FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: RICHMOND NOTES
The NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Richmond with only three races remaining in the regular season while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action with its second playoff event. Here’s a look at where Ford drivers stand in the playoff hunt, along with past Richmond winners.
This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, August 13 – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 8 p.m. (FS1)
Sunday, August 14 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3 p.m. (USA)
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.
MICHIGAN MAKES FOUR
Kevin Harvick’s win at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday was not only Ford’s eighth consecutive victory at its hometown track, but also increased the manufacturer’s automatically eligible playoff drivers to four. Harvick joins two-time winner Joey Logano (Darlington and Gateway), Chase Briscoe (Phoenix) and Austin Cindric (Daytona) currently in the playoff field. With 15 different winners in the 2022 season and three races remaining in the regular season, only one spot is currently available on points with Ford’s Ryan Blaney currently in that spot.
CLIMBING THE FORD WIN LIST
Harvick’s victory also continued his climb on the all-time Ford Cup win list. Despite the fact he has only been with the manufacturer since 2017, Harvick now stands 10th with 24 career triumphs. That figure actually ties him with Matt Kenseth and puts him only two behind Brad Keselowski, Junior Johnson and Fred Lorenzen. In addition, Harvick has won more Cup races in Mustang (14) than any other driver since the iconic muscle car became Ford’s flagship Cup model in 2019.
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 26 career starts, Logano has 12 top 5 and 15 top 10 finishes, which gives him an average finish of 10.5. 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 43rrd career Cup Series start at the track in which his 9.9 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 (9.1).
FORD IN THE NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES AT RR
· Ford has 3 all-time series wins at Richmond.
· Greg Biffle captured Ford’s first win in 1999.
· Grant Enfinger is Ford’s last winner at the track (2020).
SMITH OFF TO GOOD PLAYOFF START
Zane Smith opened the NASCAR Camping World Series playoffs with a 15-point lead after winning the regular season championship, and a solid third-place run in the opener at Indianapolis Raceway Park helped him maintain a his position toward advancing to the Round of 8. With two races remaining before the year’s first elimination, Smith is 50 points above the cut line. Driving in his first season with Front Row Motorsports, Smith continues to lead the series in wins with three, top 5 finishes with 10, top 10 finishes with 14, and laps led with 347.
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 CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT RICHMOND
1999 – Greg Biffle
2000 – Rick Carelli
2020 – Grant Enfinger
