Posted on September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Sean Montgomery

In 2019, Tyler Reddick hoisted the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship trophy for the second season in a row, becoming the first back-to-back title winner since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011-12. Two years later, the second-year Cup Series driver for Richard Childress Racing is battling the pressure of being an underdog while chasing his first Bill France Cup.

“The pressure is certainly different,” said Reddick. “Coming from the Xfinity side and running for those championships, we were — if you will — deemed one of the top teams. For the last couple of years, RCR has done a really good job of building up to get back to the status as one of the top teams in the Cup Series and get our cars closer to going out there and winning races.”

Though winless, Reddick edged out RCR teammate Austin Dillon for the final points position in the NASCAR Playoffs after the thrilling regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. While Reddick is making his Round of 16 debut and keeping the organization’s title hopes alive, Dillon’s eight years of top-flight experience and four playoff appearances have provided his younger counterpart with a sense of composure and chemistry moving forward into the postseason.

“Austin is a very consistent team and organizational leader,” said Reddick. “Things happen to all of us, but you never see Austin letting one bad race or one bad thing carry on. Being around that really helps me stay centered, as well. He’s done a really good job of allowing his position in the No. 3 car to help the organization and it motivates me to see him just be himself. It’s been such a good pairing.”

So far this season, Reddick has made huge strides in many categories. Through 27 of 36 races, the No. 8 wheelman has his first career pole, four more top 10s and only one fewer top five than his full 2020 rookie season.

His first bid at a Cup championship has continued the learning experience.

“When you’re in a Cup car and running against Cup guys and teams, there’s normally less mistakes and less room for error,” said Reddick. “In the playoffs, it’s all about execution, doing all the right things and just staying very aware of what our position is and what realistic goals we have once our races get rolling.”

In the midst of the playoffs among a cluster of seasoned veterans, Reddick knows the pressure only increases from here — starting with Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports Live, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“It’s all about racing the track and making the most out of our night with our team,” said Reddick. “Surely, there will be moments where some of the veterans — and even some of the younger drivers — will feel like they can get in somebody’s head, and get an advantage. But I feel good with what we’ve worked on and where we’re at as a team to stay on path and do what we need to do tomorrow night.”

Racing on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 brings added emotion to the playoff intensity.

“It’s important to remember the sacrifices that people selflessly stepped up to make,” said Reddick. “There are a lot of emotions that will be involved, for sure. I’m taking all of the energy and using it as something that can be positive for me going into the race.”

Saturday’s showcase marks Reddick’s third Cup Series race at Richmond. He enters tied for 12th place in the playoff standings (the final Round of 12 transfer spot) with 2026 points.

“On paper, we gained on the cutline [after Darlington] but we are still sitting on it,” said Reddick. “But certainly, we felt like it showed that we had a car that was capable of running much better than 18th. Knowing that really lit a fire under us and we are still more motivated than we’ve been all year long. We faced a challenge that definitely beat us down, but we know what to do moving forward and we’re ready to put up another fight at Richmond.”

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Staff Report

New season, new track to kick it all off.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is set to open its 2022 season on Feb. 12, and the historic series will do so at a fresh venue — New Smyrna Speedway.

The Florida half-mile asphalt oval, which opened in 1967, will play host to the start of the 38th season of modern-day Modified Tour racing for the first time. It consistently hosts weekly racing, including the “World Series of Asphalt Auto Racing” during NASCAR’s Speedweeks.

The ARCA Menards Series East has opened its season at New Smyrna since 2014 (previously K&N Series East from 2014-19).

Martinsville Speedway hosted the Whelen Modified Tour season-opener this year in a return to “The Paperclip” after 11 years away in a race won by Eric Goodale.

The remainder of the 2022 schedule will be released at a later date.

The series is close to wrapping its current season, with Friday’s Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 150 at Richmond Raceway (7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Gold TrackPass), followed by a pair of races at Riverhead Raceway (9/18) and Stafford Motor Speedway (9/25).

Posted on September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Staff Report

Contact-tracing protocols have led Chip Ganassi Racing to make changes in its pit-crew lineup for Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Richmond Raceway, a spokesperson for the Ganassi team confirmed on Friday afternoon.

Four over-the-wall crew for the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet driven by Ross Chastain will shift to the No. 1 CGR Chevy team and Kurt Busch for the Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Fueler Milan Rudanovic is the lone No. 1 crew member to remain in place.

Busch qualified as one of 16 championship-eligible drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and the 400-lap, 300-mile race at the .75-mile Virginia track is the second event in the 10-race Cup Series Playoffs.

The No. 42 crew will be led by veteran Mike Metcalf, with development crew members from the No. 00 StarCom Racing and No. 7 Spire Motorsports organizations pitching in. Ganassi fields pit crews for the Nos. 00 and 7 teams.

Entering this weekend’s race at Richmond, the No. 1 crew for Busch has the fifth-fastest average four-tire stop time this season of 13.910 seconds, per data provided by Racing Insights. That crew has also produced two of the five fastest four-tire stops this season to date (last weekend at Darlington at 12.016 seconds on Lap 299 and in Busch’s July win at Atlanta at 12.145 seconds on Lap 163), per Racing Insights.

Busch currently ranks fourth in the series’ postseason standings after Sunday’s playoff opener at Darlington Raceway. Busch finished sixth in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 and teammate Chastain took third place as the top-finishing non-playoff driver.

Busch qualified for the postseason field by winning earlier this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway, recording the 33rd victory of his Cup Series career. He’ll move to 23XI Racing next season. Chastain notched his third top-five result of the year at Darlington. He’ll move in 2022 to Trackhouse Racing, which announced it had purchased the assets of the Chip Ganassi Racing team in late June.

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Staff Report

Jesse Johnson-Brower is nearing the end of his 30-day, 454-mile walk in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States, and he’ll take in a race weekend at Richmond Raceway as part of the journey.

His fundraiser started Aug. 13 at the site of the World Trade Center’s twin towers, crossed paths with where Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania and ends at the Pentagon on Saturday.

RELATED: Richmond weekend schedule

Johnson-Bower, a veteran, was on the unit that first showed up at the Pentagon after the terrorist attacks. He now has a non-profit organization called LifeGR that serves American veterans and first responders who are dealing with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

JD Motorsports’ sponsor, ForeverLawn Inc., teamed up with LifeGR, among others, to create a special Sept. 11 tribute design to run on the No. 0 Chevrolet, driven by Jeffrey Earnhardt, at Richmond Raceway for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

In addition to the paint scheme, Johnson-Bower will be shuttled to the Richmond track after his walk concludes in Virginia to attend the Go Bowling 250.

ForeverLawn Inc. has been the primary sponsor for the No. 0 JD Motorsports Chevrolet of driver Jeffrey Earnhardt on track in 11 races this season. Earnhardt will line up 26th Saturday in hopes of capturing his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.

Posted on September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Staff Report

Rick Ware Racing announced Friday that Cody Ware will sit out the next two NASCAR race weekends as a precautionary measure while he recovers from the effects of carbon monoxide exposure.

Ware, 25, is scheduled to miss Cup Series starts for RWR at Richmond Raceway this weekend and at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 18. Garrett Smithley was named as a replacement driver in the No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The team indicated that a substitute driver for the annual night race at Bristol will be named at a later date.

Ware was involved in a crash with RWR teammate James Davison during the opening stage of the Cook Out Southern 500 last Sunday at Darlington Raceway. He continued but later told his crew that he was feeling ill, and he parked the damaged No. 51 entry after completing 209 of the 367 laps.

NASCAR officials said he was treated and released from the infield care center. Ware later said he was feeling the effects of carbon monoxide exposure; the team indicated that Ware was still ailing on Monday and said in a statement that “Cody felt it was in the best interest for the team to have a replacement driver for the next two races.”

Ware has competed in 25 of 27 Cup Series races this year and has entered seven events this season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has also made his first three starts in IndyCar competition in 2021.

Smithley has made 19 Cup Series starts and two Xfinity Series appearances this season — all for Rick Ware Racing.

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Cara Cooper

When Peyton Sellers won the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national championship, at 21 years old he was the youngest to ever earn that title.

That championship came 16 years ago, and while Sellers is no longer the young guy at the track, his mindset hasn’t changed much.

“At 37, I’m one of the older ones, but I still have that burning desire to go out and win races,” Sellers said by phone this week. “And to be able to do that at this level, it’s harder than ever. To be able to compete for national titles is just something I’ve always wanted to do.”

It’s been a busy summer for Sellers and his No. 26 Clarence’s Steakhouse and Danville Toyota late model team. Last week he celebrated his sixth track championship at South Boston Speedway, a NASCAR-sanctioned 0.4-mile asphalt track in South Boston, Virginia.

With two weeks left in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series season, he’ll finish the year traveling to Northern Virginia for the final races at Dominion Speedway in Woodford, Virginia, where he leads by 102 points.

On the year, Sellers has 20 wins in 34 starts and leads the NAAPWS Division I standings by 42 points.

It’s been a good and busy summer for Sellers, but going for two track titles and a possible national championship has also helped the team stay at the top of their game.

“When our competitors at South Boston were at home working on their cars getting better we were out racing, and vice versa. When we were at South Boston racing our Dominion competitors were at home working on their cars trying to make them faster,” he said. “I think to stay sharp, it’s no different than golf or basketball or anything. You’ve got to stay active and you’ve got to stay on the field all the time. For us, it’s been staying on the track all summer.”

Sellers has won the last four late model track titles at South Boston. His sixth puts him one away from tying the track record, held by Dave Blankenship.

South Boston didn’t host a single race in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, so getting to return to his home track after a year away made this championship just a bit more special for Sellers.

“We grew up racing at South Boston. I grew up going there as a young kid watching races,” he said. “Last year was difficult for everybody. We just wanted life to be back to normal… We ended up having to go to Dominion and different tracks around the country to race and it always hurt driving past South Boston every week knowing that that was your home track.

“To be able to come back there this year with some new competition, some young guns that have moved up, just kind of a new look on things after missing last year was definitely nice to come back and answer the call with some wins and a championship.”

One thing Sellers said helped his team in 2021 was being able to still race last year. They came into this season with cars they hadn’t raced at South Boston before, so a lot of the summer was spent building a notebook and figuring out how to prepare the cars and learning how they would respond to a track that had sat empty for more than a year.

“The track had some different characteristics to it, so we were just trying to relearn everything again,” he said.

While Sellers was relearning his home track, he was also teaching and training South Boston’s next generation of drivers, including his new teammate, 16-year-old Landon Pembelton. Pembelton considers the Sellers mentors for him as he learns how to drive a late model, and it’s a role Sellers embraces. The veteran driver tries to teach young racers patience and how to maintain their cars for the end of long races.

“That’s one of the single best things that I enjoy about what we get to do right now. I grew up just being the young guy at the race track… so I’ve been in their shoes before,” Sellers said. “Like Landon… he’s learning a lot, he’s won a late model race. He’s doing an excellent job. To be able to bring those guys to the racetrack week-in and week-out, teach them things and see them take what you’ve taught them and beat you with it, I’ve had Landon beat me several times this year, it’s a sense of accomplishment away from the track as well as on the track.”

With just two races standing in the way of a second national championship, Sellers said the rest of the season is just about being steady, finishing races, and bringing home good results.

RELATED: Learn more about NASCAR Roots

Sixteen years after his national championship, Sellers knows what it takes to win, and he’s just as ready to go for it as he was all those years ago.

“I’ve been able to do racing for a long time now and I’ve been able to kind of grow up at the racetrack,” he said. “It’s something I’m definitely fond of. I enjoy racing. I don’t necessarily sit down every winter and look at setting records or breaking records, but at the end of the day it is nice to be able to put your name in the same category as some of those drivers that have won a lot of titles at South Boston.

“We’ve had a good year. We‘re just very fortunate for it. To compete for NASCAR titles is something that everybody wants to do and we’ve been able to do that.”

Posted on September 10, 2021September 10, 2021 by Marcus DiNitto

Some fans at Richmond Raceway for this weekend’s events are being treated to a new sports betting experience, thanks to NASCAR’s partnership with mobile sportsbook operator WynnBET. Located among the Dogwood Suites between Turns 1 and 2 at the three-quarter mile Virginia track, the WynnBET Lounge offers a sports betting environment with the trappings of Wynn Resorts’ posh flagship property in Las Vegas.

Virginia’s sports betting laws, like those in most states, do not allow for actual sportsbooks to be housed within sports facilities. To jibe with these regulations, many sports betting companies are partnering with leagues, franchises and facilities and constructing sports betting-themed lounges within stadiums, ballparks and yes, racetracks.

Photo credit: John Harrelson

After a soft opening in April, the WynnBET Lounge at Richmond is ready for primetime ahead of Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With the state of Virginia the centerpiece of the company’s NASCAR sponsorship, there is a similar lounge located at Richmond’s sister track, Martinsville Speedway. The capacity of both luxury suites is around 60 people.

Invited guests to the WynnBET Lounge will see six television monitors placed around the suite, tuned to NBCSN’s race broadcast, the live feed from the track and betting odds via BettorView. They’ll be greeted by brand ambassadors able to guide interested bettors through the registration, deposit and wagering processes on the WynnBET app.

The menu from Levy Restaurants features beef tenderloin, chicken marsala, roasted beet salad, braised beef short ribs, caprese pasta salad, cake pops, cookies and fresh fruit. Food and drinks are free for guests.

All race fans at Richmond and Martinsville will see plenty of WynnBET branding and activations around the tracks, as the company looks to leverage its sponsorship into new betting customers.

Also as part of the effort to grab share of Virginia’s competitive sports betting market, WynnBET is offering a $1,000 risk-free bet for new users. Such sign-up bonuses are commonplace in the gambling industry.

Specific to WynnBET’s NASCAR deal, a player can place a $25 NASCAR wager for the chance to win four general admission tickets to the Richmond race Saturday.

Marcus DiNitto is a writer and editor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been covering sports for nearly two-and-a-half decades and sports betting for more than 10 years. His first NASCAR betting experience was in 1995 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he went 0-for-3 on his matchup picks. Read his articles and follow him on Twitter; do not bet his picks.

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Sean Montgomery

Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway
(⏰ 7:30 p.m. ET | 📺 NBCSN, TSN | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)

Everything you need to know for Saturday’s race, the second playoff race and 28th points-paying NASCAR Cup Series event of the 2021 season.

Where: Richmond Raceway, a 0.75-mile D-shaped short track located in Richmond, Virginia
Green flag: 7:45 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Forecast: Sunny, with a high near 90 degrees, according to NOAA.gov
Race Distance: 400 laps, 300 miles
Stages: 80 | 235 | 400
Pit-road speed: 40 mph
Caution car speed: 45 mph
Richmond 101: Get the full lowdown
Starting lineup: See the full lineup
Pit-stall assignments: See who is pitting where | Expert breaks down pit selections

Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images

Five to watch

Here are five big story lines we’ll be following at Richmond Raceway.

1. Saturday night’s race takes place on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy that took place on Sept. 11, 2001. In nationwide remembrance of the heroes and victims from that day, NASCAR and Richmond Raceway are paying tribute to these first responders and others affected — showing respect in both the Cup Series race and the Xfinity Series race earlier in the day (2:30 p.m., NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM). First responders will lead the on-track parade laps before the Cup Series race, and both American flags and 9/11 Memorial Museum flags will be flown. Read more details.

2. After dominating the regular season and breaking the record for most all-time wins by a team in NASCAR history, Hendrick Motorsports had its share of woes at Darlington Raceway last week — as did many other playoff drivers. But for an organization with such a strong 2021 track record so far, the Darlington mishaps were somewhat shocking. Alex Bowman and William Byron made contact early, leaving both Chevrolet teammates with repairable but noticeable damage. Byron, however, rallied from the incident with top-10 speed before another incident in Stage 2 — sending the youngest Hendrick driver to the garage for the night with a broken valve stem. Defending Cup Series champion Chase Elliott hit a tire on pit road in Stage 1 and later retired from the race after making contact with Christopher Bell, causing a heavy impact with the Turn 1 wall in the Final Stage. Regular-season champion and title favorite Kyle Larson maintained his momentum and comfortable points standing with a valiant runner-up finish. But can the others bounce back from the elimination line pressure? Byron and Bowman each sit below the Round of 12 line with two short-track venues on the horizon. Elliott is just four points to the good. After such a historic season, multiple HMS drivers bowing out in the opening round of the playoffs would be shocking. Richmond will be a major turning point in their title hunt. See the full playoff standings.

3. Did you really think Denny Hamlin was going to go winless the entire season? Doubts of it happening started to become more realistic right before he silenced the naysayers and tamed “The Lady in Black” with an impressive Round of 16 victory. Hamlin’s win locks him into the Round of 12 with two favorable tracks for Joe Gibbs Racing on the horizon, giving him a chance to creep his way up the championship leaderboards. He has three wins at Richmond (2009, 2010 and 2016, all in the fall race) in his career and has nine finishes of sixth or better in the last 11 races. Hamlin’s 9.0 average finish in 29 starts only trails teammate Kyle Busch (6.81 in 31 starts) among active drivers. After the regular-season title slipped away from the No. 11 wheelman, expect him to keep his foot on the gas in search of his first career premier series championship.

4. A Busch brother. A former Cup Series champion. A multi-time winner at Richmond. We’re not talking about Kyle here — it’s Kurt Busch. Not who you originally thought, right? Normally around playoff time, the younger Busch brother Kyle is getting all of the attention. But Kurt has turned it up in the latter half of the season and is emerging as a serious title contender. Sitting fourth in the current standings and 26 points above the elimination line, Kurt is in a solid position to make a deep postseason run. Since his July 11 win at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kurt has a 9.5 average finish in six races and has led laps in five of the last seven. After announcing his move to 23XI Racing to drive alongside Bubba Wallace in 2022, could he shock the world by bringing Chip Ganassi a title in his final season (for now, at least) as an owner in the Cup Series? Kurt has put himself in a pretty good position to contend, so far. Don’t be surprised if you see him running near the front again this weekend at Richmond. He starts fourth. Where does your favorite driver start?

5. A win changes everything. No matter where you are on the elimination line, if you are one of the Round of 16 playoff drivers, a trip to Victory Lane is the golden ticket to advance to the next round. Will any of the underdogs get it done? Michael McDowell is under the most pressure to make up ground early. Twenty points below the line and on a downward spiral since the early spark he got from his Daytona 500 win, a strong finish at Richmond would do wonders for the Front Row Motorsports camp. Other first-year playoff drivers, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick, managed their Darlington playoff debuts relatively smoothly compared to others but will need to keep the trend moving upward. Both currently sit in position to advance to the Round of 12 — Bell in ninth and Reddick in 12th — but don’t have much Cup Series experience at Richmond. Bell’s best finish here came in April, though, and that unsurprisingly bodes well for another JGR driver at a short track. It wouldn’t be too shocking to see him contending for the second win of his young premier series career Saturday under the lights.

Race-day staples

Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.

• Power Rankings: Does Kurt Busch have Championship 4 potential? | See the latest rankings
• Paint Scheme Preview: Shining bright under the lights | See the schemes
• Clinching scenarios: Setting the stage for the Round of 12 | All the scenarios
• Playoff analysis: Darlington sets the scene for Richmond | Find out how
• Debate: Time for Kyle Busch to panic after Darlington? | See what Kyle Petty said
• Bubble Watch: Defending champ Elliott hovering above elimination line | View the bubble breakdown
• Fantasy Fastlane: All-in on Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond | Top plays, sleepers

Get in on the action

Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy.

• What are the odds?: Betting odds for Richmond | See them here
• NASCAR betting: Odds indicate JGR is the team to beat | Find out why
• Title favorites: Odds for 2021 Cup Series championship | See the odds
• Talking playoffs: How Fantasy Live game works for the postseason | Read more
• On the grid: How the Cup Series Playoffs Grid Challenge works | Read more
• No risk, big reward: Take a shot at winning cash prizes with the free-to-play Jackpot Races app | Hit the jackpot
• Play it LIVE: Full guide to 2021 NASCAR Fantasy Live game | Get the FAQ

Rich history at Richmond

NASCAR heads back to short-track racing this weekend at another historic track. Check out a bit of track history and the most recent result here.

• All-time wins: Richmond Raceway II | See the list
• Top 10 lap leaders at Richmond | Who has led the most?
• Harry Gant earns the ‘Mr. September’ nickname | Watch the 1991 Richmond replay
• Brad Keselowski wins the 2020 playoff race at Richmond | Full race recap
• Premier series drivers with first win at Richmond | Scroll through the gallery
• Memorable moments at Richmond Raceway | Relive the moments

Fast facts

Hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.

• Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are each in the top five for most laps led at Richmond in the last 10 races.
• Richmond Raceway (1953) is the third oldest track on the current schedule, behind Martinsville Speedway (1949) and Darlington Raceway (1950).
• Kyle Busch leads all active drivers with 16 short-track wins. Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin are tied in second with 10 each.
• Six drivers have finished in the top 10 at two paved short-track races this season: Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch.

Catch the pack

Read up on all the headlines from the week leading up to Saturday’s race.

Jerry Markland | Getty Images

• Where have you gone?: The making of ‘Mr. September’ | Full story
• $50,000 penalty: Kyle Busch fined after Darlington incident | Read more
• Into the future: Next Gen test wraps up at Daytona International Speedway | Read more
• Save the date: Hall of Fame Class of 2021 induction set for January 21 | More details
• Giving back: The NASCAR Foundation and Kaulig Giving’s Speedy Bear Brigade | Get involved
• High praise: Corey Lajoie draws Mark Martin’s attention after performance at Darlington | Read more
• Officially official: Steve Laulettta named team president of 23XI racing | Read more
• Scanner Sounds: All the sounds from Denny Hamlin’s win at Darlington | Listen here

Say what?

Notable quotes from the stars of the sport heading into Saturday’s race.

• “I feel like you’re going to have a lot of aggression at Richmond because it’s Richmond. It’s a short track. Tempers typically flare there. Stuff happens. And that’s just a part of it. I feel like it’s still going to be exciting. It’s still going to be dramatic. We’ll wait and see. Maybe it’s a smooth and easy day and the No. 48 is out front with no issues, and we get another trophy. I’d be okay with that.” — Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

• “Richmond has definitely been a tough track for us as an organization and as a group, so we’ve been working really hard the last few months on the simulator and trying to come up with a new package there because what we’ve had hasn’t been working and so we’re just relying on our tools and relying on past experiences and trying to come up with a new package. We know it’s a big question-mark race for us, but at the same time we went into Darlington with not knowing how we would stack up speed-wise and even though the result doesn’t show it, we actually brought a really fast race car and had a lot of speed, so I feel like we have the potential to do that again at Richmond and I know for sure we can do it Bristol because Bristol has actually been a strong track for us in the past.” — Michael McDowell, driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

• “I do feel like going to Richmond this time around I have so much confidence because I didn’t feel like our cars were where they needed to be earlier this year, and yet we still went to Richmond and ran in the top 10 and finished seventh. So, to go there and run like we did in the spring, where I felt like our cars were still off, especially the 750 stuff that we’ve made significant gains on, it gives me a lot of confidence knowing that we ran well there in the spring and that we’re going back with a lot better race car and it’s a place that we just, for whatever reason, I don’t know why, but I always run good there. It doesn’t matter the team or the crew chief or whatever, I always show up to Richmond and tend to run well there — very similar to Loudon. I’m excited about it. It’s a great place for us. It’s Smithfield’s backyard, so it always feels good to go up there and run good, and then this weekend in particular we’re running a really cool, special paint scheme to honor and remember 20 years ago 9/11, so I’m pretty excited about this weekend on all fronts.” — Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

• “We have a lot of confidence going to Richmond. It’s a place we feel like we can go run up front and have a shot to win. Right now, that’s the biggest thing – trying to win races and win stages and advance yourself in the playoffs. This is a great opportunity for us at a track we have ran well at the last handful of years, so yeah, we’re going to try to go there and do all that we can to run up front and be there at the end of the night.” — Martin Truex Jr., driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Posted on September 10, 2021September 11, 2021 by Pat DeCola

Twenty years ago, the United States experienced a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, a day that will live on forever as one we’ll never forget.

NASCAR had raced at Richmond Raceway three days earlier in the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 (featuring a runner-up by future Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick) but elected not to run a race the next weekend out of respect for those affected by what had transpired. The series returned to the track Sept. 23 with the MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400 at Dover International Speedway, famously won by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

With NASCAR returning to Richmond for Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio), the sport will race on the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Several drivers were asked about what they remember about that day in the weeks leading up to Saturday’s Round of 16 middle race of the NASCAR Playoffs, including Martin Truex Jr. — one of a handful of drivers who were racing in NASCAR at the time.

MORE: How NASCAR began to heal in September 2001 | Richmond schedule

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver not only remembers what he was doing that day, he also was, to a comparatively very small degree, impacted.

“Yeah, so, crazy story. We were actually at Dover at the race track testing,” Truex said during NASCAR Playoffs Media Day. “I think it was around 11 o’clock, we got the news and the ambulance that was there for the test actually had to leave. They called it off, like, ‘You gotta go. We gotta go. We’re sending the guys to New York City for this tragedy that just happened.’

“And we’re all wondering what the heck’s going on. This was a long time ago, there wasn’t like social media and all this stuff on your phone. You didn’t know. You had to turn on the news and see what was happening.”

Truex, a 21-year-old K&N Pro Series East full-time driver at the time, was at the Delaware track in preparation for his upcoming Xfinity Series debut. He later made that start on Sept. 22, finishing 38th after a wreck in a race that also included Harvick, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson.

“Just couldn’t believe it,” Truex said. “It was like we were in some crazy nightmare. I remember it obviously like it was yesterday. Crazy time for sure. Crazy day and it’s hard to believe it was that long ago.”

Posted on September 10, 2021January 19, 2022 by Zach Sturniolo

On the heels of an electrifying Cook Out Southern 500, Richmond Raceway is set to host the second race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on Saturday night.

The Salute to American Heroes 400 rolls off at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. With one driver already locked into the Round of 12, let’s preview the action as the playoffs shift forward.

STARTING UP FRONT

Kyle Larson will roll from the pole under the lights Saturday alongside Darlington Raceway winner Denny Hamlin. In Row 2 sit Martin Truex Jr. and Kurt Busch, while Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano make up Row 3. For the entire starting lineup, click here.

RICHMOND RACEWAY HISTORY

— The NASCAR Cup Series (then the Grand National Series) began racing at Richmond in 1953 when Lee Petty took the checkered flag, but the track was considerably different. The now-paved .75-mile D-shaped track was then a .5-mile dirt oval and part of the “Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds,” paved in between 1968 events and reconfigured to its current form before the fall race in 1988.

— The first scheduled night race on the .75-mile track was held in September 1991, won by Harry Gant as the second win in his streak of four straight that month.

— March 10, 1964 marks the actual date of the first “night race” at Richmond when the final 100 laps were completed on a Tuesday night after rain halted the race Sunday.

— The entire backstretch grandstands were removed after the 2015 season, following the removal of the Turn 3 grandstands in 2014. The removal of the backstretch grandstands reduced seating capacity by 9,000 seats.

Source: Racing Insights

RULES PACKAGE

The NASCAR Cup Series cars will be fitted with the 750-horsepower, reduced-downforce package Saturday night at Richmond. Spoilers on the rear of the cars and splitters at the front end will be shorter than at the larger tracks on the circuit to minimize the aerodynamic impact on the vehicles.

GOODYEAR TIRES

Teams return to Richmond with the same tire compound that has been used at Richmond since 2020. But crew chiefs will still be paying close attention to how these tires respond, because this is the same compound that will be used for Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway in November.

This compound has been used at Richmond, Phoenix, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway since the start of the 2020. Any laps on these tires will provide data teams may rely on for championship setups.

“Richmond has traditionally been known for putting on some great racing, and one of the reasons for that is that it has become what we consider a high tire-wear track,” said Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing. “As tires wear at Richmond, lap times fall off. Drivers that manage their tires early in a run will have them fall off less and gain from that later in the run. Also, as the track takes rubber, drivers will be able to search around a little or move up the track, creating multiple lanes and more side-by-side racing.”

RICHMOND STORYLINES

– Alex Bowman’s Richmond win in May marked Chevrolet’s first at the “Action Track” in the last six races there and only its second in the last 11.

– Joe Gibbs Racing has won seven of the last 11 Richmond races.

– Carl Edwards’ win over Kyle Busch in April 2016 marks the only last-lap pass for the win in Richmond history.

– Martin Truex Jr. went 0-for-80 to start his career on short tracks but has now won five of the last 11.

– Denny Hamlin has won four of the last 16 playoff races, the most of any driver. Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick each have three.

– Busch has seven consecutive top 10s at Richmond, while teammate Truex has five straight. No one else has more than two.

– Five of the last seven playoff races have been won from the front row.

– Two drivers who are winless in 2021 – Tyler Reddick and Harvick – are currently above the elimination line, while two drivers with multiple wins – Busch and Bowman – are currently below it.

Source: Racing Insights

PUTTING MONEY WHERE YOUR DRIVER IS

At 4-1 odds, according to BetMGM, Martin Truex Jr. is your must-pick of the weekend at Richmond. The 2017 Cup Series champion has won two of the last four races at the “Action Track” and hasn’t finished outside the top five in five straight Richmond contests. Other favorites by the odds are Denny Hamlin (11-2), Kyle Busch (6-1) and Kyle Larson (7-1).

Busch is a strong play this weekend, as he leads all active drivers with six Richmond victories. After crashing out at Darlington, the two-time Cup champion is in need of a bounce-back performance.

A driver under the radar to consider may be Austin Dillon, who sits at 50-1 odds and starts 19th Saturday night. Dillon has top 10s in four of his last five Richmond tries and led 55 laps in 2020.

On the other hand, steer clear of Ryan Blaney this weekend. His 25-1 odds might seem enticing, but Richmond is Blaney’s worst track statistically. He has yet to score a top-10 finish in 10 starts and holds an average finish of 23.4, second worst of all playoff drivers. That said, Blaney did earn a career-best 11th-place finish at Richmond in the spring.

FANTASY LIVE

Want to manage a team and race your way to the top of the leaderboards? Check out the playoff version of NASCAR Fantasy Live, which is open now and offers a fresh start for those of you who played the regular-season contest. The free-to-play game lets you choose your drivers each week and show off your crew-chief instincts, and there is a $10,000 prize for the winner.

The 2021 Fantasy Live points leaders are Kyle Larson (1,067), Denny Hamlin (1,062) and Chase Elliott (890).

This year, NASCAR.com also has the Playoffs Grid Challenge game, presented by Ruoff Mortgage, where you can pick the winners for each round of the playoffs right up through the Championship 4. First prize is $10,000.

How to play: Playoffs Grid Challenge | Playoff Fantasy Live

ALSO ON NASCAR.COM

Get additional camera views by logging on to NASCAR Drive, where each week a select number of in-car cameras will be available — as well as a battle cam and an overhead look.

New for this season, NASCAR has partnered with LiveLike to add fan engagement in the NASCAR Mobile App. Log in to the mobile app during the race for polls, quizzes, the cheer meter and more — and see instant results from NASCAR fans like you.

And finally, head over to the NASCAR Mobile App for AR Racing presented by Mobil 1, where you can design your own car and race the playoff drivers at the playoff tracks in augmented reality.

Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders at Richmond Raceway (⏰ 7:30 p.m. ET | 📺 NBCSN, TSN | 📻 MRN, SiriusXM)