problem.


Even with the down year for the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, the driver enjoys the continuing admiration of an extensive fan group called JR Nation spending more money on merchandise than any other fan group. However, with other drivers on the circuit, many NASCAR fans will freely argue why a Sprint Cup driver who has only won a single points-paying Cup race in three seasons should be kept in a prestigious operation like Hendrick Motorsports. Anti-Earnhardt fans poke at his inclusion on the circuit being a result of his family name. In honesty, Dale Earnhardt Jr can should on his own merits. Two-time NASCAR Busch (Nationwide) Series champion, 2004 Daytona 500 winner, and six-straight most popular driver awards are not just statistics but proof.

As one of the fans, please allow me to state JR Nation need not be reminded of the struggles. Rather, it would be worth reassuring why their choice driver will eventually rise from this situation hungrier and more focused to justify this admiration. We need Dale Earnhardt Jr back at the front in the most crucial part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup events.

NASCAR Sprint Cup: Flyin' Ryan Rips Off Fastest Time at Martinsville

Rounding the track at a speed of 96.795 miles per hour, the #39 US Army sponsored car of Ryan Newman topped the top chart for the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Nicking Jeff Gordon by just 0.056 seconds, this is Ryan Newman's second pole of the Sprint Cup season. Seated behind an outstanding 3rd place qualifying effort posted by Martin Truex Jr in the #1 Chevrolet, Mark Martin's #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet is ready to mount a resurgent effort to close the 90 point gap between him and Hendrick Motorsport teammate Jimmie Johnson. Martin posted the fastest speed earlier in the day in the NASCAR Sprint Cup's practice

Providing tight quarters racing for 43 cars, this short track of Martinsville Speedway is the first of two races expected to be wild cards for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup's Chase (the AMP 500 at Talladega next week is likely to be the other major challenge). Qualifying for the Tums Fast Relief 500 lap race at the 0.526 mile short track supplied a sampling for what could be a pending shake-up to the Chase of the Cup. While chase runners Newman, Gordon, and Martin had all positioned themselves in the top 4, the next highest chase contending driver could only muster 13th place. That car was the #14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet of Tony Stewart who will need to start 7 rows behind his team car on Sunday. Rounding out the top five for the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is the #00 Aarons Toyota of David Reutimann, effectively breaking Chevrolet's bowtie brigade a chance to dominate the first five spots in pole qualifying.

In 15th place (in a run that NASCAR.com is playing up as struggling) Jimmie Johnson will have full intentions of dulling the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Having 6 prior wins and a career finishing position average of 5.3 at Martinsville Speedway, Johnson and his #48 Lowes Chevrolet are hardly in distressing shape for Sunday's 500 lap race. Chase participants Denny Hamlin (winner of the last Sprint Cup short track event at Richmond) as well as Chase cat Juan Pablo Montoya will start 17th and 21st facing much less optimistic odds for the 2009 Sprint Cup following recent race events.

Posting a comparably better qualifying effort than last week at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr posted a solid 12th place at Martinsville. Traditionally running well at the tight quarters of this flat Virginia short track, the major obstacle for the #88 Chevrolet will be to finish the event in a spot fitting their race run. Rare Hendrick Motorsports mechanical Gremlins coupled with getting caught by other drivers' mistakes have ruined Earnhardt Jr's races for much of the 2009 season.

Deeper in the Sprint Cup field but expected to eventually post a serious challenge at the Martinsville short track are the Roush-Fenway Racing Ford of Jamie McMurray in 23rd. Driving what is believed to be the final Martinsville race in the #26 Crown Royal Ford, McMurray's performance has often been spectacular. Starting in 28th, Carl Edwards enters what is considered to be has worst performing race track scoring just 2 top 10 finishes in 10 previous events.

Set to go 500 laps around Martinsville Speedway Sunday, race start is slated at 1:30PM Eastern time.

Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway Qualifying Results

Top 10

1. Ryan Newman #39 Chevrolet (C)
2. Jeff Gordon #24 Chevrolet (C)
3. Martin Truex Jr #1 Chevrolet
4. Mark Martin #5 Chevrolet (C)
5. David Reutimann #00 Toyota
6. Casey Mears #07 Chevrolet
7. Joey Logano #20 Toyota
8. Bobby Labonte #96 Ford
9. Reed Sorenson #43 Dodge
10. Kevin Harvick #29 Chevrolet

Other Notables

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr #88 Chevrolet
13. Tony Stewart #14 Chevrolet (C)
15. Jimmie Johnson #48 Chevrolet (C)
17. Denny Hamlin #11 Toyota (C)
20. Greg Biffle #16 Ford (C)
21. Juan Pablo Montoya #42 Chevrolet (C)
24. Brian Vickers #83 Toyota (C)
26. Kasey Kahne #9 Dodge (C)
29. Carl Edwards #99 Ford (C)
32. Matt Kenseth #17 Ford
37. Kurt Busch #2 Dodge (C)
47. Kyle Busch #18 Toyota

'(C) Denotes Chase contender'