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Martinsville spring Cup race to be 400 laps instead of 500

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Alex Bowman wins at Martinsville, as he and Denny Hamlin clash, and Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., and Hamlin advance to the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.

The spring Cup race at Martinsville Speedway will be 400 laps instead of 500, marking only the second time the track has scheduled a 400-lap Cup race in its history. The track made the announcement Thursday.

The change for the April 9 Cup race - the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 - is because the event is a night race. It is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Adjusting the race length allows the race to accommodate its start time.

MORE: 2022 Cup schedule, ticket, TV info

The stages also have been changed. Stage 1 will end at Lap 80. Stage 2 will end at Lap 180. The final stage will be 220 laps.

The last scheduled 400-lap Cup race at Martinsville was Oct. 28, 1956. Jack Smith won that event. Martinsville has hosted Cup races since 1949.

The fall Cup playoff race at Martinsville will remain a 500-lap race. That event is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Oct. 30 on NBC.