Cook Out 400 2026

Martinsville Speedway ranks among the oldest and most prestigious venues on the NASCAR calendar. H. Clay Earles, Henry Lawrence, and Sam Rice founded the facility in 1947 initially as a dirt track in rural Virginia. As early as September 7, 1947, Red Byron won the first race on the track, and two years later he also claimed the first NASCAR Cup Series race at this location. Since then, Martinsville has hosted a race every year since the founding of the Cup Series in 1949 and is the only track that can boast this uninterrupted tradition.

A decisive turning point in the oval’s history came in 1955, when the original dirt surface was paved with asphalt. After more than two decades of repeated repaving, the decision was made to reinforce the lower racing lines in the turns with concrete to counteract the enormous wear from constant braking and acceleration. Beginning in the 1990s, a major expansion phase followed, during which spectator capacity was increased and numerous facilities for fans and teams were modernized.

At just 0.847 kilometers long with four tight turns, Martinsville ranks among the shortest and most technically demanding tracks in the series. Because of the two long straightaways connected by extremely tight hairpin turns, the oval has earned the nickname ‘The Paperclip.’ Unlike the major superspeedways, success here depends less on horsepower and budget than on driver finesse in braking, traction, and tactical race management.

Ross Chastain holds the official track record, which he set in 2022 with a lap time of 18.845 seconds, demonstrating the enormous speed that is possible despite the tight geometry. At the most recent race, William Byron prevailed, emerging as the winner of the 2025 Cook Out 400 and thus adding his name to the long list of Martinsville champions that stretches back to Red Byron’s historic maiden victory.

At the 2026 Cook Out 400, this formula is likely to repeat itself: On the tightest track on the entire Cup calendar, centimeters and nerves decide between victory and defeat. The combination of historic substance, the distinctive concrete in the turns, and the gripping Paperclip layout make Martinsville, nearly eight decades after its founding, one of the most intense experiences of the entire season.