MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Let’s play two.
Persistent rain forced postponement of Saturday’s scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, setting up the second NASCAR Sprint Cup/Camping World Truck Series doubleheader in the sanctioning body’s history.
NASCAR plans to run the truck race at approximately 5:30 p.m. Sunday, as soon as possible after the conclusion of the STP 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the .526-mile short track. The Sprint Cup race is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the green flag at 1:13 p.m.
FOX will broadcast the Sprint Cup race, with FOX Sports 1 carrying the trucks.
Tickets for the Camping World Truck Series race will be honored Sunday. Those holding truck tickets only (all of which are general admission) may enter the track after Lap 100 of the Sprint Cup race. Those with Sprint Cup tickets only (reserved seating) will be allowed to stay for both events.
Tickets are still available for purchase, for Sprint Cup only.
Because rain also washed out Saturday’s truck time trials, Darrell Wallace Jr. will start on the pole via being the fastest driver in Friday’s two practice sessions. Wallace picked up his first and only career victory in last October’s Martinsville race.
Ryan Blaney will take the green from the outside of the front row, followed by Timothy Peters, Erik Jones, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Ben Kennedy. The starting order was set by speeds from Friday’s two practice sessions combined.
Ted Minor withdrew from the field, ensuring all 36 remaining drivers starting spots in Sunday’s postponed race.
Though the Camping World Truck Series and the Sprint Cup Series have ended races on the same day at the same race track, the two series have never started a doubleheader on the same day. The Aug. 6, 2011 truck event at Pocono Raceway was halted by rain after 17 laps and concluded the following day after a red-flag period of 19 hours, 19 minutes, with Kevin Harvick taking the checkered flag.
The Good Sam RV Insurance 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, won by Brad Keselowski, was run in its entirety on Aug. 7, 2011 after the completion of the truck race.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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