May 6, 2006
- Earnhardt Jr. wins at Richmond: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead with 43 laps to go and held on to win the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway, for his first win of 2006, 1st in 28 races [last year at Chicago in July] and 17th of his career. #11-Denny Hamlin finished 2nd for his career best finish, followed by #29-Kevin Harvick [who led the most laps], #16-Greg Biffle and #5-Kyle Busch. The rest of top-10 were #20-Tony Stewart, #99-Carl Edwards, #12-Ryan Newman, #14-Sterling Marlin and #07-Clint Bowyer. Points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson fell a lap down, got the lucky dog pass and finished 12th to maintain the points lead by 55 over Stewart. #17-Matt Kenseth, who came into the race 2nd in points, had a brake rotor break and ruptured the oil tank, Kenseth finished 38th. #24-Jeff Gordon had an engine problem, made up some laps and finished out of the race in 40th. There were 11 cautions for 61 laps and 6 leaders with 12 lead changes.
Race Results on my Richmond Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Richmond page.
Race Rundown: see my Richmond Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(5-6-2006) - Richmond News and Notes:
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2006 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway, scoring his 17th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 229th career start. Earnhardt’s last victory came at Chicagoland Speedway in July 2005, 28 races ago.
• Four of Earnhardt’s 17 victories have come on a short track, including three at Richmond. Earnhardt’s first shorttrack victory came at Richmond in his rookie season (2000).
• Earnhardt became the seventh different race winner in 2006.
• Earnhardt became the first repeat race winner in the 10 races at Richmond since September 2001.
• Earnhardt scored his fourth top-10 finish in 10 races this season.
• He climbed from eighth to sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. After 10 races in 2005, he ranked ninth in the point standings.
• Earnhardt moved to 38th on NASCAR’s all-time winners list tied with Jeff Burton, Marvin Panch, and Curtis Turner.
• Earnhardt led three times for 47 laps, including the final 45 laps, in the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond.
• Earnhardt has won a race each season 2000-2006, seven consecutive years.
• This was team owner Teresa Earnhardt’s (DEI) 23rd NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. DEI has scored three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Richmond.
• DEI has won at least one race each season 2000-06, seven consecutive years.
Notebook Items
• Kevin Harvick led the most laps for the only the sixth time in his career. Harvick led 272 laps, the most laps that he has led in a race in his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career.
• The last time Harvick led the most laps in a race was at Dover in September 2003, when he led 133 of the 400-lap race. Harvick has won only one of the six races in which he led the most laps: Chicagoland (July 2001).
• Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender Denny Hamlin (second) posted his career-best finish. It is his third top-10 finish in 2006. This was his first race at Richmond International Raceway.
• Kevin Harvick (third) scored his fifth top-10 finish in 2006, all in the last six races. It was his fifth top-10 finish in 11 races at Richmond. Harvick climbed from seventh to fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
• Greg Biffle (fourth) scored his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Richmond International Raceway, all in his last four races here. He climbed from 23rd to 20th in the point standings. One year ago he ranked third after 10 races.
• Kyle Busch (fifth) scored his third top-five finish in three races at Richmond. It was his fifth top-10 finish in 2006. He climbed from ninth to eighth in the point standings. One year ago he ranked 27th after 10 races.
• At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in every race this season.
• Dave Blaney (20th) extended a 28-race streak of running at the finish that began at Pocono last June and is the longest current streak.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-6-2006) - Rumblings – Richmond:
Some questionable pit strategy by the dominant car (Kevin Harvick) led to a four car battle in the closing laps and Dale Earnhardt Jr emerged victorious tonight at Richmond International Raceway. He captured the Crown Royal 400 by a little over half a second over Denny Hamlin as Harvick’s team tried to stretch his tires just a little too far and passed up the opportunity to pit with the rest of the field with about 90 laps to go. It burned him just about 30 laps later and he was never able to recover that lost track position. For Little E, this was his first win since he captured Chicagoland last July, his 3rd at RIR, and the 17th of his NEXTEL Cup career. He’s now tied for 38th on the all-time win list with Jeff Burton, Marvin Panch, and Curtis Turner. Win #23 for Dale Earnhardt Inc was worth $239,166 from the over $4.9M in posted awards.
Denny Hamlin (2nd) had his career-best finish tonight. His previous best was 4th at Texas last month….and he was doin’ it hurt tonight, too!
Greg Biffle (4th) had his best finish since he won at Homestead last November.
Sterling Marlin (9th) had his best finish since he was 7th at Talladega last October. His Top-10 finish gives us 31 drivers at that mark this season…..last year we had 43 of ’em.
STREAKIN….Tony Stewart has 5 Top-10’s in a row.
Kevin Harvick has 5 Top-10’s in the last 6 races.
This Week’s Elevator….UP: Operator of the Week is Elliott Sadler (+24), followed by Sterling Marlin (+23). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Brian Vickers (-33), followed by Kasey Kahne (-28 ), Matt Kenseth (-27), and Jeff Gordon (-24). Both Elliott and Brian are first-timers in the “Shaft” this season.
No change at the top of the Point Standings this week, but Jimmie Johnson’s lead over new #2 driver (Tony Stewart) is now 55 points. The “Stayin’ Alive” line is unchanged this week. Sterling Marlin (34th to 30th) advanced the most spots in the Top-35 this week, while Brian Vickers (14th to 19th) and Martin Truex Jr (20th to 25th) were the biggest movers on the down side.(Stock Car Fans)(5-6-206) - Fuel Cell Update; 17 gallons in 2007: Drivers say that they don’t need the smaller, 14-gallon fuel cell for the races later this month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. NASCAR mandated the smaller fuel cell instead of the regular 22-gallon cell because of concerns about tires on the new surface. A smaller fuel cell will lead to more pit stops and more chances to change tires. This week’s test showed the tires are durable enough that they should last what would be a regular fuel run with the larger fuel cell. John Darby, Nextel Cup series director, said more information is needed before deciding to change back to the larger fuel cell. “Until you go through that 600 miles, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Darby said. Darby said that next year, the fuel cells will be 17 gallons.(Roanoke Times)(5-6-2006)
- Elliott tests Toyota engine at Lowe’s: Bill Elliott tested one of Waltrip’s #00 Chevy Cup cars with a Toyota engine earlier this week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and there are plans for more tests as the foreign manufacturer seeks approval from NASCAR.(NASCAR.com)(5-6-2006)
- Mears looking? 88? Garage insiders say that Casey Mears is the frontrunner for the #88 Ford ride and that UPS would stay on as a sponsor at Yates if the company hires a young gun that could compete with the marketing image of Denny Hamlin and Fed Ex. It is speculated, however, that Mears may have a letter of intent to run a fourth car at another organization already [RCR was rumored last week].(Motorsports.com)
BUT: Casey Mears’ contract ends after this season, but he says he’s talked to car owner Chip Ganassi about an extension.(Virgina Pilot)(5-6-2006) - #92 Team Done? #92 Crew Chief Teddy Brown informed us [Front Row Motorsports Fanz] that they will stop running the #92 car, just to focus on two cars. The #92 team only made one of nine races [attempted 8 of 9]. The engine costs for that team so far are around $300k. With Jeff Stec’s #61 team now with Front Row Motorsports, they will concentrate on getting both #61-Kevin Lepage and #34-Chad Chaffin’s cars ready for Richmond.(Front Row Motorsports Fanz)(5-6-2006)
- Nemechek Joins Checkers to Supports the Troops: Checkers Drive-In Restaurants that it has teamed with U.S. Army driver #01-Joe Nemechek in its continuing support of Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that prepares and sends care packages to U.S. Troops deployed overseas. To help kick off the Patriotic Drive, an initiative for which Checkers/Rally’s joined forces with Operation Gratitude and America Supports You to send care packages to the troops, the double drive-thru chain will donate $100,000 to Operation Gratitude if Nemechek wins Saturday night’s NEXTEL Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. Nemechek, who will serve as a spokesperson for the Patriotic Drive, won the Richmond Cup race in May, 2003. If Nemechek takes first place at Richmond, he will personally award Operation Gratitude with a $100,000 check from Checkers/Rally’s during the post-race ceremonies. A Patriotic Drive will take place from May 8 to June 14, 2006. Gifts for military care packages can be donated at participating Checkers/Rally’s locations nationwide. All items collected will be used by Operation Gratitude to prepare and send individual care packages to military men and women deployed overseas. The items most requested by the troops include: mini battery-operated fans; bandana cool ties; CDs and DVDs; high-tech gear such as computer flash drives, hand-held video games and disposable cameras; small snack foods; and personal letters of support. For more information about Operation Gratitude see opgratitude.com.(DMF Comminciations/MB2 Motorsports)(5-6-2006)
- Barrett goes to school: #95-Stanton Barrett will visit Infineon Raceway on Monday, May 8, for a day of on-track instruction with the Jim Russell Racing Schools, which is based at the raceway. Barrett has not competed in a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup feature race at Infineon Raceway and is hopeful the day of instruction will help his qualifying effort during the Dodge/Save Mart 350 weekend (June 23-25). Barrett, a stuntman by trade from Hollywood, has earned a best finish of 33rd in four starts this year.(Infineon Raceway PR)(5-6-2006)
- Busch Series to Race in Canada?: UPDATES: With a second race in Mexico City behind the NASCAR Busch Series, the teams can expect to cross the border again next year – possibly two different borders. Canada remains on the NASCAR radar as the next international venue for the circuit, possibly as early at next year.(NASCAR Scene)(3-16-2006)
UPDATE: A small contingent of NASCAR officials planned to travel to Montreal this week to scout the city for a possible Busch Series race there next season. NASCAR expanded into Mexico last year, and Canadian officials have been trying to get on the schedule. Spokesman Jim Hunter said series officials will tour several different venues, and any expansion would be strictly for the lower-tier Busch Series.(Alabama Live)(5-1-2006)
UPDATE 2: A group of Toronto investors has made a bid to buy Cayuga 2000 Speedway near Hamilton and turn it into a NASCAR ready facility that would seat in excess of 60,000. The proposal also involves lengthening the existing 5/8ths mile oval to a mile. In return, the proposed Cayuga owners will get serious consideration for either a NASCAR Busch Series or Craftsman Truck Series race when the project is completed. “Apparently this group has already been talking to NASCAR officials,” a source close to the deal told the Toronto Sun yesterday. “They were essentially told that if they build it NASCAR will come — but only the junior series.” Another source with connections to the current owners Garry Evans and Brad Litkey said the owners have given the Toronto group two weeks to come up with a deal to buy the facility. NASCAR vice-president Jim Hunter told an Associated Press reporter in Talladega that a small group of NASCAR executives planned to tour Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this week in preparation for a possible race there in 2007. But Hunter also said that while in Canada, the group could tour several other race facilities — including Cayuga.(Toronto Sun)(5-2-2006)
UPDATE 3: An impressive mid-week visit to Montreal has excited NASCAR officials planning to expand their popular Busch Series to Canada in a move that could take place as early as next season. Seven NASCAR officials inspected the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a temporary street course, and deemed the course ready with little changes need, according to Steve O’Donnell, managing director of events and operations. The only alteration would be a short extension of the pit road. Montreal could be targeted for the 2007 season as the third road course race for the Busch Series. The event would join Watkins and Glen Mexico, which recently held its second race in March and has been extremely popular for NASCAR outside the U.S. It’s not known if NASCAR officials will try to fit Montreal for their 2007 season. The Busch Series schedule currently holds 35 races, and another race would put NASCAR at a maximum number that it considers for its Nextel Cup season. The possibility exists that Canada could only get a race if another event would lose a current Busch date.(CBC Sports)(5-6-2006) - Borchetta to Busch? Former Motorplex champion truck champ Scott Borchetta could be in line for a ride in the NASCAR Busch Series, according to Middle Tennessee Racing News. Borchetta, a Nashville recording executive, was at the track but said he wasn’t at liberty to discuss the Busch Series report.(Nashville Tennesseean)(5-6-2006)
- Ron Hornaday, Outdoor Channel crew score top-15 run in Richmond: After rain delays pushed the Circuit City 250 Busch Series race late into the night, Ron Hornaday and the #33 crew held on and posted a 14th-place finish. Hornaday started 25th in the event and drove a solid race, battling hard for each position while steering clear of the numerous cautions that peppered the event. He will be back behind the wheel of KHI’s 33 car at Dover in early June.(kevinharvickinc.com)(5-6-2006)
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