With everything on the line as far as Chase berths, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 56th annual Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
The decision was unexpected even to the beat reporters who follow NASCAR daily. After Saturday’s race, thing just didn’t look right, something officials missed. By Sunday at the truck race in Iola, Mike Helton, NASCAR’s President, commented that NASCAR was going to review the race and radio transmissions. That was the first clue that something was up. A timeline was not given, however.
Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway turned into one of the most controversial races in the history of the sport. Fan response to Clint Bowyer’s well-timed and seemingly intentional spin that brought out a late race caution, coupled with an un-needed trip down pit road by Brian Vickers was unprecedented.
In an unprecedented Monday evening news conference after the wild Richmond race on Saturday night, NASCAR dropped the penalty hammer on Michael Waltrip Racing.
I know some will agree with me along with others that questioned the post race "woohoo", also shared the same opinion as I. There will also be many who will not agree with my opinion about Clint Bowyer's mysterious spin-out while Newman was leading and about to win the race. A win would clinch Newman a spot in the Chase. Bowyer in my opinion did it intentionally.
Julius Timothy “Tim” Flock was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in one of the most famous racing families of early stock car racing. His two brothers, Bob and Fonty were both NASCAR drivers, as well as his sister Ethel Flock Mobley.
There was a lot on the line at Richmond Saturday night but was it so much so that it would actually push a team to deliberately alter the outcome in order to benefit themselves? When you're talking about a shot at the Sprint Cup championship; I'd say so.
Carl Edwards jumps the late re-start and NASCAR says nary a word as he beats Kurt Busch for the win at Richmond. Yet, that is not the story of the week. Carl may have stole three bonus points for the Chase, may have kept Busch from taking his Furniture Row team to Victory Lane, but few fans were lost to the non-call. What happened a few laps earlier to bring out that caution with seven to go, well that is entirely another matter.
Garrett Mitchell backed by his millions of YouTube subscribers, is set for a busy weekend at “The Rock,” competing in both the ARCA Menards Series East and making his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut as part of a doubleheader day of racing in the Piedmont.
NHRA officials announced today that Safety-Kleen will continue as “Official Provider of Environmental Services for NHRA” and “Official Absorbent of NHRA” as part of a multi-year extension.
Richard Childress Racing’s best finish at Rockingham Speedway in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series is second, achieved by Kevin Harvick in 1999 (fall).
The North Carolina Education Lottery 250 (250 laps | 235 miles) is the eighth of thirty-three (33) NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races on the 2026 schedule.
