Critical Path Security 2026 5 Drivers to Watch: Martinsville

For the first time this season, it is time for short track racing. To be fair, this weekend marks the first time that there will be points racing on a short track. Cannot forget to highlight Bowman Gray unofficially kicked off the season with The Clash. However, Martinsville Speedway will serve as host for the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend. Through this gauntlet of equipment measuring, Martinsville will offer insights to who will be strong on the short ovals this season. Thus far, a few teams have separated themselves from the back, especially in the Cup Series. Also, if Tyler Reddick wins again this weekend, non-23XI Racing fans might riot. Between the Cup and O’Reilly Series, there plenty of drivers to pay attention. Who will be highlighted this week in the Critical Path Security 2026 5 Drivers to Watch for Martinsville?

Brent Crews

Martinsville weekend will mark the final start for Brent Crews as a 17-year old driver. With his 18th birthday next week, Crews will be able to run fulltime for Joe Gibbs Racing throughout the rest of the 2026 season. Thus far this year, Crews has made two starts and looked good in both of them at COTA and Phoenix. Martinsville will mark another track that plays to Crews’ strengths. While there will be plenty of favorites in the O’Reilly Series, Crews could be a good shout to be an underdog contender. Yes, it is questionable to call any JGR driver an underdog but still.

If Crews can push his way to the front this weekend, it will be a promising sign for things to come. Martinsville is a good litmus test in how a driver handles adversity, aggressive driving, and the “rubbin’ is racing” mentality. Posting quick lap times is one thing, but battling it out where there is no room to avoid other cars is a unique challenge. No one truly expects Crews not to handle Martinsville well, but fans can find out what they need from this Saturday. Will Crews turn into a top prospect this season or will his O’Reilly season mirror fellow JGR youngster William Sawalich?

Harrison Burton

Last year, Harrison Burton started the process of reestablishing himself as a promising young driver. His 3-season Cup career went poorly, as he struggled mightily in the Wood Brothers 21 car. However, he bounced back relatively well driving for AM Racing. In second-tier equipment, Burton was competitive in fights for the Top-10 on a weekly basis. He made the playoffs while averaging a 14.5 finish with 10 Top-10s. Not only was it a nice bounce back for Burton, but AM Racing needed that assistance after a disastrous 2024. When it was announced Burton would be heading back to Toyota to drive for Sam Hunt Racing’s second team, there was some promise that Burton could continue to rise. Instead, he is floundering.

Through the first 6 races, Harrison Burton has yet to finish inside the Top-10. In fact, his best finish thus far has been 17th at Las Vegas. Compared to this point last year, Burton had already accrued 3 Top-10s at the same tracks. To call it a rough season would be an understatement. Brent Crews, who is making his third start of the season, only has 8 less points than Burton. Something needs to change for the 24 season if they want to turn the season around. Luckily, Martinsville might be the right track to get the job done. Burton won his first race at the paperclip and has looked strong in every other outing there. He will need it this weekend, so look to see if that 24 car is riding higher up the leaderboard than usual.

Shane van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen started out the season hot. He ran well at both superspeedways, including a couple of nice saves at Atlanta. Obviously, COTA went well for the New Zealander and that was followed up with an 11th place finish at Phoenix. Las Vegas was not a good race for SVG (or Trackhouse), but that could be chalked up to damage gathered in the initial laps after (once again) saving it in the tri-oavl. While Darlington’s result looks good, it certaintly was a grind to get that Top-15. Entering Martinsville, the question still remains whether Shane van Gisbergen can be a threat for The Chase.

Why SVG will be one to watch this weekend is due to his skills on these short, flat ovals. Martinsville has been van Gisbergen’s best oval in the Cup Series. In 2 of his 3 starts, the Trackhouse driver has finished within the Top-15. One of those starts was with Kaulig Racing as well, which is another testament to his ability at Martinsville. It would not be a surprise to see Shane van Gisbergen find his way to another Top-15, if not a Top-10. That would be a big boost to his place in the standings. Through 6 races, SVG is a single point to the good of the cutline. A good Martinsville could send him back into the Top-10.

Joey Logano

Woof, Darlington was abysmal for the 22 team. While his teammates were running in the Top-10, Logano was being lapped numerous times in the 30s. The car was slow and ill-handling, which brought Logano’s worst performance in years. This weekend will be a chance for the team to bounce back. Where better for a Team Penske Ford to bounce back than a short, flat oval?

Martinsville has been one Joey Logano’s best tracks in his career. While Ryan Blaney receives much of the Penske fan fare for this track, Logano should not be slept on. Although he only has a single win in 34 starts, his consistency at Martinsville is second to few in today’s Cup Series. The last time Logano has failed to finish in the Top-10 here was 2019. That was the Martinsville race after he won in the fall of 2018. Only 4 times in his Penske career (26 starts) has Logano not finished inside the Top-10. Where he needs to breakthrough though is winning. Despite his consistency, Logano has only managed to lead 122 laps during the Gen7 races. Surely, there will be motivation to right last week’s wrongs. Maybe that will see Logano be at the front of the field on Sunday.

Ryan Preece

After featuring a RFK Racing driver last week, it seemed like a good idea to do it again this week. RFK Racing is coming off back-to-back strong weeks. Las Vegas and Darlington are making people notice the organization, especially considering RFK usually runs best during the summer months. Ryan Preece has not lagged behind his teammates during these weeks, although he lacks the Top-10s. That could be chalked up to bad luck in the track position game than speed though. Although, track position might be king this weekend. But it is doubtful many will be worried about Ryan Preece this weekend.

The reigning The Clash winner will look to pick up where he left off on short tracks. Preece managed to rumbled his way to victory in February. Could he do the same this weekend? Martinsville has been a strong track for Preece. Back in 2023, Preece might have been a threat to win after winning the pole and leading the entirety of Stage 1. However, a speeding penalty shipped him too deep into the field for him to recover. Last year, Preece was one of 7 drivers to Top-10 in both Martinsville races. Unlike the others on that last, neither Top-10 arrived via a good starting position. If Preece can put a hot lap together in qualifying, he should turn into a favorite for the race. With the good runs recently, at least he will be qualifying towards the end of the order.

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