Photo: NASCAR
For a gathering where cars are traveling at over 200 mph playing bumper cars jockeying to gain the advantage around a short racetrack, Sunday's Federated Auto Parts 400 was relatively uneventful. Of the 36 cars that began the race, 34 finished, with one out due to a minor accident and another with engine failure.
The 2014 Cup champion and last week's winner Kevin Harvick bobbed and weaved his way through traffic on the .75-mile Richmond circuit to take the checkered flag. It was the 60th win of his career, the fourth time at Richmond, and the since 2013. The win ties him with Kyle Busch for ninth in career victories and keeps his championships hopes within reach.
Chase Elliott, who finished fifth on the day, continues to lead the cup standings ahead of Ross Chastain and Joey Logano, followed by Harvick in fourth.
Harvick, in his No.4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, began his afternoon in 13th place and was able to negotiate the tight turns around the short track and take the lead with 66 laps to go. However, as the race wound down, Harvick was threatened by second place finisher Christopher Bell and third place finisher Chris Buescher. The interval over Bell was just 0.441 seconds.
Harvick took responsibility for allowing Bell to close in on him, saying he made a shifting mistake down the front straightaway.
For his part, Logano, who began the day in the 17th positio,n would ultimately lead for race-high 222 laps before fading in the latter stages of the race and finishing sixth.
With just two races remaining, the fifteen different winners this year are likely to make the playoffs unless there is a new winner in either Watkins Glen or the final race in Daytona.
The NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen is next Sunday, August 14.
Chase Elliott, who finished fifth on the day, continues to lead the cup standings ahead of Ross Chastain and Joey Logano, followed by Harvick in fourth.
Harvick, in his No.4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, began his afternoon in 13th place and was able to negotiate the tight turns around the short track and take the lead with 66 laps to go. However, as the race wound down, Harvick was threatened by second place finisher Christopher Bell and third place finisher Chris Buescher. The interval over Bell was just 0.441 seconds.
Harvick took responsibility for allowing Bell to close in on him, saying he made a shifting mistake down the front straightaway.
For his part, Logano, who began the day in the 17th positio,n would ultimately lead for race-high 222 laps before fading in the latter stages of the race and finishing sixth.
With just two races remaining, the fifteen different winners this year are likely to make the playoffs unless there is a new winner in either Watkins Glen or the final race in Daytona.
The NASCAR Cup Series at Watkins Glen is next Sunday, August 14.
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