Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Cook Out 400

03/26/2025 01:38 AM

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia, going into the Cook Out 400 on Sunday, March 30, at 3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

Martinsville Speedway – Stats & Tidbits:
TRACK INFO & DATA
Season Race #: 7 of 36 (March 30, 2025)
Race Purse: $11,055,250
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch & Backstretch Length:  800 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 100 laps (ends on 180)
Final Stage Length: 220 laps (ends on 400)

QUALIFYING & RACE RECORDS

Track Qualifying Record:
Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, 100.201 mph, 18.898 secs. March 26, 2014

2024 Spring Martinsville Pole Winner:
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 96.034 mph, 19.718 secs. April 6, 2024

Track Race Record:
Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 82.223 mph, (3:11:55), September 22, 1996

2024 Spring Martinsville Race:
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 76.096 mph, (2:52:07), April 7, 2024

HISTORY

• Opened in September of 1947 by Henry Clay Earles, Martinsville Speedway, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldest continuously-operating race tracks in the United States.
• Located at an overgrown 30 acre cornfield just outside Martinsville. Construction of the track was soon underway in 1947 and ended up costing $60,000.
• The first NASCAR-sanctioned race at Martinsville Speedway was on July 4, 1948.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was on September 25, 1949, and was a 200 lap (100 mile) race that was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Red Byron driving an Oldsmobile for car owner Raymond Parks.
• The track was paved during the summer months of 1955. The first race at the track that season was on dirt (May 15) and the second race of the year was the first on the paved track (Oct. 16). Prior to paving the track, the Cup Series ran 12 races total on the dirt at Martinsville (1949-1955).
• The first 500-lap (250 mile) event at Martinsville Speedway was in 1956 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker from the pole position. Baker was driving a 1956 Dodge for car owner Carl Kiekhaefer.
• Concrete corners were added atop asphalt in 1976 at Martinsville Speedway.
• International Speedway Corporation (now NASCAR) purchased the privately owned Martinsville Speedway in 2004 for $192 million.
• In the past 20 years the track has stepped up its investment in improvements and additions to establish the once dusty ½ mile dirt track on 30 acres into a modern facility encompassing over 300 acres.
• In 2017, lights were added to Martinsville Speedway. The project cost an estimated $5 million to complete.
• In total, there have been 152 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Martinsville Speedway, one in the inaugural year and two races per year since 1950.
• Martinsville Speedway, at 152 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races, has hosted the second-most points paying events all-time, behind only Daytona International Speedway at 156.

STARTS

• A total of 656 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway; 429 have competed in more than one.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Martinsville Speedway with 67.
• The top five in Martinsville Cup Series starts are Richard Petty (67), Dave Marcis (55), Ricky Rudd (55), Ken Schrader (54) and Kyle Petty (54).
• Kyle Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway with 39 starts.
• The top five in Cup Series Martinsville starts among active drivers are Kyle Busch (39), Denny Hamlin (38), Joey Logano (32), Brad Keselowski (30) and Michael McDowell (28).
• In total, 82 different drivers have made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway (1949-2025).

• Chase Elliott (March 29, 2015) and Michael McDowell (March 30, 2008) are the only active drivers who have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Martinsville Speedway.
• The most recent driver to make their NASCAR Cup Series debut at Martinsville Speedway was Kyle Weatherman on October 29, 2017.
• The best finish by a driver making their first career start in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway was by Clyde Minter in 1949 when he started seventh and finished fourth. Minter was the only driver of the 82 to finish inside the top-five in his first appearance in the series at Martinsville Speedway.

Average Starting Positions

• Fonty Flock leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.125 in nine starts.
• Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Martinsville Speedway with an 8.438 in 32 starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• In total 63 different drivers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway; 31 of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners have won multiple poles.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Curtis Turner won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway in 1949.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Martinsville Speedway with eight poles (1979, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1992).
• Joey Logano leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in poles at Martinsville with five (2015 sweep, spring 2016, fall 2017 and spring 2019).
• This weekend, six of the 63 NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway pole winners are active.

• A total of 13 different drivers have won two or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Joey Logano who won three consecutive poles from 2015-2016.
• Five drivers have won three or more consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway in the series:
  • Glen Wood (fall of 1959 and 1960 sweep)
  • Darrell Waltrip (1979 sweep and spring 1980)
  • Mark Martin (fall of 1990 and 1991 sweep)
  • Jeff Gordon (2003 sweep and spring 2004)
  • Joey Logano (2015 sweep, 2016 spring)

• Youngest Cup Series Martinsville pole winner: Ricky Rudd (April 26, 1981 — 24 years, 7 months, 14 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Martinsville pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (April 26, 1987 — 45 years, 6 months, 14 days).
• A total of 13 different drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Martinsville Speedway; none are active this weekend.

• Six active organizations have won a pole at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Hendrick Motorsports with 20 poles among seven drivers leads the series in poles at Martinsville: Geoff Bodine (1984, ‘85, ‘86, ‘87, ‘89), Tim Richmond (1986), Jeff Gordon (2001, ‘02, ‘03 sweep, ‘04, ‘07, ‘08), Jimmie Johnson (2006, ‘12, ‘13), Kasey Kahne (2012), Chase Elliott (2022) and Kyle Larson (2022, '24).

• A total of 11 different manufacturers have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway, led by Chevrolet with 56 and followed by Ford (36), Dodge (10), Pontiac (9), Toyota (8), Buick (4), Hudson (4), Oldsmobile (4), Mercury (3), Chrysler (2) and Plymouth (2).
• Chevrolet holds the record for the most consecutive poles at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series at eight straight from 1983-1986.

WINS

• A total of 59 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway all-time, and 29 of the 59 different NASCAR Cup Series winners at Martinsville Speedway have won multiple times.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway was on September 25, 1949, and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Red Byron driving an Oldsmobile for car owner Raymond Parks.
• This weekend, 10 of the 59 different NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway winners will be active.

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 15 victories (1960, 1962, 1963, 1967 sweep, 1968, 1969 sweep, 1970, 1971, 1972 sweep, 1973, 1975, 1979) — tied with North Wilkesboro (R. Petty, 15 wins) for the most wins at a single track in the series.
• Denny Hamlin leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers in wins at Martinsville Speedway with five victories (2008, 2009, 2010 sweep, 2015).
• A total of 13 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Martinsville Speedway.
• Fred Lorenzen won the most consecutive Cup Series Martinsville races with four straight from the fall of 1963 through the spring of 1965.
• Martin Truex Jr. is the most recent driver to win consecutive Cup races at Martinsville (Oct. 2019; June 2020).
• A total of 12 different drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Martinsville Speedway; the most recent was Ricky Craven (10/15/2001).

• Youngest series Martinsville winner: Richard Petty (April 10, 1960 — 22 years, 9 months, 8 days).
• Oldest series Martinsville winner: Harry Gant (September 22, 1991 — 51 years, 8 months, 12 days).
• A total of 26 different starting positions have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville. Note: In four of the early races at Martinsville Speedway (1950, Spring 1953, Fall 1953 and Spring 1954), the starting positions were not provided on the official race reports; therefore, the below chart is based off the provided starting positions of the winners of the remaining 148 races.
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Martinsville, producing more wins than any other starting position (21 victories – a winning percentage of 14.2%).
• In total 16 different drivers have won at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series from the pole or first starting position: Jimmie Johnson (three), Darrell Waltrip (two), Fred Lorenzen (two), Jeff Gordon (two), Bobby Hamilton, Bobby Isaac, Buck Baker, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Denny Hamlin, Ernie Irvan, Geoff Bodine, Jim Paschal, Lee Petty, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins from the pole or first starting position at Martinsville Speedway with three (2008, 2012, 2013) Note:Jimmie Johnson won the 2008 Martinsville Cup race from the first starting position due to qualifying being cancelled due to weather.
• 36 of the 148 (24.3%) NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from the front row: 21 from the first starting position and 15 from the second starting position.
• The deepest in the field that a NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race winner has started is 36th, by Kurt Busch in the fall of 2002.
• The deepest in the field that a NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway race winner has started is 20th, by Christopher Bell in the fall of 2022.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Martinsville Speedway

Note: In four of the early races at Martinsville Speedway (1950, Spring 1953, Fall 1953 and Spring 1954), the starting positions were not provided on the official race reports; therefore, the below chart is based off the provided starting positions of the winners of the remaining 148 races. 

• Michael McDowell leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in starts without a win at Martinsville with 28 starts; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has the second-most starts without a win at Martinsville with 24.
• In total 39 different organizations have won at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 29 victories among nine drivers — Jeff Gordon (nine: 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003 sweep, 2005 sweep, 2013, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (nine: 2004, 2006, 2007 sweep, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016), Darrell Waltrip (four: 1987, 1988, 1989 sweep), William Byron (two: 2022, 2024), Geoffrey Bodine (one: 1984), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one: 2014), Chase Elliott (one: 2020), Alex Bowman (one: 2021), Kyle Larson (one: 2023).
• Of the 39 different organizations with Cup wins at Martinsville Speedway, six are active this weekend:

Active Organizations with Cup Wins at Martinsville Speedway

• A total of 11 manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:

• The first manufacturer to win in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway was Oldsmobile and the vehicle was driven by Red Byron.
• The longest consecutive wins streak a manufacturer has had at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series is eight straight wins by Chevrolet from 2011 — 2014.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes

• A total of 71 NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Martinsville Speedway, and 37 of 71 have multiple runner-up finishes at the half-mile track.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the NASCAR Cup Series in second-place finishes with seven runner-up finishes (1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000).
• Kyle Busch (2012, 2017, 2018, 2021) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville with four runner-up finishes each

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes

• A total of 159 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Martinsville Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 30; followed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon with 29.
• Denny Hamlin lead all active Cup drivers in top-five finishes with 20 top fives at Martinsville Speedway.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes

• A total of 272 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Martinsville.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway with 38 top 10s; followed by Richard Petty with 37.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top 10s at Martinsville with 26; followed Kyle Busch with 21.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish

• Dick Hutcherson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Martinsville Speedway with a 3.8 average finish in five starts.
• Ryan Blaney leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Martinsville Speedway with an 8.3 in 18 races.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS & LEAD CHANGES

• The most lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is 33, set in the March 30, 2014 race won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson.
• The fewest lead changes in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is one, and it has occurred three different times — 1950, 1958 and 1961.
• A total of 161 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have led at least one lap at Martinsville Speedway.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville Speedway with 3,851 laps led (29%) in 31 starts.
• Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the Cup Series in laps led at Martinsville with 2,448 (13%) in 38 starts.
• Chase Elliott leads all drivers in laps led at Martinsville in the Next Gen car with 515 (18.9%).

Top 10 in Laps Led at Martinsville Speedway (All-Time & Active)

• The most laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was 493 laps led of the scheduled 500 (98.6%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen on Sept. 27, 1964; he started from the pole.
• The most laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway in a Next Gen car was 212 laps led of the scheduled 403 (52.6%) by William Byron on April 9, 2022; he started from the fifth starting position.
• The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series driver that did not win the race at Martinsville Speedway was 432 laps led of the scheduled 500 (86.4%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison on Sept. 24, 1972; he started from the pole but finished second.
• The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series driver that did not win the race at Martinsville Speedway in a Next Gen car was 203 laps led of the scheduled 500 (40.6%) by Denny Hamlin on October 30, 2022; he started from the 11^th position but finished fifth.
• The fewest laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Martinsville Speedway was four laps of the scheduled 500 by John Andretti on April 18, 1999; he started the race 21st.

FEMALE COMPETITOR STATS

• Danica Patrick is the only female driver to compete at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Below are Patrick‘s stats at Martinsville.

TRACK/EVENT SPECIFIC STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the April 1, 2007 race won by Jimmie Johnson with a Margin of Victory of 0.065-second over second-place Jeff Gordon.

Top Five Closest NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Martinsville Speedway

• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the largest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is the November 1, 2020 race won by Chase Elliott with a Margin of Victory of 6.577-seconds over second-place Ryan Blaney.

Top Five Largest NASCAR Cup Series Margins of Victory at Martinsville Speedway

• Qualifying has been cancelled 14 times in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway:

• Eight NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been shortened due to weather:

• Nine NASCAR Cup Series races that have ended in Overtime at Martinsville Speedway:

• Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won the last three NASCAR Cup Series races at Martinsville that have concluded in overtime.

NASCAR IN VIRGINIA

• NASCAR national series have competed on 10 different tracks in the state of Virginia.

VIRGINIA IN NASCAR

• A total of 191 different drivers with their home state recorded as Virginia have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race.
• 20 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR‘s three national series.
• 11 of the 20 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• In total the drivers from Virginia have won 276 NASCAR national series races combined.

NASCAR National Series Winners From Virginia

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