Well it’s here. The final regular season race of the 2017 NASCAR season happens Saturday night. The newly renamed Richmond Raceway is the host for the Federated Auto Parts 400. It will be the second and final time that NASCAR makes a stop at the .75-nile Virginia track. Last time the MENCS came to the track, Joey Logano won the race, only to have it ruled an encumbered finish and thus not counting towards a playoff spot. Richmond is the longest of the “short tracks” but it still contains much of the characteristics of the other short tracks in Bristol and Martinsville.
Track Data
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Avg. | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Joey Logano | 4.2 | 5.4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 144 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 104.7 | -1.2 | 36 | 7.20 |
Denny Hamlin | 9.8 | 7.6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 263 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 108.8 | 2.2 | 65.75 | 13.15 |
Kurt Busch | 6.4 | 8.4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 349 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 105.4 | -2 | 87.25 | 17.45 |
Matt Kenseth | 5.4 | 15.2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 521 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 112.4 | -9.8 | 130.25 | 26.05 |
Kevin Harvick | 7.4 | 6.2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 76 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 110.7 | 1.2 | 19 | 3.80 |
Brad Keselowski | 9.6 | 8.4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 125 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 108.5 | 1.2 | 31.25 | 6.25 |
Jimmie Johnson | 15 | 7.4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 44 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 96.4 | 7.6 | 11 | 2.20 |
Kyle Busch | 7.3 | 7.25 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 88 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 109.7 | 0.05 | 22 | 5.50 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 10.6 | 12.8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 193 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 97.6 | -2.2 | 48.25 | 9.65 |
Jamie McMurray | 16.2 | 9.2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 92.9 | 7 | 1 | 0.20 |
Kasey Kahne | 18.8 | 11.2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 84.2 | 7.6 | 0 | 0.00 |
Aric Almirola | 24.6 | 14.2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 76.2 | 10.4 | 0 | 0.00 |
Kyle Larson | 11.6 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 92 | 0.6 | 5 | 1.00 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 20.8 | 15.5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 30 | 0 | 82.6 | 5.3 | 0 | 0.00 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 16.2 | 18.4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 0 | 71.8 | -2.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Clint Bowyer | 24.6 | 17.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 33 | 0 | 71.2 | 6.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Ryan Newman | 15.6 | 16.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 7 | 28 | 0 | 78.8 | -1.2 | 6.25 | 1.25 |
Chase Elliott | 21.8 | 17.75 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 73.2 | 4.05 | 0 | 0.00 |
Trevor Bayne | 25.2 | 18.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 24 | 0 | 67 | 7 | 0 | 0.00 |
Danica Patrick | 21.2 | 20.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 25 | 0 | 59.5 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Austin Dillon | 17.8 | 21.4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 27 | 0 | 70.4 | -3.6 | 0 | 0.00 |
David Ragan | 19.2 | 23.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 34 | 1 | 60.1 | -4 | 0 | 0.00 |
A.J. Allmendinger | 14.6 | 23.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 37 | 0 | 62.2 | -9.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Daniel Suarez | 11 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 61.6 | -1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Chris Buescher | 29 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 34 | 0 | 51.7 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 |
Paul Menard | 23.8 | 25.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 40 | 1 | 58.1 | -1.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Michael McDowell | 31.3 | 28.5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 42 | 1 | 42.5 | 2.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Jeffrey Earnhardt | 38.8 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 40 | 0 | 28.9 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 0.13 |
Ty Dillon | 24 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 68.7 | -2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Landon Cassill | 28.4 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 36 | 0 | 51.5 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.00 |
Gray Gaulding | 31 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 34.7 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Corey LaJoie | 34 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 34.4 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Matt DiBenedetto | 32.6 | 33.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 37 | 1 | 36.8 | -1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Cole Whitt | 33.7 | 33.67 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 38 | 0 | 40.8 | 0.03 | 0 | 0.00 |
Ryan Blaney | 17 | 34.33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 39 | 1 | 48.4 | -17.33 | 0 | 0.00 |
Reed Sorenson | 37.8 | 34.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 41 | 0 | 31.7 | 3 | 0 | 0.00 |
Erik Jones | 20 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 38 | 1 | 24.2 | -18 | 0 | 0.00 |
B.J. McLeod | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Derrike Cope | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Cody Ware | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Top-15 Drivers at Richmond Raceway Historically
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Kyle Busch | 12.2 | 7.33 | 24 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 1,019 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 4.87 | 254.75 | 10.61 |
Kevin Harvick | 14.4 | 10.3 | 33 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 30 | 1,061 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 0 | 4.1 | 265.25 | 8.04 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 16.6 | 13.71 | 35 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 28 | 501 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 2.89 | 125.25 | 3.58 |
Denny Hamlin | 10.4 | 9.77 | 22 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 1,653 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 0.63 | 413.25 | 18.78 |
Jimmie Johnson | 12.5 | 15.87 | 31 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 461 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 1 | -3.37 | 115.25 | 3.72 |
Matt Kenseth | 17.8 | 16.14 | 35 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 23 | 924 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 2 | 1.66 | 231 | 6.60 |
Kurt Busch | 17.1 | 15.82 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 806 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 1.28 | 201.5 | 6.11 |
Joey Logano | 10.5 | 12.47 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 190 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 1 | -1.97 | 47.5 | 2.79 |
Clint Bowyer | 14.7 | 12.87 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 348 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 1 | 1.83 | 87 | 3.78 |
Ryan Newman | 12.7 | 12.1 | 31 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 28 | 479 | 1 | 1 | 39 | 0 | 0.6 | 119.75 | 3.86 |
Kasey Kahne | 14 | 16.52 | 27 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 281 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 2 | -2.52 | 70.25 | 2.60 |
Brad Keselowski | 9.5 | 14.25 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 764 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 | -4.75 | 191 | 11.94 |
Jamie McMurray | 21 | 19.17 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 41 | 4 | 1.83 | 7.25 | 0.25 |
David Ragan | 23.9 | 22.62 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 1 | 1.28 | 0 | 0.00 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 15.2 | 20.04 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 241 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 3 | -4.84 | 60.25 | 2.62 |
Top-15 Drivers at Short Tracks (Since Feb. 2015)
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | |||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5's | Top 10's | Top 20's | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Denny Hamlin | 8.6 | 11.19 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 512 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 99.1 | -2.59 | 128 | 8.00 |
Joey Logano | 4.3 | 10.63 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 792 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 0 | 101.8 | -6.33 | 198 | 12.38 |
Kyle Busch | 7.4 | 12.54 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 1,321 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 3 | 112.6 | -5.14 | 330.25 | 25.40 |
Jimmie Johnson | 14.8 | 9.81 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 217 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 96 | 4.99 | 54.25 | 3.39 |
Matt Kenseth | 9.5 | 16.88 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 953 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 4 | 102.3 | -7.38 | 238.25 | 14.89 |
Kevin Harvick | 12.2 | 10.19 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 679 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 108 | 2.01 | 169.75 | 10.61 |
Brad Keselowski | 9.7 | 14.94 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 406 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 94.4 | -5.24 | 101.5 | 6.34 |
Kurt Busch | 14.4 | 16.38 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 531 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 2 | 90.3 | -1.98 | 132.75 | 8.30 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 20.8 | 19.94 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 1 | 65.7 | 0.86 | 0 | 0.00 |
Austin Dillon | 19.7 | 18.56 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 41 | 2 | 72.2 | 1.14 | 1.5 | 0.09 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 20.4 | 18.31 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 2 | 78.2 | 2.09 | 0 | 0.00 |
Jamie McMurray | 14.4 | 12.31 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 89.1 | 2.09 | 1 | 0.06 |
Clint Bowyer | 22.9 | 17.63 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 71.5 | 5.27 | 0 | 0.00 |
Kyle Larson | 11.5 | 15.33 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 411 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 1 | 93.5 | -3.83 | 102.75 | 6.85 |
Chase Elliott | 13.5 | 15.67 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 82.5 | -2.17 | 9 | 0.75 |
Drivers to watch this week:
Ordinarily I would list five drivers in this section that arise interest at that particular track. However with this being the final week of the regular season, I feel it’s more fitting mention the drivers on the bubble this week. Barring a surprise winner, the 13 drivers that have already won this year, plus the three drivers with the most points will make up the field of 16. Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray are the three drivers in on points at the moment, and have a hefty lead over the 17th place driver, Clint Bowyer. The aforementioned Bowyer, Erik Jones, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Trevor Bayne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are the six drivers closest to the bubble, though all need a win to make it into the Chase next week in Chicago. Of that group, Jr. has the best history at the track with three career wins and 10 top-fives in 35 races here. Logano “won” the spring race to give him two career wins at Richmond, and he and Bowyer have very similar records at the .75-mile oval. With so much on the line, practice times and knowing the changes each team makes is most important this week.