First Data 500
Martinsville Speedway, October 29, 2017
Kyle Busch
Winner
505
Laps
40
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 | 14 | +13 | Kyle Busch |
| 2 | 2 | — | Martin Truex, Jr. |
| 3 | 5 | +2 | Clint Bowyer |
| 4 | 7 | +3 | Brad Keselowski |
| 5 | 13 | +8 | Kevin Harvick |
| 6 | 34 | +28 | Trevor Bayne |
| 7 | 6 | -1 | Denny Hamlin |
| 8 | 4 | -4 | Ryan Blaney |
| 9 | 17 | +8 | Matt Kenseth |
| 10 | 22 | +12 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 11 | 21 | +10 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
| 12 | 24 | +12 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 13 | 25 | +12 | Austin Dillon |
| 14 | 18 | +4 | Ryan Newman |
| 15 | 15 | — | Daniel Suarez |
| 16 | 12 | -4 | Kasey Kahne |
| 17 | 23 | +6 | Danica Patrick |
| 18 | 10 | -8 | Aric Almirola |
| 19 | 20 | +1 | Michael McDowell |
| 20 | 19 | -1 | Paul Menard |
| 21 | 29 | +8 | Chris Buescher |
| 22 | 11 | -11 | Kurt Busch |
| 23 | 33 | +10 | Landon Cassill |
| 24 | 1 | -23 | Joey Logano |
| 25 | 30 | +5 | Cole Whitt |
| 26 | 8 | -18 | Erik Jones |
| 27 | 3 | -24 | Chase Elliott |
| 28 | 31 | +3 | David Ragan |
| 29 | 16 | -13 | Jamie McMurray |
| 30 | 26 | -4 | Ty Dillon |
| 31 | 35 | +4 | Gray Gaulding |
| 32 | 32 | — | Reed Sorenson |
| 33 | 36 | +3 | Corey LaJoie |
| 34 | 40 | +6 | Hermie Sadler |
| 35 | 38 | +3 | Kyle Weatherman |
| 36 | 39 | +3 | Carl Long |
| 37 | 9 | -28 | Kyle Larson |
| 38 | 37 | -1 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 39 | 28 | -11 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 40 | 27 | -13 | A.J. Allmendinger |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 17 matched drivers, the model averaged 9.3 positions off — worse than the season average of 8.5. Below Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 14.0 | 2 | +12.0 |
| 4 | Brad Keselowski | 13.8 | 4 | +9.8 |
| 7 | Denny Hamlin | 6.8 | 7 | -0.2 |
| 8 | Ryan Blaney | 6.8 | 8 | -1.2 |
| 10 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 20.4 | 10 | +10.4 |
| 12 | Jimmie Johnson | 18.0 | 12 | +6.0 |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | 17.7 | 13 | +4.7 |
| 15 | Daniel Suarez | 14.0 | 15 | -1.0 |
| 19 | Michael McDowell | 15.6 | 19 | -3.4 |
| 21 | Chris Buescher | 12.0 | 21 | -9.0 |
| 24 | Joey Logano | 10.3 | 24 | -13.7 |
| 26 | Erik Jones | 17.7 | 26 | -8.3 |
| 27 | Chase Elliott | 9.9 | 27 | -17.1 |
| 30 | Ty Dillon | 23.1 | 30 | -6.9 |
| 33 | Corey LaJoie | 24.9 | 33 | -8.1 |
| 37 | Kyle Larson | 10.3 | 37 | -26.7 |
| 40 | A.J. Allmendinger | 20.1 | 40 | -19.9 |
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 55 career starts at Martinsville Speedway with a 12.6 avg finish (4 wins) — the model may have underweighted this track history.
- Denny Hamlin: was the model’s top pick based on 49 career starts at Martinsville Speedway with a 9.9 avg finish (8 wins), finishing P7 on the day.
- Martin Truex, Jr.: was the biggest surprise, finishing P2 vs predicted P14. Track history: 38 starts, 16.2 avg finish.
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.