Thoughts & Notes ~ Martinsville

46 cars on the entry list this week,,,,,, 3 cars going home,,,, driver in the #44 is TBA......

The #25(Chase Elliott), #30(Ron Hornaday Jr), and #44(Mr. TBA) all must qualify on speed...,,,,, cannot fall back on provisional or owner's points

***Also,,, im sure you know by now,,,,,, but just in case you havn't heard,,,,, the blood clots have resurfaced in Brian Vickers' lungs.,,,, the doctors have placed him on blood thinners for a minimum of 3 months, and will re-evaluate his situation then. Brett Moffitt is listed on the entry list in the #55 at Martinsville. No exact plans have been announced by MWR, but i assume Moffitt will replace Vickers until his return,,,,,, who knows????

Now let me say,,,,, it's wrong for me to speak for everyone on the Covers NASCAR thread,,,,,, but I know NASCAR fans; WE ARE THE BEST FANS IN SPORTS,,,,,,,,,,,, So anyway im saying God Bless you Brian Vickers in your recovery & wish you a speedy return,,,,,, Look to see you back in the 55 soon,,,,,,

OK capping Martinsville now.

BOOGITY

We all know Martinsville AKA "The Paperclip" is a driver's course,,,,, and no driver exemplifies this as does the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy of Jimmie Johnson...,,,,, the numbers are amazing for the 48 here,,,,,, 
Jimmie leads all ACTIVE drivers at M'ville with an avg finish of 6.23 over 26 races,,,,, This includes 8 wins, 18 top 5's, 22 top 10's, and 24 top 20's over those 26 races.....  ****18 top 5's, 22 top 10's in 26 races at M'Ville****

Digging deeper,,,,, Jimmie finished 32nd here in the Chase Race in October last year,,,, Started 7th, yet never led a lap and finished RUNNING 459 of the 500 laps,,,, so something happened later in the race im assuming???  This was his worst finish at M'ville since his 1st start ever at M'ville in April of 2002 when he finished 35th.,,,,

OK, so where has Jimmie finished between his 2 worst finishes here? (Omit 1st start 4/02 and last race 10/14)????  Here you go:
6,9,2,4,1,8,3,3,1,1,1,4,1,1,2,9,5,11,2,12,1,1,5,2    

No way we bet against the 48 this week boys

Next after the 48 in average finish at Martinsville are: Jeff Gordon 6.84/44 races and Denny Hamlin 8.72/18 races

The numbers for Jeff Gordon are just as impressive. The 24 averages 6.84 through 44races at M'ville,,,,,, This includes 8 wins, 28 top 5's, 35 top 10's and 41 top 20's.  ***28 top 5's, 35 top 10's in 44 races at M'Ville****

So focus on Hendrick cars,,,,,,, Of course the 4 too haha ,,,,,, thoughts???

I wont b on jimmie at 3-1 or Jeff at 5-1    2 many bad things can happen at a short track... try finding some value with guys at 10-1 or better  I hit kurt last year at this race 40-1 was there live and it was my bday  a race I will never 4get.... 

It will be interesting to see once lines come out,,,, Whether they pit Hendrick vs Hendrick, etc in mathups...... And what value i can get on the 48, 24, 88.......

I will once again look to be on the 31,,,,,, So strong recently & under the radar,,,,,,, AND  Newman has the 3rd best avg start at M'ville of 9.7 thru 26 races,,,,,, 9th best avg finish...

Speaking of avg start,,,, so important at a short track,,,, here's the Top 5 ACTIVE drivers with the best average start at M'Ville:
Jeff Gordon (7.3), Hamlin (9.5), Newman (9.7), Johnson (10.6), Logano (12.1)

Absolutely agree stats.      Im just crunching numbers each race to narrow down who I might bet on & who I WONT BET AGAINST,,,,, depending on odds etc,,,,,,  You are right though prob better odds on 31, 11, 78,,,,,, you following that 78 stats??  haha  GL my friend

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Martinsville Speedway:
#48-Jimmie Johnson 122.5
#24-Jeff Gordon 119.8
#11-Denny Hamlin 110.1
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 101.2
#14-Tony Stewart 97.6
#18-Kyle Busch 96.2
#15-Clint Bowyer 95.0
#4-Kevin Harvick 91.8
#31-Ryan Newman 87.4
#22-Joey Logano 85.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (20 total) among active drivers at Martinsville Speedway. Formula combining the following categories: Win, Finish, Top-15 Finish, Average Running Position while on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. Maximum: 150 points per race.

Thinking about matchups...

Stenhouse is sneaky good at short tracks I believe.  They keep putting the Stenhouse-Danica matchup on the board.  It's cashed for me the last few races.  Might be a good track to support Stenhouse again.  Especially if he has a weak qualifying run.

I think we will probably c Kyle at the track this week.... 

Watch to see who Dinger is pinned against.   He is sneaky good here as well.  HMS track for sure.

Harvick and Kurt have early value for me. Might take a stab at the 1 to finish top 3. And if the price is right, I might grab the 14. Upwards of 50/1 and I'll start to bite on that.

Im also focusing on the 15 at M'Ville.....   Been fading him pretty much since Atlanta but I think he may have good value at M'ville,,,,,  Good short track racer, flying under the radar right now....... May have value especially in matchups?????

Chassis selections for this weeks race: see the list of many teams [that report or post them] and what chassis were selected by the team to run in STP 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
If a driver/team is not listed, the team doe NOT report chassis information on pre-race PR, website or social media:
THESE are the ONLY teams now reporting Chassis info
#3-Austin Dillon will pilot Chassis No. 489 in the Martinsville 500 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same Chevrolet SS that Dillon raced at Martinsville Speedway in October 2014, securing a 12th-place finish.
#4-Kevin Harvick: will pilot the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS built on Chassis No. 4-864 in the Martinsville 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Built in 2014, Chassis No. 4-864 made its debut at Martinsville last March, when it started 18th and led one lap and finished seventh. It made its second appearance at Martinsville in October, when it started 33rd and finished 33rd after being collected in an accident with Matt Kenseth.
#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Keith Rodden has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-925 for Sunday's race at Martinsville. This is a brand new car.
#10-Danica Patrick: will pilot Chassis No. 909 in the Martinsville 500. Previously a No. 41 team chassis, the car made its on-track debut with her Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate Kurt Busch last October at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He started 10th, led 21 laps and raced inside the top-10 until an oil line failure on lap 424 relegated him to a 36th-place finish.
#15-Clint Bowyer: Chassis No. 806 serves as Bowyer's primary chassis at Martinsville. Bowyer raced the chassis to top-10 finishes in both Martinsville races in 2014. He finished ninth in March and seventh in October. This weekend's back-up chassis also served as the back-up at both Martinsville races in 2014.

Chassis, PT 2:
#24-Jeff Gordon: #24 crew chief Alan Gustafson has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 24-902 for this Sunday's race. Gordon raced this chassis to a runner-up finish at Martinsville in October of last year.
#27-Paul Menard: will utilize chassis No. 488 during the 263-mile event at Martinsville Speedway. This Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet SS will make its first laps of the 2015 season.
#31-Ryan Newman: will drive chassis No. 490 on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. This is a brand new Chevrolet SS that will be utilized under race conditions for the first time this weekend.
#32-Mike Bliss: Crew Chief Clinton Cram will be bringing chassis 669 to serve as the primary car. This chassis previously ran at the fall Martinsville event in 2015 with Kyle Fowler finishing 28th in his NSCS debut. Chassis 289 will serve as the backup car.
#41-Kurt Busch: will pilot Chassis No. 865 in Sunday's Martinsville 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Formerly a No. 10 chassis for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) teammate Danica Patrick, Chassis No. 865 debuted in March 2014 at Martinsville , where Patrick started 10th but struggled with an ill-handling racecar and finished 32nd. Its next event was in July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where she started 29th and finished 22nd. Chassis No. 865 then raced again at Martinsville in October, where Patrick started 30th and finished 34th after being involved in a massive accident on the frontstretch late in the race. Chassis No. 865 will see its first laps of 2015 competition this weekend.
#48-Jimmie Johnson: For this weekend's event, crew chief Chad Knaus has selected chassis No. 48-913, which Johnson raced last October at Martinsville. The backup car is No. 48-749, which Johnson raced at Martinsville in March 2014.
#55-Brett Moffitt: Primary: 807 - Brian Vickers drove this chassis to 16th and 27th-place finishes at Martinsville in 2014. Backup: 785 - served as backup in Martinsville in 2014.
#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Crew chief Greg Ives will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-789 for this weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway. Earnhardt most recently won with the chassis at Martinsville last October.

I agree Greedy...... The 14 is worth a little tickle at these odds,,,, Great driver at a driver's track with GREAT odds,,,,  but just a little tickle,,,,, his head is not into racing right now,,,, more focused on ownership IMO...... and of course last year,,,,, Nothing wrong with that, i just  wont put $$$ on the 14 until he shows otherwise,,,,,
GL

Hadn't noticed alan,,,,, Keep us up to date please if you see an opening line on the 17,,,, No matchups yet on my book   Thanks!

Again also looking to back the 31 at M'ville ,,,,,  Waiting for matchups to be announced.

Hoping i can grab the 31, 78, or 15  at plus $$$$ ...... Thinking i might throw 2units on the 15 this week at the right odds & right matchup 

Yeah, I think the 15 will be good this weekend. Looking at 47 as sneaky pick as well

Love Stenhouse -130 over Danica.  Anything can happen on a short track, but this is a good bet.