October 21 – 27, 2025
The Martinsville MX-500 is back for its second edition in 2025, bringing one of iRacing’s most entertaining and unconventional Special Events to the paperclip-shaped Martinsville Speedway. Drivers will strap into the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup car for an incredible 500-lap showdown around NASCAR’s smallest oval — a race of patience, precision, and pure chaos.
Event Overview
Part of iRacing’s 2025 Special Event Calendar, the Martinsville MX-500 takes the spirit of the real-world IMSA MX-5 Cup and cranks it up to 11. Instead of the usual sprint format, racers will endure 500 laps of elbows-out short-track racing where traffic management and consistency are everything.
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Car: Global Mazda MX-5 Cup
License Requirement: D 4.0 (Oval)
Team Event: No – Solo Drivers Only
Splits By: iRating
Field Size: 40 Cars
Schedule
Event Window: October 24 – 26 (Weekend Sessions in Five Timeslots)
| Timeslot | GMT | Eastern Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Friday 22:00 GMT | Friday 6:00 PM ET |
| #2 | Saturday 7:00 GMT | Saturday 3:00 AM ET |
| #3 | Saturday 12:00 GMT | Saturday 8:00 AM ET |
| #4 | Saturday 16:00 GMT | Saturday 12:00 PM ET |
| #5 | Sunday 00:00 GMT | Saturday 8:00 PM ET |
Session Details
- Session Start Time (in-sim): October 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM local time
- Warmup: 3 minutes
- Qualifying: Solo session – 5 minutes for 2 laps (using attached fixed setup)
- Race: 500 laps
- Weather: Dynamic conditions enabled
- Stop-and-Go Limit: 50 incident points (initial) + additional penalties every 20 thereafter
- Disqualification Limit: None
The Car: Global Mazda MX-5 Cup
The MX-5 Cup is lightweight, balanced, and endlessly competitive — perfect for tight-quarters racing. With fixed setups for this event, every driver will have the same tools, making it a pure test of racecraft, consistency, and strategy. Expect door-to-door battles and frequent contact as drivers squeeze for every inch of asphalt.
The Martinsville MX-500 perfectly captures what iRacing Special Events are all about — accessible cars, famous tracks, and chaotic fun. Whether you’re chasing your first big event win or just surviving 500 laps without a meatball flag, this race promises high drama from green flag to checkered flag.
🗓️ Event Summary
- Event Name: Martinsville MX-500 (2025 Edition)
- Track: Martinsville Speedway
- Car: Global Mazda MX-5 Cup
- Laps: 500
- Date: October 24–26, 2025
- License: D 4.0 (Oval)
- Setup: Fixed
- Splits By: iRating
- Weather: Dynamic
- Team Event: No
- Field Size: 40 Drivers
