Apr 29 2009
Richmond track facts
The Nascar Sprint Cup drivers will be in Richmond this weekend for the running of The Crown Royal 400. Actually the official name of the race is Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400. It was all part of a contest to have the race named after you and I suppose Russ Friedman won.
After a week of high speeds and wild wrecks at Talladega, the Nascar Sprint Cup drivers will be glad to get on a short track and do a little beatin and bangin I bet. Its another one of those Saturday night races which I totally hate but I’ll lose sleep and watch anyway.
Here’s some interesting facts about the Richmond track:
1.The first Nascar race ran at Richmond Speedway was in April of 1953 and won by Lee Petty.
2.The total purse for the 1953 race was $3,625.
3.Lee Petty’s car was a 1953 Dodge.
4.The length of the race was 100 miles.
5.Lee Petty’s pole speed was 48.465 mph.
6.There have been 105 Nascar races ran at Richmond, first 5 years one single race but since 1959 2 races per season.
7.Clint Bowyer won the spring race last year driving the 07 car. This year he’s in the 33 car.
8.Purse for last years race was $4,340,768.
9.Denny Hamlin won the pole for this race last year with a speed of 126.198 mph.
10.There was 14 cautions for 71 laps last year.
11.The record for caution flags is 15 back in the spring of 2003.
12.All time leader in wins is Richard Petty with 13 followed by Rusty Wallace with 6 and David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Dale Earnhardt with 5 each.
13.Current active drivers with the most wins is Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart with 3 wins each.
14.Mark Martin won a race here back in 1990, 19 years ago.
15.Kasey Kahne won a race here in 2005, so I’m hoping for a repeat this Saturday night.
