DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2013) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida going into The Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 16. A total of 19 drivers are eligible to participate in the annual preseason, non-points race.
Eligible Drivers Performance
Aric Almirola – No. 43 Smithfield Ford
None
Marcos Ambrose – No. 9 Stanley Ford
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2012 3 21 9 82 1 1 Running
Greg Biffle – No. 16 3M Ford
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2005 5 2 16 70 1 44 Running
2007 13 5 16 70 Running
2008 20 17 16 48 Accident
2009 17 26 16 72 Accident
2010 15 5 16 74 2 5 Accident
2011 5 11 16 75 Running
2012 6 7 16 82 3 17 Running
Kurt Busch – No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2002 14 1 97 70 1 3 Running
2003 11 3 97 70 1 11 Running
2005 6 6 97 70 Running
2007 3 19 2 70 2 6 Running
2008 18 1 2 70 Running
2009 9 12 2 78 Running
2010 23 22 2 32 Accident
2011 1 17 22 75 3 3 Running
2012 17 6 51 82 Accident
Kyle Busch – No. 18 M&M’s Toyota
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 15 14 5 72 2 4 Running
2007 7 6 5 70 3 39 Running
2009 10 10 18 78 2 6 Running
2010 4 17 18 76 Running
2011 16 21 18 41 2 2 Accident
2012 1 2 18 82 2 3 Running
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2001 6 10 8 70 Running
2002 2 16 8 70 1 20 Running
2003 1 19 8 70 4 13 Running
2004 2 19 8 70 Running
2005 7 12 8 70 Running
2006 2 19 8 72 1 1 Running
2007 14 17 8 70 Running
2008 1 7 88 70 7 47 Running
2009 18 9 88 64 4 23 Accident
2010 11 11 88 76 Running
2011 19 1 88 27 3 4 Accident
2012 20 8 88 54 2 12 Accident
Carl Edwards – No. 99 Fastenal Ford
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 16 11 99 71 Running
2008 12 20 99 70 1 1 Running
2009 7 11 99 78 2 11 Running
2010 17 1 99 74 2 42 Accident
2011 21 3 99 33 Accident
2012 9 11 99 82 Running
Jeff Gordon – No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
1994 1 6 24 20 1 2 Running
1995 4 5 24 20 Running
1996 9 7 24 20 Running
1997 1 3 24 20 Running
1998 14 5 24 25 Engine
1999 15 8 24 25 Running
2000 2 6 24 25 Running
2001 11 6 24 70 Running
2002 3 22 24 70 Running
2003 2 18 24 70 2 31 Running
2004 5 2 24 70 2 16 Running
2005 3 11 24 70 Running
2006 19 10 24 23 Accident
2007 21 11 24 31 Electrical
2008 4 22 24 70 1 1 Running
2009 4 28 24 78 2 2 Running
2010 6 23 24 76 Running
2011 6 12 24 75 1 1 Running
2012 15 14 24 73 3 16 Accident
Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 1 15 11 72 3 16 Running
2007 17 21 11 70 Running
2008 9 12 11 70 Running
2009 13 5 11 78 2 4 Running
2010 5 24 11 76 Running
2011 12 4 11 75 Running
2012 5 16 11 82 Running
Kevin Harvick – No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 9 16 29 70 Running
2004 3 5 29 70 2 10 Running
2006 20 18 29 15 Engine
2007 5 20 29 70 2 11 Running
2009 1 27 29 78 1 1 Running
2010 1 2 29 76 5 21 Running
2011 7 18 29 75 Running
2012 22 22 29 54 3 4 Accident
Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 Lowe’s Yellow Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 7 2 48 70 1 4 Running
2004 9 17 48 70 Running
2005 1 17 48 70 1 16 Running
2006 5 2 48 72 3 12 Running
2007 4 8 48 70 Running
2008 3 18 48 70 Running
2009 14 21 48 77 1 2 Accident
2010 13 16 48 76 Running
2011 4 23 48 75 2 7 Running
2012 14 18 48 74 1 1 Accident
Kasey Kahne – No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2005 9 13 9 70 Running
2006 18 5 9 35 Accident
2007 15 15 9 70 Running
2008 10 8 9 70 Running
2009 6 14 9 78 1 2 Running
2010 2 19 9 76 Running
2011 24 5 4 7 Engine
2012 13 19 5 79 Running
Matt Kenseth – No. 20 Dollar General Toyota
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 3 5 17 70 3 6 Running
2006 6 16 17 72 Running
2009 8 25 17 78 1 1 Running
2010 16 8 17 74 Accident
2011 13 19 17 74 Running
2012 21 23 17 54 Accident
Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2009 28 19 20 3 Accident
2010 7 21 20 76 Running
2011 18 22 20 27 Accident
2012 18 10 20 54 1 1 Accident
Mark Martin – No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
1982 8 9 02 20 Running
1989 7 11 06 20 Running
1990 6 10 06 20 Running
1991 2 12 6 20 Running
1992 3 3 6 20 Running
1993 4 8 6 20 Running
1994 5 5 6 20 1 2 Running
1995 16 14 6 0 Accident
1996 7 10 6 20 Running
1997 6 6 6 20 Running
1998 8 1 6 25 Running
1999 1 13 6 25 1 16 Running
2000 15 1 6 10 Radiator
2001 8 4 6 70 2 4 Running
2002 12 18 6 70 Running
2003 17 9 6 70 1 4 Running
2004 4 7 6 70 Running
2005 8 14 6 70 Running
2006 7 13 6 72 Running
2007 6 10 01 70 Running
2008 8 2 8 70 1 1 Running
2010 20 6 5 74 Accident
2011 17 20 5 36 Accident
Juan Pablo Montoya – No. 42 Target Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2010 10 20 42 76 Running
2011 20 13 42 27 Accident
2012 10 25 42 82 1 1 Running
Ken Schrader – No. 32 FAS Lane Racing Ford
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
1988 7 3 25 20 Running
1989 1 1 25 20 2 15 Running
1990 1 3 25 20 1 16 Running
1991 12 11 25 12 Accident
1993 2 12 25 20 Running
1994 8 1 25 20 1 2 Running
1996 5 7 25 20 Running
1998 5 2 33 25 1 9 Running
1999 2 4 33 25 1 1 Running
2000 6 10 36 25 Running
2001 16 1 36 67 Out of Gas
2002 4 4 36 70 1 1 Running
2003 6 11 49 70 1 1 Running
2004 13 14 49 70 Running
2005 16 5 49 70 Running
2006 14 1 21 72 2 18 Running
2007 11 7 21 70 Running
2008 15 13 49 70 Running
2010 14 14 82 76 Running
Tony Stewart – No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2000 4 3 20 25 Running
2001 1 7 20 70 Running
2002 1 3 20 70 2 31 Running
2003 15 12 20 70 Running
2004 7 18 20 70 Running
2005 4 8 20 70 Running
2006 3 3 20 72 3 7 Running
2007 1 14 20 70 2 11 Running
2008 2 10 20 70 2 9 Running
2009 3 6 14 78 1 4 Running
2010 9 13 14 76 2 6 Running
2011 11 2 14 75 3 4 Running
2012 2 15 14 82 1 7 Running
Martin Truex Jr. – No. 56 NAPA Toyota
Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2008 21 9 1 47 Accident
2012 19 1 56 54 2 7 Accident
The Sprint Unlimited Tidbits
· The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (19 are scheduled to compete in this year’s event).
· The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:
o Bill Elliott (23)
o Mark Martin (23)
o Rusty Wallace (19)
o Ken Schrader (19)
o Jeff Gordon (19)
· Mark Martin had appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 20 consecutive events from 1989-2008. With his start in this year’s race, Jeff Gordon, who currently has 19 consecutive starts in the event, will tie that mark.
· There have been eight multiple winners in The Sprint Unlimited:
o Tony Stewart has won three (2001, 2002 and 2007).
o Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).
o Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
o Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008) and Kevin Harvick (2009-2010).
o Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back races. No driver has ever won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited races.
· Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.
· Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:
Bobby Allison (1982)
Bill Elliott (1987)
Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
Jeff Gordon (1997)
· There have been three winners from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981), Bill Elliott (1987) and Ken Schrader (1989).
· Two drivers have swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2012: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987)
· One driver has swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2012: Bobby Allison (1982).
· Seven drivers have won The Sprint Unlimited (1979-2012) and the same season’s championship. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times – four times.
Tony Stewart (2002)
Jeff Gordon (1997)
Dale Earnhardt (1993)
Dale Earnhardt (1991)
Dale Earnhardt (1986)
Darrell Waltrip (1981)
Dale Earnhardt (1980)
· Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2012). None went on to win that year’s Daytona 500.
Kevin Harvick (2009-10)
Tony Stewart (2000-01)
Ken Schrader (1990-91)
Neil Bonnett (1983-84)
The Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap
Manufacturer Victories Last Victory – Driver
Chevrolet 19 2010 – Kevin Harvick
Ford 7 2004 – Dale Jarrett
Buick 2 1982 – Bobby Allison
Oldsmobile 2 1980 – Dale Earnhardt
Pontiac 2 2002 – Tony Stewart
Dodge 1 2011 – Kurt Busch
Toyota 1 2012 – Kyle Busch
By the Numbers: The Sprint Unlimited
.013 – Margin of victory in seconds by Kyle Busch over Tony Stewart in 2012, the closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
.058 – Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the second closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
.08 – Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the third closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Dale Jarrett (2000 and 2004) and Kevin Harvick (2009) in The Sprint Unlimited races they won
2 – The starting position that has produced the most Sprint Unlimited wins (five).
2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts
5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006)
6 – Number of Sprint Unlimited wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader
7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for The Sprint Unlimited (1981)
11 – Number of starts before winning, most since race began in 1979 (Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin)
14 – Number of different leaders in the 2009 event, most since race began in 1979
19 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in The Sprint Unlimited, leads all manufacturers
20 – Most consecutive starts in The Sprint Unlimited by Mark Martin (1989-2008)
27 – Kevin Harvick’s starting position in 2009, the lowest by a race winner in the event’s history
28 – Number of lead changes in the 2011 event, highest number since race began in 1979
44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most by a driver who did not win the event
47 – Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, the most in a single Sprint Unlimited
124.095 mph – The slowest average speed of the race for The Sprint Unlimited was last season’s event won by Kyle Busch.
197.802 mph – The fastest average speed of the race for The Sprint Unlimited was in 1987 won by Bill Elliott.
