BUBBA BURGER 250 - RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Nationwide Series Race #9 of 35 for the 2010 season
Last Race - Talladega
Next Race - Darlington
Keselowski wins at Richmond: #22-Brad Keselowski won the Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway for his second win in a row and the 8th of his career. He dominated the race, leading 189 laps on the night, but had to come from 4th place on a green-white-checker restart to retake the lead on the final lap. #27-Greg Biffle finished second. The rest of the top 10: #88-Jamie McMurray, #18-Kyle Busch, #60-Carl Edwards, #20-Joey Logano, #33-Kevin Harvick, #32-Reed Sorenson, #62-Brendan Gaughan, and #16-Matt Kenseth. There were 7 cautions for 45 laps and 4 lead changes among 3 leaders. Complete results are posted on the Richmond race results page.(4-30-2010)
Richmond Race Fast Facts:
Brad Keselowski won the BUBBA burger 250, his eighth victory in 113 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his second victory and eighth top-10 finish in 2010.
This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in eight races at Richmond International Raceway.
Greg Biffle (second) posted his 10th top-10 finish in 16 races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his sixth top-10 finish in 2010.
Jamie McMurray (third) posted his third top-10 finish in 11 races at Richmond International Raceway.
James Buescher (12th) was the highest finishing rookie.
Brad Keselowski leads the point standings by 59 points over Kevin Harvick.
(NASCAR Statistics)(4-30-2010)
Driver standings following Talladega:
1) #22-Brad Keselowski 1469
2) #33-Kevin Harvick 1410 -59
3) #18-Kyle Busch 1385 -84
4) #12-Justin Allgaier 1289 -180
5) #60-Carl Edwards 1266 -203
6) #20-Joey Logano 1228 -241
7) #98-Paul Menard 1191 -278
8) #27-Greg Biffle 1039 -430
9) #62-Brendan Gaughan 976 -493
10) #11-Brian Scott # 955 -514
Complete standings are posted on the driver standings page.(4-30-2010)
Owner Standings following Richmond are posted. The top 30 are now locked in the race at Darlington. There were no changes to the top 30. The #81-MacDonald Motorsports team is now in 30th, 2 points ahead of the #16-Round Fenway team. (4-30-2010)
Busch on pole at Richmond : #18-Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole for the Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway with a speed of 124.098mph. #32-Reed Sorenson will start second. The rest of the top 10: #60-Carl Edwards, #22-Brad Keselowski, #200-Joey Logano, #99-Trevor Bayne, #27-Greg Biffle, #16-Matt Kenseth, #12-Justin Allgaier, and #70-Shelby Howard. Did Not Qualify: #90-Danny O'Quinn. The starting lineup is posted on the Richmond starting lineup page.(4-30-2010)
Richmond Qualifying Notes:
Kyle Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award for the BUBBA burger 250 with a lap of 21.757 seconds, 124.098 mph.
This is his 19th pole in 182 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
This is his first pole and eighth top-10 start in 2010.
This is his third pole in 13 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Reed Sorenson (second) posted his third top-10 start of 2010 and his fifth in six races at Richmond International Raceway.
Carl Edwards (third) posted his seventh top-10 start at Richmond International Raceway. It is his ninth in nine races this season.
Brian Scott (13th) was the fastest qualifying rookie.(NASCAR Statistics)(4-30-2010)
Sorenson fastest in Richmond practice: #32-Reed Sorenson was the fastest in the only practice session for the Bubba Burger 250. His top speed was 125.544mph. #60-Carl Edwards was second. The rest of the top 10: #18-Kyle Busch, #22-Brad Keselowski, #98-Paul Menard, #12-Justin Allgaier, #70-Shelby Howard, #38-Jason Leffler, #66-Steve Wallace, and #99-Trevor Bayne. There were no incidents reported. Complete results are posted on the Richmond practice results page.(4-30-2010)
Entry List: There are 45 cars on the preliminary entry list for Friday's Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Some notes:
Steve Arpin remains in the JR Motorsports #7;
Hermie Sadler will be in the RAB Racing #09;
Kelly Bires will drive the #10 for Braun Racing;
Matt Kenseth will be in the #16 in place of Colin Braun;
Coleman Pressley is back behind the wheel of the #23.(4-26-2010)
UPDATE: The #96 team has withdrawn. Johnny Chapman will be in the #26 in place of Brian Keselowski and Keselowski will be in the #92.(4-29-2010)
See the complete list on the Richmond entry list page.
If qualifying is rained out or canceled the teams making the race would be:
#6-Ricky Stenhouse [31st in owner points, 8 attempts], #16-Matt Kenseth [32nd, 8], #26-Brian Keselowski [33rd, 8], #05-Willie Allen [34th, 8], #70-Shelby Howard [35th, 8], #35-Jason Keller [36th, 8], #61-Josh Wish [37th, 8], #89-Morgan Shepherd [38th, 8], #73-Derrike Cope [39th, 8], #56-Kevin Lepage [40th, 8], #92-Dennis Setzer [41st, 8], #90-Danny O'Quinn [46th, 6], #91-David Gilliland [49th, 6]
1 missing the race would be: #49-Mark Green [47th, 5]
Nationwide Series Live from Richmond on ESPN2: The NASCAR Nationwide Series races under the lights in prime time at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night, April 30, and ESPN2 will have a live, flag-to-flag telecast. NASCAR Countdown presented by Hellman's airs at 7 p.m. ET, while the race telecast starts at 7:30 p.m. with the green flag at 7:43 p.m. ESPN2 is the home of the series all season, with selected races airing on ESPN and ABC. Allen Bestwick will be the lap-by-lap announcer, joined in the booth for analysis by Rusty Wallace and Andy Petree. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Mike Massaro and Dr. Jerry Punch. Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN Craftsman Tech Garage. Nicole Briscoe will host NASCAR Countdown from the ESPN pit studio, with analysis by Wallace and Brad Daugherty.(ESPN PR)(4-26-2010)
Success doesn’t come easily in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, but Johnny Borneman III (#83 Red Line Oil Dodge) proved that sometimes it isn’t how much equipment or resources you’ve got, but how much talent.
Borneman posted his first career top-five finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway after qualifying 31st. Borneman has been around NASCAR a long time. He hails from Ramona, Calif., and is a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West veteran. Both he and his father, Johnny Borneman Jr., competed in the NASCAR Winston West Series and his father was a track champion at Cajon Speedway in San Diego.
The most impressive part of his success was he did it with limited resources. He only had four guys on his pit crew servicing his car during the race. After the race, during an emotional interview, Borneman said, “It's one of the greatest days of my life!” Borneman joins a group of drivers that have climbed the developmental series ladder and now found success on the national level in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Like two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Kevin Harvick (#33 Rheem Chevy), a former NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion, 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Clint Bowyer (#21 Zaxby’s Chevy) is a former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series track and regional champion. And Joey Logano (#20 GameStop Toyota) is a former NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion. All three joined Borneman in the top six at Talladega.
Climbing The Ladder: Former Developmental Series Drivers Competing In The NASCAR Nationwide Series
Driver Series
Johnny Borneman III NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Joey Logano NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Kevin Harvick NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Clint Bowyer NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Greg Biffle NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Kenny Wallace NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Carl Edwards NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Jamie McMurray NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Dennis Setzer NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Hermie Sadler III NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Brendan Gaughan NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
David Gilliland NASCAR K&N Pro Series West
Trevor Bayne NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Coleman Pressley NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Keselowski’s On Top And Poised For Championship Run
New team. New crew chief. No problem. At least not for this past weekend’s winner at Talladega and now series standings leader, Brad Keselowski (#22 Discount Tire Dodge). Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe have come out of the gate hot posting one win (Talladega), seven top fives and two poles in the first eight races of the season.“We have got our Nationwide Series program right where we want it to be,” said Keselowski. “We’re having fun. Got our first win of the season with the new team. I am very proud for everyone on the team, especially Paul, and being able to get him his first win,” said Keselowski.“We have come a long way in a short period of time,” said Wolfe. “We started with nothing in November
and now we are leading the points and got our first win, which is the result of the guys back at the shop working hard and everyone’s attention to detail.” Keselowski has made seven starts at Richmond posting a pair of fourth–place finishes last season.
Teens Logano, Bayne Should Be Threats For Richmond Win
The future of the NASCAR talent stable looks pretty secure, and two of the reasons why look like safe bets to excel this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
Both are 19 years of age. One is established. One seems ready to break out.
The two young guns are Joey Logano (#20 GameStop Toyota) and Trevor Bayne (#99 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota).
Logano has already broken “youth” records by the bunch. He’s the youngest race winner in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Though not running a full schedule this season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series he’d likely be a title threat if he did.
In seven series races this season, Logano has a top-10 finish in six of them. Though he has yet to win, he has runner-up finishes in the last two races. His lowest Driver Rating this season was a strong 100.3 at Bristol.
Overall, he owns some of the strongest numbers in the series: a Driver Rating of 119.8, an Average Running Position of 4.8, 166 Fastest Laps Run, 324 Laps Led, a Pass Differential (passes minus times passed) of plus-31 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 95.2%.
The statistics suggest yet another strong run this Friday night. Logano has run two series races at Richmond. Both were top-10 finishes.
Running all 500 of his Richmond laps among the top 15, Logano has an average Driver Rating of 107.4, an Average Running Position of 6.0, eight Fastest Laps Run and seven Laps Led.
Bayne hasn’t enjoyed quite the success as Logano, but there is a comfort level that is slowly being built.
Bayne has finished in the top 15 in three of the last four races.
Though he has only three career top-10 finishes, one of them took place at Richmond. Last year, he finished seventh at the short track, which at the time matched his best career finish. Earlier this season, he topped that mark with a sixth-place run at Las Vegas.
Last September, Bayne had a Driver Rating of 107.2, an Average Running Position of 6.6, four Fastest Laps Run, while running all 250 laps in the top 15.
Kevin Harvick Is Back In Richmond, Ready To Win For A 5th Time
The two-time series champion Kevin Harvick (# 33 Rheem Chevy) hasn’t declared he is running a full season in 2010, but has made all eight starts this season and is looking like championship run could be in his future.
One stop on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule that has been extra good to Harvick is Richmond International Raceway where he has won four times, one shy of Mark Martin’s series track record of five wins.
“It’s been a good track (Richmond) for us over the past couple years,” said Harvick. “It’s a race track that kind of goes with everything we do—from my driving style, to the cars, to everything that goes with it. I enjoy racing there. You can run the top, you can run the bottom and you can run the middle. It’s a fun race track from a driver’s standpoint because it gives you options,” said Harvick.
This season Harvick has been stellar behind the wheel posting two wins (Las Vegas and Nashville), seven top fives and only one DNF at Auto Club Speedway after his engine let go.
Last weekend at Talladega, Harvick sat on the pole and finished third, his second top five in six starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
Harvick has made 18 series starts at Richmond posting four wins, 12 top fives, 14 top 10s and one pole. He finished fifth in this event last season and second in the fall event.
NASCAR Pre- Race Loop Data shows Ha r v i c k ranked in the top five of several categories, first in Driver Rating with (117.7), fourth in Average Running Position (8.445), and second in Laps In The Top 15 with 86.1% of his laps completed in the top 15.
Kyle Busch Looking To Rebound At Richmond And Repeat
The 2009 series champion, Kyle Busch (#18 Z-Line Designs Toyota), returns to the northeastern hills of Richmond, Va., to defend his win at the famed .75-mile short track, Richmond International Raceway.
Busch is coming off a 2008 season where he tied Jack Ingram’s single season wins record with 10 and then followed it up with a nine-win season that resulted in the series championship in ’09. Last year, eight races in, Busch had only won twice. But, this season, Busch has posted three wins and five top fives.
Last weekend at Talladega, Busch finished 34th-place, his first DNF of the season. He currently is third in series standings.
Busch swept both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Richmond last season, and it was no fluke. Busch has posted three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s and no DNFs in 12 starts at Richmond.
Busch is also one of only four drivers (Harry Gant, Tommy Ellis, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.) to win at Richmond from the pole.
Busch’s success has transferred over to Joe Gibbs and his campaign for his third consecutive Owner’s championship. Gibbs has fielded two full-time cars in the series this season. The #18, driven by Busch, is currently fourth in the owner standings, 104 points behind the standings leader Jodi Geschickter. The #20, which has had Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin behind the wheel, is currently third in the owner standings, after Logano’s second-place finish at Talladega last weekend.
NNS Etc. ...
►Virginia Natives Coming Home
Eric McClure (#24 Hefty/Food City Ford) is looking forward to heading back to his home state of Virginia this weekend as the series heads to Richmond International Raceway. McClure resides in Abingdon, Va., but calls Chilhowie, Va., his hometown.
McClure is 21st in the series standings after posting a 22nd-place finish at Talladega, his best finish since Las Vegas earlier this season.
Former NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year and current television analyst for Speed, Hermie Sadler III (#09 RAB Racing Ford) will be making his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start this weekend at Richmond since Homestead in 2004. Sadler calls Emporia, Va., his hometown.
"I am thankful to the RAB Racing team for giving me this opportunity,” said Sadler. “The Nationwide Series is where I have had the most success in my career, and I look forward to getting back behind the wheel at Richmond in front of my family, friends, and fans."
► Kenseth Set To Tackle The #16
Matt Kenseth (#16 Coupons.com Ford) will be replacing Colin Braun in the #16 car at Richmond and Darlington.
The #16 car is currently 32nd in the owner standings, which means Kenseth will have to qualify into both events.
► Brian Scott Leading Rookie Class
Brian Scott (#11 AccuDoc Solutions Toyota) posted his second top 10 of the season at Talladega last weekend tightening his grip on the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Scott is now seven points up on secondplace James Buescher (#1 Phoenix Racing Chevy) in the rookie standings. Scott also is the only rookie currently in the top 10 in the series driver standings.
Raybestos Rookie Standings
Driver Points
1. Brian Scott 83
2. James Buescher 76
3. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 75
4. Colin Braun 74
5. Parker Kligerman 25
►Manufacturers’ Standings
Manufacturer Points
Toyota 54
Chevy 47
Dodge 43
Ford 32
What a big win at the 2.5-mile Talladega Superspeedway last weekend for Dodge, giving the manufacturer its first ever series win at the superspeedway.
This weekend the series heads to Richmond where Chevy leads the series with 20 victories.
Toyota is the defending race winner, the manufacturer has two wins at 0.75-mile track.
Dodge is still looking for its first victory at Richmond.
► Allgaier and Keselowski Head North
Penske Racing teammates Justin Allgaier (#12 Verizon Wireless Dodge) and series standings leader Brad Keselowski (#22 Discount Tire Dodge) are heading north to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada Thursday, April 29, for a Media Advance leading up to the NAPA Auto Parts 200 scheduled for August 29. The press conference will be held at the infield media center at 11:30 a.m.
Allgaier was the 2009 rookie of the year and currently is fourth in the standings, having posted one win (Bristol), three top fives and five top 10s.
Keselowski is the standings leader after winning last weekend at Talladega. He has posted one win and seven top fives this season.
► Up Next: Darlington Raceway
The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads south next weekend to Darlington Raceway for the Royal Purple 200, the 10th race on the 2010 schedule.
The action kicks off Friday, May 7. ESPN2 has the broadcast beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Matt Kenseth is the defending winner of the event. The field was set by owner points when qualifying was cancelled due to weather.
Fast Facts
Next Race: BUBBA Burger 250
The Place: Richmond International Raceway (.75-mile oval)
The Date: Friday, April 30
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Distance: 187.5 miles / 250 laps
TV: ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio
(Locally on WRVA-AM, 1140)
2009 Winner: Kyle Busch
2009 Polesitter: Matt Kenseth
Schedule Prior To Race Day: Friday–Practice, 9-11:50 a.m. Qualifying, 4 p.m.
Race No. 9 – Bubba Burger 250 Richmond International Raceway (0.75-mile oval) – Richmond, Va.
Tire: Goodyear Eagle Intermediate Radials
Number of Tires: Nationwide: Left-side -- 575, Right-side -- 575
Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4238; Right-side -- D-4240
Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.3 in.; Right-side -- 88.6 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation: Left Front -- 20 psi; Left Rear -- 20 psi; Right Front -- 30 psi; Right Rear -- 30 psi
Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 12 psi; Left Rear -- 12 psi; Right Front -- 30 psi; Right Rear -- 27 psi
Notes: Teams in both NASCAR series in action at Richmond this weekend will run the same tire codes . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that teams in these two series ran at Richmond last season . . . this is also the same tire set-up that Sprint Cup and Nationwide teams ran at Phoenix earlier this month, as well as in both races at that track last season . . . teams in these series ran this left-side tire code (D-4238) with a slightly different right-side code at New Hampshire last season . . . Nationwide teams also ran this left-side code at Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Memphis in 2009 . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at Richmond.
