First Short-Track Race For New Car

Richmond hosts the third of four debut races for the NASCAR Nationwide Series new car this year, and the event also will be its first on a short track.

When series owners met with NASCAR’s competition executives last summer, the consensus was to race at tracks of varying length. The first race was July 1 at Daytona’s 2.5-mile high-banked superspeedway, where Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in a Chevrolet Impala. Brad Keselowski drove his Dodge Challenger to the win in Race No. 2 at Michigan’s 2-mile flatter, wider surface on Aug. 14.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION NATIONWIDE SERIES CAR

Keselowski, the driver standings leader, won at Richmond in the spring. Carl Edwards, who will drive a Ford Mustang, is the defending winner of this race.

After Richmond’s .75-mile oval, the new car has one more race this year, Oct. 15 on the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway. That will be the last new car race until 2011, when it will be introduced fulltime into the series.

There will be an extended practice day on Thursday from 9 a.m. – noon and 1-4 p.m., and a press conference at 12:30 p.m. in the RIR infield media center featuring NASCAR Nationwide Series director Joe Balash, Keselowski, two-time series champion and four-time RIR winner Kevin Harvick and Paul Menard, currently sixth in the driver standings. Following the afternoon session, there will be an autograph session featuring series drivers from 4:30-5:15 p.m. at the RIR Amphitheater, outside Turn 1. The extended practice sessions and autograph session are free; fans will need to secure a wristband for the autograph session. They will be distributed at 3 p.m. at Gate 40, the same entry for extended practice seating.

Chase Qualifiers: A Closer Look At Elite Group

The 10 drivers who have already qualified for the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup are an elite group to say the least. Collectively, they have combined to win 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships.

Check out the following, further info about those 10:

1 – Kevin Harvick
· A leading candidate for the Comeback Driver of the Year in 2010.
· Points leader the majority of the regular season.
· Has led the charge for the resurgence of Richard Childress Racing in 2010.
· A championship for RCR would be Childress’ first since the late Dale Earnhardt in 1994.
· Harvick is prime example of a NASCAR contender that progressed up through the ranks – won the 1998 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship and is a two-time Nationwide Series champion (2001, 2006).
· He and his wife, DeLana, are entrenched in NASCAR racing, as they are team owners in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series.

2 – Jeff Gordon
· Contending for his 5th series championship – which would rank 2nd all-time behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (both with 7). His last series crown came in 2001.
· Family man – his family expanded this summer with the birth of his second child – a son, Leo.

3 – Kyle Busch
· 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion – can he capture his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crown?
· Recognized as one of the most talented drivers in the sport – he has success across all three national series.
· Can he rebound from last year’s disappointing season of not making the Chase?
· Started his racing career at the NWAAS Bullring at Las Vegas Speedway.

4 – Tony Stewart
· Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion – can he add a third title and become the first driver-owner to win the championship since Alan Kulwicki did it in 1992?
· Former open wheel driver who had success in both forms of motorsports.

5 – Carl Edwards
· In 2008, he won eight races – since then he’s been winless in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – can he put together a championship run during the Chase?
· Another example of a driver progressing through the ranks – winning two track championships in NWAAS divisions, then racing trucks and Nationwide Series

6 – Jeff Burton
· Along with Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer, has been key cog in the resurgence of RCR.
· Considered one of NASCAR’s greatest ambassadors; has talked about a career in politics after racing.
· Started racing in the Pure Stock Division at his hometown track in South Boston (Va.).

7 – Jimmie Johnson
· Will he be successful in his quest for an unprecedented 5th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship?
· Unbelievable chemistry with crew chief Chad Knaus?
· Became a father this year?
· Have his accomplishments received the attention they are due? How does this type of dominance rank when compared to other sports?

8 – Matt Kenseth
· 2003 series champion – he is the last champion under the former points structure.
· Often considered to be one of those drivers “under the radar” but consistently a threat to win races and titles.
· NASCAR Home Track product, competing in NASCAR’s Elite Division in 1995 before working his way up through the national series.
· His son, Ross, is becoming quite the driver himself.
· Can he, Edwards and Biffle lead a charge for Roush Fenway during the Chase?

9 – Kurt Busch
· His 2004 series championship was the first under the Chase format.
· He has led the charge for the Dodge contingent
· Two wins in 2010 – first Atlanta and the Coke 600.

10 – Denny Hamlin
· His five wins in 2010 tie him with Jimmie Johnson for the most in the series.
· Knee surgery early in the year; he’s rebounded admirably.
· Defending race champion at Richmond – considered to be his “hometown” track.
· At mid-season, he was considered to be one of the top contenders to unseat Johnson – can he take the next step to claim his first national series title?
· Another product of NASCAR’s “Home Track” program – he raced late models in Virginia and became the youngest driver (16) to win the NWAAS Mini Stock championship at Langley Speedway at the age of 16.

The 12 drivers who qualify for the Chase will have their point totals re-set to 5,000. They then will get 10 bonus points for each pre-Chase victory; those new totals establish the Chase seedings.

Currently, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have five victories apiece and thus, a total of 50 bonus points each. They’ll start the Chase seeded 1-2 (Johnson gets the top seed via the traditional tiebreak of next-best finishes).

How important are the bonus points? Consider: Jeff Gordon currently is second in the series standings and has secured a Chase berth but because he has no race wins this year, he’s destined to have the lowest point total (tied with several others) to start the Chase – 5,000. Unless he wins Saturday night at Richmond, which would give him 5,010.

Guys to watch as they try to win Saturday: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, currently tied with three wins apiece. If one of them wins at Richmond, they’ll start the Chase seeded third with 5,040 points, only 10 behind Johnson and Hamlin.

Jeff Burton got a chance to wheel some of the machines that sponsor his #31 car at Daytona International Speedway this week as part of their repaving project.   He was also presented with a chunk of the old track to keep as a souvenir and helped bury a time capsule to be opened during the NEXT repaving.

Photo Credit: NASCAR Media

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SHOW #126 – We recap the amazing race at Atlanta. Discuss the Bodine / Busch feud, What drivers are locked in, Richmond agendas, talk with Richard Childress and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop

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CREDITS:
Hosts: Kerry Murphey & Paul Northrop
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Voice Over: Thomas Moog