Monday, November 9, 2015

Phoenix International Raceway Track Facts: 2015 Quicken Loans 500

Second race of the season at Phoenix and last race of the Eliminator Round. 
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2015 Top 16 at Phoenix International Raceway
Rank
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Jeff Gordon
33
3
2
12
23
3
10.9
100.5
 
2
Kyle Busch
20
2
1
3
12
1
14.3
96.6
 
3
Kevin Harvick
25
1
7
10
14
0
11
108.3
 
4
Martin Truex Jr
19
1
0
1
7
2
17.1
84.3
 
5
Carl Edwards
22
3
2
7
12
1
12.3
98.7
 
6
Brad Keselowski
12
1
0
4
6
1
13.9
94.0
 
7
Kurt Busch
25
0
1
6
14
1
13.9
98.6
 
8
Joey Logano
13
0
0
2
7
2
14.5
87.6
 
9
Dale Earnhardt Jr
26
0
2
7
12
4
17.1
85.6
 
10
Denny Hamlin
20
2
1
9
10
0
11.6
95.0
 
11
Ryan Newman
26
4
1
9
11
5
17.3
89.0
 
12
Jimmie Johnson
24
2
4
14
18
1
7.8
112.8
 
13
Jamie McMurray
24
0
0
2
4
4
20
76.7
 
14
Paul Menard
17
0
0
0
2
0
21.5
67.3
 
15
Matt Kenseth
26
1
1
6
10
4
16.6
88.0
 
16
Clint Bowyer
20
0
0
2
6
3
18.4
79.8
 
* – Based on last 21 races at Phoenix International Raceway (2005 – 2015).


Phoenix International Raceway Data
Season Race #: 35 of 36 (11-15-15)
Track Size: 1-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 10-11 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 8-9 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 3 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 8-9 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  1,179 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,551 feet
Race Length: 312 laps / 500 Kilometers

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Phoenix
Jimmie Johnson........................ 112.8
Kevin Harvick............................ 108.3
Jeff Gordon.............................. 100.5
Carl Edwards.............................. 98.7
Kurt Busch.................................. 98.6
Kyle Busch................................. 96.6
Denny Hamlin............................. 95.0
Tony Stewart............................... 94.5
Brad Keselowski......................... 94.0
Kyle Larson................................ 89.2
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2015 races (21 total) among active drivers at Phoenix International Raceway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2014 pole winner:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota
142.113 mph, 25.332 secs. 11-07-14

2014 race winner:
Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet
99.991 mph, (03:07:13), 11-09-14

Track qualifying record:
Joey Logano, Ford
142.141 mph, 25.327 secs. 11-07-14
Set in Round 2 of 3

Track race record:
Tony Stewart, Pontiac
118.132 mph, (2:38:28), 11-07-99

Phoenix International Raceway:
History
·         Construction was completed in January 1964. The facility consisted of a one-mile oval and a 2.5-mile road course.
·         Alan Kulwicki won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix on Nov. 6, 1988.
·         The first spring race was held on April 23, 2005 and also the first night race, which was won by Kurt Busch.
·         The track underwent its first repave in 2011. The construction began in March and concluded in September of that year.
·         The following changes were made during the construction period (March – Sept., 2011):
o    Widened the frontstretch from 52 to 62 feet
o    Reconfigured pit road with the installation of concrete pit stalls
o    Pushed the dog-leg curve between Turn 2 and Turn 3 out 95 feet
o    Tightened the turn radius of the dog-leg from 800 to 500 feet
o    Implemented variable banking to ensure the immediate use of two racing grooves, including 10-11 degree banking between Turn 1 and Turn 2; 10-11 degree banking in the apex of the dog-leg; and 8-9 degree banking in Turn 4
Starts
·         There have been 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix International Raceway, one per season from 1988-2004 and two each season since.
·         200 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix; 144 in more than one.
·         Mark Martin leads series in starts at Phoenix with 34; Jeff Gordon (second all-time) leads all active drivers with 33.
·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers at Phoenix in average starting position (10.788).
Poles
·         Geoffrey Bodine won the first pole at Phoenix in 1988 at a speed of 123.203 mph (29.220 sec.).

Poles
·         There have been 21 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Ryan Newman with four.
·         Youngest Phoenix pole winner: Kyle Busch (4/22/06 – 20 years, 11 months, 20 days).
·         Oldest Phoenix pole winner: Mark Martin (03/03/13 – 54 years, 1 month, 22 days).
·         Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards are the only drivers to win consecutive poles. Newman won three straight (2002-04), Gordon won the fall of 2006 and the spring of 2007. Edwards won the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011.
·         Denny Hamlin (November, 2005) and AJ Allmendinger (April, 2010) won their first career Coors Light poles at Phoenix International Raceway.
Wins
·         There have been 23 different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at Phoenix, eight have won more than once, led by Kevin Harvick, with seven – (’06 spring race and Chase race, ’12 Chase race, ‘13 Chase race, ’14 spring race and Chase race, ’15 spring race).
·         The eight drivers have won more than once at Phoenix: Kevin Harvick leads the series in wins with seven followed by Jimmie Johnson (four), Davey Allison (two), Jeff Burton (two), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (two), Jeff Gordon (two) Carl Edwards (two) and Mark Martin (two).
·         Of the eight drivers with multiple wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Mark Martin is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Ford (1993) and Chevrolet (2009).
·         Five drivers have won consecutive races at Phoenix: Davey Allison (1991,1992); Jeff Burton (2000, 2001); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003, 2004); Kevin Harvick (swept 2006) and (2013 Chase race, swept 2014 and ’15 spring race); Jimmie Johnson (fall 2007, swept 2008).
·         Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Phoenix with nine, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with seven.
·         Five of the 38 (13.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the Coors Light pole:Jeff Gordon (spring 2007), Jimmie Johnson (fall 2008), Mark Martin (spring 2009), Carl Edwards (fall 2010) and Kevin Harvick (spring 2015).
·         Eight of the 38 (21%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from the front row: five from the pole and three from second-place.
·         19 of the 38 (50%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position insidethe top 10.
·         19 of the 38 (50%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outsidethe top 10.
·         3 of the 38 (7.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Phoenix have been won from a starting position outsidethe top 20.
·         Ricky Rudd won the 1995 race from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
·         Matt Kenseth won the 2002 race from the 28th-place starting position, the furthest back an active race winner has started.

Wins
·         Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Bobby Hamilton (10/27/1996) are the only two drivers to post their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career win at Phoenix International Raceway.
·         21 of the 23 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Phoenix participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Alan Kulwicki (11/6/1988) and Tony Stewart (11/7/1999) are the only two drivers to win at Phoenix in their first appearance.
·         Jeff Gordon competed at Phoenix International Raceway 16 times before winning (4/21/2007); the longest span of any the 23 winners.
·         Six drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Phoenix: Jeff Gordon (16), Ryan Newman(15), Kasey Kahne (14), Denny Hamlin (13), Carl Edwards (12) and Rusty Wallace (11).
·         Jamie McMurray leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix without visiting Victory Lane with 24.
·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix International Raceway winner: Kyle Busch (11/13/2005 – 20 years, 6 months, 11 days).
·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Phoenix International Raceway winner: Mark Martin (04/18/2009 – 50 years, 3 months, 9 days).
Additional Finishing Positions
·         Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Phoenix with five; followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart with three each.
·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Phoenix with 14; followed by Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon with 12 each.
·         Jeff Gordon leads the series in  top-10 finishes at Phoenix with 23, followed by Mark Martin with 21.
·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finishing position at Phoenix with a 7.833; he is the only active driver with an average finish inside the top 10.  
Track / Event Specific Stats
·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix was the (4/10/2010) race won by Ryan Newman with a MOV of 0.13 seconds.
·         Three drivers have won at Phoenix and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same season:Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2008 sweep and 2009); Dale Earnhardt (1990); Kevin Harvick (2014).
·         Four perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 have been recorded at Phoenix, Kurt Busch in April of 2005 and Kevin Harvick in November of 2006, November 2014 and earlier this season.  
·         Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather at Phoenix International Raceway.

Track / Event Specific Stats
·         Of the 38 races at Phoenix five have ended with a Green-White-Checkered: 3/3/13 (312/316); 11/11/2012 (312/319); 4/10/10 (375/378); 11/9/08 (312/313); 11/7/04 (312/315)
·         Only one of the 38 races at Phoenix have been shortened due to weather – 10/25/98 (312/257).
Female Competitors
·         Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has made a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Phoenix International Raceway.
Date
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Driver Rating
3/15/2015
Danica Patrick
23
26
59.6
11/9/2014
Danica Patrick
32
22
60.5
3/2/2014
Danica Patrick
33
36
51.7
11/10/2013
Danica Patrick
32
33
33.2
3/3/2013
Danica Patrick
40
39
44.2
11/11/2012
Danica Patrick
37
17
58.0
Averages
32.8
28.8
51.2

NASCAR in Arizona
·         There have been 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among three tracks in Arizona.
Track Name
City
NSCS
Phoenix International Raceway
Avondale
38
Arizona State Fairgrounds
Phoenix
4
Tucson Rodeo Grounds
Tucson
1
·         32 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Arizona.
·         None of the drivers from Arizona have won a race in NASCAR’s three national series.


MILESTONES

DRIVER
HAS
NEEDS
MILESTONE
DESCRIPTION
Carl Edwards
399
1
400th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Consecutive Career Start
Edwards will attempt to post his 400th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this weekend at Phoenix. Edwards is eighth on the active NSCS consecutive starts list 31 starts behind Kasey Kahne (430) in seventh.
David Ragan
324
1
325th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Career Start
Ragan will attempt to post his 325th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this weekend at Phoenix. Ragan is 78th on the all-time NSCS starts list one start behind Paul Menard (325) in 77th.
Jimmie Johnson
75
1
76th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win
Jimmie Johnson is eighth on the all-time NSCS wins list, just one win behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt in seventh (76 wins).
Tony Stewart
48
2
50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win
Stewart is 12th on the all-time NSCS wins list, two wins behind NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett in 10th (50 wins).
Jeff Gordon
24,916
84
25,000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Laps Led
Gordon can become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps; joining Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Bobby Allison.
Kevin Harvick
2,105
133
Most Laps Led in a Single Season During Chase Era (2004-2015)
Harvick can lead the most laps in a single season in the NSCS during the Chase Era if he leads 144 or more laps in the final seven races. If he accomplishes the feat he will surpass current record holder Jimmie Johnson (2,238 laps led in a single Chase Era season).
#43 car
199
1
200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins
The No. 43 car is second on the all-time NSCS wins list, five wins behind the No. 11 car in first (205). The last win for the No. 43 car came at Daytona (July) last season.
#20 Car
48
2
50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins
The No. 20 car is 19th on the NSCS all-time wins list, four wins behind the No. 27 and 18 cars in 17th/18th (with 52 each).

No comments: