This Week's Race

Air Guard 400

Richmond International Raceway

Richmond, Va.

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: ESPN/WDSD (94.7-FM)

Race course: .75-mile oval

Race distance: 400 laps/300 miles

2009 winner: Denny Hamlin

2009 pole: Mark Martin

Track qualifying record: Brian Vickers, 129.983 mph (May 14, 2004)

Track facts: Denny Hamlin led 299 laps, including the last 195, to win last year's race. Kurt Busch was runner-up; Jeff Gordon was third . . . Kyle Busch won the spring race at Richmond . . . After taking five of the season's first 15 races, Hamlin is winless in the last 10 . . . Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart have the most wins (three) at RIR among full-time active drivers . . . Carl Edwards' second-place finish Sunday night at Atlanta tied his season best . . . Following his victory at Watkins Glen last month, Juan Pablo Montoya has three consecutive top-10 finishes. He is 17th in points, 200 out of 12th place.

Wins: Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson, 5 each; Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, 3 each; Jamie McMurray and Kurt Busch, 2 each; Ryan Newman, David Reutimann, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Stewart, 1 each.

SPRINT CUP STANDINGS

Through 25 of 36 races

Behind

Prv. Pts. leader

*1. Kevin Harvick. . . 1 3585 -

*2. Jeff Gordon. . . 2 3366 -219

*3. Kyle Busch. . . 3 3325 -260

*4. Tony Stewart. . . 6 3302 -283

*5. Carl Edwards. . . 4 3299 -297

*6. Jeff Burton. . . 7 3261 -324

*7. Jimmie Johnson. . . 9 3247 -338

*8. Kurt Busch. . . 10 3228 -357

*9. Matt Kenseth. . . 8 3225 -360

*10. Denny Hamlin. . . 5 3147 -438

11. Greg Biffle. . . 11 3110 -475

12. Clint Bowyer. . . 12 3066 -519

Sprint Cup Chase cut line

Behind

Prv. Pts. 12th pl.

13. Ryan Newman. . . 15 2949 -117

14. Jamie McMurray. . . 13 2938 -128

15. Mark Martin. . . 14 2919 -147

*Clinched berth in the Chase

THE CHASE:

Sept. 19: SYLVANIA 300, Loudon, N.H. (1 p.m., ESPN)

Sept. 26: AAA 400, Dover, Del. (1 p.m., ESPN)

Oct. 3: Kansas 400, Kansas City, Kan. (1 p.m., ESPN)

Oct. 10: Pepsi Max 400, Fontana, Calif. (3 p.m., ESPN)

Oct. 16: Banking 500, Concord, N.C. (7:30 p.m., 6ABC)

Oct. 24: Tums Fast Relief 500, Martinsville, Va. (1 p.m., ESPN)

Oct. 31: AMP Energy 500, Talladega, Ala. (1 p.m., ESPN)

Nov. 7: Lone Star 500, Fort Worth, Texas (3 p.m., ESPN)

Nov. 14: Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500, Avondale, Ariz. (3 p.m., ESPN)

Nov. 21: Ford 400, Homestead, Fla. (1 p.m., ESPN)

- Bill Fleischman