Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Pocono Raceway going into the 5-hour ENERGY 500 on June 12.
POCONO-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)
· Seven top fives, 17 top 10s
· Average finish of 15.9
· Average Running Position of 13.6, ninth-best
· Driver Rating of 91.1, 12th-best
· 61 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 898 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.562 mph, 10th-fastest
· 1,508 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), ninth-most
· 458 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), ninth-most
Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge)
· Two wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s
· Average finish of 16.8
· Average Running Position of 11.8, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 101.8, fourth-best
· 242 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.033 mph, third-fastest
· 1,638 Laps in the Top 15 (70.8%), sixth-most
· 441 Quality Passes, 12th-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 KELLOGG Ford)
· Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
· Average finish of 12.4
· Average Running Position of 14.7, 13th-best
· Driver Rating of 98.6, sixth-best
· 143 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.646 mph, eighth-fastest
· 1,444 Laps in the Top 15 (62.4%), 10th-most
· 448 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
· Four wins, 16 top fives, 25 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 10.5
· Average Running Position of 10.3, second-best
· Driver Rating of 98.8, fifth-best
· 64 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
· 927 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.845 mph, sixth-fastest
· 1,732 Laps in the Top 15 (74.8%), fourth-most
· 520 Quality Passes, third-most
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
· Four wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 8.2
· Series-best Average Running Position of 8.9
· Series-best Driver Rating of 119.2
· Series-high 356 Fastest Laps Run
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 159.592 mph
· 1,604 Laps in the Top 15 (84.0%), seventh-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)
· Four top fives, seven top 10s
· Average finish of 14.5
· Average Running Position of 14.1, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 91.4, 10th-best
· 965 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.544 mph, 12th-fastest
· 1,416 Laps in the Top 15 (61.2%), 13th-most
· 491 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Two wins, six top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 9.6
· Average Running Position of 10.4, third-best
· Driver Rating of 105.9, second-best
· 160 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 159.075 mph, second-fastest
· 1,801 Laps in the Top 15 (77.8%), second-most
· 497 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 4 Red Bull Toyota)
· One win, three top fives, five top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 16.6
· Average Running Position of 14.1, 11th-best
· Driver Rating of 91.1, 11th-best
· 155 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
· 974 Green Flag Passes, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.699 mph, seventh-fastest
· 1,441 Laps in the Top 15 (62.3%), 11th-most
· 496 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Affliction Clothing/Live Fast Ford Fusion Ford)
· Three top fives, eight top 10s
· Average finish of 14.4
· Average Running Position of 13.6, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 88.3, 13th-best
· 844 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.583 mph, ninth-fastest
· 1,425 Laps in the Top 15 (61.6%), 12th-most
· 489 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Mark Martin (No. 5 Farmers Insurance/GoDaddy.com Chevrolet)
· 19 top fives, 33 top 10s; three poles
· Average finish of 11.1
· Average Running Position of 10.9, fourth-best
· Driver Rating of 96.4, seventh-best
· 77 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.876 mph, fourth-fastest
· 1,789 Laps in the Top 15 (77.3%), third-most
· 470 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Ryan Newman (No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet)
· One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 13.3
· Average Running Position of 11.7, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.9, ninth-best
· 919 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· 1,663 Laps in the Top 15 (71.9%), fifth-most
· 522 Quality Passes, second-most
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Two wins, nine top fives, 18 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 11.5
· Average Running Position of 11.0, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 102.4, third-best
· 78 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
· 899 Green Flag Passes, 10th-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.868 mph, fifth-fastest
· Series-high 1,812 Laps in the Top 15 (78.3%)
· Series-high 524 Quality Passes
Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)
· Four top fives, five top 10s
· Average finish of 14.3
· Average Running Position of 12.1, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 93.9, eighth-best
· 72 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 158.553 mph, 11th-fastest
· 416 Quality Passes, 13th-most
At Pocono Raceway:
History
· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974.
Notebook
· There have been 66 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway.
· There was one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.
· All NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been scheduled for 500 miles.
· Buddy Baker won the first pole.
· There have been 36 different pole winners, including David Pearson who won the pole there in June 1984 but did not race; 16 drivers have more than one pole there.
· The pole has been swept just three times: Bill Elliott (1985), Ken Schrader (1993), Denny Hamlin (2006).
· Richard Petty won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono.
· 29 different drivers have won races at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott, with five victories; 20 drivers have won more than once there.
· There have been six season sweeps at Pocono, the last by Denny Hamlin in 2006.
· Bobby Allison and Tim Richmond each won three consecutive races at Pocono.
· 47 of 66 Pocono races have been won from a top-10 start.
· The June 2005 race was won by Carl Edwards from the 29th starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
· Rick Hendrick leads all car owners with 11 Pocono victories.
· Mark Martin leads all drivers in top fives (19) and top 10s (33), but has yet to win at Pocono. His best finish was second, six times (most recently in August 2004).
· Denny Hamlin (8.2) and Jimmie Johnson (9.5) are the only active drivers to average a top-10 finish.
NASCAR in Pennsylvania
· There have been 100 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Pennsylvania.
· 137 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Pennsylvania.
Pocono Raceway Data
Race #: 14 of 36 (6-12-11)
Track Size: 2.5 mile (200 laps/500miles)
· Banking/Turn 1: 14 degrees
· Banking/Turn 2: 8 degrees
· Banking/Turn 3: 6 degrees
· Frontstretch: 3,740 feet
· Backstretch: 3,055 feet
· Shortstretch: 1,780
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Pocono
Denny Hamlin 119.2 Jimmie Johnson 105.9 Tony Stewart 102.4 Kurt Busch 101.8 Jeff Gordon 98.8 Carl Edwards 98.6 Mark Martin 96.4 Brian Vickers 93.9 Ryan Newman 93.9 Kevin Harvick 91.4
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2010 races (12 total) at Pocono.
Qualifying/Race Data
2010 pole winner: Kyle Busch, (169.485 mph, 53.102 seconds)
2010 race winner: Denny Hamlin, 136.303 mph, 6-6-10)
Track qualifying record: Kasey Kahne (172.533 mph, 52.164 seconds, 6-11-04)
Track race record: Rusty Wallace (144.892 mph, 7-21-96)
| 
|