[media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″]
[/media-credit]After a week off in the NASCAR circuit, it’s back to racing at the Richmond International Raceway. If you aren’t too excited about heading into Richmond this week, someone might want to check your pulse! The 2 race teams that seem to understand what it takes to win here are Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch. Each of these drivers have won 2 in the last 2 years, the last different driver to win here, Jimmie Johnson in 2008.
What makes this track so unique? It’s only 3/4 of a mile long, with 14° turns, and only an 8° frontstretch. The Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hanson 400 is only 300 miles long, one of the shorter races of the year. But after all of these unique characteristics, my favorite is that it is Saturday night! Usually I don’t like Saturday races, being that there is nothing to look forward to on Sunday, but who doesn’t like short track racing on Saturday night?
I have done pretty decent in my picks in the previous weeks, with it being such a strange year thus far, I think that says a lot! Here are my 2011 Crown Royal Presents 400 Fantasy Picks:
Target: Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman
Avoid: Any Roush Driver, Jamie McMurray, and AJ Allmendinger
Analysis: Four of the last five races have been won by Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Ryan Newman isn’t a threat to win, but is a consistent top-10 finisher.
Bargain: Brad Keselowski had two top-15 finishes in 2010, and Marcos Ambrose finished P5 in the Fall race.
I anticipate this week’s race to be filled with lot’s of action, and even more drama as we look ahead onto the “Lady in Black” next week!
This week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule:
Practice~ (Friday 12pm, 2:30pm) Qualifying (Friday 5:30pm) Race (Saturday 7:30pm) all times are EST
Until we meet again, “Let’s go racing boys!”- DW
