When NASCAR announced the new Chase grid system, and the expansion to sixteen drivers, I immediately cringed. Sixteen drivers, in my opinion, is too many and it “waters down” the significance of the championship.
You know you have a problem when the most exciting action at the track was the shirtless guy parked upon the top of the fence on turn four. Richmond was to excitement what Rusty Wallace is to broadcasting. In fact, I think I broke my fast forward button.
Many fans seem to be disappointed in what they saw at Richmond over the weekend. Yes, we had two runaway races—Kyle Busch in the Nationwide race and Brad Keselowski in the Cup race, but there is a reason for that and it is something that many fail to understand. There are the haves and the have nots. The haves always win unless you’re at a road course or Daytona.
In a far less dramatic and controversial race than last year, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 57th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
With only two more positions to be filled, and one race remaining, Saturday’s race at Richmond International Raceway held the promise of a no holds barred, fight to the finish. Instead it delivered an uneventful event but a dominant fourth win by Brad Keselowski who led 383 out of 400 laps. His fourth win also puts him atop the Chase Grid.
Brad Keselowski put a clinic on at the Richmond International Raceway Saturday night winning the Federated Auto Parts 400. Keselwoski beat Jeff Gordon to the finish line by .797 seconds for his fourth win of the season putting him at the front of the newly formatted Chase for the Sprint Cup grid. He led a whopping 383 of the 400 laps after starting from the pole.
Brad Keselowski won the Coors Light Pole Award at Richmond International Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400 with a 21.324 lap at 126.618 mph. It is his fourth pole of the season and the seventh career Sprint Cup pole for the Team Penske driver.
1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was running second early at Atlanta when he blew a tire, sending him into the wall. He fell two laps down, but battled back to regain the lead lap and finished 17th.
The Coliseum…..Thunder Valley…..and “The World's Fastest Half Mile"…..here is what was surprising and not surprising from Bristol Motor Speedway in the IRWIN Tools Night Race.
