Martinsville showdown looming for title leaders
Expect a showdown in M-Town this Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson has proved he’s the master at Martinsville Speedway. He’s won six of the last 12 races on the hairpin-shaped half-mile. And in 17 career starts, he’s posted 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. Despite a mechanical failure in his 2002 Martinsville debut, Johnson still holds the best average finish among current drivers with a 5.4.
But there’s a new kid in town by the name of Denny Hamlin.
Not only has Hamlin won three of the last five races at Martinsville, he swept the last two. The 29-year-old, who hails from Chesterfield, Va., made a name for himself in Late Models at the track long before he rattled the Cup ranks.
No wonder his numbers are eerily similar to Johnson’s — seven top-five, nine top-10 showings and an average finish of 6.6. He’s led 674 of the last 1509 laps raced at Martinsville.
And he trails Johnson by just 41 points in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. While Hamlin would prefer to be leading the standings, he’s encouraged to be “better than I was last year.”
“We’re going to a great track for us – Martinsville and then Talladega’s going to be, who knows,” Hamlin said. “In (Charlotte) last year I blew up, and last time I wrecked, so I’m ahead of pace.
“I’ve been (to Martinsville) with several different cars and several different series and I’ve gotta have a good car if I’m gonna run well there. It’s one of those tracks where braking is so important. All your laps times are really just made up on how you enter the corners and your braking. A lot of people really try to work on exit, but I, for the most part, work on how I’m going to enter the corner and make sure my car is stable enough.”
Compared to Hamlin, Johnson did not log the miles at Martinsville prior to his NASCAR career. His short-track experience was garnered in the American Speed Association. But Johnson drew from his off-road truck experience to traverse the tricky tight corners at Martinsville — and despite his self-deprecating assessment, proved he was a quick learner.
"When I came into the sport, I had two years in ASA and thought that the short tracks would fit well for me and it was quite the opposite,” Johnson said. “It took a long time to understand the big car, the radial tire, the extra power, and how to maneuver around on a short track. But the track at Martinsville, especially when the rubber is laid down, reminds me of some of my off-road stuff where we would have barrels or tractor tires stacked up as the turn-marker, but it was that tight of a radius. And when the rubber lays down, especially the right-side rubber on corner exit at Martinsville, you have to change your line to not run through the rubber at the wrong spot.
"And that rhythm really helps all dirt drivers. It doesn't matter if it's Tony (Stewart) in a Sprint Car or Dirt Late Model, or Kasey Kahne for that matter. I think certain guys have an eye for where the slick spots are on the track and how to change their lines and I think all of our dirt backgrounds really help that.”
Certainly, Martinsville is a rhythm track. A driver can develop a groove and check out. But because the racing occurs is such close quarters inevitably cautions slow the pace. Since the introduction of double-file restarts among the leaders, a whole new element exists — particularly on short tracks. The final outcome could have a direct effect on the title should “boys have at it” come into play.
“First and foremost, you would have to assume the front-row outside driver — the old theory of eight wheels are better than four is going to come into play — and whoever the inside car is going to lean on him pretty heavily,” Johnson said. “There we can turn people around pretty easily.
“You have more control over your car at Martinsville than at any of the other tracks on a double-file restart. We’ll see. Who I wouldn’t want next to me? Man, I guess whoever would be second in points. We’re going to be gouging for every single point at that part of the race and the way the points are stacked up, the top five are all guys that are really good at Martinsville. It could be exciting.”
And that guy next to him most certainly could be Denny Hamlin.
The greatest contrast between Hamlin and Johnson during the first half of the Chase has been the conservative nature of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team. That cautious game plan has produced no wins and just five bonus points in the first five races after Hamlin finally made it to the point on Saturday night and led a lap. Johnson, however, has won a race, led laps in three events and picked up additional bonus points for leading the most laps at Dover. All told, 35 of the 41-point advantage Johnson holds over Hamlin were earned with bonus points.
As skillful as Hamlin has been around the Martinsville track in the past, will he be willing to take the necessary chances to be victorious on Sunday? He admits his guarded tact hurt him “a little bit” at California.
“I lost some spots last week on restarts because I was too conservative and didn’t want to get ran into,” Hamlin said. “It hurts you a little bit, but you giving up five or 10 points each week to be conservative is better than the alternative, which would be losing 100. That’s hard to overcome. Not only the points, it’s just your mindset changes so much when you get more than 100 points behind.
“It is a tough balance. For myself, the first three or four races, I’ve been trying to avoid wrecks than worrying about winning races because the wrecks can take me out of the championship. It’s just about executing a plan, I think. I haven’t won one yet, so I don’t have the master plan or the right keys. For me, it’s important to stay close within the first five races and then really go for it in the last five and I feel like we’re executing that well.”
Prudence is not always the best strategy when battling the No. 48 team. If there is a driver with nine lives, Johnson is it. This team has battled back from adversity better than any organization on the tour.
Over the next five races, Hamlin must put the pressure on Johnson and hope he wasn't too restrained for too long.
And it starts with the showdown in M-Town this Sunday.
