NASCAR Statistical Advance for Darlinton's Southern 500

[NickHolt]

Statistical Advance: SHOWTIME Southern 500 At Darlington Raceway

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 2, 2011) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Darlington Raceway going into the SHOWTIME Southern 500 on May 7.

 

DARLINGTON-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

 

 

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Valvoline Ford)

 

· Two wins, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.8

· Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best

· Driver Rating of 113.8, second-best

· Series-high 252 Fastest Laps Run

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.528 mph, second-fastest

· 1,658 Laps in the Top 15 (75.2%), fourth-most

· 165 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), sixth-most

 

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

 

· Two wins, eight top fives, 16 top 10s

· Average finish of 11.4

· Average Running Position of 13.2, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 89.8, 11th-best

· 342 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 157.875 mph, ninth-fastest

· 1,491 Laps in the Top 15 (67.6%), eighth-most

· 174 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Wrigley Toyota)

 

· One win, one top five, three top 10s

· Average finish of 18.2

· Average Running Position of 11.5, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.2, sixth-best

· 101 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

· 315 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.302 mph, seventh-fastest

· 1,744 Laps in the Top 15 (79.1%), third-most

· Series-high 217 Quality Passes

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Sugar-Free / National Guard Chevrolet)

 

· Three top fives, seven top 10s

· Average finish of 15.3

· Average Running Position of 11.8, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 92.9, eighth-best

· 56 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

· 321 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 157.865 mph, 10th-fastest

· 1,507 Laps in the Top 15 (68.3%), sixth-most

· 172 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

Carl Edwards (No. 99 ORTHO Ford)

 

· Two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 15.6

· Driver Rating of 87.0, 13th-best

· 81 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

· 332 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 157.828 mph, 11th-fastest

· 1,266 Laps in the Top 15 (57.4%), 13th-most

· 175 Quality Passes, third-most

 

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger/AARP Chevrolet)

 

· Seven wins, 18 top fives, 21 top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 11.0

· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.8

· Series-best Driver Rating of 117.6

· 162 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 158.720 mph

· Series-high 2,050 Laps in the Top 15 (93.0%)

· 191 Quality Passes, second-most

 

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota)

 

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 6.6

· Average Running Position of 9.8, third-best

· Driver Rating of 109.1, third-best

· 140 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 251 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.473 mph, third-fastest

· 1,391 Laps in the Top 15 (75.8%), ninth-most

· 161 Quality Passes, 10th-most

 

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's / KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

 

· Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 9.3

· Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 102.8, fourth-best

· 147 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

· 308 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.468 mph, fourth-fastest

· 1,602 Laps in the Top 15 (72.7%), fifth-most

· 163 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

 

Kasey Kahne (No. 4 Red Bull Toyota)

 

· Two top fives, two top 10s; three poles

· Average finish of 15.9

· Average Running Position of 13.4, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 90.3, ninth-best

· 103 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 157.809 mph, 13th-fastest

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

 

· One top five, seven top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 17.7

· Average Running Position of 14.2, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 89.8, 12th-best

· 65 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

· 343 Green Flag Passes, second-most

· 1,305 Laps in the Top 15 (59.2%), 12th-most

· 147 Quality Passes, 12th-most

 

 

Mark Martin (No. 5 CARQUEST / GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)

 

· Two wins, 17 top fives, 26 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 12.1

· Average Running Position of 13.3, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best

· 291 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 157.880 mph, eighth-fastest

· 1,506 Laps in the Top 15 (68.3%), seventh-most

 

Ryan Newman (No. 39 Tornados Chevrolet)

 

· Six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.2

· Average Running Position of 10.8, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 99.9, fifth-best

· 52 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.371 mph, fifth-fastest

· 1,776 Laps in the Top 15 (80.5%), second-most

 

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

 

· One top 10

· Average finish of 12.8

· Average Running Position of 13.1, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 93.3, seventh-best

· 70 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· 307 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.305 mph, sixth-fastest

· 150 Quality Passes, 11th-most

 

At Darlington Raceway:

 

History

 

· Built as a 1.25-mile paved superspeedway in 1949-50, Darlington Raceway hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on Sept. 4, 1950.

· The track was re-measured to 1.375 miles in 1953.

· The track was re-configured to 1.366 miles following the spring race in 1970.

· The track was repaved in 1995.

· The 2005 race was the first Saturday night race at Darlington.

· The track was repaved again prior to the 2008 season.

 

Notebook

 

· There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Darlington Raceway since the track opened in 1950.

· There was one race per year in 1950, 1951, from 1953-1959, and again every year since 2005. Darlington held two races a season in all other years.

· Curtis Turner won the first pole, in 1950.

· Johnny Mantz won the first race, in 1950.

· 47 drivers have posted poles at Darlington.

· David Pearson leads all drivers with 12 poles at Darlington.

· 44 drivers have won races at Darlington; 25 drivers have won more than once there.

· David Pearson leads all drivers with 10 victories, followed by Dale Earnhardt with nine.

· Jeff Gordon is third overall and leads all active drivers, with seven victories.

· Hendrick Motorsports has won 13 races at Darlington, more than any other organization.

· 19 races at Darlington have been won from the pole, the most productive starting position.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 43rd, in the track’s inaugural race in 1950 by Johnny Mantz. That race had a 75-car field.

· Darlington is the site of one of the closest race finishes in NASCAR history. Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch by 0.002 seconds on March 16, 2003 – which is tied with Talladega (April 17, 2011) as the closest margin of victory since NASCAR instituted electronic timing in 1993.

 

NASCAR in South Carolina

 

There have been 217 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in South Carolina.

133 NASCAR drivers (all-time) have their home state recorded as South Carolina.

There have been 11 race winners from South Carolina in NASCAR’s three national series.

 

Darlington Raceway Data

 

Race #: 10 of 36 (05-07-11)

 

Track Size: 1.366 miles

 

· Banking/Corners: 23-25 degrees

· Banking/Frontstretch: 6 degrees

· Banking/Backstretch: 6 degrees

· Frontstretch: 1,229 feet

· Backstretch: 1,229 feet

 

Driver Rating at Darlington

 

Jeff Gordon 117.6

Greg Biffle 113.8

Denny Hamlin 109.1

Jimmie Johnson 102.8

Ryan Newman 99.9

Kyle Busch 97.2

Martin Truex Jr. 93.3

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 92.9

Kasey Kahne . 90.3

Mark Martin 90.1

Jeff Burton 89.8

Matt Kenseth 89.8

 

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2010 races (6 total) at Darlington.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

 

2010 pole winner: Jamie McMurray (180.370 mph, 27.264 seconds)

2010 race winner: Denny Hamlin (126.605 mph, 05-08-10)

Track qualifying record: Jamie McMurray (180.370 mph, 27.264 seconds, 05-08-10)

Track race record: Kyle Busch (140.350 mph, 05-10-08)