Martinsville first opened in 1947, and there’s really no other track, either on or off the circuit that compares to it. At .526 miles, Martinsville is the shortest place we race, but for a track that small it has long straightaways and tight, flat turns banked at only 12 degrees. From above it looks like a paperclip, and drivers will tell you it feels like two drag strips connected by U turns.

From that description you can guess that the hard part at Martinsville is getting the car to turn in the center of the corner. The track is hell on brakes, and you’ll see glowing brake rotors and lots of brake dust coming off during pit stops if you’re watching the race on TV. Making it even trickier is the fact that the track has two different racing surfaces: it’s asphalt on the straightaways and concrete in the turns. As the race gets going, rubber builds up in the turns and cars chatter as they go around. Put it all together and you’ve got a race that’s tough on brakes, tires, fenders, and drivers too.

The track favors smooth drivers who can float their cars into the turns and maintain momentum. An old saying about Martinsville is that you have to slow down to run fast. And with all the bumping and banging that goes on, you can bet all the cars will be reinforced to the hilt.

I love Martinsville. It is my favorite track. It’s small. You can see everything and winners get the best trophy in NASCAR, a grandfather clock.

This is our shortest track, but even though you've got to slow way down to get through the tight corners, it can beat you up. Gimme some good brakes here and keep me away from the inexperienced guys. This is a fun race.