NASCAR Preview
Last Updated Sunday, Feb 20, 2005 3:59 pm, ESTFunai 250
Status: Final Richmond International RacewayRace Capsule
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What:
Race 11 of 34 on Nationwide circuit
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Where:
Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, VA
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When:
May 14, 2004 8:00 pm EDT
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Laps:
250
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Track Length:
0.75 miles
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Race Length:
188.00 miles
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Purse:
$967,735
Drivers to Watch
| Kevin Harvick | Defending champion is 10th in points race with 2,420, 40 ahead of Jeremy Mayfield for the final spot in the "Chase for the Nextel Cup"; set the track qualifying record here last year with a speed of 184.343 mph; has finished no higher than 10th in last 10 races; posted three top-five finishes in first nine races, including thirds in the Ford City 500 and Aaron's 499. |
| Kasey Kahne | Rookie picked up his third top-three finish of the season - tops among all rookies - in the Pennsylvania 500 and moved up two slots into 12th in the standings, 69 points out of 10th; recorded a top-10 finish in each of last two races after posting one, a second in the DHL 400, in previous 11; Subway 400 was first of his four second-place finishes; tied Art Watts (1957) on June 13 for the quickest driver to reach four career poles, doing so in 14 races. |
| Michael Waltrip | Advanced two spots to 16th in the points standings following a sixth in the Siemens 300; has yet to win this year but has posted eight top-10 finishes, including seven in his last nine races; came in a disappointing 33rd at Pocono 500 earlier this year; best finish at Pocono Raceway was a second in June, 1988; "We had a very competitive race car at Pocono last month as last year as well when we finished fourth. I am very optimistic about our chances of getting a victory. We were close in New Hampshire, which is a good feeling." |