Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Atlanta Motor Speedway Track Facts: 2016 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Brad Keselowski won last seasons race at Atlanta.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top 16 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Rk.
Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Ryan Blaney
2
0
0
0
0
0
21.5
69.0
 
2
Joey Logano
11
1
0
2
3
0
17.6
81.6
 
3
Austin Dillon
5
0
0
0
0
0
25.0
67.0
 
4
Darrell Wallace Jr.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
 
5
Paul Menard
16
0
0
1
3
1
20.1
64.6
 
6
Michael McDowell
7
0
0
0
0
4
36.1
34.2
 
7
Denny Hamlin
18
1
1
3
6
3
19.1
93.9
 
8
Ryan Newman
25
7
0
2
9
3
17.9
77.6
 
9
Chris Buescher
2
0
0
0
0
0
26.0
44.8
 
10
Aric Almirola
7
0
0
0
1
0
19.3
64.2
 
11
Trevor Bayne
4
0
0
0
0
0
17.2
67.8
 
12
Martin Truex Jr
19
1
0
2
7
4
18.3
93.0
 
13
Clint Bowyer
17
0
0
0
5
2
21.5
80.0
 
14
Alex Bowman
2
0
0
0
0
0
29.0
46.0
 
15
AJ Allmendinger
12
0
0
0
3
1
17.9
71.9
 
16
Kurt Busch
26
1
3
6
12
3
15.6
95.2
 

* – Based on Loop Data from the last 19 races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (2005 – 2017).




The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top Loop Data Leaders

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Statistical Categories:
Leaders
Loop Data
Driver Rating
Jimmie Johnson
105.4
Average Running Position
Chase Elliott
7.093
Laps Led
Kevin Harvick
912 laps
Laps In The Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
82.2% (5,109 laps)
Fastest Laps Run
Kevin Harvick
439 laps
Green Flag Passes
Jamie McMurray
1,482
Quality Passes
Martin Truex Jr.
779
Green Flag Speed
Chase Elliott
171.809 mph
* The above stats are based on Loop Data from 2005 - 2017


Atlanta Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 2 of 36 (02-25-18)
Track Size: 1.54-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  2,332 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,800 feet
Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles
Stage 1 & 2: 85 Laps (each)
Final Stage: 155 Laps

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Atlanta
Jimmie Johnson........................ 105.4
Chase Elliott............................. 105.2
Kevin Harvick............................. 97.0
Kurt Busch................................. 95.2
Denny Hamlin............................. 93.9
Martin Truex Jr........................... 93.0
Brad Keselowski......................... 92.4
Kyle Busch................................. 91.7
Kasey Kahne.............................. 85.9
Erik Jones.................................. 83.2
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (19 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2017 pole winner:
Kevin Harvick, Ford
190.398 mph. 29.118 secs. 03-03-17

2017 race winner:
Brad Keselowski, Ford
140.898 mph, (03:33:08), 03-05-17

Track qualifying record:
Geoffrey Bodine, Ford
197.478 mph, 28.074 secs. 11-15-97

Track race record:
Bobby Labonte, Pontiac
159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97



Atlanta Motor Speedway:

HISTORY
·        Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.
·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.
·        The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.
·        It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.
·        The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.

STARTS
·        There have been 110 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960. Until 2010, there have been two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the sixth season with only one event.
·        564 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 381 in more than one.
·        Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Atlanta with 65. Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with 27 starts, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch with 26.
·        Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.040 in 25 starts.
·        A total of 66 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have made their series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
·        Three active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Martin Truex Jr. (10/31/2004), Reed Sorenson (10/30/2005) and Ty Dillon (8/31/2014).

POLES
·        Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Pole Award at Atlanta in 1960 with a speed of 133.870 mph.  
·        50 drivers have poles at Atlanta, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman with seven each.  
·        Winning consecutive poles has happened 10 times at Atlanta, among six drivers:  Fireball Roberts (1960 sweep, 1961 second & third race), Cale Yarborough (1969, 1970, 1978 sweep) Dave Marcis (1975, 1976), Buddy Baker (1979 sweep, 1980), Alan Kulwicki (1989 sweep), Ryan Newman (2003 sweep, 2004 sweep, 2005 sweep).
·        Ryan Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles at Atlanta with six; spring of 2003 through 2005.
·        Youngest Atlanta pole winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 – 24 years, 3 months, 27 days).
·        Oldest Atlanta pole winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 – 53 years, 10 months, 4 days).
·        One active driver has posted his first career Monster Energy Series pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (9/01/2013).

WINS
·        44 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with nine wins.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads all seven active series winners with five victories at Atlanta; followed by Kasey Kahne (3), Kurt Busch (3), Kyle Busch (2), Denny Hamlin (1), Kevin Harvick (1) and Brad Keselowski (1).  
·        11 drivers have won consecutive races at Atlanta in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series:
 
Drivers
Seasons
1
Marvin Panch
1965 Sweep
   
2
Bobby Allison
1972 Sweep
   
3
David Pearson
1973 Sweep
   
4
Richard Petty
1974 Fall
1975 Spring
  
5
Cale Yarborough
1980 Fall
1981 Spring
  
6
Bill Elliott
1985 Sweep
1992 Sweep
  
7
Dale Earnhardt
1989 Fall
1990 Spring
1995 Fall
1996 Spring
8
Bobby Labonte
1997 Fall
1998 Spring
  
9
Jeff Gordon
1998 Fall
1999 Spring
  
10
Carl Edwards
2005 Sweep
   
11
Jimmie Johnson
2007 Sweep
2015
2016
 

·        Youngest Atlanta winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).
·        Oldest Atlanta winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).
·        The Hendrick Motorsports organization has the most wins at Atlanta in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with 14; followed by Wood Brothers Racing with 12 and Joe Gibbs Racing with 11.
·        Nine different manufacturers have won in the Monster Energy Series at Atlanta; led by Chevrolet with 40 victories; followed by Ford (30), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).
·        The most proficient starting position in the field at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the fifth starting position – it has produced more wins (16) than any other starting position.

Wins by Starting Positions at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Starting Position
Wins
Winning %
Starting Position
Wins
Winning %
1
14
13%
14
2
2%
2
12
11%
15
1
1%
3
9
8%
17
2
2%
4
10
9%
18
1
1%
5
16
15%
19
2
2%
6
4
4%
20
2
2%
7
6
5%
21
2
2%
8
6
5%
22
1
1%
9
7
6%
31
1
1%
10
2
2%
35
1
1%
11
4
4%
37
2
2%
12
1
1%
39
1
1%
13
1
1%
   
Stats
Winning %
Wins
 
Winning from the Pole:
13%
14
 
Winning from the Front Row:
24%
26
 
Winning from a Top-5 Starting Position:
55%
61
 
Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:
78%
86
 
Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:
7%
8
 
·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta is 39th, by Bobby Labonte in the fall of 2001.
·        No driver has swept the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series. Two drivers have won in multiple NASCAR national series in the same weekend at Atlanta:
o   Carl Edwards (2005, MENCS/NXS); (fall 2008, MENCS/NXS)
o   Kyle Busch (spring 2008, MENCS/NCWTS)
·        Six of the seven active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta in his first appearance (2001).
·        Denny Hamlin competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any of the seven active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners.
·        Among the seven active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Atlanta winners Denny Hamlin (12) is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win.
·        Ryan Newman leads the series among active drivers with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 25; followed by Jamie McMurray with 24.  
·        One active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver posted his first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (3/11/2001).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
·        Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson lead the series in runner-up finishes at Atlanta with seven each; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with four.
·        Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes at Atlanta with 26; Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with 14, followed by Kasey Kahne with eight.    
·        Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Atlanta with 33; Jimmie Johnson leads all active driverswith 16, followed by Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch with 12 each.
·        Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at 11.000 in 26 starts


TRACK / SPECIFIC EVENT
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the March 11, 2001 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.006 second.
·        There have been four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races resulting in a NASCAR overtime finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2007 (325/329); spring of 2010 (325/341), fall of 2012 (325/327) and 2014 (325/335).
·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway five times: spring 1973, spring 1990, fall 2002, fall 2006 and fall 2008.    

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – Lap Leaders – Atlanta
All-Time MENCS Top Five Lap Leaders
 
Active MENCS Top Five Lap Leaders
Driver
Led
Completed
Percentage
 
Driver
Led
Completed
Percentage
Cale Yarborough
3,283
12,891
25%
 
Kevin Harvick
971
8,567
11%
Dale Earnhardt
2,655
13,834
19%
 
Kurt Busch
749
7,786
10%
Richard Petty
1,827
17,513
10%
 
Jimmie Johnson
586
8,309
7%
David Pearson
1,482
9,444
16%
 
Kyle Busch
423
5,925
7%
Jeff Gordon
1,297
12,590
10%
 
Denny Hamlin
365
5,423
7%


 

FEMALE COMPETITORS
·        Three female drivers have competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
Danica Patrick
24
17
3/5/2017
Danica Patrick
25
20
2/28/2016
Danica Patrick
18
16
3/1/2015
Danica Patrick
27
6
8/31/2014
Danica Patrick
21
21
9/1/2013
Danica Patrick
23
29
9/2/2012
Average
23.0
18.2
 
    
Shawna Robinson
31
34
3/10/2002
    
Janet Guthrie
23
10
3/19/1978
Janet Guthrie
19
16
11/6/1977
Janet Guthrie
34
30
3/20/1977
Average
25.3
18.7
 



NASCAR IN GEORGIA
·        There has been a total of 223 NASCAR national series races among 14 different tracks in Georgia.
Track Name
City
Total Races
Monster Energy
XFINITY
Camping World
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Hampton
154
110
26
16
Augusta International Speedway
Augusta
12
12
0
0
Lakewood Speedway
Atlanta
11
11
0
0
Savannah Speedway
Savannah
10
10
0
0
Middle Georgia Raceway
Macon
9
9
0
0
Central City Speedway
Macon
7
7
0
0
Jeffco Speedway
Jefferson
5
2
3
0
Lanier Speedway
Gainesville
5
0
5
0
Valdosta 75 Speedway
Valdosta
3
3
0
0
Oglethorpe Speedway
Savannah
2
2
0
0
Road Atlanta Speedway
Atlanta
2
0
2
0
Augusta International Raceway
Augusta
1
1
0
0
Columbus Speedway
Columbus
1
1
0
0
Hayloft Speedway
Augusta
1
1
0
0
TOTAL

223
169
36
16

·        183 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Georgia.
·        15 of 183 have won at least once in one of NASCAR’s national series.
·        10 of the 183 have posted at least one victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. 
·        Bill Elliott (five wins) is the only Georgia native to have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 
Driver
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World Truck
Bill Elliott
44
1
0
Jack Smith
21
0
0
Fonty Flock
19
0
0
Bob Flock
4
0
0
Frank Mundy
3
0
0
David Ragan
2
2
0
Gober Sosebee
2
0
0
Harold Kite
1
0
0
Sam McQuagg
1
0
0
Jody Ridley
1
0
0
Chase Elliott
0
5
2
Reed Sorenson
0
4
0
Buckshot Jones
0
2
0
Ronald Cooper
0
1
0
John Wes Townley
0
0
1




Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
STARTS
Driver: David Ragan
Has
Needs
Milestone:
399
1
Ragan will become the 61st driver to make 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.
Driver: Kyle Larson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
148
2
Larson will become the 166th driver to make 150 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.
Driver: Cole Whitt
Has
Needs
Milestone:
148
2
Whitt will become the 166th driver to make 150 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.
WINS
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
83
1
Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for fourth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
43
1
Tie Bill Elliott for 16th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
37
1
Break tie with Bobby Isaac for sole possession of  21st on all-time MENCS wins list.
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
Milestone:
31
1
To tie Dale Jarrett for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
29
1
Tie Denny Hamlin for 25th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
POLES
Driver: Ryan Newman
Has
Needs
Milestone:
51
3
Tie Bill Elliott for eighth on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
35
1
To tie Rusty Wallace for 18th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Has
Needs
Milestone:
27
2
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
27
2
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones Cont.
Top Fives
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
161
2
To tie Dale Jarrett for 22nd on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top fives list.
Top 10s
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
307
1
To tie his car owner Tony Stewart for 17th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top 10s list.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
258
2
To tie Dale Jarrett for 22nd on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series top 10s list.
Laps Led
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
18,663
337
Needs 337 laps led to become the ninth driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 19,000 laps.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
14,380
620
Needs 620 laps led to become the 10th driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 15,000 laps.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
11,091
909
Needs 909 laps led to become the 15th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 12,000 laps.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,893
107
Needs 107 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,865
135
Needs 135 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
6,523
477
Needs 477 laps led to become the 29th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 7,000 laps.



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