Jeremy Mayfeld's win at RIR was the first for Ray Evernham's second team. Credit: Autostock

Mayfield's Richmond win better late than never

Jeremy Mayfield's drive to the Nextel Chase for the Championship in 2004 resembled nothing so much as a boxer outclassed for 14 rounds rallying to upset a heavily favored opponent with a single, knockout blow.

His victory at Richmond in the 26th and final race before the Chase vaulted him from 14th to ninth in the final point standings.

Jeremy Mayfield 2004 Stats World of Dodge Driver Page Merchandise

His drive to the Chase went in fits and starts, and it didn't start off very well. In the first 11 races of the season, Mayfield had but one top-five and one top-10 finish.

In the final 15, he earned three more top-fives and nine more top-10s to earn a shot at the title. In the stretch from Lowe's to Dover to Pocono, Mayfield was eighth, eighth and second, and from Chicagoland to New Hampshire to Pocono he was fifth, 10th and ninth.

A seventh at Watkins Glen put him back in the top 10 in points for the first time since the first Bristol race, but consecutive runs of 11th, 22nd and 16th at Michigan, Bristol and California nearly put him out of reach.

However, on a single night at Richmond, Mayfield pulled off exactly what he needed to earn his shot. He won the race, led the most laps and took care of business. If there's any driver on a hot streak now, it's Mayfield.

That victory, the fourth of his career, came 143 races after his third at Pocono in 2000. It also gave Dodge two drivers in the top 10. Both Chevrolet and Ford have four.

Daytona 500: He was 25th, five laps down. Not an encouraging start for Mayfield.

Subway 400 at Rockingham: He was 11th, but just two laps down this time.

UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas: He led a lap for the first time this season, but wound up 14th.

Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta: Everything came together here, as he led and finished second. It was his first top-five of the season.

Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington: A mini-roll of sorts, Mayfield was ninth in his sponsor's event.

Food City 500 at Bristol: He started 16th and finished 17th. Not much else to say.

Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas: An accident relegated him to 34th at the finish, and you know what they say: accidents breed accidents.

Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville: Another accident left him 36th, 110 laps down.

Aaron's 499 at Talladega: He took a provisional and finished 21st. The early-season woes continued.

Auto Club 500 at California: Despite leading a lap, he was 14th and a lap down.

Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond: He led a lap here, too, but his 22nd-place finish did not presage the greatness he would show here in September.

Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's: He was strong all night, finishing eighth and regaining some momentum.

MBNA 400 at Dover: Finishing eighth in this race was a moral victory by itself. Everyone else, it seemed, wasn't so lucky.

Pocono 500: Although the race ended under caution, Mayfield was first in class behind Jimmie Johnson. Having scored two of his three career victories at Pocono, Mayfield is always strong.

DHL 400 at Michigan: Matching one's car number in the final rundown is OK if you have a single-digit number. When it's 19, that can be disappointing.

Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma: A crash put him in 30th place. Par for the course on the twisty Sonoma layout.

Pepsi 400 at Daytona: He was 22nd here at night, plus three spots from February, but not all that encouraging.

Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland: He managed to miss the Tony Stewart-Kasey Kahne melee, but had nothing for Stewart later on. Still, he was fifth at the finish.

Siemens 300 at New Hampshire: A top-10 finish is OK in anyone's book, and Mayfield took 10th this day.

Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono: Johnson won again and again Mayfield was stout. He was ninth at the finish.

Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis: Just out of the top 10 in 11th, it was still a solid run.

Sirius at the Glen: His seventh-place finish here set the stage for his eventual rise in the points.

GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan: Again just outside the top 10 in 11th, it was nonetheless a solid points day.

Sharpie 500 at Bristol: Mayfield was in contention here until one of the late-race crashes got him. He was 22nd, four laps down.

Pop Secret 500 at California: He led a lap, but the 16th-place finish had his championship hopes on the ropes.

Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond: When you need to be perfect to achieve a goal, it's a good idea to have a sense of the moment. When he needed it, Mayfield rose off the canvas and led 151 laps to earn his fourth career victory and first in 143 races. He also jumped past teammate Kasey Kahne and ahead of fellow Dodge driver Ryan Newman to end the first Race for the Chase in ninth place in points.