Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Texas Motor Speedway Track Facts: 2017 AAA Texas 500

Martin Truex Jr. has won the past four races on 1.5-mile tracks.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Fast Facts: Texas Motor Speedway
·       The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs began in 2004. Texas Motor Speedway was added to the Playoffs in 2005; replacing Darlington Raceway. Texas has hosted the seventh Playoff race since being added to the postseason in 2005.
Texas
Playoff Race Winners

Winners
Wins
Jimmie Johnson
5
Carl Edwards
3
Tony Stewart
2
Denny Hamlin
1
Kurt Busch
1

  
·        Five different drivers have won the Texas Playoff races, led by Jimmie Johnson with five victories (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).  
·        Three times the winner of the Texas Motor Speedway Playoff race has gone on to win the title: 
o   In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the fifth starting position at Texas, and went on to win his second MENCS championship.
o   In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Texas, and went on to win his sixth MENCS championship.
·        The worst finish in a Playoff race at Texas by a driver that went on to win the title was 38th by Jimmie Johnson (2009).
·        Three times a non-Playoff driver has won the Playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway:
o   Tony Stewart (2006) was ranked 11th in the points at the time of the win.
o   Jimmie Johnson (2014) was 11th in points at the time of the win. Johnson had made the Playoffs in 2014, but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
o   Jimmie Johnson (2015) was 12th in points at the time of the win. Johnson had made the Playoffs in 2015, but was eliminated in the Round of 16.
·        11 drivers have won a pole for the 12 Playoff races at Texas, led by Jeff Gordon with two; followed by Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman with one each.
·        Four manufacturers have won Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Texas Motor Speedway – Chevrolet (seven wins), Ford (two), Toyota (two) and Dodge (one).
·        Four manufacturers have won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race Coors Light pole at Texas Motor Speedway – Chevrolet (six poles), Ford (four), Toyota and Dodge (one each).   
  
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2017 Top 8 at Texas Motor Speedway
Rank
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating*
 
 
1
Martin Truex Jr
24
2
0
3
13
3
13.6
94.1
 
2
Kyle Busch
23
1
2
11
12
0
11.7
101.5
 
3
Brad Keselowski
18
1
0
4
7
0
15.7
88.1
 
4
Kevin Harvick
29
1
0
7
17
1
11.7
91.4
 
5
Jimmie Johnson
28
1
7
15
21
1
8.1
107.3
 
6
Ryan Blaney
5
0
0
0
0
2
27.6
70.8
 
7
Denny Hamlin
23
0
2
5
11
0
12.6
88.8
 
8
Chase Elliott
3
0
0
2
3
0
6
98.3
 
* – Driver Rating based on last 25 races at Texas Motor Speedway (2005 – 2017).



2017 Playoff Stage Winners / Drivers with Playoff Points
Track
Stage 1 Winner
Stage 2 Winner
Race Winner
 
Following Round of 12
Round of 16
 
Drivers
Pts
Chicago
Kyle Busch
Chase Elliott
Martin Truex Jr.
 
Martin Truex Jr.
69
New Hampshire
Martin Truex Jr 
Kyle Busch 
Kyle Busch 
 
Kyle Busch
42
Dover
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Larson
Kyle Busch 
 
Brad Keselowski
26
Round of 12
 
Kevin Harvick
17
Charlotte
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Martin Truex Jr.
 
Jimmie Johnson
17
Talladega
Brad Keselowski
Ryan Blaney
Brad Keselowski
 
Denny Hamlin
14
Kansas
Kyle Busch
Denny Hamlin
Martin Truex Jr.
 
Ryan Blaney
9
Round of 8
 
Chase Elliott
6
Martinsville
Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Kyle Busch 
   
Texas



   
Phoenix
      
Championship 4
   
Homestead-Miami



   

Texas Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 07 of 36 (04-09-17)
Track Size: 1.5-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  2,250 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,330 feet
Race Length: 334 laps / 501 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 85 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 164 laps

Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Texas
Jimmie Johnson........................ 107.3
Matt Kenseth............................ 103.6
Kyle Busch............................... 101.5
Chase Elliott............................... 98.3
Martin Truex Jr........................... 94.1
Dale Earnhardt Jr....................... 93.6
Kevin Harvick............................. 91.4
Denny Hamlin............................. 88.8
Brad Keselowski......................... 88.1
Kurt Busch................................. 87.8
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (25 total) among active drivers at Texas Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2016 pole winner:
Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
192.301 mph, 28.081 secs. 11-04-16

2016 race winner:
Carl Edwards, Toyota
134.541 mph, (03:16:00), 11-06-16

Track qualifying record:
Tony Stewart, Chevrolet
200.111 mph, 26.985 secs. 10-31-14
Set in Round 2 of 3

Track race record:
Greg Biffle, Ford
160.577 mph, (3:07:12), 11-14-12

Texas Motor Speedway:
History
·        Construction on Texas Motor Speedway began in 1995.
·        The first NASCAR national series race at TMS was a NASCAR XFINITY Series event on April 5, 1997 – won by Mark Martin.
·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was on April 6, 1997 – won by Jeff Burton.
·        The track underwent a repave between the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
·        In 2011, the spring Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was moved from Sunday to Saturday night under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway. 2017 marked the first season it was moved back to a Sunday afternoon race.
·        Texas Motor Speedway hosted its first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race on November 6, 2005 – won by Carl Edwards.
·        The track underwent its second repave between the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The renovation added a new layer of asphalt over the existing pavement, an expansive French drainage system on the frontstretch and backstretch, and reduced the banking in Turns 1 and 2 by four degrees (now 20 degrees).
·       There have been 33 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one event from 1997 - 2004 and two races per year since 2005.

Starts
·        155 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas; 125 in more than one.
·        Jeff Gordon leads the series in starts at Texas Motor Speedway with 30.
·        Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers with 29 Texas starts each.
·        Steve Park (five starts) leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Texas with an 8.000.

·        Jimmie Johnson leads all active MENCS drivers in average starting position at Texas Motor Speedway with an 9.429.
·        Six drivers have made their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway: Adam Petty (2000), Jay Sauter (2002), Brad Keselowski (2008), Trevor Bayne (2010), David Starr (2011) and Parker Kligerman (2013).

Poles
·        Jeremy Mayfield was the first Coors Light pole winner (1998) at Texas Motor Speedway with a speed of 185.906 mph. The inaugural Coors Light pole qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997 was cancelled due to weather conditions.
·        24 drivers have won Coors Light poles at Texas, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. with two each.
·        Two drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Texas Motor Speedway: Bobby Labonte (2003 and 2004) and Ryan Newman (2005 sweep).
·        Youngest Texas Coors Light pole winner: Brian Vickers (11/05/2006 – 23 years, 0 months, 12 days).
·        Oldest Texas Coors Light pole winner: Bill Elliott (4/08/2002 – 46 years, 6 months, 0 days).
·        David Ragan (4/09/2011) and Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/2007) posted their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light poles at Texas Motor Speedway.    

Wins
·        18 different MENCS drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with seven victories (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 sweep and 2017).
·        Eight drivers have multiple wins at Texas Motor Speedway:  Jimmie Johnson (seven), Carl Edwards (four), Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart each have two.
·        Three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Texas Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2014 playoff race and 2015 sweep), Carl Edwards (2008 sweep) and Denny Hamlin (2010 sweep).
·        Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports lead the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with nine each; followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with six. 
·        Youngest Texas winner: Joey Logano (03/30/2003 – 23 years, 10 months, 14 days).
·        Oldest Texas winner: Dale Jarrett (04/01/2001 – 44 years, 4 months, 6 days).
·        Three of the 33 (9.1%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the Coors Light pole: Kasey Kahne (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2012) and Kyle Busch (2013). 

·        Six of the 33 (18.2%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the front row: three from the pole and three from second starting position.
·        The third-place starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Texas Motor Speedway, producing more wins than any other starting position (six) – most recent: Jimmie Johnson (fall of 2014).
·        25 of the 33 (75.8%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.
·        Five of the 33 (15.1%) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20 – most recent was earlier this season.
·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway is 31st, by Matt Kenseth in 2002.
·        Jeff Burton (4/06/1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (4/02/2000) won their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career race at Texas Motor Speedway.
·        Eight of the nine active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Texas Motor Speedway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Texas in his first appearance; Ryan Newman won in his second appearance at TMS. 
·        Only two of the nine active winning drivers made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Texas Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch (15) and Kurt Busch (13).
·        Kevin Harvick leads the series among active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 29.
·        Four different manufacturers have won a MENCS race at Texas, led by Chevrolet (13 wins); followed by Ford (12) Toyota (five) and Dodge (three).
·        One Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver has won at Texas Motor Speedway in two different manufacturers: Jeff Burton (1997 – Ford; 2007 – Chevrolet)

Additional Finishing Positions
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with five; followed by Matt Kenseth with four. 
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 15; followed by Matt Kenseth (13) and Kyle Busch with 11.  
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 21; followed by Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (18 each).
·        Chase Elliott (three starts) leads the series in average finish at Texas with a 6.0.
·        Three active drivers with more than one start at Texas have a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series average finish inside the top 10: Chase Elliott (6.0), Jimmie Johnson (8.1) and Matt Kenseth (9.6).

Track / Event Specific Stats
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring, the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway is the (4/4/2004) race won by Elliott Sadler with a MOV of 0.028 over second-place Kasey Kahne.
·        There have been five MENCS races at Texas Motor Speedway that have resulted with NASCAR Overtime:
Date
Scheduled No. Of Laps
Actual No. Of Laps
NASCAR Overtime
Winner
Runner-Up
11/2/2014
334
341
7
Jimmie Johnson
Kevin Harvick
4/7/2014
334
340
6
Joey Logano
Jeff Gordon
11/4/2012
334
335
1
Jimmie Johnson
Brad Keselowski
4/6/2008
334
339
5
Carl Edwards
Jimmie Johnson
11/5/2006
334
339
5
Tony Stewart
Jimmie Johnson

·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions twice in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway; the inaugural event in 1997 and the spring race of 2007.
·        The MENCS race at Texas has been rain-shortened only once:
Date
Scheduled No. Of Laps
Actual No. Of Laps
Fewer No. of Laps
Winner
Runner-Up
11/6/2016
334
293
-41
Carl Edwards
Joey Logano
·        Weather has postponed the MENCS Texas race to another day twice – the spring 2014 race (scheduled for 04/06/2014 but was run on 04/07/2014) and the spring 2010 race (scheduled for 04/18/2010 but was run on 04/19/2010).  
·        Jimmie Johnson leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Texas Motor Speedway with 1,041 laps led in 28 starts.

Female Competitor Stats
·        Two female drivers have made MENCS starts at Texas Motor Speedway: Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick
Date
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Driver Rating
4/11/2016
Danica Patrick
19
24
59.5
11/6/2016
Danica Patrick
22
24
55.1
4/11/2016
Danica Patrick
26
21
57.7
11/8/2015
Danica Patrick
11
16
69.6
4/11/2015
Danica Patrick
21
16
74.9
11/2/2014
Danica Patrick
27
36
42.4
4/7/2014
Danica Patrick
24
27
53.2
11/3/2013
Danica Patrick
30
25
49.2
4/13/2013
Danica Patrick
42
28
42.9
11/4/2012
Danica Patrick
32
24
61.4
Averages
25.4
24.1
56.6
     
Date
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
 
4/8/2002
Shawna Robinson
16
36
 


NASCAR in Texas
·        There have been 114 NASCAR national series races among three tracks in the state of Texas.
Track Name
City
MENCS
NXS
NCWTS
Total Races
Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth
33
33
39
105
Meyer Speedway
Houston
1
0
0
1
Texas World Speedway
College Station
8
0
0
8
Totals

42
33
39
114
·        The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Texas was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The event was held on December 7, 1969 and it was won by Bobby Isaac (Dodge).  

Texas Drivers in NASCAR
·        86 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Texas.
·        10 drivers from Texas have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.
Driver
MENCS
NXS
NCWTS
Combined
Terry Labonte
22
11
1
34
Bobby Labonte
21
10
1
32
A.J. Foyt
7
0
0
7
Billy Wade
4
0
0
4
Chris Buescher
1
3
0
4
Bobby Hillin Jr
1
2
0
3
Johnny Rutherford
1
0
0
1
James Buescher
0
1
6
7
David Starr
0
0
4
4
Colin Braun
0
0
1
1
·        Seven of the 10 Texas native NASCAR national series winners have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series; led by Terry Labonte with 22 wins.


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Milestones
Drivers
Has
Needs
Milestones
STARTS
Matt Kenseth
647
3
To become the 22nd driver in series history to start 650 or more races
Joey Logano
324
1
To become the 80th driver in series history to start 325 or more races
WINS
Jimmie Johnson
83
1
Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84) for fourth on MENCS wins list
Kyle Busch
43
1
Tie Bill Elliott (44) for 16th on all-time MENCS wins list
Matt Kenseth
38
1
Tie Tim Flock (39) for 18th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kevin Harvick
36
1
Tie Bobby Isaac (37) for 21st on MENCS all-time wins list
Denny Hamlin
31
1
Tie Dale Jarrett (32) for 24th on all-time MENCS wins list
Kurt Busch
29
1
Tie Denny Hamlin (30) for 25th on all-time MENCS wins list
Dale Earnhardt Jr
26
2
Tie Rex White (28) for 28th on all-time MENCS wins list
Brad Keselowski
24
1
Tie Joe Weatherly, Jim Paschal (25) for 31st on all-time MENCS wins list
POLES
Ryan Newman
51
3
Tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time MENCS poles list
Jimmie Johnson
35
1
Tie Rusty Wallace and Rex White for 17th on all-time MENCS poles list
Kasey Kahne
27
2
Tie Ricky Rudd (29) for 24th on the all-time MENCS poles list
Kyle Busch
27
2
Tie Ricky Rudd (29) for 24th on the all-time MENCS poles list
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Jimmie Johnson
46
2
Tie Lee Petty for 11th on all-time MENCS second-place finishes list
Dale Earnhardt Jr
149
1
To become the 24th driver to post 150 or more MENCS top-five finishes
Matt Kenseth
324
1
To become the 14th driver in series history to post 325 top 10s or more
LAPS LED
Jimmie Johnson
18,663
337
To become the ninth driver in series history to lead 19,000 or more laps
Matt Kenseth
11,660
340
To become the 15th MENCS driver all-time to lead 12,000 or more laps
Kurt Busch
8,877
126
To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps
Denny Hamlin
8,585
415
To become 20th MENCS driver all-time to lead 9,000 or more laps


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