March 27, 2009
- Rain cancels qualifying in Martinsville: Persistent rain at Martinsville has cancelled qualifying for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway and the field was set by the rule book [owners points, past owner win, past champ and race attempts].
So #24-Jeff Gordon will start from the pole, followed by #2-Busch, #33-Bowyer, #18-Busch, #99-Edwards, #9-Kahne, #14-Stewart, #11-Hamlin, #48-Johnson, and #17-Kenseth.
Not making the race are: #09-Marlin, #37-Raines, #46-Setzer, and #75-Cope.
See the full starting lineup on my Martinsville Starting Lineup/Qualifying Results/Order Page.(3-27-2009)
- Qualifying Order for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is posted. 47 cars/drivers are listed. Go-or-go homers will qualify at the end of the session, once the top-35 drivers are done. The first of the top-35 drivers scheduled to go out is #55-Waltrip, the final top-35 driver scheduled is #88-Earnhardt, Jr. The first go-or-go homer scheduled to qualify [36th] is #36-Riggs, the final driver scheduled to qualify is #66-Blaney. See the full qualifying order on the Martinsville Qualifying Page.(3-27-2009)
- Friday Practice for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway is over, the fastest:
#11-Hamlin 96.176
#29-Harvick 96.058
#24-Gordon 95.985
#42-Montoya 95.927
#33-Bowyer 95.825
slowest: #75-Cope 93.447 & #46-Setzer 93.161
notes: With the threat of rain this afternoon and tomorrow, most teams are working on race setups. #5-Martin scraped the wall late in the session, but just minor sheet metal damage.
For the best speeds, ave speeds, laps run and more, see the Martinsville Practice Speeds/News page.(3-27-2009)
- Rain at Martinsville: looks like rain may get in the way of some activities at Martinsville Speedway, but good chance practices get in before the rain on Friday and may even get Sprint Cup qualifying in [due to run at 3:40pm/et, rain expected around 4-5pm/et]. for weather links see my Martinsville Race Info page – weather section.(3-27-2009)
- Almirola to ‘Ride the Lightning’ at Martinsville: Coinciding with the launch of Activision Publishing, Inc.’s Guitar Hero Metallica, the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates’ #8 Chevy, driven by 25-year-old Aric Almirola, will be primarily sponsored by the highly-anticipated video game at Martinsville Speedway. This will be the third race during the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season under the Guitar Hero banner for Almirola and the #8 team. The #8 Chevy powerful design draws it’s inspiration from the intense yet electrifying music of Metallica [a jayski fave]. For more information anout the game, log onto metallica.guitarhero.com.(Earnhardt Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR). See an image of the Metallica scheme, and all the other schemes used by Almirola in 2009 on my #8 Team Schemes page.(3-27-2009)
- Hendrick wants Martin’s decision by July: Rick Hendrick hopes to know by July whether 50-year-old Mark Martin will drive full-time again in 2010. He also reiterated that he’s convinced there’s no better person than Martin, whose original deal called for him to drive a partial schedule next season, for the #5. “He’s delivered everything I thought and more,” Hendrick said during a Wednesday afternoon conference call. “He’s a huge asset to this company.” Martin told ESPN.com last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway that he would consider driving another full year if Hendrick, sponsors and his team wanted him to. Hendrick said on Sunday and again on Wednesday that it’s “Mark’s call.” Before a decision can be made Hendrick must first settle the sponsorship on Martin’s car. Kellogg’s is up for a renewal, and with the current economic climate there is no guarantee the company will come back.(ESPN)(3-27-2009)
- Martinsville Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR series will run the same tire codes at Martinsville this weekend, however the Sprint Cup tires will be branded “Goodyear Eagle,” while the Camping World Truck tires will be branded “Goodyear Wrangler” . . . this left-side code (D-4108) is the same one run by these teams at Martinsville last season . . . this right-side code (D-4230) is brand new to the Goodyear tire lineup . . . this right-side features a slight compound change compared to last year to offer cars more grip . . . while this left-side is unique to Martinsville, this right-side will also be run on all four tire positions on Sprint Cup road courses this season . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less n length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Martinsville. The estimated pit window is every 125-135 laps, based on fuel mileage.(Goodyear PR), see pressures, codes and more on the Martinsville Race Info page.(3-27-2009)
- Marlin’s daughter plans to race: Sutherlin Marlin, the 19-year-old daughter of Sterling Marlin, this season launches her racing career at Fairgrounds Speedway [Nashville], the historic track where her grandfather Coo Coo won four championships in the 1960s and her dad collected three more in the 1980s. “I attended my first race there when I was two weeks old,” says Sutherlin. “I’ve been around racing all my life and I can’t wait to give it a try.” A student at Columbia State, Sutherlin is bright and vivacious, and inherited her family’s keen sense of humor. “She’s got talent,” says her dad. “When she was 5 or 6 we went to a go-kart track in Panama City and she raced against (big brother) Steadman and a bunch of other boys and beat them. She’s been on to me to get her a race car and finally we cut a deal.” The deal: Sutherlin goes to college and works on her race car. “I’ll help,” Sterling says, “but she’s gotta work, too.” Sutherlin plans to race in the Speedway’s truck series, a white-knuckle division that runs the swift, high banks of the five-eighths-mile track. It would seem breathless for a beginner.(Nashville City Paper)(3-27-2009)
- In Martinsville? Check out Wood Bros Museum: If you have some extra time this weekend, consider visiting the Wood Brothers Museum at 21 Performance Drive, Stuart Virginia, 24171 – located just 30 miles west of Martinsville off of route 58. Admission is free. The #21, 1971 Wood Brothers Purolator Mercury Cyclone will be on display, along with a host of other Wood Brothers memories. The museum will be open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Friday, March 27, 2009 and Saturday, March 28, 2009. More info at www.woodbrothersracing.com.(WBR PR)(3-27-2009)
- Todd Bodine looks to make up for Bristol bump in Martinsville: While the gang at Gunselman Motorsports was happy to make the race at Bristol Motor Speedway this past weekend, they returned to their new shop having to bid farewell to a trusted “friend.” After making their second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season, by qualifying a respectable 16th no less, Todd Bodine and team were ready to race. While running in the top-15 on lap 58, Bodine was forced into the outside wall damaging the car beyond race-return repairs. This left them with a crunched up car and 42nd-place finish. Upon further inspection at the shop Crew Chief Doug Richert, owner Larry Gunselman and crew came to a mutual decision. Chassis No. 5 was no longer useful and had to be “retired” from service. This was the same car the team used at Daytona, California, Las Vegas and Atlanta. So, with another car (Chassis No. 15) Bodine, Richert and team head to historic Martinsville Speedway for this weekend’s 500-lap race. In addition to making the race, they’d like to finish it, too. Having a former Coors Light Pole Award at Martinsville helps their qualifying-day efforts even more. The team will be using Car No. 15 for the first time this year; purchased from Bill Davis Racing.(Gunselman Motorsports)(3-27-2009)
- 25th anniversary of Hendrick’s 1st win: On Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports will mark the 25th anniversary of its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Since the organization began competing as All-Star Racing in 1984, it has grown from five employees and 5,000 square feet of rented work space to more than 500 employees and more than 100 acres straddling Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. It was the eighth race of the 1984 Cup Series season, and Geoff Bodine lined up sixth at Martinsville Speedway in the #5 Chevy for Rick Hendrick’s fledgling All-Star Racing team. On that day — April 29, 1984 — Bodine led 55 laps en route to capturing the organization’s first win. Reaching Victory Lane wasn’t easy, though. Bodine had to pass then-defending Cup champion Bobby Allison with 48 laps to go to take the lead. Hendrick wasn’t at Martinsville to experience the first of his 17 Cup wins at the .526-mile oval. The car owner was attending church with his wife, Linda, in Greensboro, N.C., during the race. He received a phone call with the news and headed straight for Bodine’s home in Pleasant Garden, N.C., to celebrate. Frank Edwards, 72, was one of the five original employees at Hendrick Motorsports. Initially a setup specialist, Edwards moved from his home in Danville, Va., when Hendrick told him about his plans to start the race team. Edwards has held many roles within the team and currently works in the company’s show-car department as a fabricator and mechanic.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-27-2009)
- Strutmasters on board for more races with Peters: During the final practice session on SPEED/tv, it was reported that Strutmasters.com will be sponsoring the #17-Toyota of Timothy Peters for the upcoming races at Kansas Speedway and Lowes Motor Speedway. Peters is currently 9th in the driver point standings going into this weekend’s Kroger 250 at Martinsville.(3-27-2009)
- Blacks Tire & Auto Service to back Chad McCumbee: Sitting fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points has paid off for Chad McCumbee and the SS Green Light Racing team as Blacks Tire & Auto Service Centers have come aboard to support the teams #07 for Saturday afternoons Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway as the team makes it’s 200th consecutive NCWTS start Blacks Tire & Auto Service has supported grass roots racing in the Carolina’s for many years. Black’s Tire & Auto Service was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Whiteville, NC. Black’s Tire Service operates 31 retail/commercial locations throughout the Carolinas and a wholesale division (BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors) with two distribution centers in Whiteville, NC and Charlotte, NC. The company is family-owned and is committed to friendly service and is highly consumer focused.(SS Green Light Racing PR)(3-27-2009)
- Martinsville Tire Notes:Teams in both the NASCAR series will run the same tire codes at Martinsville this weekend, however the Sprint Cup tires will be branded “Goodyear Eagle,” while the Camping World Truck tires will be branded “Goodyear Wrangler” . . . this left-side code (D-4108) is the same one run by these teams at Martinsville last season . . . this right-side code (D-4230) is brand new to the Goodyear tire lineup . . . this right-side features a slight compound change compared to last year to offer cars more grip . . . while this left-side is unique to Martinsville, this right-side will also be run on all four tire positions on Sprint Cup road courses this season . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Martinsville.(Goodyear PR) See pressures, codes and more on the Martinsville Race Page.(3-27-2009)
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