Pit Road: Week 9

Richmond International Raceway

For the first time in 3 races Nascar has a first time winner on the 2013 season. After Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth all notched there second win in the 2013 season Kevin Harvick finally got on a roll and won his first. (Also the first time in 3 weeks the Pole winner didn't win the race). Just like this early season, Harvick wasn't dominant all night but he had a good car and hung around. At the end of the night Harvick only led 3 laps but got the last one which is what mattered most.

The win for Harvick was much needed on the season. Not that he was struggling, but he only had one top 10 previous to Richmond. (He has finishes of 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 13, and 42 on the year). So he has been hanging around but not dominate on the season but this could be what turns his season around.

Other story lines from Richmond: What else can happen to Brad Keselowski in one race? Struggles from Biffle all day long. Kurt and Stewart get heated. Stewart goes from a good day to a normal night in 2013 on the last lap, and Juan Pablo Montoya comes close but can not break his win less streak (now at 93). For full race results check out Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Lets get onto the good stuff: Rising, Coasting, and Falling drivers after Richmond plus the Power Rankings after that.

Rising:

• Juan Pablo Montoya: May not be a long climb up the Nascar Standings, but he had his best race of the season at Richmond. A late caution while he was in the lead made a win even tougher.
• Kevin Harvick: He has been consistent this season, but it has been in the 12th-14th place range. That is enough to keep you around but after a night like Saturday his chances at the Chase look much better.
• Jeff Burton: This maybe the same situation that Montoya is in, but Burton had his best race of the year Saturday night.
• Joey Logano: Seems like a lot of guys got a much needed finish at Richmond. After week after week of bad luck JoLo finished 3rd

Coasting:

• Clint Bowyer: 4 top 10's in 9 races and 5 top 10's, this has been a nice little season for Bowyer. After last years Chase run, I think Bowyer is a driver to keep and eye on.

Falling:

• Brad Keselowski: This really was out of BK's hands. Another long night looked like he was going to salvage it into a top 10 until he went down a cylinder and it finished his night.
• Marcus Ambrose: Ambrose just can't get anything going. Another tough week for him saw the #9 head behind the wall very early.
• Brian Vickers: After filling in for Denny Hamlin and showing his ability to finish well he has had back to back poor weeks. His run in the #11 maybe coming to and end as well as long as DH can come back for Dega.

Pit Road (Week 9 Power Rankings)

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- He didn't have the best of nights (no laps led, finishing 12th) but who was going to take his spot this week?
2. Matt Kenseth (LW-5)- The climb continues his run to the top. Good night for the #20 team that could have been a long week after losing 50 points that had nothing to do with him or JGR.
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-2)- Finishing 33rd and you only have him falling 1 spot?? "It's just because you like him." No, really its because he was still in the top 10 after hitting the wall early until a cylinder went down on the Red Deuce. Needs a clean race at Dega.
4. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- Guess who is second in points right now? That's right Carl is. On top of that he has a very quiet 6th place finish at Richmond.
5. Clint Bowyer (LW-8)- He moves up with Carl after continuing to finish in the top 5 week after week. Clint is the driver to watch in this top 5 and the biggest sleeper for a Sprint Cup Championship.
6. Kasey Kahne (LW-3)- Richmond was the first time he finished higher then 11th since the second race of the year. Him and Mark Martin got into each other and ruined both of there nights.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-9)- The bad luck avoided Jr for the most part on Saturday and he wound up finishing in tho top 10. Jr is still 3rd in points after a stretch of bad luck problems.
8. Kyle Busch (LW-4)- Well it has been a rough two week fall for Kyle. Could not stay out of trouble at Richmond cost him his 5th straight win in the Spring race. He ended up 24th.
9. Kevin Harvick (LW-NR)- His first win and his first appearance in my Power Rankings for 2013 (Started after week 2 at Phoenix). Harvick has been anything but bad, finishing just outside the top 10 most weeks, but this win was a break through he needed.
10. Paul Menard (LW-10)- Menard is staying consistent in 2013. Who thought when the season started after 9 races (or 25% of the season, or 34% of the way til the Chase) that he would be tied for 9th in the Standings?
11. Aric Almirola (LW-NR)- The standings are starting to get tough, and that means Greg Biffle gets the big fall of the week. (Biffle finished 19th and 36th back to back weeks) Mean while Almirola has a stretch of 7th, 8th, and 8th. Also he sits in a Chase spot for Richard Petty (11th).
12. Greg Biffle (LW-6)- The Biff got really close to falling out of the Rankings, luckily for him this is the week I was planning on adding the 11th and 12th spots. He just had a rough night at Richmond.

**Now that we hit the Quarter season mark and the stretch run to the Chase I will be adding in the 11th and 12th place spots to the Rankings!**

Dropping Out: Greg Biffle (LW-6)
Just Missed: Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano, and Jamie McMurray.

The rankings really are over the place at this point in the season so bad luck maybe coming into play next Sunday at Talladega. Can guys like Kahne and Busch get it turned around? Will this win help Harvick get it going? Can't wait for Sunday! Check back this week for a a Quarter season review of the Nascar season focusing on drivers and story lines from the 2013 season!