Martinsville Speedway
Track data
Race #: 6 of 36 (4-2-06)
Track Size: 0.526 Mile
Event: DIRECTV 500
Number of Laps: 500
Location: Martinsville, VA
Length of Event: 263 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: 800 Ft.
Degree of Banking in Corners: 12 degrees
Length of Back Stretch: 800 Ft.
Degree of Banking on Straights: None
Qualifying/Race Data:
Last year's pole winner: Ryan Newman 194.690 mph 3-18-05 28.476 seconds
Last year's race winner: Carl Edwards 143.478 mph 3-20-05 3 hrs, 29 min, 18 sec
Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine 197.478 mph 11-15-97 28.074 seconds
Track race record: Bobby Labonte 159.904 mph 11-16-97 3 hr, 07 min, 48 sec
Historical Data:
Previous winners:
Richard Petty (15) Darrell Waltrip (11) Rusty Wallace (7) Jeff Gordon (7) Cale Yarborough (6)
Dale Earnhardt (6) Fred Lorenzen (6) Geoffrey Bodine (4) Harry Gant (3) Ricky Rudd (3)
Jim Paschal (3) Lee Petty (3) Junior Johnson (2) Rex White (2) Buck Baker (2)
Bill Welborn (2) Bobby Isaac (2) Curtis Turner (2) Herb Thomas (2) Mark Martin (2)
Fireball Roberts (1) Earl Ross (1) Nelson Stacy (1) Joe Weatherly (1) Jack Smith (1)
Buddy Baker (1) David Pearson (1) Ernie Irvan (1) Dave Marcis (1) Morgan Shepherd (1)
Jeff Burton (1) Bobby Hamilton (1) John Andretti (1) Tony Stewart (1) Dale Jarrett (1)
Ricky Craven (1) Bobby Labonte (1) Kurt Busch (1) Red Byron (1) Tim Flock (1)
Frank Mundy (1) Dick Rathman (1) Speedy Thompson (1) Jimmie Johnson (1)
Races won from the pole: 17 of 110 events (15%)
Races won from in top 10: 82 of 110 events (75%)
Races won from outside top 10: 28 of 110 events (25%)
NOTE: Four starting positions of dirt races held between 1950 and 1954 are unknown and missing in totals/percentages above.
Track Milestones
Red Byron won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup (Grand National) 200-lap race at Martinsville Speedway on
September 25, 1949 in an Oldsmobile.
A Dodge driven by Buck Baker won The Virginia 500 in 1956, the first 500-lap race at Martinsville. Prior to that, the
races at Martinsville were all 200 laps or less and run on dirt.
Three races have been run less than the scheduled distance: Fall 1958 (Rain - 350 of 500 laps); Fall 1961 (Rain - 149
of 500 laps) and Spring 1995 (Darkness - 356 of 500 laps).
The 1992 Goody’s 500 was postponed from Sept. 27 to Sept. 28 (Monday) due to rain.
The front and backstretch pit roads were combined into one pit road in October 1999.
A new infield garage area and widened pit road was completed prior to the 2001 Virginia 500.
Qualifying Update
There have been just four Bud Pole winners in the last eight races at Martinsville. Jeff Gordon won four Bud Poles
and Ryan Newman won two. Scott Riggs and Tony Stewart have the other two.
Track Update
There have been 15 different race winners at Martinsville since 1993, yet there are only two repeat race winners in
the 26-race period: Jeff Gordon (seven) and Rusty Wallace (six).
Manufacturer Update
A Chevrolet has won five of the last six races at Martinsville. All but one were won by Hendrick Motorsports with
Jeff Gordon posting four of those victories and Jimmie Johnson one. The non-Chevrolet victory was scored by Rusty
Wallace who posted the first Dodge Martinsville victory since Dave Marcis in the fall of 1975 when the Miller Lite
Dodge driver won there in April 2004.
Would You Believe?
Jeff Gordon has never had a DNF in 26 races at Martinsville Speedway and has failed to complete only six of the
10,500 laps raced in the past 21 races there. However, his early races there were not so successful – five of the eight times
he failed to finish on the lead lap came in his first five races there.
Track Tidbit
Denny Hamlin posted his career-first top-10 start (fifth) and second top-10 finish (eighth) in the 2005 Subway 500 at
Martinsville. Hamlin, who is from nearby Midlothian, VA – was competing in just his third NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
Series race after joining the No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet team at Kansas in early October.
Notebook
The field at Martinsville Speedway will consist of 43 cars. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.
Two qualifying laps will be used to determine the starting positions with the adjustments made afterwards as required.
There have been 114 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Martinsville since 1949.
Scott Riggs is the defending Bud Pole winner for the DIRECTV 500.
Darrell Waltrip is the all-time Bud Pole winner at Martinsville scoring eight poles at the Virginia track. He scored
his first pole there in the fall of 1976 and his last in the spring of 1992.
Jeff Gordon has scored five Bud Poles at Martinsville, the most among active drivers.
Only twice since 1990 has a driver has won back-to-back Bud Poles at Martinsville; both posted three consecutive
Bud Poles: Mark Martin (fall 1990 through fall 1991) and Jeff Gordon (spring 2003 through spring 2004).
Darrell Waltrip (spring 1979 through spring 1980) and Glen Wood (fall 1959 through fall 1960) also posted three
consecutive Bud Poles at Martinsville.
Jeff Gordon is the defending race winner of the DIRECTV 500.
Richard Petty is the all-time Martinsville race winner scoring 15 of his 200 career victories there.
Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven victories at Martinsville.
The race has been won from the Bud Pole 17 times at Martinsville, the most productive starting position.
Additionally, the second starting position has provided 14 winners, third 13 and fourth 11, for a total of 55 victories
from the top-four starting positions.
Kurt Busch won the 2002 Old Dominion 500 from the 36th starting position - the farthest back a race winner has
started at Martinsville.
A sweep has occurred 10 times in the 56 years of continuous twice-a-year NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing at
Martinsville (1950 to 2005) – most recently by Jeff Gordon in 2005. Gordon also swept both Martinsville races in
2003.
Rusty Wallace (1994), Geoffrey Bodine (1990), Darrell Waltrip (1989), Cale Yarborough (1977), Richard Petty
(1967, 1969 and 1972) and Fred Lorenzen (1964) are the other drivers to win both races there in the same year.
Fred Lorenzen became the first driver to sweep Martinsville when he won both races there in 1964. Lorenzen won
both races from the pole while driving the factory-backed Holman Moody Ford. Jeff Gordon swept both races from
the Bud Pole in 2003 – becoming the only driver other than Lorenzen to win from the pole in both races in a season
there.
Fifty-five of 114 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup 500-lap races at Martinsville have been won from the first four starting
positions – including both races in 2003 which Jeff Gordon won from the Bud Pole. However, nine of the last 14
have been won from a starting position of 13th or worse.
Starting Up Front is Not Important at Martinsville Speedway
The last four races at Martinsville Speedway have each been won from starting positions of 15th or lower.
Owner Winner at Martinsville Speedway
Petty Enterprises has won 19 of the 114 races at Martinsville Speedway, the most of any car owner. The last victory
for Petty Enterprises came there when John Andretti won the 1999 Goody’s Body Pain 500.
Big Winner at Martinsville Speedway
Richard Petty posted 15 Martinsville victories the most of any driver. The most Martinsville victories by an active
driver is seven by Jeff Gordon.
Skunked at Martinsville Speedway
Kyle Petty has competed in 50 races at Martinsville Speedway without a victory. Petty finished second there in April
1991, his best Martinsville finish
Leading The Way at Martinsville Speedway
Cale Yarborough led 3,851 laps in 31 races at Martinsville Speedway, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon
leads all active drivers with 2,041 laps led in 26 races at Martinsville.
Would you Believe?
Ryan Newman has started from the top-10 in all eight of his races at Martinsville Speedway. His 4.0 starting
average is the best among all drivers with more than five starts that have ever competed there.
Manufacturers at Martinsville Speedway
A Chevrolet has won five of the last six races at Martinsville. Rusty Wallace ended the Dodge 28-year drought
when he won the 2004 Advance Auto Parts 500. A Ford has not won at Martinsville since Kurt Busch won the 2002 Old
Dominion 500.
Martinsville Standouts
Richard Petty competed in 67 races at Martinsville Speedway, more than any other driver.
Darrell Waltrip scored eight Bud Poles at Martinsville, leading all drivers. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with
five.
Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven victories at Martinsville. Richard Petty leads all drivers with 15.
Mark Martin has scored 21 top-10 finishes in his 40 races at Martinsville Speedway, the most among active drivers.
Ryan Newman leads all active drivers at Martinsville with a 4.00 starting average in eight races there.
Jeff Gordon has a 7.846 average finish in his 26 races at Martinsville Speedway, the best of all active drivers.
Jimmie Johnson has posted seven straight top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway, the longest current streak.
Milestones
Joe Nemechek is expected to make his 400th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Martinsville Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to make his 225th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Martinsville Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson, Jeremy Mayfield and Ryan Newman are all expected to make their 150th consecutive NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup start this weekend.
Who’s Hot
Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson have each scored three top-five
finishes in the first five races in 2006, the most among all drivers.
Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin are the only drivers to score top-15 finishes
in all five races in 2006.
Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle are the only drivers to lead at least one lap in all five races
this season.
Mark Martin has scored nine straight top-15 finishes; extending a streak that began at
Atlanta last October.
Greg Biffle has climbed from 38th to 15th in the point standings since California.
Top 10 Heading to Martinsville
First
Matt Kenseth finished third in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway scoring his fifth top-15 finish of
the season. Kenseth climbed from third to first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. In 2003 and 2004,
Kenseth also held the top spot in the point standings after five races. That was his last time as leader of the point
standings. One year ago Kenseth ranked 28th in the point standings after five races. He has competed in 12 races
at Martinsville Speedway scoring just three top-10 finishes. Kenseth has been running at the finish in 11 of his 12
races at Martinsville. He finished 11th in this race one year ago and 12th there last October. Four of his last five
finishes at Martinsville have been top-15s. He has a 16.67 finishing average at Martinsville Speedway.
Second
Kasey Kahne finished 10th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and remained second in the 2006
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, the highest ranking of his career. Kahne has also scored five top-15
finishes in the first five races in 2006, joining Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin who also have five top-15 finishes.
One year ago he ranked 24th in the point standings. Kahne has competed in four races at Martinsville scoring just
one top-10 finish – second in this race one year ago. He finished 17th there last October. Kahne has a 13.25
average finish at Martinsville. Kahne has been running at the finish in all four of his races at Martinsville.
Third
Jimmie Johnson finished 30th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and dropped from first to third
in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Johnson joins Kahne and Martin as the only drivers to score
four top-10 finishes this season. One year ago Johnson began the 2005 season with seven straight top-10 finishes.
Johnson ranked first in the point standings after Race No. 5 in 2005 with a 94-point lead. He now trails point
leader Kenseth by 19 points. Johnson has ranked among the top-10 for 74 straight races, since Atlanta in March
2004. He has competed in eight races at Martinsville Speedway, scoring one victory (October 2004) and seven
top-10 finishes. His only Martinsville finish outside the top 10 came in April 2002, in his first race at Martinsville.
Johnson has an 8.5 average finish at Martinsville Speedway, second only to Jeff Gordon (7.85) among drivers
with more than one start there. Johnson finished eighth at Martinsville in this race one year ago and third there last
October.
Fourth
Mark Martin finished sixth in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and remained fourth in the 2006
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 10th in the point standings. Martin has scored
nine straight top-15 finishes, since Atlanta last October. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in October 2005 -
Accident) in the 29 races since Dover in June 2005. Martin has competed in 40 races at Martinsville scoring two
victories (April 1992 and 2000). His 21 top-10 Martinsville finishes are the most among active full-time drivers
there. However, Martin has scored only one top-10 finish in his last six races at the Virginia short track. He
finished third in this race one year ago and 34 there last October. Despite his current streak of bad finishes, Martin
has a 13.175 average finish at Martinsville.
Fifth
Kyle Busch finished eighth in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and climbed from eighth to fifth
in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 22nd in the point standings. Busch
has scored three top-10 finishes in 2006. His only finish outside the top-15 this season was his 23rd-place finish at
Daytona. He has competed in just two races at Martinsville finishing 39th in this race one year ago and ninth there
last October. Busch has a 24.0 average finish at Martinsville Speedway. Busch has never led at Martinsville
Speedway.
Sixth
Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 11th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and climbed from seventh
to sixth in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 17th in the point standings.
Earnhardt has scored two top-10 finishes in 2006. His only finish outside the top-15 this season was his 27thplace
finish at Las Vegas. He has competed in 12 races at Martinsville scoring five top-10 finishes, all top fives.
He has finished 13th or worse in his last three races at Martinsville. Earnhardt has a 15.25 average finish at
Martinsville Speedway. He has led in only four of his 12 races at Martinsville.
Seventh
Jeff Gordon finished 21st in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and dropped from sixth to seventh
in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Gordon ranked 26th in the point standings after Daytona.
He ranked 12th in the standings at this point one year ago. Gordon has competed in 26 races at Martinsville
Speedway scoring seven victories and 20 top-10 finishes. He finished first in this race one year ago and first again
there last October. Gordon has posted victories in four of his last six races at Martinsville. He has top-10 finishes
in his last six races at Martinsville. Gordon has a 7.85 average finish at Martinsville Speedway the best among all
drivers with more than one start there.
Eighth
Casey Mears finished 25th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway his worst finish of the season and
dropped from fifth to eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Mears scored top-10 finishes in the
first three races and then finished 21st and 25th in the last two races. One year ago he ranked 26th in the point
standings. Mears has competed in six races at Martinsville Speedway never finishing better than 17th. Mears has
never scored a top-10 finish on a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup short track. Mears finished 17th in this race one year
ago and 22nd there last October. He has a 26.3 average finish at Martinsville Speedway, the worst among the
current top 10.
Ninth
Tony Stewart finished 12th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and climbed from 12th to ninth
in the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. It was his third top-15 finish in the first five races of the
season. Stewart has led at least one lap in all five races this season. He has competed in 14 races at Martinsville
Speedway scoring one victory (October 2000) and seven top-10 finishes. Stewart finished 26th in this race one
year ago and second there last October, his best Martinsville finish since his October 2000 victory. Stewart led the
most laps in both races at Martinsville in 2005. He led 247 of the 500 laps in the spring and followed with 283 of
the 500 in the fall race. Stewart has a 14.0 finishing average at Martinsville.
10th
Dale Jarrett finished 20th in the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and dropped from ninth to 10th in
the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked eighth in the point standings. Jarrett
has scored two top-10 finishes in 2006 and all five of his finishes this season have been top-20s. He has competed
in 39 races at Martinsville posting one victory (April 2001) and 18 top-10 finishes. He finished 14th in this race
one year ago and 31st there last fall. He has posted only one top-10 finish in his last six races at Martinsville
Speedway. Jarrett has a 14.73 average finish at Martinsville Speedway. Despite competing in 39 races at
Martinsville Jarrett has led in only four races at the Virginia short track totaling 144 laps.
