2022 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400

The 2022 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on April 9, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. Contested over 403 laps – extended from 400 laps due to an overtime finish, on the 0.526 mile (0.847 km) paperclip-shaped short track, it was the eighth race of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. The Honorary starter for the race was Blue crew member Hunter Bowen and the Grand Marshal was Blue Crew member Whit Blattner

Background
Martinsville Speedway is an NASCAR-owned 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 Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

Entry list

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

Practice
Chase Elliott was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 19.995 seconds and a speed of 94.704 mph.

Qualifying
Chase Elliott scored the pole for the race with a time of 19.694 and a speed of 96.151 mph.

Stage Results
Stage One Laps: 80

Stage Two Laps: 100

Final Stage Results
Stage Three Laps: 220

Race statistics

 * Lead changes: 5 among 4 different drivers
 * Cautions/Laps: 4 for 36
 * Red flags: 0
 * Time of race: 2 hours, 40 minutes and 30 seconds
 * Average speed: 79.244 mph

Television
Fox Sports covered their 22nd race at the Martinsville Speedway. Mike Joy, 2018 Spring Martinsville winner Clint Bowyer and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series winning crew chief Chad Knaus called the race from the broadcast booth. Jamie Little and Regan Smith handled pit road for the television side. Larry McReynolds and Jamie McMurray provided insight from the Fox Sports studio in Charlotte.

Radio
MRN had the radio call for the race which was also simulcasted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Alex Hayden, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace called the race in the booth when the field raced down the frontstretch. Dave Moody called the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field races down the backstretch. Steve Post and Kim Coon worked pit road for the radio side.

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Manufacturers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
 * . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.