DETROIT – (March 24, 2015) – The marquee Rolex timepiece given to winners of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Borg-Warner Trophy awarded to victors at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Harley J. Earl trophy presented to the champions of the Daytona 500, are just a few examples of the coveted rewards in motorsports. However, few are more unique than the Grandfather Clock bestowed to the winners at Martinsville Speedway.
Over the last eight races held at the paper clipped-shaped, 0.526-mile track, Chevrolet drivers have posed victorious next to the towering trophy. Team Chevy drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon each possess eight famous Grandfather Clock trophies to celebrate eight wins apiece at NASCAR’s last remaining original track. Chevy SS race car drivers Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and most recently Dale Earnhardt, Jr., all have had the pendulum of success swing their way at Martinsville.
This weekend Harvick looks to continue to make his mark in the history books by extending his streak of top-two finishes. The reigning Sprint Cup Series champion has eight consecutive finishes of second or better and is on a quest to top the series record of 11, which was achieved by Richard Petty in 1975.
Team Chevy drivers have etched their names in the rich history of Martinsville Speedway for the past eight years running. The Bowtie Brigade’s eight race winning streak marks the longest stretch in which one manufacturer has dominated at the Virginia oval.
Earning a ninth Chevy victory will be no easy task for drivers and teams. The tight corners and short straightaways are ingredients for calamity. Surviving the multi-car accidents is only one piece of the puzzle. Drivers rely on their crew chiefs for the right pit strategy, and on their pit crews for quick and efficient stops. And when everything goes perfectly and according to plan, one driver and team will hear the sweet chime of the famous Grandfather Clock in Victory Lane on Sunday.
While at Martinsville, fans can check out the great lineup of Chevrolet cars, trucks and SUVs on display at the Team Chevy exhibit in the midway – conveniently located outside Turn 4.
The display will open at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 27th. Fans can see a variety of vehicles including Cruze, Malibu, Impala, Camaro 2LT Coupe, Traverse, Suburban, Silverado 1500 Double Cab, Silverado 1500 Crew, Equinox, Corvette Stringray and the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year – the Chevy Colorado Extended Cab. They can also check out a number of show cars including the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS, the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet SS, and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro.
Fans can also ask questions to some of their favorite Team Chevy drivers. Paul Menard, Spencer Gallagher, Brandon Jones, Ray Black, Jr., Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick will all make appearances at the Team Chevy stage throughout the race weekend.
The 500-lap/263-mile STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 29th. Live coverage will be available on FoxSports1, MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.