CONCORD, N.C. – The haulers are loaded and headed to Richmond International Raceway for another weekend of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series action.
With a total of 48 short-track wins, Hendrick Motorsports is looking to add one more this weekend. The organization has 10 wins at the Virginia track, with 55 top-five finishes and 100 top-10s -- one of three tracks where Hendrick Motorsports has reached triple-digits in that category. Its drivers have led 3,940 laps and have also claimed 17 pole positions.
However, before the Hendrick Motorsports teammates take to the track this weekend, let’s take a look back at three very memorable moments for the organization at Richmond International Raceway.
March 5, 1995: With three wins to his name during the 1995 season, Terry Labonte claimed the first of those in Richmond. The win marked his 14th career victory and was also his second consecutive Richmond win. Labonte took the green flag in 24th, taking the lead for the first time with 220 laps down. He held the lead three times for a total of 131 laps before taking the checkered flag. The win moved him from 12th-place in the 1995 point standings to fourth, although he ultimately ended the season in sixth.
Sept. 7, 2002: In just his first year with Hendrick Motorsports and his second Cup race at the track, Jimmie Johnson claimed the pole position for the 400-lap race. It marked his fourth and final pole of the 2002 season, following Daytona, Talladega and Charlotte. Johnson laid down a fast lap with a speed of 126.145 mph. Johnson was scored the leader of the first lap but ultimately finished 13th.
Sept. 7, 2013: In 2013, Jeff Gordon brought home one win and two pole awards. The first pole award of the season came at Richmond, where Gordon flew at a speed of 130.559 mph to log a one-lap qualifying time of 20.674 seconds. The driver led the first 49 laps of the race but fell back to take the checkered flag in eighth.
