2016 Toyota Owners 400 Explained

Type:NAS
Race Name:Toyota Owners 400
Details Ref:[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Year:2016
Race No:9
Season No:36
Location:Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia
Course Mi:0.75
Course Km:1.2
Distance Laps:400
Distance Mi:300
Distance Km:480
Weather:Clear blue skies with a temperature of 67F; wind out of the north at 6mph
Avg:97.07mph
Pole Driver:Kevin Harvick
Pole Team:Stewart-Haas Racing
Pole Time:20.919
Most Driver:Carl Edwards
Most Team:Joe Gibbs Racing
Most Laps:154
Car:19
First Driver:Carl Edwards
First Team:Joe Gibbs Racing
Network:Fox
Announcers:Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon and Darrell Waltrip
Ratings:2.9/5 (Overnight)[10]
3.1/5 (Final)[11]
4.7 million viewers
Radio:MRN
Booth Ann:Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and Rusty Wallace
Turn Ann:Mike Bagley (Backstretch)

The 2016 Toyota Owners 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on April 24, 2016, at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the 0.75 mile (1.2 km) asphalt short track, it was the ninth race of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Carl Edwards won the race, Kyle Busch finished second, and Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five. The race had 23 lead changes among different drivers and eight cautions over 29 laps.

Report

Background

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

The entry list for the Toyota Owners 400 was released on Monday, April 18 at 12:58 a.m. Eastern time. Forty-one cars are entered for the race.

DriverTeamManufacturer
1Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
2Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord
3Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
4Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
6Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord
7Regan SmithTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet
10Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
13Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet
14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
15Clint BowyerHScott MotorsportsChevrolet
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord
17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
19Carl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
20Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
21Ryan Blaney (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord
22Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
23David RaganBK RacingToyota
24Chase Elliott (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
30Josh WiseThe Motorsports GroupChevrolet
31Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
32Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)Go FAS RacingFord
34Chris Buescher (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord
38Landon CassillFront Row MotorsportsFord
41Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
42Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord
44Brian Scott (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord
46Michael AnnettHScott MotorsportsChevrolet
47A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
55Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet
78Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota
83Matt DiBenedettoBK RacingToyota
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
93Ryan Ellis (i)BK RacingToyota
95Michael McDowellCircle Sport – Leavine Family RacingChevrolet
98Cole WhittPremium MotorsportsChevrolet
Official entry list

First practice

Kevin Harvick was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 20.919 and a speed of 129.069mph.[12] The session was cut short by rain.[13]

PosDriverTeamManufacturerTime
14 20.919 129.069
222 20.980 128.694
348 21.063 128.187
Official first practice results

Qualifying

Kevin Harvick earned the pole for Sunday's race after rain washed out qualifying.[14] He said afterwards that his team "had decided to come into the weekend and approach qualifying a little bit different, with just the way the race tracks have been and the timing of the practices. We decided to go and take advantage of being the first car on the race track, which is usually a big advantage here when the track is green and doesn't have a lot of rubber on it. It worked out today, and Rodney and everybody had a good plan, and it's going to be interesting just for the fact that, the second and third times out, the times weren't near what the first time was because the tires fall off -- which is great."[15]

Joey Logano, who earned the second starting spot, said that he felt "like my team did a great job understanding the weather today before we hit the race track. We went out there and made our qualifying run off the truck and then focused in on race trim thinking that we weren’t going to qualifying anyway. The plan was executed perfectly besides second instead of first. Overall it is a good starting spot.”[16]

Starting lineup

PosDriverTeamManufacturer
14Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord
348Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
419Carl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
511Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
62Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord
741Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
85Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
1047A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
113Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
1217Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord
1320Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota
1431Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
1542Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
1688Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
176Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord
1814Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
1916Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord
2044Brian Scott (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord
2110Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet
2278Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota
2324Chase Elliott (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
2443Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord
2513Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet
2627Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet
271Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet
2838Landon CassillFront Row MotorsportsFord
2921Ryan Blaney (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord
3023David RaganBK RacingToyota
3130Josh WiseThe Motorsports GroupChevrolet
3295Michael McDowellCircle Sport – Leavine Family RacingChevrolet
3334Chris Buescher (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord
347Regan SmithTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet
3555Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet
3683Matt DiBenedettoBK RacingToyota
3793Ryan Ellis (i)BK RacingToyota
3832Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)Go FAS RacingFord
3915Clint BowyerHScott MotorsportsChevrolet
4046Michael AnnettHScott MotorsportsChevrolet
Did not qualify
4198Cole WhittPremium MotorsportsChevrolet
Official starting lineup

Final practice

Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 22.342 and a speed of 120.849mph.[17]

PosDriverTeamManufacturerTime
148 22.342 120.849
25 22.384 120.622
318 22.408 120.493
Official final practice results

Race

First half

Start

Under clear blue Virginia skies, Kevin Harvick led the field to the green flag at 1:16 p.m. After 15 laps, he pulled to seven-tenths of a second over Jimmie Johnson. By lap 20, however, Johnson reeled in Harvick and passed him on the outside going into turn 1 to take the lead on lap 21. After 10 laps, he pulled to a second and a quarter lead over Harvick. By lap 54, Carl Edwards pulled to within a quarter of a second of Johnson. After battling back and forth for nearly 10 laps, Edwards edged Johnson for the lead on lap 63. Johnson would pull back ahead to retake it the next lap. Edwards pulled ahead of Johnson the next lap to assume the lead. A number of teams began pitting on lap 85. Edwards pitted on lap 90 and handed the lead to Denny Hamlin. He pitted the next lap and handed the lead to Johnson. He pitted the next lap and handed the lead to Matt Kenseth. He pitted the next lap and the lead cycled back to Edwards.

Second quarter

After the first cycle of stops, Edwards led over Kyle Busch by two seconds. By lap 115, however, that lead had been cut by half a second. By lap 155. Busch pulled to within half a second of teammate Edwards. Debris on the backstretch brought out the first caution of the race on lap 157. Busch exited pit road with the race lead. Chris Buescher and Hamlin were tagged for an uncontrolled tire and restarted the race from the tail-end of the field.

The race restarted on lap 165. Edwards spun the tires on the restart and Busch pulled away. Edwards, however, reeled him back in and took back the lead on lap 169. Debris on the backstretch brought out the second caution of the race on lap 195.

Second half

Halfway

The race restarted on lap 203. By lap 231, Harvick reeled in and passed Edwards for the lead. After 15 laps, he pulled away to a two and three-quarter second lead over Edwards. Debris in turn 2 brought out the third caution of the race on lap 251. It came from the shredded tire of the No. 23 car of David Ragan.

The race restarted on lap 258. The fourth caution of the race flew on lap 268 for a single-car incident in turn 2. After cutting down his left-rear, Tony Stewart suffered a blowout and slowed down on the track. Brad Keselowski opted not to pit and assumed the lead.

The race restarted on lap 275. After going back and forth for three laps, Kurt Busch passed Keselowski for the lead. Brother Kyle passed him for the lead on lap 287. Debris in turns 1 and 2 brought out the fifth caution of the race with 88 laps to go. Kurt Busch exited pit road with the race lead.

Fourth quarter

The race restarted with 82 laps to go. The sixth caution of the race flew one lap later for a single-car spin in turn 4. Exiting the turn, Ryan Newman suffered a left-rear tire blowout and spun out.

The race restarted with 75 laps to go and the seventh caution of the race flew just after the restart for a spin by Ryan Ellis after being turned by Landon Cassill.

The race restarted with 66 to go. The eighth caution of the race flew with 42 laps to go for a single-car spin in turn 4 involving Brian Scott. Kyle Busch exited pit road with the race lead.

The race restarted with 36 laps to go. Rounding turn 4, Edwards bumped Busch out of the lead and scored the victory.[18]

Post-race

Driver comments

Edwards said in victory lane that Kyle Busch is "an amazing teammate and it’s like he got really slow there at the end. Something happened that last lap. It was like his rear tires went off or something. He went down into (turn) one and I dove it in and I got to him and I thought, ‘Man, I’ve got something.’ And he went to get down to the bottom and park it in three and four and I had already decided to go down there so I thought, ‘Man, I’m going to give him a little nudge,’ and we both have got wins and we’re racing for fun getting these trophies and just an awesome day.”[19]

“It's racing, I guess,” Busch said. “We had a really great car. We were fast - maybe not as good as Carl on the long run. The guys gave me everything we needed today. We lost it there on the second-to-last run, but we had a shot to win and that's all that matters."[20]

Race results

PosGridDriverTeamManufacturerPoints
1419Carl EdwardsJoe Gibbs RacingToyota40045
2918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota40040
3348Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet40039
485Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet40037
514Kevin HarvickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet40037
6511Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota40036
71320Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota40035
8222Joey LoganoTeam PenskeFord40033
92278Martin Truex Jr.Furniture Row RacingToyota40032
10741Kurt BuschStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet40032
1162Brad KeselowskiTeam PenskeFord40031
122324Chase Elliott (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet40029
131688Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet40028
141916Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord40027
151542Kyle LarsonChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet40026
16271Jamie McMurrayChip Ganassi RacingChevrolet40025
17176Trevor BayneRoush Fenway RacingFord40024
181431Ryan NewmanRichard Childress RacingChevrolet40023
191814Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet40022
20113Austin DillonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet40021
212443Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord40020
222627Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet40019
233023David RaganBK RacingToyota40018
242110Danica PatrickStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet40017
251047A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet40016
261217Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord40015
272838Landon CassillFront Row MotorsportsFord39914
282921Ryan Blaney (R)Wood Brothers RacingFord39913
292513Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet39912
303683Matt DiBenedettoBK RacingToyota39911
313295Michael McDowellCircle Sport – Leavine Family RacingChevrolet39910
32347Regan SmithTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet3999
333915Clint BowyerHScott MotorsportsChevrolet3988
343334Chris Buescher (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord3967
352044Brian Scott (R)Richard Petty MotorsportsFord3956
364046Michael AnnettHScott MotorsportsChevrolet3945
373793Ryan Ellis (i)BK RacingToyota3930
383832Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)Go FAS RacingFord3923
393130Josh WiseThe Motorsports GroupChevrolet3902
403555Reed SorensonPremium MotorsportsChevrolet3901
https://web.archive.org/web/20160508115121/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2016/pdfs/09rir2016racereport.pdf Official race results]

Race summary

Media

Television

Fox Sports covered their 16th race at the Richmond International Raceway. Mike Joy, two-time Richmond winner Jeff Gordon and six-time Richmond winner Darrell Waltrip had the call in the booth for the race. Jamie Little, Vince Welch and Matt Yocum handled the pit road duties for the television side.

Radio

MRN will have the radio call for the race which will also be simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Joe Moore, Jeff Striegle and six-time Richmond winner Rusty Wallace will call the race in the booth when the field is racing down the frontstretch. Mike Bagley will call the race from a platform inside the backstretch when the field is racing down the backstretch. Kim Coon, Alex Hayden and Steve Post will work pit road for the radio side.

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
11Carl Edwards331
12Kevin Harvick324 (–7)
3Jimmie Johnson310 (–21)
14Kyle Busch302 (–29)
15Joey Logano299 (–32)
16Kurt Busch279 (–52)
17Dale Earnhardt Jr.278 (–53)
18Denny Hamlin258 (–73)
19Brad Keselowski255 (–76)
10Martin Truex Jr.246 (–85)
111Chase Elliott (R)234 (–97)
112Austin Dillon234 (–97)
13Jamie McMurray224 (–107)
114Kasey Kahne222 (–109)
315Matt Kenseth212 (–119)
16Ryan Newman205 (–126)
Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings
PosManufacturerPoints
1Toyota380
2Chevrolet366 (–14)
3Ford323 (–57)
Official manufacturers' standings
. – Driver has clinched a Chase position.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016 Sprint Cup Series schedule. Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. April 18, 2016. January 26, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160207123034/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2016/pdfs/2016-nascar-schedule.pdf. February 7, 2016. dead.
  2. Web site: Richmond International Raceway. NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group, LLC.. April 18, 2016. January 3, 2013. September 3, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150903070908/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nascar-tracks/richmond-international-raceway.html. dead.
  3. Web site: Entry List. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 18, 2016. April 18, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160422032534/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&YearID=45&RaceID=7196&StatType=Entry+List. April 22, 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: First Practice Results. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 22, 2016. April 22, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160425112058/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Additional-Statistics/2016/04/Toyota-Owners-400-1st-Practice-Speeds.aspx. April 25, 2016. dead.
  5. Web site: Starting Lineup. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 22, 2016. April 22, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160426132745/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&YearID=45&RaceID=7196&StatType=Starting+Lineup. April 26, 2016. dead.
  6. Web site: Final Practice Results. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 23, 2016. April 23, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160426142144/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Additional-Statistics/2016/04/Toyota-Owners-400-Final-Practice-Speeds.aspx. April 26, 2016. dead.
  7. Web site: Toyota Owners 400 Results. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 24, 2016. April 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160429032533/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/Statistics/Season-Stats/Statistics.aspx?SubSeriesID=1&RaceID=7196&YearID=45&StatType=Race+Results. April 29, 2016. dead.
  8. Web site: Points standings. Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. April 24, 2016. April 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160508115121/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2016/pdfs/09rir2016racereport.pdf. May 8, 2016. dead.
  9. Web site: Manufacturers standings. Jayski.com. Jayski's Silly Season Site. April 3, 2017. April 3, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160508115121/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2016/pdfs/09rir2016racereport.pdf. May 8, 2016. dead.
  10. Web site: Paulsen. NASCAR on FOX Overnights Low Again, This Time at Richmond. SportsMediaWatch.com. Sports Media Watch. April 25, 2016. April 25, 2016.
  11. Web site: Paulsen. Richmond Continues Rough Stretch For NASCAR on FOX. SportsMediaWatch.com. Sports Media Watch. April 29, 2016. April 29, 2016.
  12. Web site: Spencer. Lee. Harvick tops Cup practice, Stewart completes first laps of 2016. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network, LLC.. April 22, 2016. Richmond, Virginia. April 22, 2016.
  13. Web site: White. Tucker. Harvick fastest in first practice. SpeedwayMedia.com. USA Today Sports Digital Properties. April 23, 2016. April 22, 2016.
  14. News: Kurz. Hank. Harvick wins pole on rainy day at Richmond. April 22, 2016. Associated Press. Associated Press. AP Sports. April 22, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423114939/http://racing.ap.org/article/harvick-wins-pole-rainy-day-richmond. April 23, 2016. Richmond, Virginia.
  15. News: Spencer. Reid. Kevin Harvick on Richmond pole position after qualifying rained out. April 23, 2016. NASCAR.com. NASCAR Wire Service. NASCAR Media Group, LLC.. April 22, 2016. Richmond, Virginia. April 23, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423125312/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2016/4/22/coors-light-pole-qualifying-richmond-international-raceway-lineup-results.html. dead.
  16. Web site: Albert. Barry. Qualifying cancelled; Harvick on the pole for Sunday's race at Richmond. SpeedwayMedia.com. USA Today Sports Digital Properties. April 23, 2016. Richmond, Virginia. April 22, 2016.
  17. Web site: Utter. Jim. Jimmie Johnson leads final Richmond practice. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network, LLC.. April 23, 2016. Richmond, Virginia. April 23, 2016.
  18. News: Kurz. Hank. Edwards passes Kyle Busch on last lap to win at Richmond. April 24, 2016. Associated Press. Associated Press. AP Sports. April 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160425111132/http://racing.ap.org/article/edwards-passes-kyle-busch-last-lap-win-richmond. April 25, 2016. Richmond, Virginia.
  19. Web site: Pistone. Pete. Pete Pistone. Edwards Bumps to Richmond Win. MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 24, 2016. April 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160427074322/http://www.mrn.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2016/04/Carl-Edwards-Wins-Toyota-Owners-400-at-Richmond.aspx. April 27, 2016. dead.
  20. News: James. Brant. Kyle Busch on Carl Edwards pass: 'It's racing'. April 24, 2016. USA Today. Gannett Company. April 24, 2016. Richmond, Virginia.