Track Description:
At 0.75 miles, Richmond International Raceway might be the ideal size for a race track — small enough to be a true short track, but large enough that cars can race each other without running over each other. It’s also a wonderful facility to watch two NASCAR Sprint Cup races annually, both of which are run under the lights. It’s along way from when the facility opened as a dirt track in 1953. Richmond is also unique among the short tracks on the NASCAR circuit, because the frontstretch isn’t a straightaway at all, but a gently arcing, D-shaped curve. Like the other Virginia short track in Martinsville, Richmond is a place that’s brutal on brakes, especially at the entrance to Turn 1. Richard Petty is the all-time winner at Richmond, having visited victory lane an astounding 13 times. But here’s a surprise: Among active drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson are tied for the most RIR race victories with three each. Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin each have two wins here. In the last two years, Busch has won both spring RIR races, while Hamlin has taken the two fall events. Busch’s average finish is best of anyone’s at 5.25, while Hamlin’s is close behind at 8.00. Kyle has been sensational at RIR: two victories, three second-place finishes and 10 top fives in 12 starts. Of the drivers to avoid, one who jumps out right away is Jamie McMurray, who in 16 career RIR starts has an average finish of 24.69. And stay from Kyle’s big brother, too: in 20 races on the Virginia short track, Kurt Busch has an average finish of just 17.8. Not horrible, but just so-so. And nowhere near the measure of his little bro. DARLINGTON RACEWAY — When it opened in 1950, Darlington Raceway was the first NASCAR oval that was more than one mile in length and paved. And until Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959, the Southern 500 at Darlington on Labor Day was the biggest race on the NASCAR schedule. It was the biggest party weekend of the year, wild and rowdy years before Talladega opened. For its relatively short size, 1.366 miles, Darlington is insanely fast, with Jamie McMurray setting the qualifying record last May at an eye-popping 180.370 mph. And, of course, Darlington well and truly has earned the nicknames “The Lady In Black” and the “Track Too Tough To Tame.” It is absolutely diabolical, and few cars escape a visit to Darlington without bouncing off the outside walls and earning a “Darlington Stripe” on the right side of the car. Darlington is also the site of the closest finish in NASCAR history, when Ricky Craven beat and banged with Kurt Busch for the final couple of laps before winning by .002 seconds in 2003. For his career, Jeff Gordon owns more Darlington victories than any other active driver, having won seven times here, most recently in May 2007. But the best average finish among active drivers belongs to Denny Hamlin, the 2010 Darlington winner, at 6.60. Jimmie Johnson’s average finish is 9.33. No one else is in single digits. Among the drivers who wrestle with Darlington are Kevin Harvick, whose average finish is 19.07 in 14 career starts. At 17.701, Matt Kenseth’s career average finish at Darlington is nothing to brag about, either. And last May, Brian Vickers finished 10th at Darlington, lowering his career average finish the from 28.581 to 26.25. Too tough to tame, indeed.