Richmond a week earlier

Richmond International Raceway apparently will be welcoming the Nextel Cup Series a week early next spring. RIR officials have had discussions with NASCAR about the 2006 schedule, and all indications are Richmond's first Busch-Cup weekend will fall on May 5-6. The Chevy American Revolution 400 at RIR has been held the second weekend in May the past two years. Richmond will swap spots with Darlington Raceway, which will retain the Mother's Day weekend date after a 75,000-seat sellout on May 7 in its first Saturday night race the day before the holiday. Times-Dispatch