Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NASCAR makes its return trip to Martinsville Speedway this weekend to continue its playoff push. Cup and Camping World Truck Series teams will take to NASCAR’s shortest and oldest track. Here’s the full weekend schedule with TV and radio info. (All times are Eastern) Friday, Oct. 26 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. – Truck garage open 12:05 – 12:55 p.m. – Truck practice (No TV) 2:05 – 2:55 p.m. – Final Truck practice (No TV) Saturday, Oct. 27 6 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Cup garage open 8 a.m. – Truck garage opens 9 – 9:50 a.m. – Cup practice (CNBC, Motor Racing Network) 10:05 a.m – Truck qualifying; multi-truck/three rounds (Fox Sports 1) 11:15 a.m. – Truck driver-crew chief meeting 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. – Final Cup practice (CNBC, MRN) 12:30 p.m. – Truck driver introductions 1 p.m. – Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200; 200 laps/105.2 miles (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 4:05 p.m. – Cup qualifying; multi-car/three rounds (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) Sunday, Oct. 28 7:30 a.m. – Cup garage opens 12:30 p.m. – Driver-crew chief meeting 1:50 p.m. – Driver introductions 2:30 p.m. – First Data 500; 500 laps/263 miles (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)<doc-sep>Nick Wass/Associated Press Eight drivers remain in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff as the series heads to Martinsville Speedway for Sunday's First Data 500. Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson were all eliminated in ho-hum fashion at Kansas Speedway last time out. No drama or clashes—just four drivers on the way out for one reason or another, joining other eliminated faces like Jimmie Johnson. NASCAR constructed this system for high-energy drama come elimination time. The final eight might just provide it moving forward, especially with a representative of the new generation such as Chase Elliott firing on all cylinders and ready to clash with some dominant veterans. Viewing Details Where: Martinsville Speedway Video Play Button Videos you might like When: Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET Watch: NBCSN Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Tickets: StubHub First Data 500 1. Kyle Busch 2. Kevin Harvick 3. Martin Truex Jr. 4. Brad Keselowski Note: Qualifying is Saturday. 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Standings 1. Kyle Busch 4055 2. Kevin Harvick 4054 3. Martin Truex Jr. 4038 4. Chase Elliott 4018 5. Clint Bowyer 4015 6. Joey Logano 4015 7. Kurt Busch 4015 8. Aric Almirola 4006 9. Ryan Blaney 2212 10. Brad Keselowski 2194 11. Kyle Larson 2178 12. Denny Hamlin 2159 13. Austin Dillon 2150 14. Erik Jones 2148 15. Jimmie Johnson 2148 16. Alex Bowman 2144 ESPN.com Drivers to Watch Martin Truex Jr. Butch Dill/Associated Press Is Martin Truex Jr. back to form despite the whirlwind of drama surrounding him and the team at Furniture Row Racing. That team is shutting down, and despite a dominant regular season, it appeared that fact started taking a major toll on all involved in the playoffs. Entering Kansas, Truex had finished 14th or worse in three consecutive events. It's an elephant in the room more people are starting to point out, including NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast (h/t Michelle R. Martinelli of For The Win): "I'm not saying Truex can't win a championship. I'm just saying I will be surprised if he does. Not only do they not have the speed that [Harvick] has or [Busch] — clearly [Sunday] they didn't — but with everything happening with that team closing down and all those guys having new futures, that could be a big distraction, whether they want to own it or not." And while Truex isn't running as fast and the narrative seems to coincide with the dip in performance well enough, he still pulled out a top-five finish at Kansas. Granted, it was Truex's best finish since mid-September, and he hasn't won since mid-July. But there is always the outside possibility the situation surrounding Truex and his team quickly turns into the must-see story NASCAR keeps hoping this format will produce. Kyle Busch Colin E. Braley/Associated Press Kyle Busch is the obvious favorite going into Sunday's event, both in the minds of observers and in the minds of oddsmakers, according to Scott Hastings of OddsShark. Not only is the seven-time winner in 2018 the defending winner at this particular race, but he also almost seized the checkered flag at Martinsville back in March, finishing second. To be fair, Busch has been spottier than usual as of late, finishing 26th or worse in two of his past four outings. But it would be remiss not to mention some of that was simply bad luck, and his most recent outing brought a runner-up finish. And as Jeff Burton said on NASCAR America, the fact that Busch loves the upcoming track is key (h/t NBC Sports' Dan Beaver): "This race track doesn't change like other race tracks do. The aerodynamic advances that other teams have made, there not going to work for you here. ... I would fully expect the people who ran well here in the spring to come here and run well – unless a particular team...Hendrick Motorsports could bring four really fast cars here because they hit something." Little has stopped Busch this season, and while the recent outings look patchy, he's brilliant at the next few tracks on the schedule, starting Sunday. It's a problem for the remaining drivers, who clearly already know he will be on top of his game. Chase Elliott Colin E. Braley/Associated Press Elliott looks like the only person who can stop Busch. The Hendrick Motorsports rising star has won two of his past three races. That sounds great, but keep in mind he also only has three finishes outside the top 10 over his past 13 races. At Kansas, Elliott led a smooth 44 laps—third-highest on his season—before seizing the victory: All this after Elliott stunned the NASCAR landscape at the start of August by taking the first checkered flag of his career. "The difference has been going through some tougher days, having some learning experiences, making our cars faster," Elliott said, according to ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass. "Having those learning experiences, along with making our car better, has meant better results. I think we have just as good a shot as anybody, and that's our approach these next three weeks." The hottest driver in the series, it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn Elliott had a top-10 finish at Martinsville earlier this year. With it apparent past performances are a big deal at the track and the fact that Elliott keeps winning, he's a close second favorite.<doc-sep>
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Hoping to reverse the outcome of this year’s spring race at Martinsville Speedway, Kyle Busch took the first step Saturday, winning the pole position for Sunday’s First Data 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the first race in the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Busch navigated the .526-mile short track in 19.673 seconds (96.254 mph) in the final round of knockout qualifying to edge fellow title contender Clint Bowyer (96.122 mph) for the top starting position by .027 seconds. RELATED: See every in the field | Qualifying results The series leader entering the penultimate round of the playoffs, Busch earned his fourth Busch Pole Award of the season — which became official after inspection Sunday morning finalized the starting order — his third at Martinsville and the 31st of his career. But it was only a first step. Now comes the business of trying to beat Bowyer, who nipped Busch by 1.146 seconds in the sixth race of the regular season. After taking the top spot from Busch on Lap 387, Bowyer led the final 114 laps to seal the victory. To start the process of swapping finishing positions with Bowyer, Busch claimed the No. 1 pit stall, the closest to the exit from pit road. “Obviously, track position is important, but what’s more important is the opportunity to have that pit box,” Busch said. “That No. 1 pit box will hopefully do us good, we can have a great day, run up front much of the day and finish there, more importantly. “Earlier this year, with Clint here, we were role-reversed, and hopefully we can keep it the way it is right now, this time 24 hours from now.” With an average starting position of 14.0 this season, Bowyer was elated to put forth a strong effort in time trials. “Good God, after the way I have been qualifying lately, it feels like I’m sitting on four poles,” said Bowyer, who enters the race tied for fifth in the series standings, facing a cut to the top-four drivers in two weeks at ISM Raceway. “We’re on the front row, man. “When you won here in the spring, you know you have a shot. It is cool weather, kind of the same conditions. Obviously, it wasn’t the pole and Kyle was faster. Kyle is really good at laying laps down. I like the Sunday afternoon drives.” Bowyer barely made it to the front row, edging Denny Hamlin (96.112 mph) for the second spot on the grid by .002 seconds. Ryan Blaney, who ran the fastest lap of time trials in the first round, qualified fourth, followed by playoff driver Aric Almirola. With just under nine minutes left in the opening round, Bubba Wallace wheel-hopped the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet into Turn 3, spun into the outside wall and damaged the car beyond repair. Wallace will start from the rear of the field in a backup car.