Chase heads to Talladega
The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup is three races old, with Brad Keselowski leading the way with the championship points lead and two Chase wins in the three races completed so far. By the way, Denny Hamlin also has a Chase win, and he and Keselowski are tied, overall, this season with five wins apiece.
The Chasers, along with everyone else in the Sprint Cup Series, head to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for Sunday’s running of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500. Keselowski won at Talladega when the circuit last visited the track back in April, and another Chase driver, Clint Bowyer, has won the last two fall — or Chase races — at the Alabama track.
Specifically, here is the statistical rundown, as provided by NASCAR Media Group, for the 12 Chase competitors as Talladega, as weel as their 2012 seasons, as a whole:
1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.0
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.6
· Led 17 races for 503 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, three top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 13.0 in seven races
· Average Running Position of 17.5, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 86.2, eighth-best
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.9
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 15 top fives, 20 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.4
· Led 20 races for 1,250 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.7 in 21 races
· Average Running Position of 18.2, 14th-best
· Driver Rating of 81.5, 11th-best
· 1,339 Laps in the Top 15 (46.9%), seventh-most
· 2,735 Quality Passes, seventh-most
3 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.7
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 12.2
· Led 21 races for 1,132 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Three top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 18.2 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 16.0, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 87.0, fourth-best
· 2,736 Quality Passes, sixth-most
4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation For Women Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.1
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, seven top fives, 18 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.1
· Led 9 races for 192 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 15.6 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 21.8, 30th-best
· Driver Rating of 79.5, 18th-best
· 61 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
5 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.4
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.2
· Led 13 races for 419 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
· Average finish of 15.5 in 27 races
· Average Running Position of 16.4, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 84.5, 10th-best
· 66 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 4,584 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· 1,406 Laps in the Top 15 (49.2%), sixth-most
6 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 13.7
· Led 8 races for 253 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Three top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 20.8 in 17 races
· Average Running Position of 20.7, 23rd-best
· Driver Rating of 70.1, 27th-best
· 4,862 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· 2,594 Quality Passes, eighth-most
7 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.1
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.0
· Led 12 races for 340 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Five wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
· Average finish of 14.8 in 25 races
· Series-best Average Running Position of 14.8
· Driver Rating of 90.0, second-best
· 66 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 4,926 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
8 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6
2012 Rundown
· Six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.2
· Led 11 races for 423 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One top five, four top 10s
· Average finish of 23.5 in 15 races
· Average Running Position of 19.5, 19th-best
· Driver Rating of 75.1, 21st-best
· 4,941 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· 2,409 Quality Passes, 13th-most
9 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.4
2012 Rundown
· Four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.0
· Led 7 races for 229 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.6 in 23 races
· Average Running Position of 18.7, 17th-best
· Driver Rating of 76.5, 20th-best
· 69 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 4,788 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· 1,234 Laps in the Top 15 (43.2%), 13th-most
· 2,553 Quality Passes, 10th-most
10 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.0
2012 Rundown
· One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.7
· Led 18 races for 451 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Six wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 16.8 in 39 races
· Average Running Position of 18.7, 16th-best
· Driver Rating of 81.5, 12th-best
· 1,302 Laps in the Top 15 (45.6%), ninth-most
11 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.7
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.3
· Led 14 races for 634 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Two top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 19.7 in 19 races
· Average Running Position of 21.4, 28th-best
· Driver Rating of 72.9, 24th-best
· 58 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
12 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford EcoBoost/National Breast Cancer Foundation Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.6
· Led 18 races for 365 laps
Talladega Superspeedway Outlook:
· Four top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 18.6 in 25 races
· Average Running Position of 15.3, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 86.7, seventh-best
· 4,575 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· 1,749 Laps in the Top 15 (61.3%), second-most
· 3,513 Quality Passes, third-most