24-year-old Kyle Larson has a win and three second-place finishes in five races this season and is atop the Monster Energy Cup Series standings. 21-year-old Chase Elliott is second in points and ranks third in laps led.
NASCAR at Martinsville preview: Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott seeking short-track breakthrough
Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott are rising stars, but both are still trying to find their way at NASCAR’s oldest track.
These two are the faces at the forefront of a youth movement within NASCAR’s top division. They will also lead the field to the green flag in Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, FS1) after qualifying was canceled, forcing officials to set the lineup off owner points.
But despite their early season superiority where each has maintained a consistent presence up front in all five races -- a few breaks here or there and Larson and/or Elliott could’ve won all five -- neither is considered among the favorites to win the first short track race of the year.
Martinsville is a place that rewards experience. Veterans with the knowledge to manage their brakes, preserve tires and not put themselves in a tenuous position leading to being swept into the many accidents that occur on the Virginia half-mile track, hold a considerable advantage.
As for those drivers on the other end of the experience spectrum, well, they often struggle. And not surprisingly, most haven’t yet developed an appreciation for NASCAR’s oldest track that happens to resemble an oversized paperclip.
“I’m glad to have a 29-point lead coming into Martinsville because this is my worst race track we go to, probably,” Larson said. “I’ve gotten better at it each time, but it’s still not a track where I’m extremely comfortable. I can go fast in qualifying or early on tires, but I struggle at saving my stuff.
“This was probably the one race I looked forward to the least coming to, early on in my NASCAR career. I was thinking about it (Thursday) night.”
Jimmie Johnson can relate to Larson’s trepidation. He remembers the sense of unease that used to come over him as he made the two-hour drive from the Charlotte, N.C. area to Martinsville, just across the North Carolina-Virginia border.
“I used to drive up here depressed and not excited to compete here,” Johnson said.
That “aha moment” for Johnson on how to best navigate the track occurred after being lapped by Tony Stewart, who Johnson then followed so he could observe things like corner entry, where to brake, when to accelerate off the flat turns and how to get into a rhythm.
Eventually, Johnson developed an understanding and over the years he’s become a dominating force at Martinsville. He leads all active drivers in wins (nine), top fives (19), top 10s (24) and laps led (2,838).
“I feel like once you understand how to get around here it’s something that you can keep for a long time, regardless of tire, generation of car, the test of time it really stands up here on this small track more than anywhere,” Johnson said.
Larson, who scored his second career victory last week at Auto Club Speedway, and Elliott, who is winless in 46 series starts, have shown to be quick learners during their respective rapid rise through NASCAR’s developmental tours. This also applies to figuring out Martinsville.
Larson finished third in this race a year ago, and in Friday’s lone practice session he posted the third-fastest lap, just behind Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch, each a former Martinsville winner.
Elliott’s best finish was 12th last fall, which followed him qualifying fifth. To gain additional seat time at Martinsville, he competed in Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race, which he won.
“Martinsville is really small and it’s extremely flat, no progressive banking or whatever,” Elliott said. “That makes it why it’s one lane around here and kind of frustrating for a guy like me who likes to move around.”
It remains to be seen whether Larson and Elliott have progressed enough that they can challenge Busch, Hamlin, Johnson and the other expected contenders on Sunday. The first Martinsville win for Hamlin and Johnson came in their sixth start, while Busch, the defending race winner, didn’t break through until his 23rd start. Sunday will be Larson’s seventh start, Elliott’s fourth.
But at the very least, Larson and Elliott know running and finishing well is no longer a pipedream. Nor do they dread coming to what veterans almost universally declare is one of their favorite tracks.
“Normally I’m depressed driving up here to Martinsville because I suck,” Larson said. “But, I’ve gotten better lately. So, I actually enjoy this place some.”
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