Will this be Joey Logano's day to return to victory lane? Logano is on a 35-race winless streak with his last win coming a year ago at Richmond, a win where his car failed postrace measurements and therefore he could not use that win to qualify for the playoffs. He ended up not making it into the 16-driver playoff field. He starts third today.
Kyle Busch will start 32nd today at Richmond after apparently misjudging how fast a lap he would need to advance to the second round of qualifying. Busch, who has won the last two Cup races, has six consecutive top-3 finishes; longest single-season streak since 2004.
Chase Elliott starts second today, looking to jump-start his season. Elliott is 23rd in the NASCAR Cup standings and is racing with interim crew chief Kenny Francis, in for the suspended Alan Gustafson.
Toyota driver Erik Jones, who starts seventh tonight at Richmond, explains how to race the 0.75-mile oval while taking some laps in the pace car. That asphalt patch in Turn 1 is where the infield pedestrian tunnel was widened:
Chase Elliott says he does not consider the fact his team has been penalized three times in the last 19 races as a sign it is pressing to get him that first win. He will start second Saturday at Richmond:
The new Richmond garage area also includes two corporate suites (a 50-person suite and a 25-person suite) with views of garages and the areas where the haulers are parked.
The new garages at Richmond include areas for fans to stand and watch teams work. The area will be part of a ticket add-on fans can buy starting with the September race.
Denny Hamlin won his foundation's late model stock race, edging Kyle Busch at Langley Speedway. Hamlin won his first race at Langley in 1997 and still has that trophy in his garage. What the win meant:
Denny Hamlin (11) and Kyle Busch (51) are among the drivers competing in the Denny Hamlin Short-Track Showdown late model stock race at Langley (Va.) Speedway, where Hamlin raced in four-cylinder cars 20 years ago.
Denny Hamlin will start second in his Denny Hamlin Foundation Short-Track Showdown late model stock race tonight at Langley (Va.) Speedway. Five-time track champion Danny Edwards is on the pole. Kyle Busch will start third.