RICHMOND, Va. — For a driver with a two-race winning streak, Kyle Busch wasn’t exuding confidence when he took questions from reporters Friday afternoon at Richmond Raceway.
Busch used to own the spring race at Richmond. He won it four straight years from 2009 through 2012. In each of those years, the race fell on or near his May 2 birthday, and Busch was unabashed about gifting himself with the Richmond trophy.
But times have changed, and so have NASCAR rules. In recent years, Busch hasn’t been able to find the edge he enjoyed during his heyday at the .75-mile short track. And with six dry years in the interim, Busch can hardly remember what it feels like to celebrate in Richmond’s Victory Lane.
“The success is almost forgotten it’s been so long ago,” he said. “So we certainly want to get back to our winning ways and doing a better job of being up front and winning here at Richmond. We’re just kind of missing a little bit.
“There were some rule changes years ago that had some things kind of taken away from our camp and things that we were doing that made us a little bit better than our competition.”
Not surprisingly, Busch eyes Kevin Harvick, a three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner this season, as his foremost competition so far this season. In Friday’s opening practice for the Toyota Owners 400 on Saturday (6:30 p.m. ET,FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Harvick posted the best consecutive 10-lap average speed. Busch was fourth.
“Man, I think we’re pretty equal honestly,” Busch said of comparisons between his No. 18 Toyota and Harvick’s No. 4 Ford. “I think I’ve got to give them the notch a little bit. I think they’re a little bit better than we are. I think (Kyle) Larson’s right there as well, too.”
Point taken. Harvick is a three-time winner at Richmond, but he hasn’t been first to the checkered flag since 2013. Larson, on the other hand, won last year’s fall race at Richmond and posted the fastest lap in Friday’s final practice.
RICHMOND, Va. — Before the excitement of this weekend’s on-track activity began at Richmond Raceway, The NASCAR Foundation was in town Thursday to inspire children in the community to live a healthy lifestyle by staying active and eating well, and in the process, have fun.
Thursday’s second annual Speediatrics Fun Day Festival in Richmond was an initiative of The NASCAR Foundation’s Speediatrics Children’s Fund, which supports needs expressed by hospitals, specialty clinics, camps and other organizations providing medical and health care services in NASCAR racing communities.
Toyota Racing drivers Noah Gragson and Christopher Bell participated in the festival, as well as Richard Childress Racing driver Daniel Hemric. The up-and-coming drivers reflected on their own racing experiences and spoke to children in attendance about the importance of staying fit off the track to their success on the track.
They also showed their competitive nature and competed alongside The NASCAR Foundation mascots Chase and Victory Lane, as well as two members of the Toyota Camry Crew in NASCAR-themed field day activities.
The event also had a greater purpose – providing important healthcare services to children in need from the community.
Through a partnership with Capital Area Health Network (CAHN), children were able to take part in free health screenings, including vision and dental. Referrals were available to CAHN physicians for those children needing follow-up care.
“We love that our NASCAR drivers come out to events like our Speediatrics Fun Day Festival in support of the kids here in the Richmond community,” The NASCAR Foundation Executive Director Nichole Krieger said. “It means a lot to us that they share our passion for providing these important healthcare services to children in our NASCAR communities who need it most.”
Gragson, Bell and Hemric are all leading into an important race weekend in Richmond. Gragson is making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Friday’s ToyotaCare 250. Bell is in his first season driving Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 in the series.
Hemric is competing in the Xfinity Series’ Dash 4 Cash and will also make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut on Saturday night.
In addition to hosting the Speediatrics Fun Day Festival, The NASCAR Foundation is also providing a $20,000 grant to Capital Area Health Network to help provide medical services to children in need in the Richmond area through their mobile health program.
Kyle Larson’s runner-up showing to Kyle Busch in Monday’s rain-delayed race finish at Bristol Motor Speedway stoked some competitive frustration in the fifth-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.
Even four days later, ahead of Saturday night’s race at Richmond Raceway (6:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), it was apparent Larson still felt the sting.
“Yeah, I was mad,” Larson said. “That’s as close as I’ve come to winning a Cup race at Bristol. … That one stung probably more than any Cup win I can kind of think of at this point. … It sucked.”
Larson led a race-high 200 laps at Bristol – nearly twice as many as Busch (who led 117 laps) and the two exchanged the lead four times in the final 119 laps before Busch took the point for good with six laps remaining.
“I’d moved on shortly after because I was really mad when I got back to the bus, and I texted (Busch) about this, but … the first thing I heard when I walked in the bus was, ‘Oh, did you get me some Skittles?’ ” said Larson, smiling at the request his 3-year old son Owen so innocently asked about. Skittles sponsored Busch’s winning car.
Arriving at the .75-mile Richmond Raceway this week may help the process of getting over it for good. Larson won the Monster Energy Series last race here in September. He started from the pole position (2014) in his first Cup start here and was runner-up in the 2016 race.
Still, it’s proven to be a tough season so far for any driver not named Kevin Harvick or Kyle Busch. Those two veterans have won five of the opening eight races and have four combined runner-up showings in the races they didn’t win.
Larson acknowledged the dominance of those two teams, Harvick driving a Ford and Busch driving a Toyota. But Larson also said he felt like his No. 42 Credit One Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the other Chevrolets were getting better. Austin Dillon’s last-lap victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 is the only race a Chevrolet has won so far.
“I still think Harvick is really fast,” Larson said sizing up his fellow front-runners. “I think Kyle is really good at executing, which has helped him win the last couple of races and really run in the top 3 for as long as he has now. But yeah, as far as pure speed, I think the No. 4 (of Harvick) has everybody covered.”
That’s not to say Larson doesn’t consider himself a favorite at Richmond this week. He’s done everything but win this season and that first 2018 trophy feels inevitable. And perhaps the lesson learned in a tough defeat – like at Bristol last week – will make Larson’s next victory all the sweeter.
“I feel like we’ve gotten off to a really good start with the new body and all that. It’s early in the year and we’re going to continue to get better and better every week,” Larson said. “ … We’ve just got to keep working hard and I think we can get to the point of being the fastest car on the race track every weekend.
“I think we’ve proved last week that we were the fastest car. We didn’t get the win so we have to keep working on that and move it to other race tracks so we can be really fast.”
Car must run 10 consecutive laps on the track to be included in the above chart.
*Required to qualify on time
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
# Indicates driver is running for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors
HAMPTON, Va. — Church was in session on a Thursday night. The Rev. Tom Potter didn’t let the microphone trouble bother him for the pre-race invocation at Langley Speedway. Once he found one that worked, the Motor Racing Outreach veteran belted out, “Lord, can you hear me?!” to a hearty laugh from the crowd.
Divine intervention. Holy ground. Whichever spiritual analogy suits, the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown brought a taste of big-time gospel to the grassroots level at the historic .396-mile track, a prelude to Saturday night’s NASCAR racing to the north at Richmond Raceway.
Hamlin played host, inviting fellow Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Busch along for the charity event. Their fellowship drew both a stellar field of regional Late Model Stock heavyweights and a full gathering in the grandstands, packed with — in the Rev. Potter’s words — “God-fearin’ people with a heart of gold.”
Hamlin held on to win the 200-lap feature, which returned after a two-year hiatus with a first appearance at the Tidewater-area track. He fended off intense pressure from Busch and Norfolk wheelman C.E. Falk III over the final stage.
Hamlin lent his name to the event but also his support, with all proceeds going to the Denny Hamlin Foundation, which funds research and therapy for cystic fibrosis. The mayor of Hampton declared Thursday as “Denny Hamlin Day” in a pre-race proclamation, but the event was less about pomp and circumstance than catching up with familiar faces at the site of Hamlin’s earliest successes, which include a Mini Stock Division championship at Langley in 1997.
“It’s awesome because you see so many people who support this grassroots racing here at Langley will be at the race track this weekend in Richmond,” Hamlin said. “I see them in the pit area all the time — people that either worked on my race cars or I used to race against them — it’s nostalgic for me. It really brings back a lot of good memories to see all those faces and the people that have helped me along the way.”
Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media
Here’s hoping it’s part of a trend. Kevin Harvick dipped into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West earlier this season in his home state, casting a wider light on the developmental tour. And larger short-track shows have also attracted Monster Energy Series participants, amplifying the competition and the stature for both.
“Denny does it as kind of a way to give back, but at the end of the day, it’s for the short-track racers here,” says Peyton Sellers, the 2005 national champion in what’s now the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. “It used to be all about the stars, but now it’s all about the short-track stars. Denny and Kyle are here, don’t get me wrong, but this is a premier event for short-track racing throughout the Southeast here. It’s just neat to be able to race in front of this many people at one time, showcasing talent, and at the same time they’ve put a lot of money on the line, so it’s good in all angles.”
For fans, there was plenty to see. Pressed against the catch-fencing during driver introductions, they weathered unseasonably chilly temperatures and a fierce wind, arriving early and staying late.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal,” said Ryan Vargas, a 17-year-old regular for Rev Racing in the K&N Series. “I mean, you see it by the crowd turnout. The stands have been half-full since noon. It’s insane. And then they added grandstands to (turns) three and four. The fans love it. The drivers love it. They get to race against guys that they watch on Sundays.”
Sellers says he’d like to see more of it — more incentives, bigger purses, stronger fields and a more intimate connection to the home-grown level of stock-car racing. Hamlin, for his part, indicated he’s in, hinting over the public-address system that the Short Track Showdown would likely return to Langley in 2019.
On a night of congregation to benefit the sport’s roots, it was a fitting message worth preaching.
“I don’t see any reason why not,” Hamlin said. “This place has done a great job hosting us and being so good to us. It’s hard to say no when you can pack the house like we did tonight.”
NASCAR announced this offseason that it will standardize at-track team rosters across all three national series in 2018, providing a structure for the number of personnel working on each vehicle during the course of a race weekend.
Official team rosters for Saturday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway (6:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) were unveiled.
Simply click the “print” icon above, next to the headline and social media icons, to get the full list.
Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing soared to the top of the leaderboard in Friday’s second practice at Richmond Raceway, notching a top speed of 120.315 mph.
Rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. came up second-fastest, his No. 43 Richard Petty Racing Chevrolet notching a top speed of 119.952 mph.
Larson’s CGR teammate Jamie McMurray was third-quickest in the field in his No. 1 Chevrolet (119.904 mph), while Martinsville winner Clint Bowyer was fourth on the speed charts (119.904 mph) in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top five in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with a fast lap of 119.893 mph.
Making his first Monster Energy Series start this weekend, Daniel Hemric was sixth-fastest in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Three-time Richmond winner Denny Hamlin. who ranked eighth in final practice, experienced “catastrophic” issue during final practice.
“Whatever it is, it’s a major, major issue that’s not showing up in simulation,” he told FS1. “The problem is with these two practices so close to each other, I don’t think we can fix it because we’re trying to put all the parts and pieces from our teammates in the car, we just don’t have time to put it all, so we’re trying to guess on what it might be. But I think it’s a box we might be in for the rest of the day. We have to be in tech line 50 minutes after practice, so I just don’t think we can get our car fixed today.
“I think it will just have to be a shot in the dark tomorrow.”
The Monster Energy Series is back on track at 5:30 p.m. ET for Busch Pole Qualifying (FS1).
Practice 1
Chase Elliott led opening Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice Friday at Richmond Raceway with a top speed of 121.327 mph in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolets were second- and fourth-fastest with Kyle Larson hitting 121.076 mph in the No. 42 and Jamie McMurray 120.703 mph in the No. 1, respectively.
Martin Truex Jr. ranked third with a fastest lap of 120.757 mph in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota. Joey Logano was fifth and the quickest Ford at 120.660 mph in the No. 22 Team Penske entry.
Series points leader Kyle Busch ranked seventh at 120.471 mph. He is going for a third consecutive win in Saturday night’s Toyota Owners 400 (6:30 ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).
Daniel Hemric, turning laps in the historically rich No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, posted a lap at 119.121 mph, ranking 23rd on the speed chart.
Daytona Beach, Fla. — As Earth Day approaches this weekend, NASCAR along with select Official Partners and the Arbor Day Foundation today announced a new initiative that will be responsible for planting and distributing trees to communities devastated by natural disasters across the United States.
“Over the past decade we have focused on supporting environmental sustainability through the NASCAR Green platform. We look forward to continuing our year-round mission to reduce impact, offset and work to preserve the natural environment while inspiring fans to do the same,” said Lou Garate, Vice President, Partnership Marketing, NASCAR. “This new initiative with the Arbor Day Foundation, supported and enhanced by our Official Partners, is a direct reflection of the effort being made across the industry to be more sustainable.”
As part of the effort, NASCAR and the Arbor Day Foundation will host a series of community tree recovery events throughout the year. Events are scheduled to take place throughout the summer and fall in key race markets affected by natural disasters, including North Carolina, California, Texas, and Florida. NASCAR Official Partners are contributing time, people and resources throughout the initiative. Partners currently participating are: AMR, Flagship Solutions Group, Growth Energy, Hotels for Hope, K&N Engineering, Mechanix Wear, and Safety-Kleen.
“We are proud to partner with NASCAR and its Official Partners to help bring trees to communities that need them so desperately,” said Dan Lambe, President, the Arbor Day Foundation. “NASCAR Green has helped so many communities across the country since its inception and will continue to do so this year with these events.”
NASCAR has taken a holistic approach across its wide-ranging effort to help preserve the environment. Since 2008, NASCAR has been collaborating with key stakeholders that care deeply about sustainability, including its teams, tracks, partners, employees and fans. Long-term programs underway include:
Blended bio-fuels program across NASCAR’s three national series, through partnerships with Sunoco and American Ethanol
In-venue waste diversion – along with its track partners, Safety-Kleen and Liberty Tire Recycling, the sport recycles aluminum and PET, racing oils and fluids, corrugated cardboard, and racing tires
Investment in reforestation and biodiversity projects measuring and offsetting annual employee commercial air travel and Official Partner commercial air travel to quarterly non-racing NASCAR events
Elgin Sweepers are present at each NASCAR race event to support NASCAR’s Air Titan equipment to dry racetracks with their EcoInfused Technology reducing environmental impact
Traditional and digital tree planting program, found on the NASCAR Green website, supporting areas of needed reforestation year-round and surpassing over half a million trees planted to date working to offset all NASCAR series racing globally
For more information on NASCAR’s overall environmental sustainability efforts, visit www.NASCAR.com/green and follow NASCAR Green on Twitter, @NASCARGreen.
NASCAR pit crews possess a certain fortitude that allows them the ability to perform in precarious, high-pressure situations. Here at NASCAR.com, we like to honor those who go above and beyond the call of duty in our Pit Road Hall of Hardcore. Today we induct the newest member — Tyler Mitchell, tire carrier for the No. 21 Wood Brothers team. During Monday’s race, he was able to snatch a bouncing, out-of-control tire out of the air like it was a lightly thrown Frisbee.
He was kind enough to answer a few questions for us. See below.
@nascarcasm: OK … like … you caught a bouncing tire … hub and all … in the middle of a pit stop, right out of the air like it was nothing. WHO DOES THAT. If you could, please briefly provide your account of what happened, Thor.
Mitchell: I just remember feeling the 31 hit my tire as I was setting the right front down for our jackman. After that it was all a blur until I caught the tire. Thankfully it turned out well but it could have been a lot worse.
@nascarcasm: The Wood Brothers are known for revolutionizing the speed and strategy of the modern-day pit stop. Would you consider adding to this legacy by proposing that all tires simply be hurled in your direction instead of you carrying them? I mean, you could just grab them out of the air.
Mitchell: Haha, well we are always looking for ways to make a stop faster and if it means I don’t have to carry two tires then I’m open to just catching one.
@nascarcasm: Have you ever been a goalie on a soccer or hockey team? Sure as hell looks like you have.
Mitchell: I’ve never played soccer or hockey, but I guess I might have missed my calling.
@nascarcasm: Is this a move your team works on during pit stop practice? And if not, do you think you might start doing so? Like in NFL training camp when they fire footballs out of a JUGS machine at receivers … but with tires?
Mitchell: That’s not a move we have practiced yet. Our coaches do a good job at putting in worst case scenarios at practice so this might be something to put in next week.
@nascarcasm: Did the team high-five you after this incredible move, or, now that they know you possess the physical capability to grab a bounding tire out of mid-air like it’s a gnat, are they afraid to give you a high five for fear of suffering physical injury?
Mitchell: Right after the stop I was so frustrated with what had just happened that I don’t remember giving anyone a high five. Even though it was a good recovery it wasn’t ideal and cost us time on pit road. But now that we have gotten back home the guys at the shop haven’t let me forget it and given me a few new nicknames.
@nascarcasm: I’m going to list four items. Please list them in the order of which you think would be the most difficult to snatch out of mid air, from least to greatest: pumpkin, drone, eagle, and helmet hurled by Tony Stewart.
Mitchell: Thats a tough one. Assuming Tony Stewart is repeating the same crow-hopped, two-handed throw from Bristol … pumpkin, drone, helmet from Tony, eagle.
@nascarcasm: While we’re all amazed by what you did, what is the most superhuman feat that you have seen another pit crew member pull off on pit road?
Mitchell: The tire Monday was pretty cool but a couple years ago when I was on the No. 2 car when Brad (Keselowski) slid through the box at Pocono and punted Braxton Brannon and Jeremy Ogles. After being hit by a 3,400 pound car, they both popped up, finished the stop and the race.
@nascarcasm: Idea for pit-crew team-building exercise that we think would really favor you – dodgeball, but with fully-inflated tires instead of dodgeballs. What say you?
Mitchell: Im in, I feel like I’d definitely have a shot at winning.
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His fellow racers know him as the young driver of the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series.
His social media followers know him as the guy who ate a giant wad of wasabi for 500 retweets – and who tried to ask out Lindsey Vonn via Twitter.
At 19 years old, Noah Gragson rides with a crop of rising stars who are both gifted in racing and the art of crafting 280-character-count tweets. Authentic and mischievous, he puts time into his social media presence both at and away from the race track to give fans a peak into his world.
Because at the end of the day, the Las Vegas native was a fan before he was ever a driver.
“I always try to be myself, for the most part, on social media,” Gragson said Wednesday. “I’m just like all the fans; I’m a normal guy, I get excited when I see Kyle Busch walking around and start getting a little starstruck by him being in my presence … (Social media is) a way I can connect to the fans and be myself and show my personality.”
The idea of a driver getting starstruck by another is one thing – especially a young, up-and-coming star. But the notion of Gragson being dazzled by Busch, his team owner and mentor, is somewhat unexpected.
“Harrison Burton always trash-talks me; We were racing Kyle Busch in a Super Late Model race and I was like, ‘Man, like I really want to go get his autograph. Like, bad,’” Gragson recalled. “And he kept on making fun of me all day — all weekend he’s like, ‘You want to go get his autograph? You’re racing against him, dude. You can’t go get his autograph.’
“I’m like, ‘Dude, I want his autograph, bad.’”
Fans collect autographs and at the end of the day, that’s what Gragson is deep down; he was cheering for others on TV before he ever climbed behind the wheel of his own stock car.
“Every time I see Kyle Busch pop up on the little name deal on the little notification thing on my phone, I’m like ‘Damn, that’s Kyle Busch right there,’ you know?” he said. “I mean it’s pretty cool. I always collected his die cast growing up. I have all those guys; Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson and Clint Bowyer and Kurt Busch. All their cars in my room in Vegas.
“It’s a secret, nobody knows,” he added.
This weekend at Richmond Raceway, Gragson will make his first start in the Xfinity Series, piloting the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. It’s a car that has been driven to Victory Lane on multiple occasions by several drivers, including Busch.
No matter how much he moves up in his career, though, the racing fandom will always be there.
So, that starstruck feeling may stick around a bit longer – especially around “Rowdy.”
“At the end of the day, I’m more of a fan of the sport and I always have been a fan of the sport,” he said. “The driving deal has been a lot newer to me. So, just always sticking to what I started with and that’s being a fan and seeing where those guys are and always dreaming of getting to that level and I’ve never been at that level.
“Just getting to see (Busch) in person, I get all excited. I don’t know – I’m weird like that.”
