Statistical Advance: Analyzing the KOBALT 400

LAS VEGAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Red Cross Ford)

·        Two top fives, six top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 13.8

·        Average Running Position of 10.7, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 103.0, fourth-best

·        150 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

·        483 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.361 mph, fourth-fastest

·        1,754 Laps in the Top 15 (72.4%), fifth-most

·        270 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most

 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)

·        One win, four top fives, five top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 14.7

·        Average Running Position of 10.3, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 102.8, fifth-best

·        110 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

·        500 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.333 mph, sixth-fastest

·        Series-high 1,904 Laps in the Top 15 (78.5%)

·        Series-high 358 Quality Passes

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Mountain Dew Kickstart Chevrolet)

·        Two top fives, seven top 10s

·        Average finish of 15.6

·        Average Running Position of 14.9, 12th-best

·        Driver Rating of 88.2, ninth-best

·        90 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·        532 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 169.982 mph, eighth-fastest

·        1,590 Laps in the Top 15 (65.6%), eighth-most

·        284 Quality Passes, sixth-most

 

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)

·        Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s

·        Average finish of 9.7

·        Average Running Position of 11.6, fifth-best

·        Driver Rating of 98.8, sixth-best

·        155 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·        571 Green Flag Passes, second-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.031 mph, seventh-fastest

·        1,768 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9%), fourth-most

·        344 Quality Passes, second-most

 

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet)

·        One win, six top fives, seven top 10s

·        Average finish of 15.4

·        Average Running Position of 10.0, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 103.8, second-best

·        177 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

·        491 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.356 mph, fifth-fastest

·        1,870 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), second-most

·        334 Quality Passes, third-most

 

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)

·        Three top fives, five top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.7

·        Average Running Position of 11.7, sixth-best

·        Driver Rating of 94.8, eighth-best

·        60 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

·        521 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 169.944 mph, ninth-fastest

·        1,680 Laps in the Top 15 (69.3%), seventh-most

·        267 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)

·        Four wins, five top fives, seven top 10s

·        Average finish of 9.5

·        Series-best Average Running Position of 9.6

·        Series-best Driver Rating of 112.3

·        Series-high 316 Fastest Laps Run

·        499 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

·        Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 170.622 mph

·        1,825 Laps in the Top 15 (75.3%), third-most

·        311 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)

·        Three top fives, five top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 14.0

·        Average Running Position of 14.3, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.7, 10th-best

·        88 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

·        539 Green Flag Passes, third-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 169.550 mph, 11th-fastest

·        1,498 Laps in the Top 15 (61.8%), 10th-most

·        245 Quality Passes, 11th-most

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

·        Three wins, six top fives, seven top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 11.6

·        Average Running Position of 14.4, 10th-best

·        Driver Rating of 98.7, seventh-best

·        193 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.475 mph, second-fastest

·        1,551 Laps in the Top 15 (64.0%), ninth-most

·        253 Quality Passes, ninth-most

 

Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

·        One top 10

·        Average finish of 14.0

·        Average Running Position of 14.7, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 83.1, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 169.343 mph, 12th-fastest

 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 17 Zest Ford)

·        Average finish of 18.0

·        Average Running Position of 12.9, eighth-best

·        Driver Rating of 83.5, 11th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 169.856 mph, 10th-fastest

 

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

·        One win, six top fives, nine top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.7

·        Average Running Position of 11.8, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 103.4, third-best

·        187 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·        501 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 170.371 mph, third-fastest

·        1,733 Laps in the Top 15 (71.5%), sixth-most

·        298 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

Chase Contenders

 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Winners List:

Winner                                                     Track

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.                    Daytona International Speedway

2. Kevin Harvick                          Phoenix International Raceway

 

The Top 16

 

Following Race 2 of 36

Last            Driver

Driver                                    Points    Wins       Poles         Week         Rating

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.         90       1           0              1           127.8

2. Brad Keselowski           84       0           1               3           116.5

3. Jeff Gordon                  80       0           0              4           105.4

4. Kevin Harvick                79       1           0             12           117.5

5. Jimmie Johnson            78       0           0               5           106.5

6. Joey Logano                 75       0           0             11          114.2

7. Matt Kenseth                 70       0           0               6             94.1

8. Denny Hamlin                68       0           0              2             96.9

9. Carl Edwards                65       0           0             16             91.8

10. Greg Biffle                  64       0           0              8             87.5

11. Casey Mears               64       0           0            10             76.0

12. Jamie McMurray          64       0           0            13             83.7

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.     63       0           0              7             67.4

14. Kyle Busch                  61       0           0            18           101.0

15. Ryan Newman             60       0           0            21             79.6

16. Austin Dillon                56       0           1              9             69.3

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 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

·        128 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas; 97 in more than one.

·        Four drivers have participated in all 16 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 (2004, 2007 and 2012).

·        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: Matt Kenseth (three), Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards (each have two).

·        Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five.

·        Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and only Only two LVMS races have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); and Carl Edwards, 2008 (second-place).

·        Three of the 16 races (18.7%) have been won from a top-five starting position at Las Vegas.

·        Seven of the 16 (43.7%) races have been won from a top-10 starting position at Las Vegas.

·        Four of the 16 races (25%) at Las Vegas 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 (3/1/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).

·        Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (3/3/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).

·        Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart lead the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with two each.

·        Matt Kenseth, 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 9.5; Carl Edwards (9.6) is the only other 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 is the only one of the three to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).

·        Eight of the nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998; inaugural event) 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 of 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 16.

·        Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Las Vegas was the March 12, 2006 race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.045 second.

·        No driver has won the first three races of the season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The five drivers that have won the first two events of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season are: Matt Kenseth (2009), Jeff Gordon (1997), David Pearson (1976), Bob Welborn (1959) and Marvin Panch (1957).

·        Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas the following 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 at Las Vegas and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010).

·        Danica Patrick and Shawna Robinson are the only two female drivers to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

 

·        Only two car numbers have produced three or more Las Vegas NSCS wins:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

o   No. 48  – Jimmie Johnson (2005-2007 and 2010)

o   No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000) Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)

 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 3 of 36 (3-9-14)

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 / 400.5 miles

 

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Las Vegas

Jimmie Johnson………………….. 112.3

Jeff Gordon………………………… 103.8

Tony Stewart………………………. 103.4

Greg Biffle………………………….. 103.0

Kyle Busch…………………………. 102.8

Carl Edwards……………………….. 98.8

Matt Kenseth………………………… 98.7

Kevin Harvick……………………….. 94.8

Dale Earnhardt Jr………………….. 88.2

Kasey Kahne………………………… 87.7

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (nine total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2013 pole winner: None Due to Inclement Weather

2013 race winner: Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 146.287 mph, (2:44:16), 3-10-13

Track qualifying record: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.456 mph, 28.353 secs., 3-09-12

Track race record: Mark Martin, Ford, 146.554 mph, (2:43:58), 3-01-98

 

NASCAR in Nevada

·        There have been 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Nevada.

·        23 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada.

·        Three drivers from Nevada have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.