BACK TO GALLERIES
Key Takeaways: Federated Auto Parts
By Zack Albert | Published: September 11, 2016 8
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By Zack Albert, NASCAR.com
A regular-season finale with a relatively calm start gradually turned into a frantic prelude to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs. Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 began with just three caution periods in the first 200 laps, but added a dozen more in the second half, including a red-flag-inducing pileup and an overtime finish at Richmond International Raceway.
With all the variables settled and the 16-driver postseason field finally determined, a look at the key takeaways from a frenzied night at Richmond.
A regular-season finale with a relatively calm start gradually turned into a frantic prelude to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs. Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 began with just three caution periods in the first 200 laps, but added a dozen more in the second half, including a red-flag-inducing pileup and an overtime finish at Richmond International Raceway.
With all the variables settled and the 16-driver postseason field finally determined, a look at the key takeaways from a frenzied night at Richmond.
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Last driver in
Jamie McMurray entered Saturday night's 400-lapper with a 22-point cushion over Ryan Newman, his nearest competition for one of the last remaining Chase berths. He emerged with a solid seventh-place finish, cruising into the playoff field and joining his teammate Kyle Larson -- Saturday's runner-up -- to make a clean Chase sweep for Chip Ganassi Racing.
'Our cars have been so great,' McMurray said of his team's recent upswing in performance. 'The guys at our shop need to be really proud of what they've been able to build the last couple weeks, because it's a lot of fun to drive and to run that quick.'
Jamie McMurray entered Saturday night's 400-lapper with a 22-point cushion over Ryan Newman, his nearest competition for one of the last remaining Chase berths. He emerged with a solid seventh-place finish, cruising into the playoff field and joining his teammate Kyle Larson -- Saturday's runner-up -- to make a clean Chase sweep for Chip Ganassi Racing.
'Our cars have been so great,' McMurray said of his team's recent upswing in performance. 'The guys at our shop need to be really proud of what they've been able to build the last couple weeks, because it's a lot of fun to drive and to run that quick.'
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Newman negated
A disagreement over running room on the race track with former boss Tony Stewart spelled the end of Ryan Newman's dim hopes for racing his way onto the postseason grid. Newman ended his night five laps down in the 28th position, nursing a battered No. 31 Chevrolet to the checkered flag.
Newman missed the Chase for the first time since 2012, and didn't hold back in his post-wreck criticism of Stewart with so much at stake. 'Yeah he seemed to forget that,' Newman said. 'I remember when he has had a lot of stuff on the line and he gets the give and take, but he has never been really one to give back much.'
A disagreement over running room on the race track with former boss Tony Stewart spelled the end of Ryan Newman's dim hopes for racing his way onto the postseason grid. Newman ended his night five laps down in the 28th position, nursing a battered No. 31 Chevrolet to the checkered flag.
Newman missed the Chase for the first time since 2012, and didn't hold back in his post-wreck criticism of Stewart with so much at stake. 'Yeah he seemed to forget that,' Newman said. 'I remember when he has had a lot of stuff on the line and he gets the give and take, but he has never been really one to give back much.'
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Keselowski's konflict
Brad Keselowski, tied for the series lead with four wins this year, managed a fourth-place finish Saturday night at Richmond, but not without ruffling the deadpan temperament of Matt Kenseth. A missed shift by Keselowski on a restart was the first in a sequence of events that forced contact between the two, causing Kenseth to crash for the 12th yellow flag of the night.
'That's all on Brad and I'm sure he'll send a tweet out or go on a TV show and explain how it wasn't his fault but he knows better than that,' said Kenseth, who ran afoul of Keselowski two years ago during playoff time at Charlotte Motor Speedway. '... So, unfortunately, we've got a wrecked car because of it.'
Brad Keselowski, tied for the series lead with four wins this year, managed a fourth-place finish Saturday night at Richmond, but not without ruffling the deadpan temperament of Matt Kenseth. A missed shift by Keselowski on a restart was the first in a sequence of events that forced contact between the two, causing Kenseth to crash for the 12th yellow flag of the night.
'That's all on Brad and I'm sure he'll send a tweet out or go on a TV show and explain how it wasn't his fault but he knows better than that,' said Kenseth, who ran afoul of Keselowski two years ago during playoff time at Charlotte Motor Speedway. '... So, unfortunately, we've got a wrecked car because of it.'
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One for the underdogs
Chris Buescher, last year's XFINITY Series champ, took an uneven road to clinch his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth Saturday night. Buescher, a winner at Pocono last month, actually moved up a spot in the series standings to accomplish the necessary top-30 ranking for postseason eligibility
Buescher finished 24th as the last car on the lead lap, completing a day that included losing a lap early, regaining his lead-lap status with the free pass, scraping by an eight-car pileup late and withstanding an unscheduled pit stop with a deflating tire.
Chris Buescher, last year's XFINITY Series champ, took an uneven road to clinch his first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth Saturday night. Buescher, a winner at Pocono last month, actually moved up a spot in the series standings to accomplish the necessary top-30 ranking for postseason eligibility
Buescher finished 24th as the last car on the lead lap, completing a day that included losing a lap early, regaining his lead-lap status with the free pass, scraping by an eight-car pileup late and withstanding an unscheduled pit stop with a deflating tire.
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Hendrick hampered?
Hendrick Motorsports placed just two of its drivers in the 16-car Chase field. While plenty of teams would be pleased to secure a multi-pronged postseason bid, it falls short of the standards expected by car magnate and organization head Rick Hendrick.
Only Kasey Kahne found a spot among the top 10 at Richmond, but his charge was not enough to land a Chase spot. With Hendrick's No. 88 driver's seat in flux in the wake of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s absence with concussion-like symptoms, only Jimmie Johnson and rookie Chase Elliott will represent Hendrick in the 10-race title hunt.
Hendrick Motorsports placed just two of its drivers in the 16-car Chase field. While plenty of teams would be pleased to secure a multi-pronged postseason bid, it falls short of the standards expected by car magnate and organization head Rick Hendrick.
Only Kasey Kahne found a spot among the top 10 at Richmond, but his charge was not enough to land a Chase spot. With Hendrick's No. 88 driver's seat in flux in the wake of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s absence with concussion-like symptoms, only Jimmie Johnson and rookie Chase Elliott will represent Hendrick in the 10-race title hunt.
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JGR peaking
Two drivers with ties to Joe Gibbs Racing -- race winner Denny Hamlin and Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr. -- led 382 of 407 laps Saturday night, another exhibit in an impressive show of strength in 2016. All five JGR-affiliated drivers easily clinched Chase eligibility, winning 13 of the 26 regular-season races to build momentum for the playoffs
But only four can make the case for championship contention in the Nov. 20 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 'I know there's five of us -- we can't all five make the race at Homestead,' Truex said, 'but we're going to try to get at least four of them there, so we'll see what we can do.'
Two drivers with ties to Joe Gibbs Racing -- race winner Denny Hamlin and Furniture Row Racing's Martin Truex Jr. -- led 382 of 407 laps Saturday night, another exhibit in an impressive show of strength in 2016. All five JGR-affiliated drivers easily clinched Chase eligibility, winning 13 of the 26 regular-season races to build momentum for the playoffs
But only four can make the case for championship contention in the Nov. 20 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 'I know there's five of us -- we can't all five make the race at Homestead,' Truex said, 'but we're going to try to get at least four of them there, so we'll see what we can do.'
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Harvick seems happy
One week after a series of pit-road miscues hindered Kevin Harvick's chances of winning at Darlington Raceway, the former Sprint Cup champ finished fifth with new personnel going over the wall to service his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet.
The changes seemed to help, and Harvick was largely upbeat with his team communications. Crew chief Rodney Childers gleefully reported back that the No. 4 team's final pit stop clocked in at a swift 10.8 seconds.
'Every time you came out, you're really, really happy with the way that they stepped up,' said Harvick. 'That's what this is all about.'
One week after a series of pit-road miscues hindered Kevin Harvick's chances of winning at Darlington Raceway, the former Sprint Cup champ finished fifth with new personnel going over the wall to service his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet.
The changes seemed to help, and Harvick was largely upbeat with his team communications. Crew chief Rodney Childers gleefully reported back that the No. 4 team's final pit stop clocked in at a swift 10.8 seconds.
'Every time you came out, you're really, really happy with the way that they stepped up,' said Harvick. 'That's what this is all about.'