Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers are revving up for their last regular season race the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, September 9th at 7:30 pm ET. Coverage begins at 7 pm ET on NBC Sports Network with radio coverage available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Drivers will race 300 miles over 400 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 100, Stage 2 on lap 200 and the last Stage ending on the last lap 400. Continue reading
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images
The last three drivers on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff grid are separated by a mere three points.If there’s no new winner from off the playoff grid in Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 pm. ET on NBCSN), those three drivers – Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray – would all make the postseason. But, if there’s a new winner from off the playoff grid, one of the three would be eliminated. Continue reading
Denny Hamlin won a wild race at his home track, and the top-four Chase hopefuls entering Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 all held serve at Richmond International Raceway in an event that ended in overtime after a record 16 cautions.
Jamie McMurray locked up a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a seventh-place finish, and Austin Dillon did likewise with a 13th-place run.
Sunoco rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher both weathered some tense moments to qualify for NASCAR’s ten-race playoff, the first time two rookies have ever been included in the Chase field—and the first time any rookie has made the Chase since Hamlin accomplished the feat in 2006. Continue reading
Joe Gibbs Racing brought guns to a knife fight on Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway.
But Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Kenseth did his teammates one better — he brought a howitzer.
Leading 352 of 400 laps in a race he owned from the outset, Kenseth pulled away from Kyle Busch after a restart with 18 laps left and won the Federated Auto Parts 400 by 0.951 seconds over his teammate.
Kenseth’s fourth victory of the season, tying him for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series lead with Jimmie Johnson and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch, meant the 16 drivers who started the race in playoff-eligible positions stayed there. Continue reading
Chase Clinch Scenarios for Richmond
Jamie McMurray will lock up his first career Chase berth simply by starting the race on Saturday night. For three others, it’s a little tougher – but certainly doable. Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; Jeff Gordon by finishing 17th or better; and Paul Menard by finishing ninth or better – and that’s all regardless of who wins the race. If there’s a repeat winner, the scenarios become less daunting. For winless drivers beyond Menard, there will be some frayed nerves. If there’s a repeat winner, Clint Bowyer is in good shape, needing only a finish of 28th or better. For those winless drivers lower in points than Bowyer, a Richmond win is realistically the only path to the Chase.
Here’s a full look at the Chase clinch scenarios for Saturday night’s race:
Regardless of Who Wins at Richmond…
Jamie McMurray clinches by starting the race.
Ryan Newman clinches by finishing 31st or better; 32nd with at least one lap led; or 33rd with the most laps led.
Jeff Gordon clinches by finishing 17th or better; 18th with at least one lap led; or 19th with the most laps led.
Paul Menard clinches by finishing ninth or better; tenth with at least one lap led; or 11th with the most laps led. Continue reading