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Richmond 400 preview
| NASCAR Winston Cup Series -- Richmond 400 |
| When: Saturday, Sept. 9 -- 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN |
| Where: Richmond International Raceway |
| Distance: 400 laps/300 miles |
| Posted Awards: $2,226,242 |
| The Field: |
| Field consists of the fastest 36 cars through time trials. Also,
seven provisional starting positions based on 2000 owner points,
for maximum 43-car field. The 43rd position is reserved for a past
NWCS champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible
owner.
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| The Schedule: |
| Friday, Sept. 8 |
| 12:30am Practice until 1:55pm |
| 3pm Practice until 4:30pm |
| 5:30pm Qualifying (pos. 1-25, two laps) |
| Saturday, Sept. 9 |
| 1:15pm Qualifying (pos. 26-36, two laps) |
| 7:40pm Start of the Richmond 400 |
| Track facts |
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Richmond International Raceway is a .750-mile, D-shaped oval with 14-degree banking in the turns. The length of the front straightaway measures 1,290 feet with an 8-degree banking. The back straightaway measures 860 feet with 2-degree banking. Richmond International Raceway has hosted two NASCAR Winston Cup Series events a year since 1959.
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| Richmond 400 Notes |
- The NASCAR Winston Cup Series Leader Bonus is worth $10,000 this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
- This race is the fourth of five Winston No Bull 5 events. Drivers that are eligible for the $1 million bonus are Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Matt Kenseth.
- The farthest back a driver has started and come to the front to win a race is 42nd - which was the first race at RIR in 1953 won by Lee Petty. The farthest back a driver has started the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and won was 23rd in 1997 by Dale Jarrett.
- Two father/son combinations have won at RIR: Bobby and Davey Allison - Bobby earned seven wins, while Davey collected two and Ned and Dale Jarrett each have wins at Richmond - Ned with one and Dale has two.
- The Petty family is the only family to have three-generations visit victory lane at Richmond - Lee has two wins, Richard has 13 wins (the most of any driver at RIR) and Kyle has one.
- Sixteen races have been won from the pole position at Richmond.
- Both races at Richmond were 500-lap events until 1976 when they were cut to 400 laps.
- The first night race held at Richmond was in 1991 - the Miller 400; Rusty Wallace won the pole, while Harry Gant visited the winner's circle.
- Ward Burton's first NASCAR Winston Cup Series start took place at Richmond in March, 1994 - he started 29th, finished 35th.
- Last time Bill Elliott started from a pole position was this race in 1997.
- Speaking of poles, three drivers earned their first NASCAR Winston Cup Series pole positions at Richmond International Raceway - Ted Musgrave, 3/4/94; Bobby Labonte, 9/9/93 and Dave Marcis, 3/7/71.
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| Other Notes |
- The most Bud Pole Awards won by a driver in a single season in the modern era occurred in 1980 when Cale Yarborough won 14 in the 31-race NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.
- Bobby Labonte remains the leader of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point standings, extending his lead to 111 points over second-place Dale Jarrett. This ties the largest point margin of the season.
- The top five in the point standings are separated by 397 points.
- Dave Marcis led 13 laps in Sunday's race, becoming the 44th different driver to lead a race this season and Rick Mast became the 45th. Marcis last led in the season finale at Atlanta in 1999. Mast's last race he led was at New Hampshire in September in 1999.
- Steve Park has earned three top-10 finishes in the last four races this season.
- With 10 races remaining, Bobby Labonte's point lead is equal to the difference between a first and 31st-place finish.
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