NASCAR at Richmond 2015: Race Schedule, Live Stream Info and Drivers to Watch
This Saturday is the 26th and final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway in the Federated Auto Parts 400 before the Chase goes down.
So far, 11 drivers have punched tickets to the Chase, with high-profile names such as Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer right on the cusp of the bubble—and a large amount of drivers who could steal a spot with a win at RIR.
In other words, the season's final race will be as important and nail-biting as NASCAR and its fans could have hoped. Below, let's take a look at the details surrounding the event and some of the top drivers to watch.
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Viewing Details
Where: Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia
When: Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET
Watch: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBC Live Extra
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Kevin Harvick | 948 |
| 2 | Joey Logano | 906 |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 855 |
| 4 | Brad Keselowski | 837 |
| 5 | Jimmie Johnson | 817 |
| 6 | Martin Truex Jr. | 806 |
| 7 | Matt Kenseth | 776 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | 754 |
| 9 | Kurt Busch | 752 |
| 10 | Jamie McMurray | 726 |
Drivers to Watch
Paul Menard
Did you expect someone else to be a focal point?
Paul Menard is interesting because, well, he's Paul Menard and don't look now but he's headed right for the Chase.
Menard doesn't have any wins this year, nor does he even have a top-10 finish since mid-June. Yet here he is, needing to finish ninth or better at RIR, 10th with a lap led or 11th with the most laps led.
It seems a longshot considering the Richard Childress Racing driver has led all of one lap this season, but Menard's cool-headed approach gives him a serious chance. He'll need one of the most conservative races of his season to fend off Bowyer. If he can, anything is possible from there if he makes the Chase.
For Menard, his first Chase berth is within grasp, so watch out.
Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin stands as one of the drivers assured of a Chase spot so long as he attempts to qualify for Saturday's race.
It sounds like an easy thing to check off the list, but then Hamlin went out and tore his ACL in a game of pick-up basketball, per ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass.
Crew chief Dave Rogers said he knows Hamlin won't let his team down, though:
"As long as he gets in the race car and drives his butt off, he is not going to let his team down. ... I really believe the biggest downside to all of this—Denny is going to be uncomfortable but [it's] the distraction of addressing the media and getting through the garage area."
The team adjusted the guts of Hamlin's car so he could better operate it with the torn ligament, but one has to wonder how the discomfort will impact his ability to perform well the rest of the season.
It might not be as interesting as some of the drivers on the bubble, but Hamlin is one to watch because the injury could have a major impact on how the Chase unfolds.
Gordon might be the fairy tale winner everyone would love to see, but Tony Stewart might play the spoiler and host one of his own.
Make no mistake—the winless Stewart has been downright putrid this year, but a win and he's in.
Stewart has a lot of history at RIR, so a win isn't some unfathomable feat. In 32 starts, he has three wins, 11 top-five finishes and 19 top-10 slots. He won his first Sprint Cup race there in 1999.
Stewart spoke with the media about how he can use his knowledge of the track, per WLKY.com:
"With the two ends of the track being different like they are, it seems like you're always fighting something, but that's what always makes the racing good, too. You never really get anybody who gets their car perfect. Even the guy that gets the lead still isn't happy with his car. So, it's really trying to find that balance and trying to figure out how to balance both ends of the track together.
"
Stewart has flashed signs of life, leading 10 laps last week in Darlington, marking the first time he's led a lap since the beginning of May. If he's going to make the Chase for the first time since 2012, furthering the momentum is key.
It almost feels like not too long ago when Stewart won the 2011 Sprint Cup championship after going winless in 26 races. He needs the win this time around, but counting him out would be a major mistake.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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