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Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing short track in Ridgeway, Virginia, just south of Martinsville. It has such nicknames as "The Paper Clip", the "Half Mile of Mayhem" and "The Augusta National of Racing". The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by partners H. Clay Earles, Henry Lawrence and Sam Rice. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. It's first race had seats for 750 people, but saw over 7,000 show up. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the

straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns. The track is called 'the paperclip" because it had long straights and sharp, tight corners resembling a paperclip. It is banked only 12° in the turns. The track was paved in 1955 and in 1956 it hosted its first 500-lap event. The track is unusual, as the Norfolk Southern Railway tracks run close behind the track's backstraight. Even now, it is normal to see the large freight trains lumber slowly down the tracks, as a race is being held. In 2005, an agreement was made with the railway to move the track further away from the back stretch to make room for additional seating. The first Cup race at Martinsville was in September 1949. It was NASCAR's first season, and the season was only eight races in length. This would be race number six on the schedule and be 200 laps. Alabama driver Red Byron, would claim the lead on lap 103 after Fonty Flock fell out with a broken

wheel and go on to win the race; and go on to win the first Cup Championship. Lee Petty finished second in the race three laps back. Curtis Turner became the first two time winner when he won in 1950 and 1951. Jim Paschal was the first back-to-back winner winning once in 1953 and both races in 1954. Fred Lorenzen became the first person to win three races in a row; and then won the following race making him have four wins in a row. Richard Petty showed his dominance from 1967 through1973. In the fourteen races ran, he went to victory lane ten times. By the 1970s, a combination of high-traction slick tires and high speed was putting

excessive wear on the asphalt surface. In 1976 the turns were repaved with concrete (a rare concept in the 1970s). When the concrete started becoming dislodged, the track was fully repaved with new concrete and asphalt. The track has hosted at least two Cup races ever since the inaugural event. In 1951, 35 cars would start the race, but when Curtis Turner took the checkered flag only four cars would still be running. In 1960, Richard Petty became the youngest winner at Martinsville, at 22 years, 283 days; to date. On September 22, 1991, Harry Gant became the oldest winner at 51 years, 255 days. It was Gant's fourth win in a row, earning him the nickname Mr. September. Until 1999, Martinsville was notorious for having two pit roads. The backstretch pit road was generally avoided

because if a team had to pit there during a caution, any car pitting on the front stretch had the advantage of pitting first and not having to adhere to pace car speed upon exiting their pit road. This was rectified when pit road was reconfigured to extend from the entrance of turn 3 to the exit of turn 2. Also in 1999, John Andretti would drive "King Richard's" historic #43 to the win, leading only four laps. On November 1, 2015, after the Chase and round eliminations had been introduced. Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano tangled. A few weeks prior, Logano had already gotten a win and was set to advance to the next round. Kenseth was leading late in the race, and he need to win that race to advance. Logano drove

into the turn, run into the back of Kenseth and crashed him. Needless to say 'pay back' was coming at some point. Then here at Martinsville it arrived. Logano needed to win to advance to the Championship race and had led over 200 laps. Kenseth's car had been damaged earlier in the race and had to go to the garage for repairs. He returned many laps down and Logano was leading by a wide margin with less than 50 laps to go. As they two entered turn 1; Logano lapped Kenseth; and Kenseth extracted his pound of flesh. He stood on the gas and drove Logano into the outside wall putting him out of the race. Jeff Gordon would go on to claim his final Cup win on the flat 1/2 mile. He was so excited he went up into the stands to celebrate with the fans. April 3, 2016 see Kyle Busch go from having no clocks to two.

He would sweep the weekend, winning both the Truck race on Saturday and Cup race on Sunday. On October 29, 2017, Chase Elliott was three laps away from his first NASCAR Cup Series win and a spot in the Championship 4. Contact from Denny Hamlin sent Elliott up the track and took his damaged #24 Chevrolet out of contention. An on-track confrontation came during the cool-down lap and Elliott's popularity soared. Then in 2020, Elliott needing a win to advance to his first Championship 4 -- delivered at Martinsville Speedway with a blistering performance that saw him lead 236 laps en route to the victory (and a Cup Series title a week later). After multiple late model races were forced to count caution laps in later segments in order to beat sunset, and the 2015 fall Cup race ended at sunset; the track announced on October 12, 2016, in a news conference with Campbell and Dale Earnhardt Jr., that the track would be adding a $5 million LED lighting package. Campbell said that the track did not then have plans in place for nighttime races but would provide flexibility in case of inclement weather. On Wednesday night, June 10, 2020 the first ever night race was held at Martinsville. Martin Truex would lead the final 131 laps to get the historic win. Martinsville has one of the most unique awards for their race winners. H Clay Earls wanted a unique trophy that paid tribute to the local area furniture industry. So, it was decided race winners would get a seven foot high Ridgeway Grandfather clock. It was first handed out to Fred Lorenzen in 1964 and is one of the most sought after trophies in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr stated "that thing’s sought after because the

drivers know it’s something they can put in their house and be proud of." Richard Petty has the most clocks as he won 15 times at the short track, including two before the clock was introduced in 1964. Next on the list is Darrell Waltrip with eleven, then Jeff Gordon and team mate Jimmie Johnson have nine each. Rusty Wallace has seven while Dale Earnhardt Sr, Fred Lorenzen, and Cale Yarborough all have six from the Cup Series. The clock is also given to winners of NASCAR's Xfinity, Truck and Modified series races.

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MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY - MARTINSVILLE VA