Fernley 95A Speedway has a big night scheduled, as the BCRA Midgets make their only appearance of the season in northern Nevada today. Also on tap is the second Nevada Pro Stock Association big-money event with $1,000 to the winner. Dwarf cars, Street Stocks, and IMCA Modifieds are on the program as well. Robert Miller is coming off a Modified main victory last Saturday at Rattlesnake Raceway, and will be going for his 100th win in the Modified division tonight. Gates open at 3 p.m. and racing starts at 6.
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Carl Edwards became the sixth Sprint Cup race winner at Bristol last Sunday, celebrating with his traditional back flip. The rest of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers had problems with right front tire failures. Dale Earnhardt Jr. made an amazing comeback, finishing second after going two laps down at the start. This week the series moves to Richmond, where the last eight races have seen eight different winners. Kenseth won last year’s fall race while Kurt Busch won in the spring. It was the second Richmond win for both. Kyle Busch has the best record of all active drivers with four Richmond victories, the most recent in 2012. Chevrolet pilots Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson have three wins apiece at the short track. Clint Bowyer has notched two Richmond wins, most recently in 2012, while Edwards, Joey Logano, and Brad Keselowski have one victory each, all in the last three years. Other drivers to visit Richmond’s victory lane include Denny Hamlin with two and Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne with one apiece. If we see a ninth different winner Sunday, it’s probably going to be Hamlin, the only Gibbs Racing driver winless in the last eight, or one of the Hendrick cars, most likely Junior or Johnson. However Kenseth, Edwards, or Kyle Busch are all capable of breaking the string unless they have tire issues again.
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Also at Richmond, the Xfinity series will run the same format as at Bristol last week, with two heat races of 35 laps each followed by a 140 lap main. As usual with any changes to the Xfinity or Camping World Truck format, I suspect it’s something that might migrate its way up to the Sprint Cup series if it proves successful. Time will tell.
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The Chinese Grand Prix was notable for the return to the “old” knockout qualifying format after drivers, teams, the press, and fans all gave the “elimination” format the thumbs down. In the race, Nico Rosberg wheeled his Mercedes to an easy win while both the Ferraris and the Red Bull team showed good speed and good results. Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel took second with junior driver Daniil Kvyat capturing the final podium spot in third. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, was fourth with Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari fifth. The series moves to Russia next weekend at the Sochi Autodrom, with Rosberg looking to extend his win streak and further stretch his points lead which is now 36 ahead of teammate Hamilton, 75 points to 39. Ricciardo is third with 36 and Vettel has scored 33 points so far this season.
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The IndyCar series visited the legendary street circuit at Long Beach last weekend, and Simon Pagenaud scored his first win since joining Penske Racing last season. There was a bit of controversy about his re-entry to the track after a pit stop, but he was let off with a warning much to the dismay of Scott Dixon, who took the runner-up spot. The Indy cars will race Sunday on the first natural road course event of the 2016 season, Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama.
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Finally, Stewart-Haas Racing announced on Thursday Tony Stewart had been cleared to race at Richmond this weekend. And NASCAR said “Smoke” would be eligible for the Chase if he meets the criteria. Starting eight races behind, Stewart has a tough assignment, but Kyle Busch managed it last year after coming back from injury. Stewart has to win a race and be in the top 30 in points, or score enough points to make the top 16.