Everything You Need to Know Before the Martinsville 300

Ridgeway Grandfather Clock
$32,000
The bragging rights

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is the biggest, most prestigious Late Model Stock race of the season, while also being historically the wildest and most unpredictable show you could possibly imagine for any discipline.

For one, when you have almost 90 cars trying to race their way into a 40-car main event, things have a way of just happening. Of course, things mean dive bombs and the resulting fights and in the words of Andrew Grady — people occasionally get Mike Tyson’d at Martinsville.

https://twitter.com/NASCARRoots/status/1704162386553299431

So really, there are three shows in one set to take place over the weekend. There is a dramatic time trials session that no longer locks anyone into the main event and now merely sets the starting lineups for the four 25-lap qualifying races and then the 200-lap feature.

There is a desperation that always settles in before the heat races and then a desperation that settles just before the final segment of the race across the various formats over the years.

It’s time to find out what someone is willing to do for the clock, cash and cachet this time. The biggest stories in advance of the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 can be found below.

The Biggest Names

The ValleyStar Credit Union 300 is such a big deal because it’s the one race a year that virtually features all the CARS Tour contenders, all the various track champions across the Mid-Atlantic tracks and legends making one-off appearances.

This year is no exception. CARS Tour contenders Carson Kvapil, Brenden Queen, Mason Diaz, Ryan Millington and Bobby McCarty are all entered. The newly crowned NASCAR Weekly Series national champion, Connor Hall, will be present and accounted for.

Hickory champion Kade Brown is entered as is Dominion champion Peyton Sellers and South Boston champion Carter Langley. Landon Huffman, Brandon Pierce, Doug Barnes, Tate Fogleman, Kres VanDyke, Landon Pembleton and Conner Jones all have stout resumes and will be amongst the hopefuls.

READ MORE: Defending winner Peyton Sellers still seeking a clock

Tech Controversy?

Last year, the big technical controversy surrounded 12 cars having their qualifying times disallowed over issues related to carburetors, piston squirters and wheel spacers. In previous seasons, there’s been issues over race control decisions or personal spats with race director Lynn Carroll.

The emergence of the CARS Tour has Late Model Stock teams working off multiple rule book enforcements, one by the touring series, others by the various NASCAR sanctioned tracks and then the exact letter of the NASCAR Late Model Stock rule book.

It just seems like every year someone misses something and Carroll is forced to enforce, and there’s little reason to expect it won’t happen again.

Wild Heat Races

Track president Clay Campbell did a reasonable thing last year in eliminating the last chance race, instead making each of the qualifying races de facto last chance races, because one last race for everyone who hadn’t already raced their way in made for a complete shitshow.

It’s been lost to time the number of years the last chance race was called short of the scheduled distance due to the number of cars remaining or time constraints.

Now, with each qualifying race serving as a only chance race, last year produced some gutsy passes and the Grady conflict with Davey Callihan so make time to watch these four races for more of the same on Saturday.

Wild Finishes

Relive last year’s green-white-checkered finish in the #VSCU300 at @MartinsvilleSwy! pic.twitter.com/muNiKLOFlY

— NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) September 20, 2023

Weather Permitting?

Saturday has an asterisk, of course, because Subtropical Storm Ophelia spun out of nowhere over the past several days and is threatening race day with what could be up to an inch of rain and near hurricane force gusts.

Everything comes down to timing, but the rain date would be a traditional Sunday afternoon race day if Saturday evening is untenable.

Broadcast

The race will air live on FloRacing with the Motor Racing Network also broadcasting a radio presentation for those who do not subscribe to the streaming platform. Qualifying will air live on Flo at 8 p.m. on Friday night. The heat races are scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday with the 200 lap main event set for 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Format and Procedures

The NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Race Procedures (as per 2023 Rule Book) will be used for this event.

These procedures will include the double file “cone” restarts and the use of the “free pass car” procedures. Only lead lap cars, which are not under penalty or involved in the caution will be permitted to take the cone. All lapped cars, including the “free pass car” must re-start at the rear of the longest line of the lead lap cars. Race procedures will be explained during the pre-race driver, crew chief and spotter meetings.

This race will be run in three (3) stages. There will be a 5-minute break at or near the conclusion of lap 100 and lap 175.

During the break(s), crews will be allowed up to four (4) new tires only for the Feature Race that may be changed at their discretion during either break and make any other changes that can be made during the 5-minute break(s). All work during the break(s) must be performed in the car servicing area (pit stall) on pit road. No work is to be performed during any break Until the last car in the field is in its assigned pit stall. Cars are not required to pit during the break(s). At the end of the break(s), cars will be lined up in their respective running order at the time of caution in the following order:

1. Lead lap vehicles that did not pit.
   2. Lead lap vehicles that pitted and returned to the track in the proper time allotment.
   3. Lap(s) down vehicles that did not pit.
   4. Lap(s) down vehicles that pitted and returned to the track in the proper time allotment.
   5. Free Pass vehicle.
   6. Vehicles under penalty.

Cars exiting pit road once the one to go signal is given will restart at the tail. The restart after the break(s) will be the normal “cone” restart for this event. All lapped cars, including the “free pass car” must restart at the rear of the longest line of the lead lap cars. When the Race Director is ready to resume the race after the 5-minute break(s), cars must be ready to return to competition or start at the rear of the field.

Caution laps will not be scored and counted in the four (4) 25-Lap Qualifying Races. Caution laps will be scored and counted in the Feature Event and in excess of the advertised distance if necessary. The race may be concluded with unlimited restart attempts at a green/white/checkered finish unless due to time restraints or adverse conditions a limit may be set and communicated to the competitors.

Entry List

• Camden Gullie
• G.R. Waldrop
• Brenden Queen
• Ronnie Bassett Jr.
• Terry Dease
• Chase Dixon
• Kenny Forbes
• Brody Duggins
• Riley Gentry
• Landon Pembelton
• Trent Barnes
• Jamie York
• Andrew Grady
• Brandon Pierce
• Josh Kossek
• Matt Waltz
• Mike Chambers
• Kyle Dudley
• Dexter Canipe Jr.
• Carter Langley
• Bobby McCarty
• Dylan Ward
• Blayne Harrison
• Karl Budzevski
• Thomas Scott
• Carson Kvapil
• Chase Burrow
• Bruce Anderson
• Kaden Honeycutt
• Buddy Isles Jr.
• Jared Fryar
• Jonathan Worley
• James Sweeney
• Logan Clark
• Kres VanDyke
• Tristen Barnes
• Ryan Millington
• Casey Kelley
• Jason Myers
• Anthony Adams
• Jessica Cann
• Landon Huffman
• Kade Brown
• Zachary Dabbs
• Mason Diaz
• Blaise Brinkley
• Chase Ratliff
• Derrick Lancaster
• Jacob Borst
• Peyton Sellers
• Tony Housman
• Chase Robertson
• Cole Bruce
• Zack Miracle
• Dillon Harville
• Steve Zacharias
• Riley Neal
• Davey Callihan
• Chris Horton Jr.
• William Sawalich
• Conner Jones
• Ross ‘Boo Boo’ Dalton
• Matt Cox
• Jamey Caudill
• Ryan Matthews
• Jimmy Mullins
• Heath Causey
• Justin Hicks
• Katie Hettinger
• Cory Dunn
• Trevor Ward
• Blake Stallings
• Connor Hall
• Adam Murray
• Mike Looney
• Tate Fogleman
• Brad Housewright
• Doug Barnes Jr.
• Dustin Rumley
• John Goin
• Justin S. Carroll
• Sam Yarbrough
• Jacob Heafner
• Daniel Silvestri
• Michael Faulk
• Magnum Tate
• Austin ‘Willie’ Somero
• Colby Higgins