NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 at Martinsville preview: TV schedule, live stream, stage lengths – CBSSports.com

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for the first race in the playoffs Round of 8. Point values have been reset as Martin Truex Jr. leads the way.

Not far behind Truex is Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick above the cutline for the Championship 4. Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott round out the remaining playoff contenders.

On Sunday, Keselowski will be going for the sweep at Martinsville after taking the checkered flag back in April. If he were to pull it off, he would be the second driver to sweep at a track this season. Kyle Larson accomplished the feat at Michigan.

“Martinsville is a track that lends itself to being better for us,” Keselowski said to CBS Sports on Wednesday. “I think Martinsville is a chance for us. One of our better chances and we’d like to make the most of that opportunity.”

While Elliott continues to pursue his first victory of the season this weekend, all eyes will be on his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson. The seven-time NASCAR champion is no stranger to Victory Lane at Martinsville. Johnson leads active Cup drivers with nine career wins at the track. He also has 19 top fives, 24 top 10s and a series-best 7.5 average finish. A victory would guarantee Johnson’s spot in the Championship 4 in his quest for an eighth title.

Not far behind Johnson in wins is Hamlin. The No. 11 driver has five career checkered flags at Martinsville along with 12 top fives and 17 top 10s. Hamlin has momentum as well, having finished sixth or better in his past three starts. Don’t look past Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch as well. In Busch’s past four starts at the track, he finished fifth or better and has one win, 12 top fives and 13 top 10s in his career.

Busch has advanced to the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway the past two seasons. He won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title in 2015. Keselowski, Johnson and Harvick are the other champions joining Busch in the Round of 8.

Keep up with all the action via our live blog below. We will have up to the second highlights, analysis and updates for all 500 laps at Martinsville.

If the live blog below is not loading properly for you, please click here to view it. 

How to watch the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series First Data 500 

Location: Martinsville Speedway
Date: Sunday, Oct. 29
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Length: 500 laps/263 miles
Stage 1: Ends on lap 130
Stage 2: Ends on lap 260
Final stage: Scheduled for lap 500
TV: NBCSN
Live stream: NBC Sports App

*Qualifying will take place hours before the race Sunday at 12:05pm on NBCSN

NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 drivers with wins at Martinsville

• Jimmie Johnson (9)
• Denny Hamlin (5)
• Brad Keselowski (1)
• Kyle Busch (1)
• Kevin Harvick (1)

First Data 500 starting lineup

1. Joey Logano
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Chase Elliott
4. Ryan Blaney
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Erik Jones
9. Kyle Larson
10. Aric Almirola
11. Kurt Busch
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Kevin Harvick
14. Kyle Busch
15. Daniel Suarez
16. Jamie McMurray
17. Matt Kenseth
18. Ryan Newman
19. Paul Menard
20. Michael McDowell
21. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
23. Danica Patrick
24. Jimmie Johnson (will start from rear of the field after spinning during qualifying run)
25. Austin Dillon
26. Ty Dillon
27. AJ Allmendinger
28. Matt DiBenedetto
29. Chris Buescher
30. Cole Whitt
31. David Ragan
32. Reed Sorenson
33. Landon Cassill
34. Trevor Bayne
35. Gray Gaulding
36. Corey LaJoie
37. Jeffrey Earnhardt
38. Kyle Weatherman
39. Carl Long
40. Hermie Sadler

BOLD – indicates NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 drivers

2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 standings