Kevin Harvick makes final start for RCR at Homestead

Kevin Harvick to run final race for RCR on Sunday; he's 7/1 to win

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS

Event Preview Fact Sheet

This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet SS at Homestead-Miami Speedway … Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 438 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Homestead 400. This is a new Chevrolet and will run its first competitive laps when it arrives at the 1.5-mile track.

Sunshine State Stats … Since 2001, Harvick has made 12 Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Throughout the years, the RCR driver has earned five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Harvick holds an average starting position of 14.7 coupled with an average finishing position of 7.9, has completed 99.9 percent (3,208 of 3,209) of the laps contested and has 128 laps led to his credit.

Championship Hunt … Heading into the season-finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Harvick sits third in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings, 34 markers behind leader Jimmie Johnson and six points out of second place.

Sign Here, Please … Harvick is scheduled to sign autographs on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. ET in the Homestead Midway. Any fan with a ticket to Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series event can visit the Midway to participate in the autograph session.

Special Look … In celebration of his 14-years with RCR, Harvick will sport a custom designed helmet featuring memorable moments, achievements and milestones from his successful career with the organization.

Looking Back … Harvick will complete his 13th season of Sprint Cup Series racing at RCR following Sunday afternoon’s 267-lap event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Since his first series start at Rockingham Speedway in 2001, the California native has made 23 trips to Victory Lane, earned six pole awards, 100 top-five and 208 top-10 finishes in 465 starts.

Race Rewind … After starting the 267-lap affair from the 23rd position, Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team drove to an eighth-place finish in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season-finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

Share your thoughts on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“Homestead (Miami Speedway) has been a great race track for us, whether it was flat or banked. It’s been a race track where we’ve run well. It would be nice to close out my career at Richard Childress Racing with a win there and go out on the right note. RCR is where I got my start and it’s been a great career so far.”

Is it difficult to go to a track only once a year?
“It’s definitely different for the fact that it seems like the track changes so much more because we only go there once a year, not to mention the progression of the car is so different from year-to-year. Homestead has aged over the years because of the climate it’s in and has become a very challenging track to drive and figure out. It does create new challenges when you only go there once a year, because you don’t put as much focus on that specific track with testing and the things you should do to collect the needed data to put into the simulations to get the right starting point.”

Are you fatigued or excited when you finally get to Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“You’re pretty excited when you get to Homestead, because you know you’re going to get some time off. You’re obviously still working during the winter doing photoshoots and working with sponsors, but at least you get to come home and sleep in your own bed at night. It’s great to get month or so off, but I’m pretty excited for the last day of school.”

Is it bittersweet for you to close out this chapter of your career?
“I’m excited for what lies ahead. I’m extremely grateful for opportunity that Richard (Childress, team owner) gave me, and I’m proud of everything that we have accomplished throughout the years.”

- Richard Childress Racing

Kyle Busch in position to have best Chase finish ever with good Homestead run

Kyle Busch finished fourth at Miami last year; he's 5/1 to win Sunday

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 12, 2013) – Even though Kyle Busch sits in fourth place in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, 57 points behind five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and too far out to compete for the title, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot on the line for Busch Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

As the curtain falls on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, the driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR)has plenty to race for in Sunday’s season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400.

Busch’s best previous finish in the Sprint Cup standings was fifth in 2007, the year before he joined JGR. The statistics show that the 2013 Chase has been his best ever, with five top-five finishes and six top-10s in the first nine races of NASCAR’s 10-race playoffs.

For the season as a whole, Busch has 16 top-fives and 21 top-10s. Another top-five finish Sunday at Homestead would tie his career high of 17 top-fives in 2008 and best his career high of 21 top-10s, also set in 2008.

Homestead had never been kind to Busch until last year’s season finale. He dominated the 267-lap race in 2012, leading six times for a race-high 191 laps. While he had the dominant car, the Las Vegas native had to settle for a fourth-place finish after a long, green-flag run to finish the race had the M&M’s team come up short on fuel and foiled a seemingly certain win in the closing laps.

Busch’s 2012 result was his first top-five finish at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval, bettering by far his other seven finishes of 41st, 28th, 20th, 19th, eighth, 32nd and 23rd.

While mathematically eliminated in the championship hunt, Busch still can climb as high as second in the final standings as he is currently 29 points behind second-place JGR teammate Matt Kenseth, and 23 points behind third-place Kevin Harvick. Behind Busch lurks Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is six points behind Busch in fifth, and Jeff Gordon, who sits 23 points behind Busch in the sixth spot.

So, before the curtain falls on the 2013 Sprint Cup season at Homestead, Busch will reach for a Homestead win in order to top off the strongest Chase of his career, and he and the M&M’s team hope to take the momentum from their best Chase ever and build it into Busch’s first Sprint Cup title in 2014.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

The numbers say so, but does this actually feel like the best Chase that you’ve ever had?
“I think so. Obviously, you look at some of the things that we could have done better, too. We proved to ourselves we could do it and we came out here this year and we were able to follow up on last year’s success. Barring Kansas, I think we’ve done a really nice job. Wish we would have finished the race better at Martinsville, and we had a good run going at Texas and I messed up on pit road. But weeks like Phoenix last week, we probably had a 12th- to 14th-place car and we just kept digging and ended up getting a seventh out of it. Those are the encouraging weeks, along with some of the other top-five finishes we had. Other than that, we’ve run a lot better this year than in years past. The pace that those guys up front have kept up has been really tough. All we can do is go out there Sunday, try and win the race, and let the points fall where they may and hope we can gain a spot or two once the checkered (flag) drops.”

How did the car react at Homestead-Miami Speedway during your test session a few weeks ago?
“Everything was really, really close to last year’s stuff – very similar. The track seems to have aged a little more and maybe the tire compound could use a little bit of help to be better there just because we’ve run the same one I think now three or four years. The tire compound is fine, it’s not that big of a deal. Definitely a lot of grip for the first few laps and then it really tapers off and then everybody is running up next to the fence. I think that’s what we saw in years past. As it did get darker, the track seemed to widen out. It’s just during the day, when it’s hot out and it’s slick out, that the best you can do is run right next to the wall. As the nighttime came, you could start moving around a little bit more. It’s definitely still a racey joint, but track temperatures are very conducive to that. Our M&M’s Camry was pretty good and we’d really like to finish off the year with a big win.”

How close do Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff work together?
“Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and Jason (Ratcliff, JGR’s No. 20 crew chief) are probably, in my opinion, they are one of the two closest crew chiefs in the garage area just from the resources that they’ve had and the time that they’ve spent working with each other in the Nationwide Series. They were at JGR Nationwide since, I want to say, ’06 or something like that. They turned that program from not really winning many races to winning races and winning a ton of races. Those two together, they’ve worked a lot over the years and sharing notes and communicating and having offices right next to each other. Dave made the jumpfirst over to the Cup side and, obviously, Jason followed a couple years later. I don’t think any of that communication has ever died down. They’re still fierce workers. They work each other competitively because each tries to burn as much midnight oil as he can. They’re really smart and do work together quite often.”

What are your expectations for Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway?
“That track hasn’t been great to me, but we really turned the corner there last year and Dave and the M&M’s guys brought a really good racecar. I’ve run well there in the Truck Series. I won the Nationwide race there in 2010 and 2011, as well. Homestead is a fun racetrack. It’s real challenging because of the way the race changes from the beginning to the end, and the way things change from the beginning to the end of your runs. You run the bottom, then you go to the top. You’re always moving around. You’re always thinking. It’s a cool racetrack. The sun is going to play havoc on our eyes getting down into turn one during the race.”

Like you said, Homestead has not been a great track for you, statistically, but that changed last year. Is Homestead a place you might be starting to figure out in the Sprint Cup car?
“We ran a lot better there in 2009 than where we finished and we were running top-10 in 2011 before we got wrecked, so, we’ve had a few races where our runs have been much better than the results have shown. In 2009, Denny (Hamlin) and I battled on that last restart and I just couldn’t quite stay ahead of him. Track position is big there and, once he got out in clear air, he was gone. I was trying hard to get back ahead of him and ended up scraping the fence. I’ve never run that well there overall, but Dave (Rogers, crew chief) really gave me the best car I’ve ever had there last year. I’m hoping we can have another strong car and finish off the season strong, and it can give us some momentum for the offseason and for next year.”

- True Speed Communications for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing

Jimmie Johnson using winning Dover/Texas chassis at Homestead

Johnson is 15/1 to win his first Miami race

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Nov. 12, 2013) – Only one thing stands between Jimmie Johnson and his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, but it’s a big one – 267 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway. And while that may not seem like a lot to some, considering there already have been 124,751 laps run this season, one only needs to look at what happened last year to Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe’s crew to know that fortunes can turn in just one lap.

Johnson enters the season’s final race as the points leader, 28 up on second-place Matt Kenseth. Kevin Harvick is also in contention, 34 out. While it is an enviable position to be in for Johnson, the five-time champ has had his share of hard luck at the 1.5-mile track south of Miami. It is one of five tracks on which he has never won. Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International being the others.

Championships certainly have been lost at Homestead. In 2004, things seemed to roll Kurt Busch’s way when he lost a tire but managed to salvage his day, beating Johnson by eight points for the title. Last year provided more proof that destiny may be determined in a lap when a loose lugnut sent Johnson down pit road after he seemingly had the race in hand. He eventually retired from the event due to a rear-end issue, not only losing the championship but slipping all the way to third in points.

But all of that is ancient history and with one race left to go this time by, Johnson hopes to add to NASCAR history with the prospects of another title. But, first, there’s the business of those pesky 267 laps.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Notes of Interest:
No wins.
Two poles (November 2007 and 2009).
Four top-five finishes (33.3 percent) and seven top-10s (58.3 percent) in 12 starts.
Average start is 16.6 and average finish is 15.3.
Two DNFs (Did Not Finish) – November 2005 and 2012.
Has completed 3,017 of 3,209 laps (94.0 percent) and led 99.
Sprint Cup’s sixth-best driver rating (95.1 average of a possible 150 points).

2013 Season Notes of Interest:
Currently first in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, 28 points ahead of second-place Matt Kenseth.
Six wins (February and July Daytona, April Martinsville, June Pocono, September Dover, November Texas).
Three poles (April Martinsville, August Pocono and November Phoenix).
16 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes.
Sprint-Cup’s best in laps led (23 races for 1,985 laps). 

Chassis Selection: Johnson will use chassis No. 797 which has raced five times this season, including recent wins at Dover and Texas.

JIMMIE JOHNSON, Driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports:

Your last two finishes at Homestead were 32nd and 36th. Knowing you need a 23rd or better, how do you approach Homestead this weekend?
“Well, we’re going to go down there and race as hard as we can. I think the safest place on the racetrack is up front and, if I look back to our Texas performance, we found a way to race smart, stay out of trouble and still get the race won. I would love to win the race and win the championship, but we’ll just have to see how things develop in the race and where we are relative to the 20 (Matt Kenseth). The big prize at the end of the day is what we’re focused on, it’s not so much that individual win, but we need to go down there and be prepared and treat Friday and Saturday like we need to win the race so we can make the car as comfortable and as fast as possible to give us all our options on Sunday.”

Matt Kenseth is 28 points behind you, but Kevin Harvick is just another six points behind Kenseth. Does that concern you?
“Yeah, he’s done a good job winning some races. I guess he’s in third right now. If we have a hiccup or some type of mistake in Homestead, it’ll be a race between the 20 (Kenseth) and the 29 (Harvick). But I feel like if we go down there and run as we should, we should be able to take care of business.”

- True Speed Communication for Team Lowe’s Racing

Clint Bowyer using third-place Kentucky chassis at Homestead

Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon hug it out at Phoenix, kind of....

CORNELIUS, N.C. — As the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season comes to an end this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, No.15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota driver Clint Bowyer still has his sights set on three things – winning a race, winning a pole and finishing in the top-five in points.

Bowyer ranks eighth, 24 points out of the top-five finish his Michael Waltrip Racing crew set as a goal before the season.

BOWYER ON FINISHING STRONG: “This is our last chance to accomplish a couple of the goals that we set for this season – and that’s important to me. This is our last chance to win a race for the season. It’s our last chance to win a pole so we can race in the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona. We want to finish top-five in points which is still a possibility. I know it might seem like a little bit of a long shot, but we were a long shot, a very long shot, to finish second last year and we did that with a little help. We have our own goals in this race and we are focused on accomplishing those goals. It means a lot to go into the off-season on a high note in terms of momentum and morale and we have a chance to do that this weekend.”

ON HOMESTEAD: “I’ve done well at Homestead in my career. If you look at some of the finishes we’ve had I think we’ve only really stubbed our toe once and that was a long time ago. We finished second last year to finish second in points. I would have loved to win that one for a lot of reasons, but I’m going to go out and do everything I can to win this weekend just like I do every weekend.”

NOTES:
MWR in 2013: MWR cars have combined for two wins (Truex Jr. – Sonoma; Vickers – Loudon-1), 20 top-five and 44 top-10 finishes. The three-car team has led 834 laps and won one pole award (M. Martin – Phoenix-1). Bowyer is eighth in points trailing Jimmie Johnson by 87.

Bowyer in 2013: Bowyer has nine top-five (tied for seventh most), 18 top-10 (tied for sixth most) finishes in 2013. He ranks second in percentage of laps run on the lead lap (93.1 percent) and lead lap finishes (31). He has the third highest average finish (12.1) and completed the fourth most laps (10,133). He ranks sixth in laps run in the top-15 (74 percent) and average running position (12.76). Bowyer does not have a race win or a pole position in 2013. 

Chassis: Primary chassis No. 738 finished 27th at Las Vegas, 11th at Darlington and third at Kentucky. Backup chassis No. 733 raced at Phoenix in March and raced at Pocono. 

Testing: All three MWR teams tested at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Oct. 29-30 using their primary cars.

- Michael Waltrip Racing

Matt Kenseth still alive in Sprint Cup Chase heading into Miami

Matt Kenseth won at Homestead in 2007; he's the 7/2 favorite Sunday

Matt Kenseth/No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Preview
Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

No. 20 Dollar General Toyota News and Notes:

CHASING A CHAMPIONSHIP: In what has already been a career-best season for Kenseth, one final race will determine if he has a chance to claim his second Sprint Cup Series Championship. 2013 marks ten years since Kenseth nabbed the sport’s top honors back in 2003, and with a series-leading seven wins this year, Kenseth and his No. 20 Dollar General team are looking for one final jewel to put in their stellar season crown; a Championship.

JOE GIBBS RACING AT HOMESTEAD: Joe Gibbs Racing has 37 Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway earning a total of four wins, 10 top-five, and 15 top-ten finishes. The organization also has led for a total of 835 laps, has an average start of 19.7 and an average finish of 15.7 at the 1.5-mile track in Homestead, FL.

KENSETH BY THE NUMBERS: In 13 Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead, Kenseth has completed 3,187 of 3,476 laps (91.7 percent) and has led for a total of 305 laps. Kenseth has earned one win, three top-five, and five top-ten finishes at the South Florida track.

THIS WEEK ON THE NO. 20 DOLLAR GENERAL TOYOTA: Dollar General vendor partners Charmin, Glad, Coca-Cola, Cheez-It, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Band-Aid, Hanes, Xtra and First Quality will be featured on Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota Camry this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RACE INFO: The Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile) begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 17th. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

From the Cockpit:
Matt Kenseth: “I like Homestead a lot ever since they reconfigured it. It’s been really racy because it’s such a unique race track and there honestly isn’t another one like it on the circuit. It seems like the track surface had aged a lot when we were in Homestead for our test a few weeks ago, so that’s really good for racing. I really like the track and I like how you can change your line and really change the balance of your car a lot. I just really like everything about Homestead and I’m looking forward to getting there this weekend. We’ve really been taking this Chase one week at a time, and you just never know what’s going to happen in the end, but I just feel really confident about this organization and my race team. We’ve been working hard at it and we’ll give it all we’ve got. No matter what happens in the end, it has just been an incredible year and really magical no matter what the outcome is after Sunday’s race.”

From the Pit Box:
Jason Ratcliff: “To have a shot at winning this Championship, we need to go out and lead as many laps as we can on Sunday and try to be a contender at the end of the race. We’d really like to get another win under our belt. If we can lead laps and win the race, that’s obviously all that we can possibly do, and then we’ll see where we stack up in the end. At this point, it’s really that simple for us, and mathematically we still do have a shot at this title. If we just look at our season as a whole, I can’t think of a better way to put an exclamation point on it than if we were to go into Homestead this weekend and win another race.”

About Dollar General:
Dollar General Corporation has been delivering value to shoppers for more than 70 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations.

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Find the Dollar General store nearest you or learn more about the company at www.dollargeneral.com or on Dollar General’s Facebook or Twitter pages.

- Joe Gibbs Racing

Homestead-Miami Storylines: 2013 Ford EcoBoost 400

All eyes are on Johnson this week as he tries to win sixth title

NASCAR Storylines for Week of Nov. 11, 2013

For Jimmie Johnson, a sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship is oh so close.

The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will carry a 28-point lead – more than half a race worth of points – into Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET ESPN, MRN, SiriusXM Satellite Radio), the final race in the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™.

Without question, the championship is Johnson’s to lose. A finish of 23rd or better, regardless of what closest rival Matt Kenseth can muster will deliver an 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup title to team owner Rick Hendrick.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Two drivers, Kenseth and Kevin Harvick, have not been mathematically eliminated and can be expected to mount all-or-nothing performances in South Florida’s season finale. Kenseth is the season’s biggest winner. Harvick, like Kenseth, has two Chase victories – the most recent coming Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Fate, as well, can be fickle. A dropped lug nut, a spin out or accident triggered by another competitor or a caution flag that falls the wrong way during green flag pit stops can turn a potentially title-clinching run into a nightmarish afternoon.

The second-ranked driver with one race remaining has won the championship in two of the past three seasons.

Austin Dillon and Sam Hornish Jr. carry their season-long NASCAR Nationwide Series battle to Homestead-Miami Speedway with Dillon – the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion – holding a slim, eight-point edge over the 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner.

The competition is the closest since NASCAR adopted its current point-per-position point system in 2011.

Also at stake in the Ford EcoBoost 300 (4:30 p.m. ET ESPN2) is the coveted series owners’ title. Penske Racing’s No. 22 Ford holds a four-point lead over the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The contenders are deadlocked in the win column with 12 victories apiece. Penske enters Joey Logano, a three-time winner while JGR counters with Kyle Busch, who captured his series-leading 12th victory last weekend in Phoenix.

Two of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ longest-tenured competitors can be rewarded with the drop of the green flag on Friday’s Ford EcoBoost 200 (8 p.m. ET FOX Sports 1). Matt Crafton, participant in 315 consecutive series races, will win his first NASCAR national series driver’s championship. His No. 88 Toyota, owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson, holds a 23-point owners’ championship lead over the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota entry.

ThorSport Racing has fielded at least one truck in a series-record 390 consecutive races beginning in 1998. The Sandusky, Ohio-area organization finished third in 2009. KBM is the 2010 owners’ champion in its first year with the series.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES – FORD EC0BOOST 400, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 3 P.M. ET ON ESPN

Johnson Nears Sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Title
Jimmie Johnson’s drive to the cusp of a sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship has been nothing short of spectacular. His 28-point lead has been built via an average finish of 4.7 through the Chase’s first nine races, a record pace. Regardless of what anyone else does, Johnson can capture the title by finishing 23rd or better in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400; 24th or better if he leads a lap and 25th or better if he leads the most laps.

Kenseth Faces Deficit But Runners-Up Have Prevailed Before
Matt Kenseth faces a huge handicap heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway. The second-place driver entering the season finale has won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship before but Kenseth’s 28-point deficit is far greater than the 15 points Jimmie Johnson overcame in 2010 and the three points Tony Stewart erased the following season. NASCAR Sprint Cup history’s biggest comeback is 30 points – roughly seven under the current system – by Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

Harvick’s Title Bid Tenuous But He’s Still Got A Chance
It may be a longshot, but Kevin Harvick could win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in his final race with Richard Childress Racing thanks to the Bakersfield, Calif., veteran’s fourth victory of the season on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. Harvick enters the final race of the 2013 season 34 points behind Chase leader Jimmie Johnson. He trails second-place Matt Kenseth by six points and by taking another position Harvick would post the highest championship finish of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career.

Homestead Last Chance To Extend Victory Streaks
Four drivers who won in 2012 – but haven’t visited Victory Lane this season – have one final chance to extend victory streaks. Denny Hamlin has won at least once in seven consecutive seasons from 2006-2012 and won at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2009. Clint Bowyer’s run from 2010-12 is three years. Marcos Ambrose has a two-season streak from 2011-2012. Dale Earnhardt Jr. hopes to add a victory – his 20th – for a second consecutive year.

Biffle Can Improve Chase Standing With Third Homestead Victory
Greg Biffle likely won’t rank this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ among his top racing memories. Biffle heads to the season finale ranked seventh in points. The Washington native, however, could reach the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top five with a victory in the Ford EcoBoost 400 – a race he won in 2004 and 2006 as a non-Chase qualifier. Sixteen different drivers have won during the 2013 season, one more than a year ago.

- NASCAR

Homestead-Miami Track Facts: 2013 Ford EcoBoost 400

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2013 Top 13 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Jimmie Johnson	12	2	0	4	7	2	15.3	95.1
2	Matt Kenseth	13	0	1	3	5	2	17.6	106.0
3	Kevin Harvick	12	0	0	5	10	0	7.9	100.1
4	Kyle Busch	8	0	0	1	2	2	23.1	91.5
5	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	13	0	0	0	1	1	22.1	71.2
6	Jeff Gordon	14	0	1	7	11	1	10.6	95.8
7	Greg Biffle	11	0	3	4	5	2	14.4	91.0
8	Clint Bowyer	7	0	0	2	4	0	12.1	92.2
9	Joey Logano	4	1	0	0	0	1	24.0	64.3
10	Kurt Busch	12	2	1	4	5	2	19.8	71.7
11	Ryan Newman	11	0	0	1	4	2	17.0	85.7
12	Kasey Kahne	9	2	0	1	4	1	15.4	90.2
13	Carl Edwards	9	2	2	5	7	0	6.0	119.0

* – Based on last eight races at Homestead-Miami Speedway (2005-2012).

 

It all comes down to Sunday's race to decide Sprint Cup title

Homestead-Miami Speedway:

History

·        Groundbreaking for Homestead-Miami Dade Motorsports Complex – as the track was originally named – began Aug. 24, 1993.

·        The first race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Nov. 5, 1995 – won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.

·        The original configuration was a four-turn, rectangular oval based on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's layout.

·        The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at HMS was held on Nov. 14, 1999 – won by Tony Stewart.

·        2002 was the first season of the “Championship Weekend” at HMS, with all three of NASCAR’s national series holding their season finale at the same track.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Data

Season Race #: 36 of 36 (11-17-13)

Chase Race #: 10

Track Size: 1.5-mile

Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 18-20 degrees

Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 18-20 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 4 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 4 degrees

Frontstretch Length: 1,760 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,760 feet

Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles

 

Top 13 Driver Ratings at Homestead

Carl Edwards..................... 119.0

Martin Truex Jr.................. 110.8

Matt Kenseth.................... 106.0

Kevin Harvick.................... 100.1

Jeff Gordon......................... 95.8

Jimmie Johnson.................. 95.1

Clint Bowyer....................... 92.2

Kyle Busch........................ 91.5

Greg Biffle.......................... 91.0

Kasey Kahne...................... 90.2

Tony Stewart...................... 89.7

Denny Hamlin..................... 88.8

Ryan Newman.................... 85.7

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (eight total) among active drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2012 pole winner: Joey Logano, Toyota, 176.056 mph, 30.672 secs. 11-16-12

 

2012 race winner: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 142.245 mph, (02:48:56), 11-18-12

 

Track qualifying record: Jamie McMurray, Dodge, 181.111 mph, 29.816 secs. 11-14-03

 

Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 142.245 mph, (2:48:56), 11-18-12

Notebook

·        Since the inception of the position-based points system in 1975, only four drivers have made up a points deficit in the season finale: Richard Petty in 1979 (made up two points on Darrell Waltrip), Alan Kulwicki in 1992 (made up 30 points on Davey Allison), Jimmie Johnson in 2010 (made up 15 points on Denny Hamlin) andTony Stewart in 2011 (made up three points on Carl Edwards). Note: Stewart’s comeback is the only one made under the current one-point-per-position structure.

·        There have been 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, one per season since 1999.

·        110 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at HMS; 87 in more than one.

·        Four drivers have started all 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at HMS: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewartand Bobby Labonte.

·        David Green won the first Coors Light pole at Homestead in 1999 with a speed of 155.759 mph (34.669 sec.).

·        There have been 10 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson andKasey Kahne with two each.

·        Youngest HMS pole winner: Joey Logano (11/18/2012 – 22 years, 5 months, 25 days).

 

·        Oldest HMS pole winner: Bill Elliott (11/11/2001 – 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).

·        Jamie McMurray (November 2003) and David Reutimann (November 2008) won their first career Coors Light poles at HMS.

·        There have been nine different NASCAR Sprint Cup race winners at HMS, three have won more than once, led byGreg Biffle and Tony Stewart with three each. Carl Edwards (two)is the only other driver with multiple wins at Homestead.

·        Of the three drivers with multiple wins at HMS, Tony Stewart is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Pontiac (1999, 2000) and Chevrolet (2011).

·        Two of the 14 (14.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at HMS have been won from the Coors Light pole: Bill Elliott(2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).

·        Five of the 14 (35.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at HMS have been won from the front row: two from the pole and three from second place.

·        Nine of the 14 (64.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at HMS have been won from a starting position inside the top 10.

·        Denny Hamlin won the 2009 race from the 38th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.

·        Two drivers have won consecutive races at HMS: Tony Stewart (1999, 2000 and 2012) and Greg Biffle (2004-2006).

·        Carl Edwards leads the series in average finish at HMS with a 6.0; only two other drivers have an average finish inside the top 10: Kevin Harvick (7.9) and Martin Truex Jr. (9.8).

·        Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at HMS with seven, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with four.

·        Youngest HMS winner: Kurt Busch (11/17/2002 – 24 years, 3 months, 13 days).

·        Oldest HMS winner: Bill Elliott (11/11/2001 – 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).

·        Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick lead the series in runner-up finishes at HMS with two each.  

·        Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at HMS with seven; followed by Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick with five each.

·        Eight of the nine NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at HMS participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Tony Stewart (1999) is the only driver to win at the track in his first appearance.

·        Jeff Gordon competed at HMS 13 times before winning (2012); the longest span of any the nine winners.

·        Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton lead the series with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at HMS without visiting Victory Lane with 14.

·        Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at HMS is the (4/10/2010) race won by Greg Biffle with a MOV of 0.017 seconds.

·        Danica Patrick will have the opportunity to become the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at HMS this weekend.

NASCAR in Florida

·        There have been 173 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races among eight tracks in Florida.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Daytona International Speedway	Daytona Beach	133
Homestead-Miami Speedway	Homestead	14
Daytona Beach & Road Course	Daytona Beach	10
Palm Beach Speedway	West Palm Beach	7
Speedway Park	Jacksonville	6
Five Flags Speedway	Pensacola	1
Golden Gate Speedway	Tampa	1
Titusville-Cocoa Speedway	Titusville	1

·        170 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Florida.

·        There have been 10 race winners from Florida in NASCAR’s three national series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Fireball Roberts	33	0	0
LeeRoy Yarbrough	14	0	0
Marshall Teague	7	0	0
Joe Nemechek	4	16	0
Bobby Johns	2	0	0
David Reutimann	2	1	1
Shorty Rollins	1	0	0
Rick Wilson	0	2	0
Aric Almirola	0	1	2
Joey Coulter	0	0	1

Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup: Homestead-Miami Speedway

·        Homestead-Miami Speedway has been a part of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup since the playoffs’ inception in 2004. This season the track will host its 10th Chase event.

·        The winner of the Homestead-Miami Speedway Chase race has gone on to win the championship during the Chase era once: Tony Stewart (2011).

·        Greg Biffle leadsthe series in Chase race wins at HMS with three (2004-2006); followed by Carl Edwards with two (2008, 2010).

·        The worst finish in a Chase race by the eventual series champion at HMS is 15th (three times), Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.  

·        Chase Contenders have won seven of the nine previous Chase races at HMS. The only non-Chase contender to win a Homestead-Miami Speedway Chase race was Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006).

·        Four of the 2013 Chase Contenders are former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase race winners at HMS: Greg Biffle (three), Carl Edwards (two), Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon (one each).

·        The average Chase race finish by the eventual series champion at HMS is 8.2. In four of the nine previous Chase races at HMS the eventual series champion has finished in the top five.

·        Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in Chase race wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with six, including five consecutive: Greg Biffle (2004-2006), Matt Kenseth (2007) and Carl Edwards (2008).

·        Ford leads the series in Chase wins at HMS with six; followed by Chevrolet with two.

·        The most dominant performance by a Chase race winner at HMS is Carl Edward’s victory in 2010. He posted a Perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 and led 190 of the 267 laps (71.1% of his laps completed) - most by a Chase race winner at the track.

·        Clinch Scenario: Jimmie Johnson has to finish better than 23rd without leading a lap, 24th or better while leading a lap, and 25th or better while leading the most laps.

·        Jimmie Johnson has competed 122 times on 1.5/1.54-mile tracks in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and has finished worse than 23rd a total of  21 times in his career (17.2%). Of those 21 finishes worse than 23rd-place on 1.5/1.54-mile tracks, four have come at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including each of the last two. Johnson finished 32nd in 2011 and 36th in 2012 at HMS.

·        Matt Kenseth trails Jimmie Johnson by 28 points. In their head to head career, Kenseth has out-pointed Johnson by 28 points…

o   31 of 434 at all NASCAR Sprint Cup point races

o   2 of 35 in 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup point races (8/24 Bristol and 9/7 Richmond)

o   2 of 12 at Homestead-Miami Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup races (2005 and 2011)

·        Kevin Harvick trails Johnson by 34 points. In their head-to-head career, Harvick has out-pointed Johnson by 35 points (Harvick does not own the tiebreaker)…

o   7 of 433 at all NASCAR Sprint Cup point races

o   1 of 35 in 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup point races (8/18 Michigan)

o   0 of 12 at Homestead-Miami Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup races (best is 33 points in 2005)

 

Eventual champion’s points position and point deficit to the standings leader following the ninth Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race:

Season	Champion	Points Back From Leader	Points Position Following Ninth Chase Race	Points Ahead Of Second-Place
2004	Kurt Busch	0	1st	18
2005	Tony Stewart	0	1st	52
2006	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st	63
2007	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st	86
2008	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st	141
2009	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st	108
2010	Jimmie Johnson	-15	2nd	0
2011	Tony Stewart	-3	2nd	0
2012	Brad Keselowski	0	1st	20

Note: 2011 and 2012 are under the current points per finish system