You know you have a problem when the most exciting action at the track was the shirtless guy parked upon the top of the fence on turn four. Richmond was to excitement what Rusty Wallace is to broadcasting. In fact, I think I broke my fast forward button.
That is not to say that Richmond did not have a story to tell, but this was more deserving of Cliff Notes rather than having us sit through the entire novel. We had two guys running in the Top Five all day who mattered, but only if they won. They did not, nor did either even lead. Okay, one of them would have mattered had Greg Biffle dropped out of the Top 25 in the running order. He did not.
It was Brad Keselowski leading, all but 17 laps as it turned out, with Jeff Gordon in second. That was pretty much the soundtrack of this movie. With his fourth victory of the season, Keselowski goes into the Chase leading with 2012 points, the winless trio at the bottom have 2000, the rest are somewhere in between. You can do the math.
Jimmie Johnson had a Top Ten, but was pretty washed out when he emerged from the car after the race. He started cramping and felt dizzy, and they carted him away for some attention. A moment of excitement but happily, after getting some fluids put back in him, the lad was as good as new.
I was all set to gush about Danica Patrick, I really was, if only she had followed up her Top Ten the previous week with a Top 15 at Richmond. She finished 16th. If Keselowski and Gordon had a problem, it would have made things more interesting. They did not. Clint Bowyer finished third, but with Biffle coming home 19th the Biff claimed the final Chase berth by seven points. All in all, it was just enough to cause some interest, but it all came woefully short of creating much excitement.
Now, just because I thought the race to be a terrible, horrible bore does not mean everyone else did. I mean, have you watched America’s Got Talent lately? What is good is bad and what is crap is not. I quit watching, yet the show survives without me. At least my wife and I agree, and for a long married couple that is not bad. If you and yours loved Richmond, good on you both.
Now it is off to Chicago and the iconic MyAFibStory.com 400. Good grief. Great cause, stupid name. It is right up there with the AnnieMayElizabethWhiteThornton.com 400. I loved my grandmother, yet as a race name that would truly suck.
We have 16 drivers seeking to survive the next three events by either winning or staying in the top dozen through to Dover. Who has reason to worry this Sunday? History tells us that would be Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Biffle. Chicago has not been very kind to any of them in the past.
It should be pretty exciting this Sunday. Hey, a boy can dream, can’t he?
The Chasers
1 – Brad Keselowski – 4 Wins – 2012 Points
2 – Jeff Gordon – 3 – 2009
3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 2009
4 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 2009
5 – Joey Logano – 3 – 2009
6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 2006
7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 2006
8 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 2003
9 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 2003
10 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 2003
11 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 2003
12 – Aric Almirola – 1 – 2003
13 – A.J. Allmendinger – 1 – 2003
14 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 2000
15 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 2000
16 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 2000
