The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend for Sunday’s Advocare 500, the next-to-last race of the season and race nine in the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Jimmie Johnson heads into Phoenix with a seven-point lead over second-place driver Brad Keselowski. Johnson is a four-time winner at PIR. Here’s a statistical look at how all 12 Chase drivers stack up when it comes to racing at Phoenix (stats courtesy of NASCAR Media Group):
1 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.0
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 18 top fives, 24 top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 9.8
· Led 25 races for 1,719 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Four wins, 12 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 5.3 in 18 races
· Series-best Average Running Position of 6.4
· Series-best Driver Rating of 118.4
· Series-high 506 Fastest Laps Run
· 587 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 124.812 mph
· Series-high 4,267 Laps in the Top 15 (89.9%)
· 421 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most
2 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.6
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 13 top fives, 22 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.1
· Led 20 races for 725 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One top five, one top 10
· Average finish of 22.2 in six races
· Average Running Position of 20.4, 23rd-best
· Driver Rating of 72.9, 23rd-best
3 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.1
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, nine top fives, 22 top 10s
· Average finish of 10.7
· Led 13 races for 388 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Two top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 16.9 in 14 races
· Average Running Position of 17.7, 19th-best
· Driver Rating of 79.4, 19th-best
4 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.8
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s; four poles
· Average finish of 13.2
· Led 11 races for 275 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One win, two top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 20.0 in 16 races
· Average Running Position of 20.8, 24th-best
· Driver Rating of 74.2, 21st-best
5 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.4
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 13 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.9
· Led 22 races for 478 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One win, five top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 17.9 in 20 races
· Average Running Position of 16.8, 17th-best
· Driver Rating of 85.5, 13th-best
· 159 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 612 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.124 mph, 12th-fastest
· 311 Quality Passes, 11th-most
6 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.7
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 14.1
· Led 22 races for 554 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Two wins, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 10.8 in 27 races
· Average Running Position of 10.7, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 99.5, fourth-best
· 176 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.250 mph, 11th-fastest
· 3,766 Laps in the Top 15 (79.3%), third-most
7 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.3
2012 Rundown
· Five wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 12.8
· Led 23 races for 1,180 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.9 in 14 races
· Average Running Position of 11.7, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 98.8, sixth-best
· 218 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.426 mph, fourth-fastest
· 3,264 Laps in the Top 15 (73.6%), ninth-most
· 344 Quality Passes, sixth-most
8 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.9
2012 Rundown
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 13.4
· Led 14 races for 420 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.8 in 21 races
· Average Running Position of 10.0, second-best
· Driver Rating of 100.4, second-best
· 212 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 643 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.485 mph, second-fastest
· 3,671 Laps in the Top 15 (77.3%), fourth-most
· 391 Quality Passes, fifth-most
9 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.8
2012 Rundown
· Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 11.4
· Led 11 races for 423 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· One top five, five top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.2 in 13 races
· Average Running Position of 13.9, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 89.1, 11th-best
· 134 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.292 mph, ninth-fastest
· 2,773 Laps in the Top 15 (67.3%), 13th-most
· 310 Quality Passes, 12th-most
10 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 Filtrete Ford)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.6
2012 Rundown
· Two wins, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 10.4
· Led 16 races for 721 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Five top fives, six top 10s
· Average finish of 14.1 in 17 races
· Average Running Position of 14.5, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 93.3, 10th-best
· 275 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 620 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.271 mph, 10th-fastest
· 2,845 Laps in the Top 15 (59.9%), 12th-most
11 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.6
2012 Rundown
· Four top fives, 12 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.5
· Led 8 races for 241 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s
· Average finish of 13.5 in 19 races
· Average Running Position of 11.5, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.5, eighth-best
· 219 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· 608 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.372 mph, fifth-fastest
· 3,460 Laps in the Top 15 (72.9%), fifth-most
12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)
· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.4
2012 Rundown
· One win, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 10.6
· Led 13 races for 358 laps
Phoenix International Raceway Outlook:
· Two wins, four top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 18.1 in 20 races
· Average Running Position of 17.3, 18th-best
· Driver Rating of 82.2, 16th-best
· 114 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most
· 637 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most