After Finishing 22^nd last weekend in Atlanta, Mike Bliss and his crew welcomed another prime time event on Friday night at the ¾ mile of Richmond International Raceway.

Within the first few laps Bliss was quick to radio that his No. 19 Toyota Camry was "really really snappy Loose."  The event's first caution fell on lap 14 for debris. Bliss and Crew Chief Paul Clapprood opted to stay out and utilize their track position.

By lap 50 Bliss gained a few spots on the track and was running in the 22^nd position despite his Toyota Camry being "tight in and loose off on exit."

Bliss and Clapprood were able to make their anticipated adjustments during the events second caution. The 19 crew put four scuff tires on, pulled a spring rubber and made a track bar and air pressure adjustment.  Gaining two positions from a fast pit stop, Bliss restarted 19^th.

Numerous adjustments were made throughout the event's seven cautions, but nothing really satisfied Bliss' Camry.

Capitalizing on the final caution in the 1,000^th NASCAR Nationwide Series race, Bliss was able to advance two positions to finish 18^th.

Mike Bliss' post race remarks:

"The car was really tight all night. Every time I went to get on the throttle, it would snap loose on me. We tried everything we could think of to help the balance of the car, but not much worked. My crew worked really hard and gave me really great pit stops." - Mike Bliss

TMI PR

Federated Auto Parts will return to Richmond International Racewayfor many more NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at America’s Premier Short Track. The partnership began last year with the inaugural Federated Auto Parts 400, and today both parties announced an extension that will keep the Virginia-based auto parts distributor’s name on the traditional September NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race for future seasons.

In addition to its contract extension, Federated Auto Parts, which hosts nearly 2,000 guests in hospitality and suites on race weekends at RIR, remains the Official Auto Parts Supplier of Richmond International Raceway.

“All of us at Federated Auto Parts are proud to extend our relationship with Richmond International Raceway and its premier spot on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule,” said Rusty Bishop, CEO of Federated Auto Parts.  “Our members and their customers love the fun-filled activities and hospitality provided at RIR, providing our partners with lasting memories. We are ready to continue the memory-making process with tonight’s Federated Auto Parts 400, a race we expect to be unforgettable, as drivers try to race their way into The Chase tonight.”

“I can’t tell you how excited the Richmond International Raceway team is to share in this announcement,” said RIR President Dennis Bickmeier. “We added Federated Auto Parts to a growing list of Virginia-based companies last year, and knowing they’ll be part of our family solidifies our partnership for years to come. There’s no better way to celebrate this announcement than by hosting an amazing Federated Auto Parts 400 tonight, under the lights, at America’s Premier Short Track.”

Federated Auto Parts is no stranger to NASCAR.  Now in its 18^th year in the sport, Federated has served as the primary sponsor for Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace, as well as the entitlement partner at Nashville Superspeedway, prior to joining RIR as the entitlement sponsor of “One Last Race to Make The Chase.”

Tonight’s Federated Auto Parts 400 marks “One Last Race to Make The Chase.” Five spots remain in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but 10 drivers are eligible to race their way in. Be here to see Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and many more battle it out “under the lights” at 7:30 p.m.

RIR PR

RAB Racing and the No. 99 ToyotaCare Camry driven by rookie of the year contender Alex Bowman made just their second career start at Richmond International Raceway, and attempted to shake off their recent bad luck streak. Bowman who had a top 10 run going in April at Richmond only to be dashed by a blown tire, came back looking for redemption. The No. 99 ToyotaCare Camry qualified in the 6th position and never gave up through adversity to finish in the 15th position.

The green flag flew on the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 and Bowman was able to stay in the top 10 in the early stages, but began fighting a loose race car. The loose condition became worse through multiple green flag runs and halfway through the 250 lap race was mired back in traffic in the 18th position. The No. 99 ToyotaCare crew never gave up, and with less than 100 laps to go crew chief Chris Rice made a bold decision and made several changes to the car under a yellow flag pit stop. This was exactly what Bowman needed, as the extra time in the pits relegated him to restarting in 17th position, but within just a few laps found himself in the 11th position chasing down the top 10. With only 16 laps to go the field saw its first of three wild restarts to conclude the Virginia 529 College Savings 250, but Bowman sustained heavy right side and rear damage from a three wide altercation. From that point on, the car No. 99 ToyotaCare Camry just didn't have the same handling characteristics, coupled with being in the wrong place at the wrong time in the two remaining restarts, Bowman finished in the 15th position. The 15th place finish was the team's 14th top 15 finish out of the 25 race season so far.

Alex Bowman: "Talk about never giving up, I've really got it hand it to my RAB Racing crew and my crew chief Chris Rice. We were just about dead in the water, and none our adjustments through the first half of the race seemed to be making a difference, but just like so many other races this year, my crew chief came to the rescue. We took a pretty big swing at tightening the car up and it was definitely the right call, it was almost a completely different car from then on until the last few restarts at the end of the race. The restart where we passed a bunch of cars in 5 laps was a ton of fun, true short track racing at its finest with fighting for every available inch of real estate. One of the last restarts with 16 laps to go we were in the middle three wide and there just wasn't enough room for all three of us on the entry into the corner and our car sustained a good amount of damage on the right side and rear bumper, it completely changed the feel and balance of the car so we. Got passed by a few cars in the closing laps. We will take this finish and move on to Chicago where RAB Racing and Toyota are always contenders, I'm extremely excited to get back to a mile and a half racetrack."

The 15th place finish allowed Bowman to hold on to the 11th place in driver point standings and Robby Benton stayed in the 16th position in owner point standings. The next race on the NASCAR Nationwide Series Schedule is the Dollar General 300 at the Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, September 14th and will be televised live on ESPN2.

RAB Racing PR

RAB Racing and the No. 29 American Ethanol Toyota Camry driven by veteran Kenny Wallace came into Richmond International Raceway with history on their mind. Wallace made his 898th NASCAR start on a night where the NASCAR Nationwide Series celebrated its 1000th race.  It was also the first race where both RAB Racing Toyota Camry's qualified in the top 10, with Alex Bowman qualifying in 6th and Wallace in the 10th position.

The green flag flew on the Virginia 529 College Savings 250, and Wallace immediately began fighting a loose race car, struggling to find forward grip exiting corners.  Wallace dropped back to the 21st position by lap 76 when the yellow flag flew for a debris caution.  Crew chief Keith Hinkein had a plan and began working on the No. 29 American Ethanol Toyota Camry by making several adjustments, and chasing the changing track conditions.  Over the course of the next 50 laps, Wallace utilized the experience from his 36 previous Nationwide starts at Richmond to his advantage and climbed from 21st to 14th position, telling the team his car was perfect.  After multiple late race cautions, on track incidents, and wild restarts the No. 29 American Ethanol Toyota Camry finished in the 17th position.

Kenny Wallace: "What an exciting and up and down race we had tonight. From the beginning of the race we were just too loose to be able to run good lap times, so we lost a lot of positions, but in hindsight it made me start conserving my equipment and brakes which helped at the end of the race. My crew chief Keith Hinkein made a great call on the pitbox and we fixed our loose condition to become a top 10 race car. From about halfway we just struggled with track position, lost a few spots on pit road and was in the wrong place at the wrong time on those crazy final restarts and that knocked us down to 17th. It was a lot of fun, but I need to thank American Ethanol and all the farmers that made it possible for me to race at Richmond and get my 898th career NASCAR start."

RAB Racing PR

Travis Pastrana and the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang finished 20^thin Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Richmond International Raceway.  The team ran strong, cracking into the top-10, before a couple of late race restarts and contact with another competitor halted the team’s march to the front.

"Our car was really great on the long run,” said Pastrana.  “Running from outside the top-20 and driving through the top-10 by halfway was my best drive to date.  Unfortunately, for the second week in a row, I took a car that could have been top-five and wasn't able to give my team the feedback we needed to better ourselves and contend when it mattered.  I will do my homework and try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The NNS made its second trip to Richmond International Raceway, where Pastrana earned his career-best finish of ninth earlier in the season.  The No. 60 Ford Mustang rolled off 22^nd, and as the first green flag run progressed, Pastrana radioed to the crew that the car was better the longer he ran.

By the time the team made its first pit stop of the day, Pastrana had worked his way up to 14^th.  The team elected to take four tires and fuel as well as making air pressure and wedge adjustments.

Pastrana restarted 13^th and continued to march his way forward, with a fast car and strong lap times.  He was silent on the radio as he worked his way through the field.  Crew Chief Chad Norris read off lap times, while Spotter Jason Hedlesky directed Pastrana through traffic.

The team visited pit road for the second time of the day on Lap 134, taking four tires and fuel.  The pit crew made no adjustments, as Pastrana was happy with the handling of his Mustang.  Pastrana restarted 10^th, but fell back to 14^th after the restart.

When the caution flag waved on Lap 172, Pastrana radioed that the car was just starting to come to him.  Norris called Pastrana down pit road the following lap for four tires and fuel, and, for the second stop in a row, no adjustments.

The pit crew gained two spots, putting the No. 60 in 11^th for the restart.  Tight racing on the following restart resulted in contact to the No. 60 and dropped Pastrana back to 19^th.  When the caution was displayed on Lap 229, Pastrana radioed that the handling on the car was no longer to his liking.  The car was loose on entry and exit and tight in the middle.  Norris called the No. 60 down pit road for four tires and fuel along with air pressure and wedge adjustments.

On a subsequent restart, cars bottled up and Pastrana received contact from a car behind him, which sent the No. 60 for a spin, ultimately leaving the team in 20^th.

RFR PR

The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) made its second and final stop of the season at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) for the final Friday night race of 2013. Allgaier came to the 0.75-mile track looking for redemption after an accident relegated him to a 31st-place finish in the spring race. The weekend began with the one and only practice session on Friday morning. Allgaier ran a total of 89 laps in the session and finished eighth on the practice chart. Following practice, Allgaier qualified the No. 31 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet in the 13th position for the Virginia529 College Savings 250. Just a little over halfway through the 250-lap race, Allgaier lost control of his No. 31 BRANDT Chevy Camaro and spun on the track. After a great effort by Allgaier and his No. 31 team, he was able to bring the No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet home to an 11th-place finish for Turner Scott Motorsports.

Allgaier took the green flag on Friday night under the cool air at RIR for the Virginia529 College Savings 250. Allgaier quickly made his way up to the 11th position when the first caution of the race came out at lap 16. Crew chief Scott Zipadelli told Allgaier to stay out on the track. He restarted 11thon lap 19 and radioed on lap 35 that he needed more grip after slipping back to the 14th position. After settling into a rhythm and logging laps, Allgaier was posting lap times faster than the leader. On lap 68, the second caution of the race came out and Allgaier reported he was loose in, tight in the center and free off. Allgaier came down pit road for Sunoco fuel, four Goodyear tires and adjustments on the BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro. Allgaier restarted in the 12th position on lap 73 and worked his way up to ninth by lap 76.

After settling into the 10th position on lap 100, Allgaier logged laps in his BRANDT Chevrolet until lap 132 when he had just been passed by a few competitors and lost control of his Chevy Camaro, spinning in Turn 3. Allgaier made slight contact with the wall, causing damage to the rear quarter panel and bringing out the third caution of the night. Allgaier brought his No. 31 BRANDT Chevy down pit road for fuel, tires, adjustments and a quick repair to the quarter panel. Allgaier restarted in the 22nd position on lap 138 and consistently worked his way up through the field. The fourth caution of the night came out on lap 173 and Allgaier was in the 15th position. During the caution, he came down pit road for tires, fuel and adjustments. After he restarted in the 15th position, Allgaier consistently worked his way up through the field, and at lap 217 he was in the eighth position. At lap 231, the fifth caution of the night came out and Allgaier came down pit road for fuel and four tires. He restarted 11th on lap 234, and the yellow flag quickly flew again at lap 236 putting Allgaier in the 13th position for the restart on lap 239. At lap 241 the seventh and final caution flag of the race waved setting up the final restart of the 250-lap race on lap 244. With just a few laps remaining, Allgaier was able to power his No. 31 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet up to the 11th position and take the checkered flag. With Allgaier's 11th-place finish Saturday night at RIR, he's currently fifth in the NNS Driver Point Standings.

"Overall it was a great night for Turner Scott Motorsports and our BRANDT Camaro," said Allgaier. "I made a mistake and spun out about halfway through the race and killed our momentum. Track position was really important tonight, but it was a solid day and we can go on to Chicago next week. It will be a big week there since it's my home track and BRANDT's as well. I'm really looking forward to returning home."

The NNS heads to Chicagoland Speedway Saturday, September 14 for the Dollar General 300 powered by Coca-Cola. Television coverage is on ESPN2 at 3:30 p.m. EDT. 

TSM PR

Parker Kligerman ran just inside the top 20 during the first half of the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway as he battled a loose-handling Camry. The handling of the No. 77 Toyota improved with each adjustment that crew chief Eric Phillips made over the course of the first three pit stops and as the race moved into the second half Kligerman began surging through the field. The talented youngster took the lap-180 restart from the 19^th spot and just 10 laps later was battling for the 10^th position when an electrical issue ended his night and relegated him to a 36^th-place finish.

"I felt something strange in the left front just before the last restart and then about 10 laps into the run -- just as I was about to break into the top 10 -- a small fire broke out on the left side of the dash," Kligerman said. "My first reaction was to get to pit road, but I was on the outside lane and couldn't get down. By the time there was an opening to the bottom lane the fire had diminished, so I decided to continue on. It flickered on and off over the course of the next 20 laps and then all of a sudden the car just shut off. It's disappointing, we struggled a little bit early in the race but Eric Phillips made some good adjustments and our No. 77 Camry really came to life that last run. We've had a tough last couple of months, but nobody on this team is going to give up. We had a strong run at Chicago earlier this season and we'll head there next week confident that we can have another one."

The day got off to a promising start as Kligerman paced the lone practice session with a lap of 21.63 seconds. The No. 77 team was confident of earning a top-10 starting position, but Kligerman reported that his Camry was "a little too tight" and ended the qualifying session with the 12^th best time.

By the time the field had made 10 green-flag laps, the Connecticut native had fallen outside the top 15. He was scored in the 17^th position when the first caution of the race occurred on lap 17. While the field was slowed, Kligerman communicated to Phillips that his Toyota was "really loose everywhere." With track position being important on the .75-mile tri-oval, Phillips elected to keep his driver on the track.

During the next green-flag run, the handling of the No. 77 worsened and the team fell just outside the top-20. Kligerman this time reported, "wrecking loose and no drive off." A debris caution on lap 67 would allow the team to make their first adjustments of the night. When pit road opened, the over-the-wall crew administered a four-tire and fuel stop, inserting a spring rubber and making wedge and track bar adjustments in the process.

Kligerman took the lap-73 restart from the 21^st position and quickly worked his way back inside the top 20. During the lengthy green-flag run he reported, "better all the way through, especially as the run continues." He had maneuvered his way up to the 17^th spot when a one-car spin slowed the field for the third time.

After visiting pit road for four fresh tires and a full tank of fuel, the No. 77 Camry restarted from the 14^th spot when the field went back green on lap 138. Kligerman got stuck behind a slower car on the outside lane for the restart and by the time he was able to work into the inside land had subsided to the 19^th position. He was scored 20^th when debris on the track brought out the fourth caution of the night.

Phillips summoned his young driver to pit road where the over-the-wall crew administered a four-tire and fuel stop with a wedge adjustment. Kligerman took the lap 180 restart from the 19^th spot, but the latest adjustment had made major improvements to the handling of his Camry and he began his march towards the front. After advancing up to the 11^th spot, the electrical issue slowed his progress and he subsided to the 18^th position. He ran around in the 18^th spot for 30 laps hoping that the issue would disappear, but on lap 210 his Camry shut off and he ended the race in the garage.

Brad Keselwoski picked up his fifth Nationwide Series victory in 2013 and the 25^th of his career. Brian Scott, who led the first 239 laps, finished 1.946 seconds behind Keselowski in the runner-up spot. Regan Smith finished third, Kyle Busch fourth and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top-five finishers.

There were seven caution periods totaling 35 laps. Keselowski's late pass of Scott was the only lead change of the night. Kligerman was one of six drivers who failed to finish the 250-lap event.

Kligerman remains 10^th in the Nationwide Series championship standings with 25 of 33 races complete, 148 points behind series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. The Kyle Busch owned No. 77 fell one position in the owner's championship standings to 14^th, 262 points behind the series-leading No. 22 team.

Kligerman and his No. 77 Toyota Racing team head to Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Sept. 14 for the Dollar General 300. Live television coverage of Saturday's 200-lap event begins with NASCAR Countdown at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.

KBM PR

It has been a stellar season so far for NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Rookie of the Year contender Kyle Larson and his No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM) team, as they've racked up seven top-five finishes, including two runner-up finishes, and 14 top 10s. However, Larson and his SNICKERS Bites team struggled at Richmond International Raceway (RIR), battling a loose race car throughout the 250-lap race and finishing in the 14th position in the Virginia529 College Savings 250.

Larson started his long day at RIR by laying down the fourth-fastest time in the lone practice session on Friday morning. Despite running a quick lap early in the session, Larson wasn't happy with his No. 32 SNICKERS Bites Chevrolet, and his TSM crew worked during and after the two-and-a-half hour practice session to find a setup that was more agreeable. He went out late in qualifying on Friday afternoon and placed the SNICKERS Bites Chevy Camaro 18th on the starting grid.

Following the drop of the green flag, Larson remained in the 18th position when the first caution was displayed on lap 15. Larson radioed crew chief Trent Owens to say that his SNICKERS Bites Chevy felt "pretty good," and Owens had Larson remain on the track. After the race went back to green on lap 20, Larson started to work his way forward, taking over the 15th spot on lap 29. The 21-year-old remained in the top 15 until lap 59 when he fell back a position and radioed that he was starting to lose grip. When the second caution was displayed a few laps later, Larson explained that his car had gotten loose and Owens called his driver into the pits for four tires, fuel and adjustments to his No. 32 SNICKERS Bites machine.

After a solid pit stop by his TSM pit crew, Larson restarted in 14th on lap 74. After a few laps around the track, Larson told his team that his No. 32 was still really loose, prompting them to worry that he may have a tire going down. However, Larson was able to remain on the track and raced in the 15th position. The Elk Grove, Calif. native slipped back to 17th just before the caution flag waved for the third time on lap 132. After explaining that his No. 32 SNICKERS Bites Chevy was loose into and off of the corners, but good in the center, Owens brought Larson back to pit road for four tires, fuel and wedge and air-pressure adjustments. Larson restarted in 16th on lap 139 and was scored in 18th when the caution came out again on lap 172.

Larson returned to pit road for four tires, fuel and another adjustment to tighten up his car, restarting in 18th with 70 laps to go. After initially falling back to 20th, Larson began to work his way forward, taking over the 16th spot on lap 205. He was running in 14th when the caution was displayed again on lap 229 and he came in for his final pit stop, with Owens calling for four tires, fuel and a final adjustment. Larson had two strong restarts, moving from 15th to 12th and 12th to 10th before the final caution waved on lap 240. Restarting 10th with just a handful of laps to go, Larson moved up to ninth before getting shuffled back to 14th when the checkered flag flew.

"My Turner Scott Motorsports team and I had a tough night," said Larson. "We never really got the balance right, and I was loose throughout most of the race. Towards the end, we started to move forward and I thought we might end up with a good finish, but we just got shuffled back on the last restart. There hasn't been many times this year that my team and I have been off, so I know we can go to Chicago and have a better run in the SNICKERS Bites Chevrolet."

The NNS returns to Chicagoland Speedway for the Dollar General 300, powered by Coca Cola, on Saturday, September 14. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2, with coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. EDT. You can also listen to the race live on MRN Radio or SiriusXM Satellite Radio, channel 90.

TSM PR

Race Highlights:

* Richard  Childress Racing teammates finished second (Brian Scott), 12^th (Austin Dillon) and 16^th (Ty Dillon).  

* Dillon is second      in the Nationwide Series driver championship point standings, trailing      leader Sam Hornish, Jr. by 16 points, while Scott is seventh in the      standings, 61 points behind the leader.

* The No. 3 Chevrolet      team ranks fourth in the Nationwide Series owner championship point      standings, with the No. 2 team ninth in the standings and the No. 33 team      12th.  

* According to NASCAR's Post Race Loop Data Statistics, Scott led the field in Average      Running Position (1.064), Driver Rating (144.9), Fastest Drivers Early in      a Run (119.795 mph), Fastest Laps Run (57), Fastest on Restarts (119.553      mph), Green Flag Speed (116.563 mph) and Laps Led (239).

* A. Dillon was  the seventh-Fastest Driver Early in a Run and posted the Fastest Lap for      four circuits.  

* T. Dillon made 35 Green Flag Passes.

* Brad Keselowski   earned his fifth Nationwide Series victory of the 2013 season and was      followed to the finish line by Scott, Regan Smith, Kyle Busch and Trevor      Bayne.

* The next   Nationwide Series race is the Dollar General 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on      Saturday, Sept. 14. The 26th race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be      televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast      live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio channel   90.

       Brian Scott Finishes Second at Richmond International Raceway After Dominating Performance

Ty Dillon Finishes 16th Under the Lights at Richmond International Raceway

 Ty Dillon and the No. 33 Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet team finished 16th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night. After starting the 250-lap affair from the 19th spot, Dillon reported a tight-handling condition in the center of the turns and loose on exit. The Ernie Cope-led team utilized caution flag periods to service the blue and yellow machine with four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments to alleviate Dillon's handling issues. The Welcome, N.C., driver was scored in the 14^th position prior to making his first pit stop of the race when the caution flag was displayed on lap 66. On the lap 72 restart, Dillon restarted 13th but quickly jumped to 10th. He continued his trek into the top 10 and was scored seventh on lap 138. During the ensuing green flag run, the handling issues facing Dillon returned causing him to slip to 16th in the running order. With minimal laps remaining in the event, Dillon was unable to retrieve track position and ultimately finished 16th.

              Start-19            Finish-16          Laps Led-0      Owners Points- 12th

 TY DILLON QUOTE:

 "That was a lot of fun. The Armour Vienna Sausages team worked really hard today. We had a fast car in the middle of the race when we got the handling dialed in, but there at the end I got tight in the center of the corners. I wish we could have finished in the top 10. We definitely had a better car than the result we got."

RCR PR

Landon Cassill motored through a late-race crash and scored a 23^rd-place finish in Friday night’s Virginia 529 College Savings 250 Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

Cassill, driving the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 4 Chevrolet, was shooting for a top-15 run with 10 laps to go when he became ensnarled in the middle of a crash with Travis Pastrana and Johanna Long. Cassill spun out in the second turn after contact with both Pastrana and Long but corrected his car and finished the race, one lap down.

“We could have gotten a better finish out of it if not for that situation,” Cassill said. “It was just tight competition late in the race with everybody going for the next spot. We got crowded up in the turn, and that was the result.”

Brad Keselowski won the race by leading the final 11 laps after Nationwide Series regular Brian Scott had led the first 239 laps.

The series will race at Chicagoland Speedway Sept. 14.

JD Motorsports PR