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NASCAR: 5 Lessons Learned From The STP 500 at Martinsville

By Michael Guadalupe

Apr 2, 2017; Martinsville, VA, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) leads during the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; Martinsville, VA, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch (18) leads during the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Stages played a role in how hard drivers pushed at Martinsville. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Stages played a role in how hard drivers pushed at Martinsville. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Stages Made A Positive Impact

After watching 1.5 mile tracks and how stage racing struggles to get drivers to race harder (they were already pushing their cars around these types of tracks, how much faster could they go?), it was unsure just what stage racing would do at Martinsville Speedway.

Turns out it played a pretty big role in making the race a little more exciting.

One specific moment between Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on Lap 260 was what NASCAR was hoping for when they decided to implement stages.

At the end of the second stage Kyle Busch passed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to put him down a lap. But before Busch could cross the start-finish line in first, Stenhouse gave him two taps on the bumper to not only get back on the lead lap. but push Busch up the track.

It not only moved Busch out of place, but it allowed Chase Elliot to pass him and win the second stage of the STP 500.

Of course Busch wasn’t happy getting pushed out of the way, but this is the type of racing NASCAR wanted; they want drivers to do everything they can to fight for every little bit of position during the end of each stage.

It’s hard for drivers to fight for positioning on 1.5 mile tracks when a stage ends because of how much space can build up between them.

One short tracks like Martinsville though, stage racing seems to work as drivers are so close that they can fight hard for position and extra points, and in the case of Stenhouse Jr., bump the leader out of the way so you don’t go down a lap.

It will be interesting to see how stages impact other short tracks like Bristol and Dover, but for now NASCAR knows that stage racing worked at Martinsville.

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