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NASCAR: Who’s hot, who’s not heading to Martinsville

By Mike Knapp

MARTINSVILLE, VA - APRIL 02: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Axalta Chevrolet, Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 STP Ford, wreck during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 2, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
MARTINSVILLE, VA - APRIL 02: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Axalta Chevrolet, Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 STP Ford, wreck during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 2, 2017 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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The NASCAR Cup Series heads to a short track for the first time this season. Who is ready to take Martinsville by storm? Who needs to pack a warmer coat?

The NASCAR Cup Series has raced on five tracks ranging from one mile (Phoenix) to 2.5 miles (Daytona) long so far this season. This weekend, the series moves back across the country to the 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia for the STP 500. Who’s hot and who’s not heading into the first short track race of the season?

Who’s hot

Martin Truex Jr.: With Kevin Harvick’s 35th place finish at Auto Club Speedway this past Sunday, Truex Jr. takes over as the driver with the hottest hand. He swept the weekend in California, winning the pole, both stages and the race. He now sits atop the points standings. Not only that, but he is the only driver with four top 5 finishes so far this season.

Kyle Busch: About the only thing Busch is missing this year is a win. In the last three weeks, he’s finished second at Las Vegas, second at Phoenix and third at Fontana, respectively. He’s led laps and he has a stage win. His first victory of 2018 will come soon, possibly even this weekend. He comes to Virginia having finished second and first, respectively, in the two Martinsville races from a year ago.

Denny Hamlin: Hamlin is in the same situation as Busch. He’s been great all year, but he is still seeking his first win. On Sunday, he drove from his 25th starting position to finish sixth to notch his fourth top 10 finish of the year. The Chesterfield, Virginia native heads to his home track looking to win there for the sixth time.

Joey Logano: Logano is quietly putting together a nice season. He has finished all five races, he has completed all but one lap of competition and he has four top 7 finishes. Sunday’s fifth place finish at Fontana was his second top 5 result of the season. His average finish of 8.2 is the fourth best in the series. 

Who’s not

Mother Nature: Weather-wise, the series has been fairly fortunate this season. That might change this weekend. With a chance of rain (or snow) on Saturday and low temperatures all weekend, it might make for a miserable experience at Martinsville. While Martinsville does have lights, the possibility of racing after dark when temperatures are in the 30s doesn’t sound like fun for anyone involved.

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Kevin Harvick: Sure, Harvick has been on the “hot” list since practically the start of the season, but when you wreck on a straightaway 80 miles into a race, you wind up here. As competitive as the NASCAR Cup Series is, drivers can’t have too many weekends like this. His three wins are bookended by a 31st place finish  at Daytona and a 35th place finish at Fontana on Sunday.

Kurt Busch: Busch’s 2018 season so far could best be described as “lukewarm”. He has crashed out of two races and has a best finish of eighth, which came at Atlanta. This past Sunday, he finished a lap down in 14th place. While his performances aren’t as much of a cause for alarm as the performances of some other drivers and teams, by Busch’s standards, he is struggling.

Jimmie Johnson: While Johnson earned his first top 10 of the season this past  Sunday with a ninth place finish at Fontana, Hendrick Motorsports isn’t really a place for participation trophies. Johnson got off to an awful start last season, too. Then, after a 15th place finish at Martinsville, he won three of the next seven races. Of course, the entire team is having issues, but a seven-time champion can’t hide from the scrutiny, nor can the three younger drivers in the stable.

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Between the weather and the normal craziness of short track racing, the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia could prove to be an interesting race when it unfolds. It is set to unfold at 2:00 pm ET on Sunday, March 25th, and it is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 at that time.

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