Two things have become glaringly obvious over the last four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races:
1) Jimmie Johnson is pretty good.
2) Jeff Gordon refuses to give up.
In winning four consecutive races, Johnson opened up an 86-point lead over Gordon. He became the first driver since Gordon in 1998 to win four consecutive races, and this weekend could be only the third driver ever to win five consecutive races (Richard Petty in 1967 and 1971; Bobby Allison in 1971).
If Johnson accomplishes that goal, he’ll also become the first driver since Gordon to win back-to-back championships (Gordon did in 1997-98).
But Johnson doesn’t need to win to grab his second title. A finish of 18th or better would clinch the championship (or 19th and at least one lap led or 21st and the most laps led).
But undoubtedly, Gordon will attempt to make the task a tough one for his teammate. He’s shown that already, earning seven consecutive top-10 finishes.
What Gordon is attempting to do – overcome an 86-point deficit – is difficult, but not impossible.
Four times this year, Gordon has “out-pointed” Johnson by more than 86 points:
Gordon and Johnson have raced head-to-head at Homestead six times. Only once has Gordon “out-pointed” Johnson by more than 86 in that span: 100 points in 2005.
The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Top 12 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Selected Driver Highlights – Homestead-Miami Speedway-specific
Note: All driver statistics that follow are from Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Loop Data statistics – Driver Rating, Average Running Position, etc. – in this release, however, cover the last five races at Homestead. NASCAR’s scoring loops began collecting data for statistical purposes in 2005.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Dish Network Ford)
• Three wins
• Average finish of 12.6
• Series-best Driver Rating of 126.1
• Average Running Position of 5.4, second-best
• Series-high 79 Fastest Laps Run
• No. 1 ranking in Fastest Green Flag Speed
• 512 Laps in the Top 15 (95.7%), second-best
• 82 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green) second-most
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
• One top five, two top 10s; one pole
• Average finish of 8.7
• Average Running Position of 8.4, fourth-best
• Driver Rating of 110.9, fourth-best
• 43 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
• Fourth-fastest Green Flag Speed
• 450 Laps in the Top 15 (84.1%), fourth-most
• 70 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
• Three top fives, six top 10s
• Average finish of 11.4
• Average Running Position of 15.9, 14th-best
• Driver Rating of 83.7, 11th-best
• 33 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
• Ninth-Fastest Green Flag Speed
• 275 Laps in the Top 15 (51.4%), 13th-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
• Two top fives, five top 10s
• Average finish of 8.7
• Average Running Position of 9.5, fifth-best
• Driver Rating of 99.8, fifth-best
• Sixth-fastest Green Flag Speed
• 490 Laps in the Top 15 (91.6%), third-most
• Series-high 92 Quality Passes
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
• Two top fives, four top 10s
• Average finish of 14.5
• Average Running Position of 20.8, 24th-best
• Driver Rating of 75.5, 19th-best
• 294 Laps in the Top 15 (55.0%), 11th-most
• 58 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Kasey Kahne (No. 9 UAW-Dodge Dealers Dodge)
• One top five
• Average finish of 19.3
• Series-best Average Running Position of 5.0
• Driver Rating of 114.1, third-best
• 62 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
• Second-Fastest Green Flag Speed
• Series-high 521 Laps in the Top 15 (97.4%)
• 79 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
• One top five, two top 10s
• Average finish of 22.7 in seven races
• Driver Rating of 98.5, sixth-best
• Average Running Position of 11.7, sixth-best
• Eighth-fastest Green Flag Speed
• 387 Laps in the Top 15 (72.3%), fifth-most
• 63 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Casey Mears (No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet)
• One top five
• Average finish of 22.5
• Driver Rating of 94.0, seventh-best
• Average Running Position of 12.6, eighth-best
• 42 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
• 142 Green Flag Passes, third-most
• 82 Quality Passes, tied for second-most
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet)
• One top five
• Average finish of 17.0
• Average Running Position of 7.2, third-best
• Driver Rating of 114.6, second-best
• 11 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
• Third-Fastest Green Flag Speed
• 263 Laps in the Top 15 (98.1%), series-best percentage
• 58 Quality Passes, best average per race
At Homestead-Miami Speedway:
History
• Groundbreaking for the Homestead-Miami Dade Motorsports Complex – as the track was originally named – began Aug. 24, 1993.
• The first race was a NASCAR Busch Series race held Nov. 5, 1995.
• The original configuration was a four-turn, rectangular-oval, based on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s layout.
• The first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race was in 1996.
• In the summer of 1997, a reconfiguration project changed the turns from a quad-oval to a traditional, continuous turn oval.
• The first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race was held in November 1999.
• The 2002 season marked the first Championship Weekend at Homestead with all three of NASCAR’s national series holding season finales at the same track.
• The track was reconfigured prior to the 2003 race. The banking in the turns was changed to a graduated tri-level culminating in a 20-degree banking on the outer level. Also, lights were added for night racing.
Notebook
• There have been eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races, one per season since 1999.
• David Green won the first pole in 1999.
• Tony Stewart won the inaugural race in 1999.
• There have been seven different pole winners, led by Kurt Busch (2) – the only repeat pole winner.
• There have been five different race winners, led by Greg Biffle with three.
• Jack Roush has won four races, more than any other car owner.
• The race has been won from the pole twice at Homestead: Bill Elliott (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).
• The race has been won from a top-10 starting position six of eight times.
• Greg Biffle won in 2006 from the 22nd starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started.
• Qualifying has never been canceled at Homestead.
• There have been no shortened races at Homestead.
• There have been two green-white-checkered races at Homestead: 2004 (271 laps) and 2006 (268).
• Greg Biffle has won three consecutive races at Homestead – the only back-to-back winner there since Tony Stewart won the first two Homestead races. The last driver to win four consecutive races at a track was Jimmie Johnson who swept the 2004 and 2005 events at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
In Florida…
• There have been 155 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races in Florida.
• Since 1948, 137 NASCAR drivers have their home state recorded as Florida.
• There have been nine race winners from Florida in NASCAR’s three national series:
Homestead-Miami Speedway Data
Race #: 36 of 36 (11-18-07)
Track Size: 1.5 miles
Race Length: 267 laps/400.5 miles
• Banking/Corners: 18-20 degrees
• Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
• Frontstretch: 1,760 feet
• Backstretch: 1,760 feet
Driver Rating at Homestead
Greg Biffle 126.1
Martin Truex Jr. 114.6
Kasey Kahne 114.1
Carl Edwards 110.9
Kevin Harvick 99.8
Matt Kenseth 98.5
Casey Mears 94.0
Mark Martin 90.8
Ryan Newman 90.4
Clint Bowyer 86.6
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005 and 2006 races (2 total) at Homestead.
Qualifying/Race Data
2006 pole winner: Kasey Kahne (178.259 mph, 30.293 seconds)
2006 race winner: Greg Biffle, 125.375 mph, 11-19-06)
Track qualifying record: Jamie McMurray (181.111 mph, 29.816 seconds, 11-14-03)
Track race record: Tony Stewart (140.335 mph, 11-14-99)
Pit Window: Every 50-55 laps, based on fuel mileage
| 
|