Toyota Owners 400 Preview

​The NASCAR Cup Series will race in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway tomorrow. This race is the first short track race of the year, and it will be followed up by two more short track races in Bristol and Martinsville before heading to Talladega. ​

Tomorrow, there are three drivers that you will need to pay attention to, especially if you plan on putting money on this race. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Christopher Bell. 

Truex drives exceptionally well in Richmond, finishing in the top 10 in the last eight races at this track. Seven of the previous eight races have been top 5 finishes, and three have been wins. Additionally, he is also driving a Joe Gibbs Racing Car, which always helps. 

Truex's teammate, Christopher Bell, is another driver to pay close attention to in this race. Since joining the Cup Series in 2020, he has finished in the top 5 in four of the five races he has competed in here. During his Xfinity days, Bell dominated in Richmond, winning three of his five races at this track while in the series. Bell has been knocking on the door to get his first win of the season, and if there's anywhere to break through, it's in Richmond. 

Kyle Busch is the final driver to look out for in this race. Since 2017, Busch has not finished outside the top 10 in Richmond, racking up two wins within that timeframe. Busch has exceeded all expectations for this season, and I have no reason to believe he won't snag a few more wins before the playoffs creep up on us. Richmond is a good track to bet on Kyle Busch. 

Finally, let's get to my favorite driver, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. In the last three races, Stenhouse has not cracked the top 20 here, but, as I always am with Stenhouse, I'm optimistic that things will turn around, not just for this race but for the entirety of the season.

In multiple interviews that Stenhouse has been a part of, he has stated that the JTG Daugherty Racing Team has gone through several upgrades this offseason to put the #47 car in a better position to find themselves in Victory Lane. Through my observation of Stenhouse this season, I do not expect a fast start for Stenhouse. He has gotten off to a slow start each race this season, but as each race goes on, the team, Stenhouse, and the car get much faster and more dialed in. If he can remain in a decent position through the first half of the race, he can finish in the top 10.

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