Statistically speaking: a look at Bristol
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Bristol (Ten.) Motor Speedway this weekend for Sunday’s Food City 500 — the first short track race and the first event on a concrete surface for both the season and the new Gen-6 car. Here’s a look at how some of the the top performers at Bristol have fared in recent visits to the track (statistics provided by NASCAR Media Group):
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)
· Six top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.2
· Average Running Position of 12.4, third-best
· Driver Rating of 96.2, fifth-best
· 292 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.450 mph, fourth-fastest
· 5,848 Laps in the Top 15 (73.0%), third-most
· 365 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet)
· Five wins, six top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.8
· Average Running Position of 13.4, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 92.0, seventh-best
· 726 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.388 mph, sixth-fastest
· 394 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Five wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.3
· Average Running Position of 13.0, fifth-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 102.3
· Series-high 556 Fastest Laps Run
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 114.499 mph
· 5,310 Laps in the Top 15 (66.3%), fifth-most
· 379 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One win, seven top fives, 12 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.8
· Average Running Position of 14.0, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 87.9, 11th-best
· Series-high 837 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.328 mph, ninth-fastest
· 4,787 Laps in the Top 15 (59.7%), ninth-most
· 363 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)
· Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.4
· Average Running Position of 14.7, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.2, 10th-best
· 290 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 5,208 Laps in the Top 15 (65.0%), seventh-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Five wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; five poles
· Average finish of 11.9
· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.5
· Driver Rating of 100.7, second-best
· 338 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 615 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.494 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 6,584 Laps in the Top 15 (82.2%)
· 427 Quality Passes, second-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· One win, four top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 14.8
· Driver Rating of 89.8, eighth-best
· 337 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· 725 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.335 mph, eighth-fastest
· 3,835 Laps in the Top 15 (54.7%), 13th-most
· 307 Quality Passes, 13th-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.5
· Average Running Position of 13.9, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 89.7, ninth-best
· 237 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 742 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.390 mph, fifth-fastest
· 4,745 Laps in the Top 15 (59.2%), 10th-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One win, seven top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 14.0
· Average Running Position of 12.8, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.8, sixth-best
· 455 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.277 mph, 12th-fastest
· 5,681 Laps in the Top 15 (70.9%), fourth-most
· 336 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.1
· Average Running Position of 10.7, second-best
· Driver Rating of 99.8, third-best
· 380 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.484 mph, third-fastest
· 6,412 Laps in the Top 15 (80.0%), second-most
· Series-high 451 Quality Passes
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Penske Racing Ford)
· Two wins, two top fives, two top 10s
· Average finish of 13.7
· Average Running Position of 13.3, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.4, fourth-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.368 mph, seventh-fastest
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)
· One top five, 12 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 17.4
· Average Running Position of 15.3, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 86.9, 13th-best
· 621 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· 5,227 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), sixth-most
· 359 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.6
· Average Running Position of 15.8, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 87.7, 12th-best
· 303 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 114.284 mph, 11th-fastest
· 4,291 Laps in the Top 15 (53.6%), 12th-most
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