Roush Fenway Looks to Build on Long Line of Nationwide Series Success at Richmond

CONCORD, April 30, 2010: Statistically speaking, Richmond International Raceway has been a hot bed of success for Roush Fenway’s Nationwide Series program since it first started racing there 17 years ago. Roush Fenway swept both NWS races at RIR in 1993 and never looked back.

Of all the tracks Roush Fenway has competed on in the Nationwide Series since 1993, the organization has scored more top-10 (47) and top-five (35) finishes at Richmond than any other track. Roush Fenway’s nine wins at Richmond rank as the fourth most.

In 71 starts at the ¾-mile, D-shaped asphalt track known for 'racing excitement,' Roush Fenway cars have turned 16,839 laps; the most of any track in the series, while leading 2,069 laps and logging over 12,000 miles.

Roush won its first Nationwide series race at RIR in 1993 when Mark Martin swept both the sprint and fall events, and the company won its last race there, with Carl Edwards taking the checkered flag last fall for the team’s ninth win at RIR.

This weekend the team will look to expand on that history. In addition to Edwards, Matt Kenseth will make his first NWS start of 2010 at the track where he won the pole for the event last season. Edwards has three Nationwide wins at Richmond as well.

Paul Menard has three top-10 finishes in eight Nationwide starts at Richmond, including a second-place finish in the fall of 2005, and rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will make his Richmond NASCAR debut on Friday night.