Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Texas-based Covert Auto Group on track at the Texas Motor Speedway with Bubba Wallace

Welcome, N.C. (October 24, 2019)- Covert Auto Group, a leading automotive sales brand in Austin, Texas,announced today a new partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM). As part of the agreement, the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry the Covert Auto Group brand as the primary partner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) AAA Texas 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, November 3 with driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.

“Our family has been delivering new Chevrolets across Texas for years,” Dan Covert Jr., co-owner of Covert Auto Group, said. “What better brand to associate with than Richard Petty Motorsports and driver Bubba Wallace when it comes to quality and supporting fans!”

Covert Auto Group opened their first automotive dealership in central Texas in 1909 with the Austin Buick Sales Company, now the oldest Buick franchise in Texas. For seventy years Covert Auto Group was the sole Buick dealership in downtown Austin. Today, still going strong as a fifth-generation family-owned-and-operated company, Covert Auto Group continues to be a solid fixture in the community.

The Texas-based company maintains an unmatched selection of new and pre-owned inventories to meet any automotive need. Covert Auto Group provides customers with experienced sales representatives and factory-trained technicians as they provide a professional, transparent and fun automotive atmosphere and service experience.

“Richard Petty Motorsports, and Covert Auto Group, both have rich histories, and are leaders in the community,” Brian Moffitt, chief executive officer for Richard Petty Motorsports, said. “We look forward to coming together at the Texas Motor Speedway to be a leader on the track.”

The driver of the No. 43 Covert Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Petty Motorsports has three starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the 1.5-mile track located in Fort Worth. Wallace posted a career-best eighth-place finish at the Texas Motor Speedway on April 8, 2018 in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series track debut. The 26-year old also has five starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) with an average finish of 11.4 at the Texas Motor Speedway.

The AAA Texas 500 will be broadcast live on NBC and NBC Sports Live on Sunday, November 3 at 3:00 p.m. (ET). It will also broadcast live starting at 2:00 p.m. (ET) on the Performance Racing Network (PRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Covert Auto Group
Covert Auto Group opened the first automotive dealership in central Texas in 1909, the Austin Buick Sales Company, now the oldest Buick franchise in Texas. For the next seventy years, the family-owned and operated this sole Buick store in downtown Austin. Today, operating under its fifth generation of family members, Covert continues its position as Austin’s leading automotive sales brand. Covert Auto Group currently consists of: Covert Buick GMC Austin, Covert Cadillac Austin, Covert Chevrolet Buick GMC Bastrop, Covert Chevrolet Hutto, Covert Ford Hutto, Covert Ford Lincoln Austin, Covert Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Austin and Covert Collision Center.

About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. RPM is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup history with 273 wins and has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with driver Bubba Wallace. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C. and is supported by primary partners United States Air Force and World Wide Technology.

For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.com or connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 23, 2019) — Roush Fenway Racing has been recognized for outstanding achievement by the prestigious MarCom Awards, taking home four Platinum and two Gold Awards for its work in 2019. Platinum Winners are recognized for ‘their excellence in terms of quality, creativity and resourcefulness,’ with only 15 percent of MarCom entries designated Platinum status.

The team received Platinum Award recognition in the Digital Marketing category for its work with Fastenal in promoting FastenalRacing.com, in the Social Content category for the “There’s a New Name in Racing” campaign in conjunction with Oscar Mayer, in the Integrated Marketing category for the launch of its Acorns partnership and in the Social Media Campaign category for its work promoting the Mazola Corn Oil brand.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by the MarCom Awards panel,” said Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark. “Our marketing and communication groups design and implement creative and innovative platforms for our partners that demonstrate the role our race team can play in authentically promoting their brands. In a competitive market such as ours, we understand that brands have choices as to where they invest their marketing dollars, and we are especially proud of our continued ability to generate unique programs that deliver visibility and engagement for our partners.”

MarCom Awards is an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communications professionals. The awards received over 6,500 entries this year, with only 15 percent awarded Platinum status by earning the highest distinction as ‘the most outstanding entries in the competition.’

The FastenalRacing.com campaign supported the collaboration between Roush Fenway and Fastenal to bring attention to the dedicated racing program website. Exclusive content and giveaways were hosted on the site, with an extended campaign on social media to promote the hub.

For the second year of Oscar Mayer’s partnership with the team, an emphasis was placed on creative and engaging social media content. Videos featuring Ryan Newman and the famed Wienermobile have reached over 12 million NASCAR fans to date in 2019, with callouts to the company’s hot dog, bacon and deli meat categories serving as the cornerstones of the campaign.

Acorns entered into the NASCAR sphere when it debuted on the No. 6 Ford Mustang at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Roush Fenway utilized traditional and digital marketing footholds to introduce the brand to the NASCAR audience with organic social content and at-track activation opportunities.

Mazola Corn Oil will not appear on the No. 6 Mustang until November, but Roush Fenway launched the brand’s NASCAR presence by helping to develop a content series featuring Ryan Newman and his No. 6 pit crew team that emphasized the importance of teamwork and preparation in racing and food preparation. In just the month of September, the team reached over 14 million NASCAR fans with Mazola content and generated nearly two million video views for the brand focusing on Mazola’s role in grilling recipes.

The team was also recognized with Gold Awards in the Social Engagement category for its work promoting Fastenal and its NASCAR supporting supplier companies, and in the Strategic Communications category for the ‘Dog’s Most Wanted’ premiere promotion with WGNA.

Roush Fenway Racing has now won a total of fifteen MarCom Platinum Awards since 2011 when it took home its first Platinum for the famed ‘Ricky vs. Trevor’ campaign. The team also brought home Platinum Awards for its ‘Let Ricky Race’ campaign in 2013, as well as the #RFRTruckin campaign and Social ‘Jack’ Icon branding platform in 2016, the #DrivenForACause awareness platform in 2017 and the John Deere’s return to NASCAR, Oscar Mayer program launch and #DoYouKnowJack campaigns in 2018. The team has also won Gold Awards for #RaceWithRicky, ’25 Winning Years’, ‘RFRDriven’ and the Pillow Pets NASCAR Launch. Roush Fenway has also taken home top honors from the PR News Platinum Awards, Social Media Icon Awards and Hermes Awards.

MarCom Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization consists of several thousand creative professionals. The Association oversees awards and recognition programs, provides judges and sets standards for excellence. Judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.

MarCom entries come from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops, production companies and freelancers. The competition has grown to one of the largest of its kind, with winners ranging in size from individual communicators to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.

Richard Childress Racing at Martinsville Speedway … In 171 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011). RCR Chevrolet teams have earned 30 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the team’s first start there on April 10, 1972. Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed four of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978.

RCR in the MENCS … In 2,985 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 51 pole awards,108 wins, 489 top-five finishes and 1,075 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.3. RCR has earned 15 total championships (six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, six NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, two Truck Series titles and one ARCA Menards Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

A Celebration of 50 Years … Help Richard Childress Racing celebrate their golden anniversary at RCR Fan Day at our campus in Welcome, North Carolina on Friday, October 25. The unique, one-day event will include driver/owner autograph sessions, panel discussions with key personnel, a kids’ interactive area, pit crew demos, shop tours and even a hauler parade to help send off our teams as they head to Martinsville Raceway. Follow RCR’s social media channels for updates regarding Fan Day and all 50th Anniversary events.

Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3, @TylerReddick and @DanielHemric. Information about the 15-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages –  http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3 and www.facebook.com/DanielHemric.

Catch the Action … The First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be televised live Sunday, October 27 beginning at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s American Ethanol Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Martinsville Speedway … In 10 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Dillon earned his best finish of fourth in April 2016 at the half-mile short track after starting deep in the field from the 29th spot. He also has a fifth-place finish at the track (April 2017). He has made four appearances at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series, earning his best finish of third in October 2011.

Delivering Performance on and Off the Racetrack … Austin Dillon races on Sunoco Green E15 fuel made with 15 percent American Ethanol. Ethanol is the most effective and least expensive source of octane available and it also burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline. All those factors mean that ethanol helps drive peak engine performance whether you’re in a racecar or on your way to the grocery store. And, ethanol helps keep our air cleaner and our environment healthier by reducing toxic and greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more about why ethanol is the smart choice for your engine, your wallet and our environment at americanethanolracing.com.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How do you feel about short tracks like Martinsville Speedway?
“I love going to Martinsville Speedway. It’s an hour away from my house, so it feels like home. Anytime you can get to a short track and beat and bang and really work on those hard-braking corners you feel like you got a chance, so I can’t wait to get there. Our cars have had speed this year, and I’m really looking forward to going to the flat paperclip that is Martinsville with Danny Stockman and the No. 3 team. We’re all racers at heart so we love short track racing.”

As Paul Menard and the No. 21 Quick Lane team prepare for Sunday’s First Data 500 on the tight confines of Martinsville Speedway, Menard is hoping for a drama-free race, at least until the final laps.

“Typically if you can get through Martinsville with an uneventful run, you’ll have a good finish,” Menard said, adding that a successful weekend depends in large part on starting the weekend with a fast car. “You need to be good in practice and then qualify up front so you have an opportunity to maintain good track position throughout the race.”

While some drivers don’t particularly like racing at Martinsville, which can turn into a rough-and-tumble affair, Menard enjoys the challenge.

“It’s a lot of fun to drive,” he said. “You can really feel the power off the corners. It’s hard on brakes, and it can be frustrating.

“It’s just a good old throwback short track.”

Many drivers take advantage of the relatively slow overall speeds at Martinsville to settle scores from other, faster tracks, but Menard said he enters the weekend with no fellow drivers due a shove from his bumper.

“We’re all squared away right now,” he said. “But I might have one [needing payback] when I leave there.”

Qualifying for the First Data 500 is set for Saturday at 4:35 p.m. following two practice sessions earlier in the day. The race is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m. on Sunday with TV coverage on NBCSN.

About Motorcraft

Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers

Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.

MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY (0.526-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: RIDGEWAY, VIRGINIA
EVENT: NASCAR CUP SERIES (RACE 33 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, OCT. 27 (NBCSN/MRN/SIRIUSXM)

Chase Elliott
No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Chase Elliott   Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 23                       Resides Dawsonville, Georgia

2019 Season
6th in standings
32 starts
3 wins
4 pole positions
11 top-five finishes
15 top-10 finishes
601 laps led

Career
145 starts
6 wins
8 pole positions
44 top-five finishes
74 top-10 finishes
1,844 laps led

Track Career
8 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
4 top-10 finishes
192 laps led

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be available to members of the media on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10:45 a.m. local time in the media center at Martinsville Speedway.

WELCOME TO THE ROUND OF 8: In a double-overtime race at Kansas Speedway, Chase Elliott continued his top-10 streak at the 1.5-mile track when he crossed the finish line in second and raced his way into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8. After starting the round with an early exit at Dover, the No. 9 team was able to rebound at both Talladega and Kansas. Elliott currently holds an active streak of two races in which he has led laps, tied with five other competitors for the second spot behind only teammate William Byron, who has led laps in four straight races.

MOUNTAIN DEW RETURNS: Last week, the No. 9 Mountain Dew Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was showcased via Hendrick Motorsports social channels. The memorable green and black scheme will return this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The popular colors graced Elliott’s Chevrolet last season at Kansas Speedway in the fall when the No. 9 team ended its day with a win in the NASCAR playoffs Round of 12.

‘PAPERCLIP’ STATS: Elliott looks to continue his three-race top-10 streak at Martinsville Speedway as he makes his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at the track this weekend. He has finished inside the top 10 in four of his last five visits to the track. During the most recent visit to Martinsville in March, he raced inside the top five for much of the 500-lap race and led a total of 49 laps en route to a second-place finish. During that visit, he earned the most points (51) of the drivers in the Round of 8 of the playoffs.

SHORT-TRACK STATS: This weekend, Elliott will make his 26th short-track start (Richmond, Bristol and Martinsville). In the Dawsonville, Georgia, native’s previous 25 short-track starts, he has collected seven top-five finishes, 11 top-10s and 425 laps led.

GUSTAFSON’S ‘PAPERCLIP’ STATS: No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson is set to call his 30th race from atop the pit box at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. In his previous 29 starts at the track, Gustafson has two wins, 12 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s. Both wins at the 0.526-mile oval came with Jeff Gordon (2013 and 2015). The 2015 win clinched Gustafson and Gordon into Championship 4 for the season finale.

PIT CREW PROWESS: Among the teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the No. 9 pit crew ranks second for the best average time for four-tire stops at 14.029 seconds through 32 races in 2019.

William Byron
No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver William Byron   Hometown Charlotte, North Carolina
Age 21                         Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
10th in standings
32 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
225 laps led

Career
68 starts
0 wins
5 pole positions
4 top-five finishes
16 top-10 finishes
286 laps led

Track Career
3 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
0 top-10 finishes
0 laps led

SOPHOMORE SEASON SUCCESS: While William Byron’s first NASCAR Cup Series playoff run may have come to an end after last weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway, the sophomore driver has nothing to hang his head over with four races remaining in the 2019 season. Aside from advancing to the Round of 12 in his first Cup Series playoff appearance, Byron has won five pole awards in 2019, tied for the series lead, with two coming in the last eight races. In the last seven races, the driver of the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has finished in the top 10 four times, including two top-five finishes. All four of Byron’s career Cup Series top-five finishes have come in the last 15 races.

LEADING THE FIELD: The 21-year-old driver has led laps in six of the last seven races, including the last four consecutive events. That marks the longest active streak for consecutive races led (four) over six other Cup Series drivers, including Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who is tied for second with two consecutive races with laps led.

LIBERTY RETURNS: This weekend will mark the last race of the 2019 season that Liberty University will be on board Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. After returning as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 team in 2019 for 12 races, Liberty University announced last month that they have extended their partnership with Byron and Hendrick Motorsports for 12 races through the 2021 Cup Series season. Liberty University has a long history with the sophomore driver starting back in 2014 in the late model ranks and is in the midst of its fifth season of sponsoring the 21-year-old driver. Liberty University has been Training Champions for Christ since it was founded in 1971. Located in the mountains of Central Virginia, Liberty is a liberal arts institution with 17 colleges and schools that offers more than 600 degree programs from the certificate to the doctoral level, on campus and online. Working on an undergraduate degree in business communication, Byron is now in his junior year at Liberty University through its online program.

MARTINSVILLE MINUTES: Since attending his first Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway in 2006 as a fan, Byron has since moved through the NASCAR ranks and is now poised to make his sixth start at the “paperclip,” his fourth in the Cup Series. In those previous three Cup Series starts at the 0.526-mile track, Byron has a best starting position of 11th, which came in last year’s fall race. However, luck hasn’t always been on the Charlotte, North Carolina, native’s side, with a best finish of 20th in the 2018 spring race. Byron has two other Martinsville starts, both coming in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2016, when he qualified seventh for both events and raced to a third-place finish in the spring and an eighth-place result in the fall.

KNAUS’ KNACK FOR MARTINSVILLE: Calling the shots on top of the pit box for the 39th time at Martinsville Speedway, No. 24 team crew chief Chad Knaus is ready to add another grandfather clock to his collection after this weekend’s race at the “paperclip.” Collecting nine wins already, the second-highest amount at one track in his career (11 wins at Dover), his most recent win at the Virginia short track came in the fall of 2016.

SEE THE 24 FOR $24: For this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway, Liberty University and the track teamed up to offer fans the opportunity to attend Sunday’s race for $24 to cheer on the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The ticket offer includes one ticket for the Cup Series race, a pre-race experience pass with access to a question-and-answer session with Byron Sunday morning as well as free parking. For more information or to purchase the Liberty University ticket offer, click here.

Q&A WITH BYRON: Fans will have the opportunity to join Byron for a question-and-answer session this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The session is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 27, at 11:45 a.m. ET on the front stretch of the track. For access, fans can either purchase a pre-race experience pass or receive one through the Liberty University ticket package for this weekend’s race.

KEEPING UP WITH KANSAS: Looking to advance on to the next round of the playoffs last weekend, Byron methodically worked his way through the field at Kansas Speedway from the 25th starting position and found himself within the top 10 halfway through Stage 1. While pit strategy played a factor in track position, Byron raced his way into the top five and maintained that position for the remainder of the race. With two green-white-checkered flag attempts to end the race in overtime, Byron ultimately crossed the finish line with his fourth top-five finish in 2019 and a Cup Series track-best finish of fifth. Unfortunately, his strong run at Kansas Speedway wasn’t quite enough to help him advance on to the Round of 8.

WELCOME BACK HERTZ: On Wednesday, it was announced that Hertz has extended its partnership with Byron and the No. 24 team through 2021. In conjunction with the announcement, Byron helped Hertz unveil his new 2020 paint scheme that he will debut next month at ISM Raceway. The paint scheme reflects the inverse of the custom Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports Camaros that are being release to rental markets in the coming months. After the announcement, media members were then given the opportunity to ride shotgun with Byron in the Camaro ZL1 or to get behind the wheel themselves and put down their best lap time in the Camaro SS. For a closer look at the 2020 paint scheme, click here.

HERTZ ULTIMATE RIDE SWEEPSTAKES: In conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports, Hertz is introducing a new “pace car” to its fleet with a limited-edition custom 2020 Camaro ZL1 and 2020 Camaro SS. Available to be reserved beginning mid-October 2019, customers have the opportunity to rent the custom Camaros fashioned in the signature Hertz yellow and black color scheme with custom wheels, interior badging and full performance upgrades outfitted by HMS. In conjunction with the program rollout, customers can celebrate the debut of the limited-edition Camaros by participating in The Hertz Ultimate Ride Sweepstakes – beginning Sept. 18, through Nov. 15, 2019 – for a chance to win a 2020 Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports Camaro SS. Five finalists will also win an exclusive driving experience in Charlotte. Click here for more information on the Hertz-Hendrick custom Camaro program.

Jimmie Johnson
No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Jimmie Johnson   Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 44                             Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
17th in standings
32 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
3 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
91 laps led

Career
647 starts
83 wins
36 pole positions
227 top-five finishes
364 top-10 finishes
18,794 laps led

Track Career
35 starts
9 wins
3 pole positions
19 top-five finishes
24 top-10 finishes
2,862 laps led

KANSAS REWIND: Jimmie Johnson clicked off another top-10 finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway. The No. 48 team started 12th and finished Stage 1 in 15th before Johnson hit the wall during Stage 2, causing the team to lose a lap due to an unscheduled pit stop. No. 48 team crew chief Cliff Daniels utilized a wave around to get back on the lead lap, and with fewer than 10 laps remaining in the race, Johnson had advanced to third. On two overtime restarts, he was shuffled to 10th place before the checkered flag waved.

COUNTING CLOCKS: Johnson has seen plenty of success over the course of his 35 starts at Martinsville Speedway. The driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has nine wins to his name, which is tied for the third-most all-time at the track. He has an average finish of 8.5, which leads all active drivers, and the series-best driver rating at the paperclip-shaped oval. Johnson’s 2,862 laps led since his Martinsville Cup Series debut in 2002 are the most among active drivers and the fifth-most all-time at the track.

LAST WIN: Johnson’s last win at Martinsville was Oct. 30, 2016. It was the win he needed to lock him into the Championship 4 round in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Johnson led 92 laps that day, which gave him his ninth grandfather clock trophy on the way to his record-tying seventh Cup championship title at the end of the season. The victory at the “paperclip” tied him with former teammate Jeff Gordon for the third-most wins at the track.

LAST FIVE: Johnson has scored four top-10 finishes in the last five races. The last time Johnson had a streak of this kind was the fall of 2017. His last five finishes include 10th at Richmond, ninth at the Charlotte road course, eighth at Dover, 38th at Talladega and 10th at Kansas.

BID NOW: A number of Johnson’s teammates and competitors wore a specially designed Jimmie Johnson Foundation visor strip on their respective helmets for the event last weekend at Kansas Speedway. The visors are now available for fans to bid on through Oct. 25 at noon ET to raise funds for the Jimmie Johnson Foundation programs that support K-12 public education. To bid, click here.

PINK ACCENTS: This will be the final weekend that Johnson will wear pink Alpinestars driving gloves and an Ally Racing hat with pink accents to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

HOME STATE: Daniels will return to his home state of Virginia this weekend as a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief. Daniels, 33, hails from Smithfield, Virginia, which is approximately 215 miles east of Martinsville. Daniels has been an integral part of Hendrick Motorsports since 2015 and was named crew chief for Johnson and the No. 48 team on July 29.

Alex Bowman
No. 88 Llumar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Driver Alex Bowman   Hometown Tucson, Arizona
Age 26                         Resides Charlotte, North Carolina

2019 Season
12th in standings
32 starts
1 win
0 pole positions
6 top-five finishes
10 top-10 finishes
189 laps led

Career
149 starts
1 win
2 pole positions
10 top-five finishes
24 top-10 finishes
463 laps led

Track Career
7 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
0 top-five finishes
1 top-10 finish
0 laps led

WELCOME BACK, LLUMAR: Eastman Performance Films, LLC joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2018 as a primary sponsor of Alex Bowman and the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 through 2020. The sponsorship features the LLumar brand of window film and paint protection film on board Alex Bowman’s Chevy. The brand will be featured on Bowman’s ride this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. In October 2018, LLumar unveiled the new paint scheme for this season at SEMA in Las Vegas and it can be seen here.

BOWMAN AT MARTINSVILLE: The driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet will make his eighth start in the Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. Bowman has one top-10 finish at the Virginia short track, which came back in the spring of 2018 when the team finished seventh. Earlier this year, the 26-year-old driver finished 14th after the team battled a loose handling vehicle during the event.

150 STARTS: Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway marks Bowman’s 150th NASCAR Cup Series start. In the last 149 starts, Bowman has one win (Chicago, 2019), 10 top-five results and 24 top-10s. The 26-year-old has two pole wins, which include leading the field to green in the 2018 Daytona 500. Since piloting the No. 88 machine for Hendrick Motorsports, the driver has led 460 laps. In the last two seasons, Bowman has qualified for the Cup Series playoffs and has advanced to the Round of 12 both years. There have been nine drivers to capture a victory in their 150th start, and Bowman looks to move that number to 10 this weekend. To commemorate Bowman’s milestone start, the team will carry a special decal honoring this accomplishment. Read more and check out the decal here.

IVES STATS: Crew chief Greg Ives will call the shots for the 10th time for the No. 88 team at Martinsville this weekend. The Michigan native has one top-five finish and three top-10s at the track, with a best finish of fourth coming in 2015 with Dale Earnhardt Jr. From 2006-2012, Ives was a race engineer for the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. During that time, he was a part of six wins, three pole awards and 12 top-10 finishes at Martinsville.

KANSAS RECAP: Bowman and the No. 88 team qualified 16th for the event at Kansas Speedway last weekend. On Lap 9 of the 277-lap event, Bowman’s machine made contact with a competitor, causing left rear damage to the No. 88 Chevrolet. The driver then began battling a loose handling car and at the conclusion of Stage 1, the team crossed the line 26th. Ives made big adjustments throughout the next stage and Bowman was able to advance 11 positions to finish Stage 2 in 15th. The No. 88 team continued to make adjustments and tighten up the handling. At the end of the event, Bowman crossed the line 11th. Unfortunately, it was not enough for the Tucson, Arizona, native to advance to the Round of 8.

WIN COMING?: Back in 2014, Earnhardt was driving the No. 88 at Martinsville and captured the victory after being eliminated from the playoffs the week prior. The win was also his first at the 0.526-mile track. Could Bowman follow suit and capture the win this weekend? The current driver of the No. 88 Chevy was eliminated from the playoffs last week and a trip to Victory Lane this weekend would be his first at Martinsville.

CLOSE TO HOME: Two members of the No. 88 team call Martinsville Speedway their home track. Engine tuner Stephen Raynor and front-end mechanic Cale Johnson grew up not far from the Virginia venue. Raynor was raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which is approximately 50 miles away from Martinsville, and Johnson grew up in Belews Creek, North Carolina, about 35 miles away from the track.

Hendrick Motorsports

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT MARTINSVILLE: At Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports owns 24 wins, the most all-time by any team on a single track. The organization has also earned its most top-five finishes (79) and laps led (9,290) at Martinsville, and its 126 top-10s there are tied for its most at a single track. It is one of 15 venues where Hendrick Motorsports leads all teams in NASCAR Cup Series wins.

DOMINANCE ON DISPLAY: Starting with its first win at the track in April 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has won 34 percent of the races at Martinsville (24 of 71). It has won at least one race at Martinsville Speedway in 19 of the 36 seasons since and gone on a three-race win streak at the track on four different occasions. The organization has swept the top two finishing positions five times and had at least one car finish in the top 10 in 64 of 71 races since April 1984.

FIVE MAKE 24: The organization’s 24 wins at Martinsville have come courtesy of five different drivers: Jimmie Johnson (nine), Jeff Gordon (nine), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoff Bodine and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The five different winners are tied with Junior Johnson and Associates for the most at Martinsville. This weekend, it could become the 10th different track where Hendrick Motorsports has won with at least six different drivers.

FIRSTS AT MARTINSVILLE: The “paperclip” has been the site of many first-time achievements for Hendrick Motorsports, including the organization’s first NASCAR Cup Series win in 1984 with Bodine. That race also marked the first laps led by the then-one-car team. Waltrip earned his first of nine wins for Hendrick Motorsports at the Virginia track in the September 1989 race and Chase Elliott made his first career Cup Series start for the organization on March 29, 2015, at the venue. It is also the track where William Byron attended his first Cup Series race as a fan in 2006.

SHORT-TRACK PROWESS: Hendrick Motorsports leads all active teams in short-track wins all-time with 50, 11 more than the next closest team, Joe Gibbs Racing. Ten different Hendrick Motorsports drivers have contributed to those 50 short-track wins, one shy of the record for most different winners on a short track held by Junior Johnson and Associates.

SPECIAL DATE: Hendrick Motorsports won both of the last two Cup Series races held on Oct. 27, the date of this weekend’s Martinsville race. Gordon won at Martinsville on Oct. 27, 2013, and at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 27, 2003.

PILING UP POLE POSITIONS: After securing just two poles in 2018, Hendrick Motorsports has amassed 10 pole positions this year, the most of all teams in 2019 with four races remaining in the season. It’s the fourth-highest total the organization has earned in a single season, tied with the 1995 campaign. Hendrick Motorsports’ record for poles came in 1986 with 16, followed by 12 in 2007 and 2009, and 11 in 2008 and 2012.

SWEEPING UP: This year, Hendrick Motorsports has tied its most-ever front-row sweeps in a single season with seven. In fact, the seven front-row sweeps are tied for the most in a single season in the modern era with the organization’s seven in 1986.

SUCCESS IN THE LAST SEVEN: Over the last seven races this season, Hendrick Motorsports’ 16 top-10 finishes are the most of all teams, and its two poles and two runner-up results are tied for the most. At least one of the organization’s drivers has finished in the top 10 in each of the last seven races, with two drivers finishing inside the top 10 in five of seven. The organization has also led laps in eight of the last nine races.

PLAYOFF WINNERS: Hendrick Motorsports has won at least once in 15 of the 16 seasons of the playoffs, with the 2017 campaign as the only outlier.

LEADING LAPS: In 2019, Hendrick Motorsports has more than doubled its total of laps led from a season ago. Last year, the organization’s drivers tallied 497 laps led. After last weekend’s race at Kansas, the 2019 total has been brought to 1,106 laps up front with four races remaining in the season.

ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 12 championships, 256 race victories, 225 pole positions, 1,069 top-five finishes and 1,836 top-10 finishes in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series competition. Its teams have led more than 68,800 laps since 1984.

QUOTABLE /
Chase Elliott on racing at Martinsville:
“Martinsville has been hit-or-miss for us. We ran good there in the spring, ran bad there last fall. I feel like we have had really good runs there and bad runs there. I haven’t really done anything different; we just need to really do our homework this week and just really focus on it.”

Elliott on advancing to the Championship 4:
“I think our best shot at the next round is to win. I don’t know how many points those guys have but between, they have to have a bunch of points, right? A win would be the greatest way to move on and assure you a spot a Homestead.”

William Byron on racing at Martinsville:
“I was watching the fall Martinsville race back from 2017 and 2018. Last year’s race was relatively calm but the year before, that race was absolutely crazy. There was a lot of action, and as a fan it was fun to watch. I think it will be more like that this year with very close racing and tempers on edge. There’s really only one way to get around that place and that’s right on the curb. You just try to keep it stuck to the curb all day and hopefully that pays off.”

Jimmie Johnson on a top-10 finish at Kansas:
“We battled all day and it paid off. From a lap down with damage to being in the mix for a top-five on those crazy restarts at the end. Our team recovered nicely and now we are focused on improving on that this weekend at one of my favorite tracks, Martinsville.”

Alex Bowman on short tracks:
“I feel like we still have some work to do on our short-track program. We went to Richmond earlier this year trying to get a car that turned better in the center and it did. The car lacked forward drive, which made it to where it didn’t have a good balance. I think we know what we need to change going into this weekend’s race in Martinsville. Having the best compromise between turn and drive at a place like Martinsville is going to be key.”

Bowman on not advancing to the Round of 8:
“Not advancing in the playoffs last weekend was definitely disappointing. We have four more chances to get a win this season and we are not stopping now. We are going back to the books and plan to capitalize during these next few weeks.”

Bowman on his 150th NASCAR Cup Series start:
“Making my 150th Cup Series start this weekend is pretty special. I have had a lot of ups and downs in my career, but so thankful that it led me to Hendrick Motorsports. Working alongside my 88 team and all of the amazing people back on the Hendrick Motorsports campus is an honor. I am very happy to be making this milestone start with (Hendrick Motorsports owner) Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and his organization.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
FIRST DATA 500
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA
OCTOBER 27, 2019

BOWTIE BULLETS:
ON TO NEXT ROUND FOR CHEVROLET CONTENDERS
Chevrolet drivers Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson advanced to the Round of 8 of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Heading into the seventh of 10 races – on the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway oval – a look at their success in 32 starts:

* Chase Elliott, No. 9 Mountain Dew Camaro ZL1 (3 wins, 11 top-fives, 15 top-10s, 5 stage wins and 229 stage bonus points; 6th in points)
* Kyle Larson, No. 42 Clover Camaro ZL1 (1 win, 7 top-5s, 15 top-10s, 5 stage wins and 204 stage bonus points; 7th in points)

HOW CHEVY DRIVERS HAVE FARED
Chase Elliott’s runner-up finish at Kansas Speedway in the cutoff race clinched a berth in the next round. He erased a 22-point gap to keep his championship hopes intact. Larson advanced via a victory at Dover.
How the drivers fared at Martinsville on March 24 and in October 2018 playoff race:
Elliott – Started 7th, finished 2nd (March)         Started 19th, finished 7th (2018)
Larson – Started 6th, finished 18th (March)      Started 9th, finished 37th (2018)

Their career-best start and finish at Martinsville:
Elliott – Started 2nd (April 2017)                Finished 2nd (March 2019)
Larson – Started 1st (April 2017)               Finished 3rd (April 2016)

AIMING FOR A TOP-10 FINISH
Alex Bowman, No. 88 Llumar Camaro ZL1, and William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1, missed the second cut of the playoffs, but the young drivers gained plenty of experience and have season goals. “I think we can still further our position in the points, which is awesome,” Byron said after making a big move from qualifying 25th to finishing fifth at Kansas. “For us to make that next step, we have to compete for wins. We’re getting close.” Byron is 10th in the standings. Bowman, who finished 11th at Kansas after qualifying 16th, is 12th in points.

LEADERS OF THE PACK
Team Chevy drivers have scored 15 poles this season to lead all manufacturers. Bryon leads Team Chevy with five and Elliott has four. Others are Austin Dillon (3), Jimmie Johnson (1), Daniel Hemric (1) and Kyle Larson (1). Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, leads current Team Chevy drivers with four pole starts at Martinsville Speedway. He has converted three into wins and was the last winner from the pole at the track on April 7, 2013. Overall, a Chevrolet driver has sat on the pole 54 times at Martinsville.

TUNE-IN:
NBCSN will telecast the 500-lap race live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 27. The NBCSports Gold app will stream the race and live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

BY THE NUMBERS:
* Victories by current Chevrolet drivers at Martinsville Speedway:
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1, has nine wins (October 2016, April and October 2013, March and October 2009, April and October 2007, October 2006, October 2004).
Kurt Busch, No. 1 Global Poker Camaro ZL1, has two wins (March 2014, October 2002).
* Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 56 wins in the 141 races at Martinsville.
* Team Chevy drivers have recorded 260 top-five and 489 top-10 finishes at the track.
* Johnson has an average finish of 8.3 at Martinsville Speedway to lead active drivers.
* Johnson is the lap leader at the track among current drivers with 2,691 in 29 races. He’s also the active leader in wins (9), top-five finishes (19), top-10 finishes (24) and lead-lap finishes (30 in 35 races).
* Johnson needs one win to tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84) for fourth on the all-time list.
* Busch is tied for the most starts with 38 at Martinsville among active drivers.
* Ty Dillon, No. 13 GEICO Camaro ZL1, has been running at the finish in the past 41 races.
* Chevrolet has surpassed 100 top-10 finishes for the season.
* Chevrolet has won 39 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships.

Chevrolet will be pacing the field at Martinsville Speedway, with a T1 Silverado leading the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200, and a Pink Camaro ZL1 leading the NASCAR Monster Energy Series in the First Data 500.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 MOUNTAIN DEW CAMARO ZL1 – 6th IN STANDINGS
“Martinsville has been hit or miss for us. We ran good there in the spring, ran bad there last fall. I feel like we have had really good runs there, and bad runs there. I haven’t really done anything different; we just need to really do our homework this week and just really focus on it.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CLOVER CAMARO ZL1 – 7th IN STANDINGS
“It’s no secret that Martinsville is one my toughest tracks. The driving style there is quite a bit different from what I grew up racing and different from what we race most weekends. But I’m excited to get there and start the Round of 8. I’ve changed up a few things with my driving style at tracks that are somewhat similar to Martinsville and seen some good results, so hopefully we can have a good race. I’ve put a lot of work into getting better at this track, and we’ll be looking to have a solid start to this round like we did in the last one.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 – 10th IN STANDINGS
“I was watching the fall Martinsville race back from 2017 and 2018. Last year’s race was relatively calm but the year before, that race was absolutely crazy. There was a lot of action, and as a fan, it was fun to watch. I think it will be more like that this year with very close racing and tempers on edge. There’s really only one way to get around that place and that’s right on the curb. You just try to keep it stuck to the curb all day and hopefully that pays off.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1 – 12th IN STANDINGS
“I feel like we still have some work to do on our short track program. We went to Richmond earlier this year trying to get a car that turned better in the center and it did. The car lacked forward drive, which made it to where it didn’t have a good balance. I think we know what we need to change going into this weekend’s race in Martinsville. Having the best compromise between turn and drive at a place like Martinsville is going to be key.”

“Not advancing in the playoffs last weekend was definitely disappointing. We have four more chances to get a win this season and we are not stopping now. We are going back to the books and plan to capitalize during these next few weeks.”

“Making my 150th Cup Series start this weekend is pretty special. I have had a lot of ups and downs in my career, but so thankful that it led me to Hendrick Motorsports. Working alongside my 88 team and all of the amazing people back on the HMS campus is an honor. I am very happy to be making this milestone start with Mr. Hendrick and his organization.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 AMERICAN ETHANOL CAMARO ZL1 – 23rd IN STANDINGS
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SHORT TRACKS LIKE MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY?
“I love going to Martinsville Speedway. It’s an hour away from my house, so it feels like home. Anytime you can get to a short track and beat and bang and really work on those hard-braking corners you feel like you got a chance so I can’t wait to get there. Our cars have had speed this year, and I’m really looking forward to going to the flat paperclip that is Martinsville with Danny Stockman and the No. 3 team. We’re all racers at heart so we love short track racing.”

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1 – 24th IN STANDINGS
WHY IS MARTINSVILLE UNLIKE ANY OTHER SHORT TRACK?
“Martinsville is like no other. It’s so flat and so tight-cornered. It is truly unique to all of the tracks that we run. It has been good to us lately and hopefully we can continue the good runs that we have had for our GEICO team on the short tracks. We are looking to come out of there with a top-10 or top-15 again.”

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO GET INTO THE TURNS AT MARTINSVILLE?
“Yeah, with the paperclip and a 180-degree turn, you are driving straight in, braking straight, and don’t have a lot of wheel in on the entry to the corner. Then you have to be able to release the brake and roll the middle pretty fast. Whereas when you go to a Richmond or a Bristol, the corners flow a little bit better. You are not doing it all in one motion. You are slowly guiding the car through the corner. At Martinsville, you have to do it all in one quick snap.”

BUBBA WALLACE, NO. 43 VICTORY JUNCTION CAMARO ZL1 – 28th IN STANDINGS
GOING INTO THE LAST SHORT TRACK RACE OF THE SEASON AT MARTINSVILLE, HOW ARE YOU FEELING WITH THE WAY YOUR SHORT TRACK PROGRAM HAS BEEN THIS YEAR?
“Martinsville Speedway is one of my favorite places. I have had a lot of success there in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. I am looking forward to getting to the Martinsville Speedway, and continuing our run of momentum. The track is exciting because it’s a short track. We don’t go to many on the schedule, so it will be good to get back there and see if we can get another grandfather clock.”

Chevrolet Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2018): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2018): 31
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016

Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2019 STATISTICS:
Wins: 7
Poles: 15
Laps Led: 2,026
Top-five finishes: 42
Top-10 finishes: 102

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 786 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 714
Laps led to date: 234,236
Top-five finishes to date: 4,011
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,274

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

General Motors: 1,120
Chevrolet: 786
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65

Ford: 785
Ford: 685
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 140

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

The Paperclip On Deck for Roush Fenway

Roush Fenway Racing makes heads to The Commonwealth this weekend as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) returns to Martinsville Speedway for 500 miles of racing at The Paperclip. RFR has visited victory lane six times at the famed .526-mile track including four times in the Cup series.

Martinsville Speedway
Sunday, Oct. 27 | 3 p.m. ET
NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
·         Ryan Newman, No. 6 Blue Bird Ford Mustang
·         Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Mustang

For Whom The Bell Tolls

Roush Fenway has earned four Grandfather Clocks at Martinsville with former drivers Mark Martin (two), Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch. Roush Fenway most recently went to victory lane with Busch in Oct. 2002.

Rock Around the Clock

Roush Fenway had its overall most-successful outing at Martinsville in the spring of 2002 when it placed all four of its cars inside the top 10 with drivers Martin, Burton, Busch and Matt Kenseth.

Closing Time

Roush Fenway earned a one-two finish in the April 9, 2000 event at Martinsville with former drivers Martin and Burton. Martin paced the field for 64 laps en route to the victory.

Short-Track Prowess

Roush Fenway has started a total of 662 MENCS races on short tracks, recording a total of 22 wins, 122 top-five finishes, 241 top-10 finishes and 7,584 laps led.

Tale of the Tape

Roush Fenway has started 210 MENCS races at Martinsville, recording four victories, 26 top-five finishes, 67 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 17.7 and has led 1,378 laps. Roush Fenway also boasts two NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series (NGOTS) wins in 46 starts at Martinsville (fall of ’03 and ’05).

Roush Fenway Martinsville Wins
1992-1    Martin       Cup
1997-2    Burton       Cup
2000-1    Martin       Cup
2002-2    Busch         Cup
2003-2   Wood         Truck
2005-2   Craven       Truck

By the Numbers at Martinsville Speedway

Race      Win       T5           T10         Pole       Laps       Led        AvSt      AvFn     Miles
210         4              26           67           4              101183  1378       20.4        17.7        53222.3
3              0              0              1              0              750         0              28.0        19.3        394.5
46           2              14           24           3              10256    270         12.4        12.3        5394.6
259         6              40           92           7              112189  1648       19.1        16.8        59011.4

Michael McDowell on Martinsville
17 Starts
Best Finish: 18th
“At Martinsville, a lot of strategy is about risk vs reward. You’ve got to think about making moves when you have the opportunity, but if that move causes you to push in a fender, or restrict airflow, it’s going to hurt you for the rest of the day. And you also need to think about where you want to be in another 200, 300 laps as the race is winding down. It’s a mentally tough day, for sure, but it can also be a lot of fun. I’m excited to hit the track in our No. 34 A&W Ford Mustang.”

Crew Chief:                 Brian Pattie
Twitter:                        @Stenhouse17Team, @stenhousejr, and @roushfenway