Sprint Cup Chase 2014: NASCAR Standings, Schedule After Federated Auto Parts 400
The NASCAR Federated Auto Parts 400 signaled the end of the regular season in the Sprint Cup Series, with the top 16 drivers moving on to the Sprint Cup Challenger Round, which kicks off with the MyAFibStory.com 400 on September 14.
Brad Keselowski won the Federated Auto Parts 400 on a clear, cool night at the Richmond Raceway. He earned pole position for this race in qualifying and followed that up with a dominant performance in the competition itself, leading for the majority of the race. Kevin Harvick was able to snag the lead for a few laps, but it was clear Keselowski was the strongest driver on the night.
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Jeff Gordon finished in second place, while Jimmie Johnson did well to take third at the Richmond Raceway.
Here are the updated Sprint Cup standings after Keselowski's win in the Federated Auto Parts 400.
| 1 | Brad Keselowski |
| 2 | Jeff Gordon |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 4 | Joey Logano |
| 5 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick |
| 7 | Carl Edwards |
| 8 | Kasey Kahne |
| 9 | Kyle Busch |
| 10 | Denny Hamlin |
| 11 | Kurt Busch |
| 12 | Aric Almirola |
| 13 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 14 | Matt Kenseth |
| 15 | Ryan Newman |
| 16 | Greg Biffle |
Here is the remaining schedule for the 2014 Sprint Cup Series:
| Date | Time (ET) | Race | Track | TV | |
| September 14 | 1 p.m. | MyAFibStory.com 400 | Chicagoland Speedway | ESPN | |
| September 21 | 2 p.m. | Sylvania 300 | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | ESPN | |
| September 28 | 2 p.m. | AAA 400 | Dover International Speedway | ESPN | |
| October 5 | 2 p.m. | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway | ESPN | |
| October 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Bank of America 500 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | ABC | |
| October 19 | 2 p.m. | Geico 500 | Talladega Speedway | ESPN | |
| October 26 | 1:30 p.m. | Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 | Martinsville Speedway | ESPN | |
| November 2 | 3 p.m. | AAA Texas 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | ESPN | |
| November 9 | 3 p.m. | Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 | Phoenix International Raceway | ESPN | |
| November 16 | 3 p.m. | Ford Ecoboost 400 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | ESPN |
Keselowski was in the thick of things right from the get-go thanks to his starting position. He led for 383 out of the 400 laps, an incredible percentage and a strong referendum on the stellar racing ability he's shown throughout the season. He was bullish on his chances prior to the contest.
"This is by far the best car I've had" in 11 visits to Richmond, he said, via the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "I feel like we have a really strong shot at winning this weekend, so I'm very, very excited. Everybody says they're excited, but when you are sitting on the pole, and fastest in practice, you have good reason to be excited."
NASCAR Stats did its best not to jinx him toward the end of the race:
While USA Today's Jeff Gluck took note of the perfunctory ending:
Clint Bowyer's run at qualifying for the Sprint Cup Chase ended on Saturday night, as he just missed the cutoff, per Gluck:
It is a disappointing finish for the veteran racer, but his absence from the competitions to come may get lost in the shuffle as fans look to see which top-tier driver comes out on top once the Chase is all said and done.
Sporting News' Bob Pockrass pointed out before the race it was going to be a tough one for Sprint Cup hopefuls, as Bowyer had the best possible starting position (sixth) of those on the bubble.
Keselowski will build on this performance and be happy to wrestle away the top seed from Gordon. He will face some serious competition however, as six-time champion Johnson will be lurking throughout the upcoming races. If Keselowski wins, it will be another tantalizing chapter in his rivalry with Johnson.
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