The 2026 Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway

     This week, we head up north to the historic short track of Martinsville. Located just on the edge of the Virginia-North Carolina border, this is the only track that has remained on the schedule for all of NASCAR's 78 years. Being such a tight and small track, it always delivers in entertainment, with many spin and lockups in the corners. But, enough of my blabbering, let's get to the action. 

     Just an FYI, this article is going to be pretty short. The most entertaining thing that happened in the first two stages was William Byron passing Denny Hamlin for the lead, then him getting passed by Hamlin. So, yeah. Hamlin wins the first two stages.

A little way into stage three, our first caution came out on 312 for a brake rotor on the track. Then-don't ask me what he was doing-after the restart Bubba Wallace slammed into the back of Carson Hocevar, causing the 77 to spin out of turn 4, which caused a huge pile-up involving Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Austin Hill, and others. I believe that the slam from Wallace to Hocevar was intentional, and apparently Wallace didn't like how Hocevar squeezed him on the restart. But-instant karma-Hocevar kept going, but Wallace was out of the race right then and there.

After the restart, Denny Hamlin, who had been dominating all day, got the lead taken away from him by Chase Elliott who-long story short-ended the Hendrick win drought.

I think I just made the shortest article in history. Well, it's not like I'm complaining, more time to kick back and relax. And you may do the same. Or you could read more of these awesome articles by clicking on one below.