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SUBWAY 500 Pivotal In Chase Race
Tony Stewart should be a force at Martinsville again this fall. |
A year ago, the SUBWAY 500 at Martinsville Speedway was the race that changed the Chase. All but one position changed in last fall's SUBWAY 500 at Martinsville Speedway, shuffling the deck for the final four races. As the only short-track stop in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, expect the same type of action this time around in the SUBWAY 500 on October 21.
Jimmie Johnson, the points leader heading into the Chase, has been exceptionally strong at Martinsville. He won the SUBWAY 500 last fall and came back with a win in the Goody's Cool Orange 500 in the spring. He has three wins in just 11 Martinsville starts.
His Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon, second in the points at the start of the Chase, is the reigning king of Martinsville with seven wins and 16 top-five finishes in 29 starts on the half-mile oval.
Native Virginian Denny Hamlin could be the SUBWAY 500 dark horse, though. He has just four Martinsville Cup starts, but was second last fall, third in the spring and won the pole for the Goody's Cool Orange 500 in the spring. He's just in his sophomore Cup season, but has tons of Martinsville experience after running several Late Model Stock events here.
The difficult and tight Martinsville Speedway racing surface may be the biggest player in the SUBWAY 500. It always produces tight, action-packed racing. Last fall there were 16 lead changes and 18 caution periods.
Following is a look at how the 12 drivers in the Chase have fared at Martinsville:
• Jimmie Johnson: 11 Martinsville starts; 3 wins; 7 top fives; 9 top 10s
• Jeff Gordon: 29 Martinsville starts; 7 wins, 16 top 5s; 23 top 10s
• Tony Stewart: 17 starts, 3 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top 10s
• Carl Edwards: 6 starts, 0 top five, 0 top 10, best finish, 12th
• Kurt Busch: 14 starts 1 win, 2 top 5, 3 top 10, won pole here last fall
• Denny Hamlin: Four Martinsville starts; 2 top fives, 3 top 10. second last fall, third in spring, pole win in the spring.
• Jeff Burton: 27 Martinsville starts; 1 win; 9 top fives; 14 top 10s
• Kevin Harvick: 12 Martinsville starts; 4 top 10s.
• Kyle Busch: Five Martinsville starts; 2 top 5; 3 top 10s, fourth in the spring race.
• Martin Truex: Three Martinsville starts, 0 top fives; 0 top 10s, best finish 19th
• Matt Kenseth: 15 Martinsville starts; 0 top fives; 4 top 10s
• Clint Bowyer: Three Martinsville starts, 0 top fives; 0 top 10s, best finish, 11th.
Tickets for both the SUBWAY 500 on Sunday, October 21, and the Kroger 200 NASACAR Craftsman Truck Series race, on Saturday, October 20, are on sale and can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. SUBWAY 500 tickets may also be purchased online at www.racetickets.com
Ticket prices for the SUBWAY 500 range from $40 to $77. Tickets for the Kroger 200 are $37 in advance. Kroger 200 tickets for children ages 6 to 12 are $5. SUBWAY 500 tickets for children 12-and-under are free when an adult purchases a regularly-priced ticket on the backstretch for the October 21 race.
The child's ticket must be picked up at the ticket office when the adult ticket is purchased. All children need reserved ticket to get into the backstretch grandstands, so when buying adult tickets, please make ticket agent aware of the number of children's tickets needed.
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