NASCAR Barometer: Kenseth Commands Field at Richmond

Matt Kenseth and the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates obliterated the rest of the competition Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway's Federated Auto Parts 400. The No. 20 picked up his fourth win of the season to join Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch as the winningest drivers this season. It was also Kenseth's third win in the last six races. This type of win record should be enough to see him through to the final race in Miami as a contender for the championship. He thoroughly dominated the field on Saturday, leading 352 of the race's 400 laps, while his JGR teammates all finished inside the top 11.

Saturday's race mimicked what we've come to expect from races at the short track: a dominant car out front with long green-flag stretches. The few cautions enabled faster cars to build gaps, which they used to their advantage when the time came to pit. Kenseth had enough cars between him and second place at one point that a pit under caution meant he easily entered and exited pit road first. The next closest contender in terms of laps led was Joey Logano who tallied 25 circuits out front. The style of race didn't lead to overheated tempers and a pressure-cooker atmosphere for those looking to make the Chase, but emotions for the Chase contenders should begin a slow boil starting next week in Chicago.

UPGRADE

Matt Kenseth – Kenseth and his Gibbs teammates were the ones to beat last weekend in Richmond. The No. 20 thoroughly dominated the race, leading more than 75 percent of the distance, at times building a large enough gap that enabled him to pit often without losing position on the track. Kenseth has truly turned up the wick on his short-track prowess, and he should he hard to beat at these tracks in the future. The win was the best possible way to end the regular season and be confident going forward into the run for another championship. Kenseth has been one of the hottest drivers on the circuit in the past week, which could be a good omen for the title.

Aric Almirola – The award for most valiant effort Saturday night has to go to Almirola. The driver, who was a surprise Chase contender in 2014, turned in a top-rate performance in his final bid to return to the championship playoffs this season. In the closing laps, the team had worked its way into the top 10, and then skipped fueling the car in the final pit stop in a gamble to gain some track position. It paid off, and Almirola snagged his second top-5 finish of the season. Unfortunately, the team needed to win the race to qualify for the Chase, but the effort should show fans that last season's appearance in the Chase wasn't a fluke.

Denny Hamlin – A torn ACL did nothing to slow down Hamlin in Saturday night's race. After suffering the injury playing basketball earlier in the week, the Gibbs driver stumbled in qualifying but swiftly forced his way into residency of the top 5 in the race. Any concerns his latest injury would hamper his racing ability were erased with his performance in Richmond. When the 400 laps were completed Hamlin looked like his usual self, scoring a sixth-place finish to tally another top-10 finish before the Chase kicks off. For the moment it appears as though Hamlin could be a championship contender despite the injury, but the real work is only beginning.

Jamie McMurray – Despite winning some of the biggest races in NASCAR, McMurray has never competed in the Chase. That changed in Richmond when he secured his spot in this year's battle by taking the green flag. The night didn't end there for McMurray, though. He pieced together a competitive car and was able to challenge inside the top 15 for most of the night. He finished the race in 13th, which was his third top-15 finish in the last three races. Now the game changes as he focuses on advancing in the playoffs. The driver of the No. 1 machine has not had the greatest career at Chicagoland, but he did finish ninth in this race last season.

Joey Logano – Though Richmond hasn't been one of his best tracks, Logano improved his record again at the oval Saturday night. His mastery of NASCAR's qualifying format enabled him to score another pole position. The car was never fast enough to take on Kenseth in a head-to-head battle, but Logano was capable of racing with the rest of the top 5. He held station in that area of the order all evening and brought home a third-place finish as a reward. That was Logano's fourth top-5 finish in the last five races. That consistent form should be good enough to advance through the first round or two of the playoffs, which could open the door to a shot at the championship. Penske Racing is getting the job done at the right time.

DOWNGRADE

Martin Truex Jr. – Truex will head into the Chase hoping to reverse the night he had in Richmond. The No. 78 slid on oil early, making contact with the wall and then picking up a speeding penalty in the pits under caution. With repairs to the car needed, he was forced to the bottom of the order. The night was effectively over for the team at that point, and when the checkered flag waved, Truex was six laps down to the leaders in 32nd position. He will need to rediscover his early season form in the next few days to make an impact on the Chase. Truex only has two top-10 finishes at Chicagoland, but past track statistics haven't counted for much with him this season.

Kevin Harvick – Saturday wasn't the type of night Harvick is used to having at Richmond. He started with an ill-handling car and spent most of the night racing at the bottom of the top-15 runners as he worked to find a solution. The team made multiple pit stops to remedy the handling issues as Harvick battled to stay on the lead lap. He wasn't able to stay with the leaders, however, and finished a lap down. His 14th-place finish was his worst in the last five races. The good news is that Richmond wasn't a Chase race, and the team has a week to dissect the problems. Harvick should bounce back as strong as ever, but he would have been happier with a better performance.

Tony Stewart – Stewart has figured out how to get one-lap speed from his car, which is a significant improvement from his major struggles earlier in the season. The team, however, continues to search for an antidote to its troubles in the race. Stewart battled a loose car in Richmond and couldn't find a comfortable setting despite making wholesale changes to the chassis. Stewart's 29th-place finish was four laps behind the leaders, and he has just two top-10 finishes in 2015. The signs of a turnaround are starting to show and, while it's unfortunately too late for the Chase, they could help propel the team back to form in 2016. However, as a team owner he must be happy to have two Chase contenders.

Paul Menard – Menard has qualified for the 2015 Chase. It was a narrow qualification, but the team is there. The issue for Menard is that his race results have been terrible. His 26th-place finish in Richmond was his third consecutive result worse than 20th in a backward slide that started following his last top-10 finish of the season back in June at Michigan. Menard has been consistently improving the past few seasons, but there are no signs that he will be able to advance past the initial round of the Chase playoff system. Menard's average Chicagoland finish is 23.9 with just one top-10 finish from 2010. Signs don't look good for a true shot at this year's title.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Ryan Newman – Typically a very strong racer at Richmond, Newman failed to make an impact Saturday night. His 20th-place finish was his worst at the track since 2011. He is normally a top-10 driver at the circuit but couldn't find the pace last week. Newman was one of the drivers who slid on oil early in the running but avoided making contact with anything. He finished the evening by qualifying for the Chase but knows that there needs to be improvement within the organization before dreams of grandeur can start. Newman's consistency from 2014 is gone, which means advancing as far in the Chase as he did in 2014 is going to take a significant effort that has yet to be achieved in 2015.