Busch Richmond Notes

Busch Series Richmond Notes

NASCAR Public Relations

The NASCAR Busch Series makes it first appearance of the 1996 at a short-track this weekend with the running of the Hardee's Fried Chicken Challenge 250 Saturday at Richmond International Raceway.

As has been the case at both events held so far this season, ahuge field of cars is expected to try and qualify for the 250-lap race on the .750 mile track. NASCAR officials had received 64 entries early in the week, and only 40 will start Saturday's race.

Drivers will have two chances to make it into the Richmond field, with first round time trials scheduled for Friday at 10:30 a.m. to set the top 25 positions. The second round will follow the first round of NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying Friday afternoon.

Saturday's race will be televised live on the "The Deuce", ESPN2, at 1:00 p.m., and will be also be broadcast live by MRN Radio. The race will be replayed on ESPN at Midnight Saturday.

NASCAR Busch Series racing has been held in Virginia's Capital City since the inception of the series in 1982. Races were held at the old .542-mile Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway from 1982 through 1987, and have been held at the .750-mile Richmond International Raceway since September of 1988. The old track was demolished following races in February of 1988 and the new track was built at the same location in just over six months.

A total of 24 NASCAR Busch Series races have been held at the location, with 14 run on the new track. The retired Harry Gant won four of those 14 races to lead all drivers.

Among drivers entered for Saturday's race, Mark Martin has two wins, while Dale Jarrett, Joe Nemechek and Michael Waltrip have one each.

In the last few years, starting on the pole has not been the place to be for drivers winning races on the NASCAR Busch Series.

When Mark Martin won last week's race at Rockingham from the pole, his win was only the third from the pole on the series since 1992. Sixty-seven races in NASCAR Busch Series history have been won from the pole, but most were in the first eight years of the series.

Without much fanfare, a streak on the NASCAR Busch Series came to an end this past weekend at North Carolina Motor Speedway.

Driver Tracy Leslie had started 143 consecutive races on the series dating back to 1991, but did not attempt to qualify for the Goodwrench Service 200 at NCMS. Leslie, who had the longest active streak on the series, has been unable to secure sponsorship for his new team and is planning to run only selected races this season.

Hermie Sadler, with 86 consecutive starts dating back to October of 1992, now holds the longest active streak. David Green is second with 84.

Tommy Houston, who started 360 consecutive races from 1982 through 1994, has the longest streak in series history. If Houston qualifies for the event it will be his 400 career Busch Series start. He has failed to make the field at both Daytona and Rockingham with his new sponsorship of Suburban Propane.

QUICK NOTES:

Drivers Dennis Setzer (36) and Todd Bodine (33) celebrate their birthdays on February 27
When Jeff Fuller missed the starting field for the NASCAR Busch Series race at Rockingham this past weekend, it marked the first time in his racing career that he had failed to qualify for an event. "It puts things in perspective for you," he said.
Among the 64 entries for this weekend's Richmond race is Eddie Johnson of Ashland, Va., a star in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series on short tracks around Richmond.