Johnson and Gordon Own Martinsville

The start flag will drop Sunday on a race track that owner Richard Petty is the current title holder for the most wins, the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. A record that could be in jeopardy if Rick Hendrick continues its record of running hard and fast on the oval of Martinsville Speedway. Rick Hendrick and drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, have won nine of the last twelve races at Martinsville, and the owner is second only to the king, Richard Petty, who has a total of 17 wins at the Paperclip. Jimmie Johnson has earned a total of 740 race points at the Paperclip in the last four competitions at Martinsville, has done the victory lap five time at Martinsville, completed the race in the top five in 10 out of the past 11 races, never finished worse than 35th in fields that were some of the toughest, and in the last 13 times pulling up to the start line at Martinsville, has never finished worse than ninth. Jeff Gordon on the other hand has carried the checkered flag around the oval twice in the last eight competitions at the Paperclip, while finishing in the top five in the races he didn’t win. Three of Rick Hendrick’s four drivers have stated that the Paperclip is one of their favorite ovals, with its tight corners and fast upper skirt that seems to be to the liking of his drivers, Rick Hendrick could be one race closer to toppling the king off his throne at the Paperclip, after Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson at the 2008 Subway 500

The 2009 NASCAR season is Hendrick Motorsports 25th year in Cup Series racing and with a return to the spot of the owners first victory Sunday, Geoffrey Bodine raced to victory for Hendrick Motorsports on April 29, 1984 in the Sovran Bank, the owner is probably planning on having a huge party after the race to celebrate the occasion, and hopefully another victory at a oval that hasn’t been as generous to other owners.

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