Three memorable moments
CONCORD, N.C. - Hendrick Motorsports haulers are back from the West Coast and heading to nearby Martinsville Speedway.
Martinsville is the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit, but Hendrick Motorsports has far from come up short at the half-mile track with an organization-high 22 wins there since 1984.
Before the excitement of short-track racing begins this weekend, here is a look back at three memorable moments at Martinsville for Hendrick Motorsports.
Sept. 22, 1996 – There is a first time for everything. And 1996 was the first time Jeff Gordon won at Martinsville. In a green-white-checkered finish, Gordon battled for the win against his teammate Terry Labonte. Ultimately, Gordon crossed the finish line ahead of the rest and took home his first checkered flag from the “paperclip” track.
Oct. 22, 2006 – Jimmie Johnson was racing his way to his first championship, and a win at Martinsville would bring him one step closer to his goal. After 18 cautions and leading the race for 245 laps, just shy of half of the 500-lap race, Johnson scored a win at the half-mile track. Johnson went on to finish the 2006 season with five wins and his first of six championships.
Oct. 26, 2014 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the green at Martinsville from the 23rd position, but that did not stop him from racing his way to the front of the pack. After the last caution of the day, the race restarted with five laps to go - and Earnhardt led the last four of those laps. Finally, after his 30th start at the half-mile track, Earnhardt brought home his first grandfather clock.
