NASCAR: Four Predictions for the Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville

Here are four predictions for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR is headed to the first race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville. What can fans expect from the short track racing action this Sunday? Here are four predictions for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500.

There’s only eight drivers left in the Chase, and only three races left before the season ends at Homestead.

Last week we saw two top Sprint Cup drivers eliminated after Talladega as both Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski lost their engines and their championship hopes.

Two newcomers to the Chase, Austin Dillon and Chase Elliot, also saw their championship runs end.

The remaining Chase drivers are heading into Sunday with a huge amount of pressure surrounding them.

Will all JGR drivers run well at Martinsville this Sunday? Will this be the race that propels Jimmie Johnson even further in his quest for his seventh championship? Does Joey Logano have to worry about his history with Matt Kenseth at this track?

Short tracks like Martinsville are known for giving drivers short tempers as they spend the majority of the race hitting the bumper of the car in front of them just so they can make a pass.

With the pressure of making it through the Round of 8, how aggressive will drivers be on Sunday?

Several of the remaining Chase drivers have run well at Martinsville in the past, but there can only be one winner this weekend. Before we see who ends up in Victory Lane though, here are four predictions for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville.

The fued between Joey Logano (22) and Matt Kenseth (20) has been over for the last year. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Kenseth/Logano Feud Will Not Continue From Last Year

During the Chase race at Martinsville last year one of the greatest acts of “retaliation” occurred in NASCAR’s race for the Sprint Cup championship.

Matt Kenseth decided to change the race outcome when he wrecked Joey Logano in what he considered, and some fans did as well, an act of retaliation against the driver of the 22 car.

It would take an off season, and NASCAR sidelining Kenseth for a couple of races, for these two to move on from the rivalry they had during the Chase.

It’s something that both of these drivers may never forget as Joey Logano recently said:

Could we end up seeing Kenseth and Logano battle again on Sunday? Of course they could collide especially if they are competing for the lead, but as far as this rivalry is concerned it’s long gone.

Both drivers are in a different position heading into Martinsville and are trying to make it to Homestead. For either one of these drivers to try and spark the rivalry would be pointless and could ruin their own chances at the championship.

It was interesting and exciting to see these two drivers  fight it out on the track last year but don’t expect their rivalry to restart this Sunday at Martinsville.

Martinsville will start to separate JGR drivers from who has a shot to make it to Homestead and who doesn’t. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Martinsville Will Separate Joe Gibbs Racing Teammates

All four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers not only managed to make it into the Chase this season, they’ve also made it to the Round of 8.

They are the only organization to have all of their drivers make it this far in the Chase.

Unfortunately the Round of 8 is probably as far as JGR will go with all of their drivers in the Chase. Denny Hamlin barely made it into the Round of 8 after Talladega and with the competition getting even harder, seeing all four drivers competing for the Championship at Homestead seems unrealistic.

The Round of 8 will be where JGR drivers separate and the best ones will move on to Homestead.

But of the  four JGR drivers, which ones are more than likely to move on to the final round of the Chase?

Kyle Busch won the Martinsville race back in April and Denny Hamlin has been known to be one of the better short track racers in NASCAR and has also won at Martinsville.

Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth however have not won a race at this track.

Busch and Hamlin will be the two JGR drivers who end up having the most success this Sunday and Martinsville will be the race that starts to separate the JGR drivers heading into the next round of the Chase.

Jeff Gordon’s final run in the 88 will fall flat. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Gordon Falls Flat at His Last Race

The last win of Jeff Gordon’s career came at this very race last year. It helped propel Gordon to Homestead for chance to win another NASCAR title in his legendary career.

Now Gordon will be driving the 88 as the replacement driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. once again, but don’t expect Gordon to have the same success he did a year ago this Sunday.

Gordon filling in for Dale Jr. is great for fans watching the race and at the track as they get to see a legendary driver compete in NASCAR once again.

But realistically this experiment of bringing Gordon back has been a failure. Hendrick Motorsports has been wasting time with every race Gordon has been subbing in and instead could be giving more valuable experience to Alex Bowman who has also been filling in for Dale Jr. and could be a big part of the Sprint Cup Series in the future.

Gordon gains nothing from competing this Sunday and neither does Hendrick. This organization should be investing in the younger drivers in NASCAR, instead of bringing a driver out of retirement.

Fans will be glad to see this legendary driver back on the track, but if how he’s run while filling in for Dale Jr. is any indication of how he will run on Sunday, don’t expect to see Gordon be a factor in the race at Martinsville.

Jimmie Johnson will win at Martinsville and race for his chance at a seventh championship at Homestead. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmie Johnson Locks In For Homestead

If there is one driver you want to bet on winning at Martinsville, it’s six-time champion Jimmie Johnson. He’s one of the most dominant drivers when it comes to this track, winning a total of 8 times in his career.

Three of those wins came from when he started on the pole position.

More importantly, Johnson and the 48 team have turned their season around. They started the 2016 year by winning races and locking themselves into the Chase early on, but Johnson and his team struggled for a majority of the regular season.

When the first round of the Chase started they were still running into issues. They were close to winning two races, but issues on pit road, both from Johnson and his team, cost them possibly two wins in the Round of 16.

They were able to move onto the Round of 12, but several questions were surrounding the 48 group.

Was Johnson’s time as the top driver in NASCAR over? Could the 48 team fix the issues they were struggling with on pit road? Would they make it out of the Round of 12?

The first race of the Round of 12 at Charlotte ended up answering all those questions and more. Johnson held a dominant lead throughout a big portion of the race and went on to win while other Chase drivers struggled.

With his win at Charlotte Johnson locked himself into the Round of 8 for the first time since NASCAR broke the Chase up into different rounds.

This next round could turn out to be his best, as besides for running well at Martinsville, he also runs well at Texas and Phoenix.

On Sunday Jimmie Johnson will add one more grandfather clock to his collection as he goes on to win the Goody’s Fast Relief 500. The 48 team will lock themselves into the final round of the Chase and Johnson will go on to compete for his seventh Sprint Cup championship at Homestead.

What do you think will happen on Sunday? Is Jimmie Johnson the favorite at Martinsville? Let us know in the comments below.

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