NASCAR will run a short track for the third consecutive week and Chase Elliott will be back in the driver’s seat at Martinsville Speedway this Sunday.

The NOCO 400 will have Chase Elliott back driving the #9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Chase has missed the last six races due to a fractured tibia he suffered while snowboarding March 3rd. John Berry has been filling in as the driver for Chase while he’s been recovering.

Martinsville Speedway is often referred to as the “Paperclip.” This is because of the small size and tight turns that make it look like one. It is also the only oval track on the circuit that has an asphalt surface on the straightaways and concrete to cover the turns. This all leads to some unique challenges for both the drivers and the crews to get the cars to handle well.

Here is the data for both the track and the race this weekend.

Martinsville Speedway Track Data
Track Size: 0.526-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 12 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 12 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch & Backstretch: 0 degrees
Frontstretch & Backstretch Length:  800 feet

NOCO 400 Data
Season Race #: 9 of 36 (04-16-23)
Race Length: 400 laps / 210.4 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 100 laps
Final Stage Length: 220 laps

These are the active drivers that have won in NASCAR’s top division at Martinsville Speedway.

Will Chase Elliott be a factor right out of the gate in his return to racing? He has received a waiver from NASCAR to be eligible to race for the Cup Series Championship. However, he has a huge hole to dig out of after missing six races. A second career win at Martinsville would be a giant step up toward getting out of that hole.

Denny Hamlin is having a mediocre year so far. He has no wins, no top five and only two top ten finishes. He is the active driver with the most wins at Martinsville. However, his last victory at the track came seven years ago. Will he be a threat to add a sixth win at the track?

Christopher Bell won the last time NASCAR raced at Martinsville in the fall. He also won last week’s Bristol Dirt Race. Could he make it back-to-back wins at Martinsville and in 2023?

William Byron won this race last year to become the first multi-race winner of 2022. He has already become the only 2023 driver with two wins. Will he use this track to be a three-time 2023 winner?

Those are just a few scenarios that could play out. What actual story will be told will start Sunday, April 16th starting at 2 p.m. central time (3 p.m. eastern time) in the NOCO 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

By: Buck Stevens