NASCAR Cup Series 2024: Five players with most wins at Martinsville Speedway ahead of Cook Out 400 race

NASCAR is set to visit Martinsville Speedway for the annual Cook Out 400-lap race, marking the first of two events at the track for the 2024 season on April 7.

The track has made history with the Cup Series since the first race was held there in 1949. Martinsville is NASCAR's oldest and one of the shortest circuits on the current calendar. It has witnessed a total of 59 race winners to date. However, there have been some drivers who have repeatedly claimed victory on the circuit.

On that note, here is the list of the five drivers with the most wins at Martinsville in NASCAR:

#1 The King of NASCAR: Richard Petty - 15 wins

The King of NASCAR, Richard Petty, was a dominant force at Martinsville. With 15 wins at the circuit, he still holds the record for the most victories there since 1979. His initial win came in 1960, followed by consecutive victories in '61 and '62.

Petty's reign at Martinsville was remarkable. He won all three races in 1967 and continued to win for the next six years in a row, setting an unbeatable record.

#2 Denny Hamlin - 5 wins

The whopping 10-win gap between the top two is what makes The King's record so hard to beat. But the only driver closest to him is Denny Hamlin, who sits third in the Cup Series championship right now.

Despite controversy surrounding Hamlin's racing style among fans, it hasn't hindered his success on the track. He secured consecutive wins at Martinsville from 2008 to 2010, sweeping both races in the latter year. His most recent triumph at the track was in 2015.

#3 Martin Truex Jr. - 3 wins

The current championship leader Martin Truex Jr has been strong on the 0.5-mile track as well. He won the race here for three consecutive years in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Given his current form in the season, he appears poised for another battle for victory in the upcoming race.

#4 Brad Keselowski - 2 wins

One of the more recent new winners on the track, Brad Keselowski, clinched his first victory at Martinsville in 2017. He then triumphed again in 2019, winning the first of the two races that year, with the second race being won by Truex Jr.

#5 Kyle Busch - 2 wins

Richard Childress driver Kyle Busch emerged victorious at Martinsville for the first time in 2016. He then repeated the feat the following year during the October race at the circuit in 2017.

Busch currently stands as the top contender among the top five drivers to change his position if he secures a victory this season.