 |  | | Ryan Newman is going for his fourth consecutive Bud Pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Credit: Autostock |
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
October 29, 2004
10:06 AM EDT (14:06 GMT)
HAMPTON, Ga. -- Atlanta Motor Speedway, considered the circuit's fastest racetrack, has a 45-year history of NASCAR Nextel Cup racing and sets the perfect stage for Sunday's Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. The race is the 33rd of 36 events on the season and marks the seventh event in the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup.  |  | KNOW YOUR NASCAR | |
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A pair of veteran drivers who are in the midst of the Chase is most likely to add to Atlanta's statistical legacy. Jeff Gordon is the defending race and pole winner of the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the most recent Atlanta Nextel Cup winner after his comeback victory in March. The following numbers refer to Atlanta unless otherwise noted. .006 -- Kevin Harvick's closest margin of victory, in seconds, over Jeff Gordon in March 2001. 1 -- The number of the last 28 Cup races won from the pole position, by Bobby Labonte in November 1996. 1 -- The fewest laps led by a race winner, by David Pearson in September 1961. 1 -- The fewest cautions, in July 1961. 3 -- Ryan Newman's number of consecutive Bud Poles. 3 -- Rusty Wallace's number of career pole positions. 3 -- The number of consecutive victories by Chevrolet. 3 -- The fewest leaders, in June 1963. 5 -- The number of drivers to sweep both poles in a season, most recently by Ryan Newman in 2003. 5 -- The number of times in 44 years of Nextel Cup racing that a sweep has occurred, most recently by Bill Elliott in 1992. 6 -- Bobby Labonte's leading number of career victories by an active driver. 6 -- The fewest lead changes, most recent of three times in June 1963. 7 -- The fewest caution laps, in November 1986. 11 -- The most caution periods, most recent of three times in November 1993. 12 -- Bobby Labonte's leading number of top-five finishes, among active drivers. 12 -- Wood Brothers Racing's leading number of car owner victories. 13 -- The number of 90 Cup races won from the pole, or 14 percent. 17 -- The most leaders, in March 2000. 24 -- Terry Labonte's leading number of top-10 finishes, among active drivers. 27 -- The number of years since the last Dodge victory, by Richard Petty in 1977. 32 -- The most drivers to finish on the lead lap, in November 1998. 39 -- The most cars running at the finish, in October 2002. 39 -- Bobby Labonte's starting position for the 2001 NAPA 500, the furthest back a winner has started in a 500-mile race. 45 -- The most lead changes, in November 1982. 55 -- Bill Elliott's leading number of career starts by an active driver, if he starts the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. 70 -- The number of 90 Cup races won from starting positions inside the top-10, or 78 percent. 99 -- The most caution laps, in November 1977. 159.904 -- Bobby Labonte's 500-mile race record average speed, in miles per hour, set in three hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds in November 1997. 197 -- Eleventh place Jamie McMurray's margin in the Nextel Cup standings over 12th place Dale Jarrett. 197.478 -- Geoff Bodine's Bud Pole Qualifying record, in miles per hour, set in 28.074 seconds in November 1997. 308 -- The most laps led in a 500-mile race, by Cale Yarborough in March 1969. 1997 -- The year of re-configuration, with the front and backstretch designations swapped and the track size increased from 1.522 to 1.54 miles. | |
