Kahne leaps into second place; three from Hendrick Motorsports in top five
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Johnson leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 311 points.
Last week: Have you heard this one before? Johnson had a fine, but not spectacular, race car on Friday and Saturday. But on Sunday, the No. 48 was fast and handled well. With well-timed pit stops, Johnson was among the class of the field in Sunday’s STP 400. He finished third, increasing his lead in the standings to nearly 40 points.
This week: In 22 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Johnson has three wins, five top-fives, eight top-10s and two poles. In the past eight years at Richmond, Johnson ranks 11th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 15.3.
Last year: Johnson rebounded from a late pit-road speeding penalty and nearly snuck into the top five. The No. 48, which had to drive through the field after starting 27th, finished sixth, gaining nine spots over the final 80 laps.
What he said: “Friday and Saturday weren’t fun. There wasn’t a lot of smiles around our group, but everybody worked real hard to get the cars right, and we had a great race car.”
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Kahne is second in the standings with 274 points.
Last week: It was a familiar feeling for Kahne, who spent the final laps at Kansas chasing leader Matt Kenseth much like he did earlier this year in Las Vegas. And like Vegas, the result was familiar, too, with Kahne finishing second to the No. 20 Toyota. Still, the second-place showing came with Kahne starting 27th, and it vaulted the driver to second place in the standings.
This week: In 18 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Kahne has one win, four top-fives, seven top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Richmond, Kahne ranks 14th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 16.5.
Last year: Kahne recorded his third consecutive top-10 and his first top-five of the season at this race in 2012. With his fifth-place effort, Kahne continued to climb in the points standings, although he still was outside the top 20 at this point following a rough start to the season.
What he said: “We tightened up a little bit on that final run and putting two (tires) on, and zero, I knew we were going to be a little loose but didn’t think it would be quite that bad. Matt (Kenseth) was fast and I just did everything I could and he would go to those spots and I couldn’t make any ground.”
Penske Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Keselowski is third in the standings with 273 points.
Last week: Keselowski’s tumultuous week ended on an uptick. Fined 25 points after failing pre-race inspection in Texas (his team has appealed), Keselowski had early issues with his No. 2 Ford in Sunday’s race at Kansas. Fuel issues forced an early pit stop, and his left rear quarter panel flew off his car in the waning laps of the STP 400. Keselowski rallied through all of that to finish sixth and remain in the top five of the points standings, although the penalty significantly widened the gap between him and Jimmie Johnson.
This week: In seven career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Keselowski has two top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Keselowski ranks 19th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 17.8.
Last year: Keselowski struggled during long green-flag runs, and also on restarts, but he earned his first career top-10 at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Keselowski’s ninth-place finish came after he ran in the 20s from Lap 160 to Lap 200 and showed the kind of resiliency needed to not only qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but to win it.
What he said: “Usually, you’re not happy unless you win, but a day where you can fight through adversity like we did and get a solid finish, that kind of is a win.”
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Biffle is fourth in the standings with 264 points.
Last week: Roush Fenway Racing Fords tend to perform well at Kansas, but Biffle finished a disappointing 19th on Sunday. The No. 16 car lost major ground during a restart following one of eight cautions and struggled to climb back through the field.
This week: In 21 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Biffle has two top-fives, six top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Richmond, Biffle ranks 15th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 16.9.
Last year: Biffle isn’t known for being a short-track maestro, and that trend held true in the spring at Richmond. The No. 16 Ford couldn’t recover from a rough qualifying run that relegated the team to starting 28th. Biffle finished 18th, which is very close to his average place over the past eight years.
What he said: “That (final) caution came out at a bad time, but we weren’t very good all day either. We’re just missing it a little bit. That’s two races in a row now that our car hasn’t been anything like our practices. It’s kind of like racing a whole different car and race track.”
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Earnhardt Jr. is fifth in the standings with 263 points.
Last week: Following a brutal week in Texas, Earnhardt Jr. had a good race car — but more bad fortune– in the STP 400. Junior worked his way to the front of the field after starting 23rd and was in the top five with less than 50 laps to go. Like most of the lead pack when a caution flew on Lap 217, Junior got caught in a bad position with pit stops. He finished 16th.
This week: In 27 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Earnhardt has three wins, nine top-fives, 11 top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Richmond, Earnhardt ranks ninth out of 48 drivers with an average place of 15.2.
Last year: Earnhardt snapped a skid of six consecutive races in which he had finished outside the top 15 at Richmond. In the spring race last year, Junior gained positions on pit road all day and, even with brake issues plaguing his No. 88 Chevrolet at the end, got enough of a jump on a late restart to finish second. He was the highest finisher for Hendrick Motorsports, which had three drivers in the top six.
What he said: “We were fine. We were running in the top five. We had good speed. I think we would have finished in the top five. We had a shot at it.”
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Edwards is sixth in the standings with 262 points.
Last week: Edwards started second and ran in the top five for most of the day, leading 19 laps in the process. He withstood a problem with his rear left tire, seemingly setting himself up for a strong finish. A late caution interrupted the green-flag pit stop cycle, though, which had an adverse effect on Edwards. The No. 99 lost serious ground and finished 17th.
This week: In 11 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Edwards has four top-fives and eight top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Edwards ranks 10th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 15.3.
Last year: The good news for Edwards is that he finished 10th in the spring, extending his streak of top-10s at Richmond to five consecutive races. The bad news is that Edwards qualified second and led 206 laps, including a stretch of a 146 in a row before being black-flagged with 82 laps to go. Edwards jumped the restart when he thought he was leading, although NASCAR had ruled that Tony Stewart was the leader at the time.
What he said: “That’s very disappointing for our whole team because we had such a fast car, and then the sun came out and we were not in good shape. The handling went away big-time. I’ve got to thank Ricky Stenhouse. I was holding him off and I slid up in front of him and he could have wrecked me, but he didn’t. I was in denial about my car at that point.”
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Busch is seventh in the standings with 257 points.
Last week: Busch had finished in the top five for five consecutive races, but that streak of good fortune ended at Kansas. Relegated to a backup car after wiping out during the first practice, Busch qualified fifth but quickly fell down the pack after taking a solo spin early. Busch later spun out again on Lap 103, collecting Joey Logano in the process, and was sent to the garage for good. He finished 38th.
This week: In 16 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Busch has four wins, 12 top-fives, 13 top-10s and one pole. He is the defending race champion. In the past eight years at Richmond, Busch ranks third out of 48 drivers with an average place of 7.6.
Last year: Busch’s brilliance at Richmond shone again in 2012. This time, it was a late caution flag — and a blazing ensuing pit stop — that allowed Busch to win his fourth consecutive spring race at the .75-mile track. A yellow flag for debris came out on Lap 388 of 400, and Busch came out of pit road in the lead. He held off Dale Earnhard Jr. and Tony Stewart to the start/finish line. Stewart, who was leading at the time of the caution, led 118 laps but couldn’t catch Busch at the end.
What he said: “Just don’t know what to do with Kansas. We spun twice on our own, and we just had no grip at all.”
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Kenseth is eighth in the standings with 252 points.
Last week: Kenseth was the class of the field Sunday, leading 163 laps in the STP 400. He also had the right pit strategy. Winning the pole was crucial for Kenseth, who got the all-important first stall on pit road. He was first off pit road following a caution on Lap 217 and led until the checkered flag dropped. Kenseth’s second win of the year vaults him into the top 10.
This week: In 26 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Kenseth has one win, four top-fives and 10 top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Kenseth ranks 18th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 17.7.
Last year: Kenseth shook off a poor qualifying run — he started 24th – and finished 11th at the short track. That was his best showing at Richmond since 2007.
What he said: “I knew the first time I talked to these guys (Joe Gibbs Racing), I really started to feel it — these guys really are contenders. They’re an awesome race team and I’m glad to be with them.”
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Bowyer is ninth in the standings with 247 points.
Last week: A Kansas native, Bowyer looked to put last year’s struggles in the spring race behind him. And he did. Bowyer kept his No. 15 Toyota out of trouble, despite windy conditions and a fast track, and drove home fifth. It’s Bowyer’s third top-five of the season and second in the past three races.
This week: In 14 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Bowyer has two wins, two top-fives and eight top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Bowyer ranks fourth out of 48 drivers with an average place of 10.2.
Last year: Although Bowyer had his worst qualifying performance at Richmond since 2008 (he started 23rd), he nearly steered his No. 15 Toyota into the top five. Bowyer picked his way through the field to take seventh in a race that vaulted him into the top 12 in the points standings.
What he said: “Certainly you want to win it at home, but a good top-five finish is a great way to get things bounced back. … It looked like a wild race right there at the end — wish we had been a part of it.”
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Menard is 10th in the standings with 240 points.
Last week: The story of Menard’s season played out again at Kansas. The No. 27 wasn’t spectacular during qualifying or for chunks of the race, but when the checkered flag fell, there was Menard in the top 10. Menard’s 10th-place finish keeps him 10th and maintaining his grip on the final automatic entry into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
This week: In 12 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Menard’s best finish is 13th in 2012. In the past eight years at Richmond, Menard ranks 37th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 26.8.
Last year: Menard was the second biggest gainer at Richmond behind only Jamie McMurray, improving 18 spots by finishing 13th after qualifying 31st. Menard was in a backup car, too, after wrecking in practice before qualifying. According to NASCAR Loop Data, Menard ranked first for the race in green-flag passes with 81.
What he said: “We’ve got some of the best pit stops in the business. My guys do a really good job on pit road, so we gained a lot there. The pace slowed down from (Saturday), which really caught us off guard a lot more than we thought.”
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: McMurray is 11th in the standings with 227 points.
Last week: McMurray claimed his first top-10 of the season Sunday at Kansas, and he drove a difficult road to get there. With a loose car on a restart, and after taking a bump from Mark Martin, McMurray fell all the way back in the 20s when he had been in the top 10. Although it took the rest of the race, McMurray made up that lost ground and finished seventh, which puts him in the top 12.
Next week: In 20 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, McMurray has three top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, McMurray ranks 21st out of 48 drivers with an average place of 20.2.
Last year: Although he fell short of nabbing his fourth top-10 at Richmond, McMurray was pleased with finishing 14th after his qualifying run of 37th. It was McMurray’s second consecutive 14th-place finish at the track.
What he said: “I honestly thought we had one of the better cars in Happy Hour. From the drop of the green flag it was just extremely loose. We had to actually come in twice and lower the trackbar and make some adjustments."
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Harvick is 12th in the standings with 224 points.
Last week: In the No. 29 Chevrolet, Harvick at one point was as high as second in the field. Changing weather conditions and late pit stops affected his standing, though, and Harvick slipped to 12th. That’s a slight improvement over Harvick’s past three finishes, all 13th, and keeps the driver in the top 12.
Next week: In 24 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Harvick has two wins, six top-fives, 15 top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Richmond, Harvick ranks second out of 48 drivers with an average place of 7.5.
Last year: Harvick qualified third and ran in the top five for the first 220 of 400 laps. His car became loose, though, and extensive changes during a pit stop on Lap 228 — he entered pit road in ninth place — failed to improve the condition. Harvick steadily fell back in the field and finished 19th.
What he said: “This was not the result we were looking for. We had a fast car, but it was just too loose at the end and the final pit stop didn’t work in our favor either.”
Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford
Where he stands: Almirola is 13th in the standings with 222 points.
Last week: Almirola did Richard Petty proud on Sunday, steering the No. 43 Ford — decked out in an old-school paint scheme for the STP 400 — to an eighth-place finish while The King looked on as grand marshal. It was Almirola’s second consecutive top-10 showing at an intermediate track, and it has him firmly in Chase contention. It’s also the first time in the 29-year-old’s career that he has posted back-to-back top-10 finishes.
This week: In two career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Almirola’s best finish is 26th in 2012. In the past eight years at Richmond, Almirola ranks 25th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 22.1.
Last year: Almirola qualified 11th, which was his best showing in the first nine races of the season. He slipped during the race, though, and finished 26th.
What he said: “It was a good day for us. That’s two top-10s in a row, and I’m proud of that.”
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Truex Jr. is 14th in the standings with 204 points.
Last week: Truex Jr. moved up in the standings again, despite a six-point penalty assessed early this week. A master at intermediate tracks in 2012, Truex finished fourth in the STP 400, his second consecutive top-five finish on a 1.5-mile oval. It’s Truex’s first back-to-back top-five effort since midway through the 2007 season. Truex Jr. led 46 laps Sunday, second to only race winner Matt Kenseth.
This week: In 14 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Truex Jr. has one top-five and two top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Truex ranks 17th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 17.4.
Last year: Things got bad quickly for Truex Jr. in the spring, despite starting eighth — the first time Truex Jr. had qualified better than 20th since 2009. The No. 56, though, was out of the top 10 by Lap 100 and continued to free fall. When the checkered flag waved after 400 laps, Truex Jr. was 25th.
What he said: “I was disappointed (last week). Today is the complete opposite. I’m very happy and excited about a fourth-place finish.”
Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolett
Where he stands: Gordon is 15th in the standings with 202 points.
Last week: Gordon finished outside of the top 10 for the sixth time in eight races this year, but it was still a desirable result from the No. 24. After a rare qualifying mistake in which Gordon wiped out, sending him to the rear of the field and in a backup car, the 41-year-old veteran calmly drove through traffic and avoided on-track incidents to place 13th. Even though he’s 15th in the standings, it could have been worse, and Gordon is just 22 points behind 12th-place Kevin Harvick.
This week: In 40 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Gordon has two wins, 16 top-fives, 25 top-10s and five poles. In the past eight years at Richmond, Gordon ranks eighth out of 48 drivers with an average place of 13.8.
Last year: Gordon’s car got the worst of a bump-and-grind restart following the race’s first caution on Lap 52. He cut a right-side tire, sending him to pit road for repairs and spent the rest of the race recovering — he finished 23rd, one lap down.
What he said: “If you would have told me when the race started or before the race started ‘Hey, you are going to finish 13th’, I would say ‘Hey, that is not bad’. When you find yourself where you are a sixth- or seventh-place car and you think you can finish there, then 13th is a little disappointing.”
Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Martin is 16th in the standings with 201 points.
Last week: Martin was all over the race track Sunday, but he finished ninth to give Michael Waltrip Racing three drivers in the top 10. At one point, Martin’s car got away from him and he barely brushed the outside wall before gaining control. The No. 55 Toyota didn’t incur much damage, and it got better throughout the race with heavy changes on each pit stop.
This week: In 54 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Martin has one win, 18 top-fives, 30 top-10s and five poles. In the past eight years at Richmond, Martin ranks seventh out of 48 drivers with an average place of 13.1.
Last year: Martin heaped praise on crew chief Rodney Childers following an up-and-down day. Starting from the pole, Martin lost ground with a wonky car and was in 17th at the 200-lap midway point. Childers helped nurse the car back to where Martin wanted it, and the veteran drove it to an eighth-place finish.
What he said: “We missed it pretty good but our best run of the day was the last run of the day. That’s the way you do it.”
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Newman is 17th in the standings with 200 points.
Last week: Newman continued to be the most consistent driver in the Stewart-Haas Racing stable, turning in a 14th-place finish after qualifying ninth. Newman is in the middle of a flock of drivers separated by few points. Martin Truex Jr. (14th in the standings) has just four more points than Newman (17th); Newman, in turn, has just 13 more points than Joey Logano (20th in the standings).
This week: In 22 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Newman has one win, five top-fives, 13 top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Kansas, Newman ranks fifth out of 48 drivers with an average place of 11.4.
Last year: Newman qualified 12th and finished 15th. It was his third showing outside the top 10 in the past seven Richmond races.
What he said: “We struggled a little bit … the guys made good adjustments, and we used pit strategy to get some track position toward the end of the race, but we didn’t have the speed we needed to keep it up there.”
Roush Fenway Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Stenhouse Jr. is 18th in the standings with 196 points.
Last week: One week after the worst performance of his young NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, Stenhouse Jr. followed with his best outing. He drove the No. 17 Ford to an 11th-place finish, and it could have been better. Stenhouse led 26 laps and pitted under green with approximately 50 laps remaining. That allowed Matt Kenseth to take the lead, and an untimely caution spoiled Stenhouse’s pit strategy. He gained nine spots over the final 42 laps and was among the fastest cars in the field all weekend.
This week: Stenhouse Jr. has no starts at Richmond International Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
What he said: “It was fun. We started up front, ran up front, lost our track position and then got it back and led some laps. I think we can take a lot of positives from this weekend.”
Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford
Where he stands: Ambrose is 19th in the standings with 193 points.
Last week: Ambrose couldn’t capitalize on any momentum gained from his first top-10 of the year at Texas. Ambrose steered his No. 9 Ford into the top 10 by Lap 75, and challenged for a spot in the top five. He was still in the top 10 75 laps later. Toward the middle of the pack following pit service, Ambrose’s car got away from him on Lap 181. The No. 9 hit the top wall, then collected Casey Mears, Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr. and Casey Mears. Ambrose’s team, though, patched his car up to the point that he could stay in the race, and Ambrose finished 20th — the last driver on the lead lap.
This week: In eight career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Ambrose has one top-five and two top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Ambrose ranks 22nd out of 48 drivers with an average place of 20.3.
Last year: Ambrose drove his No. 9 Ford in last year’s race despite suffering back spasms prior to the event. A loose-handling condition relegated him to a 22nd-place finish.
What he said: “We had a good car and were running around the top 10 all day and when the sun came out it changed. I didn’t expect it and spun out off of two and got some damage.”
Penske Racing, Ford
Where he stands: Logano is 20th in the standings with 187 points.
Last week: Logano’s bad week got worse by the end of Sunday’s STP 400. Earlier, Logano was docked 25 points by NASCAR after failing pre-race inspection at Texas. Then Logano’s No. 22 Ford was slow throughout Sunday’s race at Kansas — what little of it he completed, anyway. Logano was drilled by Kyle Busch’s out-of-control car during a solo wreck that turned into a two-car collision. Logano’s car suffered heavy damage, and he finished 39th. With that finish and his points penalty, Logano tumbled 11 spots in the standings.
This week: In eight career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Logano has one top-five and one top-10. In the past eight years at Richmond, Logano ranks 20th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 19.2.
Last year: Driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano qualified 18th and finished the Capital City 400 in 24th place.
What he said: “I watched the 18 (wreck). He was spinning out and I saw it the whole time. I saw he got loose and thought … ‘All right, I’m gonna gun it and get by him here,’ and as soon as I committed to that, I saw him start coming back down.”
Five in the rearview mirror …
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Stewart is 21st in the standings with 181 points.
Last week: No one is looking forward to a short track more than Stewart. The three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion can’t seem to get it going this year. ‘Smoke’ finished 21st in Sunday’s race, one lap down, and wasn’t a factor all day, never cracking the top 10. Stewart hasn’t been in the top 20 in the points standings since post-Las Vegas, the third race of the season, and even then he was 18th.
This week: In 28 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Stewart has three wins, 11 top-fives and 19 top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Stewart ranks sixth out of 48 drivers with an average place of 11.7.
Furniture Row Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Busch is 22nd in the standings with 180 points.
Last week: A loose left-rear wheel spoiled Busch’s chances of a top 10, but it didn’t spoil his day altogether. Running in the top 10, Busch had to pit unscheduled on Lap 32, which sent him to the back of the field. The Furniture Row Racing No. 78 Chevrolet charged back into the top 10 by Lap 150, but handling problems once the sun came out relegated the driver to a 15th-place showing. It was an improvement from the past two weeks, when Busch finished 37th in both races.
This week: In 24 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Busch has one win, four top-fives and seven top-10s. In the past eight years at Richmond, Busch ranks 13th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 15.7.
Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
Where he stands: Burton is 23rd in the standings with 178 points.
Last week: Burton’s No. 31 Chevrolet was fast, but it was also tight. The handling condition overrode whatever speed the team found, resulting in an 18th-place finish. ‘The Mayor’ is nine points behind 20th-place Joey Logano.
Next week: In 37 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Burton has one win, nine top-fives, 16 top-10s and one pole. In the past eight years at Richmond, Burton ranks 12th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 15.4.
Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet
Where she stands: Patrick is 25th in the standings with 154 points.
Last week: Patrick’s team was pleased with her improvement on a 1.5-mile oval, and the driver finished 25th. She lost ground, though, when having to pit late due to trash caught in her grille. Patrick was also frustrated with David Gilliland who, from Patrick’s perspective, didn’t race her cleanly.
This week: Patrick has no starts at Richmond International Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
Where he stands: Hamlin is 26th in the standings with 145 points.
Last week: An injured Denny Hamlin watched Brian Vickers drive his No. 11 Toyota to a 31st-place finish. At the beginning of his recovery from a compression fracture in his back, Hamlin targeted this Saturday’s race in Richmond as his personal goal for returning to the track.
This week: In 14 career starts at Richmond International Raceway, Hamlin has two wins, seven top-fives, nine top-10s and two poles. In the past eight years at Richmond, Hamlin ranks first out of 48 drivers with an average place of 5.9. If Hamlin misses the race with an injury, his substitute will be Vickers. Vickers has three top-10s and one pole at Richmond in 14 career starts. In the past eight years at Richmond, Vickers ranks 29th out of 48 drivers with an average place of 23.1.
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