The History of The Air Guard 400 @ Richmond International Raceway 2004-2009

The Air Guard 400 has been a tradition on the Sprint Cup schedule for many years but in 2004 the race took on a whole new importance when NASCAR came up with the "Chase for the Sprint Cup" idea. This race has been a fan favorite since then and there have been so many classic finishes at RIR but this slideshow looks at the history of this race from 2004 to 2009.

2004

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RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 11: Top-ten drivers involved in the NASCAR Chase for the Nextel Cup, (L-R) Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Elliott Sadler, Jeremy Mayfield, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, and Mark Martin po

Winner: 19 Jeremy Mayfield

2nd: 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr

3rd: 24 Jeff Gordon

4th: 80 Mike Bliss

5th: 6 Mark Martin

6th: 99 Carl Edwards

7th: 09 Mike Wallace

8th: 16 Greg Biffle

9th: 42 Jamie McMurray

10th: 2 Rusty Wallace

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 98.946 mph
Margin of Victory: 4.928 seconds
Time of Race: 03:01:55
Lead Changes: 20
Cautions: 9-11, 14-17, 53-58, 143-146, 158-163, 171-174, 180-191, 195-201, 207-210, 293-299

2005

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RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 10: The top ten drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship pose after the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Chevy Rock & Roll 400 on September 10, 2005 at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Pictured

Winner: 97 Kurt Busch

2nd: 17 Matt Kenseth

3rd: 16 Greg Biffle

4th: 5 Kyle Busch

5th: 2 Rusty Wallace

6th: 19 Jeremy Mayfield

7th: 20 Tony Stewart

8th: 9 Kasey Kahne

9th: 11 Terry Labonte

10th: 29 Kevin Harvick

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 98.567 mph
Margin of Victory: .899
Time of Race: 03:02:37
Lead Changes: 23
Cautions: 33-37, 90-93, 115-118, 143-147, 196-199, 214-221, 278-282, 313-318, 326-329, 347-352, 357-359, 364-369

2006

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RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 09: A group picture of the 10 drivers that made the chase for the Nextel Cup Championship. (Back Row L-R) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, (Bottom Row L-R) KAsey Kahne, J

Winner: 29 Kevin Harvick

2nd: 5 Kyle Busch

3rd: 9 Kasey Kahne

4th: 22 Dave Blaney

5th: 6 Mark Martin

6th: 16 Greg Biffle

7th: 21 Ken Schrader

8th: 17 Matt Kenseth

9th: 31 Jeff Burton

10th: 10 Scott Riggs

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 101.342 mph
Margin of Victory: .153
Time of Race: 02:57:37
Lead Changes: 16
Cautions: 36-40, 82-86, 121-125, 129-137, 221-228, 253-262, 322-327 

2007

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 08: (L-R back to front) Nextel Cup Series drivers Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer pose for

Winner: 48 Jimmie Johnson

2nd: 20 Tony Stewart

3rd: 6 David Ragan

4th: 24 Jeff Gordon

5th: 70 Johnny Sauter

6th: 11 Denny Hamlin

7th: 29 Kevin Harvick

8th: 9 Kasey Kahne

9th: 2 Kurt Busch

10th: 18 J.J Yeley

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 91.813 mph
Margin of Victory: 3.007
Time of Race: 03:16:03
Lead Changes: 15
Cautions: 10-13, 25-29, 64-70, 133-137, 183-189, 202-206, 235-239, 243-250, 258-263, 295-299, 337-341, 343-350 

2008

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford, races against Ryan Newman, driver of the #12 Alltel Dodge, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Fl

Winner: 48 Jimmie Johnson

2nd: 20 Tony Stewart

3rd: 11 Denny Hamlin

4th: 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr

5th: 8 Mark Martin

6th: 31 Jeff Burton

7th: 29 Kevin Harvick

8th: 24 Jeff Gordon

9th: 44 David Reutimann

10th: 2 Kurt Busch

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 92.68 mph
Margin of Victory: .365
Time of Race: 03:14:13
Lead Changes: 22
Cautions: 37-42, 97-102, 104-108, 116-119, 123-127, 165-169, 203-208, 213-216, 228-232, 243-246, 298-304, 316-320, 360-364, 371-374 

2009

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

RICHMOND, VA - SEPTEMBER 12: (Back row from L-R) Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot Chevrolet, Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Aflac Ford, Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M Ford, Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, Jimmie Johnson

Winner: 11 Denny Hamlin

2nd: 2 Kurt Busch

3rd: 24 Jeff Gordon

4th: 5 Mark Martin

5th: 18 Kyle Busch

6th: 33 Clint Bowyer

7th: 83 Brian Vickers

8th: 77 Sam Hornish Jr

9th: 29 Kevin Harvick

10th: 39 Ryan Newman

RACE FACTS

Average Speed: 96.601 mph
Margin of Victory: 0.378
Time of Race: 03:06:20
Lead Changes: 12
Cautions: 6-9, 46-50, 59-63, 108-111, 174-180, 206-211, 280-287, 320-325, 328-333, 382-386 

Who Travis Is Picking to Win The Air Guard 400

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BROOKLYN, MI - AUGUST 15: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, passes Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet on a restart during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CARFAX 400 at Michigan International Speedway on

Richmond has been good to many diffrent drivers but I am sticking to my guns and I am picking Kevin Harvick to roll into victory lane Saturday night. Harvick won back in 2006 and he has been a model of conistancy when on the short tracks. Harvick has nothing to lose Saturday and well 10 bonus points to gain with a win so why pick agianst Happy?

Kevin Harvick's Stats at Richmond: 1 Win (Fall 2006), 5 Top 5's, 12 Top 10's, and an average finish of 12th