Racing Insights: Who will rule the Richmond Raceway night?
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Nothing beats Saturday night short-track racing. The NASCAR Cup Series converges in the River City for its annual stop at Richmond Raceway (7 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), where tempers -- along with postseason urgency -- could surely rise.
Three races remain until the 16-driver Chase field is set, and bubble drivers are running out of time to make a summer upswing. Meanwhile, championship contenders continue jockeying for position atop the standings, hoping for the greatest head start possible once Darlington Raceway arrives next month.
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Many of the same challengers from last weekend at Iowa Speedway remain in play as the series shifts eastward. Ty Gibbs could continue his summer heater and bank a second consecutive win. All three Team Penske drivers thrive at short tracks, especially Richmond, as evidenced by a trio of top fives last summer. Of course, don't forget about Austin Dillon, the two-time defending Richmond winner.
Time is of the essence this weekend for 400 laps at the "Action Track." Read on to see drivers worth monitoring, as well as Racing Insights' full projected results for Saturday's southern showdown.
DRIVERS TO WATCH
AUSTIN DILLON: The No. 3 Richard Childress Racing driver could make history Saturday, becoming just the fourth driver to win three straight races in the River City. Additionally, no driver since Kevin Harvick at Michigan from 2019-2020 has won three in a row at any track. Dillon is one of just two drivers with multiple Richmond wins in the Next Gen era, and his 198 career laps led at the track are more than double his next highest. Last weekend at Iowa -- a comparable track -- Dillon scored a top 10 in his strongest overall race since finishing sixth at Watkins Glen. Don't be surprised to see the Cup veteran contend for another dub.
JOEY LOGANO: Logano's numbers aren't quite as flashy at Richmond, but he's certainly consistent. In 32 Richmond races, he owns two victories and a whopping 20 top-10 finishes. Over four short-track races this season, Logano sits inside the top five in average running position, average finish and most points earned. His 323 laps led at North Wilkesboro alone top all drivers at this type of venue. Logano has gained 120 points to the cutline over the last five races and now sits a season-best 13th in the season ranks. The three-time series champion is finding his stride at the right time.
DENNY HAMLIN: It's home cooking for the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver, as the nearby Chesterfield, Virginia, native boasts an impressive Richmond track record. He's won at the 0.75-mile track five times, including twice in the Next Gen era, and has placed second or higher in six of the last nine. Widening the scope, Hamlin has finished fifth or better at each of the last 10 traditional oval races on the Cup calendar. He leads the series by 103 markers over the Ty Gibbs -- and it's also the first time all season that Tyler Reddick isn't inside the top two of the standings. Over the last 11 events, Hamlin has outpointed his 23XI driver by 249. With a strong run on Saturday, Hamlin can land the final punch in pursuit of the top Chase seed.
MORE: At-track photos