In The Loop’ At Atlanta Motor Speedway

Atlanta: The Silver Lining For Four Champions


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 5, 2008) – Consider Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway a “redemption race” for the last six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions.

That’s because those drivers – Tony Stewart (2002, ’05), Matt Kenseth (2003), Kurt Busch (2004) and Jimmie Johnson (2006-’07) – would just as soon forget Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

All four failed to crack the top 15 and all dropped in the series standings:

Las Vegas Point Pos. Point Pos. Points Pos.
Driver Finish Before Vegas After Vegas Drop
Tony Stewart 43rd 3 11 - 8
Matt Kenseth 20th 15 16 - 1
Kurt Busch 38th 4 12 - 8
Jimmie Johnson 29th 8 14 - 6

But none should worry all that much. Atlanta has treated all well in the past, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t again come Sunday.

Here are some numbers:

Selected Drivers at Atlanta
Best Best
Driver Finish Driver Rating
Tony Stewart 1st (twice #) 143.9 (10/06)
Matt Kenseth 3rd (3/07) 112.3 (3/07)
Kurt Busch 1st (10/02) 124.2 (10/07)
Jimmie Johnson 1st (thrice *) 143.2 (3/07)
# – Most recently 10/06
* – Most recently 10/07

Of the four, only Kenseth has yet to visit Victory Lane – though his Atlanta resume is still an impressive one. He has three consecutive top-five finishes there, and top fives in four of the last five Atlanta races.

All four drivers have had a Driver Rating over 100.0, and Stewart and Johnson each flirted with a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 (Driver Rating is an formula that includes the following statistics: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish).

Below are some other statistics that would suggest strong runs this weekend from the aforementioned champions:

• Tony Stewart ranks third in overall Atlanta Average Running Position with 10.2 and holds a track-best (since 2005) in Driver Rating:

Track Bests in Driver Rating
1. Tony Stewart 10/06 143.9
2. Jimmie Johnson 3/07 143.2
3. Carl Edwards 10/05 142.3

Average Running Position
1. Jimmie Johnson 5.7
2. Greg Biffle 9.4
3. Tony Stewart 10.2

• Matt Kenseth ranks first in Green Flag Pass Differential at Atlanta with 78 (373 passes to 295 times passed).

Green Flag Pass Differential
1. Matt Kenseth 78
2. Kurt Busch 77
3. Jamie McMurray 65

• Since 2005, Kurt Busch holds the track-best mark in Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green):

Track Bests in Quality Passes
1. Kurt Busch 03/07 64
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 03/07 63
3. Martin Truex Jr. 03/07 60

• Jimmie Johnson ranks second in overall Fastest Laps Run at Atlanta since 2005 and holds the track-best Average Running Position since 2005:

Fastest Laps Run
1. Greg Biffle 201
2. Jimmie Johnson 161
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 154

Track Bests in Average Running Position
1. Jimmie Johnson 3/05 1.7
2. Jimmie Johnson 3/07 2.0
3. Greg Biffle 3/05 2.2