Statistically speaking: a look at Martinsville
After taking the Easter weekend off, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to action Sunday with the running of the STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads into the race as the series championship points leader, and the circuit heads into the Virginia race minus a home state driver, Denny Hamlin, who is recovering from an injury sustained in a crash the last time the series was in action at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Mark Martin will, instead, be behind the wheel of Hamlin’s No. 11 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The STP Gas Booster is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 1 p.m. ET Sunday, it can be seen live on FOX. Here’s a statistical look at how some of NASCAR’s biggest stars have fared at Martinsville (statistics courtesy of NASCAR Media Group):
Clint Bowyer (No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota)
· Two top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 14.0
· Average Running Position of 13.3, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 90.8, eighth-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.989 mph, seventh-fastest
· 4,889 Laps in the Top 15 (69.5%), eighth-most
· 421 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), eighth-most
Jeff Burton (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s
· Average finish of 15.0
· Average Running Position of 15.2, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 87.5, 10th-best
· 284 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· 803 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.907 mph, 10th-fastest
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Seven top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 16.8
· Average Running Position of 14.1, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 95.3, sixth-best
· 350 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 5,345 Laps in the Top 15 (66.5%), sixth-most
· 483 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
· Average finish of 13.0
· Average Running Position of 10.9, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.8, fourth-best
· 445 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Series-high 917 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.180 mph, fourth-fastest
· 6,179 Laps in the Top 15 (76.9%), third-most
· 524 Quality Passes, third-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Seven wins, 25 top fives, 32 top 10s; seven poles
· Average finish of 7.1
· Average Running Position of 6.2, second-best
· Driver Rating of 120.9, second-best
· Series-high 925 Fastest Laps Run
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.500 mph, second-fastest
· 7,243 Laps in the Top 15 (90.2%), second-most
· 549 Quality Passes, second-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 16.7
· Average Running Position of 14.3, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 92.3, seventh-best
· 194 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.919 mph, ninth-fastest
· 5,023 Laps in the Top 15 (62.5%), seventh-most
· 397 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· Seven wins, 15 top fives, 19 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 5.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.2
· Series-best Driver Rating of 122.3
· 802 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· 747 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 91.503 mph
· Series-high 7,349 Laps in the Top 15 (91.5%)
· Series-high 583 Quality Passes
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Penske Racing Ford)
· Three top 10s
· Average finish of 12.2
· Average Running Position of 15.0, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 84.5, 12th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.858 mph, 11th-fastest
Mark Martin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Two wins, 12 top fives, 25 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 14.7, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 87.0, 11th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.954 mph, eighth-fastest
Jamie McMurray (No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet)
· One top five, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.0
· Driver Rating of 82.8, 13th-best
· 4,075 Laps in the Top 15 (50.7%), 12th-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)
· One win, seven top fives, 11 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.6
· Average Running Position of 14.5, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 89.5, ninth-best
· 133 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 840 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.834 mph, 12th-fastest
· 4,688 Laps in the Top 15 (58.4%), ninth-most
· 430 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)
· Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.7
· Average Running Position of 10.8, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.7, fifth-best
· 375 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.099 mph, sixth-fastest
· 5,856 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9%), fifth-most
· 383 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Follow Stock Car Spin on Twitter @SCSblog or like Stock Car Spin on Facebook. Amanda’s also on Twitter @NASCARexaminer and has a fan/like page on Facebook: NASCAR Examiner