Open Race Thread: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Fast Relief 500 - Martinsville Speedway

NASCAR enthusiasts will have a pretty good idea of what to expect the rest of the season after today’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. After all, the sport will have visited a superspeedway, flat track, intermediate, speed-short track and a true short track after today’s race.

Today could be the final chance for drivers to set the tone for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season.

Jeff Gordon is mired in potentially the worst start of his career. He’s currently 25^th in the championship standings and has finished no higher than seventh (Phoenix) this season.

It’s not for a lack of fast cars. Jeff Gordon led laps at both Daytona and Bristol and appeared to have chances in both races but suffered a blown engine and cut tire respectively. Gordon looks to get his season back on track by visiting Martinsville - his best statistical track according to NASCAR loop data.

Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins at the paperclip-shaped speedway and has backed it up with an average finish of 4.3 and running order of 6.3 (both stats are second only to Jimmie Johnson, with only half the starts). Gordon reminded the field of these stats by leading both practice sessions and qualifying ninth.

Gordon’s disappointed in his qualifying effort but has called his car, “the best I’ve ever had.” That could be bad news for the rest of the field.

Kevin Harvick is the defending race winner and will reach a personal milestone today when the green flag drops. Martinsville marks Harvick’s 400^th career start - a mark that only 49 other drivers have accomplished in the Sprint Cup Series.

Harvick is a quiet second in the championship standings and could benefit from an early win to erase the sour taste of two consecutive third-place championship finishes. Harvick won at Martinsvile on Saturday in the Camping World Truck Series and will start today’s race from the outside pole.

Jimmie Johnson is the current king of Martinsville and is slowly putting together a record book that rivals that of Richard Petty, the all-time wins leader at the Virginia-based Speedway. Johnson has struggled to find speed thus far in practice and qualifying and will roll out 22^nd.

But we’ve all learned to never underestimate the Lowes no. 48.

Cautions and accidents are a constant at Martinsville, meaning anything could happen in the closing laps. Gordon, Harvick, and Johnson are our picks. Who do you think the contenders are today at Martinsville Speedway - Hamlin, Kahne, Earnhardt Jr.? Tell us the comments section below.

Live television coverage will start on FOX at 1 p.m. EST and will feature the voices of Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip. For those who are away from a television set or prefer the radio broadcast, www.motorracingnetwork.com will stream the race live on any supported computer or mobile device.

A complete starting lineup can be found after the jump!