"Martinsville is car wrestling": NASCAR veterans reflect on nature of racing at crunch playoff fixture

Former NASCAR drivers Kenny Wallace and his old pal Ken Schrader provided a fitting metaphor for the experience of racing at Martinsville Speedway. Schrader noted that racing on the short track used to feel like wrestling with a car.

The 0.5-mile oval at Martinsville Speedway is one of NASCAR's historic and unique short-track ovals. The layout appears like a paperclip, with only 12 degrees of banking in the turns. The track surface is also a mix of asphalt on the long narrow straights, and concrete on the turns.

In a preview for Dirty Mo Media's new Herm and Schrader show, Wallace recalled a moment when Schrader asked him if he was ready for some "car wrestling" before gearing up for a Martinsville race. Wallace added that driving through the concrete corners would often rattle the cars.

"You made me laugh hysterically. You and I were getting in the car, getting ready for Martinsville and you looked at me and you said 'Are you ready to go car wrestling?'...[through the concrete corners] the car was always shaken up off the corner," Wallace said.

Schrader added that the next-gen cars are easier to handle at Martinsville, suggesting that drivers don't have to "wrestle" with them as much anymore.

"Martinsville is car wrestling. Now it doesn't appear that the guys... they are gently moving now, they're not wrestling as much," Schrader said.

Wallace further mentioned that driving for 500 laps at Martinsville left his left cheek feeling numb, as drivers have to brake over 1,000 times in the hard braking zones.

"When I got done with Martinsville, my left ass cheek hurt. 500 laps, we're getting out to get to our car to go home, every once in a while I would be limping, because we pushed that break thousand times," Wallace added.

NASCAR returns to Martinsville Speedway for the penultimate race of the season. The Cup Series Round of 8 cut-off race, Xfinity 500, is scheduled for this Sunday, November 3, at 2:00 PM ET.

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NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture heading into Martinsville Speedway

Following a thrilling race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Tyler Reddick joined Joey Logano as the two drivers who have secured their spots in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell is aiming for his third consecutive appearance in the championship four, currently sitting 29 points above the cutline. William Byron holds the final transfer spot, just seven points ahead of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson.

Denny Hamlin has the potential to outscore both Larson and Byron to steal a spot, as he currently sits 18 points below the cutline. Meanwhile, reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney (-38) and Chase Elliott (-43) are in must-win territory to advance into the championship four.

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill have secured their spots in the championship four. Meanwhile, in the Truck Series, Grant Enfinger has clinched a spot with back-to-back victories.