A true cornerstone of American motorsports, Martinsville Speedway is where the pages of NASCAR history practically started, being the only track from the inaugural 1949 season to remain on the Cup Series schedule ever since. Carved out of the Virginia clay by H. Clay Earles in 1947, the original half-mile dirt oval quickly earned the moniker “The Paperclip” for its distinctive and tight layout. However, even this legend is not immune to Mother Nature’s interventions.
Located in the often-unpredictable climate of Southern Virginia, while recent years have brought the use of ‘wet weather’ tires for damp ovals, Martinsville experienced a season where multiple events were severely impacted. The 2025 playoff weekend, which serves as the Round of 8 elimination race for all three major NASCAR series, is scheduled for a brisk and notably cooler three days, with the most significant weather concern appearing late Sunday night.
When the wet weather tires may roll out at Martinsville
Friday, October 24, kicks off the action with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Slim Jim 200 race at 6:00 p.m. ET on FS1. Before the green flag, practice and qualifying will air on FS2 starting at 2:05 p.m. ET. Daytime highs are forecast for a cool 63°F under sunny skies, with light Northwest winds at 5 to 10 mph and a minimal 3% chance of rain. The night will be clear and cold, with a low of 33°F and only a 4% chance of precipitation.
Saturday, October 25th, features the qualifying sessions for both the Xfinity and Cup Series, followed by the Xfinity elimination race. Cup Series practice and qualifying airs on truTV starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Xfinity Series IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 will go green at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW, running 250 laps with stages ending at Lap 60 and 120.
The weather is predicted to be a mix of sunshine and clouds with a high of 62°F and a minimal 5% chance of rain, making for excellent daytime track conditions. The night conditions remain clear, with a low of 37°F and a negligible 4% chance of rain, allaying fears of an Xfinity race delay.
Sunday’s main event is the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500, the final race of the Round of 8, set for 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, covering 500 laps with stages ending at Lap 130 and 260.
Race day begins with considerable cloudiness and the chilliest high of the weekend at 61°F.
While the chances of precipitation during the race remain at 4%, ensuring a probable on-time start, the weather is set to dramatically deteriorate later that night. The forecast for the evening calls for showers developing late with a high chance of rain at 60%, giving way to a low of 40°F.
Given the consistent cool temperatures in the low 60s throughout the weekend, the team will be bracing for a significant shift in tire wear and potential grip compared to warmer tracks, which could play a major role in the intense short-track playoff battle. However, the most critical weather concern remains the late-night rain threat on Sunday.
While the Cup race is expected to finish before the 60% chance of showers develops, race officials and teams will be keenly watching the skies for an early movement of the system that could force a premature stoppage or delay the crowning of the 2025 Championship 4 contenders.
The road to Phoenix runs through Martinsville
Heading to the final race before the Championship 4 showdown, Joe Gibbs Racing currently holds the advantage at Martinsville, with Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe already locked into Phoenix, while Christopher Bell remains the top points contender still seeking his ticket to the finale.
The Virginia half-mile is famous for late-season chaos, and Martinsville has a history of producing wall-off winners. Statistically, Hamlin enters as the favorite with a stellar 9.8 average finish across 39 starts, leading over 100 laps in 5 of the last 9 races. But with his Championship 4 berth already secured, there’s a reason to wonder if Hamlin will be in pure attack mode on Sunday.
Since 2020, only Joey Logano has finished in the top 5 at Martinsville after already clinching a playoff spot earlier in the round, suggesting a new name may rise this weekend. Ryan Blaney is one such contender poised to make noise. The defending Martinsville playoff winner and the 2023 Cup champion has an exceptional record here, finishing no worse than 11th since 2019.
Through his recent stretch has been rough, with no top-10s since New Hampshire, the short track seems to bring out his best. Behind him, William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Logano all find themselves below the cutline but remain dangerous. Byron seeks redemption after misfortune at Las Vegas and Talladega, while Elliott’s 3 straight top-5s at the track make him a serious threat to repeat his 2020 walk-off glory.
Beyond the playoff spotlight, several non-contenders could still shake things up. Bubba Wallace has quietly excelled at Martinsville in the Next Gen car, averaging a 9.9 finish, and Ross Chastain returns to the site of his unforgettable “Hail Melon” move. Ryan Preece and Todd Gilliland have both found form recently, while Austin Dillon looks to continue his short-track strength.
With so many storylines converging, the path to Phoenix runs straight through one of NASCAR’s most unpredictable stages, where tempers flare, legends are tested, and clocks are won.
