Michigan International Speedway Odds & Ends: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

compiled by Mike Forde
NASCAR Media Services

History

·         Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan. Groundbreaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969.

·         The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).

 

Notebook

·         There have been 81 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.

·         Donnie Allison won the first pole.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was won by Cale Yarborough.

·         There have been 39 different pole winners.

·         Brian Vickers has won the last three poles.

·         31 different drivers have won races, led by David Pearson (nine); 18 drivers have more than one victory there.

• The race winner has started from the pole 16 times, the most productive starting position. Brian Vickers (last August)was the last driver to win from the pole.
• 63 of 81 races have been won from a top-10 starting position, including 45 from the first four spots. However, four of the last five winners have started outside the top 10.
• The deepest in the field a race winner has started was 32^nd, by Mark Martin in last season’s June race.
• The Wood Brothers and Roush Fenway Racing both have 11 wins, more than any other car owners.
• Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to average a top-10 finish. Edwards, who has two Michigan wins, has an average finish of 6.1. Coincidentally, Edwards’ first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start came at Michigan. Kenseth, who also has two victories, has an average finish of 9.9.

 

NASCAR in Michigan

• There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Michigan.
• 95 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Michigan.
• There have been eight race winners from Michigan in NASCAR’s three national series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Paul Goldsmith	9	0	0
Brad Keselowski	1	9	0
Johnny Benson	1	3	14
Tim Fedewa	0	4	0
Butch Miller	0	2	1
Jack Sprague	0	1	28
Tracy Leslie	0	1	0
Bob Keselowski	0	0	1

 

Michigan International Speedway Data

Race # 15 of 36 (6-13-10)

Track Size: 2 miles

·     Race Length: 400 miles

·     Banking/Corners: 18 degrees

·     Banking/Frontstretch: 12 degrees

·     Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Driver Rating at Michigan

Carl Edwards                112.5

Jimmie Johnson            111.0

Greg Biffle                    103.5

Matt Kenseth                 103.1

Dale Earnhardt Jr.         99.1

Kurt Busch                    96.5

Jeff Gordon                  96.3

Tony Stewart                 95.0

Brian Vickers                 93.6

Kyle Busch                   93.1

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2009 races (10 total) at Michigan.

 

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2009 pole winner: Brian Vickers, 189.110 mph, 38.073 seconds

2009 race winner: Mark Martin, 155.491 mph, 6-14-09)

Track qualifying record: Ryan Newman (194.232 mph, 37.069 seconds, (6-18-05)

Track race record: Dale Jarrett (173.997 mph, 6-13-99)

 

Estimated Pit Window: Every 40-44 laps, based on fuel mileage.