Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, going into the Toyota Owners 400 this Sunday, April 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Richmond Raceway
TRACK DATA
Season Race #: 7 of 36 (04-03-22)
Track Size: 0.75-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 14 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 14 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,290 feet
Backstretch Length: 860 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 300 miles
Stage 1 Length: 70 laps
Stage 2 Length: 160 laps
Final Stage Length: 170 laps
At Richmond Raceway:
HISTORY
Originally known as the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds, Richmond Raceway held its first race in 1946 as a half-mile dirt track.The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway was held on April 19, 1953 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty in a Petty Enterprises Dodge with an average speed of 45.535 mph.In 1955, Paul Sawyer and former driver Joe Weatherly bought the property. Track was then known as the Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds.The spring 1964 race was run on a Tuesday night under temporary lighting.The track name changed to Virginia State Fairgrounds in 1967.The track surface was changed from dirt to asphalt between races in 1968.The track name changed to Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in 1969.The track was re-measured to .542-mile in 1970.The track was rebuilt as a three-quarters-mile D-shaped oval following the February 21, 1988 race.The first race under permanent lights was September 7, 1991.In 1999, International Speedway Corporation purchased the raceway and surrounding property. It was the first season with both races as night races and the track was renamed to Richmond International Raceway.In 2017, the track underwent renovations to upgrade the amenities for fans and in the process changed the name of the track to Richmond Raceway.In total, there have been 130 NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway, one event from 1953 – 1958 and two races per year since 1959 to 2019. Due to the pandemic in 2020, the series only raced at Richmond once that season.
STARTS
A total of 522 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway; 347 drivers have competed in more than one Cup race at Richmond.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Richmond Raceway with 63; followed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin with 56, Ricky Rudd and Terry Labonte have 55 each.Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Richmond with 41 each.A total of 50 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have made their series debut at Richmond Raceway; the most recent was Daniel Hemric (April 21, 2018).Of the drivers who have made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Richmond Raceway, Harold Carmac posted the best finish — sixth on April 1, 1962.Dick Rathmann (two series starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond Raceway with a 2.000.Kyle Larson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Richmond Raceway with an 8.214 in 14 starts; followed by Denny Hamlin with a 9.433 in 30 starts.
Top 15 in Average Starting Position at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg FinishRacesRankActive DriversAvg FinishRaces1Dick Rathmann2.00021Kyle Larson8.214142Herb Thomas3.00022Denny Hamlin9.433303Billy Wade3.66733Joey Logano9.960264Bobby Isaac3.700104Brad Keselowski10.292245Ned Jarrett4.077135Kyle Busch11.906326Glen Wood4.33336Kevin Harvick12.463417Speedy Thompson4.60057Martin Truex Jr12.581318Marvin Panch5.00038William Byron12.71479Cotton Owens5.11199Ryan Blaney13.5451110Bill Morgan6.000210Christopher Bell14.667311Jimmie Lewallen6.000211Chase Elliott14.9171212Tom Pistone6.000512Kurt Busch15.0984113Joe Weatherly6.222913Tyler Reddick15.333314Dick Hutcherson6.250414Ricky Stenhouse Jr16.1181715Donnie Allison6.250415Cole Custer16.2504
POLES
A total of 55 different drivers have won at least one pole at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series; 31 have won multiple poles.Six of the 55 NASCAR Cup Series Richmond Raceway pole winners are active this weekend.RankActive Pole WinnersPolesSeason1Kevin Harvick32019, 2018, 20052Denny Hamlin32016, 2008, 20063Brad Keselowski22019, 20144Joey Logano22015 sweep5Kyle Busch120106Martin Truex Jr12018NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty (1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 sweep, 1974, 1975) and Bobby Allison (1972 sweep, 1973 sweep, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1982) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Richmond with eight each.Denny Hamlin (2006, 2008, 2016) and Kevin Harvick (2005, 2018, 2019) leads all active pole winners at Richmond Raceway with three poles each.Buck Baker won the inaugural pole at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph in an Oldsmobile owned by Bob Griffin.11 different drivers have won consecutive poles at Richmond — Buck Baker (1953, 1956), Ned Jarrett (1960 sweep, 1964 sweep), Rex White (1962, 1963), Richard Petty (1969, 1970 sweep, Bobby Allison (1972-1974), Darrell Waltrip (1983, 1984 sweep, 1985), Alan Kulwicki (1987 sweep), Ted Musgrave (1994 sweep), Joey Logano (2015 sweep), Matt Kenseth (2017 sweep) and Kevin Harvick (2018, 2019) — Logano and Harvick are the only active drivers to accomplish the feat.Bobby Allison holds the record for most consecutive poles at Richmond with five straight from 1972-1974; Darrell Waltrip has the second-most consecutive poles at Richmond with four-straight from 1983-1985.Youngest Richmond Cup pole winner: Brian Vickers (May 15, 2004 — 20 years, 6 months, 21 days).Oldest Richmond Cup pole winner: Mark Martin (April 28, 2012 — 53 years, 3 months, 19 days).Nine different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career pole at Richmond Raceway — none are currently active — most recent Brian Vickers (May 15, 2004).First-Time Pole WinnersDateRuss HeplerSunday, May 5, 1957Ned JarrettSunday, June 5, 1960Dave MarcisSunday, March 7, 1971Bill DennisSunday, November 14, 1971Morgan ShepherdSunday, February 22, 1981Alan KulwickiSunday, March 8, 1987Bobby LabonteSaturday, September 11, 1993Ted MusgraveSunday, March 6, 1994Brian VickersSaturday, May 15, 2004A total of 49 different owners have won a pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway.Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Richmond Raceway with 17 poles among nine drivers: Geoff Bodine (1985, 1989), Ricky Rudd (1990), Ken Schrader (1993), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2013), Terry Labonte (1996, 2003), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2007), Brian Vickers (2004), Mark Martin (2009), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2012).A total of nine different manufacturers have posted at least one pole at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (46); followed by Ford (34), Dodge (11), Toyota (10), Pontiac (six), Plymouth (five), Mercury (three), Buick (two) and Oldsmobile (two).
WINS
A total of 53 different drivers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway; nine are active this weekend.The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway was held on April 19, 1953 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Lee Petty in a Petty Enterprises Dodge with an average speed of 45.535 mph.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Richmond Raceway with 13 victories (spring 1961, 1967 sweep, fall 1968, fall 1970, 1971 sweep, 1972 sweep, 1973 sweep, fall 1974 and spring 1975) — the third-most wins by a single driver at a single track in series history behind his 15 wins at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro.Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins at Richmond with six victories (spring 2009, spring 2010, spring 2011, spring 2012, 2018 sweep).
Active NASCAR Cup Series Richmond Raceway Winners
RankActive Race WinnersWinsSeason1Kyle Busch62018 sweep, 2012, 2011, 2010, 20092Denny Hamlin32016, 2010, 20093Kevin Harvick32013, 2011, 20064Martin Truex Jr32021, 2019 sweep5Brad Keselowski22020, 20146Joey Logano22017, 20147Kurt Busch22015, 20058Alex Bowman120219Kyle Larson12017A total of 11 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have posted consecutive wins at Richmond Raceway:
Joe Weatherly (1962-1963)
David Pearson (1965, 1966 sweep)
Richard Petty (1970, 1971 sweep, 1972 sweep, 1973 sweep)
Cale Yarborough (1976-1977)
Bobby Allison (1982, 1983 sweep)
Dale Earnhardt (1987 sweep, 1990-1991)
Rusty Wallace (1989 sweep)
Terry Labonte (1994-1995)
Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep)
Kyle Busch (2018 sweep)
Martin Truex Jr. (2019 sweep)
Richard Petty leads the series in consecutive Cup wins at Richmond with seven consecutive victories from the fall race of 1970 to the fall race of 1973.Youngest Richmond Cup winner: Richard Petty (April 23, 1961 — 23 years, 9 months, 21 days).Oldest Richmond Cup winner: Harry Gant (September 7, 1991 — 51 years, 7 months, 28 days).A total of 27 different starting positions have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway.The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in the NASCAR Cup Series field, producing more winners than any other starting position at Richmond Raceway with 24 victories.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Position at Richmond Raceway
Starting Pos.WinsWinning %Starting Pos.WinsWinning %Starting Pos.WinsWinning %12418.46%1032.31%2110.77%21410.77%1121.54%2221.54%31813.85%1221.54%2310.77%4118.46%1321.54%2421.54%575.38%1432.31%2521.54%675.38%1632.31%2610.77%7118.46%1721.54%2810.77%832.31%1910.77%3110.77%932.31%2021.54%3210.77%StatsWinning %WinsWinning from the First Starting Position:18.46%24Winning from the Front Row:29.23%38Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:56.92%74Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:77.69%101Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:9.23%12Only three active drivers have been able to win from the pole or first starting position: Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Denny Hamlin (2016).The deepest in the field that a NASCAR Cup Series race winner has started at Richmond Raceway is 32nd, by Kyle Busch in the spring race of 2018.Five drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Richmond Raceway — Kasey Kahne (2005), Tony Stewart (1999), Kyle Petty (1986), Neil Bonnett (1977) and James Hylton (1970)Greg Biffle leads the NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers with the most series starts at Richmond Raceway without visiting Victory Lane at 29.In total 37 different organizations have won at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series.Joe Gibbs Racing leads the NASCAR Cup Series in victories at Richmond Raceway with 17 wins among six drivers — Tony Stewart (1999, 2001, 2002), Denny Hamlin (2009, 2010, 2016), Kyle Busch (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018 sweep), Matt Kenseth (2015), Carl Edwards (2016), Martin Truex Jr. (2019 sweep, 2021).Petty Enterprises has the second-most NASCAR Cup Series wins at Richmond Raceway with 15 victories.
Top Five in Cup Organization Wins at Richmond Raceway
OrganizationsWinsJoe Gibbs Racing17Petty Enterprises15Hendrick Motorsports11Richard Childress Racing9Team Penske9A total of nine different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway.Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Richmond with 39 victories; followed by Ford (33), Dodge (17), Toyota (15), Pontiac (11) Plymouth (10), Buick (two), Oldsmobile (two) and Chrysler (one).Chevrolet holds the record for the longest streak of consecutive wins in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway with six consecutive victories from 2006-2008.
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
A total of 58 different drivers have finished runner-up in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Richard Petty are tied for the series-most runner-up finishes at Richmond with nine each; followed by Jeff Gordon with eight.Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in series runner-up finishes at Richmond with seven second-place finishes.
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankDriversRunner-UpsRankDriversRunner-Ups1Bobby Allison91Kyle Busch7 Richard Petty92Denny Hamlin43Jeff Gordon83Kevin Harvick34Dale Earnhardt7 4Joey Logano2Kyle Busch7Kurt Busch2
Top-Five Finishes:
A total of 138 different drivers have finished in the top-five in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in top-five finishes at Richmond with 34.Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Richmond with 18.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankDriversTop FivesRankDriversTop Fives1Richard Petty341Kyle Busch182Dale Earnhardt252Kevin Harvick153Bobby Allison23Denny Hamlin154Darrell Waltrip224Joey Logano12Rusty Wallace225Martin Truex Jr.8
Top-10 Finishes:
A total of 240 different drivers have finished in the top-10 in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Richmond with 41.Kevin Harvick leads all active series drivers in top 10s at Richmond with 27 top-10 finishes.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankDriversTop 10sRankDriversTop 10s1Richard Petty411Kevin Harvick272Dale Earnhardt332Kyle Busch253Darrell Waltrip333Denny Hamlin194Mark Martin314Joey Logano155Jeff Gordon30Kurt Busch15 Rusty Wallace30
Average Finishes:
Lee Petty (seven series starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond Raceway with a 4.857.Kyle Busch (32 series starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Richmond Raceway with a 6.875.
Top 15 in Average Finishing Position at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg FinishRacesRankActive DriversAvg FinishRaces1Lee Petty4.85771Kyle Busch6.875322Tommy Irwin5.33332Christopher Bell7.33333Paul Goldsmith5.50043Denny Hamlin8.767304Rex White6.300104Kevin Harvick10.049415Glen Wood6.33335Joey Logano10.240256Speedy Thompson6.40056Chase Elliott11.333127Ned Jarrett6.769137Kyle Larson11.714148Kyle Busch6.875328Daniel Suarez12.16769Billy Wade7.00039Brad Keselowski12.2922410Christopher Bell7.333310Aric Almirola14.9471911Bobby Allison7.6053811Tyler Reddick15.333312David Pearson7.6151312Kurt Busch15.7804113Brownie King8.000213Martin Truex Jr16.3873114Maurice Petty8.000214William Byron16.571715Dale Earnhardt8.2504415Austin Dillon16.60015
LAP LEADERS
A total of 139 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Richmond Raceway.Richard Petty leads the NACAR Cup Series in laps led at Richmond Raceway with 5,136 laps led in 63 starts.Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in laps led at Richmond Raceway with 2,108 laps led in 30 starts.The most laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Richmond Raceway was 488 laps led of the scheduled 500 (97.6%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty on September 13, 1970; he started from the pole.The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series driver that did not win the race at Richmond Raceway was 381 laps led of the scheduled 407 (93.6%) by Denny Hamlin on May 3, 2008; he started from the pole but finished 24th.The fewest laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Richmond Raceway was three laps of the scheduled 406 by Kevin Harvick on April 27, 2013; he started the race 17th.
Top 15 Lap Leaders in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversRacesLedCompleted1Richard Petty635,13621,1352Rusty Wallace443,02416,7303Bobby Allison382,96114,3134Darrell Waltrip532,17218,7415Denny Hamlin302,10812,0116Dale Earnhardt441,97616,8087Jeff Gordon471,63717,6698Kyle Busch321,52812,8289David Pearson131,2213,53510Cale Yarborough221,2086,86111Martin Truex Jr311,20512,08812Kevin Harvick411,18016,30113Brad Keselowski241,1779,57314Matt Kenseth381,01314,68115Tony Stewart3595013,744RankActive DriversRacesLedCompleted1Denny Hamlin302,10812,0112Kyle Busch321,52812,8283Martin Truex Jr311,20512,0884Kevin Harvick411,18016,3015Brad Keselowski241,1779,5736Kurt Busch4192315,8337Joey Logano264289,9078Chase Elliott12944,8129Kyle Larson14815,33610Greg Biffle297711,37811Austin Dillon15565,99812Alex Bowman11114,37113Christopher Bell3101,19914Ross Chastain642,25115Ricky Stenhouse Jr1726,795
FEMALE COMPETITORS
Two female drivers, Danica Patrick and Janet Guthrie have competed at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Below are their stats at Richmond:DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateDriver RatingDanica Patrick1923Saturday, September 9, 201763.5Danica Patrick2118Sunday, April 30, 201756.9Danica Patrick2915Saturday, September 10, 201666.4Danica Patrick2124Sunday, April 24, 201656.8Danica Patrick1419Saturday, September 12, 201561.1Danica Patrick2125Sunday, April 26, 201556.5Danica Patrick1316Saturday, September 6, 201475.5Danica Patrick3534Saturday, April 26, 201436.5Danica Patrick3630Saturday, September 7, 201339.1Danica Patrick3029Saturday, April 27, 201342.6Averages23.923.3 55.5 DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateJanet Guthrie1412Sunday, September 11, 1977Janet Guthrie1312Sunday, February 27, 1977Averages13.512
TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS
Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, Richmond Raceway has produced 34 NASCAR Cup Series races with a Margin of Victory of less than a second.The closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway was the race on September 12, 1998 – won by Jeff Burton with a Margin of Victory of 0.051 second over second-place finisher Jeff Gordon.
Top 10 Closest Margin of Victories at Richmond in the NASCAR Cup Series
RankMargin of VictoryDateWinnerRunner-Up10.051Saturday, September 12, 1998Jeff BurtonJeff Gordon20.100Saturday, September 7, 1996Ernie IrvanJeff Gordon30.139Saturday, September 10, 2011Kevin HarvickCarl Edwards40.153Saturday, September 9, 2006Kevin HarvickKyle Busch50.159Saturday, May 6, 2000Dale Earnhardt JrTerry Labonte60.159Saturday, September 6, 2003Ryan NewmanJeremy Mayfield70.178Saturday, April 13, 2019Martin Truex JrJoey Logano80.343Saturday, April 27, 2013Kevin HarvickClint Bowyer90.365Sunday, September 7, 2008Jimmie JohnsonTony Stewart100.372Saturday, May 5, 2001Tony StewartJeff GordonFive NASCAR Cup Series races have resulted in NASCAR Overtime at Richmond Raceway:DateScheduled Actual Overtime LapsRace WinnerSaturday, April 21, 20184004022Kyle BuschSaturday, September 9, 20174004044Kyle LarsonSaturday, September 10, 20164004077Denny HamlinSaturday, April 27, 20134004066Kevin HarvickSaturday, May 3, 200840041010Clint BowyerFour of the 130 NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions:DateScheduled LapsActual LapsFewer LapsRace WinnerSaturday, May 3, 2003400393-7Joe NemechekSunday, February 21, 1982400250-150Dave MarcisSunday, February 27, 1977400245-155Cale YarboroughSunday, April 1, 1962250180-70Rex WhiteQualifying has been cancelled in the NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway 11 times:SeasonReason For Cancellation1955Weather1962 (spring)Weather1967 (fall)Weather1986 (spring)Weather1997 (spring)Weather2008 (fall)Weather2014 (spring)Weather2016 (spring)Weather2020 (fall)Pandemic2021 (spring)Pandemic2021 (fall)Pandemic
NASCAR IN VIRGINIA
There have been 538 NASCAR national series races among 10 tracks in the state of Virginia.Martinsville Speedway hosted the very first NASCAR national series race in the state of Virginia on Sept. 25, 1949 — the NASCAR Cup Series event was won by Red Byron (Oldsmobile).
NASCAR tracks in Virginia
Track NameCityCupXfinityTruckTotalFirst YearMartinsville SpeedwayMartinsville14637442271949Richmond RacewayRichmond13075132181953South Boston SpeedwaySouth Boston10353481960Langley Field SpeedwayHampton9140231964Old Dominion SpeedwayManassas70071958New River Valley SpeedwayDublin04041989Southside SpeedwayRichmond40041961Starkey SpeedwayRoanoke40041958Norfolk SpeedwayNorfolk20021956Princess Anne SpeedwayNorfolk10011953Totals31316560538
VIRGINIA IN NASCAR
A total of 185 different drivers with their home state recorded as Virginia have made at least one start in a NASCAR national series race.20 drivers from Virginia have won at least one race in NASCAR‘s three national series. 11 of the 20 Virginia native NASCAR winners have won in the NASCAR Cup Series.In total the drivers from Virginia have won 266 NASCAR national series races combined.
NASCAR National Series Winners From Virginia
RankDriverCupXfinityTruckCombined1Denny Hamlin46172652Joe Weatherly2500253Ricky Rudd2310244Jeff Burton21270485Curtis Turner1700176Ward Burton54097Glen Wood40048Elliott Sadler3131179Emanuel Zervakis200210Lennie Pond100111Wendell Scott100112Tommy Ellis02202213Jimmy Hensley0921114Rick Mast090915Hermie Sadler020216Elton Sawyer020217Brandon Brown010118Jeb Burton011219Stacy Compton002220Jon Wood0022Totals14810810266
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