Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Homestead-Miami Facts

by Mike Forde
NASCAR Media Services

At Homestead-Miami Speedway:
History

* Groundbreaking for Homestead-Miami Dade Motorsports Complex – as the track was originally named – began Aug. 24, 1993. The first race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Nov. 5, 1995.
* The original configuration was a four-turn, rectangular oval based on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's layout.
* The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead was held on Nov. 14, 1999.
* 2002 was the first season of the Championship Weekend at Homestead, with all three of NASCAR’s national series holding their season finale at the same track.

Notebook
* There have been 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, one per season since 1999.
* Five drivers have competed in all nine Homestead races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Elliott Sadler and Tony Stewart.
* David Green won the first pole, in 1999.
* Tony Stewart won the inaugural race, in 1999.
* There have been nine different pole winners. Kurt Busch (2002 and 2004) is the only multiple pole winner there.
* There have been seven different race winners, led by Greg Biffle with three.
* Jack Roush has won six races, most among owners.
* The race has been won from the pole twice: Bill Elliott (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).
* The race has been won from a top-10 starting position eight of 10 times.
* Greg Biffle won in 2006 from the 22nd starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
* Three active drivers have averaged a top-10 finish: Carl Edwards (6.4), Jeff Gordon (9.9) and Kevin Harvick (9.1).
* Four of the last five races have ended with a margin of victory under one second.

NASCAR in Florida
* There have been 161 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Florida.
* 157 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series have their home state recorded as Florida.
* There have been 10 race winners from Florida in NASCAR’s three national series.

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