Nascar 2012 – Statistical Advance: Analyzing The AdvoCare 500

Statistical Advance: Analyzing The AdvoCare 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 27, 2012) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia going into the AdvoCare 500 on Sept. 2.

ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Chase Contenders

The Top 10

Following Race 24 of 36

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

11. Kasey Kahne (2 wins)      730         35. Brian Vickers             177
12. Carl Edwards                  712         36. David Stremme          172
13. Kyle Busch (1 win)           707         37. J.J. Yeley                  135
14. Jeff Gordon (1 win)          691         38. Michael McDowell      122
15. Ryan Newman (1 win)      688         39. Josh Wise                 107
16. Marcos Ambrose (1 win)   679         40. Ken Schrader             102
17. Paul Menard                   674         41. Stephen Leicht             89
18. Joey Logano (1 win)         638         42. Michael Waltrip            75
19. Jamie McMurray             598         43. Scott Speed               69
20. Jeff Burton                     577         44. Tony Raines               67
21. Juan Pablo Montoya        561         45. Terry Labonte             66
22. Aric Almirola                   557         46. Brendan Gaughan         50
23. Regan Smith                   516         47. Scott Riggs                 41
24. Bobby Labonte                513         48. Boris Said                   34
25. Kurt Busch                     452         49. Bill Elliott                     14
26. Casey Mears                  436         50. Hermie Sadler III          13
27. David Gilliland                 425         51. Robby Gordon             11
28. Mark Martin                    417         52. Mike Skinner               10
29. David Ragan                   409         53. Tomy Drissi                  6
30. AJ Allmendinger              400         54. Stacey Compton            5
31. Travis Kvapil                   399         55. David Mayhew              4
32. Landon Cassill                372         56. Kelly Bires                    2
33. Dave Blaney                   308         57. Patrick Long                  2
34. David Reutimann             306        
 

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season. After race No. 26, the top 10 earn a berth in the Chase. Spots 11 and 12 – the Wild Cards – will go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2012 Top 12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway

* – Based on last 13 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The Wild Card Standings Following: Bristol Motor Speedway

At Atlanta Motor Speedway:

History

• Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.
• The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.
• It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.
• The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.

Notebook

• There have been 104 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta Speedway, until 2010 there has been two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the second season with only one event.
• Fireball Roberts won the pole and race for the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race in 1960.
• 45 drivers have won a pole, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman, each with seven.
• Six of Newman’s seven poles came in consecutive races between March 2003 and October 2005.
• 42 drivers have won a race; 22 have won more than once.
• Dale Earnhardt scored nine victories, more than any other driver. Cale Yarborough is second, with seven.
• Bobby Labonte heads the list of active drivers with six victories. Labonte is tied with NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Richard Petty for third on the all-time win list at Atlanta.
• The Wood Brothers have 12 victories, more than any organization. They last won there in 1993, with Morgan Shepherd. Hendrick Motorsports has 11 wins at Atlanta and could tie the Wood Brothers this weekend.
• 14 races have been won from the pole. The last to do so was Kasey Kahne in 2006. The last two races have been won from the fifth position.
• 60 races at Atlanta have been won from the first five starting positions.
• Bobby Labonte won the 2001 fall race from the 39th starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta.
• Two drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Atlanta: Carl Edwards (3/20/2005) and Kevin Harvick (3/11/2001).
• Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
• Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Atlanta Motor Speedway winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).
•  

Atlanta Motor Speedway Data

• Race #: 25 of 36 (09-02-12)
• Track Size: 1.54-miles
• Banking/Corners: 24 degrees
• Banking/Straights: 5 degrees
• Frontstretch Length:  2,332 feet
• Backstretch Length:  1,800 feet
• Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles

Top 12 Driver Rating at Atlanta

1. Jimmie Johnson…………………… 109.5
2. Jeff Gordon………………………… 104.1
3. Tony Stewart……………………….. 102.3
4. Carl Edwards………………………. 101.8
5. Denny Hamlin……………………….. 96.2
6. Matt Kenseth………………………… 96.2
7. Kurt Busch……………………………. 96.1
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr…………………… 94.3
9. Greg Biffle……………………………. 92.9
10. Kasey Kahne………………………… 91.0
11. Kyle Busch…………………………… 90.6
12. Martin Truex Jr………………………. 88.9

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2012 races (13 total) at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner:

Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet (186.196 mph, 29.775 sec., 09-04-11)

2011 race winner:

Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet (124.623 mph, 4:00:58, 09-06-11)

Track qualifying record:

Geoffrey Bodine, Ford (197.478 mph, 28.074 sec., 11-15-97)

Track race record:

Bobby Labonte, Pontiac (159.904 mph, 3:07:48, 11/16/97)

NASCAR in Georgia

• There have been 163 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Georgia.

• Track Name	City	NSCS
  Atlanta Motor Speedway	Hampton	104
  Augusta International Raceway	Augusta	1
  Augusta International Speedway	Augusta	12
  Central City Speedway	Macon	7
  Columbus Speedway	Columbus	1
  Hayloft Speedway	Augusta	1
  Jeffco Speedway	Jefferson	2
  Lakewood Speedway	Atlanta	11
  Middle Georgia Raceway	Macon	9
  Oglethorpe Speedway	Savannah	2
  Savannah Speedway	Savannah	10
  Valdosta 75 Speedway	Valdosta	3

• 172 NASCAR national series drivers all-time have their home state recorded as Georgia.
• There have been 14 race winners from Georgia in NASCAR’s three national series:

• Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
  Bill Elliott	44	1	0
  Tim Flock	39	0	0
  Jack Smith	21	0	0
  Fonty Flock	19	0	0
  Bob Flock	4	0	0
  Frank Mundy	3	0	0
  Gober Sosebee	2	0	0
  Harold Kite	1	0	0
  Sam McQuagg	1	0	0
  David Ragan	1	2	0
  Jody Ridley	1	0	0
  Reed Sorenson	0	4	0
  Buckshot Jones	0	2	0
  Ronald Cooper	0	1	0