Chase heads to Kansas
The 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup heads into round six this weekend for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. It’s a home game for Chaser Clint Bowyer, who just happens to be the circuit’s most recent winner.
Bowyer claimed victory a week ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway for his third win of the season and his first in this year’s Chase. That win moved him up to fourth in the championship points standings.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes a second weekend off following his concussion at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway earlier this month, leaving 11 Chase drivers to take the green flag among the 43 drivers, total, expected to race on Sunday.
Below, is a rundown of those 11 drivers’ statistics, both on the season and at Kansas, statistically speaking (stats provided by NASCAR Media Group):
1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.3
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.5
· Led 18 races for 642 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One win, two top fives, two top 10s
· Average finish of 10.2 in five races
· Average Running Position of 12.7, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 90.7, ninth-best
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.1
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 16 top fives, 21 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.4
· Led 22 races for 1,314 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· Two wins, five top fives, 10 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 7.9 in 12 races
· Average Running Position of 6.8, second-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 120.7
· Series-high 373 Fastest Laps Run
· 645 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 162.892 mph
· 2,145 Laps in the Top 15 (91.2%), second-most
· Series-high 425 Quality Passes
3 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.0
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.9
· Led 22 races for 1,168 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One win, three top fives, three top 10s
· Average finish of 14.1 in nine races
· Average Running Position of 14.4, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 89.9, 11th-best
· 68 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 614 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.921 mph, eighth-fastest
· 1,589 Laps in the Top 15 (67.6%), eighth-most
· 342 Quality Passes, seventh-most
4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation for Women Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.0
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, eight top fives, 19 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.2
· Led 11 races for 229 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, three top 10s
· Average finish of 15.0 in eight races
· Average Running Position of 17.3, 16th-best
· Driver Rating of 85.7, 15th-best
5 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.8
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, nine top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.4
· Led 9 races for 262 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, four top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 16.1 in 10 races
· Average Running Position of 15.1, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 86.9, 13th-best
· 87 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· 670 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.746 mph, 12th-fastest
· 1,391 Laps in the Top 15 (59.2%), 11th-most
· 286 Quality Passes, 11th-most
6 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M/Sherwin Williams Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.7
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 9.9
· Led 16 races for 721 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 8.0 in 12 races
· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.7
· Driver Rating of 116.3, second-best
· 194 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· 601 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.622 mph, second-fastest
· Series-high 2,208 Laps in the Top 15 (93.9%)
· 406 Quality Passes, second-most
7 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.7
2012 Rundown
· Six top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.3
· Led 11 races for 423 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 23.3 in eight races
· Average Running Position of 14.3, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.4, 12th-best
· 102 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.933 mph, seventh-fastest
8 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.6
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.5
· Led 14 races for 420 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 12.2 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 9.6, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 102.9, third-best
· 137 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.254 mph, fourth-fastest
· 1,857 Laps in the Top 15 (79.0%), fourth-most
· 374 Quality Passes, fourth-most
9 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.4
· Led 20 races for 460 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· Two wins, eight top fives, nine top 10s
· Average finish of 11.1 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 8.8, third-best
· Driver Rating of 102.2, fifth-best
· 99 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.353 mph, third-fastest
· 2,105 Laps in the Top 15 (89.5%), third-most
· 390 Quality Passes, third-most
10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.9
2012 Rundown
· Four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.1
· Led 8 races for 241 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, six top 10s
· Average finish of 13.0 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 12.8, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 92.1, seventh-best
· 79 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Series-high 721 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 161.894 mph, ninth-fastest
· 1,591 Laps in the Top 15 (67.7%), seventh-most
· 331 Quality Passes, eighth-most
11 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Zest Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.2
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.3
· Led 19 races for 398 laps
Kansas Speedway Outlook:
· Four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.9 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 10.6, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 102.4, fourth-best
· 119 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 162.030 mph, fifth-fastest
· 1,852 Laps in the Top 15 (78.8%), fifth-most
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