Happy Easter, Race Fans! Alas, a mediocre winter is behind us, and the smell of Spring (and worn rubber) is in the air. And what does Peter Cottontail bring us? A night under the lights at one of NASCAR’s cornerstone ovals. Richmond Raceway. Get ready. 300 miles, 400 laps, and a whole lotta short track beatin’ and bangin’ for Easter dessert. So, tell us…who ya got winning the golden egg on Sunday night?
Driver to Fade:
Not Todd Gilliland! Don’t get us wrong- seeing him run up front at quite a few points already this season has been a joy. And this isn’t to necessarily say that he won’t be up front again any time soon in the near future. But we’re just not seeing it this weekend. He plugged in at 22nd with his lap averages yesterday morning and is starting 6th in a crowded field Sunday night. Sure, we could’ve gone with an easy out, but would a driver akin to the back of the pack really be…a fade if they’re always in the back? Also, Richmond is a track where track (starting) position matters. Love Todd, but don’t count on it Sunday night.
Dark Horse:
Hold your breath, but more importantly, hold your nose. The #3’s start to the season has stunk. Point blank. But hear us out. His last few showings at Richmond, Austin Dillon has landed 4 Top 10’s in his last 7 starts and ran the 12th fastest practice lap yesterday. Dillon has to get this season turned around at some point. The talent is there. He’s got one hell of a teammate. The expertise is around him. And Easter Sunday night is a great time to get it turned around. He’ll have a mountain to climb, but he’s done it here before. He’s due.
Top 10:
Silver Spoon, Jr. (anyone wanna guess who Silver Spoon, Sr. is? See above). But dammit, has he been on a tear through six races this season. Ty Gibbs is fast, and he seems to “get” it (Ha. See what we did there?) Okay, enough with the Dad jokes. Starts 8th tonight, was sixth quickest in practice yesterday, and finished 9th here a year ago. Gibbs will be up front tonight, no doubt. Watch for it.
Winner:
He’s had a quiet start to the 2024 campaign. But damn, is the name “Truex” synonymous with Richmond Raceway. Martin Truex Jr. has got 3 wins on the ¾ mile raceway and how many top 10’s? Richmond eats tires. And if we learned anything from the shitshow at Bristol, it’s that older guys can manage tires. Experience, indeed, still matters, boomers. And so will Truex’s experience here on Sunday night. JGR continues to pick up speed and expect the #19 to bring home the bacon (or ham?) at the Toyota Owners 400. Lucky you, Toyota owners…
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