Competition gets closer during this Golden Age (cont'd)

Lead-lap finishes

The percentage of cars on the lead lap has grown -- and in some cases doubled. In the 48 races held in 1970, only 5.5 percent of the cars that started the race finished on the lead lap. That number, too, has steadily grown. Below is a three-decade sampling:

Golden Age?

A NASCAR statistical analysis attempts to prove that "racing since 1970 has become more competitive and more unpredictable than ever." Read NASCAR's contention, then Mark Aumann's opinion in Head2Head -- and weigh in with your take.

• More
• Motown was the foundation
• 'Golden' open to interpretation
• Technology large part of future

• 1976 -- 6.3 percent of cars on the lead lap
• 1986 -- 15.6 percent of cars on the lead lap
• 1996 -- 30.7 percent of cars on the lead lap
• 2006 -- 43.6 percent of cars on the lead lap

Furthermore, if you take the best and worse year per decade in terms of lead lap finishing percentage, the results continue to be lopsided.

1970-1979
• Best: 1977 -- 8.5 percent of cars on the lead lap
• Worst: 1973 -- 4.1 percent of cars on the lead lap

1980-1989
• Best: 1989 -- 21.3 percent of cars on the lead lap
• Worst: 1980 -- 9.5 percent of cars on the lead lap

1990-1999
• Best: 1997 -- 32.0 percent of cars on the lead lap
• Worst: 1991 -- 21.1 percent of cars on the lead lap

2000-2006
• Best: 2005 -- 43.9 percent of cars on the lead lap
• Worst: 2000 -- 34.1 percent of cars on the lead lap

More race leaders

The races themselves continue to grow in competitiveness. The number of leaders per race has seen steady growth since 1970. In 1970 a race averaged four different leaders. That number has been at least 10 for the past three full seasons and currently the average for the 2007 season is 11.

Average Leaders Per Race By Decade
• 1970-79 -- 5.4
• 1980-89 -- 8.1
• 1990-99 -- 8.3
• 2000-07 -- 9.8

In eight of the past 10 races, there have been at least eight different leaders:
• Michigan, 11 leaders
• Infineon, eight leaders
• New Hampshire, 11 leaders
• Daytona, 11 leaders
• Chicago, nine leaders
• Indianapolis, six leaders
• Pocono, 11 leaders
• Watkins Glen, six leaders
• Michigan, 10 leaders
• Bristol, eight leaders

More race winners

More cars running on the lead lap lends itself to more competition for the win which in turn lends itself to better parity. What really stands out is the year-by-year growth in terms of leaders per race, and winners per season.

In 1970, 18 races were won by one driver. In 1971, one driver won 21 races. Since 2000, no driver has won more than eight races in a season. Through 19 races this year, 13 different drivers have visited Victory Lane. In 1970, there were 12 different race-winners the entire season -- and that year featured 48 races on the schedule. A year-by-year look at total race winners:

As illustrated in the preceding chart, 2001 -- with 19 different race winners -- was NASCAR's most prolific year in terms of parity since 1970. The year 1974 saw only five different winners, the lowest total in the period.

Per decade, the average breakdown is as such: 8.4 different race winners in the '70s (beginning with 1970), 10.8 in the '80s, 11.7 in the '90s and 15.3 since 2000 -- which would presumably grow with 12 races remaining in 2007.