Edwards Wins Nationwide Race for Team Valvoline
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 12, 2009) -- The big news for Team Valvoline coming out of the NASCAR weekend at Richmond International Raceway was that Carl Edwards won Friday evening's Nationwide Series race despite driving with a fractured right foot.
Edwards took advantage of a quick pit stop late in the race and went on to win his fourth Nationwide event of the season and the 25th of his career. His margin of victory over second-place Kevin Harvick was 1.170 seconds.
In Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Richmond -- the final pre-Chase event -- Team Valvoline posted four top-20 finishes with Kasey Kahne leading the way with a 12th-place result. Greg Biffle was 13th, Edwards 15th and Reed Sorenson 16th.
The not-so-good news for Team Valvoline was that Matt Kenseth got bumped out of the Chase after finishing 25th in the 400-lap race. He dropped from 12th to 14th in the point standings. This will be the first time since the Chase format was initiated in 2003 that Kenseth will not be competing for the championship.
Regarding the 10-race, 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup, Team Valvoline has placed three drivers among the elite 12 --- Kahne is fifth, Edwards 9th and Biffle 12th. (see Chase seeding below).
The first of the 10 Chase races will be Sunday (Sept. 20) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon.
The Richmond Cup race winner was Denny Hamlin. Rounding out the top-five in order were: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Kyle Busch.
The NHRA had the weekend off.
Chase Seeds
1. Mark Martin, 5040 points
2. Tony Stewart, 5030
3. Jimmie Johnson, 5030
4. Denny Hamlin, 5020
5. Kasey Kahne, 5020
6. Jeff Gordon, 5010
7. Kurt Busch, 5010
8. Brian Vickers, 5010
9. Carl Edwards, 5000
10. Ryan Newman, 5000
11. Juan Pablo Montoya, 5000
12. Greg Biffle, 5000
Team Valvoline NASCAR Race Results
Richmond International Raceway
Sprint Cup Series
Sept. 12
Richmond, Va.
(starting position in parenthesis)
AJ Allmendinger, No. 44 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge Charger
Finished: 23rd (17th)
Point Standing: 24th
Greg Biffle, No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 13th (24th)
Point Standing: 12th
Carl Edwards, No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 15th (10th)
Point Standing: 9th
Kasey Kahne, No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge Charger
Finished: 12th (5th)
Point Standing: 5th
Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 25th (28th)
Point Standing: 14th
Bobby Labonte, No. 96 Yates Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 31st (37th)
Point Standing: 30th
Jamie McMurray, No. 26 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 27th (25th)
Point Standing: 23rd
David Ragan, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 33rd (26th)
Point Standing: 29th
Elliott Sadler, No. 19 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge Charger
Finished: 34th (34th)
Point Standing: 27th
Reed Sorenson, No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge Charger
Finished: 16th (11th)
Point Standing: 28th
Next NASCAR Sprint Cup Event
Sept. 20
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, N.H.
Nationwide Series Race
Sept. 11
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond, Va.
Greg Biffle, No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 12th (10th)
Point Standing:*
Carl Edwards, No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 1st (39th)
Point Standing: 2nd
Erik Darnell, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion
Finished: 14th (5th)
Point Standing:*
*Not competing full-time in Nationwide Series
Next Nationwide Series Race
Sept. 26
Dover International Speedway
Dover, Del.
Camping World Truck Series Race
Sept. 11
Gateway International Raceway
St. Louis
Colin Braun, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Finished: 19th (1st)
Point Standing: 6th
Next Camping World Truck Race
Sept. 19
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, N.H.
