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Odds & Ends - Kansas
October 16, 2012
By VI News
VegasInsider.com
Kansas Speedway:
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 Sept. 30, 2001.
- During the 2012 season, between the April race and this weekend's event the 1.5-mile track underwent a repave adding variable banking in the corners and on the frontstretch.
Notebook
- There have been 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas since the track opened in 2001.
- All of the races have been scheduled for 267 laps.
- 10 drivers have competed in all 13 races at Kansas. Mark Martin has completed the most laps at Kansas with 3,388.
- Jeff Gordon won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.
- Jason Leffler won the first pole in September 2001.
- 10 different drivers have won poles, led by Jimmie Johnson with three.
- Nine different drivers have posted victories, led by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart (each with two).
- Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with four, followed by Roush Fenway Racing with three.
- Seven of the 13 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.
- Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.
- The furthest back in the field that a race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski last season.
- Two active drivers with more than one start have averaged a top-10 finish: Jimmie Johnson (7.9) and Greg Biffle (8.0).
- Nine of the 13 races that ended under green had a margin of victory under one second. The 2007 race ended under caution.
- The 2009 Chase race holds the record for most lead changes (26) among the most leaders (14) in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history at Kansas Speedway.
- Jimmie Johnson has led the most laps (503) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway, followed by Greg Biffle with 346 laps led.
- Denny Hamlin made his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway on 10/09/2005.
- Jimmie Johnson posted the highest NSCS Driver Rating performance at Kansas Speedway in this event last season with a 149.2. A perfect Driver Rating (150.0) performance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Kansas Speedway has yet to be achieved.
- Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway winner: Ryan Newman (10/05/2003 - 25 years, 9 months, 27 days). Oldest NSCS Kansas Speedway winner: Mark Martin (10/09/2005 - 46 years, 9 months, 0 days).
- Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway pole winner: Jason Leffler (9/30/2001 - 26 years, 0 months, 14 days). Oldest NSCS Kansas Speedway pole winner: Mark Martin (10/04/2009 - 50 years, 8 months, 25 days).
Kansas Speedway Data
Chase Race #: 6 of 10
Season Race #: 32 of 36 (10-21-12)
Track Size: 1.5-mile
Variable Banking/Turns: 17-20 degrees
Variable Banking/Frontstretch: 9-11 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,685 feet
Backstretch Length: 2,207 feet
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Top 12 Driver Rating at Kansas
Jimmie Johnson 120.7
Greg Biffle 116.3
Tony Stewart 102.9
Matt Kenseth 102.4
Jeff Gordon 102.2
Carl Edwards 96.2
Kevin Harvick 92.1
Mark Martin 91.9
Brad Keselowski 90.7
Kurt Busch 90.3
Denny Hamlin 89.9
Martin Truex Jr. 88.4
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2012 races (seven total) among active drivers at Kansas Speedway.
Qualifying/Race Data
2011 pole winner: Greg Biffle, Ford (174.887 mph, 30.877 sec., 10-07-11)
2011 race winner: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet (137.181 mph, 2:58:27, 10-09-11)
Track qualifying record: Matt Kenseth, Ford (180.856 mph, 29.858 sec., 10-08-05)
Track race record: Denny Hamlin, Toyota (144.122 mph, 02:46:44, 4-22-12)
NASCAR in Kansas
- There have been 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Kansas, all at Kansas Speedway. The only other Kansas track to hold a NASCAR national series race was Heartland Park in Topeka, which hosted five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races from 1995-99.
- 16 drivers in NASCAR's three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Kansas, including Jim Roper who won the very first NASCAR Sprint Cup race - Charlotte in 1949.
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