FORD PERFORMANCE: NASCAR RICHMOND NOTES
The 16-driver field in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will be decided this weekend as Richmond International Raceway hosts the 26th and final race of the regular season on Saturday night. Ford drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski have already clinched spots, but a win by anyone from Roush Fenway Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports or Front Row Motorsports would secure an additional berth.
THE FIRST TIME…Ford went to victory lane in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway was on May 5, 1957 when Paul Goldsmith started seventh and won the Richmond 250. That was his second win of the season and came on a day that Ford dominated from start to finish by leading all 200 laps. Pete DePaolo fielded three cars under his DePaolo Engineering sponsorship and watched as Fireball Roberts jumped to the lead and held it for the first 159 laps before Goldsmith came on and passed him with 41 laps remaining. Goldsmith went on to win the race by one lap with Roberts finishing second and Marvin Panch third to give Ford and DePaolo a sweep of the top three spots. Goldsmith ended up winning a career-high four races with Ford that season, which included victories in Greensboro (NC), Lancaster (SC), and Raleigh (NC).
THE LAST TIME…Ford won at Richmond in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was last season when Brad Keselowski followed up teammate Joey Logano’s win in the spring race with one of his own in the 2014 regular season finale. Keselowski clinched the top seed for the ensuing Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with a dominating performance that saw him lead all but 17 of the 400 laps, including the final 274 circuits. The win was his fourth of the season and extended Ford’s streak of Sprint Cup wins at RIR to three. It also marked the third time Ford has swept both NSCS races at the three-quarter-mile track, and the first since 1997.
IN BETWEEN…Ford has won 31 times at Richmond International Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, led by seven drivers with two wins apiece – David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Davey Allison, Ricky Rudd, Ernie Irvan, Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett. Kyle Petty captured the first win of his NSCS career on Feb. 23, 1986 at Richmond while driving for the Wood Brothers. Instead of the familiar No. 21, Petty was behind the wheel of the No. 7 Ford, which was sponsored by 7-Eleven.
FORD NASCAR SPRINT CUP WINNERS AT RICHMOND
> 1957 – Paul Goldsmith
> 1959 – Tom Pistone and Cotton Owens
> 1960 – Speedy Thompson (2)
> 1963 – Ned Jarrett (2)
> 1965 – Junior Johnson (1)
> 1968 – David Pearson (1)
> 1969 – David Pearson (1)
> 1970 – James Hylton (1)
> 1979 – Bobby Allison (2)
> 1980 – Bobby Allison (2)
> 1981 – Benny Parsons (2)
> 1984 – Ricky Rudd (1)
> 1986 – Kyle Petty (1)
> 1988 – Davey Allison (2)
> 1990 – Mark Martin (1)
> 1992 – Bill Elliott (1)
> 1993 – Davey Allison (1)
> 1994 – Ernie Irvan (1)
> 1995 – Rusty Wallace (2)
> 1996 – Ernie Irvan (2)
> 1997 – Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett
> 1998 – Jeff Burton (2)
> 1999 – Dale Jarrett (1)
> 2001 – Ricky Rudd (2)
> 2002 – Matt Kenseth (2)
> 2005 – Kurt Busch (2)
> 2013 – Carl Edwards (2)
> 2014 – Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski
