Martinsville mystique: Historic photos from the timeless track

By Staff report | Tuesday, April 6, 2021

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As the NASCAR Cup Series visits Martinsville for its spring racce, we revisit memorable photos from the track's rich history.

1949: Red Byron campaigned the 1949 Raymond Parks Oldsmobile to the top at the track's opening 100-miler for Strictly Stock cars.

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ISC Archives via Getty Images

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1960: Richard Petty is still the youngest winner at Martinsville Speedway. In 1960, when he was 22 years, 9 months, 8 days old, Petty piloted the No. 43 Plymouth to Victory Lane.

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1964: Fred Lorenzen had an incredible season on the NASCAR Cup circuit. His Holman-Moody team entered him in 16 Cup events, and he won half of them, including five starts in a row. He won both Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races held at Bristol Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway. Plus, he was the first recipient of the famous grandfather clock trophy.

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1979: Richard Petty (No. 43) also owns the record for most victories at Martinsville with 15. His final one came in 1979, and here he hugs the car of Buddy Baker down the Martinsville straightaway. Baker was runner-up to Petty this day, four seconds behind the winner in his No. 28 Chevrolet.

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1987: Darrell Waltrip ranks second in total wins at Martinsville, with 11. Here he celebrates taking the checkered flag in the Goody's 500 on Sept. 27, 1987. Waltrip would win three of the next four races at Martinsville, as well.

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1991: Harry Gant (No. 33) leads Mark Martin (No. 6) on his way to winning the Goody's 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The win was Gant's fourth in a row during the latter half of the 1991 season, earning him the nickname 'Mr. September.' This win also earned Gant the record for oldest winner at Martinsville at 51 years, 8 months, 12 days.

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2006: We're pretty sure grandfather clocks don't like champagne, but Jimmie Johnson has nine of them. Among them are one from this Subway 500 fall race in 2006, and most recently, one from fall of 2016.

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2011: Tony Stewart's third win at the 0.526-mile track was one for the history books. During post-race interviews, 'Smoke' boldly declared that points leader Carl Edwards 'better be worried' about his eight-point edge in the standings. Counting this race, Stewart went on to win three of the season's final four races to edge out Edwards (in a tiebreaker) for his third NASCAR Cup Series title.

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2013: Darrell Wallace Jr. became the first African-American to ever win in the Camping World Truck Series, and joined Wendell Scott as the only African-Americans to win a NASCAR national event. Wallace would repeat as the fall race winner in 2014 as well.

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2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured an elusive Martinsville win for his final victory with crew chief Steve Letarte before Letarte left for the NBC broadcast booth.

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2015: Even after 70 years, history is still being written at Martinsville. Rising young star Chase Elliott got his first NASCAR Cup Series start at 'The Paperclip' in 2015. The No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet got roughed up in the notorious bumping and banging at the short track and Elliott finished 38th.

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2015: Jeff Gordon earned his final NASCAR Cup Series win at the short track; which locked him into the championship-determining race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. His 'We're going to Homestead' chant warmed the hearts of the entire NASCAR community, perfectly capping off his legendary career.

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2018: Clint Bowyer finally ended the longest winless drought of his career -- 190 races -- by picking up his first Martinsville Grandfather Clock in the spring race. The exuberant afternoon was capped with Bowyer running to celebrate his family in one of the most notable NASCAR photos of all time.

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Sean Gardner | Getty Images

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2018: Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. battled to the end in this one, with the Team Penske driver putting the bumper to Truex's Toyota on the final lap to move him out of the way and take the checkered. The scene of seeing the pair slide across the finish line with Denny Hamlin nearly sneaking by will be etched in our memories for years to come.

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2019:Brad Keselowski crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Keselowski led 446 of 500 laps in the race.

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2020: Martin Truex Jr. notches his second straight Martinsville win -- the second coming in the first scheduled night race for the Cup Series in track history.

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2020: Harrison Burton wins the first Xfinity Series race at Martinsville since 2006. Harrison's dad Jeff won at Martinsville in the Cup Series in 1997.

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2020: Chase Elliott punches his ticket into the Championship 4 with a victory at Martinsville. Elliott would go on to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship a week later.

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