Martinsville presents unusual challenges

CONCORD, N.C. -- When the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway hosts the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Virginia 500 this weekend, expect furious bumper-to-bumper racing.

Tony Stewart holds the qualifying record, putting down a lap of 95.371 mph (19.855 secs) in September of 2000. Dale Jarrett is the defending race winner after starting 13th last year and chasing down teammate Ricky Rudd for the victory.

"We should have raced at Martinsville a few more times last year," Jarrett joked. "We are looking forward to Martinsville because it is a good track for us, and I feel like we have a good race package for this weekend.

"I've been coming to Martinsville, literally, since I was a kid. I've always enjoyed racing there.

Credit: ASP

"It can get really tight out there when you put 43 cars on a half-mile track. The field tends to get stretched out and equipment wear becomes an issue.

"The thing is you have to be patient at Martinsville."

The oval of Martinsville is not only one of the oldest on the circuit, it's also one of the most unusual.

Bristol Motor Speedway is another half-mile track, but is higher-banked, rounder and totally concrete. Martinsville is flatter, more oblong and is made of concrete and asphalt. Concrete can be found in the lower portion of, and through, all four turns, while the front and backstretches are totally asphalt.

The combination makes for a tricky trek around the little oval in southwest Virginia.

John Andretti claimed his last series victory there in 1994. And though he has been in a dry spell since then, he has always enjoyed racing at Martinsville.

"I really don't know why I like going there more than most other tracks, but I always have," said Andretti, driver of the No. 43 Cheerios Dodge. "There is so much you need to get out of your car at a place like Martinsville. It makes it more challenging than other tracks.

"You race around for 500 laps and it's like asking a girl for the first date. You worry about so many things that might go wrong instead of the things that might go right.

"You have to worry about the brakes, keeping the front fender on the car and not running into other cars. It's all these factors that make Martinsville pretty tough.

"Martinsville is a pretty tough place to start with. You put 43 cars on that close of a track and it makes it really tough. It's the smallest track, the slowest track and, outside of the road courses, the flattest.

"For those reasons alone it makes it one of the most difficult. To win there is really special."

The one thing almost every driver can identify with is the size of Martinsville, which, along with its atmosphere, recalls the local short tracks on which many drivers began their career.

"Martinsville Speedway is one of my favorite tracks because it is a lot like the track I grew up on racing, Birmingham (Ala.) International Raceway," said Hut Stricklin, driver of the No. 23 Hills Bros. Coffee Dodge. "Both are relatively flat and the about the same size.

"However, Birmingham is a little bigger at 5/8-mile. We raced at BIR every Friday night for about eight years.

"You have to take care of your brakes to be successful at Martinsville. But, like any short track, track position is everything. So, qualifying is really important.

"Martinsville is a fun place to drive, challenging, and a place that, once the driver gets his rhythm down, he'll really run good. Sometimes you have to use your bumper there, which can make it interesting for the fans."