Fantasy Sleepers and Value Picks – Richmond International Raceway (Toyota Owners 400)

Sleepers:

Clint Bowyer: The resurgence of Clint Bowyer is very real. Bowyer has scored seven-consecutive top-15 or better finishes, including four top 10s. He finished second at Bristol last week and on the season, is averaging a finish of 11.1. One of the best parts about Bowyer right now is his price is equitable for the production. It actually gets better… Bowyer is a machine at Richmond. He has two career wins, four top fives, 12 top 10s and 348 laps led in 22 starts. Since 2005, Bowyer has run 70.5 percent of his laps in the top 15 at Richmond.

Austin Dillon: Even though Austin Dillon had a slow start to the season, he is beginning to ease into sleeper territory. He’s finished top-15 or better in three of his last four races, including a fifth-place finish at Martinsville. He ranks 14th in fantasy points averaged over his last three starts. In two short track races this season, Dillon has finished fifth (Martinsville) and 13th (Bristol), and has produced positive place differential of +8 or better in both races. He finished 20th (spring) and 13th (fall) in the two Richmond races in 2016.

Ryan Newman: Ryan Newman continues to be solid sleeper throughout the 2017 season. He’s finished outside the top-25 only twice through eight races. He ranks 23rd in fantasy points over his last three races and has four top-15 or better finishes in four of his last five starts. Newman’s been consistent at Richmond and warrants a start here. In 30 starts at Richmond, he has one win, six top fives, 16 top 10s and 454 laps led. He owns an average finish of 12.3 at Richmond and since 2005, Newman has run 70.1 percent of his laps in the top 15 there.

Trevor Bayne: In 2016, Trevor Bayne showed flashes of brilliance as a #FantasyNASCAR sleeper. This season, he’s proving to be better. Bayne has yet to a finish worse than 23rd and has finished 13th or better six times in eight races this season. He’s averaging a finish of 14.2 this season, with average place differential of +4.0. He ranks 15th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races. In four career starts at Richmond, Bayne has never finished outside the top-25. He owns an average finish of 19.5, with an average place differential of +4.7.

Value Plays:

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. remains the top value play in #FantasyNASCAR. His price still remains extremely affordable given his strong production. Through eight races this season, Stenhouse has five finishes inside the top 15, including three top 10s. He sits 11th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races and has finishes of 10th (Martinsville) and ninth (Bristol) at the two short track races so far this season. Stenhouse has finished inside the top-20 in two of this last three Richmond races.

Aric Almirola: If Stenhouse Jr. is the A+ value play of the week, Almirola might as well be 2. A. Almirola remains a very strong value play this week at Richmond. He sits in a hot spot ranking of 24th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races. He has one race this season where he finished outside the top-22. Since 2013, Almirola has finished outside the top-21 only once at Richmond. He owns an average finish of 16.9 there, with an average place differential of +4.8. In 10 career starts at Richmond, Almirola has one top five and three top 10s.

David Ragan: Ragan scored his second top-25 finish in his last three races when he placed 23rd at Bristol this past weekend. He landed a +10 place differential – which is where Ragan’s highest value comes in. He makes a solid value play this week for Richmond as he owns a 22.8 average finish there, with a +0.8 average place differential. He finished 23rd in this race a season ago and had a +7 place differential. Depending on where he qualifies, Ragan could be a real steal. He sits 25th in fantasy points averaged over his last three races.

Cole Whitt: Cole Whitt might be one of the best value plays available in #FantasyNASCAR right now. His price is right at the floor level, and his production for that price has been strong through eight races. Whitt is averaging a finish of 25.5 and a place differential of +4.1. Whitt has had strong numbers at the short tracks to start the season has he’s finished top-25 or better at both Martinsville and Bristol, with place differentials of +10 in both of those races. Whitt sits 22nd in fantasy points averaged over his last three starts.

NXS Race Preview: ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: ToyotaCare 250
The Place: Richmond International Raceway
The Date: Saturday, April 29
The Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 12:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 187.5 miles (250 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

NXS Quick Facts:
Races: 66
Pole Winners: 35
Youngest Pole Winner: Kyle Busch (05/14/2004 - 19 years, 0 months, 12 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Harry Gant (09/10/1988 - 48 years, 8 months, 0 days)
Race Winners: 32
Youngest Winner: Kyle Busch (05/14/2004 - 19 years, 0 months, 12 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (03/07/1992 - 52 years, 1 months, 26 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 14
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Denny Hamlin (04/24/2015)
Race Record: Denny Hamlin 108.415mph (04/29/2011)
Qualifying Record: Kyle Busch 129.348mph (05/14/2004)

NXS News & Notes:

A Look Back: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Career

One of the most iconic figures in NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr., announced Tuesday that he will be retiring from NASCAR at the conclusion of the 2017 season. It just so happens that his last NASCAR XFINITY Series victory was this race at Richmond last year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career in the NASCAR XFINITY Series has been solid to say the least. He has posted two series titles (’98-’99), 24 wins (10th-most all-time), 67 top fives (tied with Clint Bowyer and Sam Ard for 21st-most all-time) and 90 top 10s (38th-most all-time). Below is a timeline of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s accomplishments in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

June 22, 1996 – Made his first NASCAR national series start at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driving the No. 31 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet; he started seventh and finished 14th.

March 28, 1998 – He won his first career NASCAR national series Coors Light pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. at a speed of 122.217 MPH.

April 4, 1998 – He won his first career NASCAR national series race at Texas Motor Speedway driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in just his 16th career series start.

November 15, 1998 – Won his first NASCAR national series title, claiming the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship by 48 points over second-place Matt Kenseth.  Finished the ’98 season with seven wins, 16 top fives and 22 top 10s.

June 27, 1999 – Earnhardt Jr. becomes one of seven drivers in NASCAR XFINITY Series history to win three consecutive races (Dover, South Boston and Watkins Glen) following his victory at Watkins Glen International on this date.  He joins Sam Ard, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Harry Gant, Larry Pearson and Ryan Newman. 

November 13, 1999 – Becomes one of six drivers in NASCAR XFINITY Series history to win consecutive titles (1998-1999); joining Sam Ard (1983-84), Larry Pearson (1986-87), Randy LaJoie (1996-97), Martin Truex Jr. (2004-05) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2011-12). 

November 19, 2005 – Fielded the first car as an owner under the JR Motorsports billing with driver Mark McFarland; the team started 18th and finished 20th. 

July 2, 2010 – Drove the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet, made famous by his father, to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. This would be the final time he would drive the No. 3.

April 23, 2016 – His most recent win in the NASCAR XFINITY Series came at Richmond International Raceway in this event last season.

Dash 4 Cash Round 3 of 4: Richmond International Raceway

For third time this season NASCAR XFINITY Series championship contending drivers will have the chance to battle it out for the Dash 4 Cash, and the giant $100,000 check that comes with it.  JR Motorsport’s driver Justin Allgaier snagged the first Dash 4 Cash win at Phoenix International Raceway, and then last week at Bristol, Richard Childress Racing’s Daniel Hemric grabbed the second installment of the program and his first Dash 4 Cash win.

Richmond International Raceway has been a part of the Dash 4 Cash program since 2011. Only two drivers have won the Dash 4 Cash at Richmond – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011 and Ty Dillon in 2016.

A Quick Reminder Of Dash 4 Cash Eligibility

The top two finishing NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers who have declared for series points in each of the two stages will make up the four-driver Dash 4 Cash field for the Final Stage. Once Stage 1 is complete, the two drivers who lock into the main field won't have their position counted against other Dash 4 Cash-eligible drivers following Stage 2 to ensure a four-driver field.

The field will then begin the race with Stage 1, followed by Stage 2 and the Final Stage. At Richmond International Raceway: Stage 1 (Ends on lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on lap 250)

The highest finisher in the final stage among the four Dash 4 Cash drivers wins the Dash 4 Cash and a $100,000 prize.

Plus, don’t forget if a driver earns two Dash 4 Cash bonus wins over the four Dash 4 Cash races, that qualifies them for the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs. 

JR Motorsport’s Elliott Sadler Extends Points Lead Over Teammate William Byron

Elliott Sadler’s stranglehold on the NASCAR XFINITY Series points continues. Just when it looked like second-place William Byron was going to catch Sadler following Texas, Sadler found another gear and opened the points gap back up to 16 following his third top five of the season.

Sadler is on a six-race streak of finishing inside the top 10; dating back to the second race of the season at Atlanta. In seven starts this season, Sadler has posted three top fives and an average finish of 9.0.

Expect the top 10 streak to continue at Richmond. In Sadler’s last 12 starts at the famous half-mile track, he has posted nine top-10 finishes. 

Richard Childress Racing’s Daniel Hemric Arrives In The Top Five In Points

Richard Childress Racing’s Sunoco Rookie Daniel Hemric showed some signs of life last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway winning Stage 2 of the race and posting his first career series top-five finish as he took home the Dash 4 Cash $100,000 bonus. On top of all that, the young Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has moved into the top five in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings, 80 points back from the standings lead and just four points back from fourth-place Ryan Reed.

In seven starts this season, Hemric has posted one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 15.4.

Hemric will be making his NASCAR national series debut at Richmond International Raceway this weekend.

Kyle Benjamin To Make Series Debut For Joe Gibbs Racing At Richmond

Joe Gibbs Racing has tapped NASCAR Next graduate Kyle Benjamin to pilot the No. 20 Toyota Camry with crew chief Chris Gabehart at Richmond International Raceway in the ToyotaCare 250 this weekend.
Benjamin has built quite the resume working his way up the ranks. He became the youngest pole winner (15 years old) in ARCA Series history at Toledo Speedway in 2013. Later that same season, he became the series’ youngest winner when he took the checkered flag at Madison International Speedway. Not long after that he moved over to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, where over the past three seasons he has posted five wins, 14 top fives and 19 top 10s. He also finished a career-best second in the final NKNPSE championship points in 2016.

Benjamin is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond this weekend, and then Pocono Raceway (06/10/17), Iowa Speedway (07/29/17) and Kentucky Speedway (09/23/17). 

A total of 79 drivers in NASCAR XFINITY Series history have made their series debut at Richmond International Raceway.  Six of the 79 are competing this weekend – Ryan Blaney (04/27/12), Cole Custer (04/23/16), Austin Dillon (09/07/08), Brandon Brown (09/09/16), Daniel Suarez (04/25/14), and Ryan Reed (04/26/13). 

NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.

Virginia Natives To Look For: Three Virginia natives will be attempting to compete this weekend at Richmond International Speedway – series standings leader and JR Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler (Emporia), King Autosport’s driver Brandon Brown (Woodbridge) and Brandon Gdovic Racing’s driver Quin Houff (Weyers Cave).

Playoff Bubble Update: Dakoda Armstrong (11th in points) and Cole Custer (12th) are currently teetering on the playoff bubble following the seventh race of the season at Bristol Motor Speedway. Armstrong is only 11 points ahead and Custer is just two points ahead of 13th-place Brandon Jones. RCR’s Jones has made two starts at RIR, posting a 19.0 average finish.

JGR Tops In Wins Over Last Five Seasons: Over the last five full seasons (not including 2017), no other team has visited Victory Lane more than Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. From 2012 to 2016, the series has run 165 events and nine different organizations have posted at least one win. Joe Gibbs Racing leads the series in wins during that time with 64 (38.7%) victories, followed by Team Penske (33 wins), JR Motorsports (23), Richard Childress Racing (22), Roush Fenway Racing (12), Chip Ganassi Racing (six), HScott Motorsports (three), Biagi-DenBeste Racing (one) and Richard Petty Motorsports (one).

Monster Names To Watch This Weekend: This weekend at Richmond International Raceway, five Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will attempt to compete in the ToyotaCare 250 – Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson.

New RIR Winner Probability Is High: Of the 42 drivers entered this weekend in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond International Raceway only one is a former winner – Morgan Shepherd – who won on Sept. 10, 1983. If Shepherd makes the race, the chances for a new winner are at 97.5%, if he doesn’t it goes up 100%.

Top 10 In Points Still Looking For A Win: Seven of the current top 10 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings are still looking for their first career series victory – William Byron, Daniel Hemric, Darrell Wallace Jr, Blake Koch, Brennan Poole, Matt Tifft and Michael Annett have yet win in the series. Richmond has hosted six first-time series winners in Victory Lane since 1982 – Kyle Busch (2004), Robby Gordon (2004), Jeff Purvis (1996), Bobby Hamilton (1989), Butch Lindley (1982) and Tommy Houston (1982).

Sunoco Rookie of the Year Update: William Byron continues to hold on to the rookie standings lead by 17 points over second-place Daniel Hemric followed by Cole Custer (-30), Matt Tifft (-33), and Spencer Gallagher (-41).

Car Owner Points Update: Team Penske’s No. 22 Ford Mustang team has opened the lead in car owner points to 53 markers over the second-place Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Toyota Camry team through the first seven races despite not having a win. Penske is looking to win his fourth NASCAR XFINITY Series owner title this season.

NXS Milestones: Elliott Sadler will be making his 337th series start this weekend, tying Kevin Harvick for 13th on the NASCAR XFINITY Series all-time starts list. … BJ McCleod will attempt to make his 50th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend. 

MENCS Race Preview: Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:
Next Race: Toyota Owners 400
The Place: Richmond International Raceway
The Date: Sunday, April 30
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 1:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (400 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 100),
Stage 2 (Ends on lap 200), Final Stage (Ends on lap 400)

MENCS Quick Facts:
Races: 121
Pole Winners: 54
Youngest Pole Winner: Brian Vickers (05/15/2004 - 20 years, 6 months, 21 days)
Oldest Pole Winner: Mark Martin (04/28/2012 - 53 years, 3 months, 19 days)
Race Winners: 50
Youngest Winner: Richard Petty (04/23/1961 - 23 years, 9 months, 21 days)
Oldest Winner: Harry Gant (09/07/1991 - 51 years, 7 months, 28 days)
Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 24
Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Denny Hamlin (09/10/2016)
Race Record: Dale Jarrett 109.047mph (09/06/1997)
Qualifying Record: Jeff Gordon 130.599mph (09/07/2013)

MENCS News & Notes:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Retire At End Of Season

Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced Tuesday he will retire from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing at the end of the season. He is still under contract to run two NASCAR XFINITY Series races in 2018.

In 603 career starts, Earnhardt has 26 wins, 149 top fives and 253 top 10s. He is a 14-time Most Popular Driver and a two-time DAYTONA 500 champion.

The No. 88 Chevrolet driver, who currently sits 24th in the standings, will attempt to turn his season around at Richmond – one of his better tracks.

In 34 starts at Richmond, Earnhardt owns three wins, five top fives, 14 top 10s and a 13.2 average finish. 

Jimmie Johnson Goes For Third Straight Win And A Tie With Yarborough

Jimmie Johnson maneuvered around Kevin Harvick with 21 laps left in Monday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and outlasted a hard-charging Clint Bowyer to win his second consecutive race.

The victory gives Johnson 82 career wins. With a third straight victory in Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway (2 p.m. ET on FOX), Johnson would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series all-time wins list (83). The No. 48 Chevrolet driver trails Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth on the all-time wins list (84) by a mere two checkered flags.

In 30 career starts at Richmond, Johnson claims three wins, seven top fives and 12 top 10s.

Johnson sits sixth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points standings – 116 markers below first-place Kyle Larson. His 10 playoff points are tied with Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski for the most on the circuit. Johnson and Keselowski are the only drivers with multiple wins this season.

Bowyer Hopes To Build On Runner-Up Result

Clint Bowyer’s move to Stewart-Haas Racing seems to have revived his career.

The No. 14 Chevrolet driver wheeled his way to a runner-up finish Monday at Bristol – his best showing since placing second at Richmond – the site of this weekend’s race – on April 27, 2013.

Bowyer’s two top-five and four top-10 finishes this season outnumber his totals of zero top fives and three top 10s from last year.

He sits eighth in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points standings – 121 markers behind leader Kyle Larson. The Kansas native hasn’t placed better than 19th in the final standings since finishing seventh in 2013.

Richmond is one of Bowyer’s top tracks. In 22 starts at the Virginia oval, he owns two wins, four top fives and 12 top 10s.

Larson Continues Breakout Season, Extends Points Lead

Kyle Larson continued his breakout season with a stage win and sixth-place finish at Bristol. He now holds a 27-point advantage over Chase Elliott in the standings on the strength of one win, five top fives and six top 10s.

The 24-year-old Chevrolet driver will try to extend his lead in Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. In six starts at Richmond, he has posted one top-10 finish – a runner-up showing last fall. He has never finished worse than 16th at the Virginia track and has an average finish of 11.3 there.

Beat Virginia: Hamlin Tough To Pass At Richmond

Chesterfield Virginia native Denny Hamlin returns home to Richmond International Raceway where he’ll go for his second straight win after visiting Victory Lane there in last year’s regular season finale.

In 21 starts at Richmond, Hamlin owns three wins, eight top fives and 12 top 10s. He holds the second-best driver rating (109.9), as well as the third-best average finish (10.1) and average running position (7.8) there.

Hamlin has started the season off slow. He is currently 15th in the points standings – 176 markers behind leader Kyle Larson.

Could Richmond Be The Site Of Kyle Busch’s First Win?

Kyle Busch visited Victory Lane nine times in the previous two seasons, but he’s still searching for his first win of 2017.

That first triumph could come this weekend at Richmond International Raceway – a track where the Las Vegas native has excelled throughout his career. In 23 starts at the .75-mile track, Busch claims four wins, 15 top fives and 17 top 10s. Among active drivers, he boasts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ top average finish (7.0) and driver rating (110.8), along with the second-best average running position (7.7) at the .75-mile track.

Busch led 78 laps in last year’s spring race at Richmond before his teammate Carl Edwards moved him for the win off Turn 4 on the final go-around.

The No. 18 Toyota driver ranks 11th in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings – 146 points behind leader Kyle Larson.

Furniture Row Puts On Show At Bristol

Furniture Row Racing continued to display its speed in Monday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Martin Truex Jr. placed second in Stage 1 and won Stage 2, before finishing eighth due to a pit road speeding penalty that took him out of contention for the race win. He led 116 laps on the day.

The No. 78 Toyota driver’s 20-year-old teammate Erik Jones flashed his immense potential, finishing third in Stage 1 and sixth in Stage 2, but finished 17th as the result of a wreck and pit road penalty.

Truex is third in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings on the strength of one victory and a series-leading five stage wins. His 10 playoff points are tied with Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson’s totals for the most in the series.

Jones sits 12th in the points standings, the highest ranking among Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders.

Analyzing Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s career

CONCORD, N.C. – After 18 seasons and more than 600 races behind the wheel, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will bring his NASCAR Cup Series driving career to a close at the conclusion of 2017. Yesterday, he shared the news with members of his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team.

The fan favorite and two-time Daytona 500 champion will discuss his decision in a press conference this afternoon. He will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, for whom Earnhardt has driven since 2008. The two first met about the driver’s decision on March 29.

Earnhardt, who will turn 43 in October, made his first career Cup Series start on May 30, 1999, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Since then, the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native has captured 26 points-paying Cup race wins and been voted by fans as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver a record 14 consecutive years. He has qualified for the NASCAR playoffs eight times.

Now in the midst of his 18th full-time season at the elite Cup level, Earnhardt made his 600th career series start on March 26 at Fontana, California. He will compete in his final NASCAR Cup Series race on Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Dale Earnhardt Jr. is among the most recognizable athletes in the world, unequivocally serving as the sport’s most popular driver for more than a decade," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France in a statement. "His passion for the sport will leave an impact on NASCAR that will be felt over its entire history. Over his 20-plus year career, Dale has proven himself a leader with a deep commitment to so many areas of the sport – all the way to its roots. We’re excited about the next chapter of his NASCAR career and wish him success for the remainder of 2017." 

Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2018 team alignment at a later date.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR National Series Career Highlights Timeline:

June 22, 1996 – Made his first NASCAR national series start at Myrtle Beach Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driving the No. 31 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet; he started seventh and finished 14th.

March 28, 1998 – He won his first career NASCAR national series Coors Light pole at Bristol Motor Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. at a speed of 122.217 MPH.

April 4, 1998 – He won his first career NASCAR national series race at Texas Motor Speedway driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

November 15, 1998 – Won his first NASCAR national series title claiming the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship by 48 points over second-place Matt Kenseth.  Finished the ’98 season with seven wins, 16 top fives and 22 top 10s.

May 30, 1999 – Makes Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600 driving the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet; he started eighth and finished 16th. He ran five MENCS races in 1999 posting a best finish of 10th at Richmond. 

June 27, 1999 – Earnhardt Jr. becomes one of seven drivers in NASCAR XFINITY Series history to win three consecutive races (Dover, South Boston and Watkins Glen) following his victory at Watkins Glen International on this date.  He joins Sam Ard, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Harry Gant, Larry Pearson and Ryan Newman. 

November 13, 1999 – Becomes one of six drivers in NASCAR XFINITY Series history to win consecutive titles (1998-1999); joining Sam Ard (1983-84), Larry Pearson (1986-87), Randy LaJoie (1996-97), Martin Truex Jr. (2004-05) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2011-12). 

February 20, 2000 – Competes in his first Daytona 500, starting eighth and finishing 13th, and begins his first full-time season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with crew chief Tony Eury Sr. at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

April 2, 2000 – In his 12th series start he won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway driving the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet. In doing so, he became one of seven drivers in the Modern Era (since 1972) to win in 12 starts or less joining Mark Donohue, Ron Bouchard, Kevin Harvick, Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski and Trevor Bayne.

May 28, 2000 – Wins his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway driving the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet at a speed of 186.034 MPH.  

July 7, 2001 – Posted his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway the summer following the passing of his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt, earlier that season in the Daytona 500.

April 6, 2003 – Became the first driver in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history to win four consecutive races at Talladega Superspeedway.

November 16, 2003 – Finished a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career-best third in the final championship standings.

February 15, 2004 – Won his first Daytona 500 driving the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet with crew chief Tony Eury Sr.

September 11, 2004 – Made his first of eight appearances in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, he ultimately finished fifth in the final championship points with a career-high six wins in 2004.

February 17, 2008 – After eight full seasons with Dale Earnhardt Inc. he decided to move to Hendrick Motorsports. On this date, he made his first career start for Hendrick Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway with crew chief Tony Eury Jr.

June 15, 2008 – Won his first race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driving the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

February 23, 2014 – Won his second Daytona 500 of his career – one of 11 drivers to win the Daytona 500 more than once.

November 15, 2015 – His most recent win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was at Phoenix International Raceway.  

By The Numbers: Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR National Series Career:

1 – Won his first NASCAR XFINITY Series race (1998) and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race (2000) at Texas Motor Speedway.

2 – NASCAR XFINITY Series championships (1998, 1999)

2 – Daytona 500 victories (2004, 2014)

6 – Most number Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career wins in a single season (2004)

8 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff appearances

10 – NASCAR XFINITY Series career Coors Light poles

12 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts until his first series win

13 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career Coors Light poles – tied with Brad Keselowski, Dick Rathmann and Greg Biffle for 56th-most all-time

14 – Consecutive Most Popular Driver Awards won from 2003-2016, a NASCAR record

24 – NASCAR XFINITY Series race wins – ranked 10th-most all-time

26 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race wins – ranked 29th-most all-time

50 – Combined NASCAR national series race wins – ranked 20th-most all-time

67 – Career NASCAR XFINITY Series top-five finishes – tied with Clint Bowyer and Sam Ard for 21st-most all-time

88.9 – Career average driver rating in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since 2005 – 12th-best in the series

90 – NASCAR XFINITY Series career top-10 finishes – ranked 38th-most all-time

149 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top-five finishes – ranked 23rd-most all-time

253 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top-10 finishes – ranked 24th-most all-time

603 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts – ranked 25th-most in series history

741 – NASCAR national series combined starts – ranked 33rd-most all-time

8,195 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career laps led – ranked 23rd-most all-time

171,861 – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career laps completed – ranked 21st-most all-time

About Dale Earnhardt Jr.:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a third-generation driver in a family forever connected to the sport of stock-car racing, and while his innate ability behind the wheel comes from Earnhardt DNA, his competitive driving style and business savvy are all his own. His common-sense charisma and flair for originality have helped propel him to become one of the most popular figures in sports. Race fans have selected him a record 14 consecutive times as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver. Earnhardt tops all NASCAR and IndyCar drivers on MVPindex’s social media power rankings. His appeal is not limited to loyal race fans, as Earnhardt has appeared on Harris Interactive’s annual survey of America’s Top 10 Favorite Athletes, frequenting the list with such names as LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter.

The 2017 season marks Earnhardt’s 18th full-time year in NASCAR Cup Series competition. The native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, has amassed 26 career victories, including the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500s. His 26 victories tie him for 29th on NASCAR’s all-time race winners list. He also has 13 pole positions and eight non-points wins (five in the Daytona 500 qualifying Duel, two in The Clash and one All-Star Race victory). Even though he was sidelined for the second half of the 2016 season with a concussion, Earnhardt still managed to find success, scoring a victory in his preseason Daytona 500 qualifying Duel and earning four runner-up finishes through the first 18 races. Overall, Earnhardt has qualified for the NASCAR playoffs eight times (2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).

Earnhardt is the only third-generation NASCAR champion, achieved when he won the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR XFINITY Series titles. He follows his legendary father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., a seven-time Cup champion and winner of 76 races, and his grandfather, Ralph Earnhardt, the 1956 NASCAR Sportsman champion. In October 2009, Earnhardt Sr. was selected as a posthumous inductee in the inaugural 2010 class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In 2007, Ralph Earnhardt was inducted posthumously into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. Both his father and grandfather were selected among NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers of all time in 1999. The three Earnhardts combine for 10 NASCAR championships.

Until 2008, Earnhardt Jr.’s career as a full-time driver was solely within the confines of the family-owned business, Dale Earnhardt Inc., where he accumulated 39 victories in the XFINITY and Cup Series from 1998-2007. But the 2008 season marked one of significant change, as Earnhardt made the boldest decision of his young career by signing with NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Rick Hendrick to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt’s role as a team owner and businessman continues to enjoy its own ascent separate from his driving career. JR Motorsports employs more than 140 people and fields four full-time entries in the XFINITY Series, in addition to two late model stock cars competing regionally in the Southeast. From its inception in 2006, JR Motorsports has scored 32 XFINITY Series wins after adding five in 2016 and one thus far in 2017. Chase Elliott earned the company’s first XFINITY Series championship in 2014 with teammate Regan Smith completing a one-two sweep of the top spots in the driver standings. Josh Berry secured track championship honors for the JRM late model program racing at Motor Mile Speedway (2012) and Hickory Motor Speedway (2014).

Earnhardt’s first turn at ownership began with Chance 2, a team started in 2002 and jointly operated with Dale Earnhardt Inc. With that team, Earnhardt was co-owner of the 2004 and 2005 XFINITY Series championship teams with driver Martin Truex Jr.

Fans and media selected Earnhardt as one of the top-three XFINITY Series drivers of all-time in a 2006 NASCAR poll. Earnhardt’s 24 victories rank him tied for 10th on the all-time series wins list. His two championships, in 1998 and 1999, introduced him to the NASCAR history books, and his accomplishments throughout the ensuing decade reinforced his place. On July 2, 2010, Earnhardt scored a popular victory at Daytona International Speedway in a throwback blue and yellow No. 3 Chevrolet made famous by his father in the mid-1980s. It was Earnhardt’s sixth XFINITY Series victory at Daytona, which ranks second all-time behind Tony Stewart and Earnhardt Sr. with seven apiece. On April 23, 2016, Earnhardt Jr. scored his most recent XFINITY series victory, and his first in a JRM entry, at Richmond International Raceway.

With crossover appeal that stretches beyond his accomplishments as an athlete in NASCAR, Earnhardt continues to garner media attention worldwide. He has appeared on more than 150 magazine covers and has been featured in high-profile publications such as Maxim, Rolling Stone, GQ, Men’s Journal, Sports Illustrated, People Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, Men’s Fitness and TV Guide.

In 2009, Earnhardt appeared on country music’s biggest stage as a presenter at the 43rd annual Country Music Awards. The live telecast on ABC was watched by 35.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. It marked Earnhardt’s first appearance at a major pop-culture awards show since he was a presenter at the 2002 MTV Music Awards. He has been a guest on "60 Minutes," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Conan O’Brien," "The Today Show," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," "Good Morning America," "Live with Regis and Kelly," "Chelsea," "The Soup," "CBS This Morning" and "Larry King Live." He has played cameo roles in major motion pictures "Talladega Nights" and "Cars" and was the subject of an episode of MTV’s "Diary" and VH1’s "Driven." In 2004, he played a cameo role on the CBS sitcom "Yes Dear." In 2010, he was featured in an episode of "Shaq Vs." – ABC’s fall primetime reality show in which NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal went one-on-one against America’s top athletes and entertainers in their respective professions. The same year he was the voice of Chase Crawford, one of the central characters in Disney Channel’s "Handy Manny" primetime special. In 2012, he was featured in "CBS This Morning’s" Note to Self, and wrote a letter to his 16-year-old self about his relationship with his father, his racing career and building confidence within. In 2013, Earnhardt teamed up with Diet Mountain Dew and Discovery Channel’s "Fast ‘N Loud" to restore and customize a 1956 Chevy Nomad. The episode broke a series viewership record with 2.7 million viewers tuning into the cable network. In 2016, Earnhardt appeared in the season finale of Animal Planet’s "Treehouse Masters," which delivered a season-high 1.3 million total viewers. After appearing previously in their YouTube videos, Earnhardt teamed up with Dude Perfect in the CMT series premiere of "The Dude Perfect Show," which earned a total of 3.4 million viewers and ranked as CMT’s highest rated original debut ever with teens 12-17. Earnhardt also appeared in the premiere episode of DIRECTV’s "Religion of Sports" series, which examines unique examples where sports profoundly influence societies and cultures in a manner that extends far beyond merely entertainment value, from executive producers Tom Brady, Gotham Chopra and Michael Strahan. Earnhardt also spent time in the radio and television broadcast booths in 2016, calling several NASCAR XFINITY and Cup Series races for FOX Sports, NBC Sports and MRN Radio. During Super Bowl LI, FOX used its hit series "The Simpsons" to promote the 2017 Daytona 500 by featuring Earnhardt’s animated character behind the wheel with Homer Simpson riding shotgun.

Earnhardt’s eclectic taste in music is reflected in the diverse list of artists that have featured him in their music videos, including Jay-Z, Staind, Sheryl Crow, Three Doors Down, Trace Adkins, O.A.R., the Matthew Good Band and Nickelback. Earnhardt became a best-selling author in 2001 with "Driver 8," a documentation of his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series. The book landed on The New York Times best-seller list for 17 weeks, and online retailer Amazon.com named "Driver 8" the top-selling sports book of the year.

In 2012, Forbes magazine ranked Earnhardt seventh overall on its list of "Most Influential Athletes." In January 2013, BusinessWeek magazine named Earnhardt to its top-100 most influential people in sports. The Charlotte Observer listed him sixth among the top-25 most influential in NASCAR in 2014. In July 2014, Harris Poll rated Earnhardt tied for fifth in its "America’s Favorite Sports Star" rankings, and rated him tied for eighth in the category in September 2015, marking his 11th appearance in the top 10. In May 2016, ESPN ranked Earnhardt as the most famous auto racing driver in the world. Earnhardt tops all NASCAR and IndyCar drivers on MVPindex’s 2016 social media power rankings. He has a following of more than 5.5 million across his three main social media platforms – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Earnhardt’s business sense extends beyond the track. In 2006, he started Hammerhead Entertainment, a one-stop-shop production company that produces shows for multiple national television networks. In April 2008, Earnhardt extended his entrepreneurship into the Charlotte, North Carolina, entertainment scene, as he opened Whisky River, an uptown bar and nightclub located in the EpiCentre. In May 2015, Whisky River expanded to include a location at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Earnhardt launched "Dirty Mo Radio," a podcast network, in February 2013, which features race recaps as well as behind-the-scenes insight from Earnhardt, team members, family members and others. The free podcasts can be found on dalejr.com and other outlets such as iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher.

While the obligations of being a driver and team owner occupy much of his time, Earnhardt is active in charities and non-profit organizations. In 2007, he launched The Dale Jr. Foundation, a charity dedicated to giving underprivileged individuals, with a focus on youth, the resources to improve their confidence, education and the opportunity to achieve extraordinary goals. The Dale Jr. Foundation has contributed to more than 400 local and national organizations. He also is involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In May 2010, Make-A-Wish recognized Earnhardt as one of only a handful of athletes who has facilitated more than 200 "wishes" for kids battling terminal or life-threatening illnesses. The occasion was documented by the ESPN "SportsCenter" My Wish series. In recognition of his career achievements as a champion driver, team owner and philanthropist, Earnhardt was named the recipient of the 2014 NMPA Myers Brothers Award, a prestigious accolade recognizing those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. In 2016, a harmless tweet from Earnhardt about his sandwich of choice, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and banana on white bread, went viral and triggered an outpouring of donations for Blessings in a Backpack, which provides food for children who face hunger on weekends when they are out of school. More than 1,195 donors contributed, while The Dale Jr. Foundation and Hellmann’s each pledged to donate $50,000, raising a total of $159,935.33 for the charity.

Earnhardt’s hobbies include listening to music, traveling and continuously quenching his thirst for NASCAR history. He enjoys spending time on his property affectionately known as Dirty Mo Acres. It consists of a vintage Western-style town, a treehouse, a paintball course and five miles of ATV trails. He married wife Amy in a New Year’s Eve ceremony on Dec. 31, 2016.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Toyota Owners 400

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia going into the Toyota Owners 400 on April 30 at 2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

RICHMOND-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Clint Bowyer (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        Two wins, four top fives, 12 top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.773, sixth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.496, sixth-best

·        Driver Rating of 93.5, sixth-best

·        214 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.661, 10th-fastest

·        6222 Laps in the Top 15 (70.5), sixth-most

·        538 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        Four wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 6.957, series-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.749, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 110.8, series-best

·        636 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 116.138, series-fastest

·        8139 Laps in the Top 15 (88.2), second-most

·        691 Quality Passes, third-most

   

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        Two wins, six top fives, 13 top 10s

·        Average finish of 14.500, eighth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.074, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 95.0, fourth-best

·        468 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.854, fourth-fastest

·        6172 Laps in the Top 15 (64.1), eighth-most

·        591 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Three wins, ten top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.348, 10th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.205, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.4, 10th-best

·        364 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.624, 11th-fastest

·        5491 Laps in the Top 15 (59.6), 11th-most

·        546 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        Three wins, eight top fives, 12 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 10.095, third-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.762, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 109.9, second-best

·        714 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 116.095, third-fastest

·        7080 Laps in the Top 15 (84.1), third-most

·        529 Quality Passes, 10th-most

   

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion)

·        Three wins, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 8.292, second-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.442, series-best

·        Driver Rating of 109.9, third-best

·        643 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 116.099, second-fastest

·        8970 Laps in the Top 15 (93.2), series-most

·        781 Quality Passes, series-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        Three wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 15.375, 11th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.700, 10th-best

·        Driver Rating of 90.6, seventh-best

·        337 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.690, eighth-fastest

·        5937 Laps in the Top 15 (61.7), 10th-most

·        538 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

·        One win, five top fives, ten top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.500, 12th-best

·        Average Running Position of 15.503, 13th-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.4, 11th-best

·        404 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.693, seventh-fastest

·        5477 Laps in the Top 15 (56.9), 12th-most

·        573 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry)

·        Two wins, six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 16.583, 13th-best

·        Average Running Position of 15.148, 12th-best

·        Driver Rating of 89.6, eighth-best

·        319 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.710, sixth-fastest

·        6067 Laps in the Top 15 (63.0), ninth-most

·        582 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.067, ninth-best

·        Average Running Position of 11.980, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.7, fifth-best

·        302 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.757, fifth-fastest

·        4228 Laps in the Top 15 (70.3), seventh-most

·        396 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Kyle Larson (No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        One top five, one top 10

·        Average finish of 11.333, fourth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.263, eighth-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.1, 12th-best

·        19 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.572, 12th-fastest

·        1707 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9), fifth-most

·        176 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 13.188, seventh-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.844, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 86.1, 13th-best

·        130 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.484, 13th-fastest

·        3211 Laps in the Top 15 (50.1), 13th-most

·        334 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Ryan Newman (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS)

·        One win, six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 12.292, fifth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.311, fifth-best

·        Driver Rating of 89.5, ninth-best

·        144 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.680, ninth-fastest

·        6846 Laps in the Top 15 (71.1), fourth-most

·        708 Quality Passes, second-most

 The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2017 Top 16 at Richmond International Raceway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Kyle Larson	6	0	0	1	1	0	11.3	87.1
2	Chase Elliott	3	0	0	0	0	0	15.7	72.9
3	Martin Truex Jr	22	0	0	2	7	3	20.5	82.6
4	Joey Logano	16	2	1	5	8	1	13.2	86.1
5	Brad Keselowski	15	1	1	3	6	1	15.1	94.7
6	Jimmie Johnson	30	2	3	7	12	1	16.0	90.6
7	Jamie McMurray	28	0	0	3	7	4	19.6	79.0
8	Clint Bowyer	22	0	2	4	12	1	12.8	93.5
9	Kevin Harvick	32	1	3	11	20	0	10.5	109.9
10	Ryan Blaney	2	0	0	0	0	0	33.5	42.4
11	Kyle Busch	23	1	4	15	17	0	7.0	110.8
13	Trevor Bayne	4	0	0	0	0	0	19.5	66.8
14	Ryan Newman	30	1	1	6	16	0	12.3	89.5
15	Denny Hamlin	21	3	3	8	12	0	10.1	109.9
16	Ricky Stenhouse Jr	8	0	0	0	1	0	22.2	64.7

* – Based on last 24 races at Richmond International Raceway (2005 – 2016).

2017 Stage Winners / Drivers with Playoff Points

Track	Stage 1 Winner	Stage 2 Winner	Race Winner		Playoff Pts. Following Race #8
Daytona	Kyle Busch	Kevin Harvick	Kurt Busch		Drivers	Playoff Points
Atlanta	Kevin Harvick	Kevin Harvick	Brad Keselowski		Brad Keselowski	10
Las Vegas	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.		Jimmie Johnson	10
Phoenix	Joey Logano	Chase Elliott	Ryan Newman		Martin Truex Jr.	10
Auto Club	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	Kyle Larson		Kyle Larson	7
Martinsville	Martin Truex Jr.	Chase Elliott	Brad Keselowski		Ryan Newman	5
Texas	Ryan Blaney	Ryan Blaney	Jimmie Johnson		Kurt Busch	5
Bristol	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	Jimmie Johnson		Kevin Harvick	3
Richmond					Chase Elliott	2
Talladega					Ryan Blaney	2
Kansas					Joey Logano	1
Charlotte					Kyle Busch	1

Richmond International Raceway Data Season Race #: 09 of 36 (04-30-17) 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 Stage 1 and 2 Length: 100 laps (each) Final Stage Length: 200 laps Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond Kyle Busch............................... 110.8 Denny Hamlin........................... 109.9 Kevin Harvick........................... 109.9 Kurt Busch................................. 95.0 Brad Keselowski......................... 94.7 Clint Bowyer............................... 93.5 Jimmie Johnson.......................... 90.6 Matt Kenseth.............................. 89.6 Ryan Newman............................ 89.5 Kasey Kahne.............................. 87.4 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2016 races (24 total) among active drivers at Richmond International Raceway. Qualifying/Race Data 2016 pole winner: None – Inclement Weather 2016 race winner: Carl Edwards, Toyota 97.070 mph, (03:05:26), 04-24-16 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 Monster Energy NASCAR 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 in 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.

·        In 2017, the spring event moves back to the Sunday afternoon time slot.

Starts

·        There have been 121 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway, one event from 1953 - 1958 and two races per year since 1959.

·        490 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond; 322 in more than one.

·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond with 63. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth lead all active drivers with 34 starts each; followed by Kevin Harvick with 32.

·        Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond International Raceway with an 8.167.

Poles

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

·       

Nine drivers posted their first MENCS pole at Richmond International Raceway: Driver Season Brian Vickers 2004 Ted Musgrave 1994 Bobby Labonte 1993 Alan Kulwicki 1987 Morgan Shepherd 1981 Bill Dennis 1971 Dave Marcis 1971 Ned Jarrett 1960 Russ Hepler 1957

54 drivers have Coors Light poles at Richmond, led by Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with eight each.

·        Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in RIR poles with three.

·        Eight 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).

Wins

·        50 different drivers have won at Richmond International Raceway, led by Richard Petty with 13. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins with four; all of which were spring races.

·        Petty Enterprises has the most wins at Richmond in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with 15; followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with 12, Hendrick Motorsports, with 10 and Richard Childress Racing with nine.

·        Nine different manufacturers have won at Richmond. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 37 victories; followed by Ford with 31 and Toyota with 10.

·        24 of the 121 (19.8%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from the Coors Light pole. Only five active drivers have been able to accomplish the feat: Kasey Kahne (2005), Jimmie Johnson (2007), Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Denny Hamlin (2016).  

·        The pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond (24).  

·        38 of the 121 (31.4%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond have been won from the front row: 24 from the pole and 14 from second-place.

·        95 of the 121 (78.5%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·        13 of the 121 (10.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20; most recent was Carl Edwards (2013; started 26th).

·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Richmond International Raceway is 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).

First Career MENCS Win At RIR Winners Season James Hylton 1970 Neil Bonnett 1977 Kyle Petty 1986 Tony Stewart 1999 Kasey Kahne 2005

·        Eight drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR 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 is the only active driver with consecutive wins at Richmond (2007 sweep). 

·        All 12 of the active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners at Richmond International Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Richmond in his second appearance – the fewest among active drivers.   

·        Jamie McMurray leads the series among active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond without visiting Victory Lane at 28.

Additional Finishing Position Stats

·       

Top Five Average Finishing Positions at RIR Rank Active Drivers Average Finish 1 Kyle Busch 6.957 2 Denny Hamlin 10.095 3 Kevin Harvick 10.469 4 Kyle Larson 11.333 5 Ryan Newman 12.267

Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond International Raceway with a 6.957.

·        Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for the series-most runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each. Kyle Busch leads all active drivers with eight; followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman with two each.    

·        Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34; Kyle Busch leads all active drivers with 15; followed by Kevin Harvick (11) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (10).

·        Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41. Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with 20; followed by Kyle Busch (17) and Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman (16 each).

Track / Event Specific Stats

·        Three MENCS races have resulted in NASCAR Overtime at Richmond International Raceway:

Scheduled No. of Laps	Actual No. of Laps	NASCAR Overtime Laps	Date	Race Winner
400	407	7	9/10/2016	Denny Hamlin
400	406	6	4/27/2013	Kevin Harvick
400	410	10	5/3/2008	Clint Bowyer

·        Four of the 121 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions:

Scheduled No. of Laps	Actual No. of Laps	Number of Fewer Laps	Date	Race Winner
400	393	-7	5/3/2003	Joe Nemechek
400	250	-150	2/21/1982	Dave Marcis
400	245	-155	2/27/1977	Cale Yarborough
250	180	-70	4/1/1962	Rex White

·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway eight times: 1955, 1962 (spring), 1967 (fall), 1986 (spring), 1997 (spring), 2008 (fall), 2014 (spring) and 2016 (spring).  

·        Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway was the race on September 12, 1998 - won by Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.051 second over second-place finisher Jeff Gordon.

·        Top five closest Margins of Victory in the MENCS at Richmond since advent of electronic scoring:

Rank	MOV	Date	Winner	Runner-Up
1	0.051	9/12/1998	Jeff Burton	Jeff Gordon
2	0.100	9/7/1996	Ernie Irvan	Jeff Gordon
3	0.139	9/10/2011	Kevin Harvick	Carl Edwards
4	0.153	9/9/2006	Kevin Harvick	Kyle Busch
5	0.159	5/6/2000	Dale Earnhardt Jr	Jeremy Mayfield

Female Competitor Stats

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

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date	Driver Rating
Danica Patrick	29	15	9/10/2016	66.4
Danica Patrick	21	24	4/24/2016	56.8
Danica Patrick	14	19	9/12/2015	61.1
Danica Patrick	21	25	4/26/2015	56.5
Danica Patrick	13	16	9/6/2014	75.5
Danica Patrick	35	34	4/26/2014	36.5
Danica Patrick	36	30	9/7/2013	39.1
Danica Patrick	30	29	4/27/2013	42.6
Averages	24.9	24.0		54.3
Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Janet Guthrie	14	12	9/11/1977
Janet Guthrie	13	12	2/27/1977
Averages	13.5	12.0

NASCAR in Virginia

·        There has been a total of 499 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.

Track Name	City	MENCS	NXS	NCWTS	TOTAL
Martinsville Speedway	Martinsville	137	34	37	208
Richmond International Raceway	Richmond	121	66	11	198
South Boston Speedway	South Boston	10	35	3	48
Langley Field Speedway	Hampton	9	14	0	23
Old Dominion Speedway	Manassas	7	0	0	7
New River Valley Speedway	Dublin	0	4	0	4
Southside Speedway	Richmond	4	0	0	4
Starkey Speedway	Roanoke	4	0	0	4
Norfolk Speedway	Norfolk	2	0	0	2
Princess Anne Speedway	Norfolk	1	0	0	1
Totals		295	153	51	499

Virginia Drivers In NASCAR

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

·        Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott are both from Virginia and have been inducted into the 2015 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  

·        Leonard Wood from Stuart, Va. was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013 and his brother Glen Wood also from (Stuart) Virginia was inducted in 2012.

·        19 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.

·        11 of the 19 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Driver	MENCS	NXS	NCWTS
Denny Hamlin	29	15	2
Joe Weatherly	25	0	0
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	13	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

  

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Milestones
Drivers	Has	Needs	Milestones
Joey Logano	299	1	Attempt to make his 300th MENCS career start (90th all-time)
Chase Elliott	49	1	Attempt to make his 50th MENCS career start (283rd all-time)
Jimmie Johnson	82	1	Tie Cale Yarborough for sixth on MENCS all-time wins list
Kyle Busch	38	1	Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Matt Kenseth	38	1	Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kevin Harvick	35	2	Tie Bobby Isaac (37) for 21st on MENCS all-time wins list
Kurt Busch	29	3	Tie Dale Jarrett (32) for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Denny Hamlin	29	3	Tie Dale Jarrett (32) for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Brad Keselowski	23	2	Tie Joe Weatherly, Jim Paschal (25) for 31st on all-time MENCS wins list
Ryan Newman	51	3	To tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time MENCS poles list
Jimmie Johnson	35	1	Tie Rusty Wallace and Rex White for 17th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kasey Kahne	27	1	Break the tie with Terry Labonte to become solely 25th on all-time MENCS poles list
Denny Hamlin	24	1	Break the tie with Alan Kulwicki to become solely 28th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kevin Harvick	48	1	Break the tie with Lee Petty and become solely 10th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Jimmie Johnson	46	2	Tie Lee Petty and Kevin Harvick for 10th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Matt Kenseth	29	1	Tie Ricky Rudd for 25th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Kyle Busch	149	1	To become the 23rd driver to post 150 or more MENCS top-five finishes
Dale Earnhardt Jr	149	1	To become the 23rd driver to post 150 or more MENCS top-five finishes
Denny Hamlin	199	1	Attempt to post his 200th MENCS top-10 finish (35th all-time)
AJ Allmendinger	49	1	To post his 50th career MENCS top-10 finish
Kyle Busch	12,770	230	To become the 11th MENCS driver all-time to lead 13,000 or more laps
Kevin Harvick	10,674	326	To become 17th MENCS driver all-time to lead 11,000 or more laps
Kurt Busch	8,863	137	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Ryan Newman	4,711	289	To become 40th MENCS driver all-time to lead 5,000 or more laps
Martin Truex Jr.	4,698	302	To become the 40th MENCS driver all-time to lead 5,000 or more laps
Track Specific Milestones
Drivers	Has	Needs	Milestones
Denny Hamlin	3	1	Tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett for sixth on all-time MENCS poles list at Richmond International Raceway
Kyle Busch	4	1	Tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the MENCS Richmond wins list
Dale Earnhardt Jr.	3	1	Tie Kyle Busch for seventh on the all-time MENCS Richmond wins list
Denny Hamlin	3	1	Tie Kyle Busch for seventh on the all-time MENCS Richmond wins list
Kevin Harvick	3	1	Tie Kyle Busch for seventh on the all-time MENCS Richmond wins list
Richard Childress	9	1	Tie Rick Hendrick for the third-most MENCS wins at Richmond
Roger Penske	7	1	Tie Junior Johnson for the fifth-most MENCS wins at Richmond