Happy Friday.  Habbajeeba, we made it through the week!  

Today In Nascar History

September 5, 1966: Darel Dieringer gets the biggest win of his Cup career, winning the Southern 500 at Darlington. Driving for Bud Moore, Dieringer leads 105 laps, second to Richard Petty's 131. Petty finishes second, one of his eight second-place finishes in a Cup race at Darlington. Dieringer wraps up his Cup career in 1975 with seven wins and 45 top fives in 181 races.

Number of the Day

Today's NASCAR Number is this week's Daily Double.

44: Times Clint Bowyer has finished ahead of David Ragan in 63 Cup races (44-19). In those races, Bowyer's average finish is 14.7 to Ragan's 21.3. Bowyer is 12th in the standings and leads 13th-place Ragan by 17 points going into the final race of the regular season.

52: Times Bowyer has finished ahead of Kasey Kahne in 98 Cup races (52-46). In those races, Bowyer's average finish is 16.6 to Kahne's 18.3. Bowyer leads 14th-place Kahne by 48 points going into Saturday night's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond. The top 12 in the points standings at the completion of the race qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Power Rankings

Power Rankings  Richmond

Most Popular Driver…Vote here!

http://www.scenedaily.com/mostpopulardriver/  or

http://www.votemostpopulardriver.com/

Nationwide Most Popular Driver Poll

Craftsman Truck Most Popular Driver Poll

Quote of the Year

"NASCAR ain't doing nothing I like right now." "I don't like the rules they are doing...you can bump somebody and they want to fine you for it." Pearson saw the look on Carl Edwards face and made sure to say he knew that Edwards could not speak-up or he would get fined.

--David Pearson

In one weekend, Kyle supplanted Ulysses S. Grant as "the most-hated person in the history of Richmond."

--Mark Aumann In his Power Rankings comments

Comments from the Peanut Gallery

From Marcia

Momma, this should be brought to NASCAR'S attention.  Maybe more of the drivers, crewpit members, etc. will do things right.

According to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171,  
During the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform are expected to stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.

From RD

This is still bullS*it. These drivers had NOTHING to do with the magnets being put under the gas pedal. Rescinding the probation does nothing at all. I've seen drivers on probation before, it is only a slap on the hand. If they had the probation rescinded, they should also get the points back. How in hell can they penalize someone who NASCAR it's self says is blameless? That is like a judge saying to the defendant, I know you are innocent, but I just feel like you need 30 days in slam...bang bang, next case.

rd

From Chip

Dear NASCAR Momma: Thanks to you and also to Lou for the info about the cars. Dogging seems, to me, the simplest way to describe what we see on TV as these cars come down the straightaway’s heading into the corners. Lou hit that nail right on the head. At a time when so many brand loyal fans stand proud of what used to be an all American series, this is just one more wrinkle in the mix that moves these cars further away from anything that resembles automobiles manufactured in Detroit or any other place for that matter. What comes next? Articulation steering for road courses? LOL = Chip

Bits and Pieces

NASCAR to purchase Grand-Am: NASCAR will announce it has purchased the Grand-American Road Racing Association, the News-Journal learned late Wednesday. Full details of the sale are expected today. Grand-Am, which is based in Daytona Beach and sanctions sportscar, road-racing events, was previously a stand-alone entity with close relationships to NASCAR and International Speedway Corp. NASCAR apparently bought Grand-Am to help the 10-year-old sanctioning body cross-brand with stock car racing's mass appeal. Grand-Am has six racing series, including the marquee Rolex Series, which features Daytona Prototypes.(Daytona Beach News Journal)

Tire 'check' done at Dover: #43-Bobby Labonte and #8-Mark Martin were the drivers who were drafted by Goodyear to perform what they both called "a tire check" for the company at Dover International Speedway on Wednesday [9/3]. Labonte and Martin each took to Dover's high-banked, one-mile oval throughout the day in single-car runs, trying to ensure that Goodyear chooses the best tire compound for the Camping World RV 400 presented by AAA that will be held at the "Monster Mile" on Sept. 21. "It's just about tires. Goodyear's brought two different compounds of tires for us to test," said Labonte. "The tire test sometimes consists of trying different compounds and constructions, but this is more of a 'tire check' just to make sure everything's OK with the tire." It is standard operating procedure for Goodyear to conduct a tire test at virtually every race track in preparation for a Sprint Cup race. "Goodyear does the picking [of drivers] and they do a lot of testing, so obviously they don't have me and Mark [Martin] do all of the testing," Labonte said. "They kind of pick and choose with these guys here and these guys there." And since Dover is one of the races involved in the Chase, it was no coincidence that none of the championship contenders were asked to participate. "They've spread [testing] around a lot this year," Martin said. "I think when you're getting right on top of the Chase that they try not to choose Chase guys because that might give them an advantage or something." (Delaware News Journal) UPDATE: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company tested at Dover International Speedway this past Wednesday and confirmed a new right-side tire for when Sprint Cup and Nationwide cars race at the "Monster Mile" on September 19-21. Participating in the test at Dover were Bobby Labonte in the #43 Petty Enterprises Dodge and Mark Martin in the #8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevy. "We made three long runs on each car during the heat of the afternoon, and were very happy with the results," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire sales. "Our goal was to provide a slight increase in grip without negatively impacting tire temperatures or wear, and we feel like we accomplished just that." The new right-side code (D-4186) will be paired with the same left-side code (D-4134) that was successfully raced at Dover earlier this spring. Goodyear is in the midst of a busy testing schedule, starting with last week's visit to Kansas Speedway and this week's stop at Dover. In the coming weeks, Goodyear will hold confirmation tests at both Atlanta Motor Speedway (Sept. 16) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Oct. 14), and conduct two large scale tests at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Sept. 22-23 and Oct. 6-8).(Goodyear PR)

Manufacturers to test new car for N'wide Series at RIR

Drivers for Sept. 8-9 test session to be announced later

By Official Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The Nationwide Series begins a new era when its new car goes on track for the first of two scheduled tests Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 8-9, at Richmond International Raceway. Wednesday, Sept. 10, will be a rain date.

Each of the four series manufacturers -- Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota -- will be permitted to bring two cars. The drivers are to be announced but will be representative of their specific manufacturer.

"The goal of this test is for the manufacturers and participating teams to start laying a foundation for the transfer phase from the current car to the new car in the Nationwide Series," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition.

The cars will be on track in their current stages of development and the test data will be shared among the manufacturers, teams and NASCAR.

"We're still in the process of approving the cars," Pemberton said. "This wasn't a quick process on the NASCAR Sprint Cup side and it won't be with these cars. We've also been talking to teams and they've indicated they'd be better suited budget-wise to spend a full season building cars instead of a mid-year transition.

"We've had this style of chassis for more than two years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and many questions have already been answered," he said. "In applying the new car to the Nationwide Series, we fully anticipate the teams to be as competitive and resourceful as possible throughout the developmental process."

The NASCAR Nationwide Series' new car is also set to test at Lowe's Motor Speedway Oct. 13-14.

Hunt Brothers Pizza to Participate in Chevy Rock and Roll 400 The #70 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet will make its next appearance at the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Speedway Saturday, September 6. Johnny Sauter will steer the Hunt Brothers Chevy under the bright lights of “America’s Premier Short Track.” Hunt Brothers Pizza will serve as a secondary sponsor on the #66 car driven by Scott Riggs at Richmond as well. “The Hunt Brothers car has made some very positive finishes this season during the first year of our NASCAR sponsorship,” said Scott Hunt, executive of Hunt Brothers Pizza. “We look forward to improving our standing for the remainder of the season and sharing our brand with the millions of faithful NASCAR fans next year as well.” To celebrate their NASCAR partnership, Hunt Brothers is sponsoring a Free Fill-Up Sweepstakes. Through October 27, 2008, visitors to www.freegasfreepizza.com will have the opportunity to sign up for a chance to win free gas and free pizza for a year.(PR)

Grubb named Stewart's crew chief for '09 season at Stewart-Haas

Rea White/scenedaily.com

RICHMOND, Va. – Tony Stewart confirmed Friday that Hendrick Motorsports' team engineer Darian Grubb will be his NASCAR Sprint Cup crew chief at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009.
 
Stewart announced the hiring at Richmond International Raceway, site of this weekend's Chevy Rock & Roll 400.
 
"This is something that is another key step in the equation of us getting on our feet next year … We've got a team leader now," Stewart said in making the announcement.
 
Stewart has spent 10 years working with Greg Zipadelli at Joe Gibbs Racing, winning 32 races and two Cup titles during their tenure. At the end of this season, he'll move into a team ownership role with the newly formed team. He'll also work with someone other than Zipadelli on a full-time basis for the first time in his Cup career.
 
Grubb is currently a team engineer at Hendrick but he has also worked as a crew chief there. He won with Jimmie Johnson in 2006 when Chad Knaus served a suspension and started the 2007 season as crew chief for Casey Mears.
 
"This is a tremendous opportunity for me to not only work with a driver of Tony's caliber but to help build an organization into one that can win races and eventually contend for championships."

Grubb has been signed to a multiyear contract, but terms were not disclosed.

NASCAR should postpone Richmond Cup race

BobPackrass/scenedaily.com

RICHMOND, Va. – It’s 7:30 a.m. at Richmond International Raceway, and it’s time for NASCAR to postpone the Sprint Cup race scheduled for Saturday night.
 
NASCAR could have done that already or at least told people about a contingency plan as the area awaits Tropical Storm Hanna. The problem with that is they don’t want people not to come if they could get this race off as scheduled. Still, NASCAR would have been totally justified in already telling people that they’re running the Cup event Sunday.
 
With the National Weather Service predicting possibly 1-2 inches of rain tonight and 3-4 inches by Saturday, there is no way NASCAR should be racing Saturday.
 
There are too many police and too many rescue personnel on site who will be needed elsewhere. There are campers here who probably would have to leave because weathering that kind of storm at the track isn’t the safest thing.
 
Fans at RIR proved last year that they will show up for a Sunday afternoon race. Granted, that was in May last year and not the opening football weekend, but that likely won’t dissuade fans from coming to the race track.
 
It’s time for NASCAR to surrender to Hanna and run the Cup race Sunday. If it tries to run Saturday and there is a mess, the public relations mess would be a disaster, not to mention the hazardous situation it could be putting its fans in.
 
Making a decision like this a day early when the weather can change isn’t easy because of the logistics and the possibility that nothing could happen. But when making a decision on the basis of the safety of fans and competitors, defending that decision is easy.

State Of Emergency Declared in Virginia but NASCAR Still a Go
By Greg Engle, Editor Cup Scene Daily

The governor of Virginia has declared a state of emergency in advance of Tropical Storm Hannah. As of Friday morning the events scheduled at Richmond International Raceway, including qualifying and the Nationwide Series race Friday night and the Sprint Cup series race Saturday night, are still a go.

According to the National Weather Service, Hanna should start dropping rain on the Richmond area Friday night with the heaviest soaking Saturday before noon. As much as 3 inches of rain are possible.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine declared a state of emergency Thursday, a precaution that freed state agencies to respond quickly to troubles.

Kaine asked Virginians to prepare for a serious storm but added that Hanna “should not be catastrophic.”

RIR president Doug Fritz has been in constant communication with NASCAR officials and meteorologists, formulating contingency plans in case one or both events have to be rescheduled.

The Raceway will provide updates on their website www.rir.com every three hours starting Friday morning.

Statement from Richmond International Raceway about impact of Hanna: “Richmond International Raceway is working hand-in-hand with the Governor’s office, as well as other state and local officials, National Weather Service officials and NASCAR, to monitor the path and potential impact of Tropical Storm Hanna. As of 6:00pm/et. Thursday, this weekend’s events are scheduled to run as planned, however, we will continue to provide updates at www.rir.com and 877-251-7223, as to their status every three hours beginning Friday morning at 9:00am/et/et.

“Should an event be postponed due to weather, it is NASCAR’s policy to run the event on the next raceable day. We are in constant communication with the Governor’s office and will provide updates as they become available.”

Keller to hit milestone at Richmond
By Amanda Brahler, Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Another race. Another milestone. When you are in your 18th season of racing in the Nationwide Series, milestones are hard to avoid.

But this next one is special to Jason Keller. It'll happen Friday night when he takes the green flag for the Emerson Radio 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

"It's hard to believe I'm at another milestone in this series with start No. 450," said Keller, 38, who has the most starts in Nationwide history. "It's been a whirlwind couple of years, and the accomplishments I have made in my professional career mean a lot to me. I'm hoping for many, many more years in this sport and to setting a few more records/milestones along the way."

A solid run at Richmond also would provide a moving tribute to Keller's longtime, close friend and car chief, Steve "Big Guy" Helwig, who died last month after battling leukemia. Keller, along with Helwig, won at Richmond in 2002.

"He was one of the guys that could organize and wear a lot of different hats," Keller told NASCAR Scene. "He came in and is the reason that this team is where it is and how it is and he'll be missed a lot. He already is."

Keller, driving the No. 11 CJM Chevrolet, is 11th in points, 27 behind 10th-place Marcos Ambrose. Keller's current mission is to return to the top 10, where he finished each year from 1999 to 2005. He finished second in 2000 and 2002. He didn't race full time in 2006 and 2007.

Keller has had much success at Richmond. He has 12 top 10s in 26 races, tying Bristol, another short track, for most top 10s in his career at one track.

"Richmond has always been one of my favorite racetracks," he said. "I truly enjoy racing there. The nonstop action (and) side-by-side-racing under the lights makes for an exciting race not only for me as a driver but for the fans also. It's just an overall great experience racing at Richmond."

Keller also made his Cup debut at Richmond in 2003, filling in for injured Jerry Nadeau.

Notes: Austin Dillon, son of Richard Childress Racing vice president and former Nationwide Series driver Mike Dillon, will attempt to make his series debut Friday. He must qualify the No. 21 Chevrolet on speed. Dillon is also the grandson of car owner Richard Childress. The 18-year-old has one win in the Camping World East Series. ... Denny Hamlin, who won the spring race at Richmond, will drive the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the second time this season. He won in the No. 18 at Dover. His victory at Richmond came in the No. 20.

Gillett Evernham files lawsuit against Robby Gordon over $23.5 M deal

Bob Pockrass/scenedaily.com

Gillett Evernham Motorsports has filed suit against Robby Gordon saying the owner/driver of Robby Gordon Motorsports violated terms of a tentative agreement that would have sold his team to GEM for $23.5 million earlier this year.

The deal, agreed to Jan. 29, was pending an audit and other due diligence from GEM, which could have adjusted the price.
If the deal had gone through, Gordon would have had a four-year driving contract with GEM that would have paid him $3 million annually plus 45 percent of race winnings as well as insurance and other provisions customary for NASCAR driver agreements – a package likely worth at least $5 million annually. Gordon also could have had a spot on the team’s board of directors. GEM would have acquired Gordon’s shop and property in Charlotte.

As part of the agreement, GEM pledged to provide Gordon with all “racing infrastructure” and to support the Gordon’s car “in substantially the same manner in which GEM supports its most supported car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup” for the 2008 season.
Three days after the agreement was signed, GEM and Gordon announced a technical, manufacturing and marketing partnership. At that time, GEM owner George Gillett, in an interview with NASCAR Scene, stated that he did not buy Gordon’s operation and was more likely to add a fourth car to his stable and hoped Gordon would add a second or third car to his.

According to the lawsuit, GEM was pursuing efforts to close the deal. The contract includes an exclusivity clause, which GEM claims would not allow Gordon to entertain talks with other teams about possible mergers. In May, Gordon asked out of the deal, according to the lawsuit, in exchange for an engine deal for the remainder of the season.

The exclusivity clause is the primary basis for the lawsuit, filed Aug. 25 in North Carolina Superior Court in Charlotte. GEM claims in court documents that Gordon has talked to other teams about merging. It also claims that Gordon made disparaging remarks that he wasn’t getting comparable engines to the other GEM drivers during a DirecTV telecast last month at Watkins Glen.

The lawsuit also claims that Gordon ignored the advice of GEM and terminated his previous deal with Ford prematurely, before GEM could get a sponsorship deal from Dodge for Gordon’s car. Dodge and GEM couldn’t agree on a manufacturer’s deal for Gordon’s car.
GEM, which has supplied engines and other services for Gordon throughout the season, is asking for unspecified damages for Gordon’s breach of the agreement and for the agreement to be declared null and void, according to the complaint.

“We categorically reject the allegations that are contained in the complaint, and the truth will come out if the case proceeds,” Gordon said in a statement released through his race team. “In the meantime, we think it is best to allow that to happen in the court proceedings rather than in the media.

“Therefore, although we have much to say, we won’t be making a further statement about it at this time.”
Other highlights of the purchase agreement:

• Gordon would have been allowed to compete in other motorsports events as long as they did not conflict with NASCAR or any sponsors of GEM.

• Gordon and GEM agreed to do their best to retain the employees Gordon wanted.
 
GEM spokesman Drew Brown said the team would not comment on the lawsuit.

What’s Vexing Vito

Can Richmond Reiginte The Spark So Many Fans Have Lost?

Vito Pugliese · Frontstretch.com

This weekend marks the 26th race of the 2008 Sprint Cup season, and the final race before the fifth annual Championship Chase begins. With David Ragan and Kasey Kahne getting set to make a last ditch effort to get into title contention, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin are among a few men walking on egg shells, a tightrope, and over the abyss at the .750-mile short track in Henrico County, Virginia Saturday night.

Why, then, am I so completely underwhelmed with apathy matched only by a sustaining member of the Green Party?

Perhaps I’ve had a long week of work following the Holiday Weekend, or I’m still trying to rid my mind of those horrific images from Sunday. No, not Hurricane Gustav — but that mind-numbingly boring and predictable event from California Speedway, the one that’s always advertised as a stock car race but never is. Tell me I wasn’t the one lone soul whose interest was piqued only when the safety lights fell from the heavens and onto the track. The coverage and competition was so insufferable, I began lamenting the passing of the Phantom Caution from 2007 — and prayed for its merciful return.

What ensued was Michigan on mescaline; another 250-lap endurance of eyelids. This race, this discourse from the same series that once gave us Donnie, Cale, and Bobby kicking, punching, and beating each other with helmets in the infield grass.

With that said, Richmond has always been something to look forward to in NASCAR, even before things seemingly took a left turn for the worse. It was always viewed as the perfect short track: slow and confining enough to produce good, hard, close quarters racing, but not as cramped as Martinsville, with half of the field becoming little more than a moving chicane for the leaders. With the Car of Tomorrow offering a glimpse of the future, passing at Richmond has become a thing of the past.

But the track has always produced fantastic racing, and is a throwback and reminder as to what was right with NASCAR for so many years. Through the mid-90’s and early part of the 2000s, each weekend was wrought with anxious energy as fans eagerly anticipated the drop of the green flag. That has cooled in recent years, and this year has reached an all-time low rating of approval. You think the President and Congress have a low approval rating? Check out those dismal marks registered by the Pepsi 500 at California last weekend.

It would appear that I am not alone with the problem I have been suffering with — NADS (NASCAR Attention Deficit Syndrome). My NADS is just killing me lately, and I suspect that other’s NADS have taken a beating this season, as well. Hopefully my NADS will be able to rebound this Friday and Saturday night as the wick is about to be turned up a little bit — and the amplifier knobs are set to 11. As much grief as The Chase format has received from purists in recent years, maybe this is one year where it finally pays off.

While it is hard to identify one thing in particular as the root cause of this negative phenomenon, it isn’t a mystery that many share the same opinion as myself. One can literally see it at any number of venues or media outlets. Ratings are down, wide swathes of grandstands are empty; the blogs and message boards across the Internet are echoing the same lack of passion and interest that once burned bright but a few short years ago. Short of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin showing up to give the command to start engines — punctuating it with a three-round burst from an M4 combat rifle while riding atop a moose — I do not feel the same anticipation and “I-can’t-wait-for-Saturday-to-get-here!” feeling I did back in 2004 or even 2006.

This is to not say that I don’t still love stock car racing or that I am turning my back on NASCAR. It merely underscores the lack of interest and verve that used to surround a short track race at night, at one of the greatest tracks on the circuit. So here’s hoping for an eventful Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, and a salute to all of America’s heroes who will be on hand and honored as well. If there is one thing that NASCAR still does right, it is to show their support and appreciation for those who sacrifice so much — and who often receive so little in return. It is because of them we are able to sit here, and spend precious time complaining about what in actuality is still a pretty decent way to spend a Saturday evening or a Sunday night.

May that spark be lit anew all over again.

Earnhardt Jr. ready for return to site of season's biggest disappointment

Scene Daily Staff

The memory of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last visit to Richmond International Raceway still haunts the Hendrick Motorsports driver.
Leading with just over two laps remaining, Earnhardt Jr. spun and hit the wall after contact with a former Hendrick driver, Kyle Busch.

Instead of scoring his first win for his new team, Earnhardt Jr. – and his legions of fans - left disappointed.

Since that night, Earnhardt has gone to victory lane for Hendrick – at Michigan International Speedway on June 15 - and clinched a spot in the field for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Now, he gets another shot at Richmond in Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400.

"We had a great car last time out in Richmond, and it was unfortunate we didn't close out the deal," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I'm glad we clinched a spot in the Chase this year, and I'm proud of all these guys on the team and back at the shop for their efforts. I think we just need to fine-tune our setup from last time and try again."

Richmond has traditionally been one of Earnhardt Jr.’s strongest tracks.  He has three wins at the .75-mile facility, which came in 2000, 2004 and 2006 with his former team at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

"Richmond is my favorite race track,” crew chief Tony Eury Jr. said. “It's close to home. You have the best racing at Richmond out of all the tracks we go to.

“We run really well there a lot and had a really good car this spring, so we're looking forward to getting back to Richmond and running there again. It's my favorite track of the year."

Unlike last season when Earnhardt Jr. failed to race his way into playoff contention in the regular-season finale, NASCAR’s most popular driver won’t have to worry about that at Richmond this time.
His berth in the Chase was sealed with an 11th-place finish in last Sunday’s Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway in California.

"If you're in the Chase and you're locked in, it's a pretty easy night [at Richmond],” Eury said. “We are locked in, so I hope that holds true.

"Back in 2006, we went into [Richmond] 10th and were in a good spot to not have to worry about anything, but we had a brake problem in the last 100 laps of the race. Basically a tire carrier hit a brake bleeder on the caliper, and it started leaking, so we lost all the brakes. We finished on front brakes. Something like that can bite you really easy, and you can be in the Chase or out of the Chase.

“Last year we went in there with a long shot, ran top three all night [until] two to go and a motor blew up. You're never in till you're in, and for the people that are sitting on the [Chase] bubble, it's really nerve wracking just seeing where it all falls out."
With not as much need to worry about points on Saturday, Earnhardt Jr. can focus on running up front – and possibly getting the win that narrowly eluded him at Richmond in May.

"We were pretty good there the whole night, running top five,” Eury Jr. said. “Right there at the end of the race, we kind of hit on something that made the car really respond, so we're going to go back with something similar to that. But the car was pretty much flawless all night, so we probably won't change a whole lot going back to Richmond."

Ten Surprising NASCAR Stats Heading Into The Chase

By Rebecca Gladden/insiderracingnews.com

With just one race to go in the 26-race regular season, most pundits have already declared the NASCAR Chase for the Championship a two, at most a three-man race.

The "two" would be Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, currently first and second in the point standings, who've combined to win 14 of 25 races this season - eight by Busch and six by Edwards. Some include Jimmie Johnson in the mix, who's won three races, including last week's Pepsi 500, and ranks third in points.

Those race wins will be particularly important once the Chase starts just over a week from now. The top 12 drivers in points will be the only ones competing for the Sprint Cup during the final 10-race period. They will start the Chase with an equal number of points, with an additional ten bonus points for each regular season race win. That gives Busch, Edwards and Johnson an advantage right out of the gate.

But before we inscribe one of their names on the Sprint Cup trophy, I thought I would point up some intriguing statistics from the '08 season that might surprise you, as we look ahead to the Chase kickoff after this weekend's Richmond race:

Q. Who has completed the most laps this season?
A. Travis Kvapil = 7057.

Q. Who leads the series in quality passes (passing a car in the top 15 under green)?
A. David Ragan = 1147.

Q. Who leads the series in passes in the frontstretch?
A. Kasey Kahne = 728.

Q. Who leads the series in passes in the backstretch?
A. Elliott Sadler = 405.

Q. Who leads the series in the total number of completed passes this year?
A. Jeff Burton = 2091.

Q. Who is tied with Carl Edwards for top-10 finishes over the last five races?
A. Kevin Harvick = five top-10s.

Q. Who has the best starting position over the last ten races?
A. Jeff Gordon = 8.2.

Q. Who is the only driver to finish on the lead lap in all of the last ten races?
A. Tony Stewart.

Q. Who completed the most miles over the last ten races?
A. Tony Stewart = 3615.85.

Q. Who has the best driver rating at the ten Chase tracks in points-paying races from '05-'08?
A. Kevin Harvick = 118.9.

Of course, there are plenty of statistical categories led by Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson - though statistically, I believe Edwards is the leading contender for the title.

But I did want to point out that there are many other great drivers out there - not just in the Chase, but throughout the series - including several past champions (Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Bobby Labonte), Daytona 500 winners, rookies of the year, and drivers who've been successful in other forms of racing.

I suspect most fans already realize this.

I just hope the TV and print media will remember this during the Chase, and avoid the temptation to cover it as the Kyle-versus-Carl show to the exclusion of everyone else.

You can contact Rebecca at.. Insider Racing News

Richmond 1988 emotional at both ends of finish order

Allison wins for his injured dad; Wallace blames Bodine

By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM

As the last race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Richmond International Raceway has a built-in excitement factor. But long before the Chase format was instituted, the racing at Richmond provided several intriguing storylines, particularly the 1988 Miller High Life 400.

The first involved a father-son relationship. The second provided some championship-changing excitement.

With Bobby Allison giving the command for the drivers to start their engines from his hospital bed in Alabama, the stage was set for son Davey to pull off a storybook finish. He started from the pole and led more than half of the 400 laps.

But it was Ricky Rudd who passed Allison for the lead shortly after the field took the green for the final time on Lap 332, and Rudd appeared on his way to the win when the engine in his No. 26 Buick suddenly expired without warning.

"I wasn't even driving it hard," said Rudd, who wound up 26th.

That left things up to Allison, who carried a comfortable advantage over Dale Earnhardt the rest of the way and dedicated the victory to his dad.

"Man, I'm tickled to death," Allison said. "When I talked to him yesterday, he was all pumped up."

The younger member of the Alabama Gang admitted that hearing his father's voice over the public address system was a special moment.

"I was kind of prepared for it," Davey said. "So it didn't catch me off-guard as bad as it might have, but it still sent cold chills up and down my spine. I know it probably set a lot of people on fire around this place, too."

Things got a little heated in the championship chase as well.

Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace had been locked in a titanic points duel throughout the summer of 1988, as Elliott won back-to-back races at Daytona and Pocono and closed to within a handful of points of Wallace. Elliott grabbed the top spot when he finished second to Earnhardt in Bristol, while Wallace finished ninth after a vicious practice accident that nearly cost him his life.

And after finishing 1-2 in the Southern 500 the week before, Elliott's lead over Wallace was a mere 26 points heading into the first race on the reconfigured Richmond oval -- expanded from a half-mile to a .75-mile tri-oval during the summer.

It didn't take long for the craziness to begin. On the opening lap, Richard Petty spun to bring out the caution, and Wallace, who started on the inside of the 11th row, slowed down. Unfortunately for him, Geoffrey Bodine -- who was directly behind Wallace on the start -- did not.

Bodine drilled Wallace's rear bumper as the two crossed under the start/finish line, severely damaging the No. 27 Pontiac and earning him a one-lap penalty from NASCAR for trying to pass cars under caution.

Bodine saw it differently.

"He pulled in front of me," Bodine said. "What they tell me is someone was going real slow in front of him. They say his team is mad at me, but I had a head of steam up and ran over him. I can understand why they would be upset, but if they see the films, I think they will owe me an apology."

Wallace, understandably, was livid. After trying without success to make repairs, he was forced to retire after 18 laps and was credited with a 35th-place finish. Coupled with Elliott's seventh-place effort, Wallace fell to third place in the standings behind Earnhardt.

"If we lose this championship, it's because of Geoff Bodine," Wallace declared afterward.

Elliott was still cautious about his chances of winning the championship.

"We're going to approach Dover the same way we've approached every other race this season," Elliott said. "We're going to do everything we can to win the race and, if we do that, the points will take care of themselves."

Earnhardt, 117 points behind after his runner-up finish, wasn't willing to hand over the title to Elliott just yet.

"I don't think we're out of it by a long shot," Earnhardt said. "And I can guarantee you that Rusty [Wallace] and his bunch doesn't feel they are out of it either. There is still a long, long way to go."

Elliott did hold on for his only Winston Cup championship, although Wallace would rebound the next season for his lone title.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

NASCAR's best active driver may be ready to leave

by Mark Kriegel/foxsports.com

FONTANA, Calif. - It was widely surmised that the recent conflagration between Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards was good for racing, the white smoke billowing from their cars taken as a welcome omen of a nasty new episode.

"Rivalries are good," said Jeff Gordon. "Especially when they're spirited."

With a week to go before the Chase, NASCAR's most accomplished active driver — the best of his era — seems an oddly forgotten man. But Gordon knows of what he speaks — the sanctity of enmity, the blessing bestowed by epic antagonism. Drivers don't have to hate each other, but it's best if their fans do.

"Those things are important," he said. "Dale and I had that. I was just a kid driving the wheels off the car, but he recognized the entertainment value of it."

More than seven years have passed since Dale Earnhardt Sr. died on the last lap of the Daytona 500, and 13 years since Gordon beat him out for the first of his four championships. They were near-perfect antagonists: the good old boy in black and the clean-cut kid from Indianapolis by way of California. Racing hasn't replaced Earnhardt, but then, neither has Gordon.

"I miss racing with him and the excitement it brought," he said. "Well, not so much with him, because sometimes he was a real pain in the butt on the track. But he was so good for the sport and I miss him so much. You know, just walking through the garage area and having him come up and grab you by the neck. Little things like that. Or looking up in your mirror and seeing him pushing your rear bumper and being mad about it. But also, laughing about it later."

Perhaps, years from now, Busch, 23, and Edwards, 29, will recall their rivalry just as wistfully. Or maybe, what they shared was just a single Sunday. Whatever the case, their futures remain unformed. Most of Gordon's career, though, is now behind him.

"I know that those years are winding down," he said. "I want to win another championship, and I think we can win another championship."

I think? In the five years since NASCAR went to the Chase format, Gordon is Cup-less. What's more, both the driver and the team have had problems adjusting to what is still euphemistically referred to as "the new car."

"Cars change, technology changes," he said. "It happens to everybody. It's not that I can't adapt to the new car, it's just going to take a little longer than a younger guy."

Still, currently ranked 10th, Gordon has his chance at winning another Cup this season. What he can't do, however, is change his history. It is what it is. He's 37, and won't be racing much past 40. He won't find another rival like Earnhardt, nor will he break the record of seven cups shared by Earnhardt and Richard Petty, both of whom were grizzled veterans by the time they became household names.

Gordon can detect the changes in his body. He does more bicycling to keep in cardiovascular shape. He's sure to keep hydrated. He needs to stretch every morning.

"I used to just get in the car and go, pop right back the following day," he said. "Now it takes me a day and a half to recover from some of these races."

All the stretching in the world won't do much to prolong his time as a racer. But Gordon is OK with that: "Nineteen, twenty years in this sport at this level is a great, great career."

Earnhardt died at 49. Petty retired at 55. Earnhardt won four Cups between ages 39 and 43. Petty won at 35, 37, 38 and 42. But Gordon — with four cups — remains unmoved by these figures.

"Guys have gone 'til they're 50," he said, "but they didn't start racing until they were 30. There's a big difference."

Besides, he added, "the sport has changed. You're not going to win any championships when you're 50. You're just not."

Having been behind a wheel since he was five, Gordon was NASCAR's version of a child star. He's also a model for younger drivers like Busch and Edwards who seem to have been driving professionally since the onset of puberty. Gordon made his debut in the old Busch series in 1991. He was 20. Racing is all he knows. If not a driver, what might he have been? He doesn't really have an answer.

"I'd have been screwed," he said. "I don't know. I probably would've worked for my step-dad. They had a machine-shop business. I probably would've gone to college and pursued something that could've helped them out."

Retirement, if that's what you want to call it, will afford him a chance he's never had. "I've created some great opportunities outside of racing," he said.

Maybe he'll replace Regis, the television host for whom he occasionally fills in. Or maybe not. "I don't plan on living in New York City and doing a show five days a week," he said. "I've been traveling my whole life. I don't think I'll be able to just stop traveling altogether."

Nothing is set. But his daughter, Ella, is a year old. "I want to see her grow up," he said. "I want to drive her to school."

That is his only sure-fire plan. And there's only one way to screw it up. "If I race 'til I'm 50," he said. "Then I'll have been a failure."

By The Numbers: Richmond

Two drivers fighting for one spot that's taken as of now

By Josh Pate, NASCAR.COM

It's happened three times: Jeremy Mayfield (2004), Ryan Newman (2005) and Kasey Kahne (2006).

They are the ones who entered Richmond International Raceway outside of the Chase cutoff only to drive their way into the 10-race battle for the Sprint Cup championship. Mayfield faced the largest margin with a 55-point mountain ahead of him. He had to win the race and lead the most laps (more on that later).

Newman entered Richmond in 2005 just one point behind Jamie McMurray. Kahne entered Richmond 30 points behind Jeff Burton in 2006.

Last season, when the Chase field was expanded to 12 drivers, no positions changed hands at Richmond. This year, two drivers on the outside have a shot.

Clinching Scenarios

Greg Biffle: Start the race.

Kevin Harvick: Start the race.

Tony Stewart: Finish 36th; finish 37th and lead one lap; finish 40th and lead the most laps.

Matt Kenseth: Finish 26th; finish 28th and lead one lap; finish 30th and lead the most laps.

Jeff Gordon: Finish 24th; finish 25th and lead one lap; finish 28th and lead the most laps.

Denny Hamlin: Finish 21st; finish 22nd and lead one lap; finish 25th and lead the most laps.

Clint Bowyer: Win or finish third and lead the most laps.

David Ragan: Win and lead the most laps.

Kasey Kahne: Finish 48 points ahead of Bowyer and 31 points ahead of Ragan.

Back in Time

Sept. 11, 2004  Jeremy Mayfield leads 151 laps and wins the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 to clinch the final Chase spot available. Mayfield entered the race 14th in points and 55 behind 10th-place Mark Martin (only the top 10 qualified for the Chase).

10 Key Facts

2  Drivers who have participated in the Chase all four years: Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Johnson clinched his fifth berth last week, and Kenseth can clinch at Richmond.

3  Top-10 finishes at Richmond for Clint Bowyer, including a victory in May, in his five career starts at the track. His other two finishes were both 12th-place performances.

3  Finish for David Ragan in last fall's Richmond race. His other two finishes were 20th (spring 2007) and 17th (spring 2008).

4  Former Cup Series champions who currently rank in the top 12 in points: Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon. Last year's Chase field had five former champions.

5  Top-10 finishes in nine starts at Richmond for Kasey Kahne, including a pole and victory in the 2005 spring race.

5.3  Average running position for Denny Hamlin at Richmond. In the spring event, his average running position was 2.3.

5.6  Average finish for Kyle Busch at Richmond, his best track. Busch has never won at Richmond, but he has six top-fives in seven starts (the other was a 20th-place finish a year ago). Three of the last four Richmond races have ended in a second-place finish for Busch.

18.9  Average finish for Carl Edwards in eight Richmond starts. He has finished sixth once and seventh twice. He was 42nd in this race last season.

448  Laps led by Denny Hamlin in his five Richmond starts, 381 of which came in the spring event. He has led laps in every start there and had two poles, but he has yet to win.

482  Points scored by Tony Stewart in the last three Richmond races, more than any other driver. Stewart has three victories there and has finished in the top 10 seven of the last nine races.

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Well, that's all for today.  Until the next time, I remain,

Your Nascar Momma

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

his list is authored by:

Sandra Monacelli
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