NASCAR at Martinsville 2019: Schedule, lineup, TV and more for First Data 500 playoff race
It’s race day at Martinsville Speedway, and we've got all the information you need to get ready for Sunday's First Data 500, the seventh of 10 playoff races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:
START TIME: 3 p.m. ET. GREEN FLAG: 3:14 p.m. ET.
Drivers will be instructed to start their engines at 3:07 p.m. ET, followed by a flyby by The Bandit Flight Team.
TV: NBCSN. Pre-race broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. ET.
RADIO: Motor Racing Network. STREAMING: For those who sign in with their cable/satellite provider's credentials, you can watch at stream.nbcsports.com.
RACE DISTANCE: 500 laps around the 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway for a total of 263 miles.
STAGE LENGTHS (laps per stage): Stage 1: 130, Stage 2: 130, Stage 3: 240.
STANDINGS (heading into seventh playoff race): 1. Kyle Busch, 4,046; 2. Martin Truex Jr., 4,042; 3. Denny Hamlin, 4,037; 4. Joey Logano, 4,030; 5. Kevin Harvick, 4,028; 6. Chase Elliott, 4,024; 7. Kyle Larson, 4,011; 8. Ryan Blaney, 4,009.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: The 380th Army Band based in Richmond, Virginia, will perform the anthem at 3:01 p.m. ET, followed by a flyover by The Bandit Flight Team.
OPINION: Opinion: Joe Gibbs Racing trio want to keep title fight in family
ELLIOTT: Starts at disadvantage after blowing engine in Saturday's practice
WEATHER: Overnight and early morning rain should give way to sunny skies by the mid afternoon. The Weather Channel is calling for temperatures in the mid 70s at the green flag.
LAST TIME: Brad Keselowski absolutely dominated in March, leading 446 of 500 laps then edging Chase Elliott by 0.594 seconds to win his second career Cup race at Martinsville. And one year ago in the playoff race, Penske teammate Joey Logano led 309 of 500 laps before squeaking by Denny Hamlin by 0.107 seconds.
LINEUP: Hamlin earned his fourth career Cup Series pole at Martinsville, outdueling Elliott during Saturday's qualifying. While Elliott qualified second, he will have to drop to the rear before the green flag after blowing an engine during opening practice.
Here is the lineup for the First Data 500 (car number in parentheses):
1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
2. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
3. (19) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota
4. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford
5. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
6. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
7. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford
8. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota
9. (41) Daniel Suarez, Ford
10. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
11. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
12. (95) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota
13. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota
14. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
15. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford
16. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford
17. (38) David Ragan, Ford
18. (8) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet
19. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
20. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet
21. (47) Ryan Preece, Chevrolet
22. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford
23. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
24. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
25. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet
26. (43) Bubba Wallace, Chevrolet
27. (6) Ryan Newman, Ford
28. (32) Corey LaJoie, Ford
29. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
30. (21) Paul Menard, Ford
31. (36) Matt Crafton, Ford
32. (00) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet
33. (51) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
34. (27) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet
35. (53) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet
36. (15) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
37. (77) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet
38. (52) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet
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