We are back on the east coast this weekend ladies and gentlemen. It is finally time to take a break from the mile and a half tracks. We are going to hit some pretty aggressive short tracks over the next couple of weeks, starting with Martinsville. This track has seen its fair share of exciting finishes especially in the not so distant past, but let’s talk about the present. I think this track has some potential to light a fire under certain drivers and teams and get the year rolling in the right direction. I’m going to throw out some things you might see this Sunday.
Hendricks Motorsports Rebound
It is no secret that this team has struggled once again to get the year going once again. My fellow belly up racing team member Rattlesnake has them fifth in is recent team rankings. Last year the team just couldn’t seem to grasp the new car. This year I guess it’s the new aero package, but if there is one track they could turn it all around its Martinsville. First off, aero doesn’t play as big of a roll at a track like “The Half Mile of Chaos.” The cars can beat and bang together and still have solid chances of winning or even finishing solidly in the top ten. Then you have this interesting statistic since February of 1984 at Martinsville, the average finish for HMS is around twelfth.
Hendricks motorsports has a combined twenty four wins, seventy eight top five’s, and one hundred twenty five top ten’s. This is THE track historically for HMS as a group. I mean amongst active drivers the best average finisher is Jimmie Johnson. The seven time champion has average finishing position of eighth, and has tallied up nine wins in thirty four starts. Those are some crazy stats when sitting down and looking them over. So, I look to see at least a collectively better race for the team as whole if they can all keep their noses clean.
Kyle Busch VS Who?
The man finally accomplished it last weekend with his win. Kyle Busch has two hundred career wins over all three national series. The thing is too in the last four races at Martinsville this man has practically been the best that there is on the track. His average finish is second, he has one win, and has not finished out of the top five in any of the previous four races. Honestly, he is already off to a hot start in the cup series. Kyle has won the past two races, and hasn’t finished out of the top ten all season. Last year around this time you had the talk of “The Big Three” this year there hasn’t been anyone as hot as “Rowdy.”
I think this weekend, you need to watch Atlanta winner Brad Keselowski to challenge Kyle more than most. In the last four races Brad has an average finish of fifth. That is second only to one man: Kyle Busch. Along with that he has the third highest average finish amongst active drivers. Brad has won one of the last four races here and only finished out of the top five once. I think he can more than compete with Kyle this Sunday.
Someone else I think you may need to keep an eye on are the other two parties from last year’s big three. Martin Truex has never one at Martinsville, but was awfully dang close last year. Without winning he has in the last four races an average finishing spot of sixth with three top five finishes. This could be the time he finally pulls it together and takes home a grandfather clock.
Kevin Harvick has just one win in thirty five starts here, but as of late like the Brad and Martin he has been solid. He has in the last four races only finished outside of the top ten once, with an average finishing position of tenth. Yes that isn’t the best but this team just hasn’t been able to put it together this season. After not leading a lap at his “playground” in Phoenix some would say that he is somewhat long over due to break into victory lane
Some other guys you may also want to watch for this weekend. Chase Elliott made his debut in this exact race. In the last four races he has led a combined one hundred forty three laps, one top five and two top ten’s. You could even say he should have one win if it wasn’t for this next guy on the watch list.
Virginia native Denny Hamlin is second amongst active drivers with five wins, but as of late hasn’t been as good. Could the fire from Daytona help him get another clock?
Last and definitely not least last year’s champion Joey Logano. Joey most recently put the bumper to Martin Truex to get his first win at “The Half Mile of Chaos.” Along with that in the last four races he has led a combined three hundred and sixty nine laps. Any of these guys could honestly wind up in victory lane Sunday evening.
Conclusion
I know the spring race isn’t normally the Martinsville race with all the headlines on Monday. What I am saying is that this year up to this point has been for the most part pretty good. Viewers are up, on track product hasn’t been horrible and it cannot be any worse than the weekend we had last year. So whether you are at the track on Sunday or on the couch sit back and enjoy the first short track race of the year. I look forward to watching myself and seeing what all my fellow race fans have to say after the race
