8: The series-best number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series poles won this year by Kevin Harvick, who added his eighth of the season last Friday at Kansas Speedway. The bad news? The only pole Harvick has converted into a victory this year came at Darlington back in April.
5: The number of NASCAR Sprint Cup victories recorded this season by Joey Logano, Sunday’s winner at Kansas Speedway. Logano and Team Penske shop mate Brad Keselowski share the series lead in victories, but their fortunes at Kansas couldn’t have been more disparate. Logano won. Keselowski finished 36th after a blown tire sent him rocketing into the wall.
1: The number of top-five finishes posted by Kyle Busch in 15 starts at Kansas Speedway. With his breakthrough third-place run at Kansas on Sunday, Busch now boasts at least one top five at every active Sprint Cup track.
44: In points, Jimmie Johnson’s deficit to Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup leader Joey Logano after the first race in the Contender Round. More to the point, Johnson trails eighth-place Jeff Gordon by 27 points with only two races left to survive the cut from 12 to eight drivers.
3.25: The average finish of Sunoco rookie of the year leader and Kansas runner-up Kyle Larson in the first four Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races. Only Joey Logano, winner of two of the first four Chase races, has a better average-2.5. The only problem for Larson? He isn’t in the Chase.(NASCAR Wire Service)(10-7-2014)
