The March racing at Martinsville Speedway set up a triple play of “firsts” with a three race schedule that was shuffled to two days.
PHOTO GALLERIES from the NASCAR March 2026 weekend at Martinsville Speedway
The first race, which was actually the second race due to weather on Friday (3/27), ran after the O’Reilly series on Saturday. The Whelen Modified “Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 200” went green with Patrick Emerling out front but it was Stephen Kopcik who drove to the checkers for his first Modified carreer win. He took the lead with 50 laps to go following a pit strategy that allowed him to cycle up from his 12th place start. Ron Silk was on him but could not get by and passed the line in second. Tyler Rypkema was there for third.
The first race of the weekend, scheduled as the second, was the NASCAR O’Reilly Series NFPA 250 (National Fire Protection Association). Justin Allgaier started up front and finished there for the win. He also won the first stage. For most of the local race fans, the attention was on first time starter Lee Pulliam. Pulliam is a “hometown” late model champion from Alton, VA with a string of short track accomplishments but has had the top tier NASCAR rides just out of reach.
Until Saturday, March 28. Dale Earnhardt Jr made a call to give him the #9 Chevrolet for this first run at Martinsville in the series. Lee has seen his own late model team drivers advance but for himself, there were other considerations of family and business in play. The call came well in advance giving Pulliam the chance to get some track laps in and push his mind and body into the shape he wanted to race. He had just won the week before at South Boston. He’s a late model champion. The Jr Motorsports ride was a “first” that Pulliam was ready for.
He started at P12. Finished in P5. He led a good chunk of laps, fell back to the back half of the field and drove back up to the front. He was set to challenge for the lead in the final laps but a missed shift caused a wreck that caught a big chunk of cars with a front stretch clean up with 17 laps to go. It was a mistake he had to shuffle off to complete the race but also one he was carrying with apologies and feelings post race.
*Let’s be real – This mistake has been made by many drivers with much more seat time than Pulliam. As unfortunate as the timing was for an incident like that, the drive Lee Pulliam made in that race was kind of epic. He stepped from a late model into a car that is one step down from the top tier Cup car and showed skill, patience and drive with a top five finish that was one (that one) mistake from a real shot at the win.
Justin Allgaier, also of Jr Motorsport, took the win. Corey Day and Sammy Smith were second and third.
Jump onward to Sunday and the Cookout 400. The day seemed to belong to Denny Hamlin with a pole start and both stage wins but it was not to be. Chase Elliott ran an early pit in the later laps and managed to take a lead after being off the top 10 in the first two stages. Chase held that lead over Hamlin to bring it in for the win. It was Elliott’s first win of the season. It was also the first 2026 win for Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports. Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano finished in second and third.
The early season has been controlled by Toyota and five wins. Tyler Reddick has four and Hamlin has one. It is still early and Ford with Penske and Ryan Blaney has made a mark and now, with the Martinsville win, Chevy with Elliott has punched in. There is a lot of competition left to race out and tine, with speed and luck, will tell.