Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Daytona 500

Below is a statistical look at some of the top performers at Daytona International Speedway, including both the Daytona 500 (Feb. 21, 1 p.m. ET on FOX) and the annual July race:

Daytona International Speedway Data
Race #: 1 of 36 (2-21-16)
Track Size: 2.5 miles
Race Length: 500 miles (200 laps)
Banking/Corners: 31 degrees
Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Daytona
Kyle Busch 94.4
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 93.7
Kurt Busch 90.3
Matt Kenseth 89.5
Jimmie Johnson 89.2
Denny Hamlin 88.7
Clint Bowyer 83.4
Joey Logano 83.4
Kasey Kahne 83.0
Kevin Harvick 82.4
Note: Driver Ratings are compiled from 2005-2015 races (22 total) at Daytona (active drivers only).

Qualifying/Race Data
2015 pole winner: Jeff Gordon
(201.293 mph, 44.711 seconds)

2015 race winner: Joey Logano (161.939 mph, 2-22-15)

Qualifying record: Bill Elliott
(210.364 mph, 42.783 secs. 2-9-87)

Race record: Buddy Baker
(177.602 mph, 2-17-80)

Greg Biffle (No. 16 KFC Nashville Hot Ford)

· One win, three top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 19.773, 11th-best

· Average Running Position of 17.481, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 80.7, 11th-best

· 93 Fastest Laps Run, third-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.430, fourth-fastest

· 1985 Laps in the Top 15 (50.7), 10th-most

· 2387 Quality Passes, 11th-most

 

Clint Bowyer (No. 15 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet)

· Three top fives, ten top 10s

· Average finish of 15.200, second-best

· Average Running Position of 17.627, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 83.4, seventh-best

· 82 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.499, series-fastest

· 1725 Laps in the Top 15 (48.6), 13th-most

· 2226 Quality Passes, 12th-most

 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's 75 Toyota)

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

· Average finish of 18.952, ninth-best

· Average Running Position of 13.556, series-best

· Driver Rating of 94.4, series-best

· 94 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.473, second-fastest

· 2500 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4), series-most

· 2892 Quality Passes, fifth-most

 

Kurt Busch (No. 41 Haas Automation / Monster Energy Chevrolet)

· 12 top fives, 15 top 10s

· Average finish of 15.762, third-best

· Average Running Position of 15.826, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 90.3, third-best

· 73 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 189.836, 13th-fastest

· 2261 Laps in the Top 15 (60.9), fourth-most

· 2885 Quality Passes, sixth-most

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr (No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet)

· Four wins, 13 top fives, 19 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.409, series-best

· Average Running Position of 13.590, second-best

· Driver Rating of 93.7, second-best

· 91 Fastest Laps Run, 13th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.385, sixth-fastest

· 2636 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4), second-most

· 3079 Quality Passes, third-most

 

Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)

· Four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 20.227, 12th-best

· Average Running Position of 18.324, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 80.2, 12th-best

· 82 Fastest Laps Run, second-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.264, ninth-fastest

· 2055 Laps in the Top 15 (52.5), eighth-most

· 3112 Quality Passes, second-most

 

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota)

· Five top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 17.950, sixth-best

· Average Running Position of 15.006, fourth-best

· Driver Rating of 88.7, sixth-best

· 83 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.450, third-fastest

· 2043 Laps in the Top 15 (57.5), sixth-most

· 2672 Quality Passes, ninth-most

 

Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John's Chevrolet)

· Two wins, eight top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 16.091, fourth-best

· Average Running Position of 19.410, 13th-best

· Driver Rating of 82.4, 10th-best

· 95 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.344, eighth-fastest

· 1935 Laps in the Top 15 (49.5), 12th-most

· 2495 Quality Passes, 10th-most

 

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 19.227, 10th-best

· Average Running Position of 14.154, third-best

· Driver Rating of 89.2, fifth-best

· 47 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.367, seventh-fastest

· 2535 Laps in the Top 15 (64.8), third-most

· 2882 Quality Passes, seventh-most

 

Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet)

· Two top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 18.727, eighth-best

· Average Running Position of 16.471, seventh-best

· Driver Rating of 83.0, ninth-best

· 71 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.141, 11th-fastest

· 2106 Laps in the Top 15 (53.8), seventh-most

· 2937 Quality Passes, fourth-most

 

Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)

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

· Average finish of 16.864, fifth-best

· Average Running Position of 15.381, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 89.5, fourth-best

· 89 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 189.974, 12th-fastest

· 2372 Laps in the Top 15 (60.6), fifth-most

· 2739 Quality Passes, eighth-most

 

Joey Logano (No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford)

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

· Average finish of 18.571, seventh-best

· Average Running Position of 17.807, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 83.4, eighth-best

· 55 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.427, fifth-fastest

· 1232 Laps in the Top 15 (50.0), 11th-most

· 1993 Quality Passes, 13th-most

 

Jamie McMurray (No. 1 McDonald's/Cessna Chevrolet)

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

· Average finish of 21.182, 13th-best

· Average Running Position of 17.704, 10th-best

· Driver Rating of 79.7, 13th-best

· 63 Fastest Laps Run, series-best

· Average Green Flag Speed of 190.159, 10th-fastest

· 2026 Laps in the Top 15 (51.8), ninth-most

· 3143 Quality Passes, series-most

Daytona 500 Tidbits

· The 2016 edition will be the 58th running of the Daytona 500.
· Although the first Daytona 500 was held in 1959, it has been the season-opener only since 1982.

Starts

· 533 drivers have competed in at least one Daytona 500; 318 in more than one.
· Dave Marcis leads the series all-time in Daytona 500 starts with 33; followed by NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty (32) and Terry Labonte (32).
· Michael Waltrip leads all active NSCS drivers in Daytona 500 starts with 28; followed by Tony Stewart (17), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (16) and Matt Kenseth (16).
· Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series among active drivers in average starting position (6.063).
· 12 different manufacturers have made at least one start in the Daytona 500: Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Toyota, Plymouth, Mercury, Chrysler, American Motors Company and Studebaker

Poles

· 40 different drivers have won a Coors Light pole for the Daytona 500; led by Bill Elliott, Cale Yarborough and Buddy Baker with four each.
· Only nine drivers have posted more than one Coors Light pole for the Daytona 500; Jimmie Johnson (two) is the only active driver with more than one Daytona 500 pole.
· Chase Elliott has become the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner at the age of 20 years, 2 months, 17 days.
· Hendrick Motorsports has won 10 Daytona 500 poles, the series most: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011) and Chase Elliott (2016).
· Chevrolet leads the series in Daytona 500 poles with 24.

Wins

· 36 different drivers have won a Daytona 500.
· Lee Petty won the inaugural Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959; he led 38 laps and won by 2 feet.
· Youngest Daytona 500 winner: Trevor Bayne (02/20/2011 - 20 years, 0 months, 1 days)
· Oldest Daytona 500 winner: Bobby Allison (02/14/1988 - 50 years, 2 months, 11 days)
· Seven drivers posted their career-first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory with a win in the Daytona 500.
Drivers
Seasons

Tiny Lund
1963
Mario Andretti
1967
Pete Hamilton
1970
Derrike Cope
1990
Sterling Marlin
1994
Michael Waltrip
2001
Trevor Bayne
2011

· Three other drivers posted their career-first victory in (points-paying) qualifying races: Johnny Rutherford (1963), Bobby Isaac (1964) and Earl Balmer (1966).

 

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