The NASCAR Cup Series opened its first of two race weekends at Richmond Raceway on the 2024 schedule Saturday afternoon. Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney both posted top-10 speeds in group practice while Blaney’s No. 12 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang logged the fastest 10-consecutive lap average in the session.
Logano and Austin Cindric both advanced to the final round of qualifying Saturday as the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang posted the top time in Group A while the No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang came in at third in Group B. Cindric will lead Team Penske to the green flag Sunday from ninth, followed by Logano in 10th and Blaney in 12th
HEAR FROM CINDRIC: “Certainly a better day overall. [Richmond] is an important race track for track position, pit selection, and getting off to a good start. I felt like our car was pretty strong in practice, as well. The guys did a really good job and I did my part in qualifying. I probably sent it a little too hard in the final round, but it was a good day.”
MIC’D UP: Joey Logano returns to the NASCAR on FOX broadcast booth as a guest analyst alongside Brad Keselowski for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway. Coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
RETURNING TO RICHMOND: Team Penske brings nine Cup Series victories at Richmond into the race weekend led by Rusty Wallace’s four (1992, 1993, 1995, 1997). Two of Joey Logano’s 32 career Cup Series wins have come at the Virginia short track’s spring race (2014, 2017) and enters Sunday with top-10 finishes in seven of his last nine races at Richmond and in each of his last three starts. Logano also makes his 550th-career Cup Series start Sunday at Richmond, becoming the 39th different driver to reach the milestone.
RACE DAY: The NASCAR Cup Series takes on 300 miles of short track racing from Richmond Sunday night. Coverage of the Toyota Owners 400 begins at 7 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.