Burton, Johnson Poised For TUMS QuikPak 500 Showdown

Jimmie Johnson loves Martinsville Speedway. So does Jeff Burton. 

It's a perfect scenario for the two top-rated drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup headed into the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway Sunday. It's not bad for fans either.

Burton won the Bank of America 500 Saturday night, his 21st career Sprint Cup win and second of the season. Johnson, who has been bulletproof in the Chase, struggled at times to finish sixth. 

Burton leapfrogged from fourth to second in the points and comes into the TUMS QuikPak 500 69 points behind Johnson.

In overall performances at Martinsville, Johnson has a pretty big edge over Burton. He has four wins and nine top 5s on the difficult half-mile while Burton has one win and 10 top 5s.

But Burton may have a couple of aces-in-the-hole headed into the sixth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He has momentum on his side and he's coming home.

Not only did he win in Charlotte Saturday night, he finished third behind Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon in the Goody's Cool Orange 500 in the spring, led a good portion of the race and left Martinsville leading the points race.

And there’s the home-track advantage. Burton grew up in South Boston, an hour east of Martinsville, and long before he was racing Sprint Cup cars on the historic short tracks, he was beating and banging around the tight oval in Late Models.

He also made his first Nationwide Series start at Martinsville and notched his first Nationwide Series victory at Martinsville.

"There's no question when I come to Martinsville, it's different,"; Burton said earlier this fall. "There are a lot of people who come watch me race at Martinsville and watch Ward (his brother) race, that not only saw us grow up as race car drivers, but saw us grow up as people.

"There are a lot of people who supported us when no one knew who we were who are still in the stands today. We take a lot of pride in that. It is different racing at your hometown track. There's an extra level of intensity that comes with it. You always want to win in your backyard."

If Burton has been good at Martinsville, Johnson has been nothing short of amazing. His fourth in the Goody's Cool Orange 500 earlier this year was his worst finish in two years at Martinsville. In 13 Martinsville starts, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has four wins, nine top 5s and11 top 10s.

"They've been incredible at Martinsville," Burton said after Saturday night's win. "I mean Hendrick in general, between Jeff and Jimmie, they've been ... I mean, give them the (grandfather) clock. It seems like they've been unbelievably fast (at Martinsville)."

After a not-so-good night in Charlotte, Johnson was already looking forward to the TUMS QuikPak 500.

"I feel good about Martinsville,” Johnson said in a post-race interview Saturday night. '"Right now I'm upset about tonight. But you know, tomorrow, Tuesday, whatever it is, I'll be ready for Martinsville. I think we'll be real good over there.

"It's been a great track to us. I'm excited to go there. Hopefully we can take advantage of going to a good track."

Tickets for the TUMS QuikPak 500, the sixth race in the Chase For The Sprint Cup, are on sale and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.