It all ends here: Homestead-Miami
The 2012 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, as well as the 2012 Sprint Cup season, for that matter, closes on Sunday with the drop of the checkered flag in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Brad Keselowski heads into the season finale as the points lead, 20 points ahead of second-place Jimmie Johnson.
Keselowski and Johnson are both winless when it comes to racing at HMS. Here’s a more in-depth statistical rundown of Chasers at Homestead-Miami (stats courtesy of NASCAR Media Group):
1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.0
2012 Rundown
·        Five wins, 13 top fives, 23 top 10s
·        Average finish of 9.9
·        Led 21 races for 735 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Average finish of 20.3 in four races
·        Average Running Position of 21.3, 21st-best
·        Driver Rating of 68.9, 23rd-best
2 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 110.0
2012 Rundown
·        Five wins, 18 top fives, 24 top 10s; four poles
·        Average finish of 10.5
·        Led 25 races for 1,719 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Four top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
·        Average finish of 13.5 in 11 races
·        Average Running Position of 14.2, 11th-best
·        Driver Rating of 95.2, fifth-best
·        50 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.408 mph, sixth-fastest
·        1,321 Laps in the Top 15 (70.6%), fifth-most
·        291 Quality Passes, seventh-most
3 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.5
2012 Rundown
·        Two wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; four poles
·        Average finish of 12.9
·        Led 11 races for 275 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        One top five, four top 10s; two poles
·        Average finish of 14.8 in eight races
·        Average Running Position of 12.9, fifth-best
·        Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best
·        86 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
·        544 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.135 mph, 12th-fastest
·        1,079 Laps in the Top 15 (57.7%), 12th-most
·        259 Quality Passes, 12th-most
4 – Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5 Hour Energy Toyota)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.9
2012 Rundown
·        Three wins, nine top fives, 22 top 10s
·        Average finish of 11.2
·        Led 13 races for 388 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        One top five, three top 10s
·        Average finish of 13.8 in six races
·        Average Running Position of 13.1, sixth-best
·        Driver Rating of 87.8, 11th-best
·        526 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.075 mph, 13th-fastest
·        1,092 Laps in the Top 15 (68.1%), 11th-most
·        308 Quality Passes, fourth-most
5 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.0
2012 Rundown
·        Five wins, 14 top fives, 17 top 10s; three poles
·        Average finish of 12.5
·        Led 24 races for 1,226 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        One win, three top fives, four top 10s
·        Average finish of 10.9 in seven races
·        Average Running Position of 14.3, 12th-best
·        Driver Rating of 92.5, eighth-best
·        626 Green Flag Passes, second-most
·        1,156 Laps in the Top 15 (61.8%), eighth-most
·        314 Quality Passes, third-most
6 – Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Best Buy Ford)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.9
2012 Rundown
·        Three wins, 13 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole
·        Average finish of 10.9
·        Led 22 races for 478 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        One win, three top fives, five top 10s
·        Average finish of 17.6 in 12 races
·        Average Running Position of 9.6, third-best
·        Driver Rating of 107.0, third-best
·        81 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.650 mph, third-fastest
·        1,488 Laps in the Top 15 (79.6%), third-most
·        282 Quality Passes, ninth-most
7 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M/SP Richards Ford)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0
2012 Rundown
·        Two wins, 11 top fives, 20 top 10s; three poles
·        Average finish of 10.3
·        Led 16 races for 721 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Three wins, three top fives, four top 10s
·        Average finish of 15.3 in 10 races
·        Average Running Position of 14.5, 13th-best
·        Driver Rating of 92.2, ninth-best
·        100 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
·        572 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.436 mph, fifth-fastest
·        1,150 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5%), ninth-most
·        253 Quality Passes, 13th-most
8 – Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.2
2012 Rundown
·        One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s
·        Average finish of 12.2
·        Led 9 races for 256 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Five top fives, nine top 10s
·        Average finish of 7.9 in 11 races
·        Average Running Position of 9.7, fourth-best
·        Driver Rating of 102.5, fourth-best
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.598 mph, fourth-fastest
·        1,499 Laps in the Top 15 (80.2%), second-most
·        307 Quality Passes, fifth-most
9 – Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.7
2012 Rundown
·        Three wins, 12 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
·        Average finish of 13.5
·        Led 14 races for 420 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Three wins, four top fives, seven top 10s
·        Average finish of 11.5 in 13 races
·        Average Running Position of 13.7, seventh-best
·        Driver Rating of 93.1, sixth-best
·        99 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
·        533 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.313 mph, seventh-fastest
·        1,263 Laps in the Top 15 (67.5%), sixth-most
·        290 Quality Passes, eighth-most
10 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont 20 Years ‘Celebratory’ Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.4
2012 Rundown
·        One win, 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
·        Average finish of 14.5
·        Led 22 races for 554 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Six top fives, 10 top 10s
·        Average finish of 11.3 in 13 races
·        Average Running Position of 14.0, ninth-best
·        Driver Rating of 92.9, seventh-best
·        68 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
·        1,234 Laps in the Top 15 (66.0%), seventh-most
·        333 Quality Passes, second-most
11 – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9
2012 Rundown
·        Seven top fives, 18 top 10s; one pole
·        Average finish of 12.3
·        Led 11 races for 423 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Two top fives, five top 10s
·        Average finish of 10.4 in seven races
·        Average Running Position of 8.7, second-best
·        Driver Rating of 109.7, second-best
·        143 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
·        Average Green Flag Speed of 162.860 mph, second-fastest
·        1,334 Laps in the Top 15 (83.2%), fourth-most
·        Series-high 382 Quality Passes
12 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet)
·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 96.4
2012 Rundown
·        One win, 10 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole
·        Average finish of 10.9
·        Led 13 races for 358 laps
Homestead-Miami Speedway Outlook:
·        Average finish of 23.1 in 12 races
·        Average Running Position of 21.5, 23rd-best
·        Driver Rating of 69.6, 22nd-best
·        93 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
·        Series-high 635 Green Flag Passes
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