First Data 500
Martinsville Speedway — October 29, 2017
Kyle Busch
Winner
505
Laps
22
Entries
6
Leaders
Kyle Busch won the 2017 First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2017, leading 184 of 505 laps. Martin Truex, Jr. finished second; Clint Bowyer rounded out the podium. The race featured 6 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Track
Season
2017
Winner
Leaders
6 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | +9 | Kyle Busch |
| 2 | 3 | +1 | Martin Truex, Jr. |
| 3 | 8 | +5 | Clint Bowyer |
| 4 | 4 | — | Brad Keselowski |
| 5 | 9 | +4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 6 | 16 | +10 | Trevor Bayne |
| 7 | 12 | +5 | Denny Hamlin |
| 8 | 7 | -1 | Ryan Blaney |
| 9 | 25 | +16 | Matt Kenseth |
| 10 | 24 | +14 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 11 | 21 | +10 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
| 12 | 17 | +5 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 13 | 20 | +7 | Austin Dillon |
| 14 | 11 | -3 | Ryan Newman |
| 15 | 19 | +4 | Daniel Suarez |
| 16 | 13 | -3 | Kasey Kahne |
| 17 | 29 | +12 | Danica Patrick |
| 18 | 18 | — | Aric Almirola |
| 19 | 26 | +7 | Michael McDowell |
| 20 | 22 | +2 | Paul Menard |
| 24 | 5 | -19 | Joey Logano |
| 27 | 2 | -25 | Chase Elliott |
Stage Results
| Driver | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Busch | 3 | 2 | — | 17 |
| Chase Elliott | 5 | 1 | — | 16 |
| Brad Keselowski | 4 | 3 | — | 15 |
| Martin Truex, Jr. | 1 | 12 | — | 10 |
| Ryan Blaney | 7 | 5 | — | 10 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 8 | 4 | — | 10 |
| Denny Hamlin | 2 | 14 | — | 9 |
| Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | 24 | 6 | — | 5 |
| Matt Kenseth | 22 | 7 | — | 4 |
| Trevor Bayne | 19 | 9 | — | 2 |
| Austin Dillon | 9 | 16 | — | 2 |
| Clint Bowyer | 10 | 15 | — | 1 |
| Kasey Kahne | 20 | 10 | — | 1 |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 12 matched drivers, the model averaged 7.6 positions off — better than the season average of 8.5. Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Busch | 15.6 | 1 | +14.6 |
| 2 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 13.8 | 2 | +11.8 |
| 4 | Brad Keselowski | 12.0 | 4 | +8.0 |
| 7 | Denny Hamlin | 6.8 | 7 | -0.2 |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 6.8 | 8 | -1.2 |
| 10 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 20.1 | 10 | +10.1 |
| 12 | Jimmie Johnson | 17.7 | 12 | +5.7 |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | 17.0 | 13 | +4.0 |
| 15 | Daniel Suarez | 15.6 | 15 | +0.6 |
| 19 | Michael McDowell | 15.0 | 19 | -4.0 |
| 24 | Joey Logano | 12.1 | 24 | -11.9 |
| 27 | Chase Elliott | 8.3 | 27 | -18.7 |
Predicted finish from NR-Rating model. Delta = predicted − actual (positive = driver beat prediction). Confidence: High Confidence = low variance (stdDev ≤ 9), Moderate = medium variance, Coinflip = high variance.
Historical Context
- Kyle Busch: has 52 career starts at Martinsville Speedway with a 12.1 avg finish (4 wins) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Denny Hamlin: was the model’s top pick based on 47 career starts at Martinsville Speedway with a 9.2 avg finish (8 wins), finishing P7 on the day.
Explore More
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2017 First Data 500?
Kyle Busch won the 2017 First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Where was the 2017 First Data 500 held?
The 2017 First Data 500 was held at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2017.