The wait is over.
Ten years have passed since a track debuted on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. Of course, that drought ends this Saturday night when Kentucky Speedway hosts a much-anticipated NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.
Where do you go for favorites at a track with no premier series history? A few options, and storylines, for a track with no precedent …
Jeff Gordon, The Great Adapter: Historically, a debut fits perfectly into four-time series champion Jeff Gordon’s comfort zone. He has won debut NASCAR Sprint Cup races three times: Indianapolis (1994), Auto Club Speedway (1997) and Kansas Speedway (2001). On the verge of history, Gordon’s next win puts him alone in third on the all-time wins list, with 85.
Joey “Wire-To-Wire” Logano: Though there’s no NASCAR Sprint Cup history, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has raced at Kentucky since 2000 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series since 2001. Logano has won all three of his Kentucky starts, all from pole – the only driver in series history to do so.
Similarity to Chicagoland, Kansas: During his video teleconference, Logano likened 1.5-mile Kentucky to Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway, both also 1.5 miles in length. Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart lead the series in wins at Chicagoland, with two each. (An aside: Could this be a preview to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener at Chicagoland?) Brad Keselowski won the first Kansas race this season. Greg Biffle, Gordon and Stewart lead in Kansas wins, with two apiece.
Speaking of Biffle: Biffle, still winless in 2011, won the first ever NASCAR national series event at Kentucky – the 2000 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. In six NASCAR Nationwide starts at Kentucky, Biffle has three runner-up finishes, and five top 10s.
Another First Timer: David Ragan was the third first-time winner of 2011. Who’s next? AJ Allmendinger could have a shot. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver has enjoyed solid runs on 1.5-mile track of late, including a fifth-place finish at Charlotte. Richard Childress Racing’s Paul Menard finished fifth at Texas earlier this season. The last season with four first-time winners: 2007 (Juan Pablo Montoya, Casey Mears, Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer).
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