“Markers on the wall” - NASCAR veteran Jeff Gordon unravels his “reference” points for churning the perfect lap at Martinsville

Vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon has spilled the success recipe that made him a force to reckon with at the Martinsville Speedway.

The eighth Cup Series weekend on the calendar is approaching, and the race will commence tomorrow at 3.00 pm ET. Martin Truex Jr. is fresh off his dismal P4 finish despite leading a race-high 228 laps out of 407 and will naturally be eyeing his maiden Cup Series win this season.

However, being the shortest track on the calendar with just 0.562 miles of distance, the overtaking game becomes a big ask. With little to no room for big-margin overtakes, the Cook Out 400 will see the 37 drivers grabbing even the slightest opportunity to gain track position.

Ahead of the 400-lap dash at the Virginia-based oval, Jeff Gordon, who has registered a staggering nine wins at the 0.526-mile track, has uncovered his recipe for dominance. Through an Instagram post, the veteran has released the success method to tame the Martinsville Speedway.

He said:

"For me, there’s always either markers on the wall that I would use as reference...you’re on the brakes hard...you’re pushing the brake pedal, you’re modulating it over the bumps, through the loads.”

Jeff Gordon added:

"You’ve got to get that car turn 180 degrees and start getting it pointed. And once the front starts to give you that indication, that it’s ready to cut and it’s going to get that car rotated and turned and pointed.”

Jeff Gordon set to become the grand marshal for the Martinsville race

Hendrick Motorsports was founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984 and since then, the team has amassed 304 Cup Series victories and 14 championships. It is arguably one of the most decorated teams on the NASCAR roster and the 2024 season marks the 40th anniversary of the North Carolina-based outfit.

The celebrations will include Geoff Bodine, who tasted the maiden victory for HMS at the Martinsville Speedway and will serve as a grand marshal during the 400-lap run alongside Jeff Gordon. The anniversary celebrations will also include the team owner driving around the circuit in a pace car.

Ahead of the eighth Cup Series weekend, Kyle Larson spoke on the relationship between the 0.526-mile track and HMS, saying (via HMS website):

"This year being the 40th anniversary, Martinsville (Speedway) has been talked about a lot – more of the first win side of things. Before I got here, I knew what Martinsville meant to Hendrick Motorsports. Once I got here, though, you feel it more than you had heard."