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 The driver of the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet lost a lap
early but took advantage of a free pass under a Lap 116 caution for
Ryan Truex's spin off Turn 4.
From that point, Patrick made steady progress toward the front of
the field. When the race restarted after caution on lap 302 of a
scheduled 325, she was ninth.
When the race went to overtime, she dodged a multicar wreck moments
after a restart on Lap 328 and eventually rolled home sixth. Not
only was that the best finish of Patrick's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
career, eclipsing her seventh-place run at Kansas earlier this year,
but it also matched the best finish by a female driver in NASCAR's
so-called modern era (since 1971).
Before Sunday night's Oral-B USA 500, Janet Guthrie alone held that
distinction on the strength of a sixth-place finish at Bristol in
1977. Now Patrick shares it.
Despite the stellar result at Atlanta, it would be a mistake to get
your hopes too high with respect to
Patrick's winning chances on Saturday night at Richmond. Patrick
will have to improve drastically at the .75-mile short track to have
a shot at a checkered flag.
Patrick's best finish in three starts at Richmond is 29th, four laps
down.
Then again, before Sunday night, her best effort at Atlanta had been
a 21st.
@nascarcasm
Lots of folks discussing how hot it was in Atlanta on race day.
SUDDENLY we don't hear much complaining about next year's early
March date now -- DO WE?
Kevin Harvick won the pole for the Atlanta race, making it his SIXTH
of the 2014 season. That's why they call him "The Closer"! Actually
nevermind -- that doesn't apply whatsoever.
(Follow @nascarcasm on Twitter. His unique views on NASCAR are his
own -- but chances are you have probably figured that out by now.)
NASCAR NUMBERS
By Reid Spencer
950: The number of laps led by Tony Stewart in 30 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series starts at Richmond International Raceway. That's far and away
the most among drivers who enter the Saturday night's Federated Auto
Parts 400 without a victory this season.
19: The number of winless drivers who have not already clinched a
spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup but still have a
mathematical chance to do so. Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle are the
two drivers likely to earn a spot on points. Realistically, the
other 17 must win at Richmond to have a shot.
195: The number of laps led on Sunday night at Atlanta by polesitter
Kevin Harvick, whose winning chances were wiped out in a multicar
wreck on the first attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag finish.
Harvick finished 19th after dominating much of the race.
36.158: In seconds, the average time on pit road for Denny Hamlin,
best among NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers in Sunday night's race
at Atlanta. Hamlin and teammate Matt Kenseth (second best at 36.505
seconds on average) consistently beat Kevin Harvick out of the pits,
forcing Harvick to start in the outside lane where grip was in short
supply. Ultimately, that proved to be Harvick's undoing.
18: The finish Ryan Newman needs to achieve at Richmond in order to
clinch a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. If he leads a
lap, Newman can lock himself in with a finish of 19th. If he leads
the most laps, he can run 20th. Newman's average finish at the
.75-mile short track is 11.3.
NASCAR NOTES
Two spots in the Chase remain up for grabs after Kasey Kahne (win)
and Matt Kenseth (points) clinched berths in NASCAR's postseason at
Atlanta. Barring a collapse, Ryan Newman will lock up the 15th
position in the Chase where he sits 43 points in front of the cutoff
line. Greg Biffle holds a cushy 23-point lead over Clint Bowyer for
the final spot, but could be bumped by a first time winner. With two
previous victories at Richmond, Bowyer is a prime candidate to play
the spoiler. ... All four of Hendrick Motorsports' drivers are in
the Chase following Kasey Kahne's first-place finish at Atlanta. On
the season, Hendrick racers boast 10 victories: a series-leading
three a piece from Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie
Johnson, and one by Kahne. Additionally, Gordon and Earnhardt sit
1-2 in the points standings while Johnson ranks sixth. Going into
the Chase, the four will attempt to add a 12th NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series championship to Hendrick's record collection. ... While
Richmond presents a clinch opportunity for a new winner, it also can
provide Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup bonus points for repeat
victors. Under the new Chase rules, drivers earn three bonus for
every win prior to the start of the postseason. At the moment the
drivers entering the Chase with bonus points include: Gordon,
Earnhardt Jr., Logano, Keselowski, Johnson (9); Edwards, Harvick
(6); Kahne, Kyle Busch, Hamlin, Amirola, Kurt Busch, Allmendinger
(3). The pressure is on for winless and one-win drivers to decrease
the gap, while the multi-race winners can enter the Chase with an
even greater advantage.
Tune-In: NASCAR On Television, September 1-7
Monday, September 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
5:30 p.m., NASCAR's The List: Legendary Drivers (re-air), NBC Sports
Network
Tuesday, September 2
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m., The 10 Earnhardt Moments (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Wednesday, September 3
4:30 p.m., NASCAR America Future Stars (re-air), NBC Sports Network
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Thursday, September 4
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Friday, September 5
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, ESPN2
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying,
ESPN2
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
5:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying,
ESPN2
7 p.m., NNS Countdown, ESPN2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Richmond, ESPN2
Saturday, September 6
10 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub Special (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Kern, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NSCS Countdown, ABC
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Richmond, ABC
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Richmond, ESPN Deportes
3:30 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
3:30 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Richmond
(re-air), ESPN2
[to top of second column]
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Sunday, September 7
9 a.m., NASCAR Victory Lane (re-air), FOX Sports 1
10:30 p.m., NASCAR's The List: Dale Earnhardt Sr. Moments (re-air), NBC
Sports Network
11 p.m., NASCAR's The List: Tracks (re-air), NBC Sports Network
National Series Schedule
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
The Next Race:
Federated Auto Parts 400
The Place:
Richmond International Raceway
The Date/Time:
Saturday, Sep. 6, 7:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: ABC
Radio: MRN Radio,
Sirius XM Channel 90
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
The Next Race:
Virginia 529 College Savings 250
The Place:
Richmond International Raceway
The Date/Time:
Friday, Sep. 5, 7:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: ESPN 2
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
The Next Race:
Lucas Oil 225
The Place:
Chicagoland Speedway
Date/Time:
Friday, Sep. 12, 8:30 p.m. (ET)
TV: FOX Sports 1
Radio: MRN, Sirius XM Channel 90
NASCAR National Series Standings
This year, wins matter more than in any season in the 65-year history of
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Essentially, a win locks a driver into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint
Cup.
Currently there are 13 different winners. The remainder of the 16-driver
Chase Grid will be filled by those drivers highest in NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series points. See below for how the current Chase Grid would look if
NASCAR's playoffs began today:
Chase Grid Outlook
Pos Driver Wins
1 Jeff Gordon 3
2 Dale Earnhardt Jr.3
3 Joey Logano 3
4 Brad Keselowski 3
5 Jimmie Johnson 3
6 Carl Edwards 2
7 Kevin Harvick 2
8 Kasey Kahne 1
9 Kyle Busch 1
10 Denny Hamlin 1
11 Kurt Busch 1
12 Aric Almirola 1
13 AJ Allmendinger 1
14 Matt Kenseth 0
15 Ryan Newman 0
16 Greg Biffle 0
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Chase Elliott # 874
2 Regan Smith 859
3 Ty Dillon # 839
4 Elliott Sadler 826
5 Brian Scott 820
6 Trevor Bayne 803
7 Chris Buescher # 713
8 Brendan Gaughan 694
9 Ryan Reed # 658
10 James Buescher 646
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Johnny Sauter 524
2 Matt Crafton 517
3 Ryan Blaney 511
4 Darrell Wallace Jr.486
5 German Quiroga 476
6 Ron Hornaday Jr. 460
7 Joey Coulter 456
8 Timothy Peters 448
9 Ben Kennedy # 441
10 Jeb Burton 420
-----------------------------------------------
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reserved.]
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