--Fresh tires propel Hamlin to Nationwide win

--Edwards re-signs with Roush, ends speculation

--Earnhardt A Cheap date?

-- Biffle Likely to Re-Sign With Roush Fenway

--Top 5 and 5 to watch: Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. -- With fresh tires on his No. 20 Toyota, Virginia native Denny Hamlin blew past Kevin Harvick on Lap 242 and weathered a green-white-checkered-flag restart to win Friday night's Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Carl Edwards, NASCAR Sprint Cup racing's highest-profile free agent, ended speculation about his future plans with the abrupt announcement Friday at Richmond International Raceway that he had signed a contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing.

RICHMOND, Va. --Appearing on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s XM Satellite radio show Thursday night, IndyCar driver Danica Patrick suggested that Earnhardt try his hand in the open-wheel series.

RICHMOND, Va. --Greg Biffle, whose contract with Roush Fenway Racing also is up for renewal at the end of the year, says he's likely to follow the lead of teammate Carl Edwards and re-sign with the organization.

Here's a look at the top five in points and five drivers to watch in Saturday night's Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway. All statistical references are for Sprint Cup races at Richmond unless otherwise indicated.

NASCAR Number
By Bill Marx, The Sporting News,May 3

259: Cup races held in the state of Virginia. Saturday night's race will be the 104th at Richmond International Raceway. Martinsville leads the way with 119 races in NASCAR's top classification. The other speedways: Langley Field (9) in Hampton, Norfolk (2), Old Dominion (7) in Manassas, Princess Anne (1) in Norfolk, South Boston (10), Southside (4) in Richmond, and Starkey (4) in Roanoke.

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This Day in NASCAR History
By Bill Marx, The Sporting News,May 3

1987:Bobby Allison blows a tire in the Winston 500 at Alabama International Speedway, and his car gets airborne on the frontstretch and heads toward the stands. The force of the car is so strong, a section of the catchfence is ripped apart just before the car reaches the flagstand. It is this wreck that leads to the implementation of restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega beginning in 1988.