21 Cup Series Icons Who Never Won at Martinsville — NASCAR’s Most Humbling Half Mile
21. Davey Allison
Gone too soon, but in his brief Cup career Martinsville was one of his few weak spots. 0 wins in 9 starts; rarely led laps there.
20. John Andretti
Underrated veteran who pulled off miracles at Daytona and Indy — but Martinsville was a non-factor. 0 wins, constant mid-pack finishes.
19. Chase Briscoe
Still young, but Martinsville has been a nightmare. Repeatedly qualified well, then faded badly. 0 wins and consistently poor long runs.
18. Kyle Larson
Yes, he finally won in 2023 — but for almost a decade he was awful there, openly calling it his worst track. Keeping him here for his historic struggle phase.
17. Matt DiBenedetto
Fan favorite, underrated driver — but Martinsville always chewed him up. 0 wins, rarely sniffed the top-10 even in decent equipment.
16. David Pearson
A NASCAR icon and three-time champ — yet Martinsville was curiously barren: no Cup wins there in 30+ starts, even while dominating everywhere else.
15. Jamie McMurray
Won at Daytona, Talladega, and Charlotte — but Martinsville? Nowhere near the front. 0 wins, just a couple top-tens in 30+ starts.
14. Alan Kulwicki
Brilliant on strategy, but Martinsville was one of his weaker circuits. 0 wins, a best finish of 7th in only a handful of starts before his tragic death.
13. Ernie Irvan
A fierce driver on fast tracks, but the short, grind-it-out style of Martinsville never suited him. 0 wins, few top-fives.
12. Sterling Marlin
A two-time Daytona 500 winner who excelled on big ovals, but Martinsville wasn’t his scene. 0 wins, rarely a contender.
11. Ricky Rudd
A Virginia native who should have owned Martinsville — but only one win in 55 starts and plenty of bad days. His home track became a frustration more often than not.
10. Jeff Burton
Known for his clean, cerebral driving — which often doesn’t work at Martinsville. 0 wins in 46 starts, though he had several close calls early in his Roush years.
9. Ryan Newman
A pole machine and former Daytona 500 champ, yet Martinsville was often frustrating — just one early win and then decades of mediocrity. Technically fits the “once” rule, but his long-term Martinsville record is poor enough to include.
8. Bobby Allison
A short-track great elsewhere, but Martinsville was strangely tough. 0 wins in over 40 starts despite being a nine-time short-track winner elsewhere.
7. Kasey Kahne
Fast everywhere else but dreadful at Martinsville — 0 wins, only a handful of top-tens in 28 starts. He often went laps down early and never seemed comfortable there.
6. Carl Edwards
Despite being one of the smoothest drivers of his era, Edwards never tamed Martinsville. In 24 starts: 0 wins, just a few top-fives. The track’s rhythm didn’t suit his style.
5. Greg Biffle
Strong on 1.5-milers and superspeedways, but Martinsville was a glaring hole. In 24 starts, no wins and only two top-fives. Just never clicked with the tight braking zones.
4. Terry Labonte
Like his brother, he never solved Martinsville. Over 55 starts: 0 wins, just five top-fives. Quiet consistency elsewhere, but the paperclip never liked him.
3. Bobby Labonte
A Cup Series champion (2000), but Martinsville was a house of pain: 0 wins, just four top-fives in 44 starts. Often mired mid-pack or worse on the flat half-mile.
2. Bill Elliott
One of NASCAR’s fastest men on superspeedways, but Martinsville was his kryptonite. In 44 starts, not a single win and only three top-fives. His sleek, aerodynamic driving style didn’t fit the bump-and-grind rhythm.
1. Mark Martin
A model of consistency everywhere else — 40 wins, four times a championship runner-up — yet 0-for-48 at Martinsville. He came close several times but never sealed the deal. A baffling stat for such a smooth, technical driver.
