FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: RICHMOND NOTES
Richmond Raceway will serve as host for the NASCAR Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series this weekend, marking the first of two national tour dates during the 2022 season. Some of the sport’s all-time greats have won at this three-quarter mile short track in a Ford, including NASCAR Hall of Famers such as Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Cotton Owens, Davey Allison, Bobby Allison, Benny Parsons, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace.
This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, April 2 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 1:30 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, April 3 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT RR
· Ford has 33 all-time series wins at Richmond.
· Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano each have two Ford wins at RR.
· Kevin Harvick also has one career series win.
FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT RR
· Ford has 19 all-time series wins at Richmond.
· Mark Martin is Ford’s all-time series leader in wins at the track with five.
· Ford’s last win at the track came in 2019 by Cole Custer.
RICHMOND ONE OF LOGANO’S BEST
It would be easy to look at Joey Logano’s two career wins at Richmond and say it’s got to be one of his best tracks on the circuit, but the statistics provide further proof. In 25 career starts, Logano has 12 top 5 and 15 top 10 finishes, which gives him an average finish of 10.2. That’s his second-best average finish on tracks where he’s run at least five races. The only track where Logano has a better average finish is Las Vegas, where his two wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 18 starts works out to an 8.9 average finish.
HARVICK A CAREER TOP-10 FINISHER AT RICHMOND
Another Ford driver who has experienced consistent success at Richmond is Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. This weekend will mark his 42nd career Cup Series start at the track in which his 10.0 average finish is fifth-best among tracks currently on the circuit in which he has more than five starts. The other four tracks that statistically are Harvick’s best include: Homestead (7.3), Indianapolis (8.6), Phoenix (8.7) and Kansas (8.9).
BLANEY LEADING THE WAY
Even though he is still looking to make his first trip to Victory Lane this season, Ryan Blaney has been no stranger to running up front. In fact, Blaney ranks first in laps led with 206 through the first six races and has led at least one circuit in every event. In addition, Blaney is coming off his second pole in as many races where qualifying has been held. He took the top spot at Phoenix and followed that up last week at Circuit of the Americas. In Atlanta, the field was set per the rule book.
KESELOWSKI WINS 2020’S LONE RICHMOND VISIT
Richmond Raceway hosted two NASCAR Cup Series events a year from 1959-2019, but in 2020 the track had only one event due to COVID and Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag in dominating fashion. Keselowski led 192-of-400 laps in recording his second career Cup win at the Virginia short track, and automatically advanced to the Round of 12. Overall, Ford led 297 laps on the night and had five drivers finish in the top 10, including Joey Logano (3rd), Kevin Harvick (7th), Aric Almirola (8th) and Clint Bowyer (10th).
FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT RICHMOND
1957 – Paul Goldsmith
1959 – Tom Pistone and Cotton Owens
1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)
1963 – Ned Jarrett (2)
1965 – Junior Johnson (1)
1968 – David Pearson (1)
1969 – David Pearson (1)
1970 – James Hylton (1)
1979 – Bobby Allison (2)
1980 – Bobby Allison (2)
1981 – Benny Parsons (2)
1984 – Ricky Rudd (1)
1986 – Kyle Petty (1)
1988 – Davey Allison (2)
1990 – Mark Martin (1)
1992 – Bill Elliott (1)
1993 – Davey Allison (1)
1994 – Ernie Irvan (1)
1995 – Rusty Wallace (2)
1996 – Ernie Irvan (2)
1997 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett
1998 – Jeff Burton (2)
1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)
2001 – Ricky Rudd (2)
2002 – Matt Kenseth (2)
2005 – Kurt Busch (2)
2013 – Carl Edwards (2)
2014 – Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski
2017 – Joey Logano (1)
2020 – Brad Keselowski
FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT RICHMOND
1987 – Mark Martin
1993 – Mark Martin (Sweep)
1994 – Kenny Wallace (2)
1995 – Kenny Wallace (1) and Dale Jarrett (2)
1996 – Kenny Wallace (2)
1997 – Mark Martin (1)
1998 – Jeff Burton (1)
1999 – Mark Martin (1)
2000 – Jeff Burton (2)
2002 – Jason Keller (1)
2005 – Carl Edwards (1)
2008 – Carl Edwards (2)
2009 – Carl Edwards (2)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (Sweep)
2017 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2019 – Cole Custer (1)
