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What channel is the NASCAR race at Martinsville on? Betting odds and how to watch

NASCAR returns to another short-track this weekend after the dust at Bristol has settled, and no, there won’t be more dirt. Instead, the sport is racing on asphalt paved straights and concrete corners at Martinsville following a break in the schedule last weekend.

The Cup Series race, the Blu-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday on FS1.

So far the season has opened with seven different winners in as many races, but oddsmakers have Martin Truex Jr. pegged to break the streak. Truex Jr. won at Phoenix earlier this season and won last year’s first race at Martinsville Speedway.

He also won the Truck Series race at Bristol last weekend in his first appearance in the series since 2006 and led 126 of the Bristol dirt Cup race before a blown tire sent him from the front of the pack in overtime. He heads into the weekend with +400 odds, per BetMGM.

“I’ve been feeling good about things obviously,” Truex Jr. said. “Last year we had a good season, but it was a little bit up and down.”

“I feel like we’ve hit the ground this year with more confidence and just understanding the no practice and really just the guys are doing a good job of hitting the setups better when we start the race,” he said. Truex Jr. will start seventh.

According to NASCAR, 10 different winners opened the 2000 season, which serves as the record of different Cup winners in the Modern Era of the sport. If Truex Jr. doesn’t make it to Victory Lane this weekend, then there is potential to see another different winner.

Defending Cup champion Chase Elliott hasn’t yet won a race this year despite Hendrick Motorsports’ early speed, but he won the last race at Martinsville’s 0.526-mile paperclip during the playoffs last fall.

Other 2020 finalists Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski are also seeking their first wins of the season. Hamlin will start in the front row with pole-sitter and Bristol dirt race winner Joey Logano. Keselowski will start 10th. Elliott will start fifth. Hamlin is listed at +500 odds ahead of Elliott and Keselowski (+600), as well as Logano (+800), according to BetMGM.

The race will be 500 laps (263 miles) with stages ending on laps 130, 260 and 500.

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NASCAR this weekend: How to watch the race at Martinsville

  • Race: Blu-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500

  • When: Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. EST

  • How to watch/listen: FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

  • Distance: 500 laps, 263 miles on the 0.526-mile paperclip-shaped oval

  • Stages: Laps 130, 260, 500

  • Last year’s winner: Martin Truex Jr.

NASCAR Cup at Martinsville starting order

Order

Driver

Car No.

1

Joey Logano

22

2

Denny Hamlin

11

3

William Byron

24

4

Ryan Blaney

12

5

Chase Elliott

9

6

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

47

7

Martin Truex Jr.

19

8

Ryan Newman

6

9

Kevin Harvick

4

10

Brad Keselowski

2

11

Daniel Suárez

99

12

Kyle Busch

18

13

Tyler Reddick

8

14

Michael McDowell

34

15

Chris Buescher

17

16

Erik Jones

43

17

Ryan Preece

37

18

Austin Dillon

3

19

Kyle Larson

5

20

Alex Bowman

48

21

Kurt Busch

1

22

Matt DiBenedetto

21

23

Christopher Bell

20

24

Chase Briscoe

14

25

Bubba Wallace

23

26

Cole Custer

41

27

Ross Chastain

42

28

JJ Yeley

53

29

Quin Houff

0

30

Justin Haley

77

31

Aric Almirola

10

32

Cody Ware

51

33

Josh Bilicki

52

34

Corey LaJoie

7

35

Anthony Alfredo

38

36

BJ McLeod

78

37

James Davison

15