Sundays First Data 5oo at Martinsville Speedway will kick off the Round of 8 this weekend. Most of the eight drivers remaining in the Playoffs have had wins in the past or good finishes.
Sunday’s race will be crucial because if any of the eight Playoff drivers win the event, they will automatically punch a ticket to the championship-deciding race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Below are three Playoff drivers to look out for on Sunday.
1. Jimmie Johnson
When it comes to Martinsville, no other playoff driver has had the success that Jimmie Johnson has had in recent years. In 31 starts at Martinsville, Johnson has compiled nine wins, 19 top fives and 24 top-10 finishes. Martinsville played a key factor in Johnson’s seventh championship last year as winning last October gave Johnson a lock for Homestead and he would go on to capture his seventh championship.
2. Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin, who grew up in Chesterfield, Virginia used to come to the Martinsville short-track hoping one day he would be the name everyone talked about. Thus far, Hamlin remains one of the favorites when the series heads to the paperclip. In 23 starts, Hamlin has compiled five wins and 12 top-five finishes in his career at Martinsville.
3. Brad Keselowski
Keselowski heads to Martinsville hoping to start right where he left off. In 15 starts he has one win which came in April of 2017, five top-five finishes, and nine top-10 finishes.
The First Data 500 from Martinsville Speedway kicks off at 3 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
