This Week in Motorsports: September 16-22, 2019
· MENCS/NXS: Richmond Raceway (Richmond, Virginia) – September 21-22
· NKNPSE: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Loudon, New Hampshire) – September 21
PLANO, Texas (September 18, 2019) – The NASCAR Cup Series continues its Playoff run, while the NASCAR Xfinity Series starts its post season, at Richmond Raceway. In the northeast, the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East has its second-to-last race of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
NASCAR National Series – MENCS | NXS
Great Playoffs Start… Martin Truex Jr. started the Playoffs the best way any driver could – with a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday to clinch his spot in the second round of the Playoffs. Truex Jr. also won the Playoff opener in 2017 before driving to his first Cup Series Championship.
High Richmond Success Rate… Toyota has won the last three races at Richmond Raceway and six of the last eight races overall. In the Toyota Owners 400 in the spring, Martin Truex Jr. led 186 (of 400) laps to earn his first win with Joe Gibbs Racing. Last season, Kyle Busch swept the two races at Richmond Raceway including leading the last 37 laps to score the victory in the fall.
Second Playoff Race Strength for Busch… Kyle Busch has won the second race in the Playoffs the last two seasons. Last season, Busch drove to victory at Richmond Raceway, and in 2017, he dominated at New Hampshire Motor Speedway – leading 186 (of laps) and winning by nearly three seconds.
Home Track for Hamlin… Richmond Raceway is Denny Hamlin’s home track and he’s driven to three victories there, including scoring Toyota’s first win in the fall event in Richmond in 2012.
Xfinity Series Playoffs Begin… For the Xfinity Series, the Playoffs begin at Richmond Raceway on Friday evening. On the strength of six regular season wins, Christopher Bell is the top seed after scoring 55 Playoff points. Brandon Jones comes into the Playoffs as the ninth seed, but has momentum after earning his best finish of the season, a third, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Saturday.
Virginia Connection… In the No. 18 Toyota Supra this weekend is Harrison Burton, who is making his fourth series start. Burton grew up in North Carolina, but his father – 21-time Cup Series winner and current NBC Sports analyst, Jeff Burton – is from nearby South Boston, Virginia.
Regional Stock Car Racing – NKNPSE
Going for Repeat of Spring Success… Chase Cabre drove to his second consecutive race win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the first race earlier this year. Cabre started from the pole and led 60 laps to score the win.
Championship Fight… With two races to go in the season, Toyota drivers occupy second and fourth through seventh in the point standings as they chase down leader, Sam Mayer. Chase Cabre is 30 points behind in second, while Tanner Gray, Max McLaughlin, Derek Kraus and Ruben Garcia, Jr. all look to chase down the top two in the standings.
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