Four former champions make up the top four points positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings.
For that to continue into next week, the four champions – Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart – must tame the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway.
The statistics suggest that’s easier said than done. All four have had their difficulties at Talladega. The track ranks near the bottom of each driver’s statistical success list.
Jeff Gordon
Lowest Avg. Driver Ratings
Driver
Track Rating
1. Lowe's 85.9
2. Richmond 89.4
3. Dover 91.4
4. Texas 92.2
5. Talladega 92.3
Jimmie Johnson
Lowest Avg. Driver Ratings
Driver
Track Rating
1. Infineon 75.2
2. Bristol 78.7
3. Talladega 83.9
4. Richmond 85.9
5. Homestead 87.2
Kurt Busch
Lowest Avg. Driver Ratings
Driver
Track Rating
1. Homestead 63.4
2. Indianapolis 70.1
3. Darlington 78.9
4. Lowe's 79.3
5. Kansas 80.3
9. Talladega 86.2
Tony Stewart
Lowest Avg. Driver Ratings
Driver
Track Rating
1. Dover 65.5
2. Darlington 81.5
3. Lowe's 84.0
4. Homestead 88.1
5. Kansas 91.3
8. Talladega 95.9
Though not a past champion, Mark Martin is certainly included in the “marquee drivers with Talladega struggles” list. Statistically, it is his worst track in terms of Driver Rating:
Mark Martin
Lowest Avg. Driver Ratings
Driver
Track Rating
1. Talladega 60.4
2. Bristol 79.4
3. Chicagoland 79.8
4. Watkins Glen 81.9
5. Martinsville 82.3
Martin has not raced at Talladega since 2006, the last year he competed full time. But he has already proven that time off has not dulled his skills. His statistics through eight races this season rival those of his last full-time venture in 2006:
Mark Martin After Eight Races (2006 and 2009)
Avg.
Year Rk Finish ARP FLR LT15% Led DR
2006 4 8.5 9.6 137 79.2 199 102.5
2009 13 18.4 12.6 151 77.3 169 98.1
ARP: Average Running Position
FLR: Fastest Laps Run
LT15%: Percentage of Laps in the Top 15
DR: Driver Rating
| 
| 