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The official name of this week's Nextel Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway is the Crown Royal presents the Jim Stewart 400, in honor of the winner of an essay contest.
But it could very well be named in recognition of Richard Petty, who wrote much of the track's history. Petty is the all-time leader in starts (63), victories (13), top-fives (34), top-10s (41), laps completed (21,135) and laps led (5,136). He also had eight poles at RIR, a top mark he shares with Bobby Allison.
As for active drivers, Ricky Rudd is out front in several statistics including starts (54), top-fives (20), top-10s (28) and laps completed (19,693).
Richmond is also the place where three drivers earned their first career victory: Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999) and Kyle Petty (1986). Petty, that day, made history by becoming the first third-generation winner of a Cup Series race. What may be forgotten is how Petty won that race, which leads us to our:
Interesting Fact
299Laps led by Dale Earnhardt in the 1986 Miller High Life 400. With four laps remaining, Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip bumped on Turn 4, triggering a multi-car crash that collected the top-four frontrunners. Petty, riding fifth, avoided the accident and won the race.
Fun Fact
18 Going rate, in U.S. dollars, for a .750 liter bottle of Crown Royal, which sponsors the spring race at the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway.
All the Facts
0Number of green-white-checkered finishes in the 101-race history of Richmond International Raceway.
2.0 Average place of finish for Kevin Harvick in his two Richmond starts last year. Harvick finished third last May and won his first race there in September.
3.8 Average finish at Richmond for Kyle Busch, best of any driver with more multiple starts there. Busch has never finished worse than fifth in four starts at RIR.
4 Consecutive finishes of 30th or worse at Richmond for Jeff Gordon, the longest such streak of his career at any one track.
4 Place of finish for Dave Blaney in the September 2006 race at Richmond, his only top-five in 13 career starts at the track.
5 Consecutive top-10 finishes at Richmond by Greg Biffle, the longest current streak.
7.2Average starting position at Richmond for Ryan Newman, best of any current driver with more than two starts there. His average finish in 10 career starts at RIR is 11.6.
8 Number of years both races at Richmond have been held at night.
8 Consecutive races won at Richmond from a top-10 starting spot. Six of those started in the top five.
11DNFs at Richmond for Michael Waltrip, more than any active driver.
15Cup Series starts made by Johnny Benson at Richmond. Benson is attempting to put Wyler Racing's Toyota in the field this week. Benson last competed in a Cup car at RIR in 2003, finishing 15th and ninth in two starts.
19Laps led by Denny Hamlin in each of his first two races at Richmond. The Virginia native finished second and 15th last year at his "home track."
20Top-five finishes at Richmond for Ricky Rudd, his most at any track.
20Races won at Richmond from the pole.
21.2Average finish at Richmond for Jimmie Johnson, his worst at any current track. Johnson has one top-10 in 10 RIR starts.
25Most races at Richmond without a DNF, by Jeff Burton.
36Races since Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last victory, last May at Richmond.
219Green Flag Passes in the past four races at Richmond by Dale Earnhardt Jr., more than any driver.
But it could very well be named in recognition of Richard Petty, who wrote much of the track's history. Petty is the all-time leader in starts (63), victories (13), top-fives (34), top-10s (41), laps completed (21,135) and laps led (5,136). He also had eight poles at RIR, a top mark he shares with Bobby Allison.
As for active drivers, Ricky Rudd is out front in several statistics including starts (54), top-fives (20), top-10s (28) and laps completed (19,693).
Richmond is also the place where three drivers earned their first career victory: Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999) and Kyle Petty (1986). Petty, that day, made history by becoming the first third-generation winner of a Cup Series race. What may be forgotten is how Petty won that race, which leads us to our:
Interesting Fact
299Laps led by Dale Earnhardt in the 1986 Miller High Life 400. With four laps remaining, Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip bumped on Turn 4, triggering a multi-car crash that collected the top-four frontrunners. Petty, riding fifth, avoided the accident and won the race.
Fun Fact
18 Going rate, in U.S. dollars, for a .750 liter bottle of Crown Royal, which sponsors the spring race at the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway.
All the Facts
0Number of green-white-checkered finishes in the 101-race history of Richmond International Raceway.
2.0 Average place of finish for Kevin Harvick in his two Richmond starts last year. Harvick finished third last May and won his first race there in September.
3.8 Average finish at Richmond for Kyle Busch, best of any driver with more multiple starts there. Busch has never finished worse than fifth in four starts at RIR.
4 Consecutive finishes of 30th or worse at Richmond for Jeff Gordon, the longest such streak of his career at any one track.
4 Place of finish for Dave Blaney in the September 2006 race at Richmond, his only top-five in 13 career starts at the track.
5 Consecutive top-10 finishes at Richmond by Greg Biffle, the longest current streak.
7.2Average starting position at Richmond for Ryan Newman, best of any current driver with more than two starts there. His average finish in 10 career starts at RIR is 11.6.
8 Number of years both races at Richmond have been held at night.
8 Consecutive races won at Richmond from a top-10 starting spot. Six of those started in the top five.
11DNFs at Richmond for Michael Waltrip, more than any active driver.
15Cup Series starts made by Johnny Benson at Richmond. Benson is attempting to put Wyler Racing's Toyota in the field this week. Benson last competed in a Cup car at RIR in 2003, finishing 15th and ninth in two starts.
19Laps led by Denny Hamlin in each of his first two races at Richmond. The Virginia native finished second and 15th last year at his "home track."
20Top-five finishes at Richmond for Ricky Rudd, his most at any track.
20Races won at Richmond from the pole.
21.2Average finish at Richmond for Jimmie Johnson, his worst at any current track. Johnson has one top-10 in 10 RIR starts.
25Most races at Richmond without a DNF, by Jeff Burton.
36Races since Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last victory, last May at Richmond.
219Green Flag Passes in the past four races at Richmond by Dale Earnhardt Jr., more than any driver.
