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Everything you need to know about Richmond heading into this weekend's final race before Chase
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 NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953.
— 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 for 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.
Notebook
— There have been 112 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond since the track opened in 1953.
— The current 400-lap race length was established on the .542-mile measurement in March 1976.
— Buck Baker won the pole in 1953.
— Lee Petty won the first race in April 1953.
— There have been 50 different pole winners, led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty (eight).
— Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers with five poles each.
— 47 different drivers have posted victories at Richmond, led by Richard Petty (13).
— Kyle Busch leads all active race winners with four.
— Petty Enterprises has won 15 races at Richmond, more than any other team. Hendrick Motorsports has the second most wins with 10.
— 63 of 112 races have been won from the top five starting positions, including 22 from the pole.
— The last driver to win from the pole was Kyle Busch on May 1, 2010.
— The furthest back in the field a race winner has started was 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the 2008 spring race.
— Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Kyle Busch (4.7), Denny Hamlin (7.3) are the only active drivers with an average finish in the top 10.
— Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race at Richmond, on Feb. 23, 1986. Richard Petty posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee Petty won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
— Three of the last five races have had a margin of victory less than one second.
— Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Richmond International Raceway winner: Richard Petty (04/23/1961 – 23 years, 9 months, 21 days)
— Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Richmond International Raceway winner: Harry Gant (09/07/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 28 days)
Making the Chase
— Four drivers have come from outside the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cut-off to make the Chase at Richmond:
Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 made up a 55-point deficit
Ryan Newman in 2005 made up a one-point deficit
Kasey Kahne in 2006 made up a 30-point deficit
Brian Vickers in 2009 made up a 20-point deficit
— Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2011 to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Richmond International Raceway Data
Race #: 26 of 36 (09-08-12)
Track Size: 0.75-miles
Banking/Corners: 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
Top 12 Driver Rating at Richmond
Denny Hamlin............................ 117.2
Kyle Busch............................... 116.1
Kevin Harvick............................ 111.6
Tony Stewart............................... 97.4
Clint Bowyer............................... 96.4
Jeff Gordon................................ 96.2
Ryan Newman............................. 92.4
Mark Martin................................. 91.7
Kurt Busch.................................. 90.8
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 89.6
Carl Edwards.............................. 89.1
Kasey Kahne.............................. 86.6
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) at Richmond International Raceway.
Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner:
David Reutimann, Toyota (127.383 mph, 21.196 sec., 09-08-11)
2011 race winner:
Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet (89.910 mph, 3:20:12, 09-10-11)
Track qualifying record:
Brian Vickers, Chevrolet (129.983 mph, 20.772 sec., 5-14-04)
Track race record:
Dale Jarrett, Ford (109.047 mph, 2:45:04, 9-6-97)
NASCAR in Virginia
— There have been 276 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia.
Martinsville Speedway,127
Richmond International Raceway, 112
Langley Field Speedway, 9
Norfolk Speedway, 2
Old Dominion Speedway, 7
Princess Anne Speedway, 1
South Boston Speedway, 10
Southside Speedway, 4
Starkey Speedway, 4
Drivers from Virginia
— 165 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Virginia.
— There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:
Joe Weatherly
Ricky Rudd
Jeff Burton
Denny Hamlin
Curtis Turner
Ward Burton
Glen Wood
Elliott Sadler
Emanuel Zervakis
Lennie Pond
Wendell Scott
Tommy Ellis
Jimmy Hensley
Rick Mast
Hermie Sadler
Elton Sawyer
Stacy Compton
Jon Wood
DRIVER-SPECIFIC STATISTICS AT RICHMOND
Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)
— One win, one top five, seven top 10s
— Average finish of 10.2
— Average Running Position of 10.7, fourth-best
— Driver Rating of 96.4, fifth-best
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.431 mph, seventh-fastest
— 3,968 Laps in the Top 15 (76.2%), sixth-most
— 411 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 51 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet)
— One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
— Average finish of 17.9
— Average Running Position of 14.8, ninth-best
— Driver Rating of 90.8, ninth-best
— 299 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.449 mph, sixth-fastest
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
— Four wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 4.7
— Average Running Position of 7.3, second-best
— Driver Rating of 116.1, second-best
— 503 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.901 mph, second-fastest
— 5,292 Laps in the Top 15 (88.1%), second-most
— 453 Quality Passes, third-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew / National Guard Chevrolet)
— Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
— Average finish of 13.9
— Average Running Position of 15.8, 13th-best
— Driver Rating of 84.2, 13th-best
— 280 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
— 793 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Kellogg’s Ford)
— Three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 14.8
— Average Running Position of 15.1, 10th-best
— Driver Rating of 89.1, 11th-best
— 241 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
— 745 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.332 mph, 11th-fastest
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)
— Two wins, 15 top fives, 24 top 10s; five poles
— Average finish of 14.7
— Average Running Position of 13.8, eighth-best
— Driver Rating of 96.2, sixth-best
— 302 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.462 mph, fifth-fastest
— 3,879 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), seventh-most
— 355 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)
— Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 7.3
— Series-best Average Running Position of 6.1
— Series-best Driver Rating of 117.2
— Series-high 521 Fastest Laps Run
— Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 116.921 mph
— 4,836 Laps in the Top 15 (92.8%), third-most
— 373 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
— Two wins, six top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 11.8
— Average Running Position of 7.4, third-best
— Driver Rating of 111.6, third-best
— 421 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.763 mph, third-fastest
— Series-high 5,525 Laps in the Top 15 (91.9%)
— Series-high 488 Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
— Three wins, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 16.7
— Average Running Position of 15.7, 12th-best
— Driver Rating of 89.6, 10th-best
— 215 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.319 mph, 12th-fastest
— 3,361 Laps in the Top 15 (55.9%), 13th-most
— 345 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Quaker State Chevrolet)
— One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 18.4
— Driver Rating of 86.6, 12th-best
— 279 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
— 698 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.344 mph, 10th-fastest
— 3,396 Laps in the Top 15 (56.5%), 12th-most
— 345 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
— One win, 17 top fives, 29 top 10s; five poles
— Average finish of 12.1
— Average Running Position of 13.4, seventh-best
— Driver Rating of 91.7, eighth-best
— 158 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.412 mph, eighth-fastest
— 3,722 Laps in the Top 15 (61.9%), eighth-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)
— One win, five top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 11.8
— Average Running Position of 11.3, fifth-best
— Driver Rating of 92.4, seventh-best
— 727 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.371 mph, ninth-fastest
— 4,777 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), fourth-most
— 464 Quality Passes, second-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
— Three wins, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s
— Average finish of 10.6
— Average Running Position of 11.8, sixth-best
— Driver Rating of 97.4, fourth-best
— 738 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.590 mph, fourth-fastest
— 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 NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953.
— 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 for 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.
Notebook
— There have been 112 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Richmond since the track opened in 1953.
— The current 400-lap race length was established on the .542-mile measurement in March 1976.
— Buck Baker won the pole in 1953.
— Lee Petty won the first race in April 1953.
— There have been 50 different pole winners, led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty (eight).
— Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers with five poles each.
— 47 different drivers have posted victories at Richmond, led by Richard Petty (13).
— Kyle Busch leads all active race winners with four.
— Petty Enterprises has won 15 races at Richmond, more than any other team. Hendrick Motorsports has the second most wins with 10.
— 63 of 112 races have been won from the top five starting positions, including 22 from the pole.
— The last driver to win from the pole was Kyle Busch on May 1, 2010.
— The furthest back in the field a race winner has started was 31st, by Clint Bowyer in the 2008 spring race.
— Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Kyle Busch (4.7), Denny Hamlin (7.3) are the only active drivers with an average finish in the top 10.
— Kyle Petty became the first third-generation NASCAR race winner when he won his first race at Richmond, on Feb. 23, 1986. Richard Petty posted his first Richmond victory in 1961 and Lee Petty won the very first Richmond race in 1953.
— Three of the last five races have had a margin of victory less than one second.
— Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Richmond International Raceway winner: Richard Petty (04/23/1961 – 23 years, 9 months, 21 days)
— Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Richmond International Raceway winner: Harry Gant (09/07/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 28 days)
Making the Chase
— Four drivers have come from outside the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cut-off to make the Chase at Richmond:
Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 made up a 55-point deficit
Ryan Newman in 2005 made up a one-point deficit
Kasey Kahne in 2006 made up a 30-point deficit
Brian Vickers in 2009 made up a 20-point deficit
— Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are the two drivers that clinched the Wild Card in 2011 to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Richmond International Raceway Data
Race #: 26 of 36 (09-08-12)
Track Size: 0.75-miles
Banking/Corners: 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
Top 12 Driver Rating at Richmond
Denny Hamlin............................ 117.2
Kyle Busch............................... 116.1
Kevin Harvick............................ 111.6
Tony Stewart............................... 97.4
Clint Bowyer............................... 96.4
Jeff Gordon................................ 96.2
Ryan Newman............................. 92.4
Mark Martin................................. 91.7
Kurt Busch.................................. 90.8
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 89.6
Carl Edwards.............................. 89.1
Kasey Kahne.............................. 86.6
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) at Richmond International Raceway.
Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner:
David Reutimann, Toyota (127.383 mph, 21.196 sec., 09-08-11)
2011 race winner:
Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet (89.910 mph, 3:20:12, 09-10-11)
Track qualifying record:
Brian Vickers, Chevrolet (129.983 mph, 20.772 sec., 5-14-04)
Track race record:
Dale Jarrett, Ford (109.047 mph, 2:45:04, 9-6-97)
NASCAR in Virginia
— There have been 276 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Virginia.
Martinsville Speedway,127
Richmond International Raceway, 112
Langley Field Speedway, 9
Norfolk Speedway, 2
Old Dominion Speedway, 7
Princess Anne Speedway, 1
South Boston Speedway, 10
Southside Speedway, 4
Starkey Speedway, 4
Drivers from Virginia
— 165 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Virginia.
— There have been 18 race winners from Virginia in NASCAR’s three national series:
Joe Weatherly
Ricky Rudd
Jeff Burton
Denny Hamlin
Curtis Turner
Ward Burton
Glen Wood
Elliott Sadler
Emanuel Zervakis
Lennie Pond
Wendell Scott
Tommy Ellis
Jimmy Hensley
Rick Mast
Hermie Sadler
Elton Sawyer
Stacy Compton
Jon Wood
DRIVER-SPECIFIC STATISTICS AT RICHMOND
Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)
— One win, one top five, seven top 10s
— Average finish of 10.2
— Average Running Position of 10.7, fourth-best
— Driver Rating of 96.4, fifth-best
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.431 mph, seventh-fastest
— 3,968 Laps in the Top 15 (76.2%), sixth-most
— 411 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 51 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet)
— One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
— Average finish of 17.9
— Average Running Position of 14.8, ninth-best
— Driver Rating of 90.8, ninth-best
— 299 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.449 mph, sixth-fastest
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
— Four wins, 12 top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 4.7
— Average Running Position of 7.3, second-best
— Driver Rating of 116.1, second-best
— 503 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.901 mph, second-fastest
— 5,292 Laps in the Top 15 (88.1%), second-most
— 453 Quality Passes, third-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew / National Guard Chevrolet)
— Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
— Average finish of 13.9
— Average Running Position of 15.8, 13th-best
— Driver Rating of 84.2, 13th-best
— 280 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
— 793 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Kellogg’s Ford)
— Three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 14.8
— Average Running Position of 15.1, 10th-best
— Driver Rating of 89.1, 11th-best
— 241 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
— 745 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.332 mph, 11th-fastest
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)
— Two wins, 15 top fives, 24 top 10s; five poles
— Average finish of 14.7
— Average Running Position of 13.8, eighth-best
— Driver Rating of 96.2, sixth-best
— 302 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.462 mph, fifth-fastest
— 3,879 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), seventh-most
— 355 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)
— Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 7.3
— Series-best Average Running Position of 6.1
— Series-best Driver Rating of 117.2
— Series-high 521 Fastest Laps Run
— Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 116.921 mph
— 4,836 Laps in the Top 15 (92.8%), third-most
— 373 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
— Two wins, six top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 11.8
— Average Running Position of 7.4, third-best
— Driver Rating of 111.6, third-best
— 421 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.763 mph, third-fastest
— Series-high 5,525 Laps in the Top 15 (91.9%)
— Series-high 488 Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
— Three wins, five top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 16.7
— Average Running Position of 15.7, 12th-best
— Driver Rating of 89.6, 10th-best
— 215 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.319 mph, 12th-fastest
— 3,361 Laps in the Top 15 (55.9%), 13th-most
— 345 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Quaker State Chevrolet)
— One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 18.4
— Driver Rating of 86.6, 12th-best
— 279 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
— 698 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.344 mph, 10th-fastest
— 3,396 Laps in the Top 15 (56.5%), 12th-most
— 345 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
— One win, 17 top fives, 29 top 10s; five poles
— Average finish of 12.1
— Average Running Position of 13.4, seventh-best
— Driver Rating of 91.7, eighth-best
— 158 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.412 mph, eighth-fastest
— 3,722 Laps in the Top 15 (61.9%), eighth-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)
— One win, five top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 11.8
— Average Running Position of 11.3, fifth-best
— Driver Rating of 92.4, seventh-best
— 727 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.371 mph, ninth-fastest
— 4,777 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), fourth-most
— 464 Quality Passes, second-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
— Three wins, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s
— Average finish of 10.6
— Average Running Position of 11.8, sixth-best
— Driver Rating of 97.4, fourth-best
— 738 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 116.590 mph, fourth-fastest
posted by Matt Myftiu at
12:29 AM
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