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Short track racing is
arguably the best racing
in NASCAR’s top series.
Did you know that some
of the finest
side-to-side racing can
be found in Virginia?
When it comes to short
track racing, most think
of Martinsville. Well
think again. Let’s take
a look at Richmond
International Raceway.
In 1946, racing began at
this facility as a .500
mile dirt track.
NASCAR’s first race was
in 1953. Richmond has
changed from a .500 mile
dirt track to the .750
mile D-shaped oval
asphalt track. In 1991,
lights were added and
RIR currently is the
only track that hosts
all of its major events
“under the lights”.
 Friday
Nationwide Notes:
Kasey Kahne won the pole for this evening's Lipton Tea 250
at the Richmond
International Raceway.
The No.9 Gillett
Evernham Motorsports
driver circled the
0.750-mile short track
in 21.578 seconds
(125.127 mph). This was
Kahne's first of the
season and seventh of
his Nationwide career.
Carl Edwards starts
second with a lap time
of of 21.602 seconds.
 Hamlin
Wins:
Denny Hamlin used a late pit stop for tires and was able to
take advantage of that
and pass Kevin Harvick
with 13-laps to go for
the lead and go on to
win Friday nights
Nationwide Series Lipton
TEA 250 at Richmond
International Raceway.
Harvick and Edwards dominated the race all night until the
sixth caution flew with
22 laps to go. Hamlin
came in to the pits,
giving up his fourth
place position for fresh
tires. Harvick, Bliss
and Edwards stayed out.
Hamlin came back out
fourth with the clear
advantage.
 Friday
Cup Notes:
Virginia native Denny Hamlin turned a great second lap of
21.395 seconds (126.198
mph) and edged out Mark
Martin who turned a lap
of 21.423 (126.033
mph). “A pole at
Richmond equals a win
anywhere else we go.”
Hamlin said. This was
his first pole of the
season, his second at
RIR and the sixth of his
Cup career. Hamlin grew
up in nearby
Chesterfield, Va., about
15 minutes away.
"My car was pretty good in practice. But that doesn't
always translate out.
It's so easy to make a
little slip or a mistake
or whatever. I was
really proud of that. We
were the third car out,
so we felt like we got a
disadvantage on the
draw, but at the same
time, I was really
pumped because we really
had a good race car.”
Martin said.
Kyle Petty made the field with a lap of 21.846. “I didn't
know what to expect. We
hadn't been good in
practice. We've haven't
been as good as what we
thought we were and then
when Bobby (Labonte)
didn't run fast, I
didn't know what to
expect.” Said Petty.
Other notes:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last Cup win was here two years ago.
Earnhardt Jr. is now 71
races without a win.
Carl Edwards announced that he has re-signed with Roush
Fenway Racing. “I
signed my contract
yesterday, so I’m
staying with Roush. I
looked at everything and
I talked to everybody
and, for me, the number
one thing is looking
into the future and
saying, ‘Where can I win
the most races and have
the most success?’ I was
honored at the people
who I got to speak with
and I just feel like for
me personally this is
where I want to be for
the near future and we
got it done. It’s good.
I’m real happy about it.
It’s a huge relief. It
really wasn’t that
painful. Geoff Smith and
I get along really well
and we just pretty much
sat down and he’s really
easy for me to deal
with. It took us about a
week-and-a-half of going
back and forth with just
little things and I feel
like the luckiest guy in
the world for the
contract I got.”
You can reach Barry at
barryalbert@speedwaymedia.com
You can reach Tina at
tina@speedwaymedia.com
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