Following a dramatic conclusion to the 300 lapper at Barrie Speedway, it’d be Pete Shepherd making his way to victory lane after slipping past both J.R. Fitzpatrick and Steve Mathews in the closing laps. It marks the third career NASCAR Canadian Tire Series victory for the Brampton, Ontario part-timer after winning at Kawartha Speedway in 2010 and Saskatoon last year.
The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set. It needed all 400 laps in Richmond, along with some rain and a platter of pit strategy, but the field is set and the playoffs can begin.
All attention was on Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, the two drivers who would finish 12th (yes, I said 12th) in the standings that lead to NASCAR’s playoff, The Chase. It was an amazing turn of events and Gordon deserves most of the credit, but there were 41 other drivers out there and one (Bowyer) was making a statement for Michael Waltrip Racing that was just as amazing.
The four-time champion is gearing up for another run at the championship. His fight for the championship this year will be very difficult. Gordon made the Chase as a wild card. Wild card drivers don’t get to use their victories as bonus points coming into the Chase.
Following weeks of build up and anticipation, the NASCAR Spring Cup Series arrived at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night for the final race before the Chase for the Championship. Ten drivers arrived already locked-in to the Chase, including Tony Stewart who was assured of either a finish in the top ten or a wild card spot.
The 10th race of the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule (NCATS) takes the stars of the NCATS to the 0.333 mile paved oval known as Barrie Speedway. The tight quarters of the short track that many of these drivers grew up racing at have always provoked close and exciting racing.
Kevin Harvick won the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 in Richmond International Raceway. This was Harvick's sixth Nationwide Series win at Richmond and his first in the series since going to victory lane here since 2010
Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole for Saturday nights NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway with a lap of 127.023 MPH (21.260 secs).
The 2021 Cup Series champion from Elk Grove, California, enters the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs with the top seed amid a strong regular-season stretch highlighted with four victories, 10 stage victories and 13 top-10 results despite missing a single race.
Elliott and Bowman are set to commence the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs in seventh and 12th, respectively, in the Playoff standings in a season where both snapped a one-year winless drought and returned to NASCAR's postseason battle for a season title.
The 2016 Xfinity Series champion from Monterrey, Mexico, is set to commence the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs in 11th place in the Playoff standings following a regular-season stretch where he notched his second Cup career victory at Atlanta and finished in the top 10 six times.
The two-time Cup Series champion from Middletown, Connecticut, will commence the 2024 Cup Series Playoffs in ninth place in the Playoff standings following a roller coaster regular-season stretch where he won at Nashville in June and recorded four top-five results and eight top-10 runs.
The 2022 Daytona 500 champion from Mooresville, North Carolina, is set to commence his second career Cup Series Playoffs in 10th place in the Playoff standings with 2,007 points amid a difficult 2024 regular-season stretch despite recording a final lap victory at Gateway.
The 2023 Cup Series Rookie of the Year from Charlotte, North Carolina, will commence his first Cup Series Playoffs in 15th place in the Playoff standings after recording seven top-five results, 11 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 14.7 throughout the 2024 regular-season stretch.
