Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526-mile track in Southern Virginia that has hosted NASCAR Cup races since 1949, has an emotional bond with car owner Rick Hendrick and his team that is unique.
In this 40th anniversary season for Hendrick Motorsports — the sport’s winningest team — Sunday’s race at Martinsville (3 p.m. ET on FS1) provides a chance to reflect while also chasing the next checkered flag.
It is at this track that Hendrick Motorsports was saved in its infancy. It is also at this track the organization mourned the loss of family, friends and co-workers when a team plane crashed en route to a race there in 2004.
“I understood the significance of Martinsville long before I ever got to Hendrick Motorsports,” Kyle Larson said. “You could see it when any of their teams won, what that place meant to them.”
Hendrick has said that he was going to shut down the first-year team early in the 1984 season when he decided to “run one more race because Geoff (Bodine) is really good” at Martinsville.
Bodine won that race. The success led to additional sponsorship and began the organization’s climb through the NASCAR ranks.
Hendrick Motorsports has won a Cup-record 304 races, including 28 at Martinsville. No team has won as many races at one track.
“Every time we go there, I think there’s an emphasis to run well, but especially this year,” William Byron said.
Here’s a look at some of the memorable moments on the track at Martinsville for Hendrick Motorsports.
April 29, 1984
Geoff Bodine wins the first Cup race for Hendrick Motorsports and it comes at Martinsville Speedway. The rookie team was close to shutting down due to lack of resources but this win changed the course of the organization. Bodine went on to win three races that season and finish ninth in points.
Sept. 27, 1987
Darrell Waltrip is running third on the final lap behind Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labonte. Waltrip makes contact with Labonte, who makes contact with Earnhardt. The contact sends Labonte and Earnhardt up the track and Waltrip scoots by to score his first victory with Hendrick Motorsports.
Sept. 22, 1996
Jeff Gordon scores the first of what would be nine wins at Martinsville. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Labonte finished second in this race.
Oct. 3, 1999
Just a few days after Ray Evernham left his role as crew chief of the No. 24 team, Gordon wins at Martinsville in his first race with Brian Whitesell as his crew chief. Gordon took advantage of a decision by Whitesell not to pit as the leaders did 25 laps from the finish. Gordon held off Earnhardt to win. “How about that first time crew chief!” Gordon shouted on his radio after winning.
April 1, 2007
Jimmie Johnson beat Hendrick Motorsports teammate Gordon in a duel that sees them slam doors and make contact in the final laps. That kept Gordon from tying Earnhardt’s mark of 76 career wins. “That was my hero I beat!” Johnson shouted on his radio after the finish. “I’ve dreamed of beating him at this track.”
Oct. 21, 2007
Johnson wins the fall race, sweeping both Martinsville events for the year. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Gordon labels Johnson “Mr. Martinsville” after the driver’s third-consecutive victory (and fourth overall) at the track.
March 29, 2009
Johnson wins at Martinsville for the fifth time in a six-race stretch at that track.
Oct. 27, 2013
Gordon, winless to that point in the year, leads the final 21 laps to take the checkered flag in the 33rd race of the Cup season.
Oct. 26, 2014
Dale Earnhardt Jr. scores his one Martinsville Cup victory. Gordon finishes second, giving Hendrick Motorsports a 1-2 finish. “We’ve been trying to win here so many years,” Earnhardt said in Victory Lane. “This place is so special to me. I’ve wanted to win here so bad.”
March 29, 2015
Chase Elliott makes his Cup debut. Chase starts 27th and finishes 38th at Martinsville, driving the No. 25 car for Hendrick Motorsports.
Nov. 1, 2015
Gordon scores the 93rd and final Cup win of his career and celebrates by yelling, “We’re going to Homestead,” for the championship race.
Nov. 1, 2020
Elliott won by 6.577 seconds to earn his first spot in the Championship 4 (he would go on to win the title a week later at Phoenix).
Oct. 31, 2021
Alex Bowman leads the final eight laps after contact with Denny Hamlin to claim the overtime victory.
April 9, 2022
William Byron leads 212 of 403 laps to become the first repeat winner of the season. It also marked the first time the No. 24 had won at Martinsville since Gordon’s victory there in 2015.
April 16, 2023
Kyle Larson wins at Martinsville, giving Hendrick Motorsports its 28th win at that track. No team has won more times at Martinsville than Hendrick.
Source Agencies
