RICHMOND Va. One of the side stories when evaluating the spring race at Richmond International Raceway is who might need a strong run come September to get in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
When the series returns Sept. 7 to Richmond the site of the season s 26th and final race to determine NASCAR s postseason field that race could be a make or break day for several drivers.
Currently 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings Aric Almirola would make the Chase if it started today. (AP Photo)It makes for an interesting dynamic for those two races. The garage area was pretty relaxed Saturday. In September it won t be with several nervous people especially those whose jobs could hang in the balance of whether their team gets in the Chase.
Richmond recap Harvick wins Results Cup standings
Before last September it could be said that Kyle Busch would want no other place than Richmond to determine his fate. He has four Cup wins as well as four Nationwide wins at the track.
But he had a horrible collapse last year as he lost the handle on the car and after the Toyota Owners 400 on Saturday he probably feels just downright unlucky at RIR.
It didn t seem that way at first. He had a solid car and won a review of a call NASCAR made that he didn t enter the pits properly. NASCAR doesn t change its mind all that often.
But just a few laps later Busch got collected in an accident and finished 24th.
RIR is turning into a karma track for Busch. He will try to remember good times there but it s highly likely he will remember the frustration of his last two RIR outings the next time he rolls through the gates.
So it s a good thing that Busch already has two wins this year and is a virtual lock to make the Chase. He shouldn t have to worry that a Chase bid will fall out of his hands as it did in 2012. If for some reason he is on the bubble though it will make for some nervous days as he puts the memory of two bitterly disappointing races behind him.
There are others who can look at Richmond and feel good about returning.
Joey Logano and Aric Almirola two drivers hoping to make the Chase for the first time in their careers finished third and eighth respectively.
Logano started the season strong had a few bad weeks and is 17th in the standings 43 points out of 10th. He used a little bit of pit strategy to be near the front by the end of the race.
Logano considers RIR somewhat perilous as drivers are willing to take chances in the turns.
The tires wear out (here) Logano said. It brings a lot of strategy in the race. I think that big sweeping front straightaway it's inviting for people to dive bomb in on that corner.
Almirola is 11th in the standings and would make the Chase starting today. He knows he s on the bubble.
At one point we were almost a lap down said Almirola the only driver to record three top 10s in the last three weeks. We were in big trouble and (crew chief) Todd Parrott made so many adjustments and kept making it better and better and better.
There at the end we were a solid top seven car and I was really proud of that. That was a great run for us.
On the flip side Paul Menard finished 13th as RIR continues to be a tough place for him as he ran worse than that much of the day. Menard left RIR 10th in the Cup standings.
Montoya's near miss
Burton Steal A WinJeff Burton stayed out when everyone else pitted before the two lap dash to the finish and while Jamie McMurray who did the same thing lost 24 positions in the final two laps Burton just went from the lead to fifth.
That was Burton s first top five at a non restrictor plate race since a fourth at Phoenix in November 2011.
The caution came out and what the heck we might as well try something Burton said. (Crew chief) Luke (Lambert) made a good call there and obviously new tires were a lot better but worth a shot.
We were going to maybe finish sixth without the caution so to pick up a spot from it was worth a shot.
Winners Losers
TRD taking precautionsToyota Racing Development took three engines designated for Clint Bowyer out of circulation as the connecting rods were not 527 grams.
The NASCAR minimum is 525 grams and Matt Kenseth faces major penalties for having a connecting rod too light last week in his win at Kansas.
After checking all of its engines last week it coincidentally saw three engines for Bowyer outside its comfort zone said TRD Senior Vice President Dave Wilson.
One of the Bowyer engines was designated to be raced Saturday at Richmond the other two were set to go to Daytona next week.
More Kurt Busch creates drama
Pit StopsSprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series teams will go to Talladega this weekend with the same aerodynamic rules packages they had at Daytona earlier this year AJ Allmendinger has run his last race in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 car until after he runs the Indianapolis 500 for Roger Penske. Regan Smith is in the car next week at Talladega Michael Annett who cracked his sternum in a Nationwide Series wreck at Daytona will not return at Talladega as previously hoped. He might return the following week at Darlington but he likely will take another four weeks to heal and race at Charlotte in the end of May. Reed Sorenson continues to drive the Richard Petty Motorsports car.
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