DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 25, 2013) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona going into the Subway Fresh Fit 500 on March 3.
PHOENIX-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M / NOVEC Ford)
· Five top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 13.7
· Average Running Position of 14.9, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 92.4, 10th-best
· 276 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 687 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.664 mph, 10th-fastest
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet)
· One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 10.4, third-best
· Driver Rating of 99.3, fourth-best
· 279 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.765 mph, seventh-fastest
· 3,521 Laps in the Top 15 (74.1%), seventh-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)
· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 10.9, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.9, third-best
· 245 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.833 mph, fourth-fastest
· 4,217 Laps in the Top 15 (83.2%), second-most
· Series-high 465 Quality Passes
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Subway Ford)
· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 12.5
· Average Running Position of 13.3, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.3, eighth-best
· 284 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.826 mph, fifth-fastest
· 3,339 Laps in the Top 15 (65.9%), ninth-most
· 347 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 PEPSI MAX Chevrolet)
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.5
· Average Running Position of 10.6, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.8, sixth-best
· 186 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.694 mph, ninth-fastest
· 4,069 Laps in the Top 15 (80.3%), third-most
· 362 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
· One win, seven top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.3
· Average Running Position of 11.1, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.4, second-best
· 235 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.899 mph, second-fastest
· 3,583 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), sixth-most
· 365 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)
· Three wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.9
· Average Running Position of 11.3, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 98.4, seventh-best
· 233 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 656 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.809 mph, sixth-fastest
· 3,719 Laps in the Top 15 (73.4%), fifth-most
· 343 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Four wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 6.7
· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.1
· Series-best Driver Rating of 115.8
· Series-high 517 Fastest Laps Run
· 649 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 125.199 mph
· Series-high 4,452 Laps in the Top 15 (87.9%)
· 456 Quality Passes, second-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Husky Toyota)
· One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.7
· Driver Rating of 85.5, 12th-best
· 159 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 685 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.556 mph, 11th-fastest
· 2,900 Laps in the Top 15 (57.2%), 12th-most
· 351 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota)
· Two wins, 12 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 9.1
· Average Running Position of 11.8, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.8, ninth-best
· 266 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.758 mph, eighth-fastest
· 3,325 Laps in the Top 15 (69.9%), 10th-most
· 335 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, eight top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 18.0
· Average Running Position of 14.5, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.9, 11th-best
· 681 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.526 mph, 13th-fastest
· 3,476 Laps in the Top 15 (68.6%), eighth-most
· 444 Quality Passes, third-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.1
· Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best
· Driver Rating of 99.0, fifth-best
· 212 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 690 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.891 mph, third-fastest
· 3,905 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), fourth-most
· 423 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Filters Toyota)
· One top five, five top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.1
· Average Running Position of 15.9, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 84.9, 13th-best
· 134 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
Chase Contenders
The Top 12
Following Race 1 of 36
Rank Season
Last Driver
Driver Points Wins Poles Week Rating
1. Jimmie Johnson 47 1 0 0 125.7
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 42 0 0 0 105.7
3. Mark Martin 41 0 0 0 95.5
4. Brad Keselowski 41 0 0 0 97.3
5. Ryan Newman 40 0 0 0 76.5
6. Greg Biffle 38 0 0 0 106.6
7. Danica Patrick 37 0 1 0 113.4
8. Michael McDowell 35 0 0 0 70.3
9. JJ Yeley 34 0 0 0 59.0
10. Clint Bowyer 34 0 0 0 104.0
11. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 32 0 0 0 80.4
12. Aric Almirola 31 0 0 0 78.0
___________________________________________________________
ADDITIONAL DRIVERS
13. Denny Hamlin 31 28. Jeff Burton 14
14. Bobby Labonte 29 29. Jamie McMurray 12
15. David Reutimann 28 30. Carl Edwards 11
16. Dave Blaney 27 31. Kyle Busch 10
17. Marcos Ambrose 26 32. David Ragan 9
18. Joey Logano 26 33. Matt Kenseth 9
19. Jeff Gordon 25 34. Kasey Kahne 8
20. Paul Menard 24 35. David Gilliland 6
21. Michael Waltrip 23 36. Juan Pablo Montoya 5
22. Scott Speed 22 37. Tony Stewart 3
23. Martin Truex Jr. 20 38. Kevin Harvick 2
24. Travis Kvapil 20
25. Terry Labonte 18
26. Kurt Busch 16
27. Casey Mears 15
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 Phoenix International Raceway
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
1
Jimmie Johnson
19
1
4
12
15
0
6.7
115.8
2
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
21
0
2
4
8
3
18.2
81.0
3
Mark Martin
32
2
2
12
21
1
9.1
97.8
4
Brad Keselowski
7
0
0
1
2
1
19.9
78.6
5
Ryan Newman
21
4
1
8
8
3
18.0
88.9
6
Greg Biffle
18
0
0
5
7
1
13.7
92.4
7
Danica Patrick
1
0
0
0
0
0
17.0
58.0
8
Michael McDowell
7
0
0
0
0
6
40.0
34.6
9
J.J. Yeley
9
0
0
0
0
1
27.1
53.3
10
Clint Bowyer
15
0
0
2
5
2
17.7
80.0
11
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
–
12
Aric Almirola
4
0
0
0
0
0
20.3
69.4
* – Based on last 16 races at Phoenix International Raceway.
At Phoenix International Raceway:
Phoenix International Raceway Data
Season Race #: 2 of 36 (03-03-13)
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 10 – 11 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 8 – 9 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,179 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,551 feet
Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers
Top 12 Driver Rating at Phoenix
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 115.8
Denny Hamlin………………………. 100.4
Kyle Busch…………………………… 99.9
Kurt Busch……………………………. 99.3
Tony Stewart…………………………. 99.0
Jeff Gordon………………………….. 98.8
Kevin Harvick………………………… 98.4
Carl Edwards………………………… 98.3
Mark Martin…………………………… 97.8
Greg Biffle……………………………. 92.4
Ryan Newman……………………….. 88.9
Matt Kenseth………………………… 85.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (16 total) among active drivers at Phoenix International Raceway
Qualifying/Race Data
2012 pole winner: Mark Martin, Toyota, 136.815 mph, 26.313 sec., 03-01-12
2012 race winner: Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 110.085 mph, (2:50:35), 03-04-12
Track qualifying record: Kyle Busch, Toyota, 138.766 mph, 25.943 sec., 11-09-12
Track race record: Tony Stewart, Pontiac, 118.132 mph, (2:38:28), 11-7-99
History
· Construction was completed in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
· Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 1988.
· The first spring race was held on April 23, 2005 and also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.
· The track underwent its first repave in 2011. The construction began in March and concluded in September of that year.
· The following changes were made during the construction period (March – Sept., 2011):
o Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet
o Reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
o Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet
o Tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o Implemented variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
Notebook
· There have been 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
· 184 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix; 134 in more than one.
· Geoffrey Bodine won the first pole in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.)
· There have been 19 different pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four.
· Youngest Phoenix pole winner: Kyle Busch (4/22/06 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days).
· Oldest Phoenix pole winner: Mark Martin (03/04/12 – 53 years, 1 months, 24 days).
· Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), while Gordon won the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007, and Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011.
· There have been 23 different race winners at Phoenix, seven of which have won more than once, led by Jimmie Johnson, with four – (’07 fall, ’08 sweep, ’09 fall).
· The seven drivers who have won more than once at Phoenix: Jimmie Johnson (four), Kevin Harvick (three), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Jeff Gordon (two) and Mark Martin (two).
· Of the seven drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Ford (1993) and Chevrolet (2009).
· The race has been won from the pole four times: Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009) and Carl Edwards (fall 2010).
· The race has been won from a top-10 starting position in 17 of 33 events.
· Denny Hamlin (November, 2005) and AJ Allmendinger (April, 2010) won their first career pole at Phoenix International Raceway.
· Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
· Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.
· Mark Martin has 21 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. Martin (9.0 average finish) is one of two active drivers who average a top-10 finish. Jimmie Johnson (6.6) is the other.
· Two perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 have been recorded at Phoenix, Kurt Busch in April of 2005 and Kevin Harvick in November of 2006.
· Five drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006); Jimmie Johnson is the only one of the five to win three consecutive races (fall 2007, swept 2008).
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Phoenix with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with six.
· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway winner: Phoenix International Raceway winner: Kyle Busch (11/13/2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days).
· Oldest NSCS Phoenix International Raceway winner: Mark Martin (04/18/2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).
· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with five; followed by Tony Stewart with three.
· Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson lead the series in top-five finishes at Phoenix with 12 each.
· Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) are the only two drivers to post their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career win at Phoenix International Raceway.
· 21 of the 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Phoenix participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix in their first appearance.
· Jeff Gordon competed at Phoenix International Raceway 16 times before winning (4/21/2007); the longest span of any the 23 winners.
· Six drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Phoenix: Jeff Gordon (16), Ryan Newman (15), Kasey Kahne (14), Denny Hamlin (13), Carl Edwards (12) and Rusty Wallace (11).
· Bobby Labonte leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix without visiting Victory Lane with 28.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Phoenix was the (4/10/2010) race won by Ryan Newman with a MOV of 0.13 seconds.
· Seven of the 33 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Phoenix have been won from the front row.
· Five drivers have won the first two races of the season in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series; the first two times did not include the Daytona 500: Lee Petty (Daytona Beach Course, Tri-City Speedway; 1954), Marvin Panch (Willow Springs Speedway, Concord Speedway; 1956), David Pearson (Riverside, Daytona; 1976), Jeff Gordon (Daytona, Rockingham; 1997) and Matt Kenseth (Daytona, Auto Club).
· Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champions have gone on to win at Phoenix the following season; Jimmie Johnson is the only one to do it multiple times: Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009); Kurt Busch (2005) and Bill Elliott (1989).
· Two drivers have won at Phoenix and the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship in the same season: Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009); Dale Earnhardt (1990).
· Danica Patrick is the only female driver to have made a NASCAR Sprint Cup start at Phoenix International Raceway. She did so last season (11/11/12) starting 37th and finishing 17th.
· Car numbers that have produced three or more Phoenix wins:
Car Number – Drivers – (Years)
o No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009)
o No. 29 – Kevin Harvick (2006 sweep and 2012)
o No. 5 – Mark Martin (2009), Kyle Busch (2005) and Terry Labonte (1994)
o No. 99 – Carl Edwards (2010) and Jeff Burton (2000, 2001)
NASCAR in Arizona
· There have been 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Arizona.
Track Name
City
NSCS
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix
33
Arizona State Fairgrounds
Phoenix
4
Tucson Rodeo Grounds
Tucson
1
· 31 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
· There have been no race winners from Arizona in NASCAR’s three national series.
