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Since the track was reconfigured after the 1988 season, Richmond International Raceway has been a short track that features speedway style racing. There’s just something about Richmond that allows drivers to race side-by-side lap-after-lap for position. It gets intense and pretty wild.

Richmond is a must see for any Nascar fan!

Last year at this time the cars had the Virginia Tech logo and the race was rained out. Oh yeah, and Hendrick showed it’s dominating power once again.

Johnson ran near the front for most of the event, taking the lead for good with 20 laps to go. He finished ahead of teammate Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST car and local favorite Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 FedEx car, who finished second and third, respectively. Finishing behind Hamlin was the polesitter and another teammate of Johnson’s, Jeff Gordon of the No. 24 DuPont car, who kept his points lead in the driver standings with his fourth-place finish. Johnson’s win moved him up to second place in the standings up from fourth.

What it meant to Jimmie Johnson to win @ Richmond in 2007;

“This means the world to me to win here. We haven’t been that strong here. It reminds me a lot of Indy last year where we came back and we were able to beat a track that’s tough on us. I think this car has been an opportunity for myself and for the team to kind of learn the right setup; feeling the right the rhythm at this track. We did well at being here. I was hoping one-two-three for Hendrick Motorsports, it was awesome racing with my teammate Kyle Busch.”

What it meant to Johnson to wear the Virginia Tech Hat?

“I feel honored to win this race here in Virginia. Obviously what took place, no one could ever describe. It’s just so sad, I don’t even know where to start. I didn’t go to school there, have a lot of close friends that did, great people that work at Hendrick Motorsports that have and certainly want to dedicate this win to them.”

Kyle Busch on his 2nd place finish:

“That was a good run for our Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Impala SS. You know we struggle in qualifying with these things but we seem to get it when the race turns around so we also want to thank all my sponsors and all the people that are behind us.”

Kyle’s response to the last restart:

“Well both. I think mine fell off a little bit and his got better, because we kind of gapped out. Normally we could run together but the restart before I was a little bit better than he was and I got a good start and I got down in one and two and got a good jump on everybody but that last caution came out again. I think he would have caught us anyway. He was a little bit better overall than we were but it’s still a good day for Hendrick Motorsports - one, two, four, I believe.”

Denny Hamlin’s take on his 3rd place finish:

“No it definitely wasn’t out there at the end but our FedEx Express Chevrolet was really good and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the “Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet” campaign for everyone at FedEx this year with the special paint scheme on our helmet. It’s a great way to start off that campaign and the perfect way to keep our season going in the right direction and I’m very happy with our run.”

Jeff Gordon’s response on his 4th place finish:

“We’ve got to be proud of that. This has been one of our worst tracks. To come out here in the top five just tells you what kind of improvements we’ve made with the DuPont Chevrolet team. We had great track position and we were able to maintain that. That probably helped us out for the most part. At one time I thought we had the car to beat and then we made some adjustments trying to keep up with the changing conditions of the track and just lost it. I’ve got to congratulate Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Those guys drove one heck of a race. We’re so proud to have those guys at Hendrick Motorsports. I was trying so hard to get that one-two-three Hendrick finish but just couldn’t pull it off. Denny Hamlin drove a great race as well. Congratulations to Jimmie and all those guys. We’ll just take our top-five and move on from here.”

Dale Jr’s opinion of his race:

“We were running eight degrees of camber in the right front. That’s ridiculous. It looks ridiculous and it’s even more so to be doing it. But that’s the only way you really get the things to work. That’s my opinion and my position and hopefully they work on it.”

By The Numbers (The Countdown)

1946-First race held as dirt track
1953-First Nascar event held
1968-Dirt track changed to asphalt
400- Total laps
300- Total miles
123- Most caution laps during a race
103- Races have been run since 1953
83- Races have been won from the top 10
63- Most races ran by a driver (Richard Petty )
59- Races have been won from the top 5
41- Most top 10’s by a driver (Richard Petty)
39- Most cars running at the finish
34- Most top 5’s by a driver (Richard Petty)
32- Most wins by a manufacturer (Chevy)
28- Worst starting position by a winner (Richard Petty 1971)
25- The most lead changes during a race
21- Races won from 1st
16- Most leaders during a race
15- The most cautions during a race
15- Races won by Petty Enterprises
14-Races won from 3rd
13- Most wins by a single driver (Richard Petty)
12- Races won from 2nd
11.3- Stewart’s average finish @ Richmond
11.1- Newman’s average finish @ Richmond
10.8- Bowyer’s average finish @ Richmond
7th- Where Kevin Harvick has placed both times in 2007
6.5- Hamlin’s average finish @ Richmond
6.2- The top average @ Richmond by Kyle Busch
4th- Where Jeff Gordon placed both times in 2007
4- Fewest laps led by a winner (Kyle Petty)
3- Most active wins at Richmond (Dale Jr and Tony Stewart)
2- Wins @ Richmond by Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson
2- Fewest leaders
1st- Where Jimmie Johnson placed both times in 2007
1 – The fewest cars to finish on the lead lap
0 - Fewest cautions
0- Fewest leaders

For some fast paced, side-by-side short track-speedway-style racing, make sure that you tune in to watch this race under the lights from Richmond!