Top 10 Most Clutch Finishes in NASCAR Martinsville History

Most Clutch Finishes in NASCAR Martinsville History

Jeff Gordon

10. Kevin Harvick – 2011 Goody’s Fast Relief 500

Harvick made a late charge through traffic and executed a perfectly timed bump-and-run to steal the win. It wasn’t domination—it was patience and precision under pressure when it mattered most.

9. Denny Hamlin – 2015 Fall Race

Hamlin hunted down Matt Kenseth in the closing laps and made decisive contact to take the lead. At Martinsville, that’s short-track chess—and Hamlin played it flawlessly in crunch time.

8. Jeff Gordon – 2005 Advance Auto Parts 500

Gordon fended off intense late-race pressure from Tony Stewart and others, holding his line perfectly over the final laps. It was a veteran masterclass in defending at one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks.

7. Kyle Busch – 2017 Fall Race (Playoffs)

With championship implications looming, Busch delivered a mistake-free final run and capitalized on late-race chaos. Clutch wasn’t just the win—it was surviving the moment cleanly.

6. Brad Keselowski – 2017 Spring Race

Keselowski stretched fuel to the absolute limit while holding off Kyle Busch in the closing laps. One wrong calculation and it was over—but he nailed it under maximum pressure.

5. Jimmie Johnson – 2016 Fall Race (Playoffs)

Johnson outdueled Denny Hamlin in a tense late restart battle, using textbook short-track aggression. That win became the launchpad for his record-tying seventh championship.

4. Dale Earnhardt Sr. – 1995 Goodwrench Service 500

Earnhardt muscled his way to the front in classic “Intimidator” fashion late in the race. At Martinsville, clutch often means contact—and nobody did it better under pressure.

3. Ryan Blaney – 2023 Fall Race (Playoffs)

Blaney dominated late and delivered when elimination was on the line, locking himself into the Championship 4. One of the most pressure-packed Martinsville drives of the modern era.

2. Jeff Gordon – 2015 Fall Race (Final Start at Martinsville)

In his final Martinsville appearance, Gordon executed a perfect late restart and held off a stacked field. Storybook endings don’t get more clutch than this.

1. Ricky Craven vs. Kurt Busch – 2002 Sharpie 500 Finish

One of the closest finishes in NASCAR history, with Craven edging Busch by inches at the line. Pure chaos, contact, and determination—this remains the gold standard of clutch at Martinsville.