Event Preview

NASCAR - Sprint Cup - Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 Preview

Date: Sunday, March 28th

Start Time: 1:13 p.m. (et)

Site: Martinsville Speedway (1947) -- Martinsville, Virginia

Track: 0.526-mile "paper-clip"-shaped oval

Laps: 500

Miles: 263

Capacity: 91,000 (Grandstand Seating)

Total purse: $5,066,999 (2009 figures)

Payouts: 1st Place - $213,626; 2nd Place - $149,000; 3rd Place - $119,273

Year: 55th

On TV: FOX

Announcers: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds

On Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS XM Satellite

Race record: Jeff Gordon, 1996 (82.223 m.p.h.)

Qualifying record: Tony Stewart, 2005 (98.083 m.p.h.)

2009 Finish

Defending champion: Jimmie Johnson

Runner up: Denny Hamlin

Pole winner: Jeff Gordon (2009 owner points)

Top 10:

1. Jimmie Johnson (Start: 9)

2. Denny Hamlin (8)

3. Tony Stewart (7)

4. Jeff Gordon (1)

5. Clint Bowyer (3)

6. Ryan Newman (27)

7. Mark Martin (31)

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr (19)

9. AJ Allmendinger (16)

10. Jamie McMurray (28)

Average speed: 75.938 m.p.h.

Time of race: 3 hours, 27 minutes, 48 seconds

Margin of victory: 0.774 second

Caution flags: 12 for 66 laps

Lead changes: 13 among 7 drivers

Past winners

2009 Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 75.938 m.p.h.

2008 Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 73.163 m.p.h.

2007 Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 70.258 m.p.h.

2006 Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 72.741 m.p.h.

2005 Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 72.099 m.p.h.

2004 Rusty Wallace, Dodge, 68.169 m.p.h.

2003 Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 75.557 m.p.h.

2002 Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 73.951 m.p.h.

2001 Dale Jarrett, Ford, 70.799 m.p.h.

2000 Mark Martin, Ford, 71.161 m.p.h.

1999 John Andretti, Pontiac, 75.653 m.p.h.

1998 Bobby Hamilton, Chevrolet, 70.709 m.p.h.

1997 Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 70.347 m.p.h.

1996 Rusty Wallace, Ford, 81.410 m.p.h.

1995 Rusty Wallace, Ford, 72.145 m.p.h.

1994 Rusty Wallace, Ford, 76.700 m.p.h.

1993 Rusty Wallace, Ford, 79.078 m.p.h.

1992 Mark Martin, Ford, 78.086 m.p.h.

1991 Dale Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 75.139 m.p.h.

1990 Geoffrey Bodine, Ford, 77.423 m.p.h.

1989 Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 79.025 m.p.h.

1988 Dale Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 74.740 m.p.h.

1987 Dale Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 72.808 m.p.h.

1986 Ricky Rudd, Ford, 76.882 m.p.h.

1985 Harry Gant, Chevrolet, 73.072 m.p.h.

1984 Geoff Bodine, Chevrolet, 73.264 m.p.h.

1983 Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 66.460 m.p.h.

1982 Harry Gant, Buick, 75.073 m.p.h.

1981 Morgan Shepherd, Pontiac, 75.019 m.p.h.

1980 Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 69.049 m.p.h.

1979 Richard Petty, Chevrolet, 76.562 m.p.h.

1978 Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 77.971 m.p.h.

1977 Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 77.405 m.p.h.

1976 Darrell Waltrip, Chevrolet, 71.759 m.p.h.

1975 Richard Petty, Dodge, 69.282 m.p.h.

1974 Cale Yarborough, Chevrolet, 69.936 m.p.h.

1973 David Pearson, Mercury, 70.251 m.p.h.

1972 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 72.657 m.p.h.

1971 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 77.707 m.p.h.

1970 Bobby Isaac, Dodge, 68.512 m.p.h.

1969 Richard Petty, Ford, 64.405 m.p.h.

1968 Cale Yarborough, Mercury, 66.686 m.p.h.

1967 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 67.446 m.p.h.

1966 Jim Paschal, Plymouth, 69.156 m.p.h.

1965 Fred Lorenzen, Ford, 66.765 m.p.h.

1964 Fred Lorenzen, Ford, 70.098 m.p.h.

1963 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 64.823 m.p.h.

1962 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 66.430 m.p.h.

1961 Junior Johnson, Pontiac, 66.280 m.p.h.

1960 Richard Petty, Plymouth, 63.940 m.p.h.

1959 Lee Petty, Oldsmobile, 59.440 m.p.h.

1958 Bob Welborn, Chevrolet, 61.160 m.p.h.

1957 Buck Baker, Chevrolet, 63.025 m.p.h.

1956 Buck Baker, Dodge, 60.950 m.p.h.

Last race

Race: Food City 500 (March 21st)

Site: Bristol Motor Speedway -- Bristol, Tennessee

Miles: 500

Laps: 266.5

Finish line order: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth

Time of Race: 3 hours, 20 minutes, 50 seconds

Average speed: 79.618 m.p.h.

Margin of victory: 0.894 second

Caution flags: 10 for 103 laps

Lead changes:

Lap leaders: J. Logano pole; Kurt Busch 1; J. Logano 2; Kurt Busch 3-5; J.J. Logano pole; Kurt Busch 1; J. Logano 2; Kurt Busch 3-5; J.Johnson 6-33; Kurt Busch 34-42; J. Logano 43; B. Keselowski44-47; J. Johnson 48-96; Kurt Busch 97-116; J. Montoya 117; KurtBusch 118-123; G. Biffle 124-177; J. Montoya 178-195; G. Biffle196-205; J. Montoya 206-214; G. Biffle 215-217; Kurt Busch 218;G. Biffle 219-221; Kurt Busch 222-264; J. Montoya 265; Kurt Busch266-324; J. Burton 325; Kurt Busch 326-391; B. Keselowski392-413; Kurt Busch 414-483; J. Burton 484; G. Biffle 485-492;T. Stewart 493; J. Johnson 494-500.

Entry list

#00 David Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL) Toyota/Tums

#1 Jamie McMurray (Joplin, MO) Chevrolet/McDonald's

#2 Kurt Busch (Las Vegas, NV) Dodge/Miller Lite

#5 Mark Martin (Batesville, AR) Chevrolet/Carquest/GoDaddy.com

#6 David Ragan (Unadilla, GA) Ford/UPS

#7 Robby Gordon (Orange, CA) Toyota/Warner Music Nashville

#09 Aric Almirola (Tampa, FL) Chevrolet/TBA

#9 Kasey Kahne (Enumclaw, WA) Ford/Budweiser

#11 Denny Hamlin (Chesterfield, VA) Toyota/FedEx Freight

#12 Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hills, MI) Dodge/Penske Racing

#13 Max Papis (Como, Italy) Toyota/GEICO

#14 Tony Stewart (Columbus, IN) Chevrolet/Old Spice

#16 Greg Biffle (Vancouver, WA) Ford/U.S. Census

#17 Matt Kenseth (Cambridge, WI) Ford/Crown Royal

#18 Kyle Busch (Las Vegas, NV) Toyota/Snickers

#19 Elliott Sadler (Emporia, VA) Ford/Stanley

#20 Joey Logano (Middletown, CT) Toyota/Home Depot

#24 Jeff Gordon (Vallejo, CA) Chevrolet/DuPont

#26 Boris Said (Carlsbad, CA) Ford/Sacred Power

#29 Kevin Harvick (Bakersfield, CA) Chevrolet/Shell/Pennzoil

#31 Jeff Burton (South Boston, VA) Chevrolet/Caterpillar

#33 Clint Bowyer (Emporia, KS) Chevrolet/BB&T

#34 Travis Kvapil (Janesville, WI) Ford/A&W All American Ford

#35 Johnny Sauter (Necedah, WI) Chevrolet/TBA

#36 Mike Bliss (Milwaukie, OR) Chevrolet/Wave Energy Drink

#37 David Gilliland (Riverside, CA) Ford/Gander Mountain

#38 Kevin Conway (Lynchburg, VA) Ford/Extenze

#39 Ryan Newman (South Bend, IN) Chevrolet/Haas Automation

#42 Juan Pablo Montoya (Bogota, Colombia) Chevrolet/Target

#43 AJ Allmendinger (Los Gatos, CA) Ford/Charter

#46 Terry Cook (Sylvania, OH) Dodge/TBA

#47 Marcos Ambrose (Launceston, Australia) Toyota/Little Debbie

#48 * Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon, CA) Chevrolet/Lowe's

#55 Michael McDowell (Glendale, AZ) Toyota/Prism Motorsports

#56 Martin Truex Jr (Mayetta, NJ) Toyota/NAPA

#66 Dave Blaney (Hartford, OH) Toyota/Prism Motorsports

#71 Bobby Labonte (Corpus Christi, TX) Chevrolet/TRG Motorsports

#77 Sam Hornish Jr (Defiance, OH) Dodge/Mobil 1

#78 Regan Smith (Cato, NY) Chevrolet/Furniture Row Racing

#82 Scott Speed (Manteca, CA) Toyota/Red Bull

#83 Brian Vickers (Thomasville, NC) Toyota/Red Bull

#87 Joe Nemechek (Lakeland, FL) Toyota/TBA

#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr (Kannapolis, NC) Chevrolet/Amp Energy/Nat'l Guard

#90 Casey Mears (Bakersfield, CA) Chevrolet/Keyed-Up Motorsports

#98 Paul Menard (Eau Claire, WI) Ford/Menards/Nibco

#99 Carl Edwards (Columbia, MO) Ford/AFLAC

Leading contenders

Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Jimmie Johnson	---	35th	9th	4th	8th	3rd	Won	4th	Won
Denny Hamlin	---	---	---	---	---	37th	3rd	Won	2nd
Tony Stewart	7th	3rd	6th	14th	26th	Won	7th	5th	3rd
Jeff Gordon	12th	23rd	Won	6th	Won	2nd	2nd	2nd	4th
Clint Bowyer	---	---	---	---	---	22nd	11th	10th	5th
Ryan Newman	---	41st	38th	5th	4th	18th	14th	19th	6th
Mark Martin	39th	8th	17th	34th	3rd	13th	---	---	7th
Dale Earnhardt Jr	11th	5th	3rd	3rd	13th	4th	5th	6th	8th
Jamie McMurray	---	---	39th	7th	25th	9th	9th	8th	10th
Kevin Harvick	34th	31st	7th	8th	32nd	7th	41st	12th	11th
Juan Pablo Montoya	---	---	---	---	---	---	16th	13th	12th
Jeff Burton	3rd	9th	4th	25th	16th	33rd	6th	3rd	15th
Kurt Busch	33rd	10th	28th	11th	19th	11th	12th	33rd	18th
Kasey Kahne	---	---	---	21st	2nd	35th	25th	17th	19th
David Reutimann	---	---	---	---	---	---	33rd	39th	20th
Matt Kenseth	6th	2nd	22nd	8th	11th	24th	10th	30th	23rd
Kyle Busch	---	---	---	---	39th	5th	4th	38th	24th
Paul Menard	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	16th	25th
Carl Edwards	---	---	---	---	38th	16th	17th	9th	26th
Greg Biffle	---	---	18th	35th	29th	31st	32nd	20th	28th
Joey Logano	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	32nd
Brian Vickers	---	---	---	13th	35th	8th	---	23rd	33rd

Notes

Jimmie Johnson will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner ofthis race since Rusty Wallace ran off four straight from 1993-96, as hedefends his title this week in Martinsville.With 16 laps remaining, Johnson overtook Denny Hamlin and held on for his 41stcareer Sprint Cup title, defeating Hamlin by 0.774 of a second. Johnsongrabbed the lead for the first time on lap 430, when he beat Hamlin off of pitroad during a caution for an incident involving Jeremy Mayfield. He held thetop spot until a restart on lap 456, when Hamlin passed him after the greenflag waved. Hamlin held off Johnson for two more restarts, but the four-timeSprint Cup Series champion drove underneath Hamlin and moved him up the trackwhile making the winning pass. Johnson's win total now stands at 50, afterwinning at Bristol last week, his third victory of the season.Johnson has dominated at Martinsville Speedway, winning five of the last sevenraces and has posted a top-10 finish in 15 straight at the track. Overall,Johnson has six wins, a pair of runner-up finishes, two thirds and two fourth-place finishes at the Virginia oval. His average finish in 16 trips is 5.125.Back in 2008, Hamlin reclaimed the lead on lap 427 of the 500-laprace and took the checkered flag in front of Jeff Gordon for his fourth careerSprint Cup title. Starting on the front row next to pole-sitter Gordon, Hamlinled on three separate occasions for 82 laps, while Gordon led for 90 laps.Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr dominated most of the race, each leadingfive times, Johnson for 135 laps and Earnhardt Jr for 146 laps. The twodrivers finished fourth and sixth respectively. Hamlin's win over Gordon wasby .398 of a second.In 2006, Tony Stewart outraced Jeff Gordon to the finish line, clipping "SpeedRacer" by just over a second for his 25th career Sprint Cup title. Gordon, whois a seven-time winner on this track, has dominated this race in recent years,posting a pair of wins, three seconds and a sixth-place finish the past sixseasons. Stewart reclaimed the lead on lap 474 of the 500-lap event to clipGordon by 1.083 seconds. Stewart led the race on five separate occasions for arace-high 288 laps, while pole sitter Jimmie Johnson, who placed third, ledfour times for 195 laps.Darrell Waltrip, an 11-time winner at Martinsville, is the all-time pole-winner with eight poles at the Virginia track. Richard Petty had registered 15of his 200 career wins at this track. In fact, nine of those wins were at thisrace. Lee Petty holds the record for the driver that started the farthest backand won this race, when he captured the 1959 Virginia 500 from the 24thposition.The pole sitter has won at Martinsville 18 times in 122 races, the most recentin this race in 2003 when Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag. The top-10positions have accounted for 88 wins. Opened in September 1947 by H. ClayEarles, Martinsville Speedway, originally a dirt track, is one of the oldestcontinuously-operating racing facilities in the United States. The firstNASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on Sept. 25, 1949.NASCAR legend Buddy Baker will be the Grand Marshal of the race. The VMI GleeClub will sing the national anthem.The next Sprint Cup Series race is the April 10 Subway Fresh Fit 600 atPhoenix International Raceway. Mark Martin is the defending race winner.03/23 16:59:33 ET