FanHouse Richmond

They've fought on-track and tossed fighting words at each other off-track, but now Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch are more focused on the fight ahead of them this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

Busch, a winner of four races this season, and Vickers, a winner of one, stand the best chance to fight their way into the top-12 of NASCAR's point standings at the end of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Saturday night. By doing so, they'd secure themselves a spot in the coveted Chase for the Sprint Cup and a chance to race for the title.

But judging by performance of previous drivers on the edge of making it in during Richmond's final opportunity, their chances are 50/50 at best.

Chavis Holmes and Travis Holmes are twins. They are awesomely named. They are also basketball players for the Virginia Military Institute's basketball teams. It's probably safe to say that, aside from the whole military aspect of the school, they have a lot of fun at college.

That's because twins get to pull all kinds of shenanigans and identity swaps. And the Holmes brothers even managed to pull one off on the court, according to a recent interview with the Quad.

Because of the struggling economy, 2009 could be the best year in a long, long time to see a handful of NASCAR races for a great value.

Thanks to this whole recession thing, several tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit aren't exactly selling too many tickets at the moment, and the speedways have wisely dropped some prices trying to get people through the gate. Here's a few of the offers that would make some really great -- but really late -- stocking stuffers:

For three seasons, Appalachian State has controlled the FCS (formerly I-AA), winning three straight national titles and, of course, pulling off the spectacular upset of Michigan. But the Mountaineers reign as FCS kings ended on Saturday, as Richmond headed into Boone, N.C. and notched a stunning rout, 33-13, in the playoff quarterfinals.

The biggest culprit in today's Mountaineers' loss was quarterback Armanti Edwards -- App. State's hero in that Big House win. The Spiders picked Edwards off five times in the game, using two of those picks to extend a 9-7 lead to an insurmountable 23-7 cushion.

Richmond also rolled up 238 rushing yards, with Josh Vaughan scoring three times and grabbing 132 on the ground.

Stewart Gets to See The Other Side
As reported on last night's Nextel Cup qualifying coverage, Tony Stewart got to watch last night's Busch race from the race officials' booth. Stewart isn't the first team member to head up and hang out with NASCAR brass, but I'd imagine the invitation from NASCAR didn't have an RSVP, but rather a "you'll be here at this time."

Jeff Gordon Is On a Roll
Two race wins in a row, a 200+ point lead, 4 poles this season and 3 in a row -- needless to say, Jeff Gordon is running well. If he wins tonight's race, it will be the first time that Gordon has won three races in a row since 1999. And it would put him in position to win four in a row at Darlington next week. Gordon accomplished that feat in 1998. Get that man some butter!

Whatever Was On Kyle Busch's Face Is Now Gone
That little patch of fur that Kyle Busch was sporting since his Bristol win is now gone, apparently.

"I went to get a haircut and just decided to shave everything off my face,"

Thank you, Shrub. That thing was awful. Awful.

Chevrolet to NASCAR: We Want Ethanol
The bowtie brigade plans to propose another change in fuel for NASCAR soon. Chevrolet, which is now promoting several flex-fuel vehicles, wants to NASCAR to look into running the cleaner, corn-based ethanol. The IRL IndyCar Series went to a 100% ethanol blend this season. NASCAR has just completed the transition to unleaded fuel, nearly 20 years after becoming commonplace in U.S. automobiles.

The last time Dale Jarrett wasn't in a race Geoffrey Bodine took home the trophy. Terry Labonte, Rick Mast, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin rounded out the top 5 in that race -- the 1994 Tyson Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro.

Saturday night, those drivers will no longer get to hold that distinction. Jarrett ran a lap of 123.226, nearly 3 miles per hour slower than pole-winner Jeff Gordon, that failed to qualify him for the Nextel Cup Series event.

It's not much of a surprise to see Jarrett miss a race now, as he has used up his entire allotment of past champion provisionals early in the 2007 campaign. It is a surprise to think that it's been 424 races since DJ hasn't been around on Sunday (or Saturday night).

David Reutimann is the only Michael Waltrip Racing entry to make Saturday night's Jim Stewart/Crown Royal 400.

DJ parted ways with crew chief Matt Borland this week, and today at Richmond got a little heated after a question from a reporter about Jarrett having nearly 12 different crew chiefs over the past 5 years.

"That's because y'all count everybody that was put in for one race or another. I didn't have a thing to do with it sometimes and to be quiet honest it's not something I'm concerned with. If it takes 42 [crew chiefs] from now until whenever I don't really care what the number is," said Jarrett.

The last time Jarrett missed a race, however, he came back and won the next weekk. Hmm...

Jeff Gordon Makes 3-in-a-Row

Gordon went out 14th on the grid Friday night and held on to win the Budweiser Pole Award. It is Gordon's 61st career pole and he has now started first in 5 of his past 6 races, earning four poles. Carl Edwards will start 2nd. Scott Riggs, outside the top 35 in owner points, starts fourth and A.J. Allmendinger made his 3rd race of the year. Johnny Benson will start Saturday night's race in what will be his first Nextel Cup start since fall 2005 at Atlanta.