Miller 500 (Busch race)

From 1982 to 1994 and since 2021, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has held stock car races in the spring at Martinsville Speedway, in Martinsville, Virginia. Under its most recent iteration in 1994, the race was known as the Miller 500.

Dogwood 250

NASCAR Xfinity Series
Venue	Martinsville Speedway
Location	Ridgeway, Virginia, United States
First race	1970
First NXS race	1982
Distance	125 miles (201.2 km)
Laps	250[1] Stages 1/2: 60 each Final stage: 130
Previous names	Dogwood 500 (1982) Miller Time 250 (1983–1984) Miller 200 (1985) Miller Classic (1988–1991) Miller 500 (1986–1987, 1992–1994)
Most wins (driver)	Sam Ard Jimmy Hensley (2)
Most wins (team)	Thomas Brothers Racing (2)
Most wins (manufacturer)	Buick Pontiac (4)
Circuit information
Surface	Asphalt Concrete (turns)
Length	0.526 mi (0.847 km)
Turns	4

It was first held as a Late Model Sportsman and Modified doubleheader in 1970, and in 1982 the Late Model Sportsman feature changed to a touring format for the original 1982 Budweiser Late Model Sportsman season, and stayed as a touring race until 1994. Following the 1994 season, both of Martinsville's race, the Miller 500 and the Advance Auto 500, were converted to Late Model only races. The March Late Model race was discontinued at the end of the 1997 season.

In 2021, the Xfinity Series restored Martinsville's spring date as a night race in support of the NASCAR Cup Series' Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500. The race is one of two Xfinity events at the short track along with the Draft Top 250 in the fall.[2]

Distance

The race changed distances several times in its history. When first held in 1970, the Late Model Sportsman and Modified features were both 250 laps, covering 131.2 miles (211.1 km). Following the addition of local Late Models and the conversion of the Modified race into part of the NASCAR's regional touring series in 1985, the two touring races were decreased to 200 laps, 105.2 miles (169.3 km) with a 100 lap, 52.6 miles (84.7 km) Late Model feature, where it remained until the Modifieds were removed for the 1993 season, when the distance was increased to 300 laps, 157.8 miles (254.0 km) for the touring Busch Grand National cars, and 200 laps, 105.2 miles (169.3 km) for the Late Model race. When the race format became strictly Late Model only, the qualifying races and Late Model feature (25 lap heat races and last chance race) totaled 300 laps. The race was discontinued after the 1997 season, and only the fall race was held for Late Models.

The race was never 500 laps, miles, or kilometers in distance at any point in its history. The "500" originated from Martinsville's two traditional combination Late Model and/or Modified races that resulted in a 500-lap format:

• 1970–84: 250 laps, co-featured with Modifieds
• 1985–91: 200 laps, co-featured with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and 100 laps Late Model racing
• 1992–94: 300 laps, and 200 laps Late Model racing
• 2021: 250 laps, part of the Cup weekend. The Whelen Modified Tour will race on the Thursday of the meeting.

Past winners

Year	Date	Driver	Team	Manufacturer	Race Distance		Race Time	Average Speed (mph)
					Laps	Miles (km)
1982	March 28	Sam Ard	Thomas Brothers Racing	Oldsmobile	250	131.25 (211.226)		67.244
1983	March 20	Sam Ard	Thomas Brothers Racing	Oldsmobile	250	131.25 (211.226)	2:05:46	62.682
1984	March 25	Jack Ingram	Jack Ingram Racing	Pontiac	250	131.5 (211.628)	1:42:16	77.751
1985	April 6	Brett Bodine	Hendrick Motorsports	Pontiac	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:43:08	61.202
1986	March 23	Morgan Shepherd	Whitaker Racing	Pontiac	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:30:42	69.592
1987	March 22	Brad Teague	Charlie Henderson	Chevrolet	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:36:36	65.229
1988	March 13	Jimmy Hensley	Sam Ard	Buick	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:29:52	70.237
1989	March 12	Tommy Ellis	J&J Racing	Buick	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:39:12	63.629
1990	March 11	Tommy Houston	Houston Racing	Buick	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:38:18	64.212
1991	March 10	Jimmy Hensley	Beverly Racing	Oldsmobile	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:32:04	68.559
1992	March 22	Kenny Wallace	Rusty Wallace Racing	Pontiac	200	105.2 (169.302)	1:26:12	73.225
1993	May 8	Ward Burton	A.G. Dillard Motorsports	Buick	300	157.8 (253.954)	2:14:59	70.142
1994	March 20	Terry Labonte	Labonte Motorsports	Chevrolet	300	157.8 (253.954)	2:12:25	71.511
1995 – 2020	Not held
2021	April 9

References

1. "Stage lengths for 2021 NASCAR season". NASCAR. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
2. "Martinsville Speedway to Host 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Races on April 9, 2021 & Draft Top 250 on Oct. 30, 2021". Martinsville Speedway. October 30, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

External links

• Martinsville Speedway race results at Racing-Reference