Joey Logano wins a wild Richmond for second victory of 2014

Joey Logano paid out at 12/1 odds in Las Vegas

While Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski bumped and banged their way to the checkered flag Saturday night, Joey Logano snuck past all three to win a wild Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Kenseth, Keselowski and Gordon all three swapped positions and traded paint during a furious battle for the lead over the final five laps, allowing Logano to charge from fourth to first for his second win of the season. Logano joined Kevin Harvick as the only two-time winners in the first nine races.

MORE: Ambrose punches mears | Keselowski mad at Kenseth | Results | Photos | Tire problems

Gordon finished second, followed by Kyle Busch, Keselowski and Kenseth.

Tempers flared after the race as Keselowski was furious with Kenseth over their late-race contact, and Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears got into a fight in the garage. While Keselowski confronted Kenseth on pit road, pointing and yelling at him, Ambrose and Mears got into it in the garage, where Mears shoved Ambrose and Ambrose punched him.

Read More Here...Sporting News

Richmond Practice Notes: Larson Fast, but Logano looks like driver to beat

Kyle Larson was fastest in first Richmond practice session 

Kyle Larson was fastest in the first of two Friday practice sessions at Richmond International Raceway in preparation Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400, and based on what we’ve seen on race day where he’s already had two top-5 finishes through eight races, there’s now only a slight reason to doubt that his quality practices won’t translate well to the race itself.

We like to compare Phoenix and Richmond a lot because the similar set-up requirements tend to produce similar results for drivers at each track, with New Hampshire to be included into the mix once a race stops there in July. During the first weekend of March, Larson kind of snuck up on everyone in the second race of the season at Phoenix where he had top-3 speeds in the final two practices sessions.

We said at the time that Larson had the look of possibly being someone that has the “it” factor where everyone just kind of knows they might be seeing the beginnings of what could be a great NASCAR career. Certain drivers, you just know right away something good is about to happen and it’s usually found out within the first half of the season. You knew Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards were going to be good fairly quick during their rookie years. Could Larson be the next in line?

Adding labels to a driver can sometimes be premature and unfair. Just ask Joey Logano who had a bumpy early Cup career with Joe Gibbs Racing before finally living up to expectations when going to Penske Racing last season. Now Logano is in line to win a race on a weekly basis.

In that March Phoenix race, the great practices didn’t translate well to race day as Larson finished 20th, the last driver on the lead lap. So there was kind of a reward for the bettor that was skeptical of Larson because of his youth in the series by not wagering on him with odds to win or driver matchups.

But then we all became believers again when he battled with Kyle Busch at Fontana before settling for second, and then he was fifth two weeks later at Texas. And then perhaps his greatest achievement was finishing eighth at Darlington’s tough layout where ‘The Lady in Black’ can be quite cruel to rookies. Now with Easter weekend off, here he is again fast in practice.

How about Larson’s chances Saturday night based on practices?
We understand he may have had some race jitters at Phoenix that could explain why such a good practice set-up didn’t run as well on race day, but just about everyone else at Phoenix that practiced well had a great race result, including race winner Harvick who won and was our top-rated driver. In fact, our top-4 rated drivers after practice finished in the top-4. The most disappointing drivers of that day based on our ratings following practice were Ganassi Racing teammates Jamie McMurray and Larson, which indicates there might be more of a team set-up issue that Larson having jitters.

So I guess you could say, we’re still in a wait-and-see approach with Larson, at least on these type of tracks, but it'll be a different story when more 1.5-mile tracks start lining up on the schedule. However, one eye will be attached to everything he does Saturday night, and because of his practice speeds, he’s still a driver that might deserve a little attention at the bet windows for a small flier that could pay big returns at 20-to-1 odds. It’s not 100-to-1 like at Phoneix, but we do know a lot more about him now and he is starting on the pole.

Why Logano as top candidate to win?
At Phoenix he led the second most laps, 71-of-312, before finishing fourth behind Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Brad Keselowski. He had a career best third-place finish last spring in his first attempt at Richmond with Penske. And then in Friday’s final practice session, he came out blazing with his first 10 laps that was quick enough for the best 10-consecutive laps average among the 31 drivers that ran as many in a row. Being fast on the longer runs is essential at Richmond, and while 10 laps is hardly a fuel run at Richmond, it’s a good sample size to help point wagers in the right direction. For whatever it’s worth, Harvick had the fastest 10-consecutive average lap average during final Phoenix practices.

Read More Here.......Final Driver Ratings

TOYOTA OWNERS 400 ODDS TO WIN

Richmond Practice 1 Speeds

Richmond Practice 2 Speeds

Edwards using winning Bristol chassis at Richmond

Carl Edwards is 15/1 to win at Richmond Saturday night

Carl Edwards – TOYOTA OWNERS 400
Team: No.99 Ford Always Racing Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig
Primary Chassis: RK-886
Backup Chassis: RK-874
Twitter: @99_RFRracing

ADVANCE NOTES

Edwards at Richmond International Raceway
o Edwards is looking for back-to-back wins at Richmond after his first victory at the three quarter mile track in the fall of 2013. Edwards came from the 26th-position to win the Federated Auto Parts 400 in September.
o Edwards has 19 Sprint Cup starts at Darlington with an average start of 13.3 and an average finish of 13.7.
o Edwards has finished in the top-five four times and in the top-ten ten times.

The Car
o Primary chassis RK- was last run in 2014 at Bristol, finishing first.
o Backup chassis RK-874 was last run in 2014 at Phoenix as a primary, finishing eighth.

Ford Always Racing
o At select NASCAR races throughout the country, Ford is inviting race fans to feel the thrill and excitement of pressing pedal to the metal—not in the driver’s seat of a NASCAR Ford Fusion, mind you, but behind the wheel of a Ford Flyer.
o Fun, fast, and low to the ground, Ford Flyers are the vehicles of choice for those who are wired to race and win. That’s the way it is with all of the Ford drivers. In down times, and even when away from the track, Ford drivers are Always Racing. Go to FordAlwaysRacing.com to see the ways in which Ford drivers turn the innocuous and everyday into a chance to race and win.
o While visiting FordAlwaysRacing.com, fans can enter for a chance to win a trip to Ford Championship Weekend, where they’ll have the opportunity to race a Ford Flyer against a favorite Ford NASCAR driver. Others will win a trip to the NASCAR Awards Banquet in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Edwards on Richmond:
“Richmond has been great to us lately. We have a win there. I will be driving the Ford Always Racing Fusion, and it has been a lot of fun preparing for this race. We actually did some racing, myself and some of the other Ford drivers, with the Ford Flyer. You can visit FordAlwaysRacing.com to see it. I don’t know if you would call it racing, it was more of a demolition derby. It’s a cool paint scheme and it would be great to get a win for Ford with that car at Richmond, the track is great. For us there is really not a lot of pressure with a win already and our current points position. We are going to go there and have some fun, hopefully get our second win, and lock ourselves into the Chase. Overall that track is a good time, and I am excited to go there. Jimmy and the guys have been working really hard, so the car should be great.”

- Roush Fenway Racing

Stewart makes 30th Cup start at Richmond Saturday night

Tony Stewart is 20/1 to win this week at Richmond

KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (April 24, 2014) – Tony Stewart likes to win. As both a driver and an owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, winning is something he’s been able to do. Repeatedly.

As a driver, Stewart has scored 48 point-paying victories along with a trio of Sprint Cup championships. Since partnering with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas to form Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) in 2009, Stewart has earned 22 point-paying Sprint Cup wins as an owner, the most recent of which came April 12 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway via Kevin Harvick.

SHR has won three of the first eight races of the 2014 Sprint Cup season. Prior to Darlington, Harvick won March 2 at Phoenix International Raceway. And in between those wins was Kurt Busch’s victory March 30 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. SHR, in just its sixth season, leads all NASCAR teams in wins in 2014.

With all of that winning, Stewart the owner is grinning from ear-to-ear. Stewart the driver, however, wants to add his name to SHR’s 2014 victory scroll. With Richmond (Va.) International Raceway the next stop on the Sprint Cup circuit, Stewart spies opportunity.

On Saturday night, Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS, will make his 30th Sprint Cup start at Richmond, home to three of his 48 career wins. And when not winning at the .75-mile oval, Stewart has been in sight of victory, with four second-place finishes, 11 top-fives, 19 top-10s and a total of 950 laps led.

Stewart’s winning record in Sprint Cup began at Richmond on Sept. 11, 1999. In just his 25th career Sprint Cup start during his rookie season, Stewart scored his first Sprint Cup win in dominating fashion by leading 333 of 400 laps. Stewart has been winning ever since, with at least once victory in each of his previous 15 years in Sprint Cup, the longest such streak among active drivers.

Stewart’s success at Richmond hasn’t been limited to just Sprint Cup. In addition to his three Sprint Cup triumphs, Stewart has a pair of victories in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, winning back-to-back events in 2002 and 2003 while driving for former car owner and current ESPN analyst Andy Petree. Stewart also found success in a Late Model at Richmond, winning the 2012 Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown, a 75-lap charity race.

The winning and the strong showings have made Stewart an unabashed fan of Richmond, frequently calling it his favorite track. In addition to the Sprint Cup car, Truck and Late Model stock car, Stewart has raced a NASCAR Nationwide Series car, a USAC Silver Crown car and a USAC Midget at Richmond. Now, Stewart’s back at the Virginia short track in his most familiar confine – the No. 14 Chevrolet, emblazoned this weekend with Rush Truck Centers, the premier service solutions provider to the commercial vehicle industry.

In the racing industry, Stewart knows the best solution is victory. With a pole two races ago at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth along with two-top-fives and four top-10s in the eight races so far this season – all of which have positioned Stewart 12th in points after leaving the season-opening Daytona 500 32nd in the championship standings – Stewart is primed for a win, especially now with his favorite racetrack up next on the Sprint Cup docket.

TONY STEWART, Driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You’ve had a lot of success at Richmond and have often said it’s one of your favorite tracks. Why?
“First, it’s not one of my favorite tracks, it is my favorite track. It’s the perfect-sized track for a Cup race. The other short tracks we run – Bristol and Martinsville – they’re cool in their own right, but there’s a lot of congestion at those two tracks. But at Richmond, it just seems like that extra quarter-mile, and that three-quarter-mile shape, and how wide the groove gets there, allows for good racing. It seems like we have to race ourselves and race the racetrack versus racing each other a lot of times. You do have to race each other, obviously, but there are a lot of times during the race when you have the flexibility to move around on the racetrack and try to find a spot that our Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevy likes better than somewhere else. A lot of times on a short track, you don’t have the flexibility. You’re more narrowed down with what groove you’re going to be in. It is literally the favorite track of mine on the circuit.”

What does it take to be successful at Richmond?
“As much as you’re racing everybody else, you have to race the racetrack. It just seems like a place where if you can get the balance right, it makes it an extremely fun day. With the two ends of the track being different like they are, it seems like you’re always fighting something, but that’s what always makes the racing good, too. You never really get anybody who gets their car perfect. Even the guy that gets the lead still isn’t happy with his car. So, it’s really trying to find that balance and trying to figure out how to balance both ends of the track together.”

SHR has a lot of momentum right now. It seems things have shifted from where it was at the start of the season.
“The whole organization has been doing an awesome job. Obviously, we’re coming in here after Kevin’s (Harvick) second win – two of our cars have won three races for the team, which is a great feeling for us. We had the pole a few weeks ago at Texas and we were pretty proud of that. I don’t know if there is any one thing that changed because our cars have had speed. Kurt (Busch) and Kevin (Harvick) have been qualifying and running well all year, for the most part, and the good thing is it’s not just one team. I don’t know that we can really point to one thing that has changed in the first eight races to be truthful. I think it’s still early in the year and a lot will change. I think the biggest thing for us is that the atmosphere at our shop is really good right now. It has been ever since the end of last season. We have a lot of new faces, and with that has come a new excitement at the shop, and it seems to be transferring to the racetrack.”

Aside from Harvick’s win at Phoenix, the first couple races seemed to be a challenge for the organization. How do you deal with the tough times as an owner?
“It’s not easy, for sure. I mean, it was always hard as a driver, but it’s even worse as a driver/owner. When things are tough, the pressure and the burden is more on you knowing that you’re responsible for everything versus just being the guy driving the car. It’s hard, but it’s also what makes it more gratifying when things go right, and that’s what we’re getting to enjoy right now.”

SHR had a lot of change in 2014 with the addition of a fourth team for Busch. How challenging has it been to manage that growth?
“Well, adding the fourth car was part of it, but the bigger part is that all of the cars are running a totally different package this year with set-ups with no ride-height rule and all that. Everything that we did last year is kind of out the window, and now you’re doing things that are totally different. You’re not just doing it for our Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevy. You’re doing it for all four cars. So, there have been a lot of changes, but they go beyond the fourth team.”

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Hamlin has 8.9 average Richmond finish 'in front of friends and family'

Denny Hamlin is 7/1 to win at Richmond Saturday night

Event: Toyota Owners 400
Date/Time: April 26/7 p.m. ET
2013 winner: Kevin Harvick
2013 polesitter: Matt Kenseth
Distance: 400 laps/300 miles
Track Length: 0.750-mile
Banking: 14 degrees
Track Shape: Oval

EXPRESS NOTES:

Fans First for FedEx 400: Race fans have the opportunity to “ride along” with Denny Hamlin and the #11 FedEx Freight/Autism Speaks Toyota for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover on June 1. For a minimum $11 donation to Autism Speaks, fans can get their names on the special #11 paint scheme at the ‘Monster Mile,’ while helping a great cause. Space is limited, so for more information, visit www.fedexracing.com/fedex400.

Return to Roots: Hamlin will host the seventh-annual Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown late model charity race on Thursday night at South Boston (Va.) Speedway, a track Hamlin grew up racing on while rising through the ranks. The 200-lap feature race will begin at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET, and Hamlin will be joined in the field by current Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, as well as a variety of local short track racers from around Virginia. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University. For more information, visit www.southbostonspeedway.com.

Richmond Preview: Hamlin returns to his hometown track for Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) in the #11 FedEx Ground Toyota. Hamlin, from nearby Chesterfield, Va., is a two-time winner at the three-quarter-mile oval, and holds the highest driver rating (114.8) among active drivers at the track. In 15 previous starts at Richmond, Hamlin has posted seven top-five finishes and recorded two pole positions. His victories came in the fall Richmond races in 2009 and 2010. He has led 1,390 career laps at RIR and has an average running position of 6.6, best among Sprint Cup Series competitors. He missed the spring 2013 event at RIR due to injury.

Darlington Recap: Hamlin finished 19th in the most recent Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway on April 12, unable to overcome a late-race pit road speeding penalty in the #11 Sport Clips Toyota. Hamlin started 10th and led once for three laps at the 1.33-mile track. The finish dropped Hamlin to 15th in the NASCAR point standings following Darlington, 74 points behind leader Jeff Gordon.

FedEx Office – Closest to Richmond International Raceway: 1111 E. Main St., Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 783-9880

HAMLIN CONVERSATION – RICHMOND:

How important is a strong run at Richmond this weekend?
“Obviously, any time we race in Richmond, I want to run well in front of friends and family. It’s been a good track for our FedEx team and I had to miss the race there last spring. We haven’t finished where we have run for the most part in the last few races this year, but Richmond is a great place to get back on track.”

How many fans do you expect to ‘ride’ with you in the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks?
“I hope the car is full of names because that means more donations to Autism Speaks, a great organization. Autism affects millions of families, and this program will hopefully play a small part in raising awareness and resources for research.”

- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing

Richmond Chassis Selections: 2014 Toyota Owners 400

Earnhardt Jr. using runner-up Phoenix chassis this week at Richomnd

#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis: PRS-906. Last Raced: New Chassis. Backup Chassis: PRS-853. Last Raced: Backup at multiple races.

#3-Austin Dillon: will pilot Chassis No. 433 in the Richmond 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The Gil Martin-led team raced this chassis to a 20th-place finish with driver Kevin Harvick at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September 2013.

#4-Kevin Harvick: will pilot Chassis No. 4-868 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Built new for 2014, Chassis 4-868 will see its first laps of competition this weekend.

#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-815 for Saturday night's event at Richmond. Kahne has driven this chassis four times -- thrice in 2013 and once so far in 2014. Notably, Kahne has raced this car in his last two outings at Phoenix International Raceway's one-mile oval. There, he recorded an average finish of 6.5.

#41-Kurt Busch: will pilot Chassis No. 826 in Saturday's Richmond 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, a former No. 39 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing. Built new for 2013, Chassis 826 started 17th and finished 10th last November in the Advocare 500k at Phoenix International Raceway. Busch also drove No. 826 at Phoenix in March, when he started 10th and finished 39th due to a mechanical issue.

#48-Jimmie Johnson: Crew chief Chad Knaus has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 48-832 for this weekend at Richmond. Johnson most recently drove this car to a sixth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in March. The backup car is Chassis No. 48-806, which Johnson most recently raced to a fourth-place result at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September 2013.

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: This weekend, crew chief Steve Letarte will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-857. Earnhardt most recently raced this chassis to a second-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in March.

#99-Carl Edwards: Primary chassis RK- was last run in 2014 at Bristol, finishing first. Backup chassis RK-874 was last run in 2014 at Phoenix as a primary, finishing eighth.

- COMPILED BY JAYSKI.COM

Richmond Odds: Harvick, Busch co-favorites to win 2014 Toyota Owners 400

Kevin Harvick has 3 Richmond wins and is co-favorite to win Saturday

LAS VEGAS-- The LVH Super Book has opened Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch as 6-to-1 co-favorites to win Saturday night's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series took the week off for Easter with several drivers getting somewhat of a vacation after grinding it out weekly since the beginning of February, so let's do a quick recap to get acclimated with what we saw in the first eight races of 2014.

Jeff Gordon leads the standings by one-point over Matt Kenseth but, under the new Chase format, points have taken a back seat on the season to winning races. There is no better example than Harvick, who sits 22nd in points, but leads the series as the only driver with two wins. He has been fast in just about every practice session this season, but his pair of victories are the only times he has finished in the top 5. Swinging for the fences with little regard for finishes looks to be a very effective strategy so far.

Jimmie Johnson and Kenseth won 13 races last season, but neither has won in first eight races this year— the first time that’s happened since 2001. Back then Kenseth was in his second full season while Johnson won his first and only Nationwide Series race for Herzog Motorsports, one year before making his full season debut for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series. Overall, 15 of Johnson's 66 career wins have come within the first eight races of a season. This is definitely uncharted territory for the series we've been accustomed to in the Johnson era.

Handicapping Richmond

The most effective handicapping strategy at Richmond over the past two decades has been to pay close attention to what happened at the similar tracks before the event. Races at Phoenix and New Hampshire during the same season have proven to be telling as to what might happen because the set-ups are similar. Although Richmond's three-quarter mile track is smaller than the one-mile layouts at Phoenix and New Hampshire, all three are flat making them relative.

Last season, Harvick and Carl Edwards each won at Phoenix and Richmond. Johnson did it in back-to-back seasons (2007-08) and before him it was Harvick again (2006), Kurt Busch (2005), Dale Earnhardt Jr (2004) and Kenseth (2002). We could go back even further with Tony Stewart (1999), Dale Jarrett (1997), Dale Earnhardt (1990), and even deeper if we include New Hampshire, but you get the idea. If a driver is very good on one, chances are they'll be good on the other.

Here's a look at the favorites to win with past Richmond history and how they fared at Phoenix on March 2:

Kyle Busch (6-to-1): His 7.2 average finish in 18 career starts is the best among all active drivers and is second in NASCAR's loop data rating since the system began in 2005. He's won four times -- one each season from 2009-12. He was ninth at Phoenix.

Kevin Harvick (6-to-1): He's fresh off his Darlington win and also led a race high four times for 224 laps at Phoenix. He's a three-time winner at Richmond with a third-best average running position of 7.9 in NASCAR loop ratings and has an average finish of 11.3.

Jimmie Johnson (7-to-1): Last fall, he finished 40th which partly explains his high 17.3 average finish in 24 career starts. He's a three-time winner, but the last victory came in 2008. Since then, he's had only one top-5 finish (third in 2010) over a span of 10 races. This has been one of Johnson's more difficult tracks the past five seasons. He was able to finish sixth at Phoenix, but was never really a factor.

Denny Hamlin (7-to-1): The native Virginian has the top loop data fueled by an 8.9 average finish and two wins. He has a series-best average running position (6.6) and has the most fast laps run (584). We have yet to see him look to have the best car in the series at any track, including in March at Phoenix where he battled hard to get a 19th-place finish. But if one had to guess where his first win of 2014 would come, a Virginia track would have been the favorite before the season started.

Brad Keselowski (7-to-1): He's still searching for his first career top-5 finish at Richmond, but as you can see by the odds and his third-place finish at Phoenix, he's in position to have his best finish this week. The Blue Deuce has been fast on every track during practices and it's translated well to race day as Penske Racing looks to have the model program for the 2014 season.

Jeff Gordon (10-to-1): He's won twice at Richmond, but it's been a while since his last in 2000. With 42 career starts, that's a very small number for someone who dominated an era in the sport. He's finished 12th or better in 12 of his last 14 Richmond starts. He's also tied for the lead in the series with six 2014 top-10 finishes, which has him in the points lead. He finished fifth at Phoenix.

Joey Logano (12-to-1): Like teammate Keselowski, Logano has shined all season through practices, qualifying and race day. At Phoenix he led three times for 71 laps until settling for fourth. In his first season with Penske Racing last year, he had his best career finish (third) at Richmond. In 10 career starts, he has a 17.8 average finish. It's fair to say from what we've seen so far in 2014 that we can throw out all pre-Penske data on Logano because he has transformed himself nicely onto the doorstep of elite status. He offers the best value to win among all drivers this week.

Read More Here.......Complete list of LVH Odds

Kyle Busch has amazing 7.2 average finish at Richmond, four wins

Kyle Busch is 6/1 to win at Richmond

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (April 22, 2014) – Kyle Busch – winner of 130 races among NASCAR’s top three divisions – has never been described as average, much like his primary sponsor M&M’s.

Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), is not only better than average at most venues on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, he’s well above average when it comes to Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, site of Saturday night’s ToyotaOwners 400.

Why would he be described as well above average at Richmond? Busch’s numbers at the .75-mile short track tell the story. His most recent win there in May 2012 was the fourth of his career to go with four runner-up finishes and an amazing 12 top-fives in just 18 careerSprint Cup starts in Virginia’s capital city. The Las Vegas native has an average finishing position of 7.2, tops among active drivers at Richmond, where he sits ahead of JGR teammate Denny Hamlin, whose average finish there is 8.9. Busch has completed all but one of the 7,216 laps available to him at Richmond. Of those laps completed, Busch has run in the top-15 for 6,271 laps (86.9 percent), second-most among active drivers.

Busch’s first Sprint Cup victory there came in May 2009, when he became only the second driver in Sprint Cup history to celebrate a victory on his birthday, a feat first accomplished by Cale Yarborough, who did it twice. Yarborough won on his March 27 birthday at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway in 1977 and at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1983.

While he has been a dominant force over the years at Richmond, which included winning four consecutive spring races at the .75-mile oval, Busch will look to improve on his two outings there last season, which resulted in uncharacteristic finishes of 24th and 19th, respectively.

This weekend, Busch and the M&M’s team will look to get back to their level of performance at Richmond exhibited when they won four consecutive spring races from 2009 to 2012 to best Richard Petty’s previousrecord of three straight spring-race wins at Richmond from 1971 to 1973.

So with those impressive statistics and records to back him up, it’s little wonder that a visit to the “Capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia” is one of Busch’s favorite stops on the NASCAR tour. Especially since he’s been anything but average there.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

What does it take to get around Richmond?
“Richmond is getting a little trickier, it seems like, just with the asphalt kind of getting older and the way the carsare and the tire hasn’t really changed there in the last few years – we may be due for an update on that. The consensus of Richmond is, of course, just trying to get your car to turn, but also having really good forward bite. You have to be able to get off the corners at Richmond. You have to have good brakes, as well, and be able to turn the center. All of it correlates, everything that you want as a racecar driver, you’ve got to have most all of it and, if you don’t, then you better hope that you have more forward bite than the rest of them. That’s sort of the equation of Richmond – it’s a fun place to race, it’s really cool. As a driver, you wish that it could widen out and give you more options of being able to run around in different grooves but it hasn’t shown us that the last couple years. We’re hoping to get our M&M’s Camry back to form there from a couple of years ago.”

What is it about Richmond that suits your driving style?
“I love Richmond – it’s one of my favorite racetracks and one of my best racetracks. I love being able to go there and, of course, we put on some pretty good races there. We won four spring races in a row and I would have loved to have made it five last year. It’s a neat racetrack and it’s certainly an excitement track and there is a lot of action that happens under the lights on Saturday night there.”

Why is Joe Gibbs Racing so strong at Richmond?
“I think a lot of it comes from Denny (Hamlin), being that it’s his home track. I’ve been good there in Hendrick and JGR cars. But Denny and I really feed off each other an awful lot at Richmond. We use each other a ton there just to be sure we can beat the rest of the competition, of course. We do like similar setups there, unlike some other places we run. Richmond is one of those places where we both know what it takes to get around and we’re both similar to one another in that we both run well. And with Matt (Kenseth) with us now, JGR has a lot of experience there we can look to for help.”

What would it mean to win the Toyota-sponsored race at Richmond?
“It would be cool. You always want to win any single race out there and I’ve won a few races at Richmond. It would really be special to have a Toyota in victory lane in Toyota’s race. I think all of us always want to see that. It’s no different than M&M’s would like to win an M&M’s race if they sponsored one. It certainly helps rally everyone at Toyota when we win. The goal each time we go out there and race is to get our sponsors to victory lane. Also, just being a racetrack that we’ve won a lot at over the years, whether it’s been Denny (Hamlin), myself or even the 20 car, I know they haven’t won there, but even if Matt (Kenseth) does win, it would be better having a Toyota there than someone else.”

Are you looking forward to running three races at Richmond this weekend?
“I get a chance to start on Thursday in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at South Boston – his charity race. It’s just a fun race and you get to go out there and race with the best of the local Late Model racers from across that area and we always seem to put on a pretty good show. I like that race and think South Boston is a great place to be able to run at, too. And then we get to race the Nationwide car on Friday night and the Cup cars on Saturday night, so just a big three-day race weekend for me. I’m used to those, so it shouldn’t be anything different than what I’m accustomed to.”

Do you enjoy the atmosphere at Richmond?
“I think the coolest thing about Richmond is the grandstands being all the way around the racetrack and it’s at the fairgrounds. People love coming there and supporting that racetrack. It’s been around for a long time. It’s a fast racetrack. It’s only a three-quarter-mile oval, but it has really high speeds that makes it fun for us drivers and makes excitement that’s fun for a fan. Martinsville is a short track and it’s slow, but Richmond is pretty quick.”

 

KYLE BUSCH’S RICHMOND SPRINT CUP SERIES PERFORMANCE PROFILE

Year	Date	Event	Start	Finish	Status/Laps	Laps Led	Earnings
2013	4/27	Toyota Owners 400	8	24	Running, 406/406	40	$121,468
	9/8	Federated Auto Parts 400	13	19	Running, 400/400	0	$122,718
2012	4/28	Capital City 400	5	1	Running, 400/400	32	$247,783
	9/8	Federated Auto Parts 400	15	16	Running, 399/400	0	$120,118
2011	4/30	Crown Royal Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400	20	1	Running, 400/400	235	$239,591
	9/10	Wonderful Pistachios 400	13	6	Running, 400/400	0	$137,066
2010	5/1	Crown Royal Heath Calhoun 400	1	1	Running, 400/400	226	$264,506
	9/11	Air Guard 400	32	2	Running, 400/400	0	$203,256
2009	5/2	Crown Royal Russ Friedman 400	14	1	Running, 400/400	53	$257,248
	9/12	Chevy Rock & Roll 400	8	5	Running, 400/400	0	$147,598
2008	5/3	×Crown Royal Dan Lowry 400	7	2	Running, 410/410	0	$171,100
	9/7	†Chevy Rock & Roll 400	1	15	Running, 400/400	53	$94,425
2007	5/6	Crown Royal Jim Stewart 400	34	2	Running, 400/400	27	$171,225
	9/8	Chevy Rock & Roll 400	3	20	Running, 400/400	0	$87,875
2006	5/6	Crown Royal 400	21	5	Running, 400/400	7	$113,600
	9/9	Chevy Rock & Roll 400	12	2	Running, 400/400	248	$184,550
2005	5/14	Chevy 400	10	4	Running, 400/400	0	$119,300
	9/10	Chevy Rock & Roll 400	7	4	Running, 400/400	10	$127,800

× Race length extended due to green-white-checkered finish.

† Qualifying canceled due to weather, starting position set via car owner points.

- True Speed Communication for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing

Fans can support Autism Speaks and get name on Denny Hamlin's car

(April 23, 2014) – For the fourth straight year, Autism Speaks, Dover International Speedway (NYSE: DVD) and FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) have joined forces in support of individuals and families affected by autism. FedEx will return as the title sponsor of the “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, June 1, 2014. In addition, fans now have an opportunity to have their names displayed on Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 FedEx Toyota.

The FedEx paint scheme puzzle piece campaign is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for NASCAR fans to raise funds for the autism community while taking part in the racing action at Dover International Speedway. For a minimum donation of $11 to Autism Speaks, fans’ first names and last initials can be inscribed on a puzzle piece design featured on the No. 11 car driven by Denny Hamlin at the “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.”

“It’s a great opportunity for the fans and is for a great cause,” said Hamlin. “Autism affects so many people, and these donations will help with research and other important things that the Autism Speaks organization does.”

Beginning Monday, April 21, and continuing through Sunday, May 4, fans can visit fedexracing.com/fedex400 for further information and to make a donation. Space is limited. Shortly after May 4, FedEx will unveil the Autism Speaks paint scheme to participants via an email containing a link to a special campaign website.

The paint scheme puzzle piece campaign is coupled with the news that for the third straight year, the Autism Speaks Day at the Races event will be part of the June 1 race at Dover. This unique event provides those on the autism spectrum, and their families, with the opportunity to attend a NASCAR race in a comfortable environment. The special ticket package provides seating in a sensory friendly area within the air-conditioned grandstands at the Monster Mile, which offers great views of the race along the backstretch of the track; pre-race appearances by NASCAR drivers and personalities; brief presentations by educational speakers in the morning; food and drink; and much more.

Tickets for the Autism Speaks Day at the Races cost $88 for adults and $20 for children ages 14 and younger. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Autism Speaks. To purchase tickets to Autism Speaks Day at the Races while supplies last, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com.

This marks the eighth straight year the Monster Mile is partnering with Autism Speaks, the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization, to help raise funds and awareness for the cause throughout the weekend.

Another returning element to help raise awareness for the cause is the program that will see drivers in all three national touring series display Autism Speaks decals on their cars throughout the weekend. In 2013, 66 drivers participated.

NASCAR returns to Dover International Speedway May 30-June 1 for the June 1 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the May 31 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the May 30 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.

For tickets or more information, call 800-441-RACE or visit DoverSpeedway.com. You can also keep up with the Monster Mile at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway or on Twitter at @MonsterMile.

About Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to fundingresearch into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autismspectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed nearly $200 million to research and developing innovative resources for families. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 100 cities across North America. On the global front, Autism Speaks has stablished partnerships in more than 40 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.AutismSpeaks.org.

- Dover International Speedway/FedEx/Autism Speaks

Richmond Preview: Phoenix success translates well to Richmond

Richmond fun is captured well by the TV

After non-stop weekly NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing since early February, it was kind of a weird feeling as the series took Easter Weekend off. And while I was ready for little break during the week from sifting through all the team press releases and extensively reviewing practices, when Sunday came around, I must say I really missed not having a race to watch.

But if there was ever a track that was well worth the wait it’s definitely a Saturday night special at Richmond’s three-quarter mile flat track where the racing is tight and the speeds are slow enough that allow drivers to feel not too bad about punting another.

Between the drivers getting after one another and the rowdy fans from the Capital of the Confederacy partying strong all weekend, there is always an electric buzz that translates well to television. Richmond also provides a great betting opportunity. It’s been fairly easy to predict just because of being able to utilize results from similar tracks already raced on during the season.

Richmond has it’s regulars that always seem to perform well there, but the better data has been to look at what happened at either Phoenix or New Hampshire in previous races. Phoenix and New Hampshire are both one-mile tracks, but they are also flat and run similar.

Last season we saw Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards each win at both Phoenix and Richmond, and we’ve also seen Kurt Busch (2005), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2004) and Matt Kenseth (2002) do it, as well as Harvick again in 2006. Jimmie Johnson also did in twice in recent years (2007-08). There are several others too prior to that sample. If we throw in New Hampshire, it's an even longer list, but we haven't seen a race there yet this season.

Read More Here......Top-5 Finish Prediction

Monday Night NASCAR Racing on Prime Time? Why not

Last week was the first of just two off-weekends for NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. Over a span of 40 weeks, they’ll race 38 times, including 17 consecutive weeks to wrap up the season.

That type of schedule is grueling for both the crews and the drivers. So what’s the answer?

A Monday night race that follows a Saturday night race, or even a midweek race.

It sounds like such a simple answer. Schedule a race a year in advance on a weekday instead of a weekend. Pro and college football teams do it. Prime time under the lights during the week. What would be better? What’s the problem?

Read More Here.....Sporting News

Matt Kenseth searching for second Richmond win, first since 2002

Matt Kenseth is 12/1 to win Saturday night at Richmond

Matt Kenseth/No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota Preview
Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway
No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota News and Notes:

JOE GIBBS RACING AT RICHMOND: Joe Gibbs Racing has 93 Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway and has earned nine wins, 29 top-five, and 49 top-ten finishes. The organization also has led for a total of 3,145 laps, has an average start of 15.0 and an average finish of 12.5 at the 0.75-mile track.

KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS: In 28 Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond, Kenseth has completed 10,964 of 11,209 laps (97.8 percent) and has led for a total of 368 laps. Kenseth has earned one win, four top-five finishes, 12 top-ten finishes and one pole award which he earned in last year’s Toyota Owners 400. Kenseth earned his victory at Richmond back in 2002, and has earned top-ten finishes in his last three starts at the short track.

RACE INFO: The Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway (0.75-mile) begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 26th. The race will be broadcast live on FOX, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

Kenseth’s 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Season Stats:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Earnings	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
8	0	2	6	1	234	$1,691,929	14.0	7.8

Kenseth’s Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Stats:

Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	Poles	Laps Led	Earnings	Avg. Start	Avg. Finish
516	31	140	254	12	9,160	$101,234,193	18.5	14.1

From the Cockpit:
Matt Kenseth: “Richmond is a great race track from a design standpoint in my opinion. Everyone is close to the action, and it’s a fast track that gets slick pretty quickly, so you need to work on managing your tires there throughout the weekend. It’s a fun track from the driver’s perspective, and from the fan’s perspective, I think it’s one of the favorites on the circuit. I really enjoy getting to race Saturday night at a short track like Richmond because it reminds me of growing up and racing Friday and Saturday nights back in Wisconsin. We were fortunate enough to earn the pole for last year’s race, and JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) has had pretty strong cars there in the past, so I’m looking forward to getting back there this weekend.”

From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff: “We sat on the pole for this race at Richmond last year and we led a lot of laps to where I felt we ran pretty well overall. The finish of last year’s Toyota Owners 400 came down to a green-white-checkered finish, and unfortunately, Matt (Kenseth) was stuck in the wrong lane at the end. I felt like when we left Richmond after the Fall race that I had a pretty good idea of what we needed to do to run better, but so much has changed this year with the new rules package. Richmond is such a unique track and so different from any other short track that we go to. Richmond is a place where you need to make sure that you come off the truck well, because I feel that how you unload, typically sets the tempo for the entire weekend. Having the weekend off last week, I feel like we were able to look a few things over and I’m excited to go to Richmond this weekend with some new ideas for us to try.”

About Husky Tools:
With over 85 years of experience building the toughest hand tools, air tools and tool storage products, Husky Tools is rebranding. In an effort to become the complete, one stop shop “garage brand” for The Home Depot customers, Husky’s new product line can outfit an entire garage workshop with quality and affordable storage units, tools, work benches and more. With a focus on quality, innovation and value the brand has enhanced product quality, features and durability while continuing to focus on value. Husky delivers national brand performance at an as good or better price. Husky tools have a lifetime guarantee, and the brand has dedicated resources in Atlanta (888) HD-HUSKY and websitewww.huskytools.com for customers to access.

- Joe Gibbs Racing

STANLEY Racing to Donate $1 Million to Children’s Miracle Network Through Ace Hardware Foundation if Ambrose Wins

Ambrose is 300/1 to win at LVH Super Book

This Saturday night, Marcos Ambrose and the No.9 STANLEY Racing have a million reasons to win. If Ambrose earns his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) partner STANLEY will donate $1 million to the Children’s Miracle Network through the Ace Hardware Foundation to benefit sick and injured children. If Ambrose finishes second or third, a donation of $500,000 and $250,000 will be made respectively. The incentive is part of the annual “Racing for a Miracle” campaign by STANLEY and the Ace Hardware Foundation. Ambrose has a best finish of fifth at the track.

Ambrose and the team will head to Richmond early on Thursday to visit the patients at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Ambrose and his No.9 RPM pit crew will interact with the children through various games and demonstrate pit stops.

The No.9 will also have a different look to it this weekend. The car will be unveiled this Friday morning at Richmond International Raceway during a special presentation at 8:00 a.m. at the amphitheater.

Ambrose Weekend Chatter:
“This is always a big weekend for STANLEY, Ace Hardware and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. And, it’s always a big weekend for RPM and our No 9 team. We haven’t won the million dollars in the different years that we’ve participated in the program, but we want nothing more than to do so. If we can’t win, finishing second or third will still be a big donation and go a long way to help these children. Either way, STANLEY will make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals this Friday morning at the track.

“It’s just a special cause for everyone, and we feel pretty honored to be in a position to race for this donation. We’re going to visit some of the patients this Thursday morning in Richmond before the race weekend starts. We’re just looking to put a smile on their face and show them something different. Hopefully, they get excited, but hopefully, we’re all a lot more excited at the end of the race Saturday night.”

About Richard Petty Motorsports:
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneurs Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP, Strike Ten Entertainment and Fresh From Florida, and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners STANLEY, DEWALT, Mac Tools and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Richard Petty Motorsports

LVH IndyCar Odds: 2014 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

HONDA INDY GRAND PRIX OF ALABAMA
BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK
SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014
WILL POWER 7-2
SCOTT DIXON 5
RYAN HUNTER-REAY 6
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA 8
HELIO CASTRONEVES 8
SIMON PAGENAUD 10
JAMES HINCHCLIFFE 12
TAKUMA SATO 20
JUSTIN WILSON 20
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS 20
JOSEF NEWGARDEN 20
MIKE CONWAY 20
CHARLIE KIMBALL 30
RYAN BRISCOE 30
MARCO ANDRETTI 30
TONY KANAAN 30
GRAHAM RAHAL 30
ORIOL SERVIA 40
CARLOS MUNOZ 50
FIELD 25

Matt Kenseth still searching for first 2014 win

No wins in 2014 for Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth has not had the start to 2014 that he had in 2013, but he still sits second in the Sprint Cup standings, just one point behind series leader Jeff Gordon.

Just like Gordon, Kenseth does not have a win yet this season. At this time last year, Kenseth had two wins in what was a stellar start to his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing but he could not repeat his victories at Las Vegas or Darlington.

“Last year at this time I was pretty comfortable,” Kenseth said last week at Darlington Raceway. “We had a couple wins, we were leading a lot of laps and things were really clicking along. We had some adversity along the way and we had some things happen, but we were performing at a really, really high level, so I was pretty comfortable and having a lot of fun.

“I’m still comfortable, we’re still having fun. We want to be better and we set that bar so high last year that I think we expect that from ourselves all the time.”

Read More Here........Sporting News

Richmond Storylines: 2014 Toyota Owners 400

Carl Edwards won at Richmond last fall

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES – TOYOTA OWNERS 400, SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 7 P.M. ET ON FOX

Part Two Of Regular Season: Unique Tracks And Iconic Races Abound
This weekend’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway kicks off the second stretch of races during the regular season. This 11-race stretch features unique tracks and iconic races, including Richmond, which is the third short track of the three on the schedule. Drivers visit both restrictor-plate tracks during this stretch and make their first road-course appearance of 2014 at Sonoma, where nine different drivers have won the last nine races. In addition, the longest test of endurance in NASCAR – the Coca-Cola 600 – and the always-entertaining NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race fall within this next block of racing.

With Two In Hand, Harvick Could Make It Three
It is very possible that on Saturday night Kevin Harvick will pick up where we last saw him … in Victory Lane. At Darlington, Harvick became the first driver to win two races in 2014. This weekend at Richmond International Raceway, he very well could be the first to win three races. In 26 races at the short track, the California native has three victories, including two of the last five. His most recent triumph there came in the spring event last season. Harvick has led 945 laps with 16 top-10 finishes, both personal bests.

Can Edwards Make It Two In A Row At Richmond?
In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ last visit to Richmond, Carl Edwards posted his second victory of 2013. This Saturday, he returns to the short track having already picked up his first win of 2014 at another short track – Bristol. His win virtually locked in his spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but a second win would cement his place in the postseason (barring he doesn’t miss any races or fall out of the top 30 in points). Edwards, who is currently third in points, has one win and 10 top 10s in 19 starts at Richmond.

Gordon Looks To Build Upon Points Lead, Win
Jeff Gordon’s 2014 campaign has started off on the right foot. Through the season’s first eight races, he has put together one of his strongest starts ever with six top 10s, including a runner-up performance at Texas. Although he hasn’t won yet, he leads the points standings for the second consecutive week, one point over Matt Kenseth. With two wins and 26 top-10 finishes at Richmond – the site of this weekend’s race – Gordon is looking for another strong finish to keep him atop the standings and a win to virtually lock him into the Chase.

Uncharacteristic Start Of Season For Johnson, Kenseth
Almost a quarter of the way through the season and with the NASCAR universe heading into a weekend off, something does seem a little off. Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth remain winless. The last time neither Johnson nor Kenseth posted a win in the first eight races of a season was in 2001. At this point last year both drivers already had two wins. Overall, 15 of Johnson’s 66 wins have come in the first eight races, while 12 of Kenseth’s 31 wins have. Both drivers have wins at Richmond (Johnson – three, Kenseth – one), the site of the next race.

- NASCAR

Richmond Track Facts: 2014 Toyota Owners 400

Clint Bowyer is a two-time winner at Richmond

Richmond International Raceway Data

Season Race #: 9 of 36 (04-26-14)

Track Size: 0.75-miles

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 14 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 14 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees

Frontstretch Length:  1,290 feet

Backstretch Length:  860 feet

Race Length: 400 laps / 300 miles

 

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond

Denny Hamlin............................ 114.8

Kyle Busch............................... 111.9

Kevin Harvick............................ 110.0

Clint Bowyer.............................. 100.7

Tony Stewart............................... 96.5

Jeff Gordon................................ 96.0

Kurt Busch.................................. 92.2

Ryan Newman............................. 91.6

Carl Edwards.............................. 90.1

Jimmie Johnson.......................... 88.5

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (18 total) among active drivers at Richmond International Raceway

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2013 Coors Light pole winner:

Matt Kenseth, Toyota

130.334 mph, 20.716 secs. 04-25-13

 

2013 race winner:

Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet

92.141 mph, (03:18:17), 04-27-13

 

Track qualifying record:

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet

130.599 mph, 20.674 secs. 09-04-13

 

Track race record:

Dale Jarrett, Ford

109.047 mph, (02:45:04), 09-06-97

 

At Richmond International Raceway:

History

·         Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953 won by Lee Petty.

·         The spring 1964 race was run on a Tuesday night under temporary lighting.

·         The track name changed to Virginia State Fairgrounds in 1967.

·         The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between races in 1968.

·         The track name changed to Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.

·         The track was re-measured to .542-mile for 1970.

·         The track was rebuilt as a three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval following the Feb. 21, 1988 race.

·         The first race under permanent lights was Sept. 7, 1991.

·         The first season with both races as night races was 1999.

Notebook

·         There have been 115 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway, one NSCS event from 1953 - 1958 and two races per year since 1959.

·         472 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond; 306 in more than one.

·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond with 63. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 42 starts.

·         Buck Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Richmond in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.

·         52 drivers have Coors Light poles at Richmond, led by Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with eight each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.

·         Seven drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond. Bobby Allison holds the record for most consecutive Coors Light poles at Richmond with five (1972 - 1974).

·         Youngest Richmond pole winner: Brian Vickers (05/15/2004 – 20 years, 6 months, 21 days).

·         Oldest Richmond pole winner: Mark Martin (04/28/2012 – 53 years, 3 months, 19 days).

·         48 different drivers have won at Richmond International Raceway, led by Richard Petty with 13. Kyle Buschleads all active drivers with four.

·         Petty Enterprises has the most wins at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 15; followed byHendrick Motorsports with 10, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing each have nine.

·         Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 36 victories; followed by Ford with 29 and Toyota with seven.

·         22 of the 115 (19.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from the Coors Light pole. Only three active drivers have been able to accomplish the feat: Kasey Kahne (2005),Jimmie Johnson (2007) and Kyle Busch (2010). 

·         The pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond (22). 

·         35 of the 115 (30.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond have been won from the front row: 22 from the pole and 13 from second-place.

·         90 of the 115 (78.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         13 of the 115 (11.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Richmond International Raceway was 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the spring of 2008.

·         Youngest Richmond winner: Richard Petty (04/23/1961 – 23 years, 9 months, 21 days).

·         Oldest Richmond winner: Harry Gant (09/07/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 28 days).

·         Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for thelead in runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.  

·         Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16.

·         Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 26.

·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond International Raceway with a 7.643.

·         Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond International Raceway with a 7.222.

·         Two active drivers have a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series average finish in the top 10 at Richmond: Kyle Busch (7.2) and Denny Hamlin (8.9).

·         There have been two NSCS race resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Richmond International Raceway: spring of 2008 (400/410) and spring of 2013 (400/406).

·         Only four of the 115 races at Richmond International Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions: spring of 1962, spring of 1977, spring of 1982 and spring of 2003.

·         Bobby Labonte (09/11/1993) and Brian Vickers (05/15/2004) posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Richmond.   

·         Tony Stewart (09/11/1999) and Kasey Kahne (05/14/2005) posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Richmond.   

·         Eight drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Richmond International Raceway. Richard Petty leads the series in consecutive wins at Richmond after posting seven consecutive wins from the fall of 1970 – 1973. Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep) is the only active driver with consecutive wins at Richmond. 

·         All of the 13 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Richmond International Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart won at Richmond in their second appearance.   

·         Joe Nemechek competed at Richmond International Raceway 18 times before winning in 1994; the longest span of any the 13 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

·         Dave Blaney leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond without visiting Victory Lane at 26.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway was the (09/12/1998) race won by Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.051 second.

·         Two female drivers have competed at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	13	12	2/27/1977
Janet Guthrie	14	12	9/11/1977
Danica Patrick	30	29	4/27/2013
Danica Patrick	36	30	9/7/2013

 

NASCAR in Virginia

·         There have been 283 NASCAR Sprint Cup races among nine tracks in Virginia.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Martinsville Speedway	Martinsville	131
Richmond International Raceway	Richmond	115
South Boston Speedway	South Boston	10
Langley Field Speedway	Hampton	9
Old Dominion Speedway	Manassas	7
Southside Speedway	Richmond	4
Starkey Speedway	Roanoke	4
Norfolk Speedway	Norfolk	2
Princess Anne Speedway	Norfolk	1

 

·         171 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Virginia.

·         19 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; 11 have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Joe Weatherly	25	0	0
Denny Hamlin	23	11	2
Ricky Rudd	23	1	0
Jeff Burton	21	27	0
Curtis Turner	17	0	0
Ward Burton	5	4	0
Glen Wood	4	0	0
Elliott Sadler	3	9	1
Emanuel Zervakis	2	0	0
Lennie Pond	1	0	0
Wendell Scott	1	0	0
Tommy Ellis	0	22	0
Jimmy Hensley	0	9	2
Rick Mast	0	9	0
Hermie Sadler	0	2	0
Elton Sawyer	0	2	0
Stacy Compton	0	0	2
Jon Wood	0	0	2
Jeb Burton	0	0	1