Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Xfinity 500

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia, going into the Xfinity 500 on Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race No. 9 Fast Facts: Martinsville Speedway

• The 2023 season marks the 20th year Martinsville Speedway has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race, and the fourth-time the track has hosted the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the Round of 8 elimination race (Race No. 9 of 10).
• Since the inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004, Martinsville Speedway has occupied three different positions on the postseason schedule:

1. From 2004 – 2010 (seven seasons): Martinsville Speedway hosted the sixth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
2. From 2011 – 2019 (nine seasons): Martinsville Speedway hosted the seventh race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – From 2014-2019 (six seasons) in the elimination-style format the seventh race of the Playoffs is the Round of 8 opener.
3. From 2020-Present (four seasons): Martinsville Speedway has hosted the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – the Round of 8 elimination race.

• Martinsville Speedway is the third different track to host the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Darlington Raceway (one race: 2004) and Phoenix Raceway (15 races: 2005-2019).

• A total of 11 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in postseason wins at Martinsville Speedway with six Playoff victories (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2016).
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in postseason wins at Martinsville Speedway with two Playoff victories (2009, 2010).

• A total of 12 different drivers have won the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (Race 35 of 36).
• Jimmie Johnson (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009) and Kevin Harvick (2006, 2012, 2013, 2014) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins in the ninth race of the postseason with four victories each.

• Seven times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway has gone on to win the title that same season (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2020) – tied with Homestead-Miami Speedway for series-most.

1. In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won from the ninth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first of seven NASCAR Cup Series championships. It was his only win during the 2006 Playoffs.
2. In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship that same season. The Playoff victory was the first of a record setting four straight postseason wins during the 2007 Playoffs (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).
3. In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won from the first starting position at Martinsville Speedway (Qualifying was cancelled), then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three victories during the 2008 Playoffs.
4. In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the fourth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his third NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was one of a single season record setting five Playoff victories for Stewart during the 2011 postseason.
5. In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his record tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three Playoff victories during the 2016 postseason.
6. In 2018, Joey Logano won from the 10th starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the seventh race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his first of two Playoff victories during the 2018 postseason.
7. In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the ninth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his second of three victories during the 2020 postseason.

• Five times the winner of the ninth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title that same season: (2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2020).

1. In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the sixth starting position at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Playoff victory was the fourth of a record setting four straight postseason wins during the 2007 Playoffs (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix).
2. In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won from the pole at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The win was his third of three victories during the 2008 Playoffs.
3. In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championship. The victory was his fourth of four wins during the 2009 postseason.
4. In 2014, Kevin Harvick won from the third starting position at Phoenix Raceway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. Harvick faced elimination from the Playoffs heading into this race and become the first to clinch his spot in the Championship 4 by winning the Round of 8 elimination race. The win was also his second of three Playoff victories during the 2014 postseason.
5. In 2020, Chase Elliott won from the eighth starting position at Martinsville Speedway, then the ninth race of the postseason, and went on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. With the win Elliott became the second driver to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round by winning the Round of 8 elimination race – joining Kevin Harvick (2014). The win was his second of three Playoff victories during the 2020 postseason.

• The worst finish in a Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway by a driver that went on to win the title that same season was 33rd by Kevin Harvick in 2014 – that season Martinsville Speedway was the seventh race in the Playoffs.
• The worst finish in the ninth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs by a driver that went on to win the title that same season:
  • At Phoenix, 38th by Jimmie Johnson in 2016.
  • At Darlington, sixth by Kurt Busch in 2004.
  • At Martinsville, 14th by Kyle Larson in 2021.

• Three times non-Playoff drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Martinsville Speedway: (2005, 2014, 2021).

1. In 2005, Jeff Gordon was ranked 15th in the points at the time of his Playoff win at Martinsville.
2. In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 11th in points at the time of the win. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2014 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
3. In 2021, Alex Bowman was 14th in points at the time of the win at Martinsville Speedway, the ninth race of the postseason. Bowman had made the Playoffs in 2021 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.

• Five times non-Playoff drivers have won the ninth Playoff race in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason: (2005, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2021).

1. In 2005, Kyle Busch was ranked 19th in the points at the time of the win at Phoenix.
2. In 2011, Kasey Kahne was ranked 14th in the points at the time of the win at Phoenix.
3. In 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was seventh in points at the time of the win at Phoenix. Earnhardt Jr. had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
4. In 2017, Matt Kenseth was seventh in points at the time of the win at Phoenix. Kenseth had made the Playoffs in 2017 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
5. In 2021, Alex Bowman was 14th in points at the time of the win at Martinsville Speedway, the ninth race of the postseason. Bowman had made the Playoffs in 2021 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.

• Since the inception of the elimination-style format in the Playoffs in 2014 (last nine seasons), six of the last nine winners have earned a spot in to the Championship 4 Round with their victory (66.7%) in the ninth race of the Playoffs – Kevin Harvick (2014, Phoenix), Joey Logano (2016, Phoenix), Kyle Busch (2018, Phoenix), Denny Hamlin (2019, Phoenix), Chase Elliott (2020, Martinsville) and Christopher Bell (2022, Martinsville).

Martinsville Speedway Track Data:
Season Race #: 35 of 36 (10-29-23)
The Purse: $8,587,800
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 0 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  800 feet
Backstretch Length:  800 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 263 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 130 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 240 laps

MARTINSVILLE QUALIFYING / RACE DATA

Track Qualifying Record:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 100.201 mph, 18.898 secs., March 28, 2014

2022 Playoff Race Pole Winner:
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 96.078 mph, 19.709 secs., October 29, 2022

Track Race Record:
Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, (3:11:55), September 22, 2006

2022 Playoff Race Winner:
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, 77.239 mph, (03:24:18), October 30, 2022

HISTORY

• Opened in September 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 was on September 25, 1949 and the race was won by Red Byron in Raymond Park’s 1949 Oldsmobile.
• The track was paved in 1955 and the first 500-lap event at Martinsville Speedway was in 1956.
• Concrete corners were added atop the asphalt in 1976.
• The track added LED lighting during the 2016-2017 off season.
• There have been 149 NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway, one race in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.

STARTS

• A total of 651 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; followed by Dave Marcis and Ricky Rudd with 55 each.
• Kevin Harvick leads the series in starts among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway with 44; followed by Kyle Busch with 36 starts.
• In total, 62 drivers have made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway.
• Chase Elliott (03/29/2015) and Michael McDowell (3/30/2008) are the only active drivers who have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.
• Of the 62 drivers that made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway, Clyde Minter posted the best finish in his series debut with a fourth-place finish in 1949.

• Fonty Flock (nine starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.125.
• Joey Logano (29 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 8.172.

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

POLES

• In total 63 different drivers have won at least one pole at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, and 29 of the 63 have won multiple poles.
• Eight of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.

• 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).
• Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers with the most poles at Martinsville Speedway with five – 2015 sweep, spring 2016, fall 2017, spring 2019.
• Curtis Turner won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway in 1949 driving an Oldsmobile for car owner Frank Christian.
• 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; most recently it was Ryan Preece earlier this season (April 16, 2023).

• 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 at Martinsville from 2015-2016.
• Five drivers have won three or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup 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).
• Six active organizations have won a pole at the Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, led by Hendrick Motorsports with 19 poles.

• A total of 11 different manufacturers have won at least one NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 55 poles and followed by Ford (35), Dodge (10), Pontiac (9), Toyota (6), Buick (4), Hudson (4), Oldsmobile (4), Mercury (3), Chrysler (2), Plymouth (2).

WINS

• A total of 58 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway, and 27 of the 58 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Martinsville Speedway have won multiple times.
• Twelve of the 58 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race winners are active this weekend.

• 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).
• Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway with five victories (2008, 2009, 2010 sweep, 2015).
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was on Sept. 25, 1949 – the race was won by Red Byron in Raymond Park’s 1949 Oldsmobile.
• A total of 12 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway.
• Fred Lorenzen won four straight NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville from the fall of 1963 through the spring of 1965 – the series-most consecutive wins at Martinsville.
• Martin Truex Jr. is the most recent driver to win consecutive races at Martinsville (2019 Playoff race / spring of 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).

• 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 on the grid in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway have resulted in victories.
• • 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.
• 21 of the 149 NASCAR Cup Series races (14.09%) at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the pole or first starting position. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position was Jimmie Johnson in 2013.
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, producing more wins than any other starting position (21 victories – a winning percentage of 14.6%).
• 36 of the 149 (25.17%) 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 race winner has started in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is 36th, by Kurt Busch in the fall of 2002.
• The deepest in the field that an active race winner has started in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is 20th, by Christoher Bell last season.

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 lists those starting positions as N/A.

• In total 39 different car owners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway (1949-2023).
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 28 victories – Jeff Gordon (nine: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003 sweep, 2005 sweep, 2013, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (nine: 2004, 2006, 2007 sweep, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016), Darrell Waltrip (four: 1987, 1988, 1989 sweep), Geoffrey Bodine (one: 1984), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one: 2014), Chase Elliott (one: 2020), Alex Bowman (one: 2021), William Byron (one: 2022), Kyle Larson (one: 2023).

Active NASCAR Cup Series organizations with wins at Martinsville Speedway

• A total of 11 manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway; led by Chevrolet with 60 victories, followed by Ford (30), Plymouth (12), Toyota (11), Dodge (10), Oldsmobile (8), Pontiac (8), Buick (3), Chrysler (3), Hudson (2) and Mercury (2).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 70 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Martinsville Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series with seven runner-up finishes at Martinsville Speedway, followed by Bobby Allison and Lee Petty with six each.
• Kyle Busch leads all active series drivers with four runner-up finishes at Martinsville; followed by Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano with three each.

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

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 Jeff Gordon with 29.
• Kyle Busch leads all active Cup drivers with 17 top-five finishes at Martinsville Speedway.

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

Top-10 Finishes

• A total of 269 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Martinsville Speedway.
• 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 and Darrell Waltrip with 31.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active Cup drivers in top 10s at Martinsville with 24; followed by Kyle Busch with 21 and Kevin Harvick with 20.

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

Average Finish:

• Dick Hutcherson (five starts) leads the series in average finishing position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.8 average finish.
• Ryan Blaney (15 starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in average finishing positions at Martinsville Speedway with a 9.533; followed by Denny Hamlin with a 10.343 (35 starts).

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

TRACK EVENT STATS

• Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions 10 times in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:

• Eight NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been shortened due to weather:

• Six NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway races have ended in NASCAR Overtime:

• 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

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 160 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Martinsville Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 3,851 laps led in 31 starts (28.8% of his laps completed at the track).
• Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 1,884 laps led in 31 starts (12.5% of his laps completed at the track).

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time)

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Martinsville Speedway (Active)

• The most laps led all-time by a NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was 493 of the scheduled 500 laps (98.6%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen on September 27, 1964 – he started from the pole.
• The most laps led by an active NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was 464 of the scheduled 500 laps (92.8%) by Martin Truex Jr. in the 2019 Playoff race (Oct. 27, 2019) – he started from third.
• The most laps led all-time by a NASCAR Cup Series driver at Martinsville Speedway that did not win was 432 of the scheduled 500 laps (86.4%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison on September 24, 1972 – he started from the pole but finished runner-up to Richard Petty.
• The most laps led by an active NASCAR Cup Series driver at Martinsville Speedway that did not win was 296 of the scheduled 500 laps (59.2%) by Denny Hamlin on March 29, 2009 – he started from the eighth starting position but finished runner-up to Jimmie Johnson.
• The fewest laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was four laps of the scheduled 500 (0.8%) by John Andretti on his way to victory on April 18, 1999.

FEMALE COMPETITORS

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

NASCAR IN VIRGINIA

• There have been 545 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.
• Martinsville Speedway hosted the very first NASCAR national series race in the state of Virginia on Sept. 25, 1949 – the NASCAR Cup Series event was won by Red Byron (Oldsmobile).

NASCAR Tracks in Virginia

VIRGINIA IN NASCAR

• A total of 188 different drivers that have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race have their home state recorded as Virginia.
• 20 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series totaling 268 victories.

Virginia Drivers With NASCAR Wins

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