History

--After several events were held on the streets of Watkins Glen, a permanent facility was opened in 1956.

--The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1957, won by Buck Baker.

--After a six-year absence, NASCAR returned to The Glen in 1964 and 1965.

--After a 21-year absence, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to The Glen, and has run one race a year there since 1986. This weekend’s race will be the 27th running since its return in 1986.

Notebook

--There have been 29 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International since the first race there in 1957.

--Buck Baker won the first pole and race.

--Tim Richmond won the first pole and race upon the series’ return in 1986.

--There have been 17 different pole winners.

--The race winner has started first in nine of 29 races. The last race winner to start from the pole was Kyle Busch in 2008.

--Mark Martin leads all drivers with wins from the pole with three in a row between 1993, 1994 and 1995.

--19 of the 29 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-five starting position.

--21 of the 29 races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.

--The deepest in the field that a Watkins Glen race winner has started was 18th by Steve Park in 2000.

--18 different drivers have won races, led by Tony Stewart, with five.

--Jeff Gordon set the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup record for road-course victories with his victory in 2001, his seventh on a road course. He has since won two more (both at Sonoma), for a career total of nine.

--Three active drivers with more than one start have an average finish in the top 10: Marcos Ambrose (2.2 in four starts), Tony Stewart (7.0 in 13 starts), Carl Edwards (8.7 in seven starts), and Kyle Busch (9.2 in seven starts).

--Two drivers have scored their first career NSCS wins at Watkins Glen International: Marcos Ambrose (08/15/2011) and Steve Park (08/13/2000).

--Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Watkins Glen International winner: Kyle Busch (08/10/2008 – 23 years, 3 months, 8 days).

--Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Watkins Glen International winner: Geoff Bodine (08/11/1996 – 47 years, 3 months, 24 days).

Watkins Glen International Data

Race #: 22 of 36 (08-12-12)

Track Size: 2.45-miles

Number of Turns: 7

Race Length: 90 laps / 220.5 miles

Top 12 Driver Rating at Watkins Glen

Tony Stewart............................. 124.8

Marcos Ambrose...................... 118.0

Juan Pablo Montoya................. 112.6

Kyle Busch............................... 106.8

Jimmie Johnson........................ 100.7

Kurt Busch.................................. 94.7

Denny Hamlin............................. 93.5

Carl Edwards............................. 93.5

Jeff Gordon................................ 90.1

Kevin Harvick.............................. 89.2

Brad Keselowski......................... 88.1

Martin Truex Jr............................ 87.6

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (seven total) at Watkins Glen International.

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner:

Kyle Busch, Toyota (126.421 mph, 69.767 sec., 08-13-11)

2011 race winner:

Marcos Ambrose, Ford (99.417 mph, 2:16:02, 08-14-11)

Track qualifying record:

Kyle Busch, Toyota (126.421 mph, 69.767 sec., 08-13-11)

Track race record:

Mark Martin, Ford (103.030 mph, 2:11:54, 08-13-95)

NASCAR in New York

--There have been 67 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in New York:

Track Name	City	NSCS
Watkins Glen International	Watkins Glen	29
Airborne Speedway	Plattsburg	1
Albany Saratoga Speedway	Malta	2
Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds	Altamont	2
Bridgehampton Race Circuit	Bridgehampton	4
Buffalo Civic Stadium	Buffalo	1
Fonda Speedway	Fonda	4
Hamburg Speedway	Hamburg	2
Islip Speedway	Islip	6
Monroe County Fairgrounds	Rochester	8
Montgomery Air Base	Montgomery	1
New York State Fairgrounds	Syracuse	3
State Line Speedway	Busti	1
Vernon Fairgrounds	Vernon	2
Wine Creek Race Track	Owego	1

--180 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as New York.

--There have been 14 race winners from New York in NASCAR’s three national series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Geoff Bodine	18	6	0
Jim Reed	7	0	0
Al Keller	2	0	0
Steve Park	2	3	1
Brett Bodine	1	5	0
Jim Hurtubise	1	0	0
Lloyd Moore	1	0	0
Bill Rexford	1	0	0
Greg Sacks	1	1	0
Regan Smith	1	0	0
Jack White	1	0	0
Todd Bodine	0	15	22
Mike McLaughlin	0	6	0
Donny Lia	0	0	1

WATKINS GLEN-SPECIFIC DRIVER STATISTICS

Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 Stanley Ford)

--One win, four top fives, four top 10s

--Average finish of 2.3

--Average Running Position of 9.8, third-best

--Driver Rating of 118.0, second-best

--79 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

--Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 119.907 mph

--110 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Kurt Busch (No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Inc. Chevrolet)

--One top five, four top 10s; one pole

--Average finish of 19.8

--Average Running Position of 16.4, 12th-best

--Driver Rating of 94.7, sixth-best

--47 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

--295 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.319 mph, fifth-fastest

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota)

--One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole

--Average finish of 9.3

--Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best

--Driver Rating of 106.8, fourth-best

--41 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

--284 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.336 mph, fourth-fastest

--437 Laps in the Top 15 (68.9%), third-most

--145 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

--Three top fives, five top 10s; one pole

--Average finish of 8.7

--Average Running Position of 13.1, sixth-best

--Driver Rating of 93.5, eighth-best

--14 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

--325 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 118.910 mph, 10th-fastest

--428 Laps in the Top 15 (67.5%), fourth-most

--137 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)

--Four wins, six top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

--Average finish of 14.5

--Average Running Position of 14.3, 10th-best

--Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best

--19 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

--312 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 118.933 mph, ninth-fastest

--384 Laps in the Top 15 (60.6%), ninth-most

--143 Quality Passes, fifth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)

--One top five, four top 10s

--Average finish of 17.2

--Average Running Position of 13.2, seventh-best

--Driver Rating of 93.5, seventh-best

--11 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.122 mph, seventh-fastest

--388 Laps in the Top 15 (71.6%), eighth-most

--141 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)

--One win, two top fives, six top 10s

--Average finish of 12.9

--Average Running Position of 15.7, 11th-best

--Driver Rating of 89.2, 11th-best

--292 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 118.692 mph, 13th-fastest

--402 Laps in the Top 15 (63.4%), fifth-most

--116 Quality Passes, 12th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Cortez Silver Chevrolet)

--Three top fives, five top 10s; one pole

--Average finish of 14.2

--Average Running Position of 10.0, fourth-best

--Driver Rating of 100.7, fifth-best

--21 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.302 mph, sixth-fastest

--504 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), second-most

--151 Quality Passes, third-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

--One top five, one top 10

--Average finish of 11.0

--Driver Rating of 88.1, 12th-best

--12 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 118.806 mph, 12th-fastest

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

--One win, two top fives, four top 10s

--Average finish of 11.4

--Average Running Position of 8.4, second-best

--Driver Rating of 112.6, third-best

--50 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.717 mph, third-fastest

--401 Laps in the Top 15 (88.7%), sixth-most

--138 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

--Five wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s

--Average finish of 7.1

--Series-best Average Running Position of 5.0

--Series-best Driver Rating of 124.8

--Series-high 105 Fastest Laps Run

--Average Green Flag Speed of 119.891 mph, second-fastest

--Series-high 613 Laps in the Top 15 (96.7%)

--Series-high 179 Quality Passes

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

--Two top fives, three top 10s

--Average finish of 14.3

--Average Running Position of 13.8, eighth-best

--Driver Rating of 87.1, 13th-best

--353 Laps in the Top 15 (65.1%), 10th-most

--143 Quality Passes, fifth-most