Kevin Harvick won the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, scoring his eighth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 204th career start.
This is his third victory in 2006. Harvick also won at Phoenix and Watkins Glen.
Harvick scored a weekend sweep for the second time 2006. He also swept both races at Phoenix in April. Matt Kenseth swept Bristol in August and Kasey Kahne swept California, one race ago.
This is first time in NASCAR history that a weekend sweep has occurred on three consecutive weekends since the NASCAR Busch Series ran its first race in 1982. Harry Gant was the first driver to post back-to-back weekend sweeps winning at Richmond and Dover in September of 1991.
Harvick moved into 56th on NASCARs all-time winners list tied with Kyle Petty.
Harvick has scored 10 straight top-15 finishes in the last 15 races.
Harvick became the 10th different race winner in the last 11 races at Richmond International Raceway. Only Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted two wins in the 11-race period since this race in 2001.
Harvick scored his first victory in 12 races at Richmond and second victory in 34 races on a short track.
Harvick won the race from the fifth-place starting position.
Harvick scored his fourth straight top-10 finish in 12 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Harvick remained third in the point standings, and will start the Chase 10 points behind first-place Matt Kenseth.
Kyle Busch led the most laps for the second time in 2006. Busch led the most at Loudon.
Race winner Harvick led six times for 54 laps including the final two laps in the 2006 Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway.
This is team owner Richard Chidress 80th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Childress has scored six victories at Richmond. His last victory at Richmond was scored by Dale Earnhardt in the 1991 Pontiac Excitement 400. Earnhardt also was the last driver to win the September race at Richmond and go on to win the Championship, doing so in 1990.
Notebook Items
Kevin Harvick extended a 38-race streak of running at the finish that began at California last September, the longest current streak. Harvick has posted 10 straight top-15 finishes.
Kyle Busch (second) scored his 15th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his fourth top-five finish in four races at Richmond International Raceway. Busch climbed from fifth to fourth in the point standings.
Kasey Kahne (third) scored his 14th top-10 finish in 2006. It marked his third top-10 finish in six races at Richmond.
Dave Blaney (fourth) scored his first top-10 finish first since he finished sixth at Homestead last November. It is his first top-five finish since he finished third at Darlington in March 2003. It is his second top-10 finish in 13 races at Richmond International Raceway.
Mark Martin (fifth) scored his 12th top-10 finish in 2006. It was his 23rd top-10 finish in 42 races at Richmond International Raceway. It is his 10th straight top-15 finish at Richmond.
At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 26 races this season.
Matt Kenseth (eighth) scored his 16th top-10 finish in 2006.
Clint Bowyer (12th) was the highest finishing rookie for the sixth time in 2006.
Four rookies finished in the top-15 for the fourth time in 2006.
Jimmie Johnson has been ranked among the top 10 for 95 consecutive races. Johnson has been running at the finish in all 26 races in 2006.
The Chase
Matt Kenseth remained first in the point standings and begins the Chase with a five point lead over Jimmie Johnson. Kenseth will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for the third straight year. He is one of just three drivers to do so. Kenseth finished eighth in 2004 and seventh in 2005.
Jimmie Johnson remained second in the point standings. Johnson will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for the third straight year. Johnson finished second in 2004 and fifth in 2005.
Kevin Harvick remained third in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for first time. He is one of five first-timers to compete in The Chase.
Kyle Busch climbed from fifth to fourth in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for first time. He is one of five first-timers to compete in The Chase.
Denny Hamlin climbed from seventh to fifth in the point standings. Hamlin will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for first time. He is the first Raybestos rookie contender to compete in The Chase.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. remained sixth in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for the second time in three years. He finished fifth in 2004 and 19th in 2005.
Mark Martin climbed from ninth to seventh in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for the third straight year – just three drivers to do so. Martin finished fourth in 2004 and 2005.
Jeff Burton climbed from 10th to eighth in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for first time.
Jeff Gordon dropped from fourth to ninth in the point standings. He will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for the second time in three years. Gordon finished third in 2004 and 11th in 2005.
Kasey Kahne climbed from 11th to 10th in the point standings and will compete in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup for first time.
Tony Stewart dropped from eighth to 11th in the point standings, missing The Chase by 16 points.. This is the first year that Stewart will not finish among the top-10 since 1999.
Seven drivers in the top-11 changed points positions at Richmond International Raceway.
Heading to New Hampshire
Ryan Newman has won four of the last eight Bud Poles at New Hampshire International Speedway. His four Bud poles at New Hampshire are the most of any driver.
There have been four different race winners in the last four races at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson swept both races at New Hampshire International Speedway in 2003; Kurt Busch swept both races there in 2004. These are the only sweeps in the nine-year period of twice-a-year racing there.
Jeff Burton leads all drivers, scoring four victories at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Jeff Gordon leads all drivers scoring nine top-five finishes in 23 races at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Dale Jarrett leads all drivers scoring 14 top-10 finishes in 23 races at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Greg Biffle has posted three straight top-five finishes at New Hampshire International Speedway, the longest current streak.
Ryan Newman leads all active drivers with a 6.0 starting average in nine races at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with more than one start with an 8.66 finishing average in nine races at New Hampshire International Speedway. Johnson has posted top-15 finishes in all nine of his races at New Hampshire.(NASCAR Statistiacl Services)(9-9-2006)
