NXS Race Preview: Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond

NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: Virginia529 College Savings 250
The Place: Richmond Raceway
The Date: Friday, Sept. 8
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 7 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 Richmond Quick Facts
Races: 67
Pole Winners: 36
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: 33
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)

NASCAR XFINITY Series

Two Races To Go And Plenty Of XFINITY Playoff Spots To Fight For

Following the 24th race of the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series season at Darlington Raceway, six drivers – William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Ryan Reed, Elliott Sadler, Brennan Poole and Daniel Hemric - have all clinched a spot in the postseason on either wins or points.

Though Jeremy Clements has a win, he has not yet clinched a Playoffs spot because he hasn’t clinched a top 20 spot in the standings. Clements is currently 18th in the standings, 101 points ahead of 21st, and can still possibly fall out of top 20 in the next two races.  If Clements was to fall out of the top 20 in the standings, even though he has a win, he would be ineligible for the postseason. Clements can lock himself into the top 20 and the playoffs with 17 points this weekend. 

Rank	Driver	Race Wins	Playoff Pts	Pts	Pts from Cutoff
1	William Byron	3	17
2	Justin Allgaier	1	8
3	Ryan Reed	1	5
4	Jeremy Clements	1	5
5	Elliott Sadler	0	5
6	Brennan Poole	0	0
7	Daniel Hemric	0	2
8	Cole Custer	0	0	590	123
9	Matt Tifft	0	0	558	91
10	Blake Koch	0	2	511	44
11	Michael Annett	0	0	490	23
12	Brendan Gaughan	0	1	487	20
13	Dakoda Armstrong	0	0	467	-20
14	Ross Chastain	0	0	432	-55
15	JJ Yeley	0	0	429	-58
16	Ryan Sieg	0	0	413	-74
17	Brandon Jones	0	0	388	-99

With two races to go and several NASCAR XFINITY Series playoff spots still up for grabs in Friday night’s Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond Raceway (on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET) here are the clinch scenarios for this weekend.

Cole Custer (0 Wins, 590 Points, +316 Points Ahead of 21st) – Custer can clinch on points with 11 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would then clinch on points with eight points. He can also clinch a playoff spot with a win.

Custer has made two series starts at Richmond, posting one top 10 and an average finish of 9.5.

Matt Tifft (0 Wins, 558 Points, +284 Points Ahead of 21st) – Tifft can clinch on points with 43 points and a new winner.  If there is a repeat winner, he would then clinch on points with 40 points.  He can also clinch a playoff spot with a win.

Tifft has made two series starts at Richmond, posting a best finish of 14th earlier this season. His average finish at RIR is 23.5.

Blake Koch (0 Wins, 511 Points, +237 Points Ahead of 21st) – Koch can clinch a spot with a win. He could also clinch on points, but would need help.

Koch has made 12 career starts at Richmond posting one top 10 and an average finish of 24.2.

Michael Annett (0 Wins, 490 Points, +216 Points Ahead of 21st) – Annett can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win. He can also clinch on points with a repeat winner and help.

Annett has made 10 series starts at Richmond posting one top five, three top 10s and an average finish of 16.6.

Brendan Gaughan (0 Wins, 487 Points, +213 Points Ahead of 21st) – Gaughan can only clinch a spot in the playoffs this weekend with a win.

Gaughan has made 11 series starts at Richmond posting two top 10s and an average finish of 18.0.

The remaining drivers in contention to make the NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs can only clinch a spot in the postseason this weekend with a win:

Dakoda Armstrong (0 Wins, 467 Points, +193 Points Ahead of 21st)
Ross Chastain (0 Wins, 432 Points, +158 Points Ahead of 21st)
JJ Yeley (0 Wins, 429 Points, +155 Points Ahead of 21st)
Ryan Sieg (0 Wins, 413 Points, +139 Points Ahead of 21st)
Brandon Jones (0 Wins, 388 Points, +114 Points Ahead of 21st)

Impossible to Clinch: Joey Gase (0 Wins, 274 Points, 13 Points Behind 20th In Points) - Even with a win, he would not clinch a Top 20 spot, so he cannot clinch a Playoff berth at Richmond.  If he can't clinch a Top 20 with a win, no driver below him in the standings could clinch either.

Outside Looking In: JGL Racing’s Dakoda Armstrong Has Two Races Left To Make The Playoffs

JR Motorsport’s Michael Annett and Richard Childress Racing’s Brendan Gaughan have no room for mistakes in the next two races as JGL Racing’s Dakoda Armstrong is within striking distance of knocking one of two from the Playoffs in the upcoming final two races of the regular season (Richmond and Chicago).

Armstrong is currently 13th in the series driver standings, the first spot outside the Playoffs, a mere 23 points back from Michael Annett and just 20 points behind Brendan Gaughan in the final postseason spot heading into this weekend’s race the Virginia529 College Savings 250 (Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Richmond Raceway.

Armstrong has made seven series starts at Richmond, recording one top 10. Richmond is one of Armstrong’s better tracks and battling for the final Playoff spot could get interesting this weekend as all three drivers have fairly similar average finishes at RIR – Annett (16.6), Armstrong (16.8) and Gaughan (18.0).

Virginian Elliott Sadler Comes Home To Lock-Up Regular Season Title

JR Motorsport’s Elliott Sadler, from Emporia, Virginia, returns to his home state hoping to not only get his first win of the 2017 season, but also lock up the NASCAR XFINITY Series Regular Season championship this Friday at Richmond Raceway in the Virginia529 College Savings 250. To clinch the regular season title, Sadler will need a 61-point lead over second-place in the driver standings following Richmond; he is currently 91 points ahead of second.

The NASCAR XFINITY Series Regular Season championship is more than just an accomplishment with a title, it also comes with 15 playoff points; which equals three wins’ worth of playoff points to take to the postseason.

Though Sadler has yet to win in 2017, he has been a dominant competitor on the track. Not only has he posted the series-most in top fives (9) and top 10s (17), but he has also been the points leader following every race but two this season.

Sadler is not only looking for his first win of the season, but also his first win of his career at Richmond Raceway. In 28 series career starts at Richmond, he has posted four top fives, 13 top 10s and an average finish of 13.8.  He finished seventh in the spring race earlier this season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leads A Cavalcade Of Stars Competing In The Virginia529 College Savings 250

The sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and five other Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competitors - Paul Menard, Ty Dillon, Reed Sorenson, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski – will be pulling double duty this weekend at Richmond Raceway in the Virginia529 College Savings 250.

Earnhardt Jr. has been quite successful at Richmond in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In six series career starts, he has four wins (2016 spring, ’02 fall, ’99 fall and ’98 fall), five top fives and an average finish of 6.3. Among drivers with multiple series wins at Richmond, Earnhardt Jr. has the highest winning percentage at 66.7%; followed by Harry Gant with a 36.4% winning percentage after winning four races in 11 starts at Richmond. Earnhardt will be driving the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet with crew chief Scott Radel.

Joining Earnhardt this weekend is the series’ all-time winningest driver and defending Richmond Fall race winner, Kyle Busch (91 wins), who returns to Richmond Raceway looking to tie Kevin Harvick (seven victories) for the series-most wins at the track. In 21 series starts at Richmond, Busch has posted six wins (2016 fall, 2014 fall, 2011 fall, 2009 spring, 2007 fall and 2004 spring), 15 top fives, 18 top 10s and an average finish of 5.5. Three of his six wins came from the pole. He hasn’t finished worse than fourth in his last seven series starts at Richmond.

Brad Keselowski is also a former Richmond Raceway winner who will be pulling double duty this weekend. He has made 16 starts at Richmond posting three wins (2013 sweep, 2010 Spring), eight top fives and nine top 10s.

MENCS Race Preview: Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Federated Auto Parts 400
The Place: Richmond Raceway
The Date: Saturday, Sept. 9
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN, 7 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 Richmond Quick Facts

Races: 122
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 and Notes

Three’s A Crowd: A New Winner At Richmond Would Shake Up The Playoff Picture
The Playoffs are almost here as NASCAR concludes its regular season with Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Plenty of drama can unfold with the potential of a new winner making the Playoffs as just three points separate the trio of drivers currently holding on to the final postseason slots.

If there is no new winner, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray would all make the playoffs on points. But if there’s a fresh face in Victory Lane, all three are in danger of missing the postseason. Elliott sits 14th on the playoff grid, a mere two points ahead of Kenseth and three points ahead of McMurray.

Elliott has struggled at Richmond throughout his young career. In four starts, he has a high finish of 12th and an average showing of 17.8.

Kenseth claims two wins, six top fives, 16 top 10s and a 16.1 average finish in 35 career starts at Richmond. He won the September race in 2015.

In 29 starts at Richmond, McMurray has posted three top fives, eight top 10s and a 19.2 average finish. He has finished no lower than 16th in his last eight starts there. Included in that stretch are three fourth-place finishes and five top-seven showings.

Truex Captures Regular Season Title At Richmond
Following his performance at Darlington, where he won the first two stages and finished eighth, Martin Truex Jr. captured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season championship. He’ll be formally crowned champion following Saturday’s race at Richmond.

Truex leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in points (107 more than second-place Kyle Busch), wins (4, Kyle Larson and Jimmie Johnson are second with 3), stage wins (17, Kyle Busch is second with 10) top 10s (17, Kevin Harvick is second with 16), playoff points 37 (Kyle Busch is second with 20), average running position (8.0, Kyle Busch is second with 8.7), driver rating (113.9, Kyle Busch is second with 107.3), fastest laps run (892, 15.6%; Busch is second with 727, 12.7%) and laps led (1,448, 20.7%; Busch is second with 1,311, 18.7%).

"It’s an honor to win the regular-season championship and a milestone for Martin and Furniture Row Racing," said Joe Garone, president of Furniture Row Racing. "At the end of the day, though, our sights are set on the long term-goal which is winning the championship at Homestead. We’ll use this regular season championship, and the bad luck the 78 team had at the end of tonight’s race, as a springboard to take us to that goal."

Logano A Favorite At Richmond?

Joey Logano’s lone win this season came at Richmond in April. The victory was encumbered after Logano failed inspection, so he must take the checkered flag in this weekend’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at the Northern Virginia track to make NASCAR’s Playoffs.

Logano has placed in the top 10 in his last eight races at Richmond. In 17 starts there, he claims two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s and a 12.5 average finish.

The No. 22 Ford driver has struggled since his April Richmond win. Since then, he’s registered only three top 10s in 16 starts.

The last driver to sweep Richmond was Jimmie Johnson in 2007.

Must-Win Race For Bowyer At Richmond
Clint Bowyer suffered an engine failure early in the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway that’s forced him out of Playoffs contention through points. He must win this weekend at Richmond to make the postseason.

Fortunately for Bowyer, Richmond is one of his top courses. In 23 starts at the .75-mile short track, he owns two wins, four top fives, 12 top 10s and a 12.9 average finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gets Last Chance To Make Playoffs In Final Season
For Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make the Playoffs in his final season, he’ll have to win Saturday Richmond – a feat he’s achieved three times in his career (2000, 2004 and 2006), Still, it’s been 11 years since he last won at the .75-mile short track.

In addition to his three wins, Earnhardt has 10 top fives, 14 top 10s and a 13.7 average finish at Richmond.

The No. 88 Chevrolet driver enjoys running at Richmond because it has a similar setup to Myrtle Beach Speedway where he raced often growing up.

Denny The Defender: Hamlin Goes For Back-To-Back Wins

On Saturday, Denny Hamlin will not only try for his second consecutive win after taking the checkered flag last weekend at Darlington, he’ll attempt to visit Victory Lane in consecutive September Richmond races.

The Chesterfield, Virginia, native claims three wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and a 9.8 average finish at the .75-mile track. He has finished sixth or better in the last four races there. His 110.3 driver rating at Richmond ranks second among active drivers.

Hamlin has been one of the top-performing drivers in NASCAR this summer. Since the June Michigan race, he has finished fourth or better in eight of 11 races. Included in that stretch are two wins.

Jones Hits Groove, Will Try To Make Last-Ditch Playoff Push

Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunner Erik Jones has hit his groove recently. The 21-year-old Michigan native boasts five consecutive top-10 finishes and three straight top-five showings.

Jones will try to win his way into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Richmond where he finished 38th due to a wreck in April. In four NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at the Virginia track, he has two top fives, including a runner-up performance this spring.

On the season, Jones claims four top fives, 10 top 10s and a 16.3 average finish. He leads Daniel Suarez by 12 points in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Federated Auto Parts 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 Federated Auto Parts 400 on September 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, 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 12.870, seventh-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.389, sixth-best

·        Driver Rating of 93.5, sixth-best

·        220 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.427, ninth-fastest

·        6542 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9), seventh-most

·        569 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry

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

·        Average finish of 7.333, series-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.878, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 109.8, third-best

·        645 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.884, series-fastest

·        8462 Laps in the Top 15 (87.9), second-most

·        723 Quality Passes, third-most

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

·        Two wins, six top fives, 14 top 10s

·        Average finish of 14.240, eighth-best

·        Average Running Position of 13.278, eighth-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.3, fifth-best

·        469 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.589, fourth-fastest

·        6312 Laps in the Top 15 (63.0), ninth-most

·        627 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 15.958, 12th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.419, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 86.2, 12th-best

·        366 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.360, 11th-fastest

·        5579 Laps in the Top 15 (58.0), 11th-most

·        572 Quality Passes, eighth-most

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

·        Three wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 9.773, third-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.658, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 110.3, second-best

·        744 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.857, third-fastest

·        7473 Laps in the Top 15 (84.8), third-most

·        570 Quality Passes, ninth-most

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

·        Three wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 8.160, second-best

·        Average Running Position of 7.291, series-best

·        Driver Rating of 110.4, series-best

·        672 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.864, second-fastest

·        9370 Laps in the Top 15 (93.5), series-most

·        814 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 15.200, 10th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.700, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 90.3, eighth-best

·        343 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.438, seventh-fastest

·        6217 Laps in the Top 15 (62.0), 10th-most

·        593 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS)

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

·        Average finish of 15.760, 11th-best

·        Average Running Position of 15.712, 13th-best

·        Driver Rating of 86.2, 13th-best

·        408 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.425, 10th-fastest

·        5503 Laps in the Top 15 (54.9), 12th-most

·        585 Quality Passes, seventh-most

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

·        Two wins, six top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 16.840, 13th-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.739, 12th-best

·        Driver Rating of 90.5, seventh-best

·        373 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.489, sixth-fastest

·        6431 Laps in the Top 15 (64.2), eighth-most

·        601 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 14.250, ninth-best

·        Average Running Position of 11.499, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 96.9, fourth-best

·        402 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.561, fifth-fastest

·        4608 Laps in the Top 15 (71.9), sixth-most

·        450 Quality Passes, 11th-most

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

·        One top five, one top 10

·        Average finish of 11.714, fourth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.461, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 88.3, 10th-best

·        31 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.332, 12th-fastest

·        2086 Laps in the Top 15 (74.3), fourth-most

·        218 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford Fusion)

·        Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 12.471, sixth-best

·        Average Running Position of 14.609, 10th-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.4, 11th-best

·        143 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.268, 13th-fastest

·        3552 Laps in the Top 15 (52.1), 13th-most

·        369 Quality Passes, 12th-most

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

·        One win, six top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 12.080, fifth-best

·        Average Running Position of 12.168, fifth-best

·        Driver Rating of 89.7, ninth-best

·        151 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 115.436, eighth-fastest

·        7239 Laps in the Top 15 (72.2), fifth-most

·        764 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	Martin Truex Jr	23	0	0	2	8	3	20.0	83.5
2	Kyle Busch	24	1	4	15	17	0	7.3	109.8
3	Kyle Larson	7	0	0	1	1	0	11.7	88.3
4	Kevin Harvick	33	1	3	12	21	0	10.3	110.4
5	Denny Hamlin	22	3	3	9	13	0	9.8	110.3
6	Brad Keselowski	16	1	1	4	7	1	14.2	96.9
7	Chase Elliott	4	0	0	0	0	0	17.8	73.2
8	Matt Kenseth	35	2	2	6	16	2	16.1	90.5
9	Jamie McMurray	29	0	0	3	8	4	19.2	79.9
10	Jimmie Johnson	31	2	3	7	12	1	15.9	90.3
11	Clint Bowyer	23	0	2	4	12	1	12.9	93.5
12	Ryan Blaney	3	0	0	0	0	1	34.3	48.3
13	Kurt Busch	33	0	2	6	14	1	15.8	94.3
14	Erik Jones	1	0	0	0	0	1	38.0	24.2
15	Joey Logano	17	2	2	6	9	1	12.5	87.4
16	Ryan Newman	31	1	1	6	17	0	12.1	89.7

* – Based on last 25 races at Richmond International Raceway (2005 – 2017).

2017 Stage Winners / Drivers with Playoff Points

Track	Stage 1 Winner	Stage 2 Winner	Stage 3 Winner	Race Winner		Following Race #25
Daytona	Kyle Busch	Kevin Harvick	N/A	Kurt Busch		Drivers	Pts
Atlanta	Kevin Harvick	Kevin Harvick	N/A	Brad Keselowski		Martin Truex Jr.	37
Las Vegas	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.		Kyle Busch	20
Phoenix	Joey Logano	Chase Elliott	N/A	Ryan Newman		Kyle Larson	18
Auto Club	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Kyle Larson		Jimmie Johnson	16
Martinsville	Martin Truex Jr.	Chase Elliott	N/A	Brad Keselowski		Brad Keselowski	14
Texas	Ryan Blaney	Ryan Blaney	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Denny Hamlin	12
Bristol	Kyle Larson	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	10
Richmond	Matt Kenseth	Brad Keselowski	N/A	Joey Logano		Kevin Harvick	8
Talladega	Brad Keselowski	Denny Hamlin	N/A	Ricky Stenhouse Jr		Ryan Blaney	8
Kansas	Kyle Busch	Ryan Blaney	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.		Kurt Busch	5
Charlotte	Kyle Busch	Martin Truex Jr.	Denny Hamlin	Austin Dillon		Ryan Newman	5
Dover	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Jimmie Johnson		Kasey Kahne	5
Pocono	Kyle Busch	Kyle Larson	N/A	Ryan Blaney		Austin Dillon	5
Michigan	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Kyle Larson		Matt Kenseth	3
Sonoma	Martin Truex Jr.	Jimmie Johnson	N/A	Kevin Harvick		Chase Elliott	2
Daytona	Brad Keselowski	Matt Kenseth	N/A	Ricky Stenhouse Jr		Clint Bowyer	1
Kentucky	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.		Joey Logano	1
New Hampshire	Martin Truex Jr.	Kyle Busch	N/A	Denny Hamlin		Daniel Suarez	1
Indianapolis	Kyle Busch	Kyle Busch	N/A	Kasey Kahne
Pocono	Kyle Busch	Clint Bowyer	N/A	Kyle Busch
Watkins Glen	Kyle Busch	Daniel Suarez	N/A	Martin Truex Jr.
Michigan	Brad Keselowski	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Kyle Larson
Bristol	Kyle Busch	Matt Kenseth	N/A	Kyle Busch
Darlington	Martin Truex Jr.	Martin Truex Jr.	N/A	Denny Hamlin
Richmond			N/A

 

Richmond International Raceway Data Season Race #: 26 of 36 (09-09-17) 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 Kevin Harvick........................... 110.4 Denny Hamlin........................... 110.3 Kyle Busch............................... 109.8 Brad Keselowski......................... 96.9 Kurt Busch................................. 94.3 Clint Bowyer............................... 93.5 Matt Kenseth.............................. 90.5 Jimmie Johnson.......................... 90.3 Ryan Newman............................ 89.7 Kyle Larson................................ 88.3 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (25 total) among active drivers at Richmond International Raceway. Qualifying/Race Data 2016 pole winner: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 122.344 mph, 22.069 secs. 09-08-16 2016 race winner: Denny Hamlin, Toyota 85.778 mph, (03:33:31), 09-10-16 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 held on April 19, 1953 and 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.

·        Earlier this season, the spring event moved back to the Sunday afternoon time slot and the track name changed to Richmond Raceway.

Starts

·        There have been 122 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond International Raceway, one event from 1953 - 1958 and two races per year since 1959.

·        495 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond; 323 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 35 starts each; followed by Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch with 33 each.

·        Brad Keselowski leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond International Raceway with an 9.500.

Poles

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

·        Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in poles at Richmond with three (2006, 2008 and 2016).

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

·        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).

·        Nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers posted their first career Coors Light pole at Richmond Raceway – Brian Vickers (2004), Ted Musgrave (1994), Bobby Labonte (1993), Alan Kulwicki (1987), Morgan Shepherd (1981), Bill Dennis (1971), Dave Marcis (1971), Ned Jarrett (1960) and Russ Hepler (1957).

Wins

·        50 different drivers have won at Richmond International Raceway, led by Richard Petty with 13.

·        Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at Richmond 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 32 and Toyota with 10.

·        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).

·        24 of the 122 (19.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway have been won from the Coors Light pole.

·        Only five active MENCS drivers have been able to win from the pole: 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 122 (31.1%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond have been won from the front row: 24 from the pole and 14 from second-place.

·        96 of the 122 (78.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Richmond Raceway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·        13 of the 122 (10.7%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond 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 Raceway is 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the spring of 2008.

·        Five drivers have posted their first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond – Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999), Kyle Petty (1986), Neil Bonnett (1977) and James Hylton (1970)

·        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 29.

Additional Finishing Position Stats

·        Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond International Raceway with a 7.333.

·        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 six; 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 (12) 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 21; followed by Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman (17 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 122 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	21	18	4/30/2017	56.9
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	24.4	23.3		54.6
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 501 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.

Track Name	City	MENCS	NXS	NCWTS	Total Races
Martinsville Speedway	Martinsville	137	34	37	208
Richmond Raceway	Richmond	122	67	11	200
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		296	154	51	501

Virginia Drivers In NASCAR

·        179 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	31	17	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
STARTS
Kevin Harvick	599	1	To become the 27th driver in series history to start 600 or more races
Ryan Newman	573	2	To become the 30th driver in series history to start 575 or more races
Denny Hamlin	423	2	To become the 55th driver in series history to start 425 or more races
AJ Allmendinger	324	1	To become the 79th driver in series history to start 325 or more races
WINS
Jimmie Johnson	83	1	Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84) for fourth on MENCS all-time wins list
Kyle Busch	40	4	Tie Bill Elliott (44) for 16th on all-time MENCS wins list
Matt Kenseth	38	1	Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kevin Harvick	36	1	Tie Bobby Isaac (37) for 21st on MENCS all-time wins list
Denny Hamlin	31	1	Tie Dale Jarrett (32) for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kurt Busch	29	1	Tie Denny Hamlin (30) for 25th on all-time MENCS wins list
Dale Earnhardt Jr	26	2	Tie Rex White (28) for 28th on all-time MENCS wins list
Brad Keselowski	23	2	Tie Joe Weatherly, Jim Paschal (25) for 31st on all-time MENCS wins list
POLES
Ryan Newman	51	3	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	2	Tie Ricky Rudd (29) for 24th on the all-time MENCS poles list
Kyle Busch	25	1	Tie Bobby Labonte for 27th on all-time MENCS poles list
Denny Hamlin	24	1	Tie Kyle Busch for 28th on the all-time MENCS poles list
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Jimmie Johnson	46	2	Tie Lee Petty for 11th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Dale Earnhardt Jr	149	1	To become the 24th driver to post 150 or more MENCS top-five finishes
Kevin Harvick	299	1	To become the 20th driver to post 300 or more MENCS top-10 finishes
Ricky Stenhouse Jr	24	1	To post his 25th career MENCS top-10 finish
LAPS LED
Jimmie Johnson	18,634	366	To become the ninth driver in series history to lead 19,000 or more laps
Kyle Busch	13,668	332	To become the 10th driver in series history to lead 14,000 or more laps
Matt Kenseth	11,564	436	To become the 15th MENCS driver all-time to lead 12,000 or more laps
Kevin Harvick	10,808	192	To become 17th MENCS driver all-time to lead 11,000 or more laps
Kurt Busch	8,874	126	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Denny Hamlin	8,523	477	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Dale Earnhardt Jr	8,210	790	To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps