Weekend schedule for Richmond

The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series travel to Richmond Raceway this weekend. This race is the second event in Round 1 of the Cup Series Playoffs. Denny Hamlin’s dramatic win this past Sunday at Darlington Raceway automatically advances him to the Round of 12.

Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the Cup Series with six wins at the 0.75-mile track.

There are only two more races in the Xfinity Series regular season. AJ Allmendinger, Austin Cindric, Justin Allgaier, Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton, Justin Haley, Noah Gragson, Jeb Burton and Myatt Snider have already clinched a spot in the upcoming Round 1 of the Playoffs.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will continue his tradition of returning to the Xfinity Series for one race each year and will compete at Richmond this weekend in the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevrolet. He has four wins, six top fives and seven top 10s in eight starts in the series and has led 829 laps with an average finish of 6.4.

Earnhardt’s car will feature a special paint scheme in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The Camping World Truck Series returns to action Thursday, Sept. 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway for the final race in the series Round of 10.

All times are Eastern.

Friday, Sept. 10

7 P.M.: Whelen Modified Tour Virginia Is For Racing Lovers 150
150 Laps
Live on TrackPass and MRN
(Tape-Delayed on NBCSN – Saturday, Sept. 18 at 2:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Sept. 11

2:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250
2:45: Green Flag
Pole: Austin Cindric
Competition Caution: Lap 35
Distance: 187.5 miles (250 Laps)
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 75), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 150), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)
TV: NBCSN/TSN
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

7:30 p.m.: Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 Salute to First Responders
7:45 p.m.: Green Flag
Pole: Kyle Larson
Competition Caution: Lap 30
Distance: 300 miles (400 Laps)
Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 235), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 400)
TV: NBCSN/TSN
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)

Richmond Raceway Data

Season Race #: 27 of 36 (09-11-21)
Track Size: 0.75-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 14 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  1,290 feet
Backstretch Length:  860 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 300 miles
Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
Stage 2 Length: 155 laps
Final Stage Length: 165 laps

Top 12 Driver Ratings at Richmond

Kyle Busch…………………………. 110.1
Kevin Harvick……………………… 109.8
Denny Hamlin……………………… 107.8
Brad Keselowski………………….. 100.5
Kurt Busch…………………………… 93.8
Joey Logano………………………… 93.4
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 93.3
Christopher Bell…………………….. 91.1
Kyle Larson………………………….. 87.6
Ryan Newman………………………. 86.2
Chase Elliott…………………………. 85.9
Aric Almirola…………………………. 78.2

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2021 races (32 total) among active drivers at Richmond Raceway.

Richmond Raceway Qualifying Data

Track Qualifying Record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet (130.599 mph, 20.674 secs.) on September 4, 2013.
2020 Playoff Race Pole Winner: Kevin Harvick – Metric Qualifying (Sept. 12, 2020)

• Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Richmond with 40 each.
• Kyle Larson (13 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond Raceway with an 8.769, followed by Denny Hamlin (29 starts) with a 9.690.
• Denny Hamlin (2006, 2008 and 2016) leads all active pole winners at Richmond Raceway with three poles, followed by Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick with two each.
• The youngest Richmond Cup pole winner: Brian Vickers (May 15, 2004 – 20 years, 6 months, 21 days).
• A total of nine different manufacturers have posted at least one pole at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (46); followed by Ford (34), Dodge (11), Toyota (10), Pontiac (six), Plymouth (five), Mercury (three), Buick (two) and Oldsmobile (two).

Richmond Raceway Race Data

Track Race Record: Dale Jarrett, Ford (109.047 mph, 02:45:04) on September 6, 1997.
2020 Playoff Race Winner: Brad Keselowski, Ford (101.868 mph, 02:56:42) on September 12, 2020.

• None of the Playoff winners at Richmond Raceway (2018-2020) have gone on to win the title the same season.
• Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at Richmond with six victories (spring 2009, spring 2010, spring 2011, spring 2012, 2018 sweep).
• The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the NASCAR Cup Series field at Richmond, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond Raceway with 24 victories.
• Only three active drivers have been able to win from the pole or first starting position: Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Denny Hamlin (2016).
• The deepest in the field that a NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at Richmond Raceway is 32nd, by Kyle Busch in the spring race of 2018.
• Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Cup Series in victories at Richmond Raceway with 16 wins.
• Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 39 victories; followed by Ford (33), Dodge (17), Toyota (14), Pontiac (11) Plymouth (10), Buick (two), Oldsmobile (two) and Chrysler (one).

From OddsChecker: Martin Truex Jr. favorite to win the Federated Auto Parts 400

FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 400 WINNER ODDS