Martinsville Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report

[themify_box]NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in fall 2018 at Martinsville[/themify_box]

Martinsville Top Ten Starters

1. Kyle Busch
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Ryan Blaney
5. Aric Almirola
6. Kurt Busch
7. Brad Keselowski (started in the back)
8. Daniel Suarez
9. Kyle Larson
10. Joey Logano

Martinsville Full Starting Lineup

Martinsville Pre-race Notes

Martinsville Loop Data Box Score

Martinsville Loop Data Speed Stats

Brad Keselowski and Landon Cassill started in the rear of the field because of unapproved adjustments.

Paul Menard started in the rear of the field because of an engine change.

Bubba Wallace started in the rear of the field in a backup car.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 125): 11,22,18,14,41,31,78,12,4,10

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 250): 22,11,18,78,41,31,9,14,47,2

Martinsville Race Notes

NOTE: For whatever reason no text data was shown in the telecast that was posted to YouTube. That includes the lap count and running order. Sorry those two staples are missing in this Scouting Report.

Kyle Busch who won the pole selected to start in the low-line. He led the opening 30 laps.

Denny Hamlin really liked his car. It was hugging the bottom of the track. On lap 31 he passed Kyle Busch for the lead and then led the next 14 laps.

Clint Bowyer got by Kyle Busch shortly after the #18 lost the lead.

Clint Bowyer really liked his car over long runs. His car turned really good. This was around lap 40.

Notable Moment: On lap 43, Jeb Burton got into the wall and brought out the caution.

Martin Truex Jr. had a slow pit stop during the Jeb Burton caution.

Following the Jeb Burton caution, Kyle Busch won the race off pit road. He then led the next 70 laps.

Eye balled running order for the restart of the Jeb Burton caution (~Lap 49): 18,22,11,12,14,10,41,19,4,47 … 42,31,37,9,24,1,20,17,2,3

Notable Moment: On lap 72, Jimmie Johnson and Erik Jones were battling for position and Jimmie Johnson spun. I would estimate they were running in the teens at the time. Erik Jones got damage to his left rear quarter panel.

Estimated Running Order At The Time Of The Restart For The Jimmie Johnson Caution (~Lap 76): 18,22,11,14,12,41,4,10,31,9 … 19,47

Chase Elliott was running a little higher than others in the turns. He appeared to have a pretty good car.

Joey Logano radioed his team shortly after the Johnson restart and was really happy with his car. He was in 3rd at the time.

Clint Bowyer really liked how his car rolled in the corners shortly after the Johnson caution restart. He was in 4th at the time.

Martin Truex Jr. had a great car. Around lap 100 he was in 12th. He started the race near the back.

On lap 115, Denny Hamlin passed Kyle Busch for the lead.

Closing out Stage #1 it was reported that Martin Truex Jr. had the fastest car.

Stage #1 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 125): 11,22,18,14,41,31,78,12,4,10

Big Moment: During the Stage #1 caution on pit road, Clint Bowyer ran into William Byron and spun him. It was hard contact and did damage to Clint Bowyer’s nose.

Notable Moment: While running in 7th during the Stage #1 caution, Ryan Blaney had an uncontrolled tire and had to restart in the back.

Estimated Running Order For The Start Of Stage #2: 22,11,18,41,31,14,78,4,9,42 … 10,47,88,3,2,19,1

Joey Logano got the lead following the race off pit road. He then led the next 227 laps. Logano’s car was set up to be good over a long run.

Martin Truex Jr.’s car was phenomenal early in Stage #2.

Kurt Busch was very competitive in the #41 in Stage #2 and was running in the top five.

Around lap 200, Daniel Suarez who was in 19th was the first driver one lap down.

Top 3 shortly after lap 200: 22,18,41,78

Big Moment: In Stage #2 around lap ~220, Austin Dillon made an unexpected pit stop. He melted the bead of his tire. He was running in 11th place at the time. A few laps later he came back to pit road. He had a sway bar problem too.

With about 5 laps to go in Stage #2, Kevin Harvick got lapped.

Stage #2 Top Ten Finishers (Lap 250): 22,11,18,78,41,31,9,14,47,2

During the Stage #2 caution, Ryan Newman who just finished 6th in the Stage was caught speeding on pit road and had to go to the back.