By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor

Ahead of each NASCAR race weekend, Kickin’ the Tires previews the upcoming races, looking at the storylines entering the events while highlighting when and where to watch them. 

Weekend Schedule

Friday, March 23

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice: 11:05-11:55 a.m.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice: 1-1:55 p.m. (FS1)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice: 3-3:55 p.m. (FS1)

Saturday, March 24

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice: 10:05-10:55 a.m. (FS1)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying: 11:05 am. (FS1)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice: 12:30-1:20 p.m. (FS1)

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Alpha Energy Solutions 250: 2:00 p.m. (FS1)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying: 5:10 p.m. (FS1)

Sunday, March. 25

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series STP 500: 2:00 p.m. (FS1)

(All times ET)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Race Name: STP 500

Track: Martinsville Speedway (Martinsville, Virginia)

Race Length: 500 laps, 250 miles

Race Stages (Laps): 130, 130, 240

Track Length: 0.5 miles

Track Record: 100.201 mph (Joey Logano, 2014)

What Happened Last Year: Brad Keselowski surged late to claim his first victory at Martinsville Speedway, beating out rival Kyle Busch in the process. Busch would settle for second after leading a race-high 274 laps.

All About the Clock

Martinsville Speedway has one of the most prestigious trophies in all of motorsport – the grandfather clock.

The clock is one of racing’s most valuable prizes, gracing only those drivers that are capable of besting the field on the half-mile paperclip. Given Martinsville’s stature as a “driver’s track,” where aerodynamics have less importance and managing tires and lapped traffic are paramount to success, a victory at the speedway is considered a true sign of talent and promise.

Richard Petty earned a record 15 victories at Martinsville. Darrell Waltrip claimed 11. Both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have nine triumphs, while Denny Hamlin sits ninth all-time with five wins at the track.

Only seven active drivers have earned grandfather clocks in the Cup Series – Johnson, Hamlin, brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman. That leaves a host of talented shoes in the field to strive for their first Martinsville wins.

Besting the track’s top competitors won’t be easy, but that’s what makes Martinsville so special. There are no flukes. Every win at the paper clip is earned.

So whether they’re adding another victory at Martinsville to their resume or celebrating their first, the winner of Sunday’s race will emerge from their car knowing they’ve completed a special accomplishment.

Happy Fights Back

Kevin Harvick looked like he was on the march to a fourth-consecutive victory at Auto Club Speedway.

Then he and Kyle Larson collided.

Harvick’s day ended a disappointing 35th in Fontana, dropping the Californian from first to eighth in the standings despite his three wins in the opening five races.

The result was a disappointment, but it may also have set Harvick up for a statement response in Martinsville.

The half-mile Virginia oval hasn’t always been kind to Harvick, particularly in his time with Stewart-Haas Racing. The 42-year-old has one victory at the facility – coming back in 2011 with Richard Childress Racing – but outside of that he has just three top fives and 15 top 10s in 33 starts. His years with SHR have proven hit or miss, with four top 10s and four finishes of 17th or worse.

If Harvick wants to prove that his early reign of terror is far from over, a win at the driver-focused Martinsville would make as loud of a statement as any track.

                     STP 500 Entry List

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Race Name: Alpha Energy Solutions 250

Track: Martinsville Speedway (Martinsville, Virginia)

Race Length: 250 laps, 125 miles

Race Stages (Laps): 70, 70, 110

Track Length: 0.5 miles

Track Record: 97.088 mph (Joey Logano, 2015)

What Happened Last Year: Chase Elliott got the better of GMS Racing teammate Johnny Sauter to claim a victory at Martinsville Speedway – his first since a 2013 win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

What to Watch For

Opportunity Arises

Take a look through the entry list for this weekend’s Truck Series race, and you’ll notice an interesting omission from the field – Cup drivers.

Of the 36 people on the entry list for this weekend’s race, only two drivers are ineligible to earn points. Those two – BJ McLeod and John Hunter Nemechek – each compete in the Xfinity Series.

That leaves everything to race for this weekend.

Stage points. Playoff points. A near-guaranteed postseason berth with a win. Everything is up for grabs, and there are no drivers like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott in the field to steal them from the field.

Both Johnny Sauter and Brett Moffitt have already penciled their names into the playoff field with early victories. Expect the rest of the full-time contingent to drive aggressively Saturday to add themselves to the fold.

Timothy Peters Returns

He’s back.

Former full-time Truck competitor Timothy Peters will make his return to the field this weekend, piloting the No. 92 entry for Ricky Benton Racing Enterprises.

It was around this time last year that Peters disappeared from the scene, losing his ride as Red Horse Racing shuttered operations after a stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The North Carolinian returned to the grid for three races over the rest of the season, but failed to garner any full-time opportunities.

Recently Peters has been competing in late model races, even winning the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 under the lights at Martinsville last September. Now the 37-year-old will get a chance to repeat his Virginia victory in the Truck Series, where he managed his first win back in 2009.

Peters is a short-track ace, with five victories at tracks under a mile in length. Don’t be surprised if he’s in the conversation to add a sixth on Saturday.

           Alpha Energy Solutions 250 Entry List