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Wednesday, September 9, 2015

2015 Week 26 Preview: Richmond

Federated Auto Parts 400

Richmond International Raceway


By Richard Tix

It's the last one. Yes, Richmond International Raceway will be the last chance for a driver not already locked into the Chase to try and make it. The way the new era Chase is set up it leads to race 26 being an exciting one, as if it wasn't already.

Last week at Darlington we didn't see a lot of change. No new 2015 winner and no big points shifts. However, many drivers locked in there Chase spot and wont have to worry about any bad luck situations leaving them out of the Chase.

Some guys are on the inside looking out and have a lot to worry about (Clint Bowyer/Jeff Gordon/Paul Menard). But an even larger list of drivers are on the outside looking in and need a last resort win to get into the Chase (Aric Almirola/Kyle Larson/Greg Biffle among others).

So, will the Chase standings once again stay the same? Or will an outsider creep into the top 16 with a win? You will have to catch the race to find out!



The Good
  • Kevin Harvick- Earlier this year Harvick finished 2nd at Richmond after leading only 2 laps. This time around he will try to get his 4th RIR win and first since 2013. He has back to back top 5's here and right now top 5's are almost a lock for him.
  • Clint Bowyer- No other driver in the top 16 right now needs a good finish or win more than Clint. That's because he is currently the bubble driver in 16th and any win from a guy not in the top 16 and he is out. Luckily, he is pretty good here (2 wins, 4 top 5's. 11 top 10's in 19 starts) including two straight top 10's. 
  • Jeff Gordon- Another driver without a win in 2015 that could desperately use a good finish to make sure he is locked into the Chase. Gordon will take a four race top 10 streak at RIR into the Federated Auto Parts 400 and look to make it 5. If so, he will no doubt be in the Chase (if there is any doubt as it is). 
The Middle
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr- Jr does have three career RIR wins, but the last one was in 2006. That's a lot of races in between. In the last 8 races he hasn't finished higher than 16th, but he also only has 3 top 10's. He hasn't finished poorly, but he just hasn't been great either. 
The Bad
  • Denny Hamlin- Keep in mind, we are going recent results here, because if you include his career he has been solid at RIR. I would assume with how hot JGR is at the moment he will be right around the top 10 mark, if not a top 5. However, he has four straight finishes between 21st and 22nd.
  • Paul Menard- Menard has not been "bad" per say, but this category is laid out that if you are with a decent team (RCR) you will get held to better standards. Menard only has four top 15's in 17 starts (one top 5 in 2013). 
  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Ricky has a small sample size at the Cup level for most tracks, so its hard to judge, but his early career hasn't jumped off the page. At RIR he has five starts and onlye one top 15 (a top 10 in 2013). He only has two top 25 finishes as well, which is the real worry here (and both of those were 2013). 
About the Track: Richmond International Raceway
Track Stats
  • Richard Petty once won 7 RIR races in a row, 9 of 10, and 12 of 17. All were from 1967 to 1975
  • In 2013 Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards won from the 17th and 26th positions. Joey Logano won in 2014 (Spring) from the 17th position as well. 
  • In 2009 and 2010 Kyle Busch won both early season races and Denny Hamlin won both late season. Kyle also won the early season RIR race in 2011 and 2012 making it 5 straight Toyota wins and 6 in 7 (actually 7 of 8 because Bowyer won late in 2012).
  •  Richard Petty has the most career RIR wins with 13.
  • Of current drivers Kyle Busch has the most total wins with 4.
  • Richard Petty also has the most career top 5's (34), top 10's (41), and Poles (tied with Bobby Allison with 8).
Track Info
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Length: 0.75 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns: 14 degrees
    • Frontstretch: 8 degrees
    • Backstretch: 2 degrees

Richmond International Raceway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1953-06
4/19/1953
27
Lee Petty

'53 Dodge
1955-16
5/22/1955
28
Tim Flock
22
'55 Chrysler
1956-12
4/29/1956
24
Buck Baker
1
'56 Dodge
1957-16
5/5/1957
22
Paul Goldsmith
7
'57 Ford
1958-46
9/14/1958
22
Speedy Thompson
1
'57 Chevrolet
1959-23
6/21/1959
22
Tom Pistone
12
'59 T-Bird
1959-38
9/13/1959
16
Cotton Owens
1
'59 T-Bird
1960-19
6/5/1960
19
Lee Petty
10
'60 Plymouth
1960-43
10/23/1960
19
Speedy Thompson
3
'60 Ford
1961-17
4/23/1961
12
Richard Petty
1
'60 Plymouth
1961-44
9/10/1961
25
Joe Weatherly
7
'61 Pontiac
1962-10
4/1/1962
25
Rex White
20
'61 Chevrolet
1962-47
9/9/1962
33
Joe Weatherly
2
'62 Pontiac
1963-15
4/7/1963
25
Joe Weatherly
3
'63 Pontiac
1963-47
9/8/1963
26
Ned Jarrett
7
'63 Ford
1964-09
3/10/1964
27
David Pearson
10
'64 Dodge
1964-53
9/14/1964
33
Cotton Owens
3
'64 Dodge
1965-07
3/7/1965
22
Junior Johnson
1
'65 Ford
1965-49
9/18/1965
37
David Pearson
2
'65 Dodge
1966-19
5/15/1966
30
David Pearson
4
'64 Dodge
1966-44
9/11/1966
29
David Pearson
1
'66 Dodge
1967-16
4/30/1967
24
Richard Petty
1
'67 Plymouth
1967-42
9/10/1967
30
Richard Petty
2
'67 Plymouth
1968-06
3/24/1968
20
David Pearson
16
'68 Ford
1968-41
9/8/1968
28
Richard Petty
1
'68 Plymouth
1969-14
4/13/1969
28
David Pearson
1
'69 Ford
1969-43
9/7/1969
25
Bobby Allison
25
'69 Dodge
1970-05
3/1/1970
26
James Hylton
3
'69 Ford
1970-40
9/13/1970
30
Richard Petty
1
'70 Plymouth
1971-06
3/7/1971
30
Richard Petty
30
'70 Plymouth
1971-46
11/14/1971
30
Richard Petty
11
'71 Plymouth
1972-03
2/27/1972
30
Richard Petty
3
'72 Plymouth
1972-25
9/10/1972
30
Richard Petty
3
'72 Plymouth
1973-03
2/25/1973
30
Richard Petty
8
'73 Dodge
1973-23
9/9/1973
34
Richard Petty
5
'73 Dodge
1974-03
2/24/1974
28
Bobby Allison
1
'74 Chevrolet
1974-24
9/8/1974
27
Richard Petty
1
'74 Dodge
1975-03
2/23/1975
22
Richard Petty
1
'74 Dodge
1975-26
10/12/1975
28
Darrell Waltrip
2
'75 Chevrolet
1976-04
3/7/1976
30
Dave Marcis
2
Dodge
1976-23
9/12/1976
30
Cale Yarborough
6
Chevrolet
1977-03
2/27/1977
30
Cale Yarborough
7
Chevrolet
1977-23
9/11/1977
28
Neil Bonnett
2
Dodge
1978-03
2/26/1978
30
Benny Parsons
3
Chevrolet
1978-23
9/10/1978
30
Darrell Waltrip
1
Chevrolet
1979-04
3/11/1979
30
Cale Yarborough
9
Oldsmobile
1979-24
9/9/1979
26
Bobby Allison
2
Ford
1980-03
2/24/1980
31
Darrell Waltrip
1
Chevrolet
1980-24
9/7/1980
29
Bobby Allison
2
Ford
1981-03
2/22/1981
30
Darrell Waltrip
7
Buick
1981-24
9/13/1981
32
Benny Parsons
4
Ford
1982-02
2/21/1982
32
Dave Marcis
6
Chevrolet
1982-23
9/12/1982
31
Bobby Allison
1
Chevrolet
1983-02
2/27/1983
32
Bobby Allison
6
Chevrolet
1983-23
9/11/1983
30
Bobby Allison
6
Buick
1984-02
2/26/1984
32
Ricky Rudd
4
Ford
1984-23
9/9/1984
30
Darrell Waltrip
1
Chevrolet
1985-02
2/24/1985
30
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1985-21
9/8/1985
30
Darrell Waltrip
22
Chevrolet
1986-02
2/23/1986
31
Kyle Petty
12
Ford
1986-22
9/7/1986
29
Tim Richmond
4
Chevrolet
1987-03
3/8/1987
32
Dale Earnhardt
3
Chevrolet
1987-22
9/13/1987
30
Dale Earnhardt
8
Chevrolet
1988-02
2/21/1988
32
Neil Bonnett
3
Pontiac
1988-22
9/11/1988
36
Davey Allison
1
Ford
1989-04
3/26/1989
36
Rusty Wallace
2
Pontiac
1989-22
9/10/1989
36
Rusty Wallace
6
Pontiac
1990-02
2/25/1990
36
Mark Martin
6
Ford
1990-22
9/9/1990
36
Dale Earnhardt
6
Chevrolet
1991-02
2/24/1991
35
Dale Earnhardt
19
Chevrolet
1991-22
9/7/1991
36
Harry Gant
13
Oldsmobile
1992-03
3/8/1992
35
Bill Elliott
1
Ford
1992-22
9/12/1992
35
Rusty Wallace
3
Pontiac
1993-03
3/7/1993
36
Davey Allison
14
Ford
1993-23
9/11/1993
36
Rusty Wallace
3
Pontiac
1994-03
3/6/1994
37
Ernie Irvan
7
Ford
1994-24
9/10/1994
38
Terry Labonte
3
Chevrolet
1995-03
3/5/1995
38
Terry Labonte
24
Chevrolet
1995-24
9/9/1995
38
Rusty Wallace
7
Ford
1996-03
3/3/1996
40
Jeff Gordon
2
Chevrolet
1996-24
9/7/1996
40
Ernie Irvan
16
Ford
1997-03
3/2/1997
43
Rusty Wallace
7
Ford
1997-24
9/6/1997
42
Dale Jarrett
23
Ford
1998-13
6/6/1998
43
Terry Labonte
16
Chevrolet
1998-25
9/12/1998
43
Jeff Burton
3
Ford
1999-11
5/15/1999
43
Dale Jarrett
21
Ford
1999-25
9/11/1999
43
Tony Stewart
2
Pontiac
2000-11
5/6/2000
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
5
Chevrolet
2000-25
9/9/2000
43
Jeff Gordon
13
Chevrolet
2001-11
5/5/2001
43
Tony Stewart
7
Pontiac
2001-26
9/8/2001
43
Ricky Rudd
9
Ford
2002-11
5/5/2002
43
Tony Stewart
3
Pontiac
2002-26
9/7/2002
43
Matt Kenseth
25
Ford
2003-11
5/3/2003
43
Joe Nemechek
2
Chevrolet
2003-26
9/6/2003
43
Ryan Newman
4
Dodge
2004-11
5/15/2004
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
4
Chevrolet
2004-26
9/11/2004
43
Jeremy Mayfield
7
Dodge
2005-11
5/14/2005
43
Kasey Kahne
1
Dodge
2005-26
9/10/2005
43
Kurt Busch
5
Ford
2006-10
5/6/2006
43
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
10
Chevrolet
2006-26
9/9/2006
43
Kevin Harvick
5
Chevrolet
2007-10
5/6/2007
43
Jimmie Johnson
4
Chevrolet
2007-26
9/8/2007
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2008-10
5/3/2008
43
Clint Bowyer
31
Chevrolet
2008-26
9/7/2008
43
Jimmie Johnson
3
Chevrolet
2009-10
5/2/2009
43
Kyle Busch
14
Toyota
2009-26
9/12/2009
43
Denny Hamlin
3
Toyota
2010-10
5/1/2010
43
Kyle Busch
1
Toyota
2010-26
9/11/2010
43
Denny Hamlin
14
Toyota
2011-09
4/30/2011
43
Kyle Busch
20
Toyota
2011-26
9/10/2011
43
Kevin Harvick
7
Chevrolet
2012-09
4/28/2012
43
Kyle Busch
5
Toyota
2012-26
9/8/2012
43
Clint Bowyer
4
Toyota
2013-09
4/27/2013
43
Kevin Harvick
17
Chevrolet
2013-26
9/7/2013
43
Carl Edwards
26
Ford
2014-09
4/26/2014
43
Joey Logano
17
Ford
2014-26
9/6/2014
43
Brad Keselowski
1
Ford
2015-09
4/26/2015
43
Kurt Busch
3
Chevrolet


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