Statistically speaking: a look at Kentucky
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (along with the Camping World Truck and Nationwide series) head to Kentucky Speedway for the third-annual Quaker State 400. Brad Keselowski won last year’s race en route to his 2012 Sprint Cup title. Kyle Busch won the first and only other Sprint Cup race at the track. Kentucky is the only track currently on the Sprint Cup schedule at which four-time champion Jeff Gordon doesn’t have a win. Also, with Bobby Labonte not expected to race this weekend, as A.J. Allmendinger will be in the No. 47 and Labonte didn’t accept a ride elsewhere, it’ll be the first Cup race since 1978 that won’t have a Labonte in the race field.
Those stories aside, here’s a look, statistically speaking, at how various drivers have fared at Kentucky in the track’s short history on the Sprint Cup schedule (stats provided by NASCAR Media Group:
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Roush Fenway Racing Ford)
· Average finish of 21.0
· Average Running Position of 13.4, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 84.9, 13th-best
· 23 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 172 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.814 mph, eighth-fastest
· 420 Laps in the Top 15 (78.7%), eighth-most
· 88 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fifth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet)
· One top 10
· Average finish of 14.0
· Average Running Position of 12.1, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 92.6, eighth-best
· 20 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.386 mph, 13th-fastest
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· One win, one top five, two top 10s
· Average finish of 5.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 3.6
· Series-best Driver Rating of 133.0
· Series-high 92 Fastest Laps Run
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.694 mph, third-fastest
· 516 Laps in the Top 15 (96.6%), third-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 17.0
· Average Running Position of 13.1, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.3, 11th-best
· 18 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· 156 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.654 mph, ninth-fastest
· 301 Laps in the Top 15 (56.4%), 13th-most
· 68 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 12.5
· Average Running Position of 9.7, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 94.3, seventh-best
· 10 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.928 mph, seventh-fastest
· 456 Laps in the Top 15 (85.4%), fifth-most
· 91 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One top five, two top 10s
· Average finish of 7.5
· Average Running Position of 13.9, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 89.8, ninth-best
· 14 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 173 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.496 mph, 12th-fastest
· 335 Laps in the Top 15 (62.7%), 10th-most
· 93 Quality Passes, second-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 7.0
· Average Running Position of 8.7, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 105.0, fourth-best
· 32 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.968 mph, fourth-fastest
· 430 Laps in the Top 15 (80.5%), sixth-most
· 69 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)
· Average finish of 13.5
· Average Running Position of 12.3, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 88.2, 12th-best
· 164 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· 424 Laps in the Top 15 (79.4%), seventh-most
· 77 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One top five, two top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 4.5
· Average Running Position of 4.7, third-best
· Driver Rating of 119.5, third-best
· 56 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 171.807 mph
· 523 Laps in the Top 15 (97.9%), second-most
· 92 Quality Passes, third-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 7.5
· Average Running Position of 15.1, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 96.7, sixth-best
· 31 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Series-high 230 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.961 mph, fifth-fastest
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)
· Two top 10s
· Average finish of 6.5
· Average Running Position of 10.0, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 98.2, fifth-best
· 19 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 170.936 mph, sixth-fastest
· 510 Laps in the Top 15 (95.5%), fourth-most
· Series-high 122 Quality Passes
Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Penske Racing Ford)
· One win, one top five, two top 10s
· Average finish of 4.0
· Average Running Position of 3.9, second-best
· Driver Rating of 128.2, second-best
· 72 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.762 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 526 Laps in the Top 15 (98.5%)
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota)
· One top 10
· Average finish of 13.0
· Average Running Position of 12.8, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 88.8, 10th-best
· 77 Quality Passes, sixth-most
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