Sprint Cup 2013: Race 9 - Richmond Saturday Night

The ninth race of the 2013 season brings the Sprint Cup tour to Richmond, Virginia for good old Saturday night racing at its best. When they return to Richmond in September, the stakes will be much higher.  The ¾ mile short track with fine weather expected provides some of NASCAR’s most exiting racing as the only track with such dimensions. The front curved part of the D oval provides good old short track bumping and banging, but then there’s a nice long straightaway down the back stretch where the cars can really accelerate. Like short tracks, tempers and brake pads are bound to heat up.

With Matt Kenseth on the pole, the driver must feel vindictive pride standing tall after NASCAR’s vicious penalty against the #20 team having just won impressively at Kansas last week. All personnel remain on board pending appeals being heard with a seven week suspension holding in the balance for crew chief, Jason Radcliff. Another Joe Gibbs ride shares the outside poll, the #11 FedEx Toyota, driven by Brian Vickers filling in for injured Denny Hamlin.

A story starting to develop is the absence of Fords both in the top five and qualifying.  Only Joey Logano checks in at 7^th in the top ten. The next Ford contender is Marcos Ambrose for Richard Petty in 11^th. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. is the top Rauch driver in 12^th, but no more Fords appear until 20^th, David Ragan racing for Front Row Racing. Brad Keselowski starts 23^rd, but the Rauch veterans find Carl Edwards in 28^th and Greg Biffle in 33^rd followed by the next Petty entry, Aric Armirola in 34^th. Maybe it’s time for the King, the Captain, and the Hat to have a little engineering summit? 

STARTING LINEUP (NO CARS DID NOT QUALIFY)

POS		CAR #		Driver		Mfg.		Sporsor		Speed
1		20		Matt Kenseth		Toyota		Dollar General		130.334
2		11		Brian Vickers(i)		Toyota		FedEx Delivery Manager		130.303
3		24		Jeff Gordon		Chevrolet		Drive to End Hunger		130.252
4		5		Kasey Kahne		Chevrolet		Quaker State / Menards		130.183
5		15		Clint Bowyer		Toyota		Care		130.158
6		42		Juan Pablo Montoya		Chevrolet		Depend		129.851
7		22		Joey Logano		Ford		Shell Pennzoil		129.758
8		18		Kyle Busch		Toyota		M&M's		129.633
9		56		Martin Truex Jr.		Toyota		NAPA Brakes		129.596
10		55		Mark Martin		Toyota		Aaron's Dream Machine		129.577
11		9		Marcos Ambrose		Ford		DeWalt		129.565
12		17		Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #		Ford		Zest		129.552
13		1		Jamie McMurray		Chevrolet		McDonald's		129.534
14		78		Kurt Busch		Chevrolet		Furniture Row Racing / Sealy		129.422
15		39		Ryan Newman		Chevrolet		Outback Steakhouse		129.385
16		31		Jeff Burton		Chevrolet		Airgas / Bulwark		129.372
17		29		Kevin Harvick		Chevrolet		Bell Helicopter		129.366
18		7		Dave Blaney		Chevrolet		SANY		129.292
19		88		Dale Earnhardt Jr.		Chevrolet		National Guard		129.187
20		34		David Ragan		Ford		CSX / Play it Safe		129.162
21		14		Tony Stewart		Chevrolet		Rush Truck Centers / Mobil 1		129.112
22		83		David Reutimann		Toyota		Burger King / Dr Pepper		129.112
23		2		Brad Keselowski		Ford		Redd's Apple Ale		129.032
24		51		AJ Allmendinger		Chevrolet		Phoenix Construction		128.915
25		30		David Stremme		Toyota		Swan Energy		128.811
26		48		Jimmie Johnson		Chevrolet		Lowe's Dover White		128.780
27		35		Josh Wise(i)		Ford		MDS Transport		128.743
28		99		Carl Edwards		Ford		Geek Squad		128.725
29		27		Paul Menard		Chevrolet		Menards / CertainTeed		128.719
30		10		Danica Patrick #		Chevrolet		GoDaddy.com		128.700
31		33		Landon Cassill		Chevrolet		Little Joe's Autos / Precon Marine		128.682
32		47		Bobby Labonte		Toyota		Bush's Beans		128.608
33		16		Greg Biffle		Ford		American Red Cross		128.516
34		43		Aric Almirola		Ford		Smithfield		128.351
35		98		Michael McDowell		Ford		Phil Parsons Racing		128.053
36		93		Travis Kvapil		Toyota		Dominion Raceway		127.956
37		38		David Gilliland		Ford		Long John Silver's		127.883
38		19		Mike Bliss(i)		Toyota		Plinker Tactical / G Oil		127.485
39		36		JJ Yeley		Chevrolet		NASCAR Foundation		126.547
40		13		Casey Mears		Ford		GEICO		126.404
41		87		Joe Nemechek(i)		Toyota		Acredale Vending / AM FM Energy		125.886
42		32		Timmy Hill #		Ford		OXY water		125.692
43		52		Brian Keselowski		Toyota		Highland Wealth Advisors		123.751