History
— Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the “Irish Hills” of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.
— The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969.
— The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).
— The 2-mile speedway underwent a repave this season.
Notebook
— There have been 86 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.
— The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 – with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.
— Donnie Allison won the first pole.
— The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was won by Cale Yarborough.
— There have been 42 different pole winners, led by David Pearson with 10. Mark Martin has five poles.
— 34 different drivers have won races, led by David Pearson (nine); 20 drivers have more than one victory at Michigan.
— The race winner has started from the pole 16 times, the most productive starting position. Brian Vickers (August, 2009) was the last driver to win from the pole.
— 66 of 86 races have been won from a top-10 starting position, including 46 from the first four spots.
— The deepest in the field a race winner has started was 32nd, by Mark Martin in the June race of 2009.
— The Wood Brothers and Roush Fenway Racing both have 11 wins, more than any other car owners.
— Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to average a top-10 finish. Edwards, who has two Michigan wins, has an average finish of 8.3. Coincidentally, Edwards’ first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start came at Michigan. Kenseth, who also has two victories, has an average finish of 9.2.
— Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Michigan International Speedway winner: Kurt Busch (06/15/2003 – 24 years, 10 months, 11 days).
— Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Michigan International Speedway winner: Harry Gant (08/16/1992 – 52 years, 7 months, 6 days).

Michigan International Speedway Data
Race #: 23 of 36 (08-19-12)
Track Size: 2-miles
Banking/Corners: 18 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
Race Length: 200 laps / 400 miles

Top 12 Driver Rating at Michigan
Greg Biffle................................ 108.1
Matt Kenseth............................. 105.4
Jimmie Johnson........................ 105.0
Carl Edwards............................ 104.7
Tony Stewart............................... 98.6
Dale Earnhardt Jr........................ 97.2
Jeff Gordon................................ 96.7
Denny Hamlin............................. 94.3
Kyle Busch................................. 94.0
Kurt Busch.................................. 91.7
Kasey Kahne.............................. 86.4
Mark Martin................................. 86.3
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2012 races (15 total) at Michigan International Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner:
Greg Biffle, Ford (190.345 mph, 37.826 sec., 08-19-11)
2011 race winner:
Kyle Busch, Toyota (150.898 mph, 2:41:26, 08-21-11)
Track qualifying record:
Marcos Ambrose, Ford (203.241 mph, 35.426 sec., 06-17-12)
Track race record:
Dale Jarrett, Ford (173.997 mph, 2:17:56, 08-13-99)

NASCAR in Michigan
There have been 91 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Michigan:
Tracks include:
— Michigan International Speedway
— Grand River Speedrome
— Michigan State Fairgrounds
— Monroe Speedway
Michigan winners
96 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Michigan.
There have been eight race winners from Michigan in NASCAR’s three national series: Paul Goldsmith, Brad Keselowski, Johnny Benson, Tim Fedewa, Butch Miller, Tracy Leslie, Jack Sprague, Bob Keselowski

Drivers’ Michigan stats
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
— Two wins, eight top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole
— Average finish of 12.4
— Series-best Average Running Position of 8.3
— Series-best Driver Rating of 108.1
— 240 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
— Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 175.344 mph
— Series-high 2,503 Laps in the Top 15 (85.2%)
— 692 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), second-most

Kurt Busch (No. 51 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet)
— Two wins, three top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 21.0
— Average Running Position of 14.5, 10th-best
— Driver Rating of 91.7, 10th-best
— 138 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
— 1,922 Laps in the Top 15 (65.4%), ninth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota)
— One win, three top fives, five top 10s
— Average finish of 16.6
— Average Running Position of 14.1, ninth-best
— Driver Rating of 94.0, ninth-best
— 135 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
— 2,014 Laps in the Top 15 (68.6%), seventh-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet)
— Two wins, five top fives, nine top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 15.2
— Average Running Position of 12.5, seventh-best
— Driver Rating of 97.2, sixth-best
— 158 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
— 1,203 Green Flag Passes, third-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 174.842 mph, seventh-fastest
— 1,949 Laps in the Top 15 (66.3%), eighth-most
— 637 Quality Passes, fourth-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 Geek Squad Ford)
— Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s
— Average finish of 8.4
— Average Running Position of 10.4, fourth-best
— Driver Rating of 104.7, fourth-best
— 178 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
— 1,054 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 175.185 mph, fourth-fastest
— 2,391 Laps in the Top 15 (81.4%), second-most
— Series-high 723 Quality Passes

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)
— Two wins, 18 top fives, 25 top 10s; five poles
— Average finish of 11.3
— Average Running Position of 12.0, sixth-best
— Driver Rating of 96.7, seventh-best
— 159 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 174.846 mph, sixth-fastest
— 2,028 Laps in the Top 15 (69.0%), sixth-most
— 552 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota)
— Two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s
— Average finish of 13.8
— Average Running Position of 12.7, eighth-best
— Driver Rating of 94.3, eighth-best
— 95 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 174.765 mph, eighth-fastest
— 1,731 Laps in the Top 15 (68.2%), 11th-most
— 557 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)
— Four top fives, nine top 10s
— Average finish of 14.7
— Average Running Position of 10.3, second-best
— Driver Rating of 105.0, third-best
— Series-high 293 Fastest Laps Run
— Average Green Flag Speed of 175.314 mph, second-fastest
— 2,237 Laps in the Top 15 (76.1%), fourth-most
— 560 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)
— One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
— Average finish of 16.5
— Average Running Position of 15.8, 12th-best
— Driver Rating of 86.4, 12th-best
— 117 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
— 1,114 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
— 540 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford 5th/3rd Bank Ford)
— Two wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s
— Average finish of 9.3
— Average Running Position of 10.4, third-best
— Driver Rating of 105.4, second-best
— 148 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
— 1,041 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
— Average Green Flag Speed of 175.199 mph, third-fastest
— 2,377 Laps in the Top 15 (80.9%), third-most
— 673 Quality Passes, third-most

Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)
— Five wins, 18 top fives, 31 top 10s
— Average finish of 13.6
— Average Running Position of 14.7, 11th-best
— Driver Rating of 86.3, 13th-best
— 87 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
— One win, 11 top fives, 19 top 10s
— Average finish of 11.2
— Average Running Position of 11.9, fifth-best
— Driver Rating of 98.6, fifth-best
— Average Green Flag Speed of 174.949 mph, fifth-fastest
— 2,230 Laps in the Top 15 (75.9%), fifth-most
— 635 Quality Passes, fifth-most