Could someone explain to me how NASCAR can go from a track that is known for big wrecks to one that turned into a wreckfest? Last week at Talladega, every driver and crew was concerned about the “big one” that could potentially take out many good cars in one single incident.
This week’s race was at the 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway, the shortest track on the circuit. Yes, every fan knows that come the end of the race, every car on the track will have some mark, dent or damage. It’s inevitable because of how close the racing is.
Then again, Sunday’s race was more of a crash fest. There were more cars facing backwards or sideways at some points than were facing in the right direction. There was a total of 18 caution flags for 108 laps that slowed the race, both were season-highs. It made for a near four-hour race that seemed to never end because drivers were banging into each other, tearing up sheet metal, and even trying to get payback in the hardest possible way.
Just look at Brian Vickers, who seemed to be the unfortunate pinball of Martinsville. He was involved in five cautions, none more key or odd than his incidents with Jamie McMurray and Matt Kenseth.
Vickers got into McMurray on lap 87, and the contact with the No. 1 put McMurray hard into the wall. Then, when McMurray was trying to come back around, his battery literally came spewing out from the car, and as he tried to get payback spun himself back into the outside wall.
Fast forward to lap 459, he tangles with Kenseth, who ends up in the outside wall with a torn up car. With six laps to go, he tried to get payback and spun himself out in the process.
The best part about all the contact on the track is that no matter how ugly the car looks come the end of the race, if it’s still pointing in the right direction, it can be competitive.
This example can be set by Jeff Gordon, who was involved in the first caution on lap 9. After getting the damage repaired to the best of his team’s ability, Gordon drove back to the front and took the lead on lap 235. At the end of the day, Gordon finished third. It didn’t help his points much, as he admits his run for the title is over, but he was gunning for the victory and nearly got it.
This kind of racing at Martinsville is typical. Every car looks spotless when on the grid and coming to the green flag. But usually once the cars roll through the second turn, at least one car has a mark somewhere on it.
By the end of 500 laps, each car looks like a hacksaw and sledgehammer were used on all corners and sides.
It’s no wonder fans have enjoyed this track for the last 62 years. Many more races will be like this at this track, meaning fans in Virginia are gonna have many more years of memories at the “Paper Clip.”
RESULTS: 1-Stewart 2-Johnson 3-Gordon 4-Harvick 5-Hamlin 6-Burton 7-Earnhardt Jr. 8-Truex Jr. 9-Edwards 10-Newman
NOTABLE FINISHES: 11-Allmendinger 14-Kurt Busch 17-Keselowski 27-Kyle Busch 31-Kenseth
CAUTIONS: 18 for 108 laps. Lap 9-21 (#11, 22, 24, 33, 37, 88 accident-T1), 29-35 (#36, 83, 87 accident-T3), 48-51 (#42, 83 accident-T4), 66-71 (#9, 00 accident-T2), 87-96 (#1, 83 accident-T3), 106-111 (#9, 42 accident-T4), 151-155 (#20, 88 accident-T3), 198-203 (#47, 71 accident-BS), 259-263 (#5 spin-T4), 362-368 (#34 accident-T1), 399-404 (#22, 31 accident-T2), 409-412 (#5, 71, 78 accident-T3), 416-419 (#16, 39 accident-T4), 428-432 (#22, 27 accident-T2), 459-462 (#17, 83 accident-T3), 465-473 (#17, 18, 20, 42 accident-T3), 476-478 (#22, 39 accident-T2), 494-497 (#83 spin-T3).
LEAD CHANGES: 23 among 12 drivers. Edwards POLE, Kenseth 1-3, Edwards 4-31, Stewart 32-39, Kyle Busch 40-54, Allmendinger 55-62, Hamlin 63-68, Newman 69-107, Allmendinger 108-118, Kyle Busch 119-151, Gilligland 152, Kvapil 153, Newman 154-155, Kyle Busch 156-203, Johnson 204, Kyle Busch 205-234, Gordon 235-319, Hamlin 320-371, Gordon 372-399, Harvick 400-412, Stewart 413-415, Harvick 416-437, Johnson 438-497, Stewart 498-500.
TIME OF RACE: 3 Hrs, 49 Mins, 52 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: 68.648 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 0.170 Seconds
2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup: 1. Edwards, 2273 points; 2. Stewart, -8; 3. Harvick, -21; 4. Keselowski, -27; 5. Kenseth, -36; 6. Johnson, -43; 7. Kyle Busch, -57; 8. Kurt Busch, -58; 9. Earnhardt Jr, -73; 10. Gordon, -76; 11. Hamlin, -80; 12. Newman, -89