NASCAR team set for unexpected return at Martinsville Speedway

MBM Motorsports recently made their long-awaited return to the NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas (COTA), doing so with Timmy Hill behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford.

The Carl Long-owned team had not competed in a Cup Series race since April 2022 at Talladega Superspeedway, and because he had failed to qualify for the 2022 season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway with the team, Hill had not competed since the 2021 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

When it was announced that the team would be making their Cup Series return at COTA with Hill behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford, it was also revealed that they planned on running a 12-race schedule throughout the season.

MBM Motorsports making unexpected appearance

The other 11 races on that schedule included the regular season events at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 26, Iowa Speedway on Sunday, June 16, Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 30, the Chicago Street Course on Sunday, July 7, Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 21, and Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, August 24.

It also included the playoff races at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 21, Kansas Speedway on Sunday, September 29, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, October 13, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 20, and Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, November 10.

As a result, they did not compete in this past weekend's race at Richmond Raceway.

The only confirmed driver for any of these races was David Starr, who is set to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. It has since been confirmed that they also plan to enter the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday, May 19, again with Hill behind the wheel.

Now MBM Motorsports are on the entry list for this coming Sunday afternoon's race at Martinsville Speedway, which was not reported to be one of the races in which they had initially planned on competing.

They have not yet named a driver for this 400-lap Cook Out 400 at the four-turn, 0.526-mile (0.847-kilometer) Ridgeway, Virginia oval, but the No. 66 Ford is one of the 37 cars on the entry list. In fact, it is the only non-charter car on the entry list for Sunday's race.

The Cook Out 400 is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from Martinsville Speedway beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, April 7. Begin a free trial of FuboTV today if you have not already done so and don't miss it!