History

·        Groundbreaking was held on May 25, 1999.

·        The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA race and a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on the same day – June 2.

·        The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was on Sept. 30, 2001 – won by Jeff Gordon.

·        During the 2012 season, between the April and October events the 1.5-mile track underwent a repave adding variable banking in the corners.

Kansas Speedway Data

Season Race #: 29 of 36 (10-06-13)

Chase Race #: 4

Track Size: 1.5-miles

Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 17 to 20 degrees

Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 17 to 20 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 10 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees

Frontstretch Length:  2,685 feet

Backstretch Length:  2,207 feet

Race Length: 267 laps / 400 miles

 

Top 13 Driver Rating at Dover

Jimmie Johnson................. 119.1

Greg Biffle.......................... 110.1

Matt Kenseth...................... 110.0

Ricky Stenhouse Jr............ 101.7

Jeff Gordon.......................... 99.0

Tony Stewart........................ 97.5

Carl Edwards....................... 96.1

Martin Truex Jr.................... 93.4

Kevin Harvick....................... 92.0

Kasey Kahne........................ 91.1

Mark Martin.......................... 91.0

Clint Bowyer......................... 91.0

Denny Hamlin....................... 89.8

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (11 total) among active drivers at Kansas Speedway.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2012 pole winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 191.360 mph, 28.219 secs. 10-19-12

 

2012 race winner: Matt Kenseth, Ford, 115.086 mph, (03:28:48), 10-21-12

 

Track qualifying record: Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 191.864 mph, 28.145 secs. 4-19-13

 

Track race record: Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 133.611 mph, (02:59:51), 4-22-12

 

Notebook

·        There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one NSCS event from 2001 - 2010 and two races per year since 2011.

·        109 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas; 82 in more than one.

·        Nine drivers have made all 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway – Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart.

·        Jason Leffler won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 mph.

·        10 drivers have Coors Light poles at Kansas, led by Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne with three each.

·        Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to win consecutive Coors Light poles at Kansas Speedway (2007 and 2008).

·        Youngest Kansas pole winner: Jason Leffler (9/30/2001 – 26 years, 0 months, 14 days).

·        Oldest Kansas pole winner: Mark Martin (10/4/2009 – 50 years, 8 months, 25 days).

·        10 different drivers have won at Kansas Speedway, led by Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson with two each.

·        Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the most wins at Kansas in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with four each; followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with three and Penske Racing with two.

·        Chevrolet leads the series in wins at Kansas with seven victories; followed by Ford with four wins.

·        Three of the 15 (20%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway have been won from the Coors Light pole; Joe Nemechek (2004), Jimmie Johnson (2008) and Matt Kenseth (2013). 

·        Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway have been won from the front row: three from the pole and one from second-place.

·        Nine of the 15 (60%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·        Two of the 15 (13.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·        The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Kansas Speedway was 25th, by Brad Keselowski in the spring of 2011.

·        Youngest Kansas winner: Ryan Newman (10/5/2003 – 25 years, 9 months, 27 days).

·        Oldest Kansas winner: Mark Martin (10/9/2005 – 46 years, 9 months, 0 days).

·        Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman are tied for the series most runner-up finishes at Kansas Speedway with two each.

·        Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Kansas Speedway with eight; followed by Greg Biffle with seven.

·        Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway with 12; followed by Jeff Gordon (10).

·        Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Kansas Speedway with a 11.357.

·        Two active drivers have a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series average finish in the top 10 at Kansas: Jimmie Johnson (7.6) and Brad Keselowski (9.2).

·        There has been one NSCS race resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Kansas Speedway: fall of 2011 (267/272).

·        Only one of the 15 races at Kansas Speedway has been shortened due to weather conditions: fall of 2007.

·        Qualifying has never been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.

·        Denny Hamlin has participated in the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway without posting a DNF (10).

·        Jason Leffler (9/30/2001) is the only driver to post his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Coors Light pole at Kansas Speedway.

·        2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Austin Dillon (10/09/2011) and Denny Hamlin (10/09/2005) made their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts at Kansas Speedway.

·        Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth are the only two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers that have posted consecutive wins at Kansas Speedway: Gordon (2001 and 2002 – the first two NSCS events at Kansas) and Kenseth (fall of 2012, spring of 2013).

·        Nine of the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Kansas Speedway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jeff Gordon won at Kansas in his first appearance.

·        Matt Kenseth competed at Kansas Speedway 13 times before winning last fall; the longest span of any the 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Kansas.

·        Matt Kenseth is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win at Kansas Speedway.

·        Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch and Bobby Labonte lead the series with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Kansas Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 15.

·        Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway was the (10/10/2004) race won by Joe Nemechek with a MOV of 0.081 second.

·        Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Kansas Speedway with 556 laps led in 14 starts.

·        Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:

Driver	Starting Position	Finishing Position	Date
Danica Patrick	40	32	10/21/2012
Danica Patrick	25	25	4/21/2013

 

NASCAR in Kansas

·        There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Kansas.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Kansas Speedway	Kansas City	15

·        16 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Kansas.

·        Two drivers from Kansas have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; both have won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
Clint Bowyer	8	8	3
Jim Roper	1	0	0

 

Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup: Kansas Speedway

·        Kansas Speedway has been one of the 10 tracks of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup since the playoff’s inception in 2004.

·        Once the winner of the Kansas Speedway Chase race has gone on to win the championship: Jimmie Johnson (2008).

·        Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle are tied for the most Chase race wins (two each) at Kansas Speedway.

·        The worst finish by the eventual champion at Kansas Speedway was Tony Stewart in 2011 (15th).

·        Chase Contenders have won six of the nine Chase races at Kansas Speedway. The three drivers that were not Chase Contenders that won the Chase races at Kansas are Joe Nemechek (2004), Tony Stewart (2006) and Greg Biffle (2007).

·        Three of the 2013 Chase Contenders are former NASCAR Sprint Cup race winners at Kansas Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2), Greg Biffle (2) and Matt Kenseth (1).

·        Chevrolet leads the series in Chase wins at Kansas Speedway with five followed by Ford with four.

 

Eventual champion’s points position and point deficit to the standings leader following the third Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race:

Season	Champion	Points Back From Leader	Points Position Following Third Chase Race
2004	Kurt Busch	0	1st
2005	Tony Stewart	0	1st
2006	Jimmie Johnson	-165	8th
2007	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st
2008	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st
2009	Jimmie Johnson	-18	2nd
2010	Jimmie Johnson	0	1st
2011	Tony Stewart	-9	3rd
2012	Brad Keselowski	0	1st

*Note: 2011 and 2012 are under the current points per finish system 

 

KANSAS-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

 

1 - Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 111.0

2013 Rundown

·        Seven wins, eight top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 12.8

·        Led 20 races for 1,380 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Two wins, six top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 14.8 in 15 races

·        Average Running Position of 9.5, third-best

·        Driver Rating of 110.0, third-best

·        217 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

·        2,366 Laps in the Top 15 (82.0%), fourth-most

 

2 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 106.8

2013 Rundown

·        Five wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 11.9

·        Led 17 races for 1,423 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Two wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 7.6 in 14 races

·        Series-best Average Running Position of 7.4

·        Series-best Driver Rating of 119.1

·        Series-high 439 Fastest Laps Run

·        Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 165.518 mph

·        Series-high 2,556 Laps in the Top 15 (88.6%)

·        Series-high 496 Quality Passes

 

3 - Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.9

2013 Rundown

·        Four wins, 14 top fives, 18 top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 12.8

·        Led 15 races for 1,199 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Two top 10s

·        Average finish of 22.4 in 12 races

·        Average Running Position of 18.4, 19th-best

·        Driver Rating of 79.0, 18th-best

·        59 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-most

·        762 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

·        391 Quality Passes, seventh-most

 

4 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.6

2013 Rundown

·        Two wins, seven top fives, 15 top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.4

·        Led 9 races for 53 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        One top five, six top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.8 in 15 races

·        Average Running Position of 12.7, ninth-best

·        Driver Rating of 92.0, ninth-best

·        91 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

·        Series-high 859 Green Flag Passes

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 164.513 mph, 11th-fastest

·        2,009 Laps in the Top 15 (69.6%), fifth-most

·        410 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

5 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.9

2013 Rundown

·        Six top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 14.8

·        Led 13 races for 278 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

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

·        Average finish of 11.1 in 15 races

·        Average Running Position of 9.7, fourth-best

·        Driver Rating of 99.0, fifth-best

·        102 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 164.876 mph, fifth-fastest

·        2,462 Laps in the Top 15 (85.3%), third-most

·        443 Quality Passes, third-most

 

6 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 Sherwin-Williams Ford)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.6

2013 Rundown

·        One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s

·        Average finish of 14.5

·        Led 4 races for 117 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Two wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 10.1 in 14 races

·        Average Running Position of 8.2, second-best

·        Driver Rating of 110.1, second-best

·        205 Fastest Laps Run, third-most

·        710 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 165.043 mph, third-fastest

·        2,501 Laps in the Top 15 (86.7%), second-most

·        465 Quality Passes, second-most

 

7 - Ryan Newman (No. 39 Code 3 Associates Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.4

2013 Rundown

·        One win, six top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 15.5

·        Led 13 races for 93 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        One win, three top fives, four top 10s

·        Average finish of 18.1 in 15 races

·        Average Running Position of 20.9, 24th-best

·        Driver Rating of 68.7, 25th-best

·        805 Green Flag Passes, second-most

 

8 - Clint Bowyer (No. 15 Raspberry 5-hour ENERGY benefiting Living Beyond Breast Cancer Toyota)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.7

2013 Rundown

·        Eight top fives, 15 top 10s

·        Average finish of 12.3

·        Led 8 races for 291 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Two top fives, five top 10s

·        Average finish of 13.1 in 10 races

·        Average Running Position of 15.2, 15th-best

·        Driver Rating of 91.0, 12th-best

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 164.508 mph, 12th-fastest

·        1,553 Laps in the Top 15 (59.3%), 13th-most

 

9 - Kurt Busch (No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.2

2013 Rundown

·        Nine top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 15.0

·        Led 13 races for 441 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Three top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 17.9 in 15 races

·        Average Running Position of 14.8, 14th-best

·        Driver Rating of 87.8, 16th-best

·        116 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

·        805 Green Flag Passes, second-most

 

10 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.9

2013 Rundown

·        Six top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 14.2

·        Led 10 races for 245 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

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

·        Average finish of 16.4 in 14 races

·        Average Running Position of 16.1, 17th-best

·        Driver Rating of 86.8, 17th-best

·        78 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

·        743 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most

·        337 Quality Passes, 12th-most

 

11 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Fastenal Ford)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.3

2013 Rundown

·        Two wins, eight top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole

·        Average finish of 12.9

·        Led 12 races for 448 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Four top fives, eight top 10s

·        Average finish of 11.3 in 12 races

·        Average Running Position of 12.5, seventh-best

·        Driver Rating of 96.1, seventh-best

·        123 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most

·        762 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

·        Average Green Flag Speed of 164.626 mph, eighth-fastest

·        1,950 Laps in the Top 15 (67.6%), eighth-most

·        427 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

12 - Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.3

2013 Rundown

·        One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles

·        Average finish of 15.0

·        Led 11 races for 249 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Average finish of 26.1 in eight races

·        Average Running Position of 24.2, 32nd-best

·        Driver Rating of 60.6, 32nd-best

 

13 - Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet)

·        Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.5

2013 Rundown

·        Two wins, eight top fives, 11 top 10s

·        Average finish of 16.6

·        Led 7 races for 497 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

·        Three top fives, six top 10s; three poles

·        Average finish of 13.9 in 12 races

·        Average Running Position of 13.9, 11th-best

·        Driver Rating of 91.9, 10th-best

·        133 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

·        795 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

·        1,863 Laps in the Top 15 (64.6%), ninth-most

·        378 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

Chase Contenders

 

The Top 13

 

Following Race 29 of 36 / Chase Race #3

 

                                                                                Rank          Season

                                                                                                    Last            Driver

Driver                                    Points    Wins       Poles         Week         Rating

1. Matt Kenseth            2,149       7           2              1           111.0

2. Jimmie Johnson       2,141       5           2               3           106.8

3. Kyle Busch               2,137       4           3              2           103.9

4. Kevin Harvick           2,110       2           0               6             92.6

5. Jeff Gordon             2,110       0           1               8             90.9

6. Greg Biffle               2,108       1           0               5            83.6

7. Ryan Newman           2,101       1           2               9             82.4

8. Clint Bowyer             2,098       0           0            10             93.7

9. Kurt Busch               2,094       0           1               7             94.2

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.     2,092       0           2            11             94.9

11. Carl Edwards            2,084       2           1              4             93.3

12. Joey Logano            2,083       1           2            12             90.3

13. Kasey Kahne            2,071       2           0            13             97.5

    ___________________________________________________________

 

ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

14. Jamie McMurray                819          34. AJ Allmendinger         378

15. Brad Keselowski                799          35. David Stremme          362

16. Martin Truex Jr.                  781          36. Bobby Labonte           347

17. Paul Menard                       768          37. Timmy Hill                   153

18. Aric Almirola                       741          38. Michael McDowell      138

19. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.          727          39. Michael Waltrip           102

20. Jeff Burton                          724          40. Scott Speed                   99

21. Juan Pablo Montoya         721          41. Ken Schrader                92

22. Marcos Ambrose               714          42. Terry Labonte                77

23. Casey Mears                      597          43. Boris Said                       48

24. Tony Stewart                      594          44. Ron Fellows                   31

25. Denny Hamlin                    552          45. Alex Kennedy                21

26. David Ragan                      542          46. Justin Marks                   14

27. Mark Martin                         530          47. Victor Gonzalez Jr        11

28. Danica Patrick                    529          48. Scott Riggs                     10

29. David Gilliland                   498          49. Brian Keselowski            9

30. Dave Blaney                       441          50. Tomy Drissi                      8

31. Travis Kvapil                       401          51. Jacques Villeneuve        3

32. David Reutimann              395          52. Jason Leffler                    1

33. J.J. Yeley                             382                                                                                                   

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 2013 Top 13 at Kansas Speedway

Rank	Driver	Races	Poles	Wins	Top Fives	Top 10s	DNFs	Average Finish	Driver Rating
1	Matt Kenseth	15	2	2	6	9	2	14.8	110.0
2	Jimmie Johnson	14	3	2	6	12	1	7.6	119.1
3	Kyle Busch	12	0	0	0	2	3	22.4	79.0
4	Kevin Harvick	15	0	0	1	6	1	12.8	92.0
5	Jeff Gordon	15	0	2	8	10	2	11.1	99.0
6	Greg Biffle	14	1	2	7	9	1	10.1	110.1
7	Ryan Newman	15	0	1	3	4	3	18.1	68.7
8	Clint Bowyer	10	0	0	2	5	1	13.1	91.0
9	Kurt Busch	15	1	0	0	3	1	17.9	87.8
10	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	14	1	0	1	6	2	16.4	86.8
11	Carl Edwards	12	0	0	4	8	1	11.3	96.1
12	Joey Logano	8	0	0	0	0	1	26.1	60.6
13	Kasey Kahne	12	3	0	3	6	1	13.9	91.9

* – Based on last 11 races at Kansas Speedway.