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Martinsville: NASCAR Sprint Cup Starting Line-up & Race Preview
By Mike Sulka
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series has been coming to Martinsville Speedway since 1949. In all, 121 races have been run at the .526-mile short oval. And the word that best describes the little-short-track-that-could is dominance. The legendary Richard Petty won here 15 times during his stellar career. Darrell Waltrip dominated his era with 11 career wins at Martinsville.
In the modern era, four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon has shown remarkable strength here with seven career wins. Though over the last 10 races, it has been three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson who has taken over with an amazing six wins over those 10 visits. Even more amazing, he has taken five of the last six races - including the March visit earlier in the year.
In all, Team Chevy drivers have won 10 of the last 11 races held at Martinsville, and nine of the last ten races have been won by Hendrick Motorsports drivers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.
Other than Gordon & Johnson, only Tony Stewart and Mark Martin have multiple wins - two each - among active racing in today's field. And both drivers could use a win to make up ground in the 'Chase'.
But Martinsville is the perfect answer for the Hendrick squad, and if Jeff Gordon is looking to move up into second in NASCAR Sprint Cup points as he hopes to make the 'Chase' a real race, today is his time to answer the call.
But its illogical for us not to pick Jimmie Johnson to extend his dominance of Martinsville, and extend his lead in the 2009 'Chase' for NASCAR's Sprint Cup. Johnson is on a roll having won three of the last four races, and now that he has the point lead, he has accelerated away from the pack.
As for the rest of the field, keep an eye on:
Jeff Gordon - His success is noted above Mark Martin - He has the right team and power-plant Juan Montoya - He's been racing extremely well in the 'Chase' and could surprise at any time.
So enjoy today's race, Martinsville always plays its part in the fall color tour with lots of.... Yellow!
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Starting Line Up by Row
Martinsville Speedway
TUMS Fast Relief 500 (61st Running)
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, October 23, 2009 @ 04:55 PM Eastern
Track Race Record: Jeff Gordon 09/22/96 03:11:54 82.223
| Row |
Pos |
Car |
Driver |
Team |
Time |
Speed |
| 1 |
1 |
39 |
Ryan Newman |
U.S. Army Chevrolet |
19.563 |
96.795 |
|
2 |
24 |
Jeff Gordon |
Dupont / NationalGuard.com Chevrolet |
19.619 |
96.519 |
| 2 |
3 |
1 |
Martin Truex Jr. |
Vaseline MEN Body Lotion Chevrolet |
19.621 |
96.509 |
|
4 |
5 |
Mark Martin |
Kellogg's / CARQUEST Chevrolet |
19.622 |
96.504 |
| 3 |
5 |
00 |
David Reutimann |
Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota |
19.701 |
96.117 |
|
6 |
07 |
Casey Mears |
Jack Daniel's Chevrolet |
19.714 |
96.054 |
| 4 |
7 |
20 |
Joey Logano # |
Farm Bureau Toyota |
19.718 |
96.034 |
|
8 |
96 |
Bobby Labonte |
DLP Ford |
19.723 |
96.010 |
| 5 |
9 |
43 |
Reed Sorenson |
McDonald's Dodge |
19.726 |
95.995 |
|
10 |
29 |
Kevin Harvick |
Shell / Pennzoil Chevrolet |
19.744 |
95.908 |
| 6 |
11 |
12 |
David Stremme |
No. 12 Penske Dodge |
19.745 |
95.903 |
|
12 |
88 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet |
19.760 |
95.830 |
| 7 |
13 |
14 |
Tony Stewart |
Old Spice / Office Depot Chevrolet |
19.761 |
95.825 |
|
14 |
6 |
David Ragan |
UPS Ford |
19.763 |
95.815 |
| 8 |
15 |
48 |
Jimmie Johnson |
Lowe's Chevrolet |
19.771 |
95.777 |
|
16 |
44 |
A J Allmendinger |
Coleman Natural Foods Dodge |
19.772 |
95.772 |
| 9 |
17 |
11 |
Denny Hamlin |
FedEx Freight Toyota |
19.774 |
95.762 |
|
18 |
82 |
Scott Speed # |
Red Bull Toyota |
19.806 |
95.607 |
| 10 |
19 |
33 |
Clint Bowyer |
BB&T Chevrolet |
19.812 |
95.578 |
|
20 |
16 |
Greg Biffle |
3M / Filterete Ford |
19.813 |
95.574 |
| 11 |
21 |
42 |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Target Chevrolet |
19.819 |
95.545 |
|
22 |
31 |
Jeff Burton |
Caterpillar Chevrolet |
19.828 |
95.501 |
| 12 |
23 |
26 |
Jamie McMurray |
Crown Royal Ford |
19.833 |
95.477 |
|
24 |
83 |
Brian Vickers |
Red Bull Toyota |
19.843 |
95.429 |
| 13 |
25 |
37 |
Travis Kvapil |
Long John Silver's Dodge |
19.853 |
95.381 |
|
26 |
9 |
Kasey Kahne |
Budweiser Dodge |
19.855 |
95.371 |
| 14 |
27 |
34 |
John Andretti |
A & W All American Hamburger Chevrolet |
19.863 |
95.333 |
|
28 |
87 |
Joe Nemechek |
NEMCO Motorsports Toyota |
19.869 |
95.304 |
| 15 |
29 |
99 |
Carl Edwards |
Aflac Ford |
19.875 |
95.275 |
|
30 |
98 |
Paul Menard |
Schrock / Menards Ford |
19.876 |
95.271 |
| 16 |
31 |
77 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
Mobil 1 Dodge |
19.882 |
95.242 |
|
32 |
17 |
Matt Kenseth |
DeWalt Ford |
19.884 |
95.232 |
| 17 |
33 |
7 |
Robby Gordon |
Schrock / Menards Toyota |
19.886 |
95.223 |
|
34 |
47 |
Marcos Ambrose |
Little Debbie / Kingsford / Clorox Toyota |
19.892 |
95.194 |
| 18 |
35 |
71 |
David Gilliland |
TRG Motorsports Chevrolet |
19.918 |
95.070 |
|
36 |
55 |
Michael Waltrip |
NAPA Adaptive One Brakes Toyota |
19.936 |
94.984 |
| 19 |
37 |
2 |
Kurt Busch |
Miller Lite Dodge |
19.956 |
94.889 |
|
38 |
09 |
Sterling Marlin |
Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort Dodge |
19.977 |
94.789 |
| 20 |
39 |
66 |
Dave Blaney |
PRISM Motorsports Toyota |
19.998 |
94.689 |
|
40 |
19 |
Elliott Sadler |
Best Buy Dodge |
20.004 |
94.661 |
| 21 |
41 |
18 |
Kyle Busch |
M&M's / Halloween Toyota |
20.006 |
94.652 |
|
42 |
36 |
Michael McDowell |
Wave Energy Drink Toyota |
20.009 |
94.637 |
| 22 |
43 |
64 |
Derrike Cope |
Gunselman Racing Toyota |
20.244 |
93.539 |
|
14 |
0 |
Ford |
7 |
0 |
|
|
9 |
1 |
Toyota |
13 |
0 |
|
Did Not Qualify: # 73 Josh Wise.
Manufacturer Starting Lineup DNQs Manufacturer Starting Lineup DNQs
PaddockTalk Perspective
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