NASCAR at Martinsville 2014 Results: Race Order, Final Times, Twitter Reaction
Ahead of the first race in the Eliminator Round, Jamie McMurray stole the pole at Martinsville Speedway. McMurray claimed the top spot with a final round track record of 18.954 seconds and 99.905 mph on Friday evening.
NASCAR Stats noted the finish following the final qualifying round:
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Looking to capture his first Grandfather clock with a win, McMurray stymied all eight Chase drivers with the pole. It's also significant to take the top spot in Martinsville for another reason, as McMurray noted via NASCAR on ESPN:
""A good start to our weekend. The first pit stall here is a big deal," says @jamiemcmurray.
— NASCAR on ESPN (@ESPNNASCAR) October 24, 2014"
McMurray is spending a father-son weekend with his son, Carter, who stole the show during qualifying. NASCAR provided this priceless image of the two:
Coming up behind McMurray, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth finished second and third, respectively, with Denny Hamlin also making the top five. The only other driver not in the Chase in the top five was Tony Stewart, who finished fourth.
Logano has never won the pole at Martinsville, but a second-place start is a career best for him at the track. Earlier this season, Logano finished fourth after starting from third, which was his best at the time.
Below is a look at the top 20 for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500. Full results can be found at NASCAR.com.
| 1 | Jamie McMurray | --- |
| 2 | Joey Logano | -.057 |
| 3 | Matt Kenseth | -.112 |
| 4 | Tony Stewart | -.116 |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | -.122 |
| 6 | Brad Keselowski | -.127 |
| 7 | Jimmie Johnson | -.129 |
| 8 | Kyle Busch | -.133 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -.205 |
| 10 | Kurt Busch | -.247 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -.260 |
| 12 | Clint Bowyer | -.304 |
| 13 | Jeff Gordon | N/A |
| 14 | Paul Menard | N/A |
| 15 | A.J. Allmendinger | N/A |
| 16 | Kyle Larson | N/A |
| 17 | Brian Vickers | N/A |
| 18 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | N/A |
| 19 | Austin Dillon | N/A |
| 20 | Casey Mears | N/A |
Just eight drivers remain with a chance to win the secure a title this season, but two got off to a rough start on Friday.
Kevin Harvick struggled throughout the qualifying round, hitting the wall and never putting together a solid lap. Due to the difficult run, the No. 4 machine will start 33rd on Sunday afternoon.
On a short track like Martinsville, having a good pit stall is crucial for every driver looking to win. Jeff Gluck of USA Today also notes Harvick might fall behind early due to his starting position:
It has been a successful season for Harvick, but not securing a top-10 result on Sunday would be a significant setback. Several other Chasers have victories at Martinsville, so keeping up despite his starting position will be huge.
Harvick wasn't the only Chase driver who missed the cutoff. Jeff Gordon, who has a history of success at Martinsville, finished 13th and one spot out of making the final round.
Gordon spoke about starting from outside the top 10 on Sunday, per the Fox Sports 1 broadcast.
"I don't mind starting 13th, it's not a bad place to start," Gordon said. "You just want that really good pit stall. We'll definitely suffer with the pit stall some, but we can definitely still win it from there. Our car is really good."
Of the drivers looking to punch an early ticket to the Chase, Gordon should have the best shot to claim a victory. The lone Hendrick driver remaining in the postseason, the No. 24 car has driven to Victory Lane eight times at Martinsville—tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most among active drivers.
Along with Gordon, several other Chase contenders might earn an early win to move into the final four. Here's a look at some important statistics for drivers still holding hopes for a title:
| Jeff Gordon | 6.95 | 8 | 3,590 |
| Denny Hamlin | 8.76 | 4 | 1,153 |
| Brad Keselowski | 13.44 | 0 | 10 |
| Joey Logano | 14.82 | 0 | 39 |
| Matt Kenseth | 15.00 | 0 | 407 |
| Ryan Newman | 15.52 | 1 | 194 |
| Carl Edwards | 15.57 | 0 | 31 |
| Kevin Harvick | 15.81 | 1 | 364 |
Needless to say, myriad drivers should be within striking distance of a checkered flag. In a year where wins are more crucial than ever, this short track race promises to be one of the most thrilling of the season.
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