Numbers: Drivers poised to battle on the bubble at Atlanta (NASCAR.com)
September 2, 2010
1 — Carl Edwards’ weekend victories at Atlanta in March, 2005 were his first wins in both the Cup and Nationwide series. He is the only driver to win his first Cup and Nationwide race on the same weekend. It is the only weekend sweep at Atlanta. He is also the only driver to sweep a weekend at two different tracks in one weekend, winning the Nationwide race at Memphis on Saturday then winning the Cup race at Atlanta on Sunday in the fall of 2008. He has 8 top-10s and 6 top-fives in 12 races, but has finished 37th and 39th the past two.
1 — Only one of the 26 quad-oval races has been win by the pole winner, Kasey Kahne (March, 2006).
2—Times the leader at halfway has won at Atlanta—once in the past 14 races.
3—Past consecutive races that Dodge has won at Atlanta (Kurt Busch—2, Kasey Kahne—1).
3—Green-white-checkered finishes at Atlanta.
6 — Atlanta wins by Bobby Labonte, the most of all active drivers.
6—Consecutive Atlanta poles for Ryan Newman at Atlanta, from 2003—2005. He is tied with Buddy Baker at seven for the most poles at Atlanta. He qualified seventh in March.
6—Best finish for Jamie McMurray at Atlanta (Oct., 2005) in 16 races at the track.
7—Atlanta race winners out of the past 11 started in the first two rows, four from the first row.
9—Top-10 starts for Juan Montoya in 9 the past 11 races.
10—Past consecutive races that Matt Kenseth has finished in the top 13. Tony Stewart has been running at the end of the past 18 races at Atlanta. The March race was the first in the past 19 that Hendrick Motorsports has not had at least one car finish in the top 10.
10—Engine DNFs in the past eight Atlanta races. There were no engine DNFs in March. The average per race is three engine DNFs in the 26 races on the 1.54-mile track.
12—Active drivers who have won at Atlanta, 42 in all 102 races.
16—Races out of the past 20 at Atlanta have been won from a top 10 start, 10 from the top five.
23—Finish for Clint Bowyer at Atlanta in March after starting 18th.
59—Laps led by Mark Martin in 2010. Martin led 704 last year after 24 races.
103—The Emory Healthcare 500 is the 103rd Cup race at Atlanta, one of seven tracks that have reached the century mark (Charlotte, Daytona, Darlington, Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol).
192.761—Dale Earnhardt Jr’s qualifying speed in miles per hour at Atlanta in March—the fastest qualifying speed in 2010.
790—Laps led by Tony Stewart at Atlanta—the most of anyone in the field.
Top 12 Snapshots: Momentum approaching the Chase
1. Kevin Harvick is still the best with six top-fives in the past nine races. Harvick has eight top-14 finishes and only two results worse than 19th all season. 2. After a streak of five top-five finishes, Jeff Gordon has not had a top-five the past five races. 3. Kyle Busch’s Bristol win is not a trend. He has just one top-five finish in the past 10 races. 4. Carl Edwards is the dark horse. He isn’t winning but scoring points with consistent strong finishes. Edwards has a top-12 in the past seven races with four top-fives. 5. Denny Hamlin has been inconsistent the past 10 races: One win, four top-10s but three finishes in the 30s. 6. Tony Stewart is on his annual summer run. First race in June was his first top -five finish in nine races (3rd, Pocono). In the 11 races this summer, Pocono-Bristol, he has scored nine top-10s, including five top-fives. He is 2nd in points the past 11 races. 7. Jeff Burton is doing well but not at championship level. He has only four top -fives in ’10. 8. Matt Kenseth is consistent but not strong. His fifth-place finish at Michigan was his first top-five in 11 races. Kenseth is 13th in points scored the past 10 races 9. Jimmie Johnson is a big question right now. He has only one top-10 finish in the past seven races. He’s tied for most wins but Bristol was his eighth finish of 25th or worse this season and his fourth in the past seven races. He has been strong at qualifying and leading laps but not at closing the deal. 10. Kurt Busch has mixed reviews. He had a second-place finish at Watkins Glen but four results of 26th or worse in the past nine races; Busch had only two 26th or worse finishes in the first 15 races of ’10.. 11. Greg Biffle has been strong at the right time. He Has four top-eight finishes in the past five races, including a win. Biffle can be a contender if he can maintain top-eight finishes. 12. Clint Bowyer is in the top 12 but not at Chase pace and just trying to stay in. Bowyer was impressive at Bristol; repeat of 2007?
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Current Top 12 at AtlantaNine drivers have wonRankDriverStartsPolesWinsTop5Top10Avg. St.Avg. Fin.1.Kevin Harvick19014617.7919.842.Jeff Gordon3624142312.512.443.Kyle Busch12012213.7518.334.Carl Edwards12036810.9215.255.Denny Hamlin10001315.315.96.Tony Stewart230281316.1712.047.Ward Burton21003718.38158.Matt Kenseth210081222.7613.149.Jimmie Johnson18039118.2210.7810.Kurt Busch19033716.0518.6811.Greg Biffle15103912.871512.Clint Bowyer9000416.2216.44
Looking good for the Chase—the Top 12: How to clinch a spot
First and second spot: Locked in
Chase BubbleRace for 12th positionPos.+ / -DriverPointsBehind12.—Clint Bowyer2,920—13.+2Jamie McMurray2,820-10014.-1Mark Martin2,819-10115.-1Ryan Newman2,802-11816.—Kasey Kahne2,784-13617.+1David Reutimann2,765-155
Third: Kyle Busch—start last two races before the Chase.
Fourth: Carl Edwards—average 38th place points last two races before the Chase or 21st or better at Atlanta.
Fifth: Denny Hamlin: average 37th place points last two races before the Chase or 21st or better at Atlanta.
Sixth: Tony Stewart—average 37th place points last two races before the Chase or 19th or better at Atlanta.
Seventh: Jeff Burton — average 36th place points last two races before the Chase or 17th or better at Atlanta.
Eighth: Matt Kenseth—average 35th place points last two races before the Chase or 15th or better at Atlanta.
Ninth: Jimmie Johnson—average 32nd place points last two races before the Chase or 10th or better at Atlanta.
Tenth: Kurt Busch—average 31st place points last two races before the Chase or ninth or better at Atlanta.
Eleventh: Greg Biffle—average 28th place points last two races before the Chase or fourth or better at Atlanta
Twelfth: Clint Bowyer—average seventh place points last two races before the Chase; Atlanta depends on finish of 12th-17th.
