Richmond rewind | Commentary, more

Rear-view mirror/Jim Utter

Anyone who has watched the last several races knows the quality of racing has been strong, which nullifies the continual complaints about the new car. ESPN’s ratings for the Sprint Cup coverage have also been up the past four races. So, obviously, more than only motorsports journalists are noticing the change. Considering that Fox and TNT ratings were both down during their respective parts of the season, what the people at ESPN and now ABC have accomplished is even more impressive.

There are several interesting story lines to follow through the Chase, including Jimmie Johnson’s quest for a fourth consecutive title, Mark Martin’s storybook first season with Hendrick Motorsports, Brian Vickers' first Chase and Stewart-Haas Racing’s excellent prospects for a championship. But also interesting will be the quality of the drivers not in the Chase who will be racing for wins and and could play roles in the title outcome. Such drivers as Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick.

The more I hear the participants say about the proposed Richard Petty Motorsports/Yates Racing merger, the more something seems amiss. Some of them don’t seem to have many answers to the numerous ramifications. We’re talking about something that would evidently take place following the next 10 races. It’s not like there is a lot of time to figure it all out.

Notes

Martin becomes the top Chase seed

Because of the seeding system used by NASCAR, which rewards drivers for race wins, once Mark Martin secured his spot in the Chase with a fourth-place finish Saturday night, he became the No. 1 seed in the 10-race playoff.

Tony Stewart held a comfortable lead in the series standings entering the Richmond race, but Martin's four race wins gave him an advantage over Stewart (who has three).

“I’m certainly going to enjoy that (seeding) for a week here. I feel like a whole new person, huge weight off my shoulders,” Martin said. “It’s just like I said before, to make this thing is the icing and now we get to go race for the cake.

“But anybody in this Chase can win this Chase. Every team that’s in it is capable of putting together a 10-race row. That’s all it takes is the magic 10 races, and anybody can win it.”

Kenseth’s streak comes to end

Matt Kenseth’s season started with much promise as he won the Daytona 500 and the next week at California, but his 25th-place finish Saturday night – his worst since he was 27th at Phoenix in the spring – left him outside the Chase.

Kenseth was one of two drivers – Jimmie Johnson was the other – to make the Chase field every year since its inception in 2004.

“This is disappointing how we ran here the last three of four times for some reason,” Kenseth said. "But really since California, we went to Vegas and broke on the second lap and everything has been downhill since there.

“I can’t say I’m really surprised that we didn’t make it. I’m really disappointed we didn’t make it, but we just didn’t perform well enough.”

Busch’s wins not enough

With four wins this season, Kyle Busch could have easily been one of the top seeds in the Chase. Instead, he finds himself out of the running to compete for the series title.

Busch finished fifth Saturday night, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit he faced to get back in the top 12.

“It’s not just tonight or it’s not just last week that kept us out. It’s been the past 26 weeks that, unfortunately, some days I didn’t do my best and we didn’t have the best cars or whatever it might have been.

"You can look at a whole different scenario or a whole different slew of things, but what it boils down to is we missed.”

Ganassi looking for respect

Juan Pablo Montoya qualified for the Chase for the first time and it’s also the first time team owner Chip Ganassi has had a team qualify for the Chase.

The Earnhardt-Ganassi co-owner, who has won championships in the IndyCar and Grand-Am Rolex Sports car series, will now have a chance to compete for one in NASCAR as well.

Then-Ganassi driver Sterling Marlin came closest to giving Ganassi a NASCAR title in 2001, when he finished third in the series standings, 371 behind champion Jeff Gordon.

“Over the years, you guys (in the media) have all tested me for the decisions we made, paths we’ve taken and questioned management decisions. Hopefully, this validates somewhat our MO, the way we run things, the way we operate,” Ganassi said.

“I’ve been telling you guys all along we were capable of being in it. I’m just happy for Juan, for everybody.”

Stewart drops to the second seed

Tony Stewart has no regrets over losing his series points lead and moving to the second seed in the Chase because Mark Martin has more wins.

“It’s better than 12th,” he said. “I’m excited about that. The system, I think, is a good system. You know, it’s not devastating to leave here and be second in the points after leading for so long.

“I mean, we all knew what the system is going in. It’s a fair system. It’s an exciting system.”

Stewart is tied with Jeff Gordon for the most top-10s this season (18) and leads the series in top-five finishes (13).

Key moments

Lap 4

Denny Hamlin takes the lead for the first time and in a demonstration of the strength of his car, leads the first 63 laps of the race.

Lap 67

Jeff Gordon passes Hamlin for the lead and leads 82 of the next 84 laps and appears to be Hamlin’s toughest competition for a race victory.

Lap 206

Hamlin makes short work of Gordon on a restart following a caution and reclaims the lead – as it turns out, for the final time.

Lap 327

Clint Bowyer makes a strong move to reach the front and in the process makes contact with Gordon, which results in Gordon falling back several spots and out of contention the rest of the night.

Lap 381

Brad Keselowski’s engine blows up, which brings out a caution and gives Hamlin’s competitors one last chance to catch him. He gets off pit road first and holds off Kurt Busch for the win.

Next race

Sylvania 300

Where: New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, N.H.

When: 1 p.m. Sunday.

TV: ABC.

Radio: Performance Racing Network.

Last year’s winner: Greg Biffle.