NASCAR made its way to the shortest track in the Cup series this weekend, Martinsville Speedway. As we alluded to in the preview, this track is the root of many feuds and chaos in history. And this time around the paperclip had its fair share of surprises. Despite poor weather forecasts putting the race in jeopardy, the race graciously finished all 400 laps uninterrupted.
I gave you a preview earlier this week of who I thought would perform on this short track and what to look for. So, we’ll recap this race, and then take a look at how those five drivers panned out. Much like last week, let’s go stage by stage, and deliver the highlights from the NOCO 400!
STAGE 1
The race started out with some new faces at the top. #41 Ryan Preece, after making headlines last week at Bristol for his contact with #5 Kyle Larson, led the way winning the pole. #99 Daniel Suarez, #10 Aric Almirola, #14 Chase Briscoe, and #19 Martin Truex Jr rounded out the top five. Stewart-Haas Racing was well-represented at Martinsville Speedway early on.
This weekend also marked the return of Chase Elliott to the #9 car. He starts at P24 after breaking his leg six weeks ago. In other pre-race headlines, #22 Joey Logano suffered a pre-race water leak that would force him to start from the back of the line.
The race began and the first stage at Martinsville Speedway went caution less! An unforeseen event for sure. Lots of clean racing in the first 80 laps, and the top performers weren’t complaining as many stayed in place. Preece took the stage win, leading every lap. With Almirola and Suarez holding second and third. Some new faces enter the top five though. Truex fell with some early adjustments needed and Bubba Wallace in the #23 and Kevin Harvick in the #4 would round out the top five at the end of the first stage.
STAGE 2
The top five at the restart went to Preece, Suarez, Almirola, #17 Tyler Reddick, and Harvick. Briscoe fell four spots with a penalty and #8 Kyle Busch would get caught speeding on pit road and be forced to the back of the line.
Almirola would report issues on lap 102 with a tight lug nut on one of his wheels while chasing Preece in second place. He’d hang on another 30 laps when the first non-stage ending caution came out. Harrison Burton was spun around on turn two after #43 Eric Jones contacted his rear end.
Harrison Burton goes around. Here's what happened: https://t.co/bIJtVnTWus pic.twitter.com/VINeLxKq4T
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 16, 2023
The top five at the yellow flag included Preece, Almirola, Suarez, #48 Alex Bowman, and Harvick.
At pit road, Wallace, Truex Jr, and Preece would all get caught speeding coming out and would be forced to the back of the line. A tough break for some of the top-end cars so far at Martinsville Speedway this go-round.
After 10 caution laps, the restart had #1 Ross Chastain, who had his famous wall ride here back in the fall, Suarez, Almirola, #38 Todd Gilliland, and Harvick rounded out the top five. Chastain stayed out at the caution instead of taking the pit. The move would be a net gain, but he wouldn’t stay in the top five for long. At the end of stage two, Harvick was the winner. Briscoe, #11 Denny Hamlin, Reddick, and #6 Brad Keselowski were right behind him. This would be Harvick’s first stage win since 2020.
STAGE 3
At the stage restart, Briscoe, Harvick, Keselowski, Hamlin, and Almirola lead the way. Hamlin would make quick work of Keselowski, and at lap 260 he’d jump Briscoe for the lead and stay there for a majority of the final stage at Martinsville Speedway.
Stage three would run caution less for a long while, so the green flag pits would start at lap 291. #12 Ryan Blaney and Bowman would lead the way. And were quickly followed by others, including #16 A.J. Allmendinger. Unfortunately for the Dinger, who was running top 20 all day, got busted speeding down pit road, and would be sent to the back. An otherwise solid race was ruined.
Sneaky, sneaky. https://t.co/BQRmUbOYPu pic.twitter.com/33GxNBZP4m
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 16, 2023
The second caution of the day at the paperclip would come at lap 302 when the wheel of the #78 Anthony Alfredo would come right off and end his day. The top five at the yellow included Suarez, Wallace, Harvick, and Logano making a strong comeback opting to stay on the lead lap, and Hamlin staying strong.
Eric Jones would be penalized for improper fueling on his pit stop. But otherwise, everything was normal on this trip. The top five at the restart on lap 311 had Briscoe leading the way. Reddick, Larson, Suarez, and Harvick rounded out the rest of the leaders with 81 laps to go.
The next yellow came at lap 342. #15 J.J. Yeley had his brakes fail and his car went right into the wall. Shades of the “Hail Melon” from the last post-season. Just not as successful, and it would’ve been illegal anyways.
JJ Yeley is out of the car and done for the day in Martinsville. https://t.co/sVZO5uyH3Y pic.twitter.com/deZYfXo0fY
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 16, 2023
THE FINISH
The top five at the caution included the same characters, just in a different order. This time it was Briscoe, Larson, Reddick, Harvick, and Suarez. Pit Road delivered a new group of characters for the restart though. Logano found his way back to the lead. Almirola, Hamlin, #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr entered the top five, and Larson would complete the leaders. Unfortunately, Kevin Harvick’s Mustang would have issues on this restart. His wheel would be destroyed and forced to pit again. Harvick was sent to the back of the line as we come inside 50 laps to go.
Kyle Larson had an unusually great run here at Martinsville Speedway, he jumped from fifth to first in 20 laps as he jumped Logano for the lead. Logano had an impressive comeback himself, after suffering an early disadvantage thanks to that water leak.
Once Larson’s #5 car had the lead, they never looked back. The race would end caution less, and Larson would collect his first win at Martinsville, and his second on the season! Logano, Truex, Hamlin, and Briscoe would finish the top five as the NACO 400 comes to a close!
DRIVER SPOTLIGHT: #22 Joey Logano
As impressive as Larson’s win at Martinsville is, Logano should get a fair share of attention for what he did this race. Starting with that early obstacle with his car’s leak, and just never accepting defeat. He raced a clean race, and just climbed his way up to the top with good pit strategies and taking advantage of opportunities. In the end, the #5 was just faster than he was. Which isn’t unusual for anybody. Logano already has a win in the bag, so this won’t affect his playoff hopes. But this is a second-place finish you can’t be mad at. The #22 ran a damn good race for a car that was likely considered to be out of it from the get-go.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Per usual, I gave you all five drivers to look out for this race. So let’s revisit and see who made me look smart, and who let me down here at Martinsville Speedway.
The Studs
I picked a Toyota with Martin Truex Jr in the #19 and he finished inside the top five in third place. The 42-year-old driver overcame some early struggles and got back into the race after the final two pit stops. Truex Jr is usually great here at Martinsville and today was no different. He’s had issues early in races and having his car right from the jump. But he’ll be in victory lane the second he has it right the entire time. Maybe even without it.
The #11 of Denny Hamlin was my favorite of this race, and he placed in a respectable fourth place. He had a real chance to win the thing too. If it wasn’t for Yeley’s late contact with the wall drawing the final caution, there’s a good chance he takes yet another grandfather clock home. Hamlin is another racer who’s on the verge of figuring it out, and I’ll bet on him to be in victory lane real soon.
Another top 10 finish for me, with Ryan Blaney in his #12 rocket ship. After starting 31st, he quickly began flying up the position board. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite squeak into that top five. But Blaney was his usual standard of great here at the paperclip. Clean pitstops, good runs, Blaney had it all. A great race for him.
I had Chase Elliott on my list, not necessarily because I thought he’d do well, but because he was certainly a racer to watch. His return to the #9 car did not disappoint. He stagnated in the first two and a half stages. Starting in the mid-20s and pretty much staying there the entire time. But Elliott got his car right late, and like Truex, found himself flying up the leaderboard and finishing 10th. A fantastic return for Elliott, and he’ll look to take on Talladega Super Speedway next weekend.
The Dud
Brad Keselowski in his #6 Mustang really was my only dud, but he was great for stretches of the race here at Martinsville Speedway. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t quite stay there. Finishing 24th at the end of the race. Keselowski has been so close to finishing in a great spot a ton this season. He’s had one of the best Mustangs of the cup series. We’ll see if he can have a similar run to what he had in Atlanta next weekend at another Super Speedway, and get the checkered flag for the first time this year.
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