Chase heads to Martinsville
Next stop in the 10-race NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup — Martinsville (Va.) Speedway for Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500. Brad Keselowski heads into the race first in the championship points lead, seven points ahead of six-time Martinsville race winner Jimmie Johnson.
Here’s a statistical look at the 12 Chase drivers, including their season stats, as well as career statistics at Martinsville. Stats come courtesy of NASCAR Media Group.
1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.9
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.4
· Led 18 races for 642 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Two top 10s
· Average finish of 13.4 in five races
· Average Running Position of 15.2, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 82.3, 14th-best
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.792 mph, 13th-fastest
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.1
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.4
· Led 23 races for 1,358 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Six wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 5.8 in 21 races
· Average Running Position of 6.4, second-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 121.4
· 742 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· 685 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 91.456 mph
· Series-high 6,854 Laps in the Top 15 (91.0%)
· Series-high 542 Quality Passes
3 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.6
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.9
· Led 22 races for 1,168 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Four wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 6.4 in 14 races
· Average Running Position of 8.5, third-best
· Driver Rating of 113.4, third-best
· 495 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 683 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.289 mph, third-fastest
· 5,844 Laps in the Top 15 (83.1%), third-most
· 457 Quality Passes, fourth-most
4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Benefiting Avon Foundation for Women Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.6
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, eight top fives, 20 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.0
· Led 12 races for 234 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 14.7 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 14.0, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 87.9, 10th-best
· 127 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.903 mph, ninth-fastest
· 4,397 Laps in the Top 15 (67.3%), 10th-most
· 370 Quality Passes, ninth-most
5 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.5
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 13.1
· Led 10 races for 263 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· One top five, two top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 21.7 in 17 races
· Average Running Position of 21.8, 22nd-best
· Driver Rating of 73.5, 21st-best
· 162 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
6 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.1
2012 Rundown
· Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.0
· Led 11 races for 423 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Two top fives, four top 10s
· Average finish of 21.4 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 22.1, 25th-best
· Driver Rating of 68.4, 24th-best
7 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.5
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.2
· Led 14 races for 420 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Three wins, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 13.2 in 27 races
· Average Running Position of 10.3, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 101.5, fourth-best
· 375 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.104 mph, fifth-fastest
· 5,680 Laps in the Top 15 (75.4%), fifth-most
· 358 Quality Passes, 11th-most
8 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Pepsi MAX Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.3
· Led 21 races for 462 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Seven wins, 25 top fives, 31 top 10s; seven poles
· Average finish of 7.1 in 39 races
· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.4
· Driver Rating of 120.8, second-best
· Series-high 826 Fastest Laps Run
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.447 mph, second-fastest
· 6,775 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%), second-most
· 486 Quality Passes, second-most
9 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.5
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.0
· Led 20 races for 476 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Three top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 16.0 in 25 races
· Average Running Position of 17.5, 17th-best
· Driver Rating of 79.1, 17th-best
· 764 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· 3,500 Laps in the Top 15 (46.5%), 13th-most
10 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.5
2012 Rundown
· Four top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.0
· Led 8 races for 241 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 16.0 in 22 races
· Average Running Position of 14.2, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.9, seventh-best
· 186 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 90.911 mph, eighth-fastest
· 4,773 Laps in the Top 15 (63.4%), seventh-most
· 363 Quality Passes, 10th-most
11 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.1
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 10.5
· Led 16 races for 721 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· Two top 10s
· Average finish of 21.9 in 19 races
· Average Running Position of 21.8, 24th-best
· Driver Rating of 67.6, 26th-best
· 709 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.6
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.3
· Led 13 races for 358 laps
Martinsville Speedway Outlook:
· 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.6 in 25 races
· Average Running Position of 11.1, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.1, fifth-best
· 435 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· Series-high 841 Green Flag Passes
· Average Green Flag Speed of 91.133 mph, fourth-fastest
· 5,710 Laps in the Top 15 (75.8%), fourth-most
· 474 Quality Passes, third-most