Everything you need to know about the Goody's Fast Relief 500

By Tim Durr
Published

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the small town of Martinsville, Virginia for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The shortest track on the circuit serves as the first race in the Round of 8 of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. A win here for a Chase driver locks them into the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in three weeks.

Along with the championship battle that will play out at the track, NASCAR icons Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon make their final appearances at the track. Gordon has won nine races at The Paperclip, the third most all-time.

Here's everything you need to know for the Goody's Fast Relief 500:

Green flag: 1:13 p.m. ET

Tune-in:

11 a.m. ET: "NASCAR RaceDay" (FS1)

1 p.m. ET: Sprint Cup Series Goody's Fast Relief 500

12:30 a.m. ET: "NASCAR Victory Lane" (FS1)

Race distance: 263 miles, 500 laps

Track size: 0.526 miles

Grid size: 40 cars

Forecast: Mix of clouds and sun, 82 degrees, 10 percent chance of rain

Pledge of Allegiance: Ms. Corn's 2nd grade class from Albert Harris Elementary, Mrs. Bowling's 5th grade class from Hurt Elementary

Invocation: Mike Hatfield, Chatham Heights Baptist Church

National Anthem: Wake Forest University's Spirit of the Old Gold and Black Marching Band

Flyover: The Bandit Flight Team

Command to start engines: Tricia Helfer, actress

Defending race winner: Jeff Gordon

Front row: Martin Truex, Jr. and Joey Logano

Starting lineup: