Ken Mitchell, the Democrat challenging Trump Republican Ben Cline for the Sixth District seat in Congress, isn’t going to get a writeup in Blue Virginia.

Ben Tribbett isn’t going to tweet about his campaign.

Richmond and Northern Virginia Democrats are going to ignore him, like the ignore everybody else with a D beside their name west of the Route 29 corridor.

Which is a shame.

Because Ken Mitchell is the kind of Democrat who actually has a Tom Perriello ‘08 longshot chance of winning in November.

Chase Elliott hadn’t won in a while – his NASCAR Cup Series winless streak went back 18 months – before his win on Sunday in Texas.

AFP’s NASCAR beat writer Rod Mullins joins us to break down Elliott’s win, Brad Keselowski’s frustrating runner-up finish, the series of bumps and other dust-ups that sent the race to OT, and the photo-finish Xfinity Series race.

Then the talk turns to the University of Kentucky basketball coaching search, which ended with the hiring of former UK star Mark Pope; and the fortunes of the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles in the early weeks of the 2024 MLB season.

William Byron is NASCAR’s first three-race winner in the 2024 Cup Series season with his win on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

AFP NASCAR reporter Rod Mullins reports on the big race weekend at the historic Virginia track, which saw Hendrick Motorsports take the three podium spots on Sunday, and Aric Almirola taking the Xfinity Series race on Saturday night.

Stories referenced in this podcast

• William Byron takes Martinsville for win #3 in 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season

Podcast: Does Cody Rhodes leave Wrestlemania as the undisputed champ?

Cody Rhodes has been trying to “finish the story” for two years. Does “The American Nightmare” finally achieve the dream and become the undisputed WWE champ at Wrestlemania 40 this weekend?

Chris Graham and Josh Deal preview WM 40 weekend, and also break down the CM Punk interview with Ariel Helwani, and the impact of what Punk had to say about the AEW business model might have on Tony Khan’s near-future.

Stories referenced in this podcast:

• CM Punk shoots on Tony Khan, AEW: ‘It’s not a sustainable business’

Martin Truex Jr. led 288 laps, but a crash a half-lap from the white flag sent Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond into overtime, and Denny Hamlin and his team outmaneuvered the field to the win.

AFP’s NASCAR writer, Rod Mullins, joins the show to break down the day, the night, and the final two laps, plus the OT.

Mullins also previews this weekend’s race at Martinsville, where he will be on scene providing coverage of the Xfinity Series and Cup Series races.

The transfer portal is open, though you wouldn’t know it, to look at how quiet it has been at Virginia.

Virginia Tech, though, and JMU could be losing pretty much everybody to the portal.

AFP editor Chris Graham reports on the latest portal news, updates the JMU coach search, and breaks down how coaching moves factored into UNC’s surprise Sweet 16 loss.

William Byron, who took the checkered flag at the season-opening Daytona 500, added a win at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, in the first NASCAR Cup Series road race of the 2024 season.

AFP’s resident NASCAR writer, Rod Mullins, breaks down Byron’s win, and previews the upcoming Cup Series races in Richmond and Martinsville.

Rod Mullins was in the media center for last weekend’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Being behind the scenes gives you a different perspective on a day of NASCAR Cup Series racing action.

Rod joins AFP editor Chris Graham to break down the race, won by Virginia native Denny Hamlin, and share what was being talked about in the pits.

Christopher Bell was in the Championship 4 in Phoenix a few months ago, but engine issues ended his run at the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series title early that day.

Bell notched the win this weekend in his return, capping an emotional week at the track for Joe Gibbs Racing.

AFP’s NASCAR writer, Rod Mullins, breaks down the Phoenix race, and previews Bristol, where he will be on the scene beginning on Saturday.

Virginia (21-9, 12-7 ACC) cannot afford a hiccup with Georgia Tech (14-16, 7-12 ACC) coming to town Saturday night.

AFP editor Chris Graham breaks down the matchup, and also looks across the ACC at the conference’s three NCAA Tournament bubble teams – UVA, Wake Forest and Pitt – and what each needs to do heading into next week’s ACC Tournament.

Stories mentioned in this podcast:

• Preview: Virginia faces absolute must-win this weekend with Georgia Tech in town