Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Track Facts: 2018 Pennzoil 400

Martin Truex Jr won 7 of the 11 races on 1.5-mile tracks last season, including Las Vegas. He's a badass.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Joey Logano
9
1
0
3
5
0
10
96.3
 
2
Ryan Blaney
3
0
0
0
2
0
10.7
89
 
3
Denny Hamlin
12
0
0
2
6
0
12.2
82.1
 
4
Kevin Harvick
17
0
1
4
7
1
14.8
96.8
 
5
Clint Bowyer
12
0
0
1
4
0
17.8
71.4
 
6
Austin Dillon
5
0
0
1
1
0
17.4
78.4
 
7
Martin Truex Jr
12
0
1
2
4
0
13.2
90.9
 
8
Kurt Busch
16
2
0
1
4
3
21.8
80.7
 
9
Paul Menard
11
0
0
1
3
1
16.7
74.1
 
10
Aric Almirola
9
0
0
0
0
3
28
56.7
 
11
Kyle Busch
13
2
1
5
6
2
14.2
102.9
 
12
Brad Keselowski
9
1
2
4
5
0
15.4
91.2
 
13
Kyle Larson
4
0
0
1
2
0
15.8
86.3
 
14
Darrell Wallace Jr
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.0
0.0
 
15
Michael McDowell
8
0
0
0
0
5
35.5
37.1
 
16
Ryan Newman
17
1
0
4
8
2
16.2
83
 
* – Based on last 13 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2005 – 2017).



The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top Loop Data Leaders

Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Statistical Categories:
Leaders
Loop Data
Driver Rating
Jimmie Johnson
112.0
Average Running Position
Chase Elliott
8.893
Laps Led
Jimmie Johnson
582 laps (16.7 %)
Laps In The Top 15
Jimmie Johnson
76.3% (2,666 laps)
Fastest Laps Run
Jimmie Johnson
445 laps (12.7%)
Green Flag Passes
Jamie McMurray
903
Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson
496
Green Flag Speed
Chase Elliott
172.858 mph
* The above stats are based on Loop Data from 2005 - 2017



Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 3 of 36 (03-04-18)
Track Size: 1.5-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  2,275 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,572 feet
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 Kilometers
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 80 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 107 laps

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Las Vegas
Jimmie Johnson........................ 112.0
Kyle Busch............................... 102.9
Chase Elliott............................... 99.3
Kevin Harvick............................. 96.8
Joey Logano............................... 96.3
Brad Keselowski......................... 91.2
Martin Truex Jr........................... 90.9
Erik Jones.................................. 90.5
Ryan Blaney............................... 89.0
Kasey Kahne.............................. 88.3
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (13 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Qualifying/Race Data
2017 pole winner:
Brad Keselowski, Ford
193.680 mph. 27.881 secs. 03-10-17

2017 race winner:
Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
136.032 mph, (02:56:39), 03-12-17

Track qualifying record:
Kurt Busch, Chevrolet
196.328 mph. 27.505 secs. 03-04-16

Track race record:
Brad Keselowski, Ford
154.633 mph, (2:35:24), 03-09-14


At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
History
·        The construction to build the superspeedway known today as Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.
·        The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.
·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was held on March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.
·        In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.
·        There have been 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. LVMS has hosted one race per season from 1998 to 2017; this season marks the first time Las Vegas will host two MENCS events in a single season.

Starts
·        148 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; 112 in more than one.
·        Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth lead the series in starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with 18 each.
·        Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman lead all active series drivers with 17 starts each; followed by Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson with 16 each.
·        A total of five drivers have made their Monster Energy Series career debut at Las Vegas - Stanton Barrett (1999), Kyle Busch (2004), Timmy Hill (2012), Jon Wood and Aric Almirola (2007).
·        Joey Logano (9 starts) and Erik Jones (1 start) lead the series among active drivers in average starting position at LVMS with an 8.0 each; followed by Kurt Busch (9.4), Kyle Busch (9.5) and Brad Keselowski (9.8).

Poles
·        A total of 13 drivers have won Monster Energy Series poles at Las Vegas, led by Kasey Kahne with three (2004, 2007 and 2012).
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett won the inaugural pole at Las Vegas with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.).
·        Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS; from (2008-2009).
·        Youngest LVMS pole winner: Kyle Busch (3/2/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days).
·        Oldest LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (3/4/2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days).
·        Only one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver has posted his first career pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Kasey Kahne (03/07/2004).  


Wins
·        12 different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with four victories (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010).
·        Of the 12 series winners at LVMS, only five are active this weekend: Jimmie Johnson (4), Brad Keselowski (2), Martin Truex Jr. (1), Kyle Busch (1) and Kevin Harvick (1).
·        Five drivers (all-time) have multiple Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Las Vegas: Jimmie Johnson (four), Matt Kenseth (three), Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards (each have two).
·        Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven victories, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing (two each), Chip Ganassi Racing and Furniture Row Racing (each have one).
·        Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (03/01/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).
·        Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (03/03/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).
·        Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson, who is the only driver to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).
·        Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and only driver to win from the pole, in 2009.
·        Only four of the 20 Las Vegas races (20%) have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); Carl Edwards, 2008 (second starting position); Brad Keselowski, 2014 (second starting position); Martin Truex Jr. (second starting position).
·        Six of the 20 races (30%) have been won from a top-five starting position at Las Vegas.
·        10 of the 20 (50%) races have been won from a top-10 starting position at Las Vegas.
·        Four of the 20 races (20%) at Las Vegas have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.
·        Eight of the 12 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998; inaugural event) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance.
·        Ryan Newman leads the series among active drivers with the most starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane at 17 races.
·        No driver has won the first three races of the season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The five drivers that have won the first two events of the series season are: Matt Kenseth (2009), Jeff Gordon (1997), David Pearson (1976), Bob Welborn (1959) and Marvin Panch (1957). 
·        Four reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas the following season: Matt Kenseth (2004), Tony Stewart (2012), Kevin Harvick (2015) and Jimmie Johnson (2007, 2010) - Johnson is the only driver to do it multiple times.
·        Four drivers have won the Las Vegas race and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003), Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010) and Martin Truex Jr. (2017).
·        Four manufacturers have visited Victory Lane in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at LVMS, led by Ford (nine), Chevrolet (seven), Toyota (three) and Dodge (one).
·        Only four car numbers have produced two or more Las Vegas MENCS wins:
Car Number – Drivers – (Years)
o   No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010)
o   No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000), Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)
o   No17 –  Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004)
o   No2 – Brad Keselowski (2014, 2016)  

Additional Finishing Positions
·        Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with three; followed by Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart with two each.
·        Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with six each.
·        Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin lead the series in top-10 finishes at LVMS with 10 each.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in average finishing position at Las Vegas with a 7.7.
·        Joey Logano leads the series in average finish at LVMS with a 10.0.   

Female Competitors
·        Danica Patrick and Shawna Robinson are the only two female drivers to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Driver
Season
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Driver Rating
Danica Patrick
2017
28
36
40.8
Danica Patrick
2016
18
21
54.9
Danica Patrick
2015
21
27
60.4
Danica Patrick
2014
22
21
58.0
Danica Patrick
2013
37
33
40.5
Averages

25.2
27.6
50.9
     
Driver
Season
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Driver Rating
Shawna Robinson
2002
36
42
N/A


Track Specific Stats
·        NASCAR Overtime: Only one race has resulted with a NASCAR Overtime finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
NASCAR Overtime Laps
Winner
Runner-Up
3/12/2006
267
270
3
Jimmie Johnson
Matt Kenseth

·        Only one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas has ended early due to weather:
Date
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
No. of Fewer Laps
Winner
Runner-Up
3/5/2000
267
148
119
Jeff Burton
Tony Stewart

·        Qualifying has only been cancelled once at LVMS - 2013.
·        The closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the March 12, 2006 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Matt Kenseth by a MOV of 0.045 second.

NASCAR in Nevada
·        There has been a total of 63 NASCAR national series races among two tracks in the state of Nevada.
Track Name
City
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Total Races
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas
20
21
21
62
Las Vegas Park Speedway
Las Vegas
1
0
0
1
Totals
 
21
21
21
63

·        The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Nevada was at Las Vegas Park Speedway on October 16, 1955. Las Vegas Park Speedway was a 1-mile dirt track, and the event was 200 laps. Norm Nelson won the race in a Chrysler.

Nevada in NASCAR
·        26 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada. Only two are currently active in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing) both from Las Vegas.
·        13 drivers from the state of Nevada have made at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.
·        Four drivers with their home state recorded as Nevada have won a NASCAR national series race.
Driver
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Kyle Busch
43
91
49
Kurt Busch
29
5
4
Brendan Gaughan
0
2
8
Noah Gragson
0
0
1


Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
 
STARTS
 
Driver: Jamie McMurray
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
548
2
 
McMurray will become the 35th driver to make 550 Monster Energy Series starts.
 
Driver: Kyle Larson
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
149
1
 
Larson will become the 166th driver to make 150 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.
 
Driver: Cole Whitt
Has
Needs
 
Milestone:
149
1
 
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:
38
1
 
Tie Tim Flock and Matt Kenseth for 19th on the 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:
28
1
 
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: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
259
1
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:
14,389
611
Needs 611 laps led to become the 10th driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 15,000 laps.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
11,272
728
Needs 728 laps led to become the 15th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 12,000 laps.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,945
55
Needs 55 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Denny Hamlin
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,891
109
Needs 109 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
6,524
476
Needs 476 laps led to become the 29th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 7,000 laps.

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