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Richmond International Raceway is the perfect little racetrack. It's not too small or too big. It's just the right size for 43 cars, and it has just the right amount of banking to promote side-by-side racing.
We have cautions at Richmond, but we have some long, green runs. Strategy can play a role, and it's on Saturday night, under the lights. Teams will put information in the data bank for similar racetracks in the Chase for the Nextel Cup: New Hampshire International Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway. Whether you're in the Chase or not — if you run well at Richmond — you'll roll into Loudon next week with a little bit of confidence.
Who to Watch
Denny Hamlin: If I had to pick the absolute favorite at Richmond, it would be Virginia's own Hamlin. Both he and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart will run well.
Kurt Busch: Even though it's a Car of Tomorrow race, Busch — who won this race two years ago — will run well.
Kasey Kahne: Although he wasn't a sleeper last year with six wins, he's a sleeper pick this year. The No. 9 crew is getting its arms around some things, and Kahne runs well at Richmond.
Hendrick Motorsports: All four teams should run well.
Carl Edwards: It just seems like the No. 99 team is on the mark everywhere they go right now. Of course, he won the last Car of Tomorrow race at Bristol.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: It's a track he loves, and a lot like Busch and Edwards, he's running well everywhere he goes right now with any type of race car.
What to Watch
Chasers go for the win: With Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. clinching berths by starting the race, the top 10 drivers will be going for the win and 10 bonus points, just like Jimmie Johnson did last week at California Speedway. The points from that win catapulted Johnson from 6th to the lead when the Chase starts. Bowyer would love to join the rest of the Chasers with at least one win heading to New Hampshire. Without a victory, he'll start out last with 5000 points.
On the bubble: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has to be smart, but he knows he's got to be very aggressive, too. He can't take any prisoners as he chases Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick. Busch and crew chief Pat Tryson are pretty solid week in and week out, but Harvick and crew chief Todd Berrier are bobbling. The No. 29 team won this race a year ago, and they had the best car in the spring but got crashed on pit road. Another pit miscue could change the complexion of the Chase, and put themselves out of contention. In the last four Richmond races, Harvick has led 598 of roughly 1,600 laps. But they're not running well right now. They haven't had a top-10 finish since Indianapolis. Dale Jr. and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. must be licking their chops because they're running well, and the No. 29 isn't running well. But it's going to take a little more than Dale Jr. running well for Harvick to miss the Chase. The No. 29 just has to finish 32nd or better to clinch a spot.
'Sperience the cure for worst-case impound: It's almost the worst-case scenario for teams. Not only is it an impound weekend, but the race is at night while the one practice is in the middle of the day with pretty hot temperatures. Experience prevails because these teams will go back to their notebooks, especially now that they have a Car of Tomorrow race under their belts. If you ran well in the spring, you won't be too far off, even though the track is a little different now. If you didn't run well, you will chase the track and chase yourself right out of the park.
Qualifying vs. race: Teams that are outside the top 35 in points and not locked into the race are in a box because they can only focus on qualifying in practice and won't get a race practice. Their first race is to get into the race. But unlike Atlanta, Fontana, Lowe's Michigan or Texas, setups don't change much from qualifying to races. If they do indeed qualify, the teams will have built as much adjustability in their cars as possible with spring rubbers among other adjustments. During the first pit stop, they will go down a checklist of things to change to try to get competitive.
Don't follow the leader: If you start at the back of the field at a short track, you want to get off-sequence with your pit stops. You hope to catch an early caution so you can make some adjustments, get fresh tires and get full of fuel. After 15 to 20 more laps, you'll hope to get another caution and stay out while the leaders pit. Voila! You've got your track position. Then, you hope the race goes green, and you'll pit with the leaders next time to stay on even ground. If the cautions fall right, you'll see several different pit strategies. Unless there are long, green runs, everybody won't hit pit road at the same time. If you follow the leader, that's exactly what you'll do... follow the leader.
Shorter pit window: It used to be 110 to 115 laps, but with the smaller fuel cell, it was 90 to 100 laps in the spring so it could be a three-stop race.
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