Racing in Richmond
By Micah Roberts
You have to love NASCAR’s new era of fantastic finishes where five of the nine races have ended with green-white-checker finishes. It’s apparent that last week’s thrilling finish at Talladega recaptured some NASCAR’s lost audience as evidenced by the overnight Nielson rating of 4.9 which was up slightly from last years event, the first time all season that NASCAR has shown gains in the ratings department.
To be fair in the ratings game, NASCAR has had to go head to head the Olympics for their first three races of the season and then had to deal with two races running on Monday’s due to rain. On Sunday, NASCAR was again on top as the top watched sporting event of the weekend blowing out anything the NBA Playoffs had to offer on ABC.
This is the first real sign that some of the NASCAR changes like the double-file restart and three attempts at a Green-White-Checker finish have won over the fans. NASCAR should be commended somewhat, even reluctantly so by myself, for having the nerve to react so quickly into making the changes that are obviously coming to fruition.
NASCAR has hid behind the “Giving the fans what they want” motto when speaking about the changes and haven’t once talked about the real focus which is gaining a larger network contract when their deal expires. How can they possibly expect gains in the network money given to them if there haven’t been any gains in ratings since 2008.
One of the areas of new NASCAR change we haven’t seen come into play yet has been drivers showing more emotion on the track. Carl Edwards proved how far a driver can go within the kangaroo court of justice of solving matters on the track amongst themselves by ending Brad Keselowski’s day earlier this season, but everyone else has been a little tame.
After this week’s race at Richmond, we could see the biggest uproar of the season by a few drivers just because of how the track runs. If this were three season’s ago we would have already seen the feuds explode at Bristol, but it didn’t happen because of the new multi-groove track that doesn’t have a premium set on the low line.
The combination of racing under the lights and some of the rowdiest fans hailing from the Confederate Capital always creates some kind internal battle among the drivers, with or without repercussions of showing emotion and personality.
The most intriguing battle brewing this week is one that even Hollywood couldn’t have conjured up where we have teammates, one of whom is the car-owner and mentor, battling each other. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have been going at it. Following the Texas race where both bumped and banged each other, they each separately told the media that they would talk it over once they got back to the shop. But it never happened. They let it fester by not talking at all, only communicating via text and e-mail, perhaps the most impersonal way of communicating ever.
When Johnson made a bone-headed move at Talladega where it just so happened that Gordon was the recipient of the move, Gordon lashed out in the media once again saying that “The 48 is testing my patience”.
No word yet on whether or not they have actually discussed the matter, but both are still using the media as their conduit to each others ear. Johnson admitted he made a bad move and took full responsibility.
We have been searching for almost a decade for some kind of real rivalry involving any of NASCAR’s top drivers but none have materialized, probably because for fear of NASCAR retaliation under the old rules that forced the drivers to be responsible for all the sponsors. But now we get two of the best, going at it, just short of going toe-to-toe on the track waiting for the first round bell to start the boxing match.
Gordon finally has a release now to show all his frustrations of being somewhat jealous because of all Johnson’s success. When Gordon brought Johnson into Hendrick Motorsports, he was on top of his game. He has just won his fourth Cup title in 2001, his fourth overall, and felt he was on his way to becoming even better for the years to come.
Since then, Gordon only has 20 wins with no Championships while Johnson has 50 wins with four titles. Gordon fought hard to win all four of his titles while Johnson kind of gravy-trained his four. Who wouldn’t be a bit jealous? And now Johnson has the nerve to bite the hand that fed him when Gordon is finally showing that he has car almost as good as Johnson’s.
NASCAR and Fox couldn’t ask for a better storyline to help promote watching this Saturday night at Richmond. Beyond their feud, they are actually two of the favored drivers to win. Johnson comes in with three career wins on the track and is 5 to 1 at the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book while Gordon has six straight Top 10 finishes there along with two career wins and is listed at 8 to 1.
Perhaps the best indicator of why Johnson and Gordon will do well this week is because of their Phoenix runs a few weeks ago. Every year, whoever has success at Phoenix usually has it translate well to both Richmond and New Hampshire. Though the tracks look vastly different, the distance and flat nature of each requires much of the same set-up so the crew chiefs usually bring the same chassis to each.
At Phoenix, Gordon probably should have won the race but got beat on the drag race into the first turn and settled for second. Right behind Gordon was Jimmie Johnson who tied for the most laps led on the day.
The winner of the Phoenix race was Ryan Newman. He had a solid car all day running in the top-10 but was helped dramatically by being given the opportunity to restart double-file with a green-white-checkered finish. He should still be considered a contender to run well, but there are a few meatier prospects out there.
Kyle Busch tied Johnson for the most laps led at Phoenix and looked sewn up until the final caution came out with two laps to go. Busch comes into a place at Richmond now where he has eight top-5 finishes in career starts for an average finish of 6.0, easily the track’s best among active drivers.
Denny Hamlin hails from Virginia and always seems to dig in a little more when racing in his home state. He’s already won at Martinsville this year and would love nothing more than to sweep the early season of Virginia races which would give him three wins for the season and get him that much closer to toppling Johnson in points. Among active drivers, only Busch has a better average finish than Hamlin at Richmond. He won the last race there held last fall.
Mark Martin finished fourth at Phoenix and with little surprise, he comes in with equally good recent finishes at Richmond. He has finished in the Top 5 in his last four Richmond starts. His one and only Richmond win came in 1990.
Tony Stewart wasn’t as good as Newman at Phoenix this year, but it’s impossible to keep to Stewart down for long at Richmond. He’s finished second in three of the last five Richmond races and has three career wins with his last coming in 2002.
Dale Earnhardt Jr also has three career wins at Richmond and is currently on the upswing, both mentally and in team unity. He never really contended at Phoenix but did finish a respectable 12th and should be looked at this week as a quality contender for a top-10 finish earning him more valuable points.
Top 5 Finish Prediction:
1) #18 Kyle Busch (8/1)
2) #24 Jeff Gordon (8/1)
3) #48 Jimmie Johnson (5/1)
4) #11 Denny Hamlin (6/1)
5) #5 Mark Martin (12/1)
Richmond International Raceway Data
Race #: 10 of 36 (5-1-10)
Track Size: .75 miles
# Banking/Corners: 14 degrees
# Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
# Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
# Frontstretch: 1,290 feet
# Backstretch: 860 feet
Driver Rating at Richmond
Denny Hamlin 121.0
Kevin Harvick 113.6
Kyle Busch 111.5
Tony Stewart 102.2
Kurt Busch 97.0
Mark Martin 96.1
Jeff Gordon 96.0
Ryan Newman 93.7
Clint Bowyer 92.3
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 90.9
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2009 races (10 total) at Richmond.
Qualifying/Race Data
2009 pole winner: Brian Vickers (127.131 mph, 21.238 secs.)
2009 race winner: Kyle Busch (90.627 mph, 5-2-09)
Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers (129.983, 20.772 seconds, 5-14-04)
Track race record: Dale Jarrett (109.047 mph, 9-6-97)
Estimated Pit Window
Every 85-95 laps, based on fuel mileage
Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet)
· One win, one top five, four top 10s
· Average finish of 10.0
· Average Running Position of 12.4, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 92.3, ninth-best
· 457 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 116.934 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,277 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9%), 13th-most
· 244 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)
· One win, eight top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 6.0
· Average Running Position of 7.7, third-best
· Driver Rating of 111.5, third-best
· 266 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 117.431 mph, second-fastest
· 3,537 Laps in the Top 15 (88.2%), second-most
· 272 Quality Passes, second-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Drink/National Guard Chevrolet)
· Three wins, eight top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 12.9, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 90.9, 10th-best
· 209 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 541 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 116.956 mph, ninth-fastest
· 2,339 Laps in the Top 15 (58.3%), 10th-most
· 239 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
· Two wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s; five poles
· Average finish of 14.5
· Average Running Position of 13.6, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 96.0, seventh-best
· 186 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 116.951 mph, 10th-fastest
· 2,738 Laps in the Top 15 (68.3%), sixth-most
· 204 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx/March of Dimes Toyota)
· One win, four top fives, five top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 8.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 4.6
· Series-best Driver Rating of 121.0
· Series-high 352 Fastest Laps Run
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 117.581 mph
· 3,154 Laps in the Top 15 (98.3%), fifth-most
· 204 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
· One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.6
· Average Running Position of 7.2, second-best
· Driver Rating of 113.6, second-best
· 335 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 117.426 mph, third-fastest
· Series-high 3,730 Laps in the Top 15 (93.0%)
· Series-high 321 Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)
· Three wins, four top fives, four top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 18.3
· Driver Rating of 85.7, 13th-best
· 137 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 116.803 mph, 13th-fastest
· 186 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Mark Martin (No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)
· One win, 17 top fives, 27 top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 11.8
· Average Running Position of 12.6, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 96.1, sixth-best
· 143 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 117.082 mph, sixth-fastest
· 2,720 Laps in the Top 15 (67.8%), seventh-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet)
· One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.6
· Average Running Position of 11.0, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.7, eighth-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 116.982 mph, seventh-fastest
· 3,219 Laps in the Top 15 (80.3%), third-most
· 236 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)
· Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.4
· Average Running Position of 10.2, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 102.2, fourth-best
· 182 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 434 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 117.293 mph, fourth-fastest
· 3,166 Laps in the Top 15 (79.0%), fourth-most
· 264 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Ten drivers to watch in Saturday's Crown Royal 400
By Bill Marx
Here’s a look at the top five drivers in the Sprint Cup Series standings and five drivers to watch in Saturday’s Crown Royal 400. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Richmond International Raceway unless otherwise indicated. Driver rating is based on the past 10 races at the track.
The Top Five
1. Jimmie Johnson, 85.7. Johnson either wins at Richmond or finishes outside the top 10—or so it seems. In 16 starts he has four top-10s: three wins and a second. The three wins have come in his past six starts at the track. The other three finishes, though, were 30th, 36th and 11th.
2. Kevin Harvick, 113.6. Harvick has a strong record at Richmond: one Cup win and four Nationwide wins. In 18 Cup starts, he has 11 top-10s. His driver rating is second only to Denny Hamlin’s. Harvick won Sunday at Talladega and would love to win back-to-back races and again “thank” Shell in victory lane.
3. Greg Biffle, 86.2. Biffle is winless in 15 starts with five top-10s. All five came in a row from 2004 to 2006. In the six starts since, his average finish is 19.3 with a best finish of 13th last September.
4. Matt Kenseth, 78.2. Kenseth has one win and nine top-10s in 20 starts. But, like Roush Fenway Racing teammate Biffle, most of his success came earlier in his career. He has no top-10s in his past five starts with a best finish of 13th last May and an average finish of 25.8 in those five races.
5. Kyle Busch, 111.5. Busch has had a tremendous amount of success at Richmond. In 10 starts, he has one win among his eight top-fives, and his two finishes outside the top five were 20th and 15th. He has been unspectacular but solid all season, and his four top-10s have come in the past five races. He hasn’t won a cup race since last August at Bristol. This could be the week.
Five To Watch
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 90.9. Junior has three wins at Richmond but has struggled at the track since his last win in 2006, with one top-10 in his past seven starts. Then again, contact with Kyle Busch two years ago with victory in his grasp doesn’t help Junior’s record, either.
9. Denny Hamlin, 121.0. After a second and two thirds—and two other close calls—Hamlin finally got his first Cup win at Richmond last September. He qualifies very well—4.6 average start—and his average finish, 8.5, isn’t too shabby, either. He’s a frontrunner at Richmond, having led laps in all eight of his starts, including 299 in his win and 381 of the first 382 laps in May 2008 before he blew a tire and finished a disheartening 24th.
10. Jeff Gordon, 96.0. Gordon has three wins and 22 top-10s in 34 starts and has six straight top-10s at Richmond, but enough of the stats. This is about the first short-track race since Gordon and Hendrick teammate Johnson began mixing it up on the track. They made contact on tracks of 1.5 and 2.6 miles in length. What’s to say they won’t do the same at three-quarter-mile Richmond?
11. Clint Bowyer, 92.3. Bowyer won at Richmond in the spring of 2008. He was running third when Busch got into Earnhardt, opening the door for Bowyer. “We took advantage of a misfortune,” Bowyer said. “It was pretty wild up there—it was bound to happen.” He has four top-10s in eight starts, but that win is his only top-five.
14. Tony Stewart, 102.2. Stewart finished 17th in September to snap a streak of four top-fives (three seconds and a fourth). Like Gordon, Smoke has an outstanding record at Richmond with three wins and 15 top-10s in 22 starts. And like Busch, he hasn’t won since last year—October at Kansas—and has the goods to win at Richmond.
Driver Handicaps: Richmond
Racingone.com
This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Richmond International Raceway for Saturday night's Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 400-lap event.
Who's HOT at Richmond
• Defending event winner Kyle Busch leads all drivers with a 6.0 average finish.
• Tony Stewart leads all drivers in average finish (5.8) with the COT.
• Two-time winner Jeff Gordon has finished ninth or better in his last six starts.
• Denny Hamlin, who won last September, has led the most laps (861) with the COT.
• Mark Martin has finished in the top five in his last four starts.
• Jimmie Johnson is the only multiple winner (three) with the COT.
• Kevin Harvick has one win and nine top 10s in his last 10 starts.
Keep an Eye on at Richmond
• Clint Bowyer has a 9.7 average finish with the COT at Richmond.
• Jeff Burton has two top 10s in his last three starts at Richmond.
• Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch have posted four top 10s each with the COT at Richmond.
• Juan Pablo Montoya will be in the same car that led 104 laps en route to fifth-place finish at Phoenix.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has an 18.3 average finish in his last six starts, is a three-time winner at Richmond.
• Sam Hornish Jr. finished in the top 10 in both Richmond races in 2009.
• 2005 event winner Kasey Kahne has finished in the top 10 in five of his last 10 starts.
• Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. have respectove average finishes of 7.0 and 8.5 in the two short track events so far in 2010.
• Brian Vickers posted a 3.5 average start and 11.0 average finish in 2009 at Richmond.
Top 30 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings
(All stats/notes are in regards to Richmond Int'l Raceway unless noted)
1. Jimmie Johnson: Three-time winner; Only multiple winner with the COT; Last win came in the 2008 fall race; Finished 36th in this event last year; Tied for ninth-best average finish (13.3) in six starts with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 540) that finished third at Phoenix earlier this month.
2. Kevin Harvick: Coming off 11th top 10 in 18 starts; Won the 2006 fall race; Eighth-best average finish (12.0) in six starts with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 304) that finished 13th at Phoenix earlier this month.
3. Greg Biffle: Five consecutive top-10 finishes from fall 2004 to fall 2006 are only top 10s; 19.3 average finish in six starts with the COT; Coming off best finish with the COT in 13th; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 576) in the Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400.
4. Matt Kenseth: Nine top-10 finishes in 20 starts; Led 192 combined laps in eight of his starts; Has finished outside the top 10 in his last five starts; 23.2 average finish in the six races with the COT; will return in the same car (chassis No. 645) that finished sixth at Phoenix earlier this month.
5. Kyle Busch: Defending event winner; Coming off eighth top five (three runner-up finishes) in 10 starts; Third-best average finish (7.5) in six starts with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 251) that most recently led 113 laps en route to a eighth-place finish at Phoenix.
6. Mark Martin: Coming off four consecutive top five finishes; 4.5 average finish in two starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Fifth-best average finish (9.2) in six starts with the COT; Scored one win (1990) and 22 top 10s with Roush Racing; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 561) that finished 21st at Martinsville in March.
7. Kurt Busch: Four top 10s in eight starts with Penske Racing; Coming off third top five finish (second); Won the 2005 summer race with Roush Racing; Tied for ninth-best average finish (13.3) in six starts with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 709) that led 278 laps en route to a third-place finish at Bristol last month.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 16.8 average finish in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Led 90 laps en route to a fourth-place finish in the 2008 summer race; Captured three wins and nine top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc; Will race the same car (chassis No. 586) that finished 12th at Phoenix earlier this month.
9. Denny Hamlin: Coming off first win in eight starts; Lap leader (861) in the six races with the COT; Fourth-best average finish (8.5) with the COT; Two-time pole winner; Will race a car (chassis No. 248) that holds a perfect record with three wins in as many starts; The last victory for the car came at Homestead last season.
10. Jeff Gordon: Only driver to finish in the top 10 in all six races with the COT; Second in laps led (504) with the COT; Combined to lead 193 laps in 2009; Two-time winner with last coming in 2005.
11. Clint Bowyer: Winner of this event in 2008; Coming off fourth top 10 with a sixth-place finish; Sixth-best average finish (9.7) in six starts with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 267) that finished seventh at Martinsville last month.
12. Jeff Burton: 16.5 average finish in six starts with the COT; Third-place finish in this event last year was 14th top 10 in 31 starts; Will drive the same car (chassis No. 280) that finished 25th at Phoenix this month.
13. Carl Edwards: Last of three top 10s (seventh) came in this event in 2008; 19.2 average finish in the six races with the COT; Only laps led (15) came in the 2007 summer race before the engine expired; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 570) that finished 20th at Martinsville last October.
14. Tony Stewart: Leads all drivers in average finish (5.8) in the six races with the COT; Finish in this event last year was one of three runner-ups in the last five races; Three-time winner with last coming in the 2002 spring race; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 525) that most recently finished ninth at Dover last fall.
15. Martin Truex Jr.: Lone top 10 (fifth) came in the 2008 spring race; Finished 22nd in this event last year; Will make track debut with Michael Waltrip Racing.
16. Joey Logano: 16.5 average finish in two starts; Track best 14th-place finish in fall event last year.
17. Jamie McMurray: Three top-10 finishes in 14 starts; Track best seventh-place finish came in this event last year; 25.6 average finish; Piloting chassis No. 1007, which was last raced to a 30th-place finish at Martinsville this season.
18. Ryan Newman: Scored top-10 finishes in all six short track races in 2009, including fourth and 10th-place results in Richmond; Seventh-best average finish (11.7) in six starts with the COT; Has finished in the top 10 in 10 Richmond events, including in all but one of the spring events; 11.6 average finish in 16 starts; Has led a total of 433 laps in nine races.
19. Paul Menard: Only finished on lead lap in track debut in 2007; 16th-place finish in that race is best in six starts; 27.5 average finish; Bringing brand-new chassis No. 573 to Richmond.
20. Juan Pablo Montoya: Only top 10 in six starts came in this event last year with 10th-place finish; 26.3 average finish; Piloting chassis No. 909 for second time this year; This chassis last led 104 laps en route to fifth-place finish at Phoenix.
21. Scott Speed: Finished 33rd and 36th, respectively, last year during rookie season.
22. David Ragan: Finished third in fall of 2007 for only top-10 finish in six starts; 21.3 average finish; Bringing chassis RK-635 this weekend, which last finished 16th at Martinsville.
23. Kasey Kahne: Won from the pole in this event in 2005 after leading a race high 242 laps; Victory was first in series and is one of five top-10 finishes at track; Last top 10 came in this event in 2008; 18.0 average finish in 12 starts; Making track debut in Ford.
24. AJ Allmendinger: Has yet to finish inside top 20 in six starts; 30.2 average finish; Making track debut in Ford; Piloting chassis No. 289, which was raced to a 25th-place finish in Las Vegas this year.
25. Brian Vickers: Site of first career pole where he still holds track record of 129.983 mph set in this event in 2004 in track debut; Finished eighth in that race; Only other top 10 in 11 starts was a seventh-place finish last fall; 25.9 average finish.
26. Brad Keselowski: Finished 38th in only track start in fall of last year; Piloting the same car (chassis No. 707) that finished 13th at Bristol in March.
27. David Reutimann: Led race-high 104 laps en route to track best ninth-place finish in 2008 fall event; 20.2 average finish in six starts.
28. Sam Hornish Jr: Posted top-10 finishes in two races in 2009; Best track result was sixth-place in this race last year; 18.8 average finish in four starts.
29. Elliott Sadler: Has yet to post top-five finish in 22 starts; 24.7 average finish; Best track result and only top 10 was seventh in this event in 2005 with Yates Racing; Finished 25th and 34th in first year with Richard Petty Motorsports; Driving new chassis No. 270 this weekend; Celebrating 35th birthday on Friday.
30. Marcos Ambrose: Finished track-best 11th in his debut in this event last year; Recorded 22nd-place finish in the fall.
Crown Royal 400 at Richmond: NASCAR Betting Preview
By Greg Engle
If any track on the NASCAR circuit can provide the same type of edge of your seat action that Talladega did, look no further than this week’s stop at Richmond. The short track always provides some great short track action under the lights Saturday night. There may not be any records broken like last week, but the sparks will fly and the racing will be worth watching.
Favorites
Jimmie Johnson (+500)
Sure he’s a favorite every week it seems. But this week he’s back in his element - that‘s any track other than Talladega. Johnson has three wins here along with four Top 5s, four Top 10s and two poles. Johnson will be looking for redemption after crashing out last Sunday, look for him at the front Saturday night.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+2500)
For the second week in a row, Earnhardt Jr. is among the favorites. Last week at Talladega, Earnhardt looked strong. He was competitive all day before a late-race shuffle left him in 12th. Earnhardt is tied with Johnson for the most wins among active drivers here with three. He also has eight Top 5s and 10 Top 10s. Richmond is one of the tracks where Earnhardt is always a factor and there’s no reason why he won’t be Saturday night.
Kyle Busch (+800)
Busch finished ninth last week at Talladega and was in contention most of the day. Busch is the defending winner of this race and came home fifth in the fall race. He also has eight Top 5s and eight Top 10s in Virginia. Busch seems to be warming up and is ready to visit victory lane any week now.
Others to watch
Jeff Gordon (+800)
Gordon has come close to winning this season only to see his hopes end in mangled metal. Last week at Talladega, the end came thanks to his teammate Johnson. Gordon seems to be more focused on winning than in years past and with a record of two wins 13 Top 5s, 22 Top-10 finishes and five poles here it may just happen Saturday night.
Tony Stewart (+1200)
Richmond was the site of Stewart’s first Cup win, that coming in his rookie year of 1999. He watched his teammate and employee Ryan Newmanscore his first victory with the new team earlier this season and after two weeks of subpar finishes Stewart is looking to get back in the game and one-up Newman. Overall he has three wins here with nine Top-5 and 15 Top-10 finishes and will no doubt be among the front runners all night.
Denny Hamlin (+600)
Hamlin won here last fall. Having grown up only 30 miles from Richmond it was one his most emotional wins, coming at the venue he considers his home track. In addition to his win, he has four Top 5s, five Top 10s and two poles. Look for Hamlin at or near the front Saturday night.
Head to head
Ryan Newman vs. Kasey Kahne
Newman proved earlier this season he can win with Stewart-Hass Racing. He has one win, five Top 5s, 10 Top 10s and one pole here. As the lame duck driver at Richard Petty Motorsports, Kahne is trying to make a statement each and every week. Kahne also has a win here along with two Top 5s, five Top 10s and one pole. This will be the matchup of the week and will be a close one, but Newman will be able to lean on his boss Stewart’s past success here and come out on top.
Mark Martin vs. Kurt Busch
Both drivers have a win here. Martin has also compiled a record of 17 Top 5s, 27 Top 10s and four poles. Busch has three Top-5 and six Top-10 finishes. Martin’s win came in 1990, Busch in 2005. Look for Busch to prevail in this one.
Greg Biffle vs. Clint Bowyer
Biffle has never won here but has two Top 5s, five Top 10s and one pole. Bowyer won here in 2008 and has one Top 5 and four Top-10 finishes. So far this season, Biffle has been on top of his game, Bowyer has lacked consistency. Look for Biffle to come out ahead in this matchup.
Practice Notes - Richmond
By Micah Roberts
Top 8 Rated Drivers Following all Practice and Qualifying Sessions
Driver (odds) - Practice 1, Practice 2, Qualifying, Phoenix Finish*
1. Kyle Busch (8/1) 5th - 1st - 1st - 8th
Track best 6.0 average finish with eight top-10’s in 10 starts; Won this race in 2009.
2. Jeff Gordon (8/1) 6th - 5th - 4th - 2nd
Six straight top-10 Richmond finishes; two wins and 22 top-10’s during 34 career starts.
3. Clint Bowyer (15/1) 2nd - 16th - 10th - 9th
Third best 10.0 average Richmond finish among active drivers; Won this race in 2008.
4. Denny Hamlin (6/1) 21st - 41st - 30th - 30th
Using chassis that has never lost; three wins in three 2009 starts. Won Fall 2009 race.
5. Jimmie Johnson (5/1) 7th - 24th - 3rd - 3rd
Three career Richmond wins, but a high 18.3 average finish in 16 starts. Using Phoenix chassis.
6. Juan Pablo Montoya (18/1) 18th - 4th - 19th - 5th
Using same chassis that led 103 laps at Phoenix; best Richmond finish of 10th in 2009.
7. Mark Martin (8/1) 9th - 21st - 14th - 4th
Making 49th career Richmond start; only win came in 1990. Has four straight top-5’s on track.
8. Kurt Busch (12/1) 11th - 8th - 16th - 35th
Using same Chassis that led 278 laps and finished third at Bristol. Won at Richmond in 2005.