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Looking Back at the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400…

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As most would have expected, this race was dominated by the Joe Gibbs Racing show, with some extra drama thrown in there. This is what I love about Richmond, you have the short track drama, the intermediate track feel, and the feeling of excitement as we head into the next NASCAR race! Some of the best drama that took place tonight was the Ryan Newman- Juan Pablo Montoya feud. I don’t think Newman meant any harm getting into the back of Montoya, but evidently he would disagree with me.  Montoya would then retaliate, causing Newman to spin, obviously something that would not set well with him. Reports indicated that both drivers were told to report to the NASCAR hauler at the end of the race. It appeared that Montoya left the track before that could happen.

What I did not expect to take place at the Richmond International Raceway was so much action with 100 laps to go. Drivers were going 3 to 4 wide around a 3/4 of a mile race track. Why would they be so anxious with over 100 to go? It was pretty difficult to tell who was at fault, in the largest accident of the night, but I believe they all played a part in the crash that took out some of the best cars left in the field. Jeff Gordon had been running in the top 5 all night, dropped back some, and was involved in the fiasco, along with Matt Kenseth. Kenseth had one of the fastest cars of the night, seemingly to go unnoticed.  But this still raises the question why? We saw more action with a 1/4th of a race left, than we did with 10 laps to go.

We have a lot to look forward to, heading into the month of May. Great racing at Darlington, Dover, and Charlotte; with the 600 miler and let’s not forget about the Sprint Cup All-Star race!

As we leave Richmond, we are left with ques

[media-credit id=5 align=”alignright” width=”287″][/media-credit]tions both answered, and unanswered, but what we all know, JGR has got Richmond figured out!

 

Until we meet again, in preparation to make a visit with “The Lady in Black”, I hope you have enjoyed everything that Richmond had to offer!

Ford Richmond Post Race

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CHEVY NSCS AT RICHMOND ONE: Jeff Gordon Post-Accident Quotes

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Brothers in Arms: Marines Honored in Richmond for the “Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400”

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What’s in a name and how does it influence a person’s character?

In the case of Matthew and his twin brother Daniel Hansen, character can be defined as nothing short of heroic. [media-credit name=”Barry Albert ” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]

As the grand prize winners of the Crown Royal “Your Name Here” contest, NASCAR, Crown Royal and the Richmond International Raceway recognizes these brothers by naming Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race the “Crown Royal presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400.” Nominated by their godmother, she described in detail Matthew’s unfaltering service to his country during his three tours of duty in Iraq in the United States Marine Corps.

This year marks the second year that Crown Royal has chosen to focus solely on military service members to honor their courageous acts when deciding to name their race.

“This weekend we are proud to honor two American heroes in Matthew and Daniel Hansen,” said Yvonne Briese, Crown Royal Brand Director.  “The kind of bravery and selflessness these men have displayed are the exact traits Crown Royal sought to highlight through the ‘Your Name Here’ program and we could not ask for two better service members to represent this program.”

Matthew and Daniel joined the Marines in 2002, Matthew served in Operation Iraqi Freedom while Daniel was selected to protect President George W. Bush at Camp David in 2004 and later Lieutenant Richard C. Zilmer, USMC while in Iraq. Daniel was killed during a roadside bombing on Feb. 14, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. Despite the loss of his brother, Matthew continues to serve. He is currently serving on a military base in San Marcos due to injury, but hopes to return to duty overseas in the future.

Lieutenant Zilmer, along with Major General Ray Fox, USMC Commanding General of Training and Education Command in Quantico, Va., will be in attendance for Saturday’s nights race to honor not only Daniel and Matthew, but troops worldwide.

“I have a feeling this weekend is going to be full of incredible moments,” said Hansen.  “From experiencing the rush of the race to hanging out with stars like Matt Kenseth and Rodney Atkins, I’m really looking forward to getting to Richmond.  I wish Daniel could share this with me, but he will definitely be in my heart the entire time.”

Thanks in part to Crown Royal and Richmond International Raceway, Matthew Hansen has been given the “royal treatment” all weekend. His name has been incorporated into race merchandise and memorabilia, as well as being included in the actual race broadcast. He will serve as the Grand Marshal, watch the race from Matt Kenseth’s No. 17 pit box and deliver a trophy bearing his name to the winner of the race in Victory Lane.

“It is a privilege to host Matthew as he honors his brother at Richmond International Raceway on April 30,” said Richmond International Raceway president Doug Fritz. “We are thrilled to again team up with Crown Royal for the ‘Your Name Here’ program, recognizing members of our Armed Forces. The Crown Royal Presents the Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be a momentous event at America’s Premier Short Track.”

Country star and Crown Royal partner,  Rodney Atkins will preform an hour long pre-race concert on the front-stretch for ticket holders who are 21 and older to help celebrate the lives of Matthew and his brother Daniel and honor those who proudly serve.

“This weekend’s show in Richmond is going to be a blast,” said Atkins. “Not only do I get to perform for thousands of race fans, but I get to do so for a cause I really believe in – honoring American heroes like Matthew and Daniel Hansen.”

So whether you are here at the track or at home in front of the TV, raise a glass to Matthew and Daniel Hansen, two true American heroes and as always, Please Drink Responsibly.

 

 

Top-20 finish for Richardson and R3 Motorsports at Richmond

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Chase Elliott Competes With The Big Boys For A Good Cause

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Chase Elliott, son of Cup champion Bill Elliott, was prepared to race at Richmond International Raceway in the K&N Pro Series East Race for the first time in his young career.

But the youngster got the chance to do something even more special, compete with the ‘big boys’ of the racing world at Denny Hamlin’s Charity Race, the Denny Hamlin Shootout.

Elliott was tapped to drive Brandon Butler’s Late Model, filling in for Kasey Kahne who is still recovering from additional knee surgery.  The up and coming driver not only got to compete against some of his idols, like Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip and newcomer Travis Pastrana, but also got to challenge his own dear old dad.

Because of his inexperience, having never even competed in a Whelen All-American late model race car before, Chase Elliott started in the back of the field just behind father Bill.  This starting position turned out to be one of the luckiest as much of the field was involved in a major crash in the first lap of the race.

While Chase went low to escape the wreck, right behind his father, Bill Elliott did get clipped from behind, doing major damage to his race car.

“I thought I was a goner when they were barreling down from the wall,” Chase said to his dad. “But they hit you instead.”

“Well I’m glad I could be of assistance to you there, son,” father Bill Elliott quipped quickly.

After the major wreck, Matt McCall and Max Gresham brought the field to the restart green flag.  They were quickly challenged by Cup contender Kyle Busch, who not only led but dominated the competition, as he so often does.

At the half-way mark of the race, however, Chase Elliott had worked his way forward to claim the 12th position.  He even managed to get past one of his biggest racing idols Tony Stewart.

“He let me go,” Elliott said of his pass around Smoke.

Elliott continued to move forward, cracking the top ten and finally claiming a third place finish behind Denny Hamlin, race host, and Michael Waltrip.

Ever the racer, however, Elliott was hoping for an even better finish.

“On that last restart if we hadn’t have gone three-wide off in Turn One, I think we could have been battling for the win,” Elliott said. “I had a blast. To be able to run with great drivers and I am looking forward to hopefully being able to do it again sometime.”

Elliott also played a role in raising money for several charities, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital in Richmond. Race founder and winner Denny Hamlin said that 10 percent of this year’s race proceeds will be given to assist the victims of the recent tornados.

While Elliott celebrated his unexpectedly good finish in the Hamlin charity race, he was still smarting a bit from his K&N Pro Series East race prior to the charity event. After a sixth place qualifying effort in the East Series Blue Ox 150, Elliott struggled throughout the bulk of the race.

In addition to the fact that he had never been to the .75 mile, D-shaped oval track at Richmond, he also had to battle a rain delay, as well as a tight No. 9 HendrickCars.com race car. On Lap 75 when the caution flag flew, Elliott had dropped to 14th on the track and came out 25th after a pit stop for a track bar adjustment.

Elliott was never able to advance much further and he finished the race 24th.

“We just need more time to figure these cars out,” Elliott said. “We will get it.”

“I thought the car was good in practice,” Elliott continued. “But we had no drive-up off the corner when it came time for the race.”

Elliott will next compete in the K&N Pro Series East race at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on June 4th. This will also be the fifteen year old Elliott’s debut at that historic track.

TOYOTA NASCAR Nationwide Series Post-Race Notes and Quotes RIR – April 29, 2011

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Nationwide Series: Hamlin Wins One at Home!

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Denny Hamlin celebrates winning Bubba 250 in Richmond

[media-credit name=”Barry Albert ” align=”alignright” width=”261″][/media-credit]
Denny Hamlin celebrates winning Bubba 250 in Richmond
Friday night under the lights at Richmond International Raceway often proves to be a fierce battle of skill and strategy; tonight was no exception.  As fans, we are used to seeing the field peppered with some of the hottest Sprint Cup double dippers, but Friday night’s Bubba Burger 250 played host to only a small handful: most notable Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski.

As anticipated, pole sitter Edwards took the lead on the first lap and maintained it comfortably until Hamlin, who started in 11th position made his way through the field and on lap 44 slid under Edwards No. 60 Ford Mustang on turn four to take the lead.

Edwards quickly lost ground to Kenny Wallace and Aric Almirola as well and by lap 71 found himself in the fourth position.

Lap 80 proved to be the start of tire issues for Brad Keselowski, thinking that his No. 22 Dodge Challenger was suffering a flat tire. He slows dramatically on the backstretch before darting onto pit road.

On lap 83, Keselowski brakes hard in turn three, producing a smoke cloud from the tires and nearly taking out Brian Scott in the process.

Hamlin lapped pole-sitter and fellow Sprint Cup competitor, Edwards on lap 98.  With no cautions in sight, the drivers began making their green-flag pit stops around lap 100.

At lap 105, after a round of green-flag pit stops, Hamlin resumes the lead, followed by Kenny Wallace, Aric Almirola, Paul Menard and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  With just ten cars on the lead lap at lap 107, Hamlin has a solid 6.5 second lead over 2nd place of Wallace’s No. 09 Toyota Camry.

Kelly Bires spun out on lap 124 in turn -four bringing out the first caution of the night, two laps later all lead-lap cars were back on pit road.

The green flag waved on lap 131 with Hamlin leading the field ahead of Almirola, Wallace, Stenhouse Jr. and Menard.

Almirola quickly took the lead from Hamlin in turn one on lap 132 only to have it reclaimed by Hamlin on lap 137 between turns three and four with Stenhouse Jr. in tow to take over the second spot.

With Hamlin in the lead, the battle for position between Almirola,  Stenhouse Jr. and Menard ran hot for the next 60 laps.

With 41 laps to go, Charles Lewandoski slid through turns three and four almost losing control and slowing dramatically, but made it to pit road without bringing out the caution.

Lap 217 brought more bad luck for Edwards, as he slows on the track, his Ford out of gas.  After pitting, on lap 220 Edwards’ car stalls at the end of pit road, seven laps later he returns to the track five laps down in 24th place.

There are only four cars on the lead by lap 232, Hamlin, Stenhouse Jr, Almirola and Wallace. Four quickly become just three as Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 6 machine runs out of gas and limps slowly around the field on lap 242.

The yellow flag waved for the second time on lap 244 as Stenhouse Jr.’s car rolls to a stop in turn two.  The caution worked to Menard’s advantage as his car runs out of gas on the backstretch on lap 245 but makes it to pit road along with Hamlin for one last, quick pit stop.

The green flag waved one final time on lap 249 with Hamlin in the lead and Menard hot on his trail, but Menard’s efforts were thwarted as Derrick Cope crashed between turns three and four preventing him for making one final hard charge on Hamlin.

Hometown hero Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag making this his 11th career win in the Nationwide series. Paul Menard, Justin Algaier, Elliott Sadler and Aric Almirola rounded out the top five.

Dodge Motorsports Notes Quotes – NNS Race Final – Richmond

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TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Post-Qualifying Notes & Quotes Richmond International Raceway

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