History

·         The construction to build the superspeedway known today as Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.

·         The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held on March 1, 1998, won by Mark Martin.

·         In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.

Notebook

·         There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

·         125 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas; 96 in more than one.

·         Four drivers have participated in all 15 races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.

·         Dale Jarrett won the inaugural pole with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.)

·         10 drivers have poles at LVMS, led by Kasey Kahne, who posted his third last season.

·         Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS from (2008-09).

·         Youngest LVMS pole winner: Kyle Busch (3/2/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 0 days).

·         Oldest LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (3/4/2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days).

·         Nine different drivers have won at LVMS, led by Jimmie Johnson (four). Three other drivers have multiple wins at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton, Carl Edwards and two-time Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth each have two.

·         Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five.

·         Only seven of the 15 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and thus far only driver to win from the pole, in 2009.

·         Only two LVMS races have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); and Carl Edwards, 2008 (second-place).

·         Four of the 15 races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.

·         Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (03/01/2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).

·         Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (03/03/2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart lead the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with two each.

·         Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with six each.

·         Mark Martin has 10 top-10 finishes, more than any other driver. His average finish is 13.4.

·         Jimmie Johnson leads the series in average finish at LVMS with a 9.818; he is the only active driver with an average finish in the top 10.

·         There has been one green-white-checkered finish at Las Vegas: 2006 (270/267).

·         Kyle Busch made his first start and Kasey Kahne won his first pole at Las Vegas, in the same event (2004).

·         Aric Almirola made his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2007.

·         Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson the only one of the three to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).

·         Eight of the nine NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance.

·         Tony Stewart competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 13 times before winning (2012); the longest span of any the nine winners. Stewart is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win at LVMS.

·         Bobby Labonte leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane with 15.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup at Las Vegas was the (3/12/2006) race won by Jimmie Johnson with a MOV of 0.045 seconds.

·         Three reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions have gone on to win at Las Vegas in their championship-defending season: Matt Kenseth (2004), Jimmie Johnson is the only one to do it multiple times (2007, 2010) and Tony Stewart (2012).

·         Three drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and at Las Vegas in the same season: Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010).

·         This weekend will be Danica Patrick’s first attempt at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Shawna Robinson is the only female driver to have made a NASCAR Sprint Cup start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to date. She did so on March 3, 2002 starting 36th and finishing 42nd.

·         Only two car numbers have produced three or more Las Vegas NSCS wins:

Car Number – Drivers – (Years)

o    No. 48 – Jimmie Johnson (2005-2007 and 2010)

o    No. 99 – Jeff Burton (1999, 2000) Carl Edwards (2008, 2011)

 

·         LOOP LEADERS: The following are the leaders in key Loop Data categories heading into this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: The information is based off the last eight races at LVMS.

Loop Category – Drivers – Stats

o    Driver Rating – Jimmie Johnson – 110.9

o    Average Running Position – Jeff Gordon – 9.066

o    Average Quality Passes – Jeff Gordon – 39.0

o    Percentage of Laps Led – Jeff Gordon – 17.2%

o    Percentage of Laps In The Top 15 – Jeff Gordon – 84.0%

o    Closers (Avg. spots gained in last 10% of race) – Ryan Newman – 3.0

 

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Data

Season Race #: 3 of 36 (03-10-13)

Track Size: 1.5-miles

Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 20 degrees

Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 20 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 9 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 9 degrees

Frontstretch Length:  2,275 feet

Backstretch Length:  1,572 feet

Race Length: 267 laps / 400 Kilometers

 

Top 12 Driver Rating at Las Vegas

Jimmie Johnson.................. 110.9

Jeff Gordon........................ 107.9

Tony Stewart....................... 106.4

Greg Biffle.......................... 106.3

Kyle Busch......................... 100.9

Carl Edwards........................ 98.2

Matt Kenseth........................ 95.9

Kevin Harvick........................ 94.1

Jeff Burton........................... 90.8

Mark Martin........................... 90.1

Dale Earnhardt Jr.................. 86.2

Kurt Busch............................ 84.6

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (8 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2012 pole winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.456 mph, 28.353 secs. 03-09-12

2012 race winner: Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 137.524 mph, (2:54:44), 03-11-12

Track qualifying record: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 190.456 mph, 28.353 secs., 03-09-12

Track race record: Mark Martin, Ford, 146.554 mph, (2:43:58), 03-01-98

NASCAR in Nevada

·         There have been 16 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Nevada.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Las Vegas Motor Speedway	Las Vegas	15
Las Vegas Park Speedway	Las Vegas	1

·         21 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada.

·         Three drivers from Nevada have won at least race in NASCAR’s three national series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Kurt Busch	24	5	4
Kyle Busch	24	51	30
Brendan Gaughan	0	0	8

 

LAS VEGAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

 

Greg Biffle (No. 16 American Red Cross Ford)

·         Two top fives, six top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 13.4

·         Average Running Position of 9.7, second-best

·         Driver Rating of 106.3, fourth-best

·         147 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·         418 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.898 mph, third-fastest

·         1,690 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3%), second-most

·         261 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), sixth-most

 

Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

·         Two wins, five top fives, eight top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.9

·         Average Running Position of 12.7, eighth-best

·         Driver Rating of 90.8, ninth-best

·         44 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

·         504 Green Flag Passes, second-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.117 mph, 11th-fastest

·         1,313 Laps in the Top 15 (60.9%), 10th-most

·         260 Quality Passes, seventh-most

 

Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row/Beautyrest Chevrolet)

·         One top five, three top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 21.9

·         Driver Rating of 84.6, 12th-best

 

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

·         One win, three top fives, four top 10s; two poles

·         Average finish of 15.9

·         Average Running Position of 10.9, fifth-best

·         Driver Rating of 100.9, fifth-best

·         83 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

·         429 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.596 mph, sixth-fastest

·         1,656 Laps in the Top 15 (76.8%), fourth-most

·         301 Quality Passes, third-most

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Orange Chevrolet)

·         Two top fives, six top 10s

·         Average finish of 16.3

·         Driver Rating of 86.2, 11th-best

·         82 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·         459 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.272 mph, eighth-fastest

·         1,326 Laps in the Top 15 (61.5%), ninth-most

·         229 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)

·         Two wins, three top fives, four top 10s

·         Average finish of 10.3

·         Average Running Position of 12.0, sixth-best

·         Driver Rating of 98.2, sixth-best

·         139 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most

·         Series-high 524 Green Flag Passes

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.317 mph, seventh-fastest

·         1,501 Laps in the Top 15 (69.6%), sixth-most

·         303 Quality Passes, second-most

 

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

·         One win, six top fives, seven top 10s

·         Average finish of 14.7

·         Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1

·         Driver Rating of 107.9, second-best

·         177 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·         427 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

·         Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 169.952 mph

·         Series-high 1,812 Laps in the Top 15 (84.0%)

·         Series-high 312 Quality Passes

 

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 RHEEM Chevrolet)

·         Three top fives, four top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.0

·         Average Running Position of 12.2, seventh-best

·         Driver Rating of 94.1, eighth-best

·         52 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

·         458 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.260 mph, ninth-fastest

·         1,413 Laps in the Top 15 (65.5%), seventh-most

·         214 Quality Passes, 10th-most

 

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's / KOBALT Tools Chevrolet)

·         Four wins, five top fives, six top 10s

·         Average finish of 9.8

·         Average Running Position of 10.4, third-best

·         Series-best Driver Rating of 110.9

·         Series-high 283 Fastest Laps Run

·         473 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.910 mph, second-fastest

·         1,558 Laps in the Top 15 (72.2%), fifth-most

·         288 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

·         Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s; one pole

·         Average finish of 12.5

·         Average Running Position of 15.4, 11th-best

·         Driver Rating of 95.9, seventh-best

·         177 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.758 mph, fifth-fastest

·         1,286 Laps in the Top 15 (59.6%), 11th-most

·         207 Quality Passes, 13th-most

 

Mark Martin (No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota)

·         One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s

·         Average finish of 13.5

·         Average Running Position of 14.7, 10th-best

·         Driver Rating of 90.1, 10th-best

·         39 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.195 mph, 10th-fastest

·         1,251 Laps in the Top 15 (58.0%), 12th-most

·         207 Quality Passes, 13th-most

 

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Mobil 1 Racing / Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)

·         One win, six top fives, nine top 10s

·         Average finish of 12.9

·         Average Running Position of 10.8, fourth-best

·         Driver Rating of 106.4, third-best

·         185 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·         437 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

·         Average Green Flag Speed of 169.845 mph, fourth-fastest

·         1,666 Laps in the Top 15 (77.2%), third-most

·         283 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

Chase Contenders

The Top 12

Following Race 2 of 36

                                                                                Rank        Season

                                                                                Last          Driver

Driver                             Points   Wins      Poles        Week        Rating

1. Jimmie Johnson         90       1           0              1           126.3

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.       82       0           0              2           106.8

3. Brad Keselowski          82       0           0              4           106.6

4. Denny Hamlin              72       0           0             13           100.1

5. Clint Bowyer                72       0           0             10           102.5

6. Greg Biffle                    66       0           0               6             96.3

7. Mark Martin                  65       0           1               3             93.7

8. Jeff Gordon                 60       0           0            19             94.7

9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.    60       0           0             11             76.2

10. Aric Almirola                60       0           0             12             82.0

11. Carl Edwards               59       1           0             30             93.8

12. Marcos Ambrose         52       0           0             17             72.5

___________________________________________________________

 

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

13. JJ Yeley                         50           30. Kevin Harvick              33

14. Bobby Labonte                49           31. Kasey Kahne               33

15. Jeff Burton                     48           32. Kurt Busch                  33

16. David Reutimann             48           33. Kyle Busch                  31

17. Paul Menard                   48           34. Martin Truex Jr.           28

18. Matt Kenseth                  46           35. Scott Speed                25

19. Casey Mears                  45           36. Michael Waltrip            23

20. Ryan Newman                44           37. Terry Labonte              18

21. Joey Logano                   44           38. David Ragan               16

22. Danica Patrick                42           39. David Stremme            14

23. Tony Stewart                  39           40. David Gilliland              13

24. Juan Pablo Montoya        38           41. Landon Cassill             12

25. Dave Blaney                   38           42. Ken Schrader               10

26. Michael McDowell           35          

27. Travis Kvapil                   35          

28. Jamie McMurray             34          

29. AJ Allmendinger              33

Note: The first 26 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season determine which 12 drivers qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, contested over the final 10 races of the season. After race No. 26, the top 10 earn a berth in the Chase. Spots 11 and 12 – the Wild Cards – will go to those drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins, provided they are in the top 20.

 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 2012 Top 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Jimmie Johnson	11	0	4	5	6	0	9.8	110.9
2	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	13	0	0	2	6	2	16.3	86.2
3	Brad Keselowski	4	0	0	0	0	0	30.5	53.8
4	Denny Hamlin	7	0	0	1	4	0	12.9	77.4
5	Clint Bowyer	7	0	0	1	3	0	15.7	75.8
6	Greg Biffle	9	1	0	2	6	1	13.4	106.3
7	Mark Martin	15	0	1	6	10	2	13.5	90.1
8	Jeff Gordon	15	0	1	6	7	3	14.7	107.9
9	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	0	0	0	0	0	0	-	-
10	Aric Almirola	4	0	0	0	0	3	36.8	41.8
11	Carl Edwards	8	0	2	3	4	0	10.3	98.2
12	Marcos Ambrose	4	0	0	1	1	0	12.8	77.3

* – Based on last eight races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.