Fast Forward ~ The Toyota Owners 400 At Richmond Fantasy Race Picks And Preview
“The future is like a corridor into which we can see only by the light coming from behind.”
–Edward Weyer, Jr.
The Track: Richmond
International Raceway
Season Race #: 26 of 36 (09-06-14)
Track Size: 0.75-miles
Banking/Turns 1& 2:
14 degrees
Banking/Turns 3& 4:
14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,290 feet
Backstretch Length: 860 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 300 miles
The Race: The Federated Auto Parts 400
400 Laps/ 300 Miles
Defending Champion: Carl
Edwards, 105.028 MPH
Most recent winner: Joey
Logano, 93.369 MPH
Track Record: Dale
Jarrett, 109.047 MPH- September 1997
Race Record: Dale
Jarrett, 109.047 MPH- September 1997
Qualifying record:
Jeff Gordon, 130.599 MPH- September, 2013
TV: ABC, 7:30 PM EST
The History:
·
Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond
International Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.
·
The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was April 19, 1953 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 for 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.
The Contenders:
Top 10 Driver Ratings
at Richmond
#11-Denny Hamlin 112.5
(2 wins)
#18-Kyle Busch 111.1 (4 wins)
#4-Kevin Harvick 109.9 (3 wins)
#15-Clint Bowyer 98.7 (2 wins)
#24-Jeff Gordon 98.1 (2 wins)
#14-Tony Stewart 94.5 (3 wins)
#31-Ryan Newman 92.0 (1 win)
#41-Kurt Busch 90.9 (1 win)
#99-Carl Edwards 90.1 (1 win)
#48-Jimmie Johnson 88.2 (3 wins)
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014
races (19 total) among active drivers at Richmond
International Raceway.
The Picks:
Before we get to
this week’s picks, let’s review how everyone did at Atlanta. No one had Kasey Kahne to win, but the battle
for the last transfer spot swapped hands again, and there are only four points separating
the final two contenders.…
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
|
Mr. Seven |
31 |
37 |
972 |
1009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mr. Pole |
4 |
27 |
953 |
980 |
-29 |
5 |
2 |
|
Vivian |
4 |
27 |
897 |
924 |
-85 |
4 |
2 |
|
Darrell |
18 |
28 |
876 |
904 |
-105 |
3 |
2 |
|
Mr. Winner |
18 |
28 |
874 |
902 |
-107 |
1 |
2 |
|
Brian Marchetti |
24 |
27 |
842 |
869 |
-140 |
1 |
2 |
|
PattyKay Lilley |
24 |
27 |
837 |
864 |
-145 |
1 |
1 |
|
Nate |
41 |
32 |
829 |
861 |
-148 |
1 |
3 |
|
Barbara |
20 |
43 |
798 |
841 |
-168 |
1 |
3 |
|
Jim Fitzgerald |
24 |
27 |
810 |
837 |
-172 |
1 |
2 |
|
Kevin Abraham |
41 |
32 |
786 |
818 |
-191 |
2 |
4 |
|
Alabama Fitz |
2 |
6 |
810 |
816 |
-193 |
2 |
5 |
|
If Playoff Started Today |
|
|||||||
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Chase Pts |
Mr. Pole |
4 |
27 |
953 |
980 |
-29 |
5 |
2 |
2015 |
Vivian |
4 |
27 |
897 |
924 |
-85 |
4 |
2 |
2012 |
Darrell |
18 |
28 |
876 |
904 |
-105 |
3 |
2 |
2009 |
Kevin Abraham |
41 |
32 |
786 |
818 |
-191 |
2 |
4 |
2006 |
Alabama Fitz |
2 |
6 |
810 |
816 |
-193 |
2 |
5 |
2006 |
Mr. Winner |
18 |
28 |
874 |
902 |
-107 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Brian Marchetti |
24 |
27 |
842 |
869 |
-140 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
PattyKay Lilley |
24 |
27 |
837 |
864 |
-145 |
1 |
1 |
2003 |
Nate |
41 |
32 |
829 |
861 |
-148 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Barbara |
20 |
43 |
798 |
841 |
-168 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
24 |
27 |
810 |
837 |
-172 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Mr. Seven |
31 |
37 |
972 |
1009 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2000 |
Here are our picks for
Saturday Night at Richmond…
Jim Fitzgerald: So,
everything is on the line. .. At least as far as my hopes for the post season
are concerned. Kevin Harvick has three wins at Richmond... His pit crew
wouldn't do him in again, would they? I
hope not, because I'm picking Harvick to win and get me into the post season.
PattyKay Lilley: Well,
that let's Harvick off my hook. I'm not letting you
take me down in the toilet for a third time. This one looks easy to me. Carl,
Jeff and Kevin all have the numbers... until you bring it down to "what
have you done for me lately?" Then we have us a standout. I'm going with
the kid that won here in the spring and just won again in the Bristol night
race. On Saturday night, Mama's riding shotgun
with Joey Logano... going for the hat trick!
Kevin Abraham: With my
entry into the RFF Chase all but wrapped up with two wins, I am going with my
gut this week and am going to ignore the ones that should run well, and double
down on 'The Outlaw' Kurt Busch.
Last week my gut said Kahne and head said Busch. See who won.
Alabama Fitz: Well, Kev, I'm not as locked in as some folks are and I think
there is a chance I could still be bounced out of this thing. I've seen the Kurt Busch picks and the Kyle
Busch picks and Logano and Larson and others, so I have to make a game changing
pick here. I haven't seen this mans name mentioned yet, so I won't be pulling anybody else
down if my driver doesn't make it. I
think it is going to be Kyle Busch, (who seems to be living up to his "busch league" tag lately) or my pick. This guy couldn't get a Top 10 here in a Ford
if there were only 11 cars on the track.
They just never had the set up for some reason. So he switches teams and goes to a Toyota
and, as Jim says, "BOOM!", he wins here and
follows it up with a Top 5 the next race here.
He slipped to a 12th earlier this year, but seems to be running well
now, it's just that elusive win he needs, so why not here where he won last
spring. Put me down for the last NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Matt Kenseth.
Brian Marchetti: It's
a tough call for me this week. Kenseth
has 4 consecutive Top 7 finishes, needs a win, and I'm confident in him.....but
his Driver Rating has him at 15th overall, and I've never picked a Driver with
a 15th Rating. Kyle Busch, it's just not
his turn this week, despite his success of Top 10s in 7 of his last 10 races
here. Jeff Gordon doesn't need the win,
and as someone else pointed out earlier, Hendrick will be in Test Mode, getting
ready for the Chase. So what's a guy to
do? Uncle Carl wouldn't even be a bad pick, in my opinion. Logano, I rarely even look at him, as in my
mind, he is a hit or miss driver.
Granted he's having a great year, I just never look at him. Just like I haven't looked at The Rocket since
he joined Stewart Hass, and now with Childress, his days of an almost guaranteed
Pole and running with the best are long gone. (2003, 11
Poles, 2004, 9 Poles, and 2005, 8 Poles). I'm still lost on the right pick. Coin toss tells me to ignore Hendrick testing
and run with Gordon, but my heart wants to see Kenseth get a win. Watch me get bit in the butt this week......Matt
Kenseth for the win this week.
Jim Fitzgerald: Now let’s see what our fans have to say about
their picks this week.
Darrell: Ok I'll be taking Kyle Larson this week at
Richmond. What my reasoning
you ask? Simple. Cause he's gonna win!
Nate: I'm
going with Kyle Busch. He's
got 4 wins there!
Vivian: No rhyme or
reason for my pick this week. After much thought, I am sticking with Kevin
Harvick to win at Richmond on Saturday. He has won there before and
will do so again.
Barbara: As for Kyle
B, something sure isn’t right with him. Even when he does give a smile, it’s
that lopsided, almost sarcastic curl of his lip. It’s been at least five weeks
now that something just is not right with that boy. It’s also become a weekly
thing that something he drives is going to scrape the wall. I was really
surprised after all the Kasey talk, no one picked him
this week. How ironic. Truly the way most of our picks have gone this year. And
with that note, don’t ask me why, but I am throwing my hat in for the #41,
Kurt Busch this week.
Jim Fitzgerald: And there we have it. Everyone’s cards have been dealt, and now we
need only for the hand to be played out.
Who comes up with a straight flush and who comes up with a busted
hand? Whatever happens, rest assured
that we will be here next week to talk about, and get ready for the final ten
race stretch. Until then, keep the shiny
side up!
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin Abraham |
Alabama Fitz |
Jim Fitzgerald |
PattyKay Lilley |
Brian Marchetti |
Darrell |
Nate |
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Saturday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!