A stats-based look ahead to the 15th race of the Sprint Cup Series season
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (June 8, 2015) -- Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan going into the Quicken Loans 400 on June 14 (FOX Sports 1 at 1 p.m. ET).
MICHIGAN-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Safety-Kleen Ford)
· Four wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9
· Series-best Driver Rating of 107.1
· 311 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· 1,427 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 179.050 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 3,265 Laps in the Top 15 (82.9%)
· Series-high 920 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green)
Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet)
· Two wins, four top fives, nine top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 21.3
· Average Running Position of 14.9, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 89.9, 10th-best
· 179 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 2,518 Laps in the Top 15 (63.9%), eighth-most
· 652 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet)
· Two wins, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 15.6
· Average Running Position of 12.5, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.0, fifth-best
· 197 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 1,549 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.673 mph, fifth-fastest
· 2,674 Laps in the Top 15 (67.9%), fifth-most
· 831 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)
· Two wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 9.7
· Average Running Position of 11.4, second-best
· Driver Rating of 100.5, fourth-best
· 200 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 1,427 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.757 mph, third-fastest
· 2,967 Laps in the Top 15 (75.3%), third-most
· 861 Quality Passes, second-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 PANASONIC Chevrolet)
· Three wins, 19 top fives, 27 top 10s; six poles
· Average finish of 12.1
· Average Running Position of 13.5, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 93.6, seventh-best
· 232 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 2,546 Laps in the Top 15 (64.6%), seventh-most
· 678 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John's Chevrolet)
· One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.0
· Average Running Position of 14.3, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 90.2, ninth-best
· 153 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 1,581 Green Flag Passes, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.365 mph, 10th-fastest
· 2,161 Laps in the Top 15 (54.9%), 11th-most
· 656 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)
· One win, five top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 15.9
· Average Running Position of 11.5, third-best
· Driver Rating of 102.5, second-best
· Series-high 411 Fastest Laps Run
· 1,342 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 179.188 mph
· 2,857 Laps in the Top 15 (72.5%), fourth-most
· 766 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 15.9
· Driver Rating of 89.0, 12th-best
· 178 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· 1,553 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.475 mph, seventh-fastest
· 2,238 Laps in the Top 15 (56.8%), 10th-most
· 751 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)
· Two wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.7
· Average Running Position of 11.6, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 101.3, third-best
· 164 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 1,334 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.752 mph, fourth-fastest
· 2,989 Laps in the Top 15 (75.9%), second-most
· 833 Quality Passes, third-most
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Ford)
· Three top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 14.8
· Average Running Position of 14.3, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 89.0, 11th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.294 mph, 11th-fastest
Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)
· One win, two top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 14.9
· Average Running Position of 14.3, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 91.8, eighth-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.486 mph, sixth-fastest
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· One win, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.7
· Average Running Position of 12.6, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 95.8, sixth-best
· 104 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 178.377 mph, ninth-fastest
· 2,610 Laps in the Top 15 (73.7%), sixth-most
· 735 Quality Passes, seventh-most
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Michigan International Speedway
|
Driver |
Races |
Poles |
Wins |
Top Fives |
Top 10s |
DNFs |
Average Finish |
Driver Rating |
|
1 |
28 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
12 |
1 |
13.0 |
90.2 |
||
2 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
18.0 |
79.1 |
||
3 |
26 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
11 |
3 |
15.9 |
102.5 |
||
4 |
12 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
1 |
14.9 |
91.8 |
||
5 |
31 |
2 |
2 |
7 |
12 |
3 |
15.6 |
98.0 |
||
6 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
14.8 |
89.0 |
||
7 |
24 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
19.2 |
72.1 |
||
8 |
22 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
10 |
3 |
15.9 |
89.0 |
||
9 |
31 |
0 |
2 |
12 |
18 |
1 |
10.7 |
101.3 |
||
10 |
44 |
6 |
3 |
19 |
27 |
6 |
12.1 |
93.6 |
||
11 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
18.4 |
71.9 |
||
12 |
28 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
8 |
21.3 |
89.9 |
||
13 |
18 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
8 |
2 |
15.3 |
88.2 |
||
14 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
20.5 |
72.2 |
||
15 |
27 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
2 |
17.1 |
77.6 |
||
16 |
21 |
1 |
2 |
9 |
15 |
0 |
9.7 |
100.5 |
* – Based on last 20 races at Michigan International Speedway.
Michigan International Speedway Data Season Race #: 15 of 36 (06-14-15) Track Size: 2-miles Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 18 degrees Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 18 degrees Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees Frontstretch Length: 3,600 feet Backstretch Length: 2,242 feet Race Length: 200 laps / 400 miles
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Michigan Greg Biffle................................ 107.1 Jimmie Johnson........................ 102.5 Matt Kenseth............................. 101.3 Carl Edwards............................ 100.5 Dale Earnhardt Jr........................ 98.0 Tony Stewart............................... 95.8 Jeff Gordon................................ 93.6 Joey Logano.............................. 91.8 Kevin Harvick.............................. 90.2 Kurt Busch.................................. 89.9 Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (20 total) among active drivers at Michigan International Speedway.
Qualifying/Race Data 2014 pole winner: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet 204.557 mph, 35.198 secs. 06-13-14
2014 race winner: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet 143.441 mph, (02:47:19), 06-15-14
Track qualifying record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet 206.558 mph, 34.857 secs. 08-17-14
Track race record: Dale Jarrett, Ford 173.997 mph, (2:17:56), 06-13-99
|
At Michigan International Speedway:
History
· Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the "Irish Hills" of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969 – won by Cale Yarborough at a speed of 139.254 mph.
· The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).
· The 2-mile speedway underwent a repave in 2012.
Notebook
· There have been 91 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.
· The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 – with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.
· 373 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway; 274 in more than one.
· Bill Elliott leads the series in starts at Michigan with 61. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 44 starts.
· Donnie Allison won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Michigan in 1969 with a speed of 160.135 mph.
· 46 drivers have Coors Light poles at Michigan, led by David Pearson with 10. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.
· Six drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Michigan. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Michigan with five; fall 1976 through 1978.
· Youngest Michigan pole winner: Joey Logano (08/16/2013 – 23 years, 2 months, 23 days).
· Oldest Michigan pole winner: Mark Martin (08/19/2012 – 53 years, 7 months, 10 days).
· 36 different NSCS drivers have won at Michigan International Speedway, led by David Pearson with nine wins; Greg Biffle leads all active drivers with four.
· Eight drivers have posted consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway, including four consecutive by Bill Elliott (1985 sweep and 1986 sweep).
· Youngest Michigan winner: Joey Logano (08/18/2013 – 23 years, 2 months, 25 days).
· Oldest Michigan winner: Harry Gant (08/16/1992 – 52 years, 7 months, 6 days).
· Roush Fenway Racing has the most wins at Michigan in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 13: Mark Martin (four), Greg Biffle (four), Carl Edwards (two), Matt Kenseth (two) and Kurt Busch (one).
· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Michigan; led by Ford with 34 victories; followed by Chevrolet with 22. Toyota has four wins at Michigan.
· 18 of the 91 (19.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jeff Gordon last season.
· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (18) than any other starting position at Michigan International Speedway.
· 26 of the 91 (28.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the front row: 18 from the pole and eight from second-place.
· 69 of the 91 (75.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan have been won from a top-10 starting position.
· Six of the 91 (6.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Michigan is 32nd, by Mark Martin in the spring of 2009.
· Jeff Gordon leads the series in runner-up finishes at Michigan with eight; followed by Darrell Waltrip with seven and Kevin Harvick with five.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in top-five finishes at Michigan with 21; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19.
· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Michigan with 31; followed by Bill Elliott with 29. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 27.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Michigan with a 9.615.
· Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Michigan with a 9.714.
· All active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Michigan International Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Tony Stewart won at Michigan in his third appearance, the fewest previous starts among the active NSCS winners.
· Kevin Harvick competed at Michigan International Speedway 19 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
· Among the active NSCS Michigan winners Kevin Harvick (19), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17) Kyle Busch (13), Jeff Gordon (11) and Joey Logano (10) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win.
· Jamie McMurray leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan without visiting Victory Lane at 24; followed by Casey Mears at 23.
· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway was the June 10, 2001 race won by Jeff Gordon over Ricky Rudd with a MOV of 0.085 second.
· There have been two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Michigan International Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2011 (200/203); and fall of 2012 (200/201).
· Four of the 91 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 6/18/2006.
· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway four times; most recently the spring of 2008 race.
· One active driver has posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Michigan International Speedway: J.J. Yeley (6/17/2007).
· Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver have posted their first career start at Michigan International Speedway: Carl Edwards (8/22/2004) and Landon Cassill (6/13/2010).
· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Michigan with 1,058 laps led in 44 starts.
· Four female drivers have competed at Michigan International Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Robin McCall, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick. Of the four female drivers to compete at Michigan, Guthrie has the best finish (10th).
Driver |
Starting Position |
Finishing Position |
Date |
14 |
18 |
8/17/2014 |
|
27 |
17 |
6/15/2014 |
|
28 |
23 |
8/18/2013 |
|
37 |
13 |
6/16/2013 |
|
Shawna Robinson |
32 |
34 |
6/10/2001 |
Robin McCall |
29 |
33 |
8/22/1982 |
Robin McCall |
35 |
29 |
6/20/1982 |
Janet Guthrie |
18 |
27 |
8/20/1978 |
Janet Guthrie |
15 |
10 |
8/22/1977 |
Janet Guthrie |
12 |
26 |
6/19/1977 |
NASCAR in Michigan
· There have been 96 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at four tracks in Michigan.
Track Name |
City |
NSCS |
Brooklyn |
91 |
|
Grand River Speedrome |
Grand Rapids |
2 |
Michigan State Fairgrounds |
Detroit |
2 |
Monroe Speedway |
Monroe |
1 |
· 98 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Michigan.
· Nine of the 98 have won at least one race in NASCAR’s national series.
Driver |
NSCS |
NXS |
NCWTS |
17 |
32 |
1 |
|
Paul Goldsmith |
9 |
0 |
0 |
Johnny Benson |
1 |
3 |
14 |
Tim Fedewa |
0 |
4 |
0 |
Butch Miller |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
|
Tracy Leslie |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Jack Sprague |
0 |
1 |
28 |
Bob Keselowski |
0 |
0 |