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mrsmopar12 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2006, 03:49 PM

RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Known for its easy-to-reach location, having ample space for free parking, Richmond Raceway Complex is organizing various public or private shows on regular basis. The Richmond raceway Complex has all the reason to boast of the flexibility of its facilities, comprising a various set of Exhibit Halls of different sizes, meeting and conference rooms with peaceful environment, a state of the art amphitheatre and the huge outdoor areas for multiple purposes. By hosting a diverse range of events like The State Fair of Virginia, The Richmond Home and Garden Show, Bizarre and many other exciting events, the Richmond Raceway Complex has successfully carried on its prestigious Virginia traditions.

HISTORY OF RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Richmond International Raceway (RIR) has undergone various renovations with three name changes. The Raceway came into the limelight, when Ted Horn won the open wheel Champ Car on ½ mile dirt track on October 12, 1946. After seven year of NASCAR establishment in 1948, Lee Petty emerged as the winner of first NASCAR race at “Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds” on April 19, 1953. Today after 50 years, known as Richmond International Raceway is hosting some of the best racing in the country.

Richmond International Raceway has been through many development and name changes. The ½-mile dirt track came into existence in 1953 and later it was resurfaced as the concrete one in 1968 with the total distance of .625-mile. In April of 1969, the Speedway was rebuilt three times over an 11-month period. Initially the length was settled on .5625-mile track, then again on ½-mile and at last on .542-mile track. In 1998, the track was transformed into .75 mile oval.

Presently, Richmond International Raceway has become one of the most popular Speedway for all races or series. Richmond International Raceway is one of the best places to race and to see a race at night. The Raceway will organize seven premier motor sports events for night racing in three weekends, this year, featuring a couple of NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, two NASCAR Busch Series events and one Indy Racing League, NACAR Craftsman Truck Series and USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Championship Series. This year Richmond International Raceway is hosting 50th NASCAR races at its facility.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
* October 12, 1946: Ted Horn emerged as the winner of first race at “Strawberry Hill Speedway” over a ½-mile track.

* 1953: The Speedway was re-named as “Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds”.

* April 19, 1953: Lee Petty won the first NASCAR race with an average of 45.535 mph in two hour, eleven minute, 46-second race. Buck Baker came first in an Oldsmobile at a speed of 48.465 mph. Petty received $1,000 for his victory, while last-place finisher Coleman Lawrence collected $25.

* 1955: The property was owned by Paul Sawyer and the legendary Joe Weatherly.

* June 5, 1960: “The King” Richard Petty won his first race at Richmond. He finishes 6th. Included in the group in front of Petty was Ned Jarrett (third), Glen Wood (fifth) and his father, Lee, who finished first.

* April 23, 1961: Richard Petty became the winner of 13 races at Richmond when his father was recovering from injuries sustained at Daytona.

* September 9, 1962: Weatherly became the winner of two consecutive races at Richmond International Raceway. He won each race by “1 lap plus”, where around 15,000 people witnessed his victory.

* 1965: Track renamed as “Virginia State Fairgrounds Raceway.

* September 9, 1968: Track was paved and re-measured at.625-mile.

* April 13, 1969: Track is re-measured at .5625-mile.

* September 7, 1969: Track is re-measured at ½-mile.

* 1970: Track became “Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway.”

* March 1, 1970: Track is re-measured at .542-mile.

* March 1, 1970: Richard Petty became the winner of the first of seven consecutive and nine out of 10 races at Richmond.

* November 13, 1971: Bobby Allison won the first of six consecutive pole positions. Both Allison and Richard Petty would go on to capture an all-time track record of eight poles. Finishing 20th in his first Richmond race was Richard Childress.

* February 24, 1980: Richmond received $100,000 for the first time. Darrell Waltrip won the race in his famous Gatorade Chevrolet and got $17,800. Brett Bodine, who finished last in the 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 with the Looney Tunes, collected $34,349.

* February 20, 1982: The inaugural “Late Model Sportsman Division” race at Richmond was won by Tommy Houston. The series was named as the Busch Series, Grand National Division in 1984.

* September 12, 1987: Mark Martin won the first of a record five NASCAR Busch Series races.

* 1988: Track was renamed as “Richmond International Raceway.”

* February 21, 1988: The track was reconfigured to .75-mile and the seating capacity was expanded to 50,000. Bulldozers, including one driven by Richard Petty, begin work on the project immediately following the completion of the Pontiac Excitement 400.

* March 26, 1989: Rusty Wallace won the first of a record six races at Richmond on the .75-mile configuration.

* April 8, 1990: Rick Fuller emerged as the winner of the first NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series race at Richmond.

* September 7, 1991: Harry Gant won the first race “under the lights” at Richmond.

* September 7, 1995: Terry Labonte won the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Richmond.

* September 11, 1999: Tony Stewart won his first race-“under the lights” at Richmond.

* December 1, 1999: International Speedway Corporation bought the Richmond International Raceway and the surrounding 650-acre property from Paul Sawyer.

* June 29, 2001: Jacque Lazier won the pole for the inaugural SunTrust Indy Challenge at a blistering speed of 160.417 mph (16.831 seconds). It is the Indy Racing League’s first appearance on a track shorter than one mile.

* May 3, 2002: Ward Burton sets new Winston Cup track record with 128.388 mph in 21.194 seconds.

* October 2002: Seating capacity is expanded to 105,000.

TRACK INFORMATION
Track Facts
Opened
1946

Track Length
3 and quarter mile, measured 15ft in from retaining wall.

Shape
D-shaped oval stadium

Width
60ft constant with 10 feet apron

Banking

Turns
14 degree

Starting Line
8 degree

Backstretch
2 degree on 860ft

Front stretch Length
1,290 feet

Pit Road Width
64 feet

Pit Stalls
(43) 28” x 19”

Grandstand Capacity
105,000

Club seats
120

Luxury skyboxes
40

mrsmopar12 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-04-2006, 03:51 PM

Earnhardt Jr., Hoping Luck Of Keeping Car Clean Continues At RIR
A Win Will Sweep Richmond

Fingerprint, Inc., For Budweiser Racing, Press Release

Budweiser Race Preview Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway

Quotes from: DALE EARNHARDT JR. / Driver, #8 Budweiser Chevrolet:

“I’m pretty excited going to Richmond. For us, I’m not sure there’s a better track on the schedule than Richmond. It’s a very good track for me and I have a lot of fun racing there. Every time we go, we know it’s an opportunity to win. I know we’ll have a good car, so I think I can put it up front and win again. That’s the mindset. But anything can happen to you. You can get involved in crashes or do something stupid, so we’ll try to be smart, and we’ll try to lock ourselves into the Chase. We’re peaking at the right time. We’ve had some really good runs the last few weeks, and they’ve been at tracks that are completely different from each other. That has me optimistic that if we do make the Chase, we can really make a run at the championship.”
At California, a second-place finish meant you gained three positions in the standings, but lost ground to 11th-place Kasey Kahne, the race winner.

“The positions don’t really mean anything to me. A wreck or a mechanical problem will still knock you out because it’s so close. We’ve been lucky to keep our car clean the last few races. We need that luck to continue this weekend. Kasey is doing what he has to do to get in the Chase, and I feel like we’re doing all we can, too. It’s no time to feel comfortable. We know what can happen. We know better than anybody how fast you can drop, so we’re not taking anything for granted.”
Will you run the high line like you did in May when you won for the third time at Richmond?

“If the high line is the fastest line, I’m all about running it. I love running right up against the wall, and the great thing about Richmond is that there is more than one way to get around. You can move around and run different grooves. The top works pretty good if you need to try to get up around people and get a run on them -- especially when they repaved it a couple of years ago. Before that, it was really awesome. But obviously the surface was breaking up a little bit in some places and needed to be repaved. But it's a great race track. Moving up as the night goes on is a lot of fun -- running high and trying to get runs on people. It's fun to have a lot of different opportunities to pass people."
Where is the easiest place to get in trouble at Richmond?

"Turn two is a challenge. To get up out of that corner well is a challenge. There are little nuances all the way around the track. Like turn one. If you go in that corner and a guy checks up sooner than you expect, it's really hard to get on the brakes without spinning yourself out. A lot of times a guy will not get on the brakes and run in and wreck the guy in front of him just to keep from wrecking himself. You see that a lot."
The No. 8 Bud Team at Richmond:

Previous Starts: 14
Best Start: 2nd (May 5, 2002)
Best Finish: 1st (three times, most recently May 6, 2006)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 29th / FN: 20th
Last Time at Richmond: ST: 10th / FN: 1st / LED: 47 laps
This Week’s Bud Car: #10 (Richmond winner in May)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the #8 Budweiser team enter the final race of the Nextel Cup “regular season” sixth in the Nextel Cup point standings, a jump of three spots after scoring a career-best second-place finish at California Speedway on Sunday. Entering the final race before the “Chase” cut-off, the points picture for the Budweiser team looks like this:

3. Kevin Harvick +70
4. Jeff Gordon + 25
5. Kyle Busch +18
6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. 3226
7. Denny Hamlin -1
8. Tony Stewart -32
9. Mark Martin - 45
10. Jeff Burton -47
11. Kasey Kahne –77

Through 25 races, Dale Jr. has one win (Richmond), eight top-fives, 12 top-10s and 18 top-15s. He has led in 12 races for 209 laps, and has finished sixth or better in four of the last five races.

“A Place In The Chase” / NOTEBOOK:

Dale Jr. can lock himself into the 2006 Chase for the Championship with a 16th-place finish at Richmond this weekend.
In 2006, Dale Jr. has averaged 129.04 points per race, but has averaged 157.3 points in night races, and 161.3 points at tracks less than a mile in length.
In the last six races, Dale Jr. has climbed from 11th to sixth in the Nextel Cup point standings. Through 25 races, his average point position is 6.64.
Dale Jr. has been in the top-10 in points in all but two weeks in 2006, and has not been lower than 11th. His highest point standing is third (following races on July 1 and July 9).
Dale Jr. has gained at least one spot in the point standings 11 times this year.

”Sizing up Richmond” / NOTEBOOK:

In 14 career races at Richmond, Dale Jr. has three victories, seven top-fives and eight top-10s. His three wins at RIR are the second-most at any one track for Junior, topped only by his five wins at Talladega.
Dale Jr. enters the weekend as the most recent winner at Richmond after leading 47 laps for the victory on May 6. It was Junior’s 17th career victory.
Dale Jr. is the only driver with more than one victory in the last 10 races at RIR.
Dale Jr. and Tony Stewart lead all active drivers with three victories at the Virginia short track.
Dale Jr. has led eight races at Richmond for 322 laps, 115 of which came in a victorious effort on May 15, 2004.
The Bud team has four top-fives in the last six night races, and has finished no worse than 20th in the last eight.
Five of Junior’s 17 career victories have come under the lights.
Dale Jr. has four victories on short tracks - or tracks less than one mile in length.
The Bud team has finished in the top-five in each of the last three short-track races and in the top-20 in each of the last 10.
Race Details:

Chevy Rock & Roll 400
Richmond International Raceway / Richmond, Va.
.750-mile oval / 400 laps / 300 miles
Saturday, Sept. 9, 2006
TV: TNT, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: Motor Racing Network, XM Radio.
Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED Channel / Friday, Sept. 8 / 6 p.m. ET
2005 winner: Kurt Busch

This Press Release and any images that are used,
are used with permission. Do not duplicate or
redistribute in any form without permission or credit.

mrsmopar12 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 06:31 AM

Team notes: Chase cutoff point looms at Richmond
Posted 9/7/2006 1:33 AM ET
NASCAR team notes as the Nextel Cup tour braces for the final regular-season race of the year in its second visit to Richmond International Raceway:
Matt Kenseth

No. 17 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Kenseth's tremendous consistency has given him the points lead entering the 26th and final race before the Chase. It's the first time Kenseth has been back on top since Phoenix in April and the third week of the season in which he has led the standings. Kenseth is a former winner at Richmond, in 2002. He finished second in this race last year. He also has seven top-10 finishes in his 13 races at Richmond and has led in five of them. He was 38th there in May because of mechanical problems.

Last week: Kenseth finished seventh at California, his 15th top-10 finish in 2006. He has victories at California, Dover, Michigan and Bristol this season.

Etc.: Kenseth will drive chassis RK-164, which last ran in April at Martinsville and wrecked with seven laps to go. Kenseth finished 24th in that race, but this is the same car that finished second at Richmond last September.

Jimmie Johnson

No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Johnson trails Matt Kenseth by nine points, marking the first time in 16 races Johnson has not held the points lead. Johnson's best finish in nine races at Richmond is second in the spring of 2004. He has completed 3,169 of 3,593 laps and has an average starting position of 14.2 and an average finishing position of 21st. He has led in three of the nine races, for a total of 124 laps. "It's going to be an interesting Chase," Johnson said. "I think it's going to be the best one we've had yet."

Last week: Johnson finished 11th at California to drop from first to second in the standings. Johnson has been the point leader after all but three of the 25 races in 2006.

Etc.: Johnson will drive chassis 48354 as the primary car this weekend. This car finished 12th at Richmond in May. Chassis No. 48264 will serve as the backup. It last raced at Pocono in July 2005.

Kevin Harvick

No. 29 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: Harvick is poised to make NASCAR's playoffs for the first time in his career. He simply needs to finish 39th or better on Saturday to clinch a spot in the Chase — the first for Richard Childress Racing since the inception of the Chase in 2004. It also would set the stage for Harvick to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win two national series titles in the same season (he also leads the Busch Series). Harvick has one pole, three top-five and five top-10 finishes in 11 Cup Series starts at Richmond and has led in six of those 11 races for a total of 487 laps. "Being able to win three Busch Series races in a row and make the Chase in one weekend would be incredible," he said.

Last week: Harvick finished 15th at California.

Etc.: Harvick's Chevrolet will sport a special paint scheme this weekend dedicated to the music group Barenaked Ladies.

Jeff Gordon

No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: In the last three races, Gordon has moved from ninth to fourth in the standings and gained nearly 100 points on the point leader. However, Gordon has not fared well at Richmond recently. Although he has two wins, four poles, 10 top-fives and 16 top-10s in 27 starts at the Virginia track, his last three finishes have been 30th or worse.

Last week: Gordon was leading at California with 76 laps left but was forced to make an unscheduled yellow-flag pit stop to tighten loose lug nuts. He restarted 25th but recovered to finish fifth on a night that Kasey Kahne, who is 11th in the standings, scored maximum points (190) by winning the race and leading the most laps.

Etc.: While the top 10 are guaranteed berths in the Chase, any driver within 400 points of the lead also secures a spot. Gordon is within that window and can also secure a Chase berth by finishing ahead of Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson.

Kyle Busch

No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Busch has 14 top-10 finishes in 25 races this season and 10 top-15 finishes in the last 11 races. His only DNF was a crash at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600. He has been running at the finish in the last 13 races. Busch has finished in the top five in all three Cup races he has competed in at Richmond. He has led a total of 14 laps with a 4.3 average finish, the best average finish among the current top 10 drivers. Busch is 95 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with one race left in the "Race to the Chase."

Last week: Busch finished eighth at California and dropped from fourth to fifth in the standings. One year ago Busch ranked 22nd after 25 races.

Etc.: Busch will clinch his first berth in the Chase by finishing 22nd or better at Richmond. (Lap leader points are not included.)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No. 8 Chevrolet, Dale Earnhardt Inc.

This week: Earnhardt improved three positions in the standings and can lock himself into the Chase with a finish of 16th place or better at Richmond. Earnhardt has one win (at Richmond in May), eight top-fives, 12 top-10s and 18 top-15s in 25 races this season. He has three wins, seven top-fives and eight top-10s in 14 Cup races at Richmond. His three wins at Richmond are the second-most at any track for Earnhardt, trailing his five wins at Talladega. In the last six races, Earnhardt has climbed from 11th to sixth in the standings. "For us, I'm not sure there's a better track on the schedule than Richmond," Earnhardt said, adding, "We're peaking at the right time."

Last week: Earnhardt finished second at California, his career best there.

Etc: In 2006, Earnhardt has averaged 129.04 points per race but has averaged 157.3 points in night races and 161.3 points at tracks less than a mile in length.

Denny Hamlin

No. 11 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing

This week: Hamlin finished second at Richmond earlier this season in his first Cup start at the track. He enters the race with two wins (both at Pocono) and 13 top-10 finishes in 25 races this season. If Hamlin finishes 16th or better Saturday night, he makes the Chase.

Last week: Hamlin finished sixth at California.

Etc.: Hamlin said it was "probably right around Richmond in May where we really hit our stride and we started knocking out top-10, top-15 finishes. Ever since then our team has just really been communicating well. The biggest thing is we're getting down our communication between me and (teammates) Tony Stewart and J.J. Yeley. The three teams are working closer than they ever have. It's really an honor to be racing with the guys for points that I'm racing with. I never would have dreamed that I would be included in that group of the guys that were racing for that top-10, top-11 spots."

Tony Stewart

No. 20 Chevrolet, Joe Gibbs Racing

This week: Three of Stewart's 26 Nextel Cup victories have come at Richmond, and it also is the place where he raced to his only two wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. But now he needs another good Richmond run — just 45 points separate him from 11th-place Kasey Kahne. "We've been pretty good at Richmond, but so are the guys who are with us in the Chase," Stewart said, adding, "I am not very comfortable at all with 45 points. But if we go do what we normally do at Richmond, we should be all right."

Last week: A solid ninth-place effort at California, despite a tight car, allowed Stewart to hold onto to his eighth-place point position.

Etc: Stewart has ranked in the top 10 in 20 of the last 21 races, since Race No. 5 at Bristol. He has finished in the top 10 in points in all of his seven previous seasons, including first in 2002 and 2005.

Mark Martin

No. 6 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Martin has scored one victory (February 1990) and 21 top-10 finishes at Richmond and finished 13th in this race one year ago and 11th there in May. His average finish there is 11.027.

Last week: Martin finished 12th at California to improve one position in the standings. "I'm proud of finishing 12th tonight with the way our car went," Martin said. "It was a winner in the sun and lost its mind when it got dark. Those guys fought hard and pulled out a 12th-place finish. ... I hoped to come out of here ahead of (at least) 10th and we did that, but we lost some ground."

Etc.: Martin, who has been running at the finish in the last 32 races, said of the current points battle, "I still think we're in, but the battle is on and one thing that everybody can count on is that I'll go down fighting all the way."

Jeff Burton

No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: Burton has one pole, one win, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 24 Cup starts at Richmond. He has to finish fourth or better to guarantee himself a spot in the Chase, regardless of where Kasey Kahne finishes. "I just don't know if you can get a whole lot better than Richmond," Burton said. "I think it's the best all-around racetrack we come to."

Last week: Burton finished 16th at California and dropped three spots in the standings. "Pressure is when you don't have a chance in hell to do anything," Burton said. "This isn't pressure. This feels good. We have a chance to have something good happen. It's still ours to win or lose; we've just got to get it done."

Etc: Burton will drive chassis No. 175 from the Richard Childress Racing stable. Burton recently drove the car, built new for 2006, to a seventh-place finish at New Hampshire.

Kasey Kahne

No. 9 Dodge, Evernham Motorsports

This week: Kahne won the first race of his Cup career at Richmond on May 14, 2005. He knows he needs another victory this weekend if he wants to earn a spot in this year's Chase.

Last week: Kahne knew he had to lead the most laps and win the race at California to keep his Chase hopes alive. And that is what he did as he led eight times for 130 laps in scoring his season-high fifth victory. It was the first win ever for a Dodge driver at California. The win allowed him to pull 30 points out of 10th place. He began the evening 90 points back. "Today's race meant so much to next weekend and to our whole season," said Kahne. "We did all we could do."

Etc.: Kahne feels good about this weekend: "It's (Richmond) a track we definitely run good at. It's a track we can really go fast at."

mrsmopar12 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 06:32 AM

Carl Edwards

No. 99 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Edwards finished seventh in the spring race at Richmond for his second top-10 finish in four starts at the track. While Edwards would be happy with another top-10 finish on Saturday night, his bigger goal is simple: "Win some races between now and the end of the year."

Last week: Edwards finished fourth at California to move to 12th in the standings, but he was mathematically eliminated from having any chance of qualifying for the Chase. "I guess we'll just go out for 11 races (the final 11 of the year) and have a good time and try to win some and prepare for '07," said Edwards.

Etc.: Edwards said the "big letdown was early in the year when we kept having our bad luck, but the team has not let down. I get to live my dream and get to have a good time racing these cars."

Greg Biffle

No. 16 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: Biffle has posted four straight top-10 finishes at Richmond, the longest current streak. He hopes to make it five in a row by becoming the 10th winner in the last 11 races at the Virginia speedway.

Last week: Biffle needed a win at California to keep alive any hopes he had of making the Chase, but those aspirations ended on lap five when he hit the wall, resulting in major handling problems. Biffle hit the wall again on lap 118. And to compound his problems, Biffle had to make an unscheduled pit stop late in the race with tire problems. As a result, he ended up 24th to fall to 13th place in the standings.

Etc.: Biffle scored his last pole position at Richmond when he grabbed the No. 1 starting spot in the spring. In the last six races at the track, he has qualified 10th or better.

Kurt Busch

No. 2 Dodge, Penske Racing South

This week: Busch is the defending champion of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400; he led 185 laps in a dominating victory a year ago. In the spring event this year, he finished 29th because of a flat tire and two penalties.

Last week: Busch won his fifth pole of the season at California and led the first 11 laps of the race. But after that he began fading and ended up 27th, a lap down. "We started off really loose, then it went really tight," said Busch. "We put spring rubbers in and then took one of them out. Just an awful handling car most all race long."

Etc.: Busch said he hopes to play the role of spoiler during the Chase. "We don't have it all on the line like the Chase guys will, so we can take chances and go for it," said Busch. "We can try some off-the-wall things."

Casey Mears

No. 42 Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

This week: Mears is still looking for his first top-10 finish at Richmond. In seven starts at the three-quarters of a mile track, his best finish is a 17th, which came last spring. "That was the best we've run at Richmond, so I feel much better about this weekend," said Mears.

Last week: Good pit strategy helped Mears finish 14th at California on a night when he didn't run as well as he had hoped. "It was a long, long race, and Donnie (Wingo, crew chief) made a great call," said Mears. "We came in and topped off at the end. Our only chance was fuel mileage. We just didn't have a horse we could do anything with."

Etc.: Mears has climbed from 19th to 15h in the Nextel Cup point standings in the last three races. "We want to finish as high we can," said Mears. "It sure would be nice to finish 11th."

Ryan Newman

No. 12 Dodge, Penske Racing South

This week: Richmond has been a good track for Newman. In his first four races at the short track, he had two seconds and a first. In the five races since then, he has three top-10 finishes.

Last week: It was a very frustrating evening for Newman as he finished a disappointing 33rd to drop to 16th in the standings. "I just don't have the grip that the other guys do," said Newman, who suffered early damage to his front end when he ran into the back of Elliott Sadler on pit road. Late in the race, Newman's brakes became so hot that they caught fire.

Etc.: Newman said of his team's current state, "Each week is a new beginning for this team. We've struggled on and off all year long, so we can't dwell on the previous week's race or it will just have more negative effects on next week's race."

Jamie McMurray

No. 26 Ford, Roush Racing

This week: McMurray has two top-10 finishes in seven starts at Richmond. He ended up 19th in the spring event at the Virginia facility. "I enjoy running at Richmond, although my record doesn't show that," said McMurray.

Last week: McMurray finished 20th at California for his 15th top-20 finish of the season as he moved up one spot in the standings to 17th. McMurray battled major handling problems throughout the event and was never able to perform as he had hoped. "I was really hoping for a better finish tonight," said McMurray. "I don't know where we went wrong with the handling tonight, but we were never able to get a grip on it."

Etc.: Crew chief Bob Osborne believes "we are taking a really good car to Richmond this weekend. We are looking for a good run in Richmond, and hopefully, if we can play our cards right, we can put this car in Victory Lane."

Clint Bowyer

No. 07 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

This week: Bowyer finished 10th in the spring race at Richmond. The rookie driver will be seeking his eighth top-10 finish of the season this weekend. "I love short-track racing," said Bowyer. "The short tracks seem to suit my racing style, and I'm really comfortable racing on them."

Last week: Crew chief Gil Martin played the fuel-mileage gamble, and it paid off big time as Bowyer finished third for his best finish ever on the Nextel Cup circuit. "Finally something pays off for us," said Bowyer. "We've had such bad luck over the last month or so. We were about an eighth- to 10th-place car all night long."

Etc.: A rookie has finished in the top five in the last two Nextel Cup races run at Richmond. Bowyer would love to extend that streak to three. Bowyer has posted three top-five finishes in the first 25 races this season, including a third Sunday night at California.

Scott Riggs

No. 10 Dodge, Evernham Motorsports

This week: Riggs posted his best finish ever at Richmond in the spring when he ended up 14th. His previous best finish at the Virginia facility had been 26th. "Richmond has always been a good track for Evernham Motorsports, so we feel confident we are going to have a good weekend," said Riggs.

Last week: It was an up-and-down evening for Riggs. He ran as high as third, but for most of the night he struggled with an ill-handling race car. "The car was loose the whole time," said Riggs after his 17th-place finish. "It's great for (teammate) Kasey (Kahne, who won the race). We should have been right there with them."

Etc.: Riggs, who began the year by not qualifying for the Daytona 500, still has a good chance of finishing in the top 15 in the points race. He is only 96 points back of 15th-place Casey Mears.

Brian Vickers

No. 25 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

This week: Vickers won the pole in his first race at Richmond, and he ended up eighth that evening after leading for 32 laps. But since then Vickers' luck at the track has been all bad. In the last four races at the short track, Vickers has finished 37th, 32nd, 37th and 37th.

Last week: For the second consecutive race, tire problems ended any hopes Vickers had of contending for a top-10 finish. On lap 110, the left-front tire let go, shredding the left-front fender. The crew installed a new fender, but by the time Vickers returned to the track he was 12 laps down and finished a disappointing 41st to drop to 20th in the point standings.

Etc.: Vickers said it has been "an honor" to drive for Hendrick Motorsports: "(It's) something I'll carry with me for the rest of my life." Vickers will leave the organization at the end of the year.

OTHERS

Elliott Sadler

No. 19 Dodge, Evernham Motorsports

This week: Sadler calls Richmond his home track, but the Emporia, Va., native has never fared too well at the three-quarters of a mile speedway. In 15 starts there, Sadler has only top-10 and four top-20 finishes.

Last week: Pit strategy allowed Sadler to lead for eight laps, but in the end, he was unable to challenge for a top-10 finish. "I wish we could have got a better finish," said Sadler after finishing 13th.

Martin Truex Jr.

No. 1 Chevrolet, DEI

This week: Truex suffered engine failure in the spring race at Richmond and finished 41st. He said his "main goal" for the rest of 2006 is "just to get some consistency, hopefully get a few top-fives, maybe challenge for a win."

Last week: After starting fifth at California, Truex had high hopes of scoring his first top-five finish of his Nextel Cup career. But a miscue in the pits and a "real loose" race car forced him to settle for an 18th-place finish at California.

Reed Sorenson

No. 41 Dodge, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

This week: In his first Nextel Cup start at Richmond in the spring, Sorenson finished 23rd. The rookie driver believes a much better evening is on the horizon this weekend. "We are a much better team than we were back in May," said Sorenson.

Last week: Crew chief Jimmy Elledge made a late-race gamble on fuel hoping that Sorenson would be able to run the final 55 laps without stopping. And Sorenson did lead for eight laps when all of the front-runners pitted for fuel. But with just less than two laps to go, Sorenson ran out of gas and limped home in 21st place.

Dale Jarrett

No. 88 Ford, Robert Yates Racing

This week: Jarrett is a two-time winner at Richmond. In 37 starts at the track, he has two wins, 11 top-fives and 12 top-10s. Jarrett thinks the speedway has "probably the best racing that you see anywhere we go. I have kind of always wondered why some of these places that build new tracks don't look into building a track like Richmond with its size and layout."

Last week: Jarrett was all smiles after his 10th-place finish at California. It was only his third top-10 finish of the season, and it moved him back into the top 25 in the point standings.

Bobby Labonte

No. 43 Dodge, Petty Enterprises

This week: Labonte has 10 top-10 finishes, including four top-fives, in 27 starts at Richmond. His best finish is second in 1999 and 2003. He has won one pole at the .75-mile facility. This weekend the car will carry the famous STP colors. "I'm sure it brings back a lot of memories for a lot of fans," said Labonte. "Richard (Petty) and STP became icons together."

Last week: It was a long night for Labonte as he finished 26th. "It was tough to run around other guys," said Labonte.

***

Notes provided by The Sports Xchange

mrsmopar12 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 06:43 AM

True Speed Communication For Joe Gibbs Racing, Press Release

ATLANTA (Sept. 6, 2006) - Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Depending on the hour, it's how Tony Stewart is viewing his chances in Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

The 400-lap contest at the .75-mile oval is the cutoff race to determine what drivers vie for this year's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship. Only the top-10 drivers in points, or anyone within 400 points of the lead, will be eligible to compete for the championship.

Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing, enters the last race of the regular season eighth in points, 44 markers outside of the 400-point cutoff and 45 points ahead of 11th place Kasey Kahne.

The "half-full" theory says that Stewart can lock himself into the Chase by making up 44 points on series leader Matt Kenseth and 35 points on second-place Jimmie Johnson. Whether Stewart remains eighth in points or drops to 11th, if he's within 400 points of the leader after Richmond, he's guaranteed a spot in the Chase.

The "half-empty" theory says that Stewart is on defense at Richmond, as a surging Kahne - who scored the maximum amount of points last Sunday at California by winning the race and leading the most laps to lop 52 points off the margin between him and Stewart - is the only driver capable of bouncing a current top-10 driver like Stewart out of Chase contention.

But Stewart isn't the only driver with a half-full, half-empty conundrum. The third- through 10th place drivers are separated by 117 points, with Kahne 147 points behind third-place Kevin Harvick. A bad race by any third- through 10th place driver combined with another outstanding effort by Kahne could tip the balance, as a maximum 156 points can be won or lost in a single Nextel Cup race.

For Stewart, this means a seventh-place finish or better at Richmond ensures a spot in the Chase. As a result, Stewart's glass should be considered half-full.

The two-time and reigning Nextel Cup champion has three Nextel Cup wins at Richmond, along with five top-fives and 10 top-10s to give him an average finish of 12th in 15 career starts. And in his last three Richmond races, Stewart has finished second, seventh and sixth for an average finish of fifth. He has also led a total of 764 laps - 12.7 percent of the 5,993 laps available. And outside of Nextel Cup, Stewart has two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at Richmond.

With a Chase berth on the line and a seven-year string of top-10 point finishes to keep intact, Stewart views Richmond as the foundation for his title defense.

In the past two years of the Chase format, you've been locked into the Chase entering Richmond. Is there pressure this time around since you're not locked in yet?

"To be honest, I've never fallen into pressure. All eight years we've been here in the points, we've just strictly dealt with it one week at a time. That's the easiest way to approach it. What you do this week is this week. Then once this weekend is over and done, you worry about next week. It's literally that simple for us."
Since you're not locked into the Chase, have you thought back to other races where you could've scored more points than you did?

"I just try to keep it real simple. I really don't try to over-think it. I don't try to over-calculate everything. I'm focused on Saturday night, then once Saturday is over with, I'll worry about what we're going to do for New Hampshire next week. I literally take it by a seven-day cycle at a time. California was last week, so it really doesn't matter what we did there. We are at a totally different track race this week. So no matter what happened last week or two weeks ago or two months ago, we can't change any of it. We're better off taking all of our energy and focusing on this coming week instead of focusing on something we can't change."
Since you've been in the Chase the past two years, does that give you an advantage at Richmond other drivers don't have?

"How you get into the Chase is the same way you win the Chase. You've got to go out there and you've got to be good. You've got to be good in 26 races to get in the Chase, and then you've got to be good for 10 races after that to win the Chase."
You've had a lot of success at Richmond. Is it one of your favorite tracks?

"It is my favorite track. It's not one of them, it's the favorite track of mine on the circuit. I've won two Truck races and three Cup races there. It's where I got my first win. A good friend of mine, Kasey Kahne, last year got his first win. Being able to see Kasey win his first race here last year was cool, too. It's definitely a place I enjoy coming to, and considering how it factors into the Chase, it's definitely an important stop for us."
How did you and Kasey Kahne become friends?

"He was a teammate of mine in USAC. That's what struck the friendship. He's a talented kid and he's one of those guys that when you explain something to him, he does a lot more listening than he does talking. That's something that's hard to find with guys that are really competitive. Normally, they think they know most of the answers, but Kasey's one of those guys that when we were teammates, if you had something to tell him, he was very good at listening and very good at applying what was taught. And he's proven that he's learned a lot - this year especially."
Richmond is one of many races that begins in the late afternoon daylight and finishes under the lights. How do you handle those types of conditions, specifically, when the sun disappears and the race track's surface cools?

"I like night racing anyway. I always have. The good thing about night races is that I get to sleep in through the morning. But the challenge is the same for everybody as far as how the surface temperature of the race track will cool off. That's the good thing about it. It gives us a challenge that we don't normally have on a day when the sun is out and the track normally won't change a lot. So it just adds another variable that makes it more exciting for the fans."
How do you deal with the setting sun and its affect on your vision?

"Sometimes it makes it a little difficult visibility-wise. But we've all run enough of these races where we've started in the daytime and ended in the evening. We put extra tape on the top of our windshield that helps shield the sun for us. But that's probably the only downside. For us as competitors, we realize the advantage that night racing gives us to be able to run in prime time like that. So if a little extra tape has to go on the windshield and we've got to deal with the sun for a couple extra laps, so be it."
What's the key to being successful at Richmond?

"You want to make sure that your car is adjustable. We start the race at the end of the day where it's usually pretty hot, but as night comes the track cools down and it changes quite a bit. Old pavement, new pavement, the same theory applies, and that's not something you see at most of the races we go to. It's pretty much isolated to just the night races. When we tested there a couple of years ago, we actually tried to make the car drive badly so that we could figure out ways to make it drive well again. You've got to have adjustability, because you know for a fact that the track isn't going to stay the same all night long."
Is Richmond similar to any other tracks that you've raced on in your career?

"It just reminds me of some of the shorter tracks that I've run. It has kind of the same feel that three-quarter-mile tracks did with some of the other cars that I've run with. It was like Phoenix the first time I went there. I hadn't been to a 1-mile oval but once in my life, but when I got onto Phoenix, I adjusted and adapted to it really quickly. It was a place where I became very comfortable right away. I had that same feeling when I went to Richmond for the first time with The Home Depot car. I think every driver has a track that they go to where they get that same feeling. There are just some places that you go to where you adjust, and it really suits your driving style."
You and your crew chief, Greg Zipadelli, continue to have the longest-tenured driver/crew chief relationship in Nextel Cup. In fact, your first win together came at Richmond during your rookie year in the fall of 1999. What makes your pairing so good?

"The thing that makes him such a great crew chief is that he's so dedicated to the program. He lives, eats, breathes and sleeps this race team. He's a great person. I hit the lottery getting him as a crew chief. He's the reason we've been so successful together as a team. We both have the same passion and desire to win. His work ethic is unbelievable. He cares about people. He learned a lot from Joe Gibbs in that you're only as good as your weakest person. We're always striving to make ourselves better than what we are, but at the same time, he treats everybody as an individual. I could sit here for hours and talk about him. He's just a great person. He's one of those people that when times get tough, he's in the shop 14, 16 hours a day until we get out of the rut that we're in. That's how dedicated he is to our program. And when you put two guys together like Greg and myself that have the same desire to win and the same passion to win, it's hard to beat a combination like that."

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mrsmopar12 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 06:48 AM

You lost a little bit of ground in the points last weekend, is Richmond the place where you can rebound?

“We had been on a pretty steady climb in the points, gaining ground almost every race. Last weekend was a tough egg to swallow, but we have to keep looking forward and stay focused on our goal. If you look where we were in the points at this time last year there is almost no comparison. We can definitely be proud of that.

“Richmond is a great track for some hard racing though. You carry a lot of speed around there for being such a small track, making handling very important. We’ve had some great runs there and some bad ones. We got our first win here in 2004 in the Busch race and had a top-5 run going in May until a little contact with the wall ended our night. Hopefully we can capitalize this time and gain back some of that lost ground.”

· Chassis –

Gordon will be running Chassis No. 109 at this weekend’s event. Chassis No. 109’s most recent appearance came earlier this year at New Hampshire International Speedway where it posted a top-20 finish. No.109 also participated in both the Vegas and Richmond test sessions back in January and April, respectively. Chassis No. 110 will serve as back up.

· Points Position –

Following a 43rd-place finish in last weekend’s Sony HD 500 from California Speedway, Gordon and the No. 7 Jim Beam Black Chevy lost ground and fell to the 26th position, only 47 points out of 25th and 294 points out of 20th, which remains the team’s goal.

· Winning Ways –

This race marks Gordon’s 15th appearance at Richmond with two Busch Series and 13 Nextel Cup Series starts at the ¾-mile D-shaped oval. In September 2004, Gordon captured his first Busch Series win at the Emerson Radio 250 after a three-car battle with 15 laps to go. In Cup Series competition, Gordon holds one top-five, two top-10 and three top-15 starts and one top-five and one top-10 finish.

mrsmopar12 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 07:08 AM

Each Week Is A New Beginning For Newman, Altell Team
Penske Racing South, Press Release

NNCS Notes:

· Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 12 Alltel “Fastap” Dodge Charger, will make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday and his 178th in the NASCAR Cup Series.
· Newman has two starts outside of the top 10 – an 11th in his first Cup start at RIR in May 2002 and a 14th in his last start at the track in May of this year. His other seven starts include six top-fives and a pole in September 2004. His average starting position at the track is 5.44.

· Newman’s finishes at RIR have not been that bad, either. All but one of his finishes was inside the top 20 – 39th in May 2003 was his lowest finish – including six top-10s and four top fives. Newman won the inaugural Chevy Rock & Roll 400 in September 2003. He has an average finish of 10.67.

· In nine races, Newman has led six of them – all before the 2005 season. He has led 354 laps and has completed a total of 3,476 laps of a possible 3,593, giving Newman a completion rate of 96.7 percent.

· Matt Borland, crew chief of the No. 12 Alltel “Fastap” Dodge Charger, and the Alltel team will take chassis PRS-097 to this weekend’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400. This car ran twice in 2005 – in August at Indianapolis where Newman finished 34th and in November at the season finale in Homestead where the team placed sixth.

Newman on Richmond International Raceway:

“Each week is a new beginning for this team. We’ve struggled on and off all year long, so we can’t dwell on the previous week’s race or it will just have more negative effects on next week’s race. This team has done a good job of coming to the shop after a bad race and working hard for the next one. It seems as if each time we have a good race, the next week won’t go so well for us.”
“We’ve done well at the short tracks this year and in the past. We’re all looking forward to going to Richmond this weekend where we all believe we have a chance to win. We ran well in May at this track and both our primary and backup cars finished in the top 10 the last time each of them ran, so we know we have good equipment for this weekend and I’m just hoping to have a better finish than we did in California.”

Quick Stats:

Richmond International Raceway: 9
Races Led/Laps Led: 6/354
Best Starting Position: 1 (September 2004)
Best Finishing Position: 1 (September 2003)
September 2005 Start: 8
September 2005 Finish: 12

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mrsmopar12 · #8 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 07:13 AM

Harvick Poised to Make First Chase Berth at Richmond; #29 Goodwrench Expertise Challenge Promotion Resumes
Wasserman Media Group, LLC., Press Release

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 5, 2006) – When GM Goodwrench driver Kevin Harvick takes to the track this weekend at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 and the seventh #29 Goodwrench Expertise Challenge race, he is poised to make NASCAR’s playoff format for the first time in his career. The finale of NASCAR’s 10-event Race to the Chase looms Saturday night, with nine drivers battling for the eight remaining spots in the 2006 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

Harvick, whose No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet will sport a special paint scheme with the music group Barenaked Ladies, only needs to finish 39th or better on Saturday to clinch a spot in the Chase. A Chase berth would mark the first for Richard Childress Racing since its inception in 2003 and set the stage for Harvick to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win two national series titles in the same season. Harvick has one pole, three top-five and five top-10 finishes in 11 Cup Series starts at RIR and has led in six of those 11 races for a total of 487 laps.

“I usually run pretty well at Richmond in the Cup car and the Busch car, and obviously both teams have done a great job with the cars this year,” said Harvick. “Richmond is one of those tracks where you have to really be on top of your game every lap. Being able to win three Busch Series races in a row and make the Chase in one weekend would be incredible.”

Regarding his strong Cup Series performance in May at Richmond, Harvick said, “It was a great showing for us. We led the most laps and ran really well, but I didn’t close the deal. This time I want to close the deal and move up two spots. The last two years we have been on the outside looking in, and that’s not where we feel we should be this year.”

Harvick also will aim to reach several impressive career milestones in Busch Series competition on Friday night, where he could become only the second driver to win three consecutive Busch Series races at RIR. Harry Gant completed the hat trick after winning three in a row from 1991 to 1992. Furthermore, Harvick could become the fifth driver to sweep both Busch Series races at RIR in one season. Butch Lindley (1982), Gant (1991), Mark Martin (1993), and Jimmy Spencer (2001) swept in previous years. Additionally, Harvick could tie Gant for second in all-time Busch Series wins (four) at RIR, putting him only one behind Mark Martin. Harvick has one pole, three wins, seven top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 11 Busch Series starts at RIR and has led in five of those 11 races for a total of 343 laps.

No. 29 GM Goodwrench driver Kevin Harvick about Richmond International Raceway and the Chase…

Does the pressure of the Chase make you race any differently?

“No, not really. You go out and race as hard as you can every lap, and you try to put yourself in a position to win. If you can’t do that, you try to take everything you can out of the day. To me you go out and do the same things no matter if you are in the Chase or out of the Chase. You go as hard as you can go and try not to take any chances that would make you crash or put you in an awkward position.”
What do you think the turning point for the No. 29 team has been this year?

“I don’t really know. I think the beginning of the summer was really good to us, but actually, all summer long we have been strong. The cars have been strong all year. It was just that we had some bad luck at the beginning of the year. But once we got rid of that and things started going the right way, the performance of our cars was still there. So, I think it was probably after the first eight or 10 races where we were able to shake some of the bad luck.”

Points of Interest…

· Track Stat…
In 11 starts at RIR, Harvick has three top-five and five top-10 finishes. He sat on the pole and finished 10th in this race a year ago and third in May. Harvick has led in six of his 11 Richmond races for a total of 487 laps.

· Avg. Start/Avg. Finish...

Harvick’s average starting position at Richmond is 21.2, with his best start of first coming in 2005 (he went on to finish 10th). His average finishing position is 14.0, with a best finish of second coming in 2001 (he started 22nd).
· In the Loop...

According to NASCAR’s pre-race Loop Data statistics, Harvick leads the most categories at Richmond. He leads a total of four categories, including Driver Rating (125.5), Average Running Position (3.855), Fastest Drivers Early in a Run, and Fastest Drivers on the Frontstretch.

· Richmond Race in May…

Harvick had the dominant race car in May during the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond but came up two spots short of pulling off back-to-back weekend sweeps, finishing third. After starting eighth, Harvick took the lead on lap 50 and went on to lead a race high 272 of the scheduled 400 laps before a set of older tires doomed his chances for a victory.

· Chase for the NEXTEL Cup…

Harvick finished 15th last weekend at California Speedway to remain third in the NNCS standings for the fourth consecutive race. He will clinch a spot in the Chase with a finish of 39th or better at Richmond. Harvick ranked 15th in the standings at this point in 2005. He has 10 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 2006. Harvick has been running at the finish in the last 37 races, the series’ longest current streak. If Harvick and teammate Jeff Burton make the Chase, it would mark the first such participation by Richard Childress Racing.

·· Runnin’ It...

Harvick will be behind the wheel of chassis No. 167 this weekend at RIR. It was a brand new short-track chassis that was built for the one-mile type tracks. It made its debut under the lights and drove Harvick to victory lane at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, April 22nd. It also drove Harvick to a third place finish at RIR in May where he led a race high 272 laps.

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