Statistical Advance: Analyzing the FedEx 400 at Dover

[NickHolt]

Statistical Advance: Analyzing The FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 29, 2012) – Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware going into the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks on June 3.

 

DOVER-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

 

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M/Heiland Ford)

 

· Two wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole

 

· Average finish of 12.3

 

· Average Running Position of 9.4, third-best

 

· Driver Rating of 105.4, fourth-best

 

· 414 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

 

· 585 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.350 mph, third-fastest

 

· 4,562 Laps in the Top 15 (81.4%), third-most

 

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

 

 

 

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)

 

· Five top 10s

 

· Average finish of 14.3

 

· Average Running Position of 14.0, 11th-best

 

· Driver Rating of 88.1, 11th-best

 

· 133 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 142.875 mph, ninth-fastest

 

 

 

Jeff Burton (No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet)

 

· One win, eight top fives, 15 top 10s

 

· Average finish of 15.2

 

· Average Running Position of 13.5, ninth-best

 

· Driver Rating of 90.0, ninth-best

 

· 172 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

 

· Series-high 660 Green Flag Passes

 

· 358 Quality Passes, sixth-most

 

 

 

Kurt Busch (No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Inc. Chevrolet)

 

· One win, six top fives, eight top 10s

 

· Average finish of 17.9

 

· Average Running Position of 11.1, sixth-best

 

· Driver Rating of 97.8, sixth-best

 

· 220 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

 

· 539 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.033 mph, seventh-fastest

 

· 3,933 Laps in the Top 15 (70.2%), ninth-most

 

· 333 Quality Passes, seventh-most

 

 

 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)

 

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

 

· Average finish of 13.3

 

· Average Running Position of 12.1, eighth-best

 

· Driver Rating of 102.6, fifth-best

 

· 236 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.227 mph, fifth-fastest

 

· 4,208 Laps in the Top 15 (75.1%), fifth-most

 

· 365 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

 

 

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Subway Ford)

 

· One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s

 

· Average finish of 7.3

 

· Average Running Position of 9.4, fourth-best

 

· Driver Rating of 106.5, third-best

 

· 479 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

 

· 561 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.289 mph, fourth-fastest

 

· 4,230 Laps in the Top 15 (75.5%), fourth-most

 

· 412 Quality Passes, third-most

 

 

 

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

 

· Four wins, 14 top fives, 21 top 10s; four poles

 

· Average finish of 12.2

 

· Average Running Position of 13.8, 10th-best

 

· Driver Rating of 89.2, 10th-best

 

· 581 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.024 mph, eighth-fastest

 

· 3,952 Laps in the Top 15 (70.5%), eighth-most

 

· 362 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

 

 

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet)

 

· Two top fives, nine top 10s

 

· Average finish of 16.6

 

· Driver Rating of 79.7, 13th-best

 

· 593 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

 

· 2,985 Laps in the Top 15 (53.3%), 12th-most

 

· 261 Quality Passes, 13th-most

 

 

 

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Madagascar Chevrolet)

 

· Six wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles

 

· Average finish of 9.3

 

· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.7

 

· Series-best Driver Rating of 118.6

 

· Series-high 734 Fastest Laps Run

 

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 143.632 mph

 

· Series-high 4,770 Laps in the Top 15 (85.1%)

 

· 287 Quality Passes, ninth-most

 

 

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Best Buy Ford)

 

· Two wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole

 

· Average finish of 12.2

 

· Average Running Position of 7.9, second-best

 

· Driver Rating of 110.0, second-best

 

· 365 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

 

· 600 Green Flag Passes, third-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.418 mph, second-fastest

 

· 4,746 Laps in the Top 15 (84.7%), second-most

 

· Series-high 424 Quality Passes

 

 

 

Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)

 

· Four wins, 23 top fives, 31 top 10s; four poles

 

· Average finish of 12.4

 

· Average Running Position of 11.0, fifth-best

 

· Driver Rating of 96.1, seventh-best

 

· 293 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

 

· 572 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 143.112 mph, sixth-fastest

 

· 4,063 Laps in the Top 15 (72.5%), sixth-most

 

· 321 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

 

 

Ryan Newman (No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet)

 

· Three wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s; four poles

 

· Average finish of 11.5

 

· Average Running Position of 11.7, seventh-best

 

· Driver Rating of 91.1, eighth-best

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 142.763 mph, 11th-fastest

 

· 4,020 Laps in the Top 15 (71.7%), seventh-most

 

· 285 Quality Passes, 10th-most

 

 

 

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

 

· One win, one top five, four top 10s; two poles

 

· Average finish of 17.2

 

· Average Running Position of 15.5, 12th-best

 

· Driver Rating of 88.1, 12th-best

 

· 191 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

 

· Average Green Flag Speed of 142.697 mph, 12th-fastest

 

· 2,921 Laps in the Top 15 (60.9%), 13th-most

 

· 272 Quality Passes, 12th-most

 

 

Chase Contenders - The Top 12 following Race 12 of 36

 

1. Greg Biffle 453

2. Matt Kenseth 443

3. Denny Hamlin 437

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 435

5. Jimmie Johnson 405

6. Martin Truex Jr. 404

7. Kevin Harvick 398

8. Kyle Busch 391

9. Tony Stewart 388

10. Carl Edwards 372

11. Brad Keselowski 368

12. Clint Bowyer 366

 

At Dover International Speedway:

History

· The official opening of Dover International Speedway, then called Dover Downs International Speedway, was in 1969.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held on July 6, 1969.

· The first two races at Dover were 300 miles. The race length was changed to 500 miles in 1971.

· The track surface was changed to concrete in 1995.

· The race length was changed to 400 miles beginning with the second race in 1997.

· The track name was changed to Dover International Speedway in 2002.

Notebook

· There have been 84 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Dover International Speedway since the track opened in 1969.

· There was one race in 1969 and 1970. There has been two-a-year since 1971.

· Richard Petty won the track’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

· There have been 35 different pole winners, led by David Pearson (six).

· David Pearson won the first pole in July 1969.

· Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Ryan Newman lead all active drivers, each with four poles.

· 33 different drivers have posted victories led by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty, each with seven.

· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers, with six victories.

· Hendrick Motorsports has a series-high 13 wins.

· 51 races at Dover have been won from a top-five starting position; 18 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.

· 13 drivers have won from the pole. The last to do so was Jimmie Johnson, in the 2010 September race.

· The furthest back in the field a race winner started was 37th, by Kyle Petty in 1995.

· Several active drivers had their first start at Dover: David Ragan (finished 42nd in 2006), Kurt Busch (18th in 2000), Matt Kenseth (sixth in 1998) and Bobby Labonte (34th in 1991).

· In addition, Matt Kenseth (2002) and Michael Waltrip (1991) earned their first pole at Dover. Martin Truex Jr. won his first race there (2007).

· Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dover International Speedway winner: Kyle Busch (06/01/2008 – 23 years, 0 months, 30 days).

· Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dover International Speedway winner: Harry Gant (05/31/1992 – 52 years, 4 months, 21 days).

 

 

Dover International Speedway Data

 

Race #: 13 of 36 (06-03-12)

 

Track Size: 1 mile

 

Race Length: 400 miles

 

· Banking/Turns: 24 degrees

 

· Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees

 

· Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

 

· Frontstretch: 1,076 feet

 

· Backstretch: 1,076 feet

 

 

 

Driver Rating at Dover

 

Jimmie Johnson........................ 118.6

 

Matt Kenseth............................. 110.0

 

Carl Edwards............................ 106.5

 

Greg Biffle................................ 105.4

 

Kyle Busch............................... 102.6

 

Kurt Busch.................................. 97.8

 

Mark Martin................................. 96.1

 

Ryan Newman............................. 91.1

 

Jeff Burton................................. 90.0

 

Jeff Gordon................................ 89.2

 

Clint Bowyer............................... 88.1

 

Martin Truex Jr............................ 88.1

 

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (14 total) at Dover.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

 

2011 pole winner: None due to weather

 

2011 race winner: Matt Kenseth, (125.578 mph, 05-15-11)

 

Track qualifying record: Jeremy Mayfield (161.522 mph, 22.288 seconds, 06-04-04)

 

Track race record: Mark Martin (132.719 mph, 09-21-97)

 

NASCAR in Delaware

· There have been 84 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Delaware, all at Dover International Speedway.

· Eight drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Delaware, though none have posted victories.