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Hendrick Motorsports
NEWS & NOTES
DEFENDING MICHIGAN: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, is the defending race winner at Michigan. His June 15, 2008, victory was his first win in a points-paying event for Hendrick Motorsports and his most recent win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Earnhardt led 43 laps before claiming the checkered flag.
AT MICHIGAN: In 19 Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, Earnhardt has recorded one win, two pole positions, three top-five finishes and six top-10s. He has led 167 laps and completed 98.8 percent of all laps he’s attempted (3,648 laps of 3,691).
LEADING LAPS: Earnhardt has led at least one lap in his last seven starts at Michigan for a total of 103 laps. Earnhardt has held the top spot during 12 of his 19 starts at Michigan, and the last time he failed to lead the field was June 15, 2005.
LAW OF AVERAGES: According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, the 34-year-old Earnhardt ranks fourth overall with an average running position of 10.335 at Michigan. The average running position is derived from taking the sum of a driver’s position on each lap and dividing it by the number of laps run in each race.
DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks fifth in the driver rating category at Michigan with a score of 101.4. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.
CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew chief Lance McGrew and the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard team will unload Chassis No. 88-499 for this weekend’s race at Michigan. Earnhardt last raced this car at Texas Motor Speedway in April and was poised to pick up a top-10 finish when he made contact with the wall late in the race. Earnhardt finished 20th. Prior to that, Earnhardt drove Chassis No. 88-499 to an 11th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March.
HENDRICK AT MICHIGAN: Hendrick Motorsports, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, has scored four wins, 33 top-five finishes, 64 top-10s and has led 1,563 laps at the two-mile oval. Ricky Rudd drove the No. 5 Chevrolet to score Hendrick Motorsports’ first win at Michigan on June 20, 1993.
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