We have a one week break from NASCAR, which gives us plenty of time to examine the field of drivers for the STP 500 at Martinsville. The cream of the crop will once again headline this race with perennial favorites Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson once again vying to cross the checkered flag. Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch will also be among the favorites as he attempts to win his first race of the year.
While the favorites have their own respective ways to win the race, there are others who could creep up and steal the show. Read on as we take a look at the upcoming STP 500 at Martinsville Motor Speedway. It’s going to be one hell of a race with plenty at stake.
Get more out of the STP 500 with our feature of the top sleeper picks for the race.
Kevin Harvick has not been short of spectacular performances this early into the season. He has made three starts, making the top 10 in each of those outings. Among those finishes are three top fives, including a win at Phoenix. Racing at Martinsville will be a challenge for Harvick. He has not win in four races at the track since 2014. But he’s finished in the top 10 in three of those instances.
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson has been the winningest driver at the Martinsville Motor Speedway since 1949. He has eight wins in 28 races. He’s also finished in the top 10 a total of 18 times. Johnson has been incredible in the early goings this season. He’s won at California and Atlanta, and placed third at Las Vegas in his past four races. He’s going to be one of the drivers to watch at Martinsville next weekend.
Kyle Busch
Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch is yet to win a race this season. While he started the season strong with four straight top four finishes, he disappointed in California by placing 25th. Despite the unsatisfactory outing Busch has been seemingly unstoppable; he’s placed in the top five in eight of his last nine races, including a win at Homestead Miami for the Sprint Cup last November.
Sleeper
Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski has seemingly found his groove, finishing in the top 10 in three of his last four races. Included in those finishes is a win at Las Vegas early in March. Martinsville isn’t one of Keselowski’s best tracks. He’s finished in the top 10 six times, including two in the top five, in 12 career starts. But his recent form suggests that he should be in the running for his second title.
Long Shot
Austin Dillon
Austin Dillon is your dark horse in this race. He hasn’t wowed anyone in the Sprint Cup Series recently. But he hasn’t disappointed either. He has three top 10 finishes. He placed fifth in his best race thus far at Las Vegas. Dillon has had four races at Martinsville in his career, placing in the top 20 three times. It’s his time to get his best performance to date in a top 10 finish.
Writer’s Prediction
Kyle Busch gets his first win of the season. It won’t be too long before the defending Sprint Cup champ wins his first title of the year.
