Martinsville Speedway Pre-Race thread

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37 Cup cars entered for Martinsville. 15-Grala 16-Williams 66-TBA.
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Goodyear Fast Facts — Martinsville​

NASCAR Cup Series — Race No. 8 – 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile oval) – Martinsville, Va.
Fast Facts for April 6-7, 2024

Tire: Goodyear Eagle 18-inch Short Track Radials

Set limits: Cup: 1 set for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 9 sets for the race
(8 race sets plus 1 set transferred from qualifying)

Tire Codes:
Left-side — D-5234; Right-side — D-5236

Tire Circumference:
Left-side — 2,249 mm (88.54 in.);
Right-side — 2,278 mm (89.69 in.)

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 10 psi; Left Rear — 12 psi;
Right Front — 22 psi; Right Rear — 22 psi

Storyline – Short track stretch continues at Martinsville: The NASCAR Cup short track package is on display for the second race in a row and third time in five weeks at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Last November, Martinsville was the first track that Goodyear brought its tires with more tread gage (thickness) to match up with the series’ short track rules package, after testing the concept at Richmond Raceway last August. More gage in the tread helps keep some heat in the tires and contributes to more lap-time fall-off over the curse of a run. Martinsville is the shortest oval on the Cup circuit and teams are always challenged to find grip in the flat corners. For Goodyear, laying rubber in the concrete corners is also a goal, which also contributes to fall-off and creating a second racing groove. That process will be aided should the race day forecast of sunny skies and mid-60-degree temperatures holds up.

“We’ve had a good run on the short tracks recently, and we look for that to continue at Martinsville this weekend,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We went to a short track tire package with more gage late last year, trying to get more fall-off. We now come back with the same tire teams ran at Martinsville in that race in early-November so they have somewhat of a notebook started. After running at Phoenix and Richmond over the past several weeks, teams have now had several races with the thicker gage, which has produced some good racing.”

Notes – Cup cars on fall ’23 tire set-up at Martinsville: Being on 18-inch bead diameter tires, NASCAR Cup Series teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series at Martinsville this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires, that Cup teams ran at this track last November . . . Martinsville is the only track these teams will run either of these two tire codes . . . with this 18-inch tire, and its lower profile sidewall, NASCAR Cup cars do not run inner liners in any of their tires.

Wet Weather Tires – Goodyear bringing wet weather tires to Richmond: Goodyear will bring its 18-inch wet weather radial tires to Richmond for the Cup cars, should NASCAR determine that conditions warrant . . . Cup teams will have a maximum of 4 sets of wet weather tires for the event . . . NASCAR Cup teams just ran the wet weather tire at Richmond last weekend . . . in addition to the obvious difference of a tread pattern versus Goodyear’s dry weather “slick” tires, the “Goodyear” and “Eagle” lettering on the sidewalls of the wet weather tires is white, not the standard yellow.
 

Goodyear Fast Facts — Martinsville​

NASCAR Cup Series — Race No. 8 – 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Martinsville Speedway (0.526-mile oval) – Martinsville, Va.
Fast Facts for April 6-7, 2024

Tire: Goodyear Eagle 18-inch Short Track Radials

Set limits: Cup: 1 set for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 9 sets for the race
(8 race sets plus 1 set transferred from qualifying)

Tire Codes:
Left-side — D-5234; Right-side — D-5236

Tire Circumference:
Left-side — 2,249 mm (88.54 in.);
Right-side — 2,278 mm (89.69 in.)

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 10 psi; Left Rear — 12 psi;
Right Front — 22 psi; Right Rear — 22 psi

Storyline – Short track stretch continues at Martinsville: The NASCAR Cup short track package is on display for the second race in a row and third time in five weeks at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Last November, Martinsville was the first track that Goodyear brought its tires with more tread gage (thickness) to match up with the series’ short track rules package, after testing the concept at Richmond Raceway last August. More gage in the tread helps keep some heat in the tires and contributes to more lap-time fall-off over the curse of a run. Martinsville is the shortest oval on the Cup circuit and teams are always challenged to find grip in the flat corners. For Goodyear, laying rubber in the concrete corners is also a goal, which also contributes to fall-off and creating a second racing groove. That process will be aided should the race day forecast of sunny skies and mid-60-degree temperatures holds up.

“We’ve had a good run on the short tracks recently, and we look for that to continue at Martinsville this weekend,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “We went to a short track tire package with more gage late last year, trying to get more fall-off. We now come back with the same tire teams ran at Martinsville in that race in early-November so they have somewhat of a notebook started. After running at Phoenix and Richmond over the past several weeks, teams have now had several races with the thicker gage, which has produced some good racing.”

Notes – Cup cars on fall ’23 tire set-up at Martinsville: Being on 18-inch bead diameter tires, NASCAR Cup Series teams will run a different tire set-up than those in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series at Martinsville this week . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires, that Cup teams ran at this track last November . . . Martinsville is the only track these teams will run either of these two tire codes . . . with this 18-inch tire, and its lower profile sidewall, NASCAR Cup cars do not run inner liners in any of their tires.

Wet Weather Tires – Goodyear bringing wet weather tires to Richmond: Goodyear will bring its 18-inch wet weather radial tires to Richmond for the Cup cars, should NASCAR determine that conditions warrant . . . Cup teams will have a maximum of 4 sets of wet weather tires for the event . . . NASCAR Cup teams just ran the wet weather tire at Richmond last weekend . . . in addition to the obvious difference of a tread pattern versus Goodyear’s dry weather “slick” tires, the “Goodyear” and “Eagle” lettering on the sidewalls of the wet weather tires is white, not the standard yellow.
I have to wonder why they want to create multiple grooves...it's Martinsville it's not supposed to.
 

My favorite Jeff Gordon win was his last win at Martinsville in late 2015. I remember his car rolling toward victory lane after the race and his two children running up to see their dad in the car.

Jeff had his most successful years before they were born. I am glad they got to enjoy that special time together and they should be old enough to remember that one for the rest of their lives.
 
One of my absolute favorite tracks and races on the circuit. It’s a treat when it’s a Martinsville race week, I hope to attend a race here someday
 
The 48 paint scheme is my favorite among the four HMS cars this weekend.

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Disclaimer: I am probably an oddball but I prefer simplier paint schemes. A solitary brilliant red color with simple white lettering is closer to my ideas of perfection.

But the sponsors pay the bills and are obviously more invested, so whatever keeps them happy.
 
It will be interesting to see how this race matches up with the NCAA girls.
 
It will be interesting to see how this race matches up with the NCAA girls.
I know I will be switching back and forth between the basketball game and the Cup race. Plus, keeping tabs on the NHRA race in Phoenix.
 
I'm personally not a huge fan of those Hendrick schemes, I guess we all have different taste. The red color looks weird to me.

Bowman looks the best, the only one I don't dislike.
 
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