Last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff opener at Darlington gave fans all of the entertainment they could ask for. Several playoff drivers will look to recover from the carnage that took place this Saturday night as the action shifts north to Richmond Raceway. The 63rd annual running of the Federated Auto Parts 400 marks the second of three races in the Round of 16. After last week’s chaos, it’s anyone’s guess what might ensue under the lights at “America’s Premier Short Track”. While all 16 playoff drivers are at the front of the Federated Auto Parts 400 starting lineup, they’ll certainly be hard-pressed to stay there.
The following article contains all kinds of vital information to get you set for Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series action. Read on for the complete Federated Auto Parts 400 starting lineup, start time, race facts and NASCAR stats.
NASCAR Cup Series at Richmond Raceway
63rd Federated Auto Parts 400
Date: Saturday, September 11, 2021
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
Track: Richmond Raceway — Richmond, VA
Coverage: NBCSN
Pole Sitter: Kyle Larson
Defending Champion: Brad Keselowski
Federated Auto Parts 400 Race Details
Distance: 300 miles
Laps: 400
Lap Length: 0.75 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-80; 81-235; 236-400)
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Federated Auto Parts 400 Starting Lineup
See below for a breakdown of the qualifying metrics formula.
| Starting Position | Driver | Car Number | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Ty Dillon | 42 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | Kurt Busch | 45 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 14 | Erik Jones | 43 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 18 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 19 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 21 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 23 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 24 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 25 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 26 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Justin Allgaier | 77 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 28 | Noah Gragson | 16 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | J.J. Yeley | 15 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 30 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 31 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 32 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 33 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 36 | Josh Williams | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Overview
Following the interruption to racing last season, NASCAR did away with practice and qualifying runs at the majority of races. A combination of grouped draws and a performance-metrics formula was used to determine starting grids. That same formula remains in place for the majority of races on the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, including this Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 starting lineup.
So, what exactly is involved in the performance-metrics formula? Well, it draws on a number of factors including individual race performances and season-long results. The following breakdown illustrates the weighted grades associated with each component of NASCAR’s metrics formula:
NASCAR Cup Series Metrics Formula Breakdown
- 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
- 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
- 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
- 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race
Federated Auto Parts 400 Race History and NASCAR Stats
- The very first running of this race came all the way back in 1958. It was a 200-lap, 100-mile event billed as the “Richmond 200” and was won by Speedy Thompson.
- Although it has been run at several distances and under various title sponsors, the Federated Auto Parts 400 has been a fixture of the fall NASCAR Cup Series calendar every year since its inception.
- After a steady increase in race distance since its inception, the event reached its peak as a 500-lap feature on the old half-mile track configuration in 1970. It was run at this distance from 1970-1976 with Richard Petty winning five of those six races.
- In 1988, Richmond Raceway was converted from a 0.5-mile oval to 0.75 miles in lap length. The race remained 400 laps long with the reconfiguration bringing the total distance to the current 300 miles.
- “The King”, Richard Petty, leads the all-time driver wins list with seven Federated Auto Parts 400 victories. Bobby Allison stands alone in second with five.
- Denny Hamlin leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with three wins in this race. Only Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski can also claim multiple wins with two apiece.
- Petty Enterprises may no longer be an acitve race team, but they are still tied for the all-time wins lead when it comes to this specific race. Joe Gibbs Racing shares the lead with seven victories, incluidng four wins in the laqst six editions.
- Team Penske sits just behind with six Federated Auto Parts 400 wins as a team including Brad Keselowski’s victory last year.
- Chevrolet holds a one-race lead over Ford (17-16) for the most wins all-time among car manufacturers in this race. Dodge is a distant third with nine while the only other current manufacturer, Toyota, has seven.
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