2019 First Data 500

The 2019 First Data 500 was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held on October 27, 2019, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps on the .526 mile (.847 km) short track, it was the 33rd race of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, seventh race of the Playoffs, and first race of the Round of 8.

Background
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 mi in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series. The track is also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only NASCAR oval track on the entire NASCAR track circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways, then concrete to cover the turns.

Entry list

 * (i) denotes driver who are ineligible for series driver points.
 * (R) denotes rookie driver.


 * Matt Tifft was supposed to drive No. 36 car but he was hospitalized after suffering “a medical condition”. Matt Crafton was called to replace Tifft in the No. 36 car. Tifft has not raced in NASCAR since the hospitalization.

First practice
Joey Logano was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.591 seconds and a speed of 96.657 mph.

Final practice
Brad Keselowski was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 19.667 seconds and a speed of 96.283 mph.

Qualifying
Denny Hamlin scored the pole for the race with a time of 19.354 and a speed of 97.840 mph.

Stage results
Stage One Laps: 130

Stage Two Laps: 130

Final stage results
Stage Three Laps: 240

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 3 among 3 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 11 for 69
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 3 hours, 29 minutes and 9 seconds
 * Average speed: 75.448 mph

Television
NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, 1997 race winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte and 2014 race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the call in the booth for the race. Parker Kligerman, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

Radio
MRN covered the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle, and 7 time Martinsville winner Rusty Wallace had the call for MRN when the field raced down the front straightaway. Dave Moody covered the action for MRN when the field raced down the backstraightway into turn 3. Winston Kelley, Steve Post, Kim Coon, and Dillon Welch had the call for MRN from pit lane.

Standings after the race

 * Manufacturers' Championship standings
 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.