Information By: BRANDON LEE / RFK RACING – CONCORD, NC
Martinsville II Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Nov. 3
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Speedway, Virginia
Format: 500 Laps, 263 Miles, Stages: 125-125-250
TV: NBC
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 1:05 p.m. ET, Practice (NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 1:50 p.m. ET, Qualifying (NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2 p.m. ET, Race (NBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Pace Laps:
Martinsville Speedway hosts the penultimate race in the 2024 NASCAR season this weekend as the final event in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Playoffs.
Since the NextGen car was introduced, RFK has five top-10 starting efforts at Martinsville between Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher.
The Paperclip is the site of four Cup Series victories for Jack Roush over the years.
6 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Matt McCall
Partner: King’s Hawaiian
17 Team Info:
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: BuildSubmarines.com
Keselowski at Martinsville
Starts: 29
Wins: 2 (2017, 2019)
Top-10s: 17
Poles: 1 (2020)
Keselowski, a two-time winner at Martinsville, is set for his 30th Cup start at ‘The Paperclip.’
Martinsville stands as one of Keselowski’s best tracks statistically with an average finish of 13.6. His most recent trip resulted in a 24th-place finish this spring after starting 13th.
He has finished top-10 in 55 percent of his starts at the half-mile track. Of the 17 top-10s, 12 have been inside the top five. He earned his first Grandfather clock back in 2017 and won the same race two years later in the spring.
He carries an average starting position of 11.4 into the weekend with 16 starts inside the top-10 and one pole (2010).
He’s qualified 10th or better in seven of the last nine races at Martinsville, including P10 last fall.
Keselowski also made four Truck Series starts from 2004-07.
Buescher at Martinsville
Starts: 18
Wins: —
Top-10s: 2
Poles: —
Buescher is coming off his career-best finish at Martinsville last fall (P8), and makes his 19th start at ‘The Paperclip.’
He finished 15th this spring, and has finished top-15 at Martinsville in six of the last seven races.
Buescher has an average starting position of 21.9 at Martinsville and is coming off some of his best qualifying efforts to date.
RFK Historically at Martinsville
Cup Wins: 4 (Mark Martin, 1992, 2000; Jeff Burton, 1997; Kurt Busch, 2002)
For Whom the Bell Tolls: RFK has earned four Grandfather Clocks at Martinsville with former drivers Mark Martin (two), Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch. RFK most recently went to victory lane with Busch in Oct. 2002.
Rock Around the Clock: RFK had its overall most-successful outing at Martinsville in the spring of 2002 when it placed all four of its cars inside the top-10 with drivers Martin, Burton, Busch and Matt Kenseth.
Closing Time: RFK earned a one-two finish in the April 9, 2000, event at Martinsville with former drivers Martin and Burton. Martin paced the field for 64 laps en route to the victory.
Short-Track Prowess: RFK has started a total of 716 NCS races on short tracks, recording a total of 24 wins, 127 top-five finishes, 257 top-10 finishes and 8,100 laps led.
Tale of the Tape: RFK has started 230 NCS races at Martinsville, recording four victories, 26 top-five finishes, 70 top-10 finishes, an average finish of 17.9 and has led 1,385 laps. RFK also boasts two NASCAR Truck Series wins in 46 starts at Martinsville (fall of ’03 and ’05).
RFK Martinsville Wins
1992-1 Martin Cup
1997-2 Burton Cup
2000-1 Martin Cup
2002-2 Busch Cup
2003-2 Wood Truck
2005-2 Craven Truck
Last Time Out
Homestead: Buescher overcame starting from the rear – and being spun on pit road – to finish 15th, while Keselowski earned a P17 finish.