HANK KURZ Jr.
William Byron stand next to the trophy in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Martinsville, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Trip with Gordon paid dividends for Byron at Martinsville

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 10, 2022 04:43 PM EDT
William Byron knew when he took over the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports

William Byron (24) celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Martinsville, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Martinsville: Byron races to NASCAR Cup-leading 2nd victory

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 09, 2022 11:50 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — William Byron knew he was in for a big challenge with a two

Ty Gibbs (54), Justin Allgaier (7) and Ryan Truex (18) drive through Turn 4 during the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, April 8, 2022, in Martinsville, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Jones overtakes Gibbs at Martinsville; pit-road fight ensues

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 08, 2022 11:34 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Brandon Jones overtook Ty Gibbs on the last lap of a two-lap

Chase Elliott checks out the leader board from his car during qualifying for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedwayon Friday April 8, 2022, in Martinsville, Va. Elliott won the pole. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Elliott takes pole for NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 08, 2022 07:41 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chase Elliott won the pole Friday for the Saturday night

Ryan Blaney, right, talks with a crew member prior to qualifying for Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Martinsville Speedway Friday April 8, 2022, in Martinsville, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Recipe for success at Martinsville: Beating and banging

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 08, 2022 06:20 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — A lot of the talk in NASCAR has been about how the

Ross Chastain drives during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Richmond Raceway on Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Mike Caudill)
Hamlin finally finds the Next Gen formula, wins at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 03, 2022 07:23 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Denny Hamlin hoped a visit to the track he watched races at as a

Drivers take the green flag to start a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Richmond Raceway, Saturday, April 2, 2022, in Richmond, Va. (James H. Wallace/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP)
Gibbs nudges Nemechek to win in Xfinity Series at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 02, 2022 04:37 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Ty Gibbs admittedly intended to nudge John Hunter Nemechek from

Ryan Blaney speaks about qualifying on the pole position for the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Circuit of the Americas, Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)
Hat trick: Blaney wins third consecutive Cup Series pole

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 02, 2022 02:25 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Ryan Blaney is on a roll running for poles. The

Denny Hamlin hoping for Next Gen breakthrough at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 02, 2022 01:58 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Denny Hamlin would love to think that a visit to his home track

Martin Truex Jr., celebrates winning the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Gibbs stable asserting itself 2 races into Cup playoffs

By Hank Kurz Jr. Sep. 12, 2021 11:53 AM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Two races into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, regular

William Byron (24) and Kyle Busch (18) race into turn one during the NASCAR Cup series auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Truex leads 1-2-3 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Sep. 11, 2021 11:28 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va, (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. assumed the lead when Joe Gibbs Racing

Dale Earnhardt Jr., holds his daughter Isla, 3, during driver introductions prior to the start of the NASCAR Xfinity auto race in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Gragson hold off Haley for emotional Xfinity win at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Sep. 11, 2021 05:51 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Noah Gragson held onto the lead after a restart with seven

Denny Hamlin looks at the trophy after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Darlington, S.C. (AP Photo/John Amis)
Winless no more, Hamlin looks for momentum at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Sep. 10, 2021 04:43 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Denny Hamlin has run up front all season and he figured

Denny Hamlin waves to the crowd during driver introductions prior to the state of the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Sunday, April 18, 2021. A #fedexstrong hashtag was added to the car after the shootings at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Bowman denies Hamlin with swift late move at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 18, 2021 06:50 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Another week, another agonizing loss for Denny Hamlin.

Martin Truex Jr. (19) does a burnout as he celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Elliott would love to find a way to be different at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 17, 2021 05:29 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Like many drivers in NASCAR’s top series, Chase Elliott

Kyle Busch (51) leads Grant Enfinger (98) during a restart in the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Saturday, April 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Nemechek outruns boss to win NASCAR truck race at Richmond

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 17, 2021 05:03 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — John Hunter Nemechek passed teammate Chandler Smith with

FILE - Hooters 500 winner Bill Elliott, left, and NASCAR Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki celebrate in Victory Lane following the Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., in this Nov. 15, 1992, file photo. Chase Elliott will honor the late Alan Kulwicki by racing the same Hooters paint scheme that was on Kulwicki’s car in the 1992 season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Kulwicki beat Bill Elliott for the Winston Cup title. Chase Elliott will run the paint scheme at Darlington Raceway on May 9, 2021. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
NASCAR, motorsports approach to virus vaccine varies greatly

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 16, 2021 05:05 PM EDT
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Bubba Wallace says get the shot, like he did.

Martin Truex Jr. (19) celebrates with the winners' trophy after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Truex outlasts teammate Hamlin to win again at Martinsville

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 11, 2021 08:29 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Martin Truex Jr. admits to being surprised by his

Daniel Hemric (18) and Brandon Jones (19) lead the field at the restart of the rain delayed NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Josh Berry gets 1st career Xfinity victory at Martinsville

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 11, 2021 02:01 PM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Josh Berry has worked for several years as a coach for

Pole-sitter Harrison Burton (20) stands next to his car before the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Friday, April 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Rain pushes finish of Xfinity race at Martinsville to Sunday

By Hank Kurz Jr. Apr. 10, 2021 12:32 AM EDT
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — The NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville