MARTINSVILLE
Through the gears
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was a weird, strange and time-agonizing event, starting Sunday afternoon and ending Wednesday night because of varying degrees of precipitation.
When the checkered flag was mercifully displayed, NASCAR had another first-time 2020 winner. Kyle Busch kept his season-to-season winning streak alive by using every molecule of fuel in his No.18 Toyota. Busch has won at least one Cup race each year since 2005. After being thrust from the stock car playoffs after Round 2, winning became his primary priority.
“We finally got it,” Busch said after his 57th career victory. “I was so nervous – I was nervous the whole last run. I’ve been in this position so many times. The last three laps though, that’s like winning the championship – that’s how nervous I was.”
For the record, Busch has two titles and is the defending Cup champion.
First gear: On to the penultimate Cup race of the season at Martinsville Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott find themselves 25 points behind fourth-place Brad Keselowski and 27 behind third-place Denny
Hamlin. Bowman and Elliott represent Chevrolet’s interests in the playoffs.
Second gear: Silly Season is about over, or is it? Erik Jones finally landed a 2021 seat when he signed with Richard Petty Motorsports to replace Bubba Wallace, who will drive for a new team. Xfinity Series star Chase Briscoe is moving up to replace retiring Clint Bowyer in the No.14 Stewart-Haas Ford. During the Texas rain delay, Kyle Larson was signed by Rick Hendrick to drive the No. 5 Chevy.
Third gear: Did you know that Jamie McMurray holds the qualifying record at Martinsville Speedway? In 2014, driving for Ganassi Racing, McMurray was clocked at 99.905 mph over the cramped 0.526-mile track. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won that race, his only victory at Martinsville in 35 starts.
Fourth gear: Martinsville Speedway tested Daytona Motor Mouths’ mental acuity with the name of its Cup Series race this weekend. The Xfinity 500 will be the name of Sunday’s race, not to be confused with the Xfinity Series, which stages a race at Martinsville on Saturday. Almost got us. Almost.