Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Bristol Motor Speedway Track Facts: 2018 Food City 500

Short track racing at Thunder Valley is attractive on so many levels.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2017 Top 16 at Bristol Motor Speedway

Driver
Races
Poles
Wins
Top Fives
Top 10s
DNFs
Average Finish
Driver Rating
 
 
1
Kyle Busch
25
1
6
9
14
4
14.6
100.7
 
2
Joey Logano
18
1
2
4
7
1
16.6
87.5
 
3
Ryan Blaney
5
0
0
0
1
0
22.2
78.0
 
4
Kevin Harvick
34
1
2
12
17
3
13.4
96.4
 
5
Martin Truex Jr
24
0
0
2
3
2
20.3
84.3
 
6
Clint Bowyer
24
0
0
7
11
2
15.2
80.0
 
7
Brad Keselowski
16
0
2
4
5
0
17.9
86.4
 
8
Kurt Busch
34
1
5
10
17
3
14.9
91.1
 
9
Denny Hamlin
24
3
1
7
12
2
15.4
91.4
 
10
Kyle Larson
8
0
0
0
4
1
18.0
95.7
 
11
Erik Jones
2
1
0
1
1
0
9.5
116.3
 
12
Aric Almirola
17
0
0
1
2
5
24.6
63.3
 
13
Austin Dillon
8
0
0
1
2
1
18.0
66.8
 
14
Alex Bowman
4
0
0
0
0
0
29.0
48.9
 
15
Chase Elliott
4
0
0
1
2
0
11.0
96.4
 
16
Paul Menard
21
0
0
1
6
0
17.8
71.8
 
* – Based on last 26 races at Bristol Motor Speedway (2005 – 2017).


The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 2018 Top Loop Data Leaders

Bristol Motor Speedway
Statistical Categories:
Leaders
Loop Data
Driver Rating
Erik Jones
116.3
Average Running Position
Erik Jones
5.135
Laps Led
Kyle Busch
2,116 laps (16.9%)
Laps in the Top 15
Kevin Harvick
69.5% (9,054 laps)
Fastest Laps Run
Kyle Busch
859 laps (6.9%)
Green Flag Passes
Jamie McMurray
1,482
Quality Passes
Kurt Busch
876
Green Flag Speed
Erik Jones
116.894 mph
* The above stats are based on Loop Data from 2005 - 2017


Bristol Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 08 of 36 (04-15-18)
Track Size: 0.533-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24-28 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 4-8 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4-8 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  650 feet
Backstretch Length:  650 feet
Race Length: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 125 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 250 laps

Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Bristol
Erik Jones................................ 116.3
Kyle Busch............................... 100.7
Kevin Harvick............................. 96.4
Chase Elliott............................... 96.4
Kyle Larson................................ 95.7
Jimmie Johnson.......................... 93.0
Denny Hamlin............................. 91.4
Kurt Busch................................. 91.1
Joey Logano............................... 87.5
Brad Keselowski......................... 86.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (26 total) among active drivers at Bristol Motor Speedway

Qualifying/Race Data
2017 pole winner:
None - Due to Weather

2017 race winner:
Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
86.674 mph, (03:04:29), 04-24-17

Track qualifying record:
Denny Hamlin, Toyota
131.668 mph, 14.573 secs. 08-19-16
Round 1 of 3

Track race record:
Charlie Glotzbach, Chevrolet
101.074 mph, (2:38:12), 07-11-71



At Bristol Motor Speedway:
History
·        Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.
·        First Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race was July 30, 1961; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).
·        All of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps.
·        In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.
·        The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
·        The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
·        The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.
·        The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.
·        The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
·        There have been 114 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961, two races each season.
Starts
·        447 drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol; 316 in more than one.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Bristol with 60.
·        Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active MENCS drivers in starts at BMS with 34 starts each, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman with 32.
·        NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen leads the series in average starting position at Bristol with a 3.250 in 12 starts.
·        Erik Jones leads all active MENCS drivers in average starting position at Bristol with a 7.500 in two starts. 
·        Erik Jones (7.500), Joey Logano (7.611) and Chase Elliott (7.750) are the only three active drivers with an average starting position inside the top 10.
·        Thirty-three drivers have made their first series career start at Bristol Motor Speedway; but only one is currently active in the series - AJ Allmendinger (03/25/2007).  

Poles
·        Fred Lorenzen won the inaugural Busch Pole Award at Bristol in the Monster Energy Series with a speed of 79.225 mph in a Ford.
·        49 different Monster Energy Series drivers have Busch poles at Bristol, led by Mark Martin and Cale Yarborough with nine each.
·        Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman lead all active drivers in Busch poles at Bristol with three each.
·        10 different drivers have posted consecutive poles at Bristol Motor Speedway; Mark Martin is the only driver of the 10 to win four consecutive poles at Bristol: Fireball Roberts (swept 1962), Fred Lorenzen (swept 1963), Richard Petty (1967-’68), Bobby Allison (swept 1972), Cale Yarborough (swept 1973; swept 1977; swept 1980), Darrell Waltrip (swept 1981), Geoff Bodine (swept 1986), Mark Martin (swept 1995-1996– all four races; and swept 2009); Rusty Wallace (swept 1998), Jeff Gordon (swept 2002) and Denny Hamlin (fall 2013, spring 2014).
·        Youngest Bristol pole winner: Joey Logano (3/21/2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days) – his first Monster Energy Series career pole.
·        Oldest Bristol pole winner: Harry Gant (8/27/1994 – 54 years, 7 months, 17 days) – his last Monster Energy Series career pole.
·        Seven different drivers have posted their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career pole at Bristol: Tim Richmond (1982), Rick Wilson (1988), Ernie Irvan (1990), Chuck Bown (1994), Steve Park (2000), Jeff Green (2001), Joey Logano (2010) and Erik Jones (2017).  
·        Joey Logano (03/10/2010) and Erik Jones (08/19/2017) are the only active drivers to win their first Monster Energy Series Busch Pole Award at Bristol Motor Speedway.
·        Nine different manufacturers have won Busch Pole Awards at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series; led by Chevrolet (37) and followed by Ford (36), Dodge (8), Toyota (9), Pontiac (7), Buick (4), Plymouth (4), Oldsmobile (3) and Mercury (2).

Wins
·        42 different Monster Energy Series drivers have won at Bristol Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip with 12 victories.  
·        Kyle Busch leads the series among active drivers in wins at Bristol with six.
·        Jack Smith (with relief from Johnny Allen) won the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway on July 30, 1961 in a Pontiac.
·        12 drivers have won consecutive MENCS races at Bristol; led by Darrell Waltrip with seven consecutive victories from 1981-1984. The other 11 are Fred Lorenzen (1963-1964 sweep), David Pearson (1968 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), Cale Yarborough did it twice (1974 sweep and four straight from 1976-1977), Richard Petty (1975 sweep), Dale Earnhardt also did twice (1985 sweep and 1987 sweep), Alan Kulwicki (1992 sweep), Rusty Wallace (2000 sweep), Kurt Busch (2003 sweep and 2004 spring race), Kyle Busch (2009 sweep) and Brad Keselowski (2011 fall-2012 spring).
·        Youngest Bristol winner: Kyle Busch (03/25/2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).
·        Oldest Bristol winner: Dale Earnhardt (08/28/1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days).
·        Five drivers have posted their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career win at Bristol Motor Speedway: Dale Earnhardt (04/01/1979), Rusty Wallace (04/06/1986), Ernie Irvan (03/25/1990), Elliott Sadler (03/25/2001) and Kurt Busch (03/24/2002).
·        Junior Johnson leads the series in car owner wins at Bristol with 16. Roger Penske leads the series among active car owners with the most wins at Bristol with 12; followed by Jack Roush and Rick Hendrick with 11 each.
·        The race winner has started from the pole 24 times (21.6%) - the most productive starting position in the field. The last driver to win from the pole was Carl Edwards (Spring, 2016).
·        Six drivers have won from the pole position multiple times: Bobby Allison (1972 twice), Cale Yarborough (1973, 1977 twice, 1980), Darrell Waltrip (1981 twice, 1982), Rusty Wallace (1991, 1993, 1999, 2000), Matt Kenseth (2005, 2015) and Carl Edwards (2008, 2016).
·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 38th, by Elliott Sadler in 2001.
·        Eight different manufacturers have won in the MENCS at Bristol; led by Chevrolet with 45 victories; followed by Ford (36), Toyota (9), Dodge (8), Pontiac (8), Buick (4), Plymouth (3) and Oldsmobile (1).

Additional Finishing Position Stats
·        Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Bristol with 10; Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with five; followed by Kyle Busch with three.
·        Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty lead the series in top-five finishes at Bristol with 26 each. Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with 12; followed by Jimmie Johnson with 11.
·        Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Bristol with 37. Jimmie Johnson leads the series among active drivers in top-10 finishes with 18.
·        Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leads the series among active drivers in average finishing position at Bristol with a 10.8 in 10 series starts.

Track/Event Specific Stats
·        Since the advent of electronic scoring (1993) the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway is the March 25, 2007 race won by Kyle Busch with a MOV of 0.064 second.
·        Below are the top five closest margins of victory in the MENCS at Bristol:
Rank
Margin of Victory
Winner
Runner-Up
Date
1
0.064
Kyle Busch
Jeff Burton
3/25/2007
2
0.098
Kyle Busch
Mark Martin
8/22/2009
3
0.102
Dale Jarrett
Mark Martin
8/23/1997
4
0.140
Mark Martin
Rusty Wallace
8/28/1993
5
0.160
Rusty Wallace
Mark Martin
8/27/1994
 
0.160
Terry Labonte
Dale Earnhardt
8/26/1995
·        Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway four times: 3/26/2006, 3/16/2008, 8/25/2012 and 04/24/2017. 
·        Two of the 113 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions.
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
No. of Fewer Laps
Race Winner
Date
500
342
158
Jeff Gordon
3/31/1996
500
419
81
Darrell Waltrip
8/27/1983

·        There have been five NASCAR Overtime finishes at Bristol:
Scheduled No. of Laps
Actual No. of Laps
NASCAR Overtime Laps
Race Winner
Date
500
511
11
Matt Kenseth
4/19/2015
500
503
3
Carl Edwards
3/16/2014
500
503
3
Kyle Busch
3/22/2009
500
506
6
Jeff Burton
3/16/2008
500
504
4
Kyle Busch
3/25/2007


Female Competitor Stats
·        Two female drivers have made Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Driver Rating
Date
Danica Patrick
24
25
44.5
8/19/2017
Danica Patrick
29
36
38.5
4/24/2017
Danica Patrick
29
22
43.3
8/20/2016
Danica Patrick
33
27
45.7
4/17/2016
Danica Patrick
32
27
55.8
8/22/2015
Danica Patrick
26
9
72.6
4/19/2015
Danica Patrick
24
27
45.2
8/23/2014
Danica Patrick
36
18
55.6
3/16/2014
Danica Patrick
22
26
46.2
8/24/2013
Danica Patrick
41
28
41.4
3/17/2013
Danica Patrick
43
29
46.3
8/25/2012
Averages
30.8
24.9
48.6
 
     
Driver
Starting Position
Finishing Position
Date
 
Janet Guthrie
9
6
8/28/1977
 
Janet Guthrie
21
11
4/17/1977
 
Averages
15
8.5
  

NASCAR in Tennessee
·        There has been a total of 334 NASCAR national series races among eight tracks in the state of Tennessee.
Track Name
City
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
Total Races
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol
114
71
20
205
Nashville Speedway
Lebanon
42
9
5
56
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville
0
21
13
34
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis
0
11
12
23
Smokey Mountain Raceway
Maryville
12
0
0
12
Kingsport Speedway
Kingsport
3
0
0
3
Chattanooga International Raceway
Chattanooga
2
0
0
2
Tennessee-Carolina Speedway
Newport
2
0
0
2
Totals
 
175
112
50
337

·        The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held in Tennessee was at Tennessee-Carolina Speedway on 10/07/1956 and won by Fireball Roberts.

Tennessee Drivers
·        107 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Tennessee.
·        14 drivers from Tennessee have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; totaling 150 wins across all three series.
 
Driver
Monster Energy
Xfinity
Camping World
1
Darrell Waltrip
84
13
0
2
Sterling Marlin
10
2
0
3
Bobby Hamilton
4
1
10
4
Joe Lee Johnson
2
0
0
5
Trevor Bayne
1
2
0
6
Paul Lewis
1
0
0
7
Bobby Hamilton Jr
0
5
0
8
Jeff Purvis
0
4
0
9
L.D. Ottinger
0
3
0
10
Mike Alexander
0
2
0
11
Casey Atwood
0
2
0
12
Brad Teague
0
1
0
13
Chad Chaffin
0
0
2
14
John King
0
0
1

·        Darrell Waltrip, from Franklin, Tennessee, was inducted into the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Waltrip is the only Tennessee native driver to win a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. 
·        Only two of the 14 drivers from Tennessee have won at least one race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at a track located in the state of Tennessee: Darrell Waltrip (Bristol, 12 wins; Nashville, eight wins) and Joe Lee Johnson (Nashville, one win).


Date
Track
Pole Winner
Stage 1 Winner
Stage 2 Winner
Stage 3 Winner
Race Winner
OEM
2/18/2018
Daytona
Alex Bowman
Kurt Busch
Ryan Blaney
N/A
Austin Dillon
Chevrolet
2/25/2018
Atlanta
Kyle Busch
Kevin Harvick
Brad Keselowski
N/A
Kevin Harvick
Ford
3/4/2018
Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
N/A
Kevin Harvick
Ford
3/11/2018
ISM
Martin Truex Jr
Kyle Busch
Kurt Busch
N/A
Kevin Harvick
Ford
3/18/2018
Auto Club
Martin Truex Jr
Martin Truex Jr.
Martin Truex Jr.
N/A
Martin Truex Jr
Toyota
3/26/2018
Martinsville
None-Weather
Denny Hamlin
Ryan Blaney 
N/A
Clint Bowyer 
Ford 
4/8/2018
Texas
Kurt Busch
Kevin Harvick
Kyle Busch
N/A
Kyle Busch
Toyota
4/15/2018
Bristol






4/21/2018
Richmond
      
4/29/2018
Talladega






5/6/2018
Dover
      
5/12/2018
Kansas






5/19/2018
All-Star Open
      
5/19/2018
All-Star Race






5/27/2018
Charlotte
      
6/3/2018
Pocono






6/10/2018
Michigan
      
6/24/2018
Sonoma






7/1/2018
Chicagoland
      
7/7/2018
Daytona






7/14/2018
Kentucky
      
7/22/2018
New Hampshire






7/29/2018
Pocono
      
8/5/2018
Watkins Glen






8/12/2018
Michigan
      
8/18/2018
Bristol






9/2/2018
Darlington
      
9/9/2018
Indianapolis






9/16/2018
Las Vegas
      
9/22/2018
Richmond






9/30/2018
Charlotte
      
10/7/2018
Dover






10/14/2018
Talladega
      
10/21/2018
Kansas






10/28/2018
Martinsville
      
11/4/2018
Texas






11/11/2018
ISM
      
11/18/2018
Homestead-Miami









Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
STARTS
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
617
1
Tie his owner Tony Stewart (618) for 25th on the all-time Monster Energy Series starts list.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
448
2
Truex will become the 51st driver to make 450 or more Monster Energy Series starts.
Driver: Trevor Bayne
Has
Needs
Milestone:
173
2
Bayne will become the 150th driver to make 175 or more Monster Energy Series starts.
WINS
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
83
1
Tie Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for fourth on the all-time series wins list.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
44
2
Tie Buck Baker (46) for 15th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
40
4
Tie Kyle Busch and Bill Elliott for 16th 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
2
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: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
28
1
To tie Ricky Rudd for 24th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Has
Needs
Milestone:
27
1
To tie Kyle Busch for 25th on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series poles list.



Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series - Milestones
Second-Place Finishes
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Has
Needs
Milestone:
46
2
Tie Lee Petty for 11th on the all-time series second-place finishes list.
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
43
1
Tie Tony Stewart for 13th on the all-time series second-place finishes list.
Top Fives
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
173
2
Tie Bill Elliott (175) for 20th on the all-time Monster Energy Series top fives list.
Top 10s
Driver: Kyle Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
247
3
To become the 26th series driver all-time to post 250 or more top 10s
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:
14,729
271
Needs 271 laps led to become the 10th driver in the MENCS all-time to lead 15,000 laps.
Driver: Kevin Harvick
Has
Needs
Milestone:
11,611
389
Needs 389 laps led to become the 15th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 12,000 laps.
Driver: Kurt Busch
Has
Needs
Milestone:
8,991
9
Needs 9 laps led to become the 20th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 9,000 laps.
Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Has
Needs
Milestone:
6,662
338
Needs 338 laps led to become the 29th driver all-time in the MENCS to lead 7,000 laps.


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