Kyle Petty will make his 791st career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start on Sunday. Provided he stays in the top 35 “locked in” group – he’s 32nd this week – he should make his 800th career start on June 3 at Dover International Speedway. … Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on the move. His seventh-place finish at Bristol moved him up to 17th in the series standings. He hasn’t won at Martinsville but he has had six top-five runs, including last year’s fourth-place finish. “We’ve always been strong at Martinsville, and all I want or expect from my guys is that we’re in the ballpark when we unload that car, ” Earnhardt said. “If we’re close, then we’re going to be all right. Get me in the ballpark and I’ll drive that thing as hard as I can. The mindset at Martinsville is a lot like Bristol or at a road course: you try to stay out of trouble and survive until the last 100 laps, and then you go racin’ to see who’s gonna take home the trophy. It’s good to have some momentum after a top-10 finish … and it’scool to see we’ve gained 24 spots in the points in the last three races. “
Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) is the defending champion who, coming into Martinsville, has yet to win this season.
In 12 Texas Motor Speedway races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, there have been 12 different winners.
There have been nine different Budweiser Pole winners at Texas with two repeat winners: Bobby Labonte (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge) in 2003 and ’04 and Ryan Newman (No. 12 Alltel Dodge) who swept the poles for 2005’s two events.
The Race: Goody’s Cool Orange 500
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Sunday, April 1
The Time: 2 p. m. (ET)
TV: FOX, 1:30 p. m. (ET)
Track Layout:. 526-mile oval
Distance: 500 laps/263 miles
Purse: $4,929,787
2006 Winner: Tony Stewart
2006 Pole: Jimmie Johnson
Series Points
Pos. Driver Pts.
1 J. Gordon 791
2 J. Burton 788
3 Johnson 716
4 Kenseth 697
5 Harvick 647
6 Kyle Busch 639
7 Martin 629
8 Bowyer 621
9 Hamlin 606
10 Edwards 598
Pre-Race On-Track Schedule: Friday—Practice, 10:30-Noon. Qualifying, 3:45 p. m.; Saturday—Practice, 10-10:50 a. m. and 12:50-1:50 p. m.
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