FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Top Richmond Drivers Talk Before and After Race

The little track that races big--raced huge for Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin ran strong Saturday night to win the Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, and secured first place in NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup. Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, and Marcos Ambrose trained behind Hamlin during the last lap on the .75-mile D-shaped oval--after rain delays and three hours of grueling short track competition. 

Denny Hamlin grew up in Chesterfield, Va., calls RIR his "home track", and now claims two RIR Cup wins to add to his many accomplishments.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is on for the final 10 races as the top 12 now scramble for the crown.

Clint Bowyer ran up front for most of the race, and finished sixth to clinch the final Chase berth over Ryan Newman who tried to erase Bowyer’s 117 point advantage, but came up short in eleventh place.

Top finishers expressed their thoughts before the green flag and after the checkers at RIR, race 26 of 36 in the long, ferocious NASCAR season. Quotes from drivers this week have intense meaning as they look to the last 10 playoff races.

A list of the Sprint Cup point leaders follows.

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota) Finished first

Before:

“I’ve got an open mind when I go back there–I can’t rely on stuff from the past,” Hamlin said. “It’s going to be the first time that we go back there that we really don’t have any notes to go back on. We’re just going to come with a new setup and see how it works.”

After:

“We brought what we had in the shop and said we are going to try to start our Chase early,” Hamlin said. “That way, when we got to Loudon, New Hampshire, we would be in the swing of our momentum.

“What makes us as good as we are right now is having that 18 team as a teammate. He pushes us to be better, and I feel like he's done that since he's been here.”

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota) Finished second

Before:

“I like going to Richmond,” Busch said. “It’s a fun race track. It’s just been a good place for me to run. I’m excited about getting back there with not a lot of pressure this year. Hopefully, we will get another run in the top-five and try to go after a win.”

After:

“It started out a little rough yesterday qualifying 32nd,” Busch said. “But we were able to rebound well, climbed up to the front steadily and methodically and not get into anything. Guys did great on pit road.

“We’re solidly in the Chase this year. We had some struggle points early on in the season, and now we are picking back up a little. Hopefully we can carry it on for 13 weeks. I'm hoping we can run strong and hard and chase these guys down.”

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevrolet) Finished third

Before:

“Track position is so important - it's not like you can come in and work on it if it's not where you want it,” Johnson said. “We've won there before but it just seems like we are up and down there. We just need to stay on top of it and try to get things going the right way as we start the Chase.”

After:

“Just a solid night,” Johnson said. “On pit road, on the track, through practice, qualifying, I mean, everything throughout the weekend was nice for us. 

“The first goal we had for the 48 team after some of the tough luck through the summer months was start finishing in the top-five. When you finish in the top-five, opportunities will come to win.

“We are doing the right thing.”

Joey Logano (No. 20 Toyota) Finished fourth

After:

“This was good and we needed a good run,” Logano said. “It’s been a while since we had a solid run. We’ve had fast race cars, but it’s good to be able to bring home a good finish like everyone deserves here.

“The team tightened me up and the car came right back to life and I was able to drive right back to the front. I’m just excited about it and we needed a good, solid run and a top-five is definitely what that was.”

Marcos Ambrose (No. 47 Toyota) Finished fifth

Before:

“Atlanta reminded us that if you are having a rough run, you have to keep trying and good things will happen–we are keeping that fire going this weekend at Richmond,” Ambrose said. “There are times where you just have to man-up and get it done.”

After:

“I’m just really proud of my guys,” Ambrose said. “It was a lot of fun out there. I’m coming of age racing up there with those guys. The No. 47 Toyota got better and it was the best it had been there at the end of the race. When you do well at a place like this it makes you feel proud. We’ve had tough times, but just really excited after this race.”

The Bubble dudes—Bowyer is in, Newman is out.

Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Chevrolet) Finished sixth 

Before:

"I need to make sure I don’t screw up (at Richmond), first and foremost,” Bowyer said. “You need to make sure you don’t beat yourself.

“I’ve been in this situation before. Even though there is a lot of pressure, we need to go out there and do what we’ve been doing all year long. I need to stay focused at the task at hand, but also remember to have fun with it. Even though it’s an important point race for us, it’s also a place where we can go out and win.”

After:

“I'm very excited for our race team for making the Chase,” Bowyer said. “This is the best shot we've ever had since I've been there to win a championship.

“The last month has been really good for us. We've had a lot of good runs. I'm excited to carry on, ride that wave. We are running well, and everybody is having fun right now; and to be a part of the Chase is just an added bonus.”

Ryan Newman (No. 39 Chevrolet) Finished eleventh

After:

“Obviously disappointed not to make the Chase but proud of the guys,” Newman said. “We got a victory in Phoenix and did some things this year that we had not done. Unfortunately we will not have a shot at the championship, but an opportunity to win in 10 more races—and that's a lot of fun in itself.” 

2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Seedings

1. Denny Hamlin      5060
2. Jimmie Johnson   5050 -10
3. Kevin Harvick       5030 -30
4. Kyle Busch         5030 -30
5. Kurt Busch          5020 -40
6. Tony Stewart       5010 -50
7. Greg Biffle           5010 -50
8. Jeff Gordon          5000 -60
9. Carl Edwards       5000 -60
10. Jeff Burton         5000 -60
11. Matt Kenseth     5000 -60
12. Clint Bowyer    5000 -60

FYI WIRZ is the swift presentation of pertinent motorsports topics compiled and condensed by Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com. Quotes provided by NASCAR and Sprint Cup team media.

Photo credit: Dwight Drum @ Racetake.com