Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #2 (Richmond)
- This is the second season the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff’s second race has been held at Richmond Raceway.
- Richmond Raceway is the third track in series history to host the second race of the Playoffs; joining Dover International Speedway (2004-2010) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2011–2017).
- When Dover hosted the second race of the Playoffs, twice a driver won and went on to win the series title – Jimmie Johnson (2009 and 2010).
- When New Hampshire moved to the second race in the Playoffs (2011 – 2017), only one driver won the event and went on to win the title – Tony Stewart (2011). Stewart won five races in the 2011 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs (a series-record) including the first two (Chicago and New Hampshire).
- The worst finish by a driver in the second Playoff race that went on to win the title was:
o At Dover:
- Tony Stewart, in 2005, won the title after he finished 18th at Dover International Speedway – the second race of the 2005 Playoffs.
o At New Hampshire:
- The 2015 series champion, Kyle Busch, finished 37th in New Hampshire’s Playoff race that season. Last season’s champ, Martin Truex Jr., finished fifth in the Playoff race at NHMS.
o At Richmond
- Joey Logano finished 14th in last season’s Richmond Playoff race and went on to win the title.
- No non-Playoff driver has ever won the second Playoff race at Dover International Speedway (2004-2010) or New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2011-2017) or Richmond Raceway (2018).
- Since the inception of the elimination-style format in the Playoffs in 2014, the deepest seeded drivers entering the Playoffs to go on and win the title were Kevin Harvick, 2014 and Joey Logano, 2018 (both were the seventh seed); the remaining champions all started within the top five: Kyle Busch, 2015 (No. 1 seed); Jimmie Johnson, 2016 (fifth seed); Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 seed).
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond
Kevin Harvick……………………… 110.4
Kyle Busch…………………………. 110.2
Denny Hamlin……………………… 107.2
Brad Keselowski……………………. 98.2
Kurt Busch…………………………… 95.3
Clint Bowyer…………………………. 93.9
Joey Logano…………………………. 91.9
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 89.7
Jimmie Johnson…………………….. 89.1
Kyle Larson………………………….. 88.7
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (29 total) among active drivers at Richmond Raceway.
At Richmond Raceway:
History
- Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
- The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race was held on April 19, 1953 and won by Lee Petty.
- The spring 1964 race was run on a Tuesday night under temporary lighting.
- The track name changed to Virginia State Fairgrounds in 1967.
- The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between races in 1968.
- The track name changed to Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.
- The track was re-measured to .542-mile in 1970.
- The track was rebuilt as a three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval following the Feb. 21, 1988 race.
- The first race under permanent lights was Sept. 7, 1991.
- The first season with both races as night races was 1999.
- In 2017, the track underwent renovations and changed the name to Richmond Raceway.
- There have been 126 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway, one event from 1953 – 1958 and two races per year since 1959.
Starts
- A total of 507 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway; 333 have competed in more than one.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond with 63; followed by Mark Martin with 56.
- Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active series drivers with 37 Richmond starts each.
- A total of 50 different drivers have made their first career Monster Energy Series start at Richmond Raceway – the most recent was Daniel Hemric (April 21, 2018).
- Dick Rathmann (two series starts) leads the series in average finish at Richmond Raceway with a 2.0.
- Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond Raceway with an 8.636; followed by Joey Logano (9.905).
Poles
- A total of 55 different drivers have won Busch poles at Richmond Raceway, eight are active this weekend.
- NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison lead the series in poles at Richmond with eight each.
- Denny Hamlin (2006, 2008 and 2016) and Kevin Harvick (2005, 2018 and 2019) lead all active drivers in Busch poles at Richmond with three each; followed by Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson with two each.
- Buck Baker won the inaugural Busch Pole Award at Richmond in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.
- Nine drivers have won consecutive poles at Richmond – Joey Logano (2015 sweep) and Kevin Harvick (2018 Playoff race and 2019 Spring race) are the two active drivers to accomplish the feat.
- Bobby Allison holds the record for most consecutive poles at Richmond with five from 1972 – 1974.
- Youngest Richmond pole winner: Brian Vickers (05/15/2004 – 20 years, 6 months, 21 days).
- Oldest Richmond pole winner: Mark Martin (04/28/2012 – 53 years, 3 months, 19 days).
- Nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers posted their first career Busch Pole Award at Richmond Raceway – Brian Vickers (2004), Ted Musgrave (1994), Bobby Labonte (1993), Alan Kulwicki (1987), Morgan Shepherd (1981), Bill Dennis (1971), Dave Marcis (1971), Ned Jarrett (1960) and Russ Hepler (1957).
- A total of nine different manufacturers have posted Busch Poles at Richmond Raceway in the Monster Energy Series; led by Chevrolet (46), Ford (33), Dodge (11), Toyota (10), Pontiac (six), Plymouth (five), Mercury (three), Buick (two) and Oldsmobile (two).
Wins
- A total of 52 different drivers have won a Monster Energy Series race at Richmond Raceway, 11 are entered this weekend.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in wins at Richmond with 13 victories (spring 1961, 1967 sweep, fall 1968, fall 1970, 1971 sweep, 1972 sweep, 1973 sweep, fall 1974 and spring 1975) – the third-most wins by a single driver at a single track in series history behind his 15 wins at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro.
- Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at Richmond with six victories (spring 2009, spring 2010, spring 2011, spring 2012 and spring 2018, Playoff race 2018).
- Youngest Richmond winner: Richard Petty (04/23/1961 – 23 years, 9 months, 21 days).
- Oldest Richmond winner: Harry Gant (09/07/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 28 days).
- Nine drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Richmond Raceway – Joe Weatherly, David Pearson, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.
- Richard Petty leads the series in consecutive wins at Richmond after posting seven consecutive victories from the fall race of 1970 to the fall race of 1973.
- The pole starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond Raceway with 24.
- Only five active series drivers have been able to win from the pole: Kasey Kahne (2005), Jimmie Johnson (2007), Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Denny Hamlin (2016).
MENCS Wins by Starting Positions at Richmond Raceway
- The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Richmond Raceway is 32nd, by Kyle Busch in the spring of 2018.
- Five drivers have posted their first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond – Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999), Kyle Petty (1986), Neil Bonnett (1977) and James Hylton (1970)
- Paul Menard and David Ragan lead the series among active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Richmond without visiting Victory Lane at 25 each.
- Petty Enterprises has the most wins at Richmond in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with 15 victories; followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with 14, Hendrick Motorsports, with 10 and Richard Childress Racing with nine.
- Nine different manufacturers have won at Richmond. Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 38 victories; followed by Ford (32), Dodge (17), Toyota (13), Pontiac (11) Plymouth (10), Buick (two), Oldsmobile (two) and Chrysler (one).
Additional Finishing Position Stats
- A total of 57 different drivers have finished runner-up in a Monster Energy Series race at Richmond Raceway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for the series-most runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each.
- Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in series runner-up finishes at Richmond with six; followed by Kevin Harvick with three.
- A total of 135 different drivers have finished in the top-five in a Monster Energy Series race at Richmond Raceway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34.
- Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in top-five finishes at Richmond with 17; followed by Kevin Harvick (15) and Denny Hamlin (12).
- A total of 234 different drivers have finished in the top-10 in a Monster Energy Series race at Richmond Raceway.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41.
- Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in top 10s at Richmond with 24; followed by Kyle Busch (21) and Ryan Newman (19).
- Lee Petty (seven series starts) leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond Raceway with a 4.857.
- Kyle Busch (28 series starts) leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond Raceway with a 6.964.
Track / Event Specific Stats
- Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway was the race on September 12, 1998 – won by Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.051 second over second-place finisher Jeff Gordon.
Top Five Closest Margin of Victories at Richmond in the Monster Energy Series
- Five Monster Energy Series races have resulted in NASCAR Overtime at Richmond Raceway:
- Four Monster Energy Series races at Richmond have been shortened due to weather conditions.
- Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway eight times: 1955, 1962 (spring), 1967 (fall), 1986 (spring), 1997 (spring), 2008 (fall), 2014 (spring) and 2016 (spring).
Lap Leader Stats
- In total 135 different Monster Energy Series drivers have led at least one lap in a race at Richmond Raceway.
- Richard Petty leads the series in laps led at Richmond Raceway with 5,136 laps led in 63 starts; followed by Rusty Wallace with 3,024 laps led.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers with 1,659 laps led; followed by Kyle Busch (1,282).
Top 10 Lap Leaders in the Monster Energy Series at Richmond Raceway
- Richard Petty has led the most laps (488 laps led of 500 = 97.6%) in a Monster Energy Series race at Richmond Raceway and won (9/13/1970) – he started from the pole position.
- Denny Hamlin has led the most laps (381 laps led of 407 = 93.6%) in a series race at Richmond and did not win; finishing 24th after starting from the pole.
Female Competitor Stats
- Two female drivers have competed at Richmond in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:
NASCAR in Virginia
- There has been a total of 517 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.
Virginia Drivers In NASCAR
- A total of 181 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Virginia.
- 19 drivers from the state of Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.
- 11 of the 19 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
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