Sprint Cup 2012: Race 33 -- Could Martinsville be Johnsonville?

Jimmie Johnson sits on the poll for tomorrow’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville.  Imagine the sinking feeling the competition must be feeling with visions of a 6^th championship in 7 years for the 48 team looking all too real.

Folks in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge stable must be praying for the miraculous to maintain their perch atop the Sprint Cup standings as they enter Martinsville, Virginia for tomorrow’s scheduled running of the Tums Fast Relief 500.  Martinsville is a track that his adversaries, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have mastered in past races where Johnson has especially shown dominance. Keselowski’s not tamed the tiny paperclip shaped track so far in his short career. To make matters worse, the #2 Dodge starts in a miserable 32^nd place where track position is all important, not to mention pit selection. Jimmie Johnson (no surprise) sits on the poll and Denny Hamlin, feeling especially sharp having just won the Camping World Truck Series race, starts 5^th. Meanwhile, Clint Bowyer who is trying to push himself into the beauty contest starts 8^th. Kasey Kahne, 30 points out, the only driver left with the faintest of chances of getting in the title chase did not do his cause well starting in 15^th.  The rest of the Chase field is effectively eliminated with only four races to go and more than a race’s worth of points to overcome.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to action after sitting out two races recovering from a concussion. He starts 20^th.  

Martinsville should dodge the bad weather forecast for the East Coast with temperatures in the 60’s, cloudy conditions, and moderate wind from the north around 15 mph.