NASCAR Cup Series

Richmond Raceway announced today that they would be making contributions in Dale’s name to Blessings in a Backpack and FeedMore’s backpack program. They also presented him with a commemorative photo of his three wins at Richmond Raceway.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Why have you been so successful at Richmond Raceway? “Yeah, it's definitely been a good track. We finished really well. We ran really well the last couple times here. Really looking forward to it. It's been one that's kind of been circled for a while. We like trying to win this race before the Playoffs start, trying to get the momentum where I feel like we have momentum. Everything is going good. Cars are good. I don't see any reason why we can't contend this time around also.”

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil/Red Cross Ford Fusion knows exactly what is on the line this weekend at Richmond. Returning to the site of his lone win of the season, Logano still needs a victory to qualify for the upcoming Playoffs. Logano spoke about what is at stake the next two days with media members Friday morning.

Michael McDowell is looking to make a splash in the last regular season race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) season.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR XFINITY Series head to Richmond Raceway this weekend. This will be the last race of the regular season for the Cup Series, setting the field for the 16-driver playoffs. Both races will be televised on NBCSN.

Heading into the final race of the regular season, Chevrolet currently has five drivers locked into Playoff positions on the strength of wins within the regular 26-race season.  Those drivers are: Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillon.

Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 6 Performance Plus Motor Oil Ford Fusion, heads into this weekend’s Monster Energy Cup Series (MENCS) regular season finale at Richmond Raceway knowing that a win will get the Knoxville, Tenn. native into the opening round of the Playoffs next weekend in Chicago.

Crew chief Mike Wheeler was fined $50,000 and suspended for two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points and 25 driver points, and Denny Hamlin’s first-place finish was ruled encumbered per Section 12.10. JGR will not appeal the penalty and Chris Gabehart (the crew chief for JGR’s No. 20 XFINITY Series team) will be on the pit box for the No. 11 team at Richmond, according to a team spokesperson.

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team punched their postseason ticket back in June at Pocono so are not among the majority of drivers and teams on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit who must win Saturday night at Richmond Raceway to guarantee their place in the NASCAR Playoffs that start next week at Chicagoland Speedway.

The Playoffs are almost here as NASCAR concludes its regular season with Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).