RIR puts driver skill to the test

Here's another reason for casual fans to like the racing at RIR: Chances are a big-name driver is going to win tonight.

Last week's race at Talladega produced first-time winner Brad Keselowski, a result of wide-open racing that isn't found at Richmond, which produces a higher reliance on driver skill, instead of having a fast car.

"On short tracks, the drivers can make up more of what their car doesn't have," Denny Hamlin said yesterday. "To me, I think this is more of a driver's race track, like Martinsville. I think that's why you see the guys who have won championships run so well at these short tracks."

Over the past four years of racing at RIR, the top point winner is Kevin Harvick, followed by Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin -- all heavyweights among Sprint Cup drivers.

For Martin and Harvick, this week's race offers the opportunity to climb back into the top 12 in points, the cutoff to qualify for the Chase. It's not too early to start thinking about the championship over the past three years, more than 80 percent of the drivers in the top 12 after Richmond made the postseason field.

"At this time of year, people have started to get into the rhythm, and you know what you are," Jeff Burton said. "We're far enough in that we've seen a lot of different race tracks, and you really know who the best teams are at this point."

Burton is ninth in the points standings right now, a good omen for his chances this season. Every time he's been in the top 12 coming out of Richmond, he's qualified for the Chase.

The top drivers also succeed at Richmond because of experience. Instead of letting the car go, drivers have to plot out every turn and bank. Jeff Gordon's team makes sure to keep track of how the car handles on every lap, even in practice.

"This is a track that you've gotta have a lot of short-track experience in general coming in here," Gordon said. "You practice during the day, then the sun starts to set so you've got to be a little bit prepared for the change in conditions. You go off of past history. We take notes from every other qualifying run that we've had here in the past, and we look at certain trends."

Gordon isn't the only star driver who's made a name for himself at Richmond. Clint Bowyer won last year's May race at RIR, and yesterday praised the track for consistently producing good racing and challenging the drivers as well as the cars.

"I would like to see more Richmonds throughout the country," he said. "It's a demanding race track. It's kind of hard to get around. It's just fun. It's challenging and everything else you look for in a race."