HFT Weekend Preview: Martinsville Speedway
By Haas Factory Team
Saturday O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Action:
Date: Saturday, October 31st at 4 p.m. ET
Track: Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, VA
Race Distance: 250 laps / 131.5 miles
Broadcast: CW | MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday Cup Series Action:
Date: Sunday, November 1st at 2 p.m. ET
Track: Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, VA
Race Distance: 500 laps / 263 miles
Broadcast: NBC | MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
On-Track Activity:
Friday:
3 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Practice
CW App | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
4:05 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Qualifying
CW App | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Saturday:
1 p.m. ET – Cup Practice
TruTV | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
2:05 p.m. ET – Cup Qualifying
TruTV | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
4 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Race
CW | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Sunday:
2 p.m. ET – Cup Race
NBC | MRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Race Weekend Quick Hits:
- Martinsville Raceway hosts its annual fall race date this weekend for the eighth and penultimate race of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase.
- Sheldon Creed sits fourth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings after his fifth top-five finish of the Chase at Talladega, putting him 50 points behind leader Jesse Love with two races remaining in the Chase.
- Through 31 races, Creed has put together a breakout campaign, ranking second in average starting position (7.8), average finish (10.0) and top-five finishes (14) while tying for the second most top-10s (21) in the series.
- Creed has posted an 8.1 average finish through the first seven Chase races, including four top-three finishes and a pair of victories.
- Sam Mayer remains sixth in the NOAPS standings, 96 points behind Love, after a 13th-place result at Talladega despite challenging for the win on the final lap.
- Cole Custer has qualified inside the top six in three of his last five Martinsville Cup Series starts, including third- and fifth-place starts in 2022, and a sixth-place start last fall.
- Custer is coming off a season-best fifth-place finish last weekend at Talladega, Haas Factory Team’s best Cup Series result of the season and Custer’s first top-five finish since last season’s fall Talladega race.
Cup Driver Lineup:
No. 41 Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, CA
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Haas / Bonanza Wines
Custer’s Martinsville Cup Series History:
Starts: 9
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Custer will make his 10th Cup Series start at Martinsville this weekend, where he owns a 22.1 average finish.
- In four O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Martinsville over the last two seasons, Custer has recorded three top-10 finishes and an 8.5 average finish.
- Custer also has six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the 0.526-mile track.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Driver Lineup:
No. 00 Driver: Sheldon Creed
Hometown: Alpine, CA
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Ollie’s
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 4th, -50 points
Creed’s Martinsville O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 9
Wins: —
Top-10s: 7
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Creed makes his ninth O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Martinsville on Saturday, where he has earned seven career top-10 finishes, including three runner-up results in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
- He has started inside the top 10 in eight of his nine career Martinsville starts and owns a 6.4 average starting position, his second-best mark among active tracks.
- Creed has also made five career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Martinsville, earning two top-10 finishes.
No. 41 Driver: Sam Mayer
Hometown: Franklin, WI
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Starkey
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 6th, -96 points
Mayer’s Martinsville O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 10
Wins: —
Top-10s: 6
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
- Mayer is in line to make his 11th O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Martinsville this weekend, where he has earned six career top-10 finishes, including four top-five results.
- Mayer’s best starting position at Martinsville is fifth, recorded in April 2023, and he carries a 14.8 average starting position at the track.
HFT Talladega Recap:
Sheldon Creed charged to a fifth-place finish at Talladega for his fifth top-five result of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase, while Sam Mayer brought home 13th after a late push for the win.
Cole Custer capitalized on an overtime restart to record a fifth-place finish on Sunday, earning Haas Factory Team’s best Cup Series result of the season and Custer’s first top-five finish since last season’s fall Talladega race.