3

NASCAR 2012 – Statistical Advance: Analyzing AAA Texas 500

October 31, 2012
by Alan

TEXAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.9

2012 Rundown

  • Four wins, 17 top fives, 23 top 10s; three poles
  • Average finish of 10.1
  • Led 24 races for 1,551 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s
  • Average finish of 9.7 in 18 races
  • Average Running Position of 11.7, fifth-best
  • Driver Rating of 100.6, fourth-best
  • 296 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.668 mph, sixth-fastest
  • 3,662 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9%), fifth-most
  • 585 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), sixth-most

2 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.8

2012 Rundown

  • Five wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.3
  • Led 19 races for 650 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Average finish of 25.3 in eight races
  • Average Running Position of 23.2, 27th-best
  • Driver Rating of 63.2, 28th-best

3 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.6

2012 Rundown

  • Three wins, nine top fives, 21 top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.8
  • Led 13 races for 388 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Three top fives, seven top 10s
  • Average finish of 13.3 in 13 races
  • Average Running Position of 13.4, ninth-best
  • Driver Rating of 90.9, 10th-best
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.572 mph, ninth-fastest

4 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrickcars.com/Great Clips Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.0

2012 Rundown

  • Two wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s; four poles
  • Average finish of 12.8
  • Led 11 races for 275 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 18.8 in 16 races
  • Average Running Position of 16.0, 16th-best
  • Driver Rating of 82.8, 16th-best
  • 200 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
  • 1,055 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
  • 2,759 Laps in the Top 15 (55.0%), 13th-most
  • 485 Quality Passes, 12th-most

5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.1

2012 Rundown

  • Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles
  • Average finish of 12.6
  • Led 23 races for 1,180 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
  • Average finish of 10.3 in 14 races
  • Average Running Position of 12.6, eighth-best
  • Driver Rating of 94.6, seventh-best
  • 165 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
  • 1,111 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.608 mph, eighth-fastest
  • 3,085 Laps in the Top 15 (65.8%), ninth-most
  • 594 Quality Passes, fourth-most

6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

  • One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 14.1
  • Led 22 races for 554 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 16.2 in 23 races
  • Average Running Position of 14.0, 10th-best
  • Driver Rating of 91.3, ninth-best
  • 251 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.443 mph, 10th-fastest
  • 3,089 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5%), eighth-most
  • 524 Quality Passes, ninth-most

7 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Carlyle Tools by NAPA Toyota)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.7

2012 Rundown

  • Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 11.3
  • Led 11 races for 423 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • One top five, seven top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 16.1 in 14 races
  • Average Running Position of 15.2, 14th-best
  • Driver Rating of 85.0, 13th-best
  • 967 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.422 mph, 12th-fastest

8 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.5

2012 Rundown

  • Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 11.1
  • Led 21 races for 477 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Two wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s
  • Average finish of 8.6 in 20 races
  • Series-best Average Running Position of 9.2
  • Series-best Driver Rating of 107.2
  • 299 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
  • 1,073 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 173.004 mph, second-fastest
  • Series-high 3,988 Laps in the Top 15 (79.4%)
  • 591 Quality Passes, fifth-most

9 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.5

2012 Rundown

  • Two wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles
  • Average finish of 10.5
  • Led 16 races for 721 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Two wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 16.2 in 17 races
  • Average Running Position of 12.6, seventh-best
  • Driver Rating of 103.3, second-best
  • Series-high 447 Fastest Laps Run
  • Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 173.009 mph
  • 3,648 Laps in the Top 15 (72.7%), sixth-most
  • 604 Quality Passes, third-most

10 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.0

2012 Rundown

  • Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 13.6
  • Led 14 races for 420 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Two wins, five top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 13.1 in 21 races
  • Average Running Position of 9.6, second-best
  • Driver Rating of 102.5, third-best
  • 339 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.934 mph, fourth-fastest
  • 3,910 Laps in the Top 15 (77.9%), third-most
  • 557 Quality Passes, seventh-most

11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem/Budweiser Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.8

2012 Rundown

  • Four top fives, 11 top 10s
  • Average finish of 12.6
  • Led 8 races for 241 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • Three top fives, nine top 10s
  • Average finish of 12.7 in 19 races
  • Average Running Position of 15.3, 15th-best
  • Driver Rating of 84.8, 14th-best
  • 1,136 Green Flag Passes, second-most
  • 2,895 Laps in the Top 15 (57.7%), 12th-most
  • 531 Quality Passes, eighth-most

12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet)

  • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6

2012 Rundown

  • One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
  • Average finish of 10.7
  • Led 13 races for 358 laps

Texas Motor Speedway Outlook:

  • One win, three top fives, 11 top 10s; two poles
  • Average finish of 13.9 in 20 races
  • Average Running Position of 11.3, third-best
  • Driver Rating of 92.8, eighth-best
  • 172 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
  • 1,103 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
  • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.649 mph, seventh-fastest
  • 3,930 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3%), second-most
  • Series-high 650 Quality Passes

 

Chase Contenders

The Top 12

Following Race 33 of 36

  

Driver Points Wins Poles Rank Last Week Season Driver Rating
1. Jimmie Johnson    2,291       4           3              2           109.9          
2. Brad Keselowski     2,289       5           0              1             97.8          
3. Clint Bowyer           2,265       3           0              4             95.6          
4. Kasey Kahne           2,262       2           4               5             96.0          
5. Denny Hamlin         2,242       5           3               3           102.1          
6. Jeff Gordon            2,237       1           2               8             97.6          
7. Martin Truex Jr.      2,228       0           1               6             96.7          
8. Matt Kenseth           2,226       3           1              9           100.5          
9. Greg Biffle               2,222       2           3             11           100.5          
10. Tony Stewart           2,220       3           1               7             87.0          
11. Kevin Harvick         2,203       0           0             10             90.8          
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.  2,151       1           1             12             97.6          

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Kyle Busch                     1,006      36. David Stremme          220
14. Carl Edwards                  937         37. Michael McDowell      172
15. Ryan Newman                936         38. J.J. Yeley                  155
16. Paul Menard                   921         39. Josh Wise                 129
17. Joey Logano                   885         40. Ken Schrader             126
18. Marcos Ambrose             880         41. Stephen Leicht           117
19. Jeff Burton                     802         42. Scott Speed               110
20. Jamie McMurray             797         43. Michael Waltrip            94
21. Aric Almirola                   774         44. Terry Labonte             94
22. Juan Pablo Montoya        752         45. Tony Raines               71
23. Regan Smith                   713         46. Scott Riggs                54
24. Bobby Labonte                713         47. Brendan Gaughan         50
25. Kurt Busch                     628         48. Boris Said                   34
26. Mark Martin                    623         49. Bill Elliott                     14
27. David Ragan                   582         50. Hermie Sadler III          13
28. David Gilliland                 577         51. Mike Olsen                  11
29. Travis Kvapil                   573         52. Robby Gordon             11
30. Casey Mears                  552         53. Mike Skinner               10
31. Landon Cassill                544         54. Kelly Bires                    9
32. AJ Allmendinger              445         55. Tomy Drissi                  6
33. Dave Blaney                   382         56. Stacy Compton             5
34. David Reutimann             359         57. David Mayhew              4
35. Brian Vickers                  250         58. Patrick Long                  2

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 Texas Motor Speedway

 

Driver

Races

Poles

Wins

Top Fives

Top 10s

DNFs

Average Finish

Driver Rating

  
 

1

Jimmie Johnson

18

0

1

8

13

1

9.7

100.6

  

2

Brad Keselowski

8

0

0

0

0

0

25.3

63.2

  

3

Clint Bowyer

13

0

0

3

7

1

13.3

90.9

  

4

Kasey Kahne

16

1

1

4

5

3

18.8

82.8

  

5

Denny Hamlin

14

0

2

5

8

0

10.3

94.6

  

6

Jeff Gordon

23

2

1

8

11

5

16.2

91.3

  

7

Martin Truex Jr.

14

2

0

1

7

3

16.1

85.0

  

8

Matt Kenseth

20

0

2

11

14

0

8.6

107.2

  

9

Greg Biffle

17

1

2

7

10

4

16.2

103.3

  

10

Tony Stewart

21

1

2

5

11

3

13.1

102.5

  

11

Kevin Harvick

19

0

0

3

9

0

12.7

84.8

  

12

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

20

2

1

3

11

2

13.9

92.8

  

* – Based on last 15 races at Texas Motor Speedway.

 

At Texas Motor Speedway:

History

  • Construction began in 1995.
  • The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.
  • The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.

Notebook

  • There have been 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.
  • Four drivers have competed in all 22 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
  • Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.
  • Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
  • 16 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Martin Truex Jr. with two.
  • 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle each have two wins.
  • 17 of 23 races have been won from a top-10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole - Kasey Kahne in 2006.
  • Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
  • Both Jeff Burton (1999) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10).
  • Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/07) and David Ragan (04/09/11) scored their first series poles at Texas.
  • Matt Kenseth (8.6) and Jimmie Johnson (9.7) are the only active drivers to average a top-10 finish at Texas.
  • Jimmie Johnson (9.2) is the only active driver to average a top-10 starting position at Texas.
  • Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with nine. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.
  • There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010.
  • Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway winner: Ryan Newman (3/30/2003 – 25 years, 3 months, 22 days). Oldest NSCS Texas Motor Speedway winner: Dale Jarrett (4/1/2001 – 44 years, 4 months, 6 days).
  • Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway pole winner: Brian Vickers (11/5/2006 – 23 years, 0 months, 12 days). Oldest NSCS Texas Motor Speedway pole winner: Bill Elliott (4/8/2002 – 46 years, 6 months, 0 days).

 

Texas Motor Speedway Data

  • Chase Race #: 8 of 10
  • Season Race #: 34 of 36 (11-04-12)
  • Track Size: 1.5-mile
  • Banking/Turns: 24 degrees
  • Banking/Straights: 5 degrees
  • Frontstretch Length:  2,250 feet
  • Backstretch Length:  1,330 feet
  • Race Length: 334 laps / 501 miles

 

Top 12 Driver Rating at Texas

  1. Matt Kenseth……………………….. 107.2
  2. Greg Biffle………………………….. 103.3
  3. Tony Stewart……………………….. 102.5
  4. Jimmie Johnson…………………… 100.6
  5. Carl Edwards………………………… 99.2
  6. Kyle Busch…………………………… 96.8
  7. Denny Hamlin……………………….. 94.6
  8. Dale Earnhardt Jr…………………… 92.8
  9. Jeff Gordon………………………….. 91.3
  10. Clint Bowyer…………………………. 90.9
  11. Mark Martin…………………………… 89.0
  12. Kurt Busch……………………………. 89.0

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) among active drivers at Texas Motor Speedway

 

Qualifying/Race Data

  • 2011 pole winner:
    • Greg Biffle, Ford. 193.736 mph, 27.873 sec., 11-04-11
  •  
  • 2011 race winner:
    • Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 152.705 mph, (3:10:51), 11-06-11
  •  
  • Track qualifying record:
    • Brian Vickers, Chevrolet, 196.235 mph, 27.518 sec., 11-05-06
  •  
  • Track race record:
    • Greg Biffle, Ford, 160.577 mph, (3:07:12), 04-14-12

 

NASCAR in Texas

  • There have been 32 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Texas.

  • Track Name

    City

    NSCS

    Texas Motor Speedway

    Fort Worth

    23

    Meyer Speedway

    Houston

    1

    Texas World Speedway

    College Station

    8
  •  
  • 76 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Texas.
  • There have been nine race winners from Texas in NASCAR’s three national series:

  • Driver

    NSCS

    NNS

    NCWTS

    Terry Labonte

    22

    11

    1

    Bobby Labonte

    21

    10

    1

    A.J. Foyt

    7

    0

    0

    Billy Wade

    4

    0

    0

    Bobby Hillin Jr

    1

    2

    0

    Johnny Rutherford

    1

    0

    0

    James Buescher

    0

    1

    4

    David Starr

    0

    0

    4

    Colin Braun

    0

    0

    1
  •  

 

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