NASCAR Power Rankings: Richmond International Raceway
Apr 19, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) during the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
1. Jimmie Johnson- Completely dominating your competition is one way to build momentum towards winning a seventh championship; take J.J.’s performance at Texas as a prime example. Then, take his rollercoaster of a day at Bristol into consideration. See friends, patiently waiting for your competition to wreck each other over a span of 10 hours is highly unconventional, but clearly an effective way to build momentum towards winning a seventh championship. So, that’s why fans detest this guy; he’s good when he’s good, and good when he’s bad.
J.J. has recorded three victories (2007,’08) in 26 career starts at Richmond International Raceway.
2. Kevin Harvick– A couple of weeks have passed since The Closer relinquished his mighty streak of top-two finishes. This past week, he kissed his streak of consecutive top-10 finishes to start the season goodbye. Now that the pressure’s off, it’s time to focus on holding serve. Johnson and both Team Penske cars are hot on The Closer’s heels for top spot in the Sprint Cup Series standings.
Harvick has recorded three victories ( 2006, ’11, ’13) in 28 career starts at Richmond.
3. Joey Logano- Thunder Valley also claimed Sliced Bread’s string of top-10 finishes to start the 2015 season. Trouble is, his fellow Team Penske comrade Bad Brad Keselowski had a huge assist in ending Joey’s run at history. Sorry, my bad, bro.
Logano is the defending winner of the spring race at RIR.
Apr 17, 2015; Bristol, TN USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth (20) wins the pole for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
4. Matt Kenseth- Shattering a lengthy winless drought equals pure jubilation for Matt Kenseth following his most recent triumph at Bristol. It’s really great to see one of the sport’s nicest drivers smile again. Like his mentor Mark Martin use to say, “Enjoy every victory in the Sprint Cup Series, cause you never know if this could be your last.” Don’t think this will be Matt’s last trip to the winners circle, but he’ definitely enjoying this one.
Kenseth has recorded one victory ( 2002) in 30 career starts at Richmond International Raceway.
5. Martin Truex Jr.- Poor Marty came awfully close to extending his season-long streak of top-10 finishes, only to be denied in the closing laps of Food City 500 marathon. Keep your chin up, dude. You’re having one amazing season.
Truex Jr.’s career best finish at Richmond International Raceway was 5th in the spring of 2008.
6. Jeff Gordon- Resiliency was the key component that spawned Gordo’s rebirth one year ago. Here we are a year later, witnessing that same magic in motion once again. The four-time champ is heating up at the right time. Mike Joy certainly agrees.
Gordon has finished second in three of the last five races at Richmond.
7. Brad Keselowski- Tearing up your race car totally sucks; tearing up your teammate’s race car in the middle of one of your on-track meltdowns can make you feel like a grain of sand. Again, my bad, bro!
B.K. won last fall race at Richmond.
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.- Well, the sun dewshine you better shine, better shine, better shine. Remember that catchy little tune from the 1992 film Rock-A- Doodle? If you don’t, not to worry, because Dale Jr.’s Dewshine machine was one cool piece, but it certainly didn’t shine.
Dale Jr. has recorded three victories (2000, ’04, ’06) in 31 career starts at RIR.
9. Ryan Newman- It’s been a turbulent couple of weeks for the Rocket Man since NASCAR came down hard on the #31 team for tampering with tires at Auto Club Speedway in March. Last Sunday, Newman showed us yet again you can bend his spirit, but you won’t break it. Rack up another top five-finish for the guy who just won’t quit.
Newman has recorded four top-10 finishes in the last five races at Richmond.
10. Kurt Busch- Soon, the racing gods are going to smile down on Kurt Busch and grant him a couple of victories. Because having one of the fastest cars on a weekly basis has to translate into a victory sooner or later.
Busch has recorded one victory (2006) in 28 career starts at Richmond International Raceway.
Apr 18, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne (5) during practice for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
11. Kasey Kahne- Quote of the year belongs to Kasey Kahne. “Tony (Stewart) hasn’t been running that well lately. guess he got excited.” – Kahne on getting caught up in a wreck that ended his day on lap 483.
Kahne has recorded one victory (2005) in 22 career starts at Richmond.
12. Jamie McMurray- Despite the fact that, Jamie Mac hasn’t won a race in over a year-and-a-half, he continues his forward march towards finally making the Chase. Okay, forget about Bristol; that one couldn’t be avoided.
Jamie Mac has recorded two top-five finishes in the last three races at Richmond International Raceway.
13. Danica Patrick- Watching Danica Patrick turn the corner fills my heart with pure joy; not only is she silencing her critics, she’s finally starting to click with crew chief Daniel Knost. Danicamania is alive and well.
Patrick’s career best finish at RIR is 16th in the fall of 2014.
14. Denny Hamlin- Last time Denny Hamlin was in Virginia he won a race at a track (Martinsville) he hadn’t won at since 2010. You know he hasn’t won a race at Richmond since 2010, either. See where I’m going with this?
Hamlin has recorded two victories (2009,2010) in 17-career starts at Richmond International Raceway.
Apr 19, 2015; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Aric Almirola (43) during the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
15. Aric Almirola- Popular Halifax, Nova Scotia, radio host Sheldon Macleod would say the King is setting Aric Almirola up for success, because hanging out with the King is rubbing off on Mr. Almirola. All of a sudden, look who’s becoming a decent short track driver.
Almirola has recorded two top-10 finishes in six career starts at Richmond.
16. Carl Edwards- I am glad Matt Kenseth won last Sunday’s Food City 500 marathon, but we all know Cousin Carl should have been the driver representing Joe Gibbs Racing in victory lane. Costly mistakes continue to be the #19 teams Achilles heel in 2015.
Edwards has recorded one victory (2013) in 21 career starts at Richmond.
17. Paul Menard- While the modern day Iceman’s teammates enjoyed running inside the top-10 at Bristol, P.M. quietly ran just a few car lengths behind in eleventh, but on the upside, Menard leads his teammates in the driver standings.
18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.- Celebrating a top-five finish with your better half at a Waffle House is absolutely priceless. Extra syrup on those waffles, please!
19. Clint Bowyer – Since the race at Bristol lasted more than 10 hours, chances are, Clint Bowyer polished off two 5 Hour Energy shots just to make it through a soggy day full of excitement. If you’re keeping score at home, Bowyer owns two career victories at Richmond.
20. David Ragan- After seeing Ragan’s torn up race car at Bristol, all I could think about is getting my hands on a Snickers Extreme. Oh darn! They don’t sell them in Canada. Guess I’ll have to settle for a double caramel Mars bar.
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