Kevin Harvick wins stage two ahead of Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin

The NASCAR Cup Series visits the shortest track on its calendar for the NOCO 400 at Martinsville Speedway for the first time this season.

The two races there in 2022 could not have been more different. After a tedious spring procession largely due to new car setup regulations, the fall race ended in fireworks, with Ross Chastain’s now-iconic wall ride to claim the championship race.

Here’s everything you need to know about the NOCO 400:

NOCO 400 TV/Streaming Schedule

All times Easter

Saturday, April 15th
4:30pm – 5:15pm: Exercise (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM)
17:15 – 18:30: Qualifying (FS2, MRN, SiriusXM)

Sunday, April 16
11:00 – 12:00: Show before the race (FS1)
12pm – 3pm: NOCO 400 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM)

NOCO 400 details

Track: Martinsville Raceway (0.526-mile paperclip oval)
Length: 400 laps for 210.40 miles
Lean angle: 12 degrees in the curves, none on the straight
Last year’s winner: William Byron

NOCO 400 starting grid

1. Ryan Preece (41), Stewart Haas Racing Ford

2. Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

3. Aric Almirola (10), Stewart Haas Racing Ford

4. Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

5. Martin Truex Jr (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

6. Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota

7. Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart Haas Racing Ford

8. William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

9. Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota

10. Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford

11. Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

12. Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

13. Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford

14. AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

15. Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

17. Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

18. Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

19. Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

20. Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford

21. Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford

22. Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

23. Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

24. Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

25. Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford

26. Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

27. Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

28. Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet

29. Noah Gragson (42), Chevrolet of the Legacy Motor Club

30. Anthony Alfredo (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford

31. Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford

32. Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford

33. Zane Smith (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford

34. Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

35. Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

36. JJ Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford

The story goes on

Chase Elliott returns to Martinsville

Hendrick Motorsports driver and 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott will return to drive his No. 9 Chevrolet after missing the last five races with a broken left tibia. Elliott injured his leg snowboarding in Colorado the week between the Fontana, California, and Phoenix races in March. Xfinity Series competitor Josh Berry replaced Elliott on ovals – including a second place finish at Richmond two weeks ago – while IMSA driver Jordan Taylor piloted the car on the Circuit of the Americas street course.

Cody Ware suspended indefinitely

After missing the Bristol dirt race last week over a “personal matter,” Cody Ware, the regular driver of the #51 Rick Ware Racing Ford, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR. Ware was arrested Monday in North Carolina for assault. The 27-year-old is accused of assault by strangulation and assault on a woman.

Top drivers and best bets for the NOCO 400

Nine former Martinsville winners are driving this weekend – a quarter of the 36-car field – and this parity is reflected in the odds at BetMGM. Eight riders, representing the three largest teams and all three manufacturers, go into the weekend with 10 to 1 or better odds of winning.

Best odds
• William Byron +650
• Christopher Bell +700
• Track Elliott +700
• Denny Hamlin +700
• Kyle Larson +750
• Martin Truex Jr. +900
• Ryan Blaney +1000
• Joey Logano +1000

Aside from those drivers, Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg suggests you have a good mid-range rating in veteran Kyle Busch (+1200) with his 21 top 10 finishes in Martinsville and Brad Keselowski (+2500) who has a career average can find the 12th on the paper clip.

NOCO 400 entry list

Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart Haas Racing Ford
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart Haas Racing Ford
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
JJ Yeley (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
AJ Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Martin Truex Jr (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart Haas Racing Ford
Noah Gragson (42), Chevrolet of the Legacy Motor Club
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
Ricky Stenhouse Jr (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Zane Smith (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Anthony Alfredo (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Daniel Suarez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

NOCO 400 weather

The forecast for south-central Virginia calls for a slight chance of rain on Saturday — when the Cup cars qualify and the Xfinity cars race — and thunderstorms on Sunday, so expect some delays or schedule shifts at the Route. When it rains – especially between qualifying and the race – there should be exciting racing as the track isn’t as ‘greased’ and things are put more in the hands of the drivers than the equipment.