How to watch Easter Sunday's NASCAR Cup race at Richmond: Start time, forecast
Will there be an eighth consecutive different Cup winner at Richmond Raceway?
Chris Buescher became the seventh different Richmond winner when he took the checkered flag there last July. The previous six winners were Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman and Brad Keselowski.
Richmond can set up end to Ford’s winless streak
Ford Performance drivers are winless through the first six races this season.
Another key question is if the Toyotas will be as dominant as they were at Phoenix. Joe Gibbs Racing has won nine of the last 16 Richmond races and won at Phoenix earlier this month with Christopher Bell.
Details for Sunday’s Cup race at Richmond
(All times Eastern)
START: The command to start engines will be given at 7:08 p.m. ... The green flag will wave at 7:15 p.m.
PRE-RACE: Garage opens at 4 p.m. … The drivers meeting will be at 6:10 p.m. ... Driver introductions will be at 6:30 p.m. ... Kristin Labonte, wife of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte, will give the invocation at 7 p.m. ... Michael Tait will perform the national anthem at 7:01 p.m.
DISTANCE: The race is 400 laps (300 miles) on the 0.75-mile track.
STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 70. Stage 2 ends at Lap 230.
Friday 5: How much faster can NASCAR Cup pit crews go?
The first sub-8 second pit stop could come this season.
STARTING LINEUP: Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. Saturday
TV/RADIO: Fox will broadcast the race at 7 p.m. ... Pre-race coverage begins with NASCAR RaceDay on FS1 at 5:30 p.m. ... Pre-race coverage continues with NASCAR RaceDay on Fox at 6 p.m. ... Motor Racing Network coverage begins at 6 p.m. … SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have the MRN broadcast.
FORECAST: Weather Underground: High of 69 degrees with a 31% chance of rain at the start of the Cup race.
LAST TIME: Chris Buescher took the lead with seven laps to go to win last July's race. Denny Hamlin placed second. Kyle Busch finished third. In last spring's race, Kyle Larson led the final 25 laps to win. Josh Berry, filling in for an injured Chase Elliott, was second. Ross Chastain placed third.
