FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: TEXAS PLAYOFF NOTES
The middle race in the Round of 8 takes place this weekend after Ford drivers captured two of the three openers in Kansas. Chase Briscoe took the NASCAR XFINITY Series race and Joey Logano followed that up in the NASCAR Cup Series to clinch Championship 4 berths for both drivers. Here’s a look at where all Ford drivers stand going into Saturday and Sunday’s action at Texas Motor Speedway.
This Week’s Schedule:
Saturday, Oct. 24 – NASCAR XFINITY Series, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, Oct. 25 – NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series, 12 Noon ET (FS1)
Sunday, Oct. 25 – NASCAR Cup Series, 3:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
LOGANO POSTS 18TH CUP WIN FOR FORD
Joey Logano’s victory on Sunday at Kansas Speedway clinched his spot in the Championship 4 and gave Ford it’s 18th win of the season. That is not only the most among manufacturers in 2020 but is the third-highest single-season total in Ford’s NASCAR history during the modern era (1972-present). With three races remaining, the Blue Oval still has a shot to equal or pass the 20 wins it recorded in 1994. Here is a look at Ford’s best seasons since 1972:
YEAR-WINS
1994 – 20
2018 – 19
1997 – 19
2020 – 18
2005 – 16
1992 – 16
1998 – 15
FORD WINNING AT 55% RATE IN 2020
Joey Logano’s first playoff win of the season last weekend continued Ford’s string of success in 2020, and particularly since NASCAR returned to action. Overall, Ford drivers have combined to win 18-of-33 NASCAR Cup Series races (55%) and 16-of-29 points events (55%) since Kevin Harvick won the first race back at Darlington on May 17. Ford also holds a 68-point lead in the series manufacturers’ standings with three races remaining.
BRISCOE SETS FORD RECORD; ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP 4
Chase Briscoe set a Ford record for most wins in a NASCAR XFINITY Series season when he registered his ninth on Saturday at Kansas Speedway. The previous mark of eight had been held by Carl Edwards in 2011. Briscoe’s victory automatically advances him into the Championship 4, where he’ll have a chance to win the series title at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 7.
MOST FORD NXS DRIVER WINS (Single Season)
9 – Chase Briscoe (2020)
8 – Carl Edwards (2011)
7 – Cole Custer (2019)
7 – Brad Keselowski (2013)
7 – Carl Edwards (2008)
7 – Mark Martin (1993)
ROUND OF 8 NCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)
Joey Logano (Clinched: Kansas win)
Kevin Harvick (+41 ahead of transfer spot)
Brad Keselowski (+8 ahead of transfer spot)
FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT TMS
· Ford has the most all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins at TMS with 15.
· Kevin Harvick is the three-time defending champion of the Playoff race at TMS.
· Jack Roush is tied for the most wins among car owners at TMS with nine.
ROUND OF 8 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)
Chase Briscoe (Clinched: Kansas win)
Austin Cindric (+2 ahead of transfer spot)
FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TMS
· Ford has 13 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at TMS.
· Austin Cindric won the first NXS race at Texas this year, capping a three-race winning streak.
· Mark Martin won the first NXS race at Texas and leads Ford with three series victories overall.
ROUND OF 8 NGROTS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Martinsville)
Grant Enfinger (-7 from final transfer spot)
Matt Crafton (-15 from final transfer spot)
Ben Rhodes (-33 from final transfer spot)
FORD IN THE NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES AT KANSAS
· Ford has three series victories at Texas.
· Kenny Irwin, Jr. won the inaugural Texas event in 1997.
· Johnny Sauter leads all active drivers with five Texas wins.
HARVICK GOING FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT TEXAS PLAYOFF WIN
The last three times the NASCAR Cup Series has come to Texas Motor Speedway in the playoffs, Kevin Harvick has come away with the victory and a spot in the Championship 4. Last season, Harvick started from the pole and led a race-high 119 of the 334 laps, backing up his dominating performance from 2018 when he led 177 laps and won all three stages. That was much different than 2017 when he passed Martin Truex Jr. with 10 laps remaining to win, marking his first Cup victory at the speedway in 30 starts.
LAST LAP PASS LEADS LOGANO TO VICTORY
Joey Logano’s first Cup win at TMS came in 2014 in a race that was delayed until Monday because of rain. Logano dominated much of the second half, but a caution with two laps to go forced a green-white-checker finish. He started third on the restart after the leaders stopped on pit road and was able to get past Jeff Gordon on the final lap to claim victory. Logano led 108 of the final 116 laps to claim the first of five wins that season.
A TEXAS TWO-FIRST
A couple of firsts happened on April 6, 1997 as Texas Motor Speedway hosted its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event and Jeff Burton took his first checkered flag. Burton, led by crew chief Buddy Parrott, passed Todd Bodine with 58 laps remaining and beat fellow Ford driver Dale Jarrett to the finish line by four seconds. The race was slowed by 10 cautions, which included a multi-car accident in first turn of the first lap. Burton went on to win 21 career series races with 17 of those coming in a Thunderbird or Taurus.
SADLER WINS FIRST RACE WITH RYR
Elliott Sadler passed Jeff Gordon with 27 laps remaining and then held off Kasey Kahne in the closing laps to win the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 on April 4, 2004. Sadler, in his second season with Robert Yates Racing, hugged the inside lane over the final three laps as Kahne worked the outside. When the two cars came off turn four for the final time, Sadler had a lapped car in front of him and that allowed Kahne to make one last charge. Despite gaining crucial ground through the tri-oval, Kahne came up half-a-car length short as Sadler crossed the line first to gain his second of three career series wins.
FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Jeff Burton
1998 – Mark Martin
2001 – Dale Jarrett
2002 – Matt Kenseth
2004 – Elliott Sadler
2005 – Greg Biffle (1) and Carl Edwards (2)
2008 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2012 – Greg Biffle (1)
2014 – Joey Logano (1)
2017 – Kevin Harvick (2)
2018 – Kevin Harvick (2)
2019 – Kevin Harvick (2)
FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Mark Martin
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Mark Martin
2004 – Matt Kenseth
2007 – Matt Kenseth
2010 – Carl Edwards (2)
2011 – Carl Edwards (1) and Trevor Bayne (2)
2012 – Ricky Stenhouse (1)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2015 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2018 – Ryan Blaney (1) and Cole Custer (2)
2020 – Austin Cindric (1)
FORD NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Kenny Irwin Jr.
1998 – Tony Raines
2000 – Greg Biffle (1)
