THE RACE IS ON
STP 500 preview: NASCAR returns to Martinsville
Trey Campbell
Mar 23, 2018, 7:49 am
Chase Elliot (top car) will finally break through this week. Jerry Markland/Getty Images
The NASCAR Monster Energy cup series heads to the Martinsville Speedway -- AKA "the paper clip" -- in Ridgeway, Virgina for the STP 500. As most fans know this track is the smallest on the schedule. Martinsville is an 0.526-mile short track that is indeed shaped like a paperclip. The corners are narrow, and the straightaways like drag strips.
Due to the corners being the way that they are this track is HELL on brakes. While the cars don't go all that fast, knowing when to brake is essential and it takes a lot of skill to master this track. Martinsville is one of the most popular race tracks in the country because of all the beating and the banging we see every year not to mention it is in the heart of NASCAR country.
Even in the sport's "decline," loyal NASCAR fans continue to flock to this little old short track in Virgina. If there is one track that is the most like your local race track it is this one. It doesn't even have a victory lane. The winner instead parks right under the start/ finish line where he is met by his pit-crew, a moving stage with all the sponsor banners on it and arguably the most unique trophy in all of NASCAR, a longcase clock made nearby.
While there is a lot of hype surrounding the race, it is important to note that there is a chance that there will be snow in forecast. You read that right folks, according to AccuWeather there is a 37 percent chance of the track getting less than two inches and a 20 percent chance of getting 4-6 inches of snow for Saturday's Camping World Truck race and the main event on Sunday. On the bright side all the precipitation appears to be earlier in the morning and should clear up around the afternoon when the race begins.
Last year, this race was won by Brad Keselowski, although he was not the most dominant car; that was his nemesis Kyle Busch, who led a race high 274 laps until Keselowski finally got around him with 43 laps to go and never looked back in route to his second win of the 2017 season. This year I think that it will be a little bit different, and while Keselowski will be a contender, I think it's his teammate Joey Logano that fans should watch.
Martinsville has not been kind to Logano in the past, the most notable example being the infamous 2015 Goody's Headache Relief 500 when he was on path to victory and to getting into the championship four until Matt Kenseth turned him into the turn one wall. Luckily for Logano, Kenseth is retired so he won't have to worry about that anymore, not to mention he has run well here. Yes, he struggled last year in the second Martinsville race, but he is usually a contender in the first race last year he finished fourth. Look for Logano to be a serious threat to take the checkered flag this Sunday.
Another driver to look out for is obviously the favorite Kyle Busch. He has easily been a step ahead of everyone else here with an average finish of 2.25 here in the last four races and has led over 40 percent of all laps run here. While he has dominated here as of late, I think this weekend is different.
Earlier this year on my season preview write-up, I stated that Chase Elliott has unfinished business at this track. Last year Elliott was two laps away from winning when he was pushed aside by NASCAR's newest villain, Denny Hamlin. It cost him not only his first win but a chance to race for a championship. I know that many times, NASCAR writers such as myself have predicted that "this is the week Chase Elliott finally breaks through and wins" and it is becoming a bit frustrating for some fans but this is the week that Chase Elliott finally breaks through and wins. With all that he has been through at this track, I predict that he finally gets his first win at the track where he made his NASCAR debut in 2015.
(All stats and information used in this article is brought to you by the good folks at driveraverages.com and Racing-Refrence.com the best website for all NASCAR stats)
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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