Whether you watch the races in person or from the comfort of your own home, one thing remains consistent from track to track, the lack of spectators in attendance. It's no secret that NASCAR has been struggling with attendance in recent years.
NASCAR has made updates to the rule book regarding lug nuts, effective immediately. In a memo sent to teams Monday, the sanctioning body informed organizations that they will be expected to have all five lug nuts installed in a safe and secure manner throughout all national series events.
When asked what stood out about today's race, Tony Stewart said, "How much fun I had in it." The driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet brought his car home 19th in his first Sprint Cup Series race since Homestead of last season.
Carl Edwards used the chrome bumper on the final lap to score the victory at Richmond. The driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota led 151 of the 400 laps and bumped teammate Kyle Busch out of the way exiting turn 4 to win the Toyota Owners 400.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated and survived a late race wreck to score the victory in the XFINITY race at Richmond. The driver of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet led 128 of the 149 laps on his way to winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond International Raceway.
Jimmie Johnson topped the chart in final Sprint Cup Series practice at Richmond International Raceway. The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 22.342 and a speed of 120.849 mph.
Kevin Harvick topped the chart in first Sprint Cup Series practice at Richmond International Raceway. The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 20.919 and a speed of 129.069 mph.
Though NASCAR has a reputation to protect, matters of safety should always be addressed openly and not relegated to the shadows. More importantly, when several veterans of the sport are concerned enough to speak out, NASCAR would be well advised to listen rather than worrying about public perception.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and XFINITY Series travel to Richmond International Raceway this weekend. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is off. Please check below for the complete schedule of events.
If you would have told me that Matt Kenseth would have been winless headed into the ninth race of the season and on the outside looking into the playoffs, I would have called you crazy. But, that is the case, he currently sits 18th in points with just one top 10 finish this season.
