Last week, Richmond International Raceway continued a tradition started the year before by posting numbers of all the NASCAR drivers that are locked into the Sprint Cup Chase. But as RIR track president Doug Fritz stepped up to the turn #1 wall he found little to do. “I tell you what, there’s only two more races until Richmond International Raceway and the “Last Chance to Make the Chase” and we’ve only got one driver locked in,” he said.

  With two races remaining before the Air Guard 400 at RIR on September 11, the #29 of Kevin Harvick was the only number for Fritz to attach to the wall, which would indicate an exciting stretch run through Richmond.

  “It’s going to be interesting to see which 12 make it, what 12 don’t make it and to see where they all shake out,” Fritz said. “Other than Kevin Harvick, who knows what can shake out with the other drivers.”

  It appeared that perhaps a few more numbers would be pasted on the wall this week, but a topsy-turvy weekend at Bristol threw a real wrench in the standings where only Jeff Gordon attained ‘locked-in’ status.

  Kyle Busch entered the Bristol race just inside the bubble but his victory shot him five slots up the board to third in points, a spot previous occupied by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, who fell to fifth because of a broken drive shaft.

  Likewise, four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson plummeted to ninth in the point standings after a wreck ruined his night.

  “Obviously, Bristol anything can happen and usually does,” Fritz said. “I tell you one thing. Coming out of Bristol the intensity level, the emotional level and the drivers hating other drivers, it’s definitely going to happen from there.”

  A second place finish by Jamie McMurray propelled him up the point standings to 13th, 100 points behind Clint Bowyer and one point ahead of Mark Martin. But if there is one driver who could finish the season satisfied at missing the Chase it would have be McMurray. Unprecedented wins in both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400, combined with Ganassi teammate Dario Franchitti’s victory in the Indy 500 have already made McMurray’s year memorable. “To win both of those in the same year and have Chip (Ganassi) win all three of those races, it’s been really good,” McMurray said during a promotional stop at G-Force Karts in Henrico last week.

  Likewise, McMurray played down the significance of making the Chase. “The media really makes more out of the Chase,” he said. “I mean all of the drivers want to be involved, but in my opinion if they gave a driver the choice of finishing 10th in points or winning a race, they would take wining the races because that’s what we do every weekend. The points are about being consistent week-in and week-out. Everybody wants to be in the Chase but winning races is what our sport’s all about.”

  But with all that said, and now within range of making the Chase, Richmond becomes a very important race for McMurray. “If you’re one of the guys that are in range where you can fall out or get in the Chase, yeah, this might be your biggest race of the year because if you haven’t won a race up until that point, making the Chase is what it’s all about,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure that’s on the guys that are trying to make it into the Chase.

  “I’ve been that guy in that position before where you’re right on the edge, either you’re in or you’re right outside looking in,” McMurray said. “It can be a long, stressful night at Richmond for sure.”

  Fritz agreed. “It’s real intensity,” he said. “You’ll feel it the minute you walk into the garage here at Richmond International Raceway.

  “The intensity level is like walking into the garage at the Daytona 500. There’s a different feel to it. It’s the last race to make the Chase. It’s like anyone else it’s the last chance to make the playoffs and in professional sports, as you know, making the playoffs seems to make or break a season.”

McMurray karts it up in Richmond

  This year NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray has had two of the year’s biggest wins on the circuit’s biggest tracks at Daytona and Indianapolis.

  But McMurray found himself in the hunt at one of the smallest tracks this past weekend by claiming second at Bristol. Perhaps he can attribute his success to getting some small track practice in Richmond a few days prior to Bristol.

  Last Wednesday, McMurray spent the afternoon racing media and fans at G-Force Karts in Henrico.

  But for McMurray, kart racing is not a return to his youth. “I still go race karts,” he said. “Pretty much every off weekend I have I go race go-karts somewhere in the United States.

  “I still love karting and I’m very passionate about it,” McMurray said. “For me, karting is just the ultimate way to get started. Everybody asks me, ‘How do I get my kid involved in racing?’ and there’s no better way to do that than in a go-kart.”