Nascar 2013 – Statistical Advance: Analyzing KOBALT Tools 400

Statistical Advance: Analyzing KOBALT Tools 400

 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 4, 2013) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada going into the KOBALT Tools 400 on March 10.

 LAS VEGAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

 Chase Contenders

The Top 12

Following Race 2 of 36

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 ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. JJ Yeley                         50           30. Kevin Harvick              33
14. Bobby Labonte                49           31. Kasey Kahne               33
15. Jeff Burton                     48           32. Kurt Busch                  33
16. David Reutimann             48           33. Kyle Busch                  31
17. Paul Menard                   48           34. Martin Truex Jr.           28
18. Matt Kenseth                  46           35. Scott Speed                25
19. Casey Mears                  45           36. Michael Waltrip            23
20. Ryan Newman                44           37. Terry Labonte              18
21. Joey Logano                   44           38. David Ragan               16
22. Danica Patrick                42           39. David Stremme            14
23. Tony Stewart                  39           40. David Gilliland              13
24. Juan Pablo Montoya        38           41. Landon Cassill             12
25. Dave Blaney                   38           42. Ken Schrader               10
26. Michael McDowell           35          
27. Travis Kvapil                   35          
28. Jamie McMurray             34          
29. AJ Allmendinger              33

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 Las Vegas Motor Speedway

* – Based on last eight races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

History

•  The construction to build the superspeedway known today as Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.
• The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.
• In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.

Notebook

• There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• 125 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas; 96 in more than one.
• Four drivers have participated in all 15 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
• Dale Jarrett won the inaugural pole with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.)
• 10 drivers have poles at LVMS, led by Kasey Kahne, who posted his third last season.
• Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS from (2008-09).
• Youngest LVMS pole winner: Kyle Busch (3/2/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days).
• Oldest LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (3/4/2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days).
• Nine different drivers have won at LVMS, led by Jimmie Johnson (four). Three other drivers have multiple wins at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards and two-time Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth each have two.
• Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five.
•  Only seven of the 15 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.
• Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and thus far only driver to win from the pole, in 2009.
• Only two LVMS races have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); and Carl Edwards, 2008 (second-place).
• Four of the 15 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.
• Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (03/01/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).
• Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (03/03/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart lead the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with two each.
• Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with six each.
• Mark Martin has 10 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. His average finish is 13.4.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finish at LVMS with a 9.818; he is the only active driver with an average finish in the top 10.
• There has been one green-white-checkered finish at Las Vegas: 2006 (270/267).
• Kyle Busch made his first start and Kasey Kahne won his first pole at Las Vegas, in the same event (2004).
• Aric Almirola made his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2007.
• Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson the only one of the three to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).
• Eight of the nine NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance.
• Tony Stewart competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 13 times before winning (2012); the longest span of any the nine winners. Stewart is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win at LVMS.
• Bobby Labonte leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane with 15.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Las Vegas was the (3/12/2006) race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.045 seconds.
• Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas in their championship-defending season: Matt Kenseth (2004), Jimmie Johnson is the only one to do it multiple times (2007, 2010) and Tony Stewart (2012).
• Three drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and at Las Vegas in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010).
• This weekend will be Danica Patrick’s first attempt at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Shawna Robinson is the only female driver to have made a NASCAR Sprint Cup start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to date. She did so on March 3, 2002 starting 36th and finishing 42nd.
• Only two car numbers have produced three or more Las Vegas NSCS wins:
  • Car Number – Drivers – (Years)
    • No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2005-2007 and 2010)
    • No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000) Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)
•  
• LOOP LEADERS: The following are the leaders in key Loop Data categories heading into this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: The information is based off the last eight races at LVMS.

Loop Category – Drivers – Stats

• Driver Rating – Jimmie Johnson – 110.9
• Average Running Position – Jeff Gordon – 9.066
• Average Quality Passes – Jeff Gordon – 39.0
• Percentage of Laps Led – Jeff Gordon – 17.2%
• Percentage of Laps In The Top 15 – Jeff Gordon – 84.0%
• Closers (Avg. spots gained in last 10% of race) – Ryan Newman – 3.0

 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data

• Season Race #: 3 of 36 (03-10-13)
• Track Size: 1.5-miles
• Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 20 degrees
• Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 20 degrees
• Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
• Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
• Frontstretch Length:  2,275 feet
• Backstretch Length:  1,572 feet
• Race Length: 267 laps / 400 Kilometers

Top 12 Driver Rating at Las Vegas

1. Jimmie Johnson……………… 110.9
2. Jeff Gordon…………………… 107.9
3. Tony Stewart………………….. 106.4
4. Greg Biffle…………………….. 106.3
5. Kyle Busch……………………. 100.9
6. Carl Edwards…………………… 98.2
7. Matt Kenseth…………………… 95.9
8. Kevin Harvick…………………… 94.1
9. Jeff Burton……………………… 90.8
10. Mark Martin……………………… 90.1
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr……………… 86.2
12. Kurt Busch………………………. 84.6

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (8 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

 Qualifying/Race Data

• 2012 pole winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.456 mph, 28.353 secs. 03-09-12
• 2012 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 137.524 mph, (2:54:44), 03-11-12
• Track qualifying record: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.456 mph, 28.353 secs., 03-09-12
• Track race record: Mark Martin, Ford, 146.554 mph, (2:43:58), 03-01-98

NASCAR in Nevada

•  There have been 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Nevada.

• 21 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada.
•  Three drivers from Nevada have won at least race in NASCAR’s three national series.