NASCAR at Richmond 2016: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule and More
Saturday night marks the cutoff line for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Chase as the regular season concludes at Richmond International Raceway during the Federated Auto Parts 400.
A week removed from Martin Truex Jr. seizing the checkered flag in Darlington, South Carolina, notable bubble drivers such as Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman jump to the forefront of the conversation. Mainstays such as Truex himself simply look to keep momentum going into the title chase.
The final race of the season provides more intrigue than any other, per the usual. Will it be a normal contender getting into championship form? Or will a bubble guy seize the moment? How about a random player dashing the hopes of all bubble names?
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Here's a look at everything to know about the spectacle.
Viewing Details
Where: Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET
Watch: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBC Sports
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Brad Keselowski | 797 | 4 |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 727 | 4 |
| 3 | Kevin Harvick | 840 | 2 |
| 4 | Carl Edwards | 746 | 2 |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | 729 | 2 |
| 6 | Martin Truex Jr. | 696 | 2 |
| 7 | Matt Kenseth | 669 | 2 |
| 8 | Jimmie Johnson | 656 | 2 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | 752 | 1 |
| 10 | Kurt Busch | 728 | 1 |
| 11 | Kyle Larson | 606 | 1 |
| 12 | Tony Stewart | 426 | 1 |
| 13 | Chris Buescher | 358 | 1 |
| 14 | Chase Elliott | 659 | 0 |
| 15 | Austin Dillon | 651 | 0 |
| 16 | Jamie McMurray | 642 | 0 |
NASCAR at Richmond Lineup
| 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 7 | Regan Smith |
| 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 13 | Casey Mears |
| 14 | Tony Stewart |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 22 | Joey Logano |
| 23 | David Ragan |
| 24 | Chase Elliott |
| 27 | Paul Menard |
| 30 | Josh Wise |
| 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 32 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 34 | Chris Buescher |
| 38 | Landon Cassill |
| 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 44 | Brian Scott |
| 46 | Michael Annett |
| 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 55 | Reed Sorenson |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. |
| 83 | Dylan Lupton |
| 88 | Jeff Gordon |
| 93 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 95 | Michael McDowell |
| 98 | Cole Whitt |
Drivers to Watch
Martin Truex Jr.
There's no ignoring Truex now—the underdog for Furniture Row Racing almost took home NASCAR's triple crown.
Truex's two wins this year came at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and last week's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. If he had won the Daytona 500, he would have made history.
Instead, Truex came up just a few inches short back in February, finishing second despite starting 28th. Call it the story of his season, as Truex told ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass his team won't dwell on the fact he could have a bigger handful of wins if things had gone their way.
"But with that being said, we've got two, and I really feel like we've got a legitimate shot at this championship," Truex said. "It's been a good season, but it definitely could be a great season, and until Homestead is done and gone, we won't know."
With the way he continues to drive, Truex isn't wrong. Consistency hasn't been a mainstay this season for the team, but if Truex can ride the momentum into Richmond, he'll look even better going into the Chase.
Jamie McMurray and Ryan Newman
There was a point in time where McMurray looked like a lock for the playoffs, but he now sits 16th in the standings just above the cut line.
Finishing eighth in three consecutive races before last week's 15th slot does that to an outlook, with all of 22 points separating McMurray from Newman.
Despite the iffy finish last week, McMurray got some help from Newman, as explained by Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg:
"Newman’s car failed post-race laser inspection following his ninth-place finish. NASCAR said Wednesday that Newman and his team would be docked 15 points for the infraction. Newman left Darlington provisionally trailing Jamie McMurray by seven points for the final spot in the Chase via points. That deficit to McMurray is now 22 points after the penalty before the Chase field is set after Saturday night’s race at Richmond.
"
Call it a disappointing turn of events for Newman, who had finally broken free of a slump in which he had finished 12th or worse (including finishes of 28th and 31st) over a five-race stretch.
As hinted in the intro, a random name could propel past both men and make what they do Saturday obsolete. It's a fast game of chess where positioning and long-term strategy will win out and crown a worthy driver as a playoff participant.
Matt Kenseth
Can anyone stop Matt Kenseth at Richmond?
It's a question worth asking, as this time last year he ran roughshod on the competition, leading 352 of 400 laps before winning the race. The almost ho-hum affair was a good illustration of how a big name can put on an epic performance before racing on well into November.
Kenseth finished seventh at Richmond earlier this year. As of late, it almost seems like he's due—after finishes of 17, 10, 37 and 13, he hit Darlington and placed sixth. His social media offering said it all:
Does anyone really want to bet against Kenseth using the season finale as a primer for the playoffs at one of his favorite tracks?
The only right answer is no. A budding upward trajectory at just the right time after a similar feat last year isn't anything to ignore. Keep tabs on the No. 20 Toyota.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
