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Statistical Advance: Analyzing the Bank of America ROVAL 400

September 24, 2019 at 10:59 AM

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Charlotte RC
Kyle Larson………………………… 123.6
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 107.0
Kurt Busch…………………………. 105.2
Chase Elliott……………………….. 104.7
Ryan Blaney……………………….. 104.2
Martin Truex Jr……………………. 102.3
Clint Bowyer…………………………. 95.7
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 93.7
Kyle Busch…………………………… 92.9
Brad Keselowski……………………. 90.1
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (one total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.

Monster Energy Playoff Fast Facts Race #3: Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course

  • This is the second season the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff’s third race has been held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.  
  • The Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course is the fourth different track to host the third race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Dover International Speedway (2011 – 2017), Kansas Speedway (2006 – 2010) and Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005).
  • When Dover International Speedway hosted the third race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs (from 2011 – 2017), two drivers won the event and went on to win the title later that season.

o   In 2012, Brad Keselowski won Dover’s Playoff race, and went on to win his first MENCS title. It was Keselowski’s lone win during the 2012 Playoffs. 

o   In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won Dover’s Playoff race, and went on to win his sixth MENCS title. It was his first of two Playoff wins that season (Dover-2, Texas-2).

  • When Kansas Speedway hosted the third race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs (from 2006 – 2010), only one driver won the event and went on to win the title later that season.

o   In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won Kansas’ Playoff race, and went on to win his third consecutive title. It was his first of three Playoff wins that season (Kansas, Martinsville-2, ISM Raceway-2).

  • When Talladega Superspeedway hosted the third race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs (from 2004 – 2005), no drivers that won the event went on to win the title later that season.
  • Last season’s Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course winner, Ryan Blaney, finished the season 10th in the final championship standings.
  • The worst finish by a driver in the third Playoff race that went on to win the series title was:  

o   At Charlotte Road Course (2018):

  • In 2018, Joey Logano finished 10th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.

o   At Dover (2011-2017):

  • In 2011, Tony Stewart finished 25th at Dover International Speedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.

o   At Kansas (2006-2010):

  • In 2006, Jimmie Johnson finished 14th at Kansas Speedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.

o   At Talladega (2004-2005):

  • In 2004, Kurt Busch finished fifth at Talladega Superspeedway – the third race of the Playoffs – and went on to win the title later that season.
  • No non-Playoff driver has won the third Monster Energy Series Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (2018).
  • No non-Playoff driver ever won the third Monster Energy Series Playoff race at Dover International Speedway (2011 – 2017).
  • Two non-Playoff drivers won the third race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs when held at Kansas Speedway (2006 – 2010) – Tony Stewart was ranked 11th in points when he won the 2006 Kansas Playoff race and Greg Biffle was ranked 14th in points when he won the 2007 Kansas Playoff race.
  • Only one non-Playoff driver has won the third race in the Playoffs when held at Talladega Superspeedway (2004-2005) – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett was 14th in points when he won the 2005 Talladega Playoff race.

History

  • Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in 1959.
  • The track’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was held on June 19, 1960 – won by Joe Lee Johnson in a Chevrolet.
  • In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
  • The track was repaved midseason in 1994.
  • The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.
  • The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.
  • In 2017, the track underwent renovations to add what is now known as the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (ROVAL) a 2.28-mile, 17-turn, multi-elevational road course.  
  • The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series made its track debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in 2018 and the event was won by Ryan Blaney (Ford).
  • There have been 121 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway (includes road course figures), two races per year since the track opened in 1960. A total of 120 MENCS races on the oval track and just one on the road course.

Starts

  • A total of 40 different drivers competed in the inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course in 2018.
  • No driver has made his first start at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.

Poles

  • Kurt Busch won the Busch Pole Award for the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course driving for Stewart-Haas Racing in a Ford; his third pole on a road course in the Monster Energy Series.
  • Ford is the only manufacturer to win a pole at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, and did so with a speed of 106.868 mph, 76.805 seconds.
  • Youngest & Oldest Pole Winner at the Charlotte RC: Kurt Busch (September 30, 2018 – 40 years, 1 month and 26 days).  
  • Seven different active drivers have posted at least one pole on a road course in the Monster Energy Series. Kyle Larson and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in road course poles with three each.

Wins

  • Ryan Blaney won the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course; his first win on a road course in the Monster Energy Series.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in overall road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four);
  • Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time in the series with eight (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, three).
  • Nine active drivers have won at least one race on a road course in the Monster Energy Series.
  • Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. lead all active drivers in Monster Energy Series road course wins with four each.
  • NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the series record for the most wins at a single road course track with six victories at Riverside International Raceway.
  • Youngest & Oldest race winner at the Charlotte RC: Ryan Blaney (September 30, 2018 – 24 years, 5 months and 30 days).
  • Ford is the only manufacturer to win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, and did so with a speed of 82.125 mph, (03:01:34).
  • Ryan Blaney won the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course race last season from the ninth starting position.

Additional Finishing Positions

  • Jamie McMurray finished runner-up in the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
  • The five drivers to finish inside the top-five of the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course are Ryan Blaney (first), Jamie McMurray (second), Clint Bowyer (third), Alex Bowman (fourth) and Kurt Busch (fifth).
  • The remaining five drivers to round out the top 10 from the inaugural Playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road course are Chase Elliott (sixth), AJ Allmendinger (seventh), Jimmie Johnson (eighth), Kevin Harvick (ninth) and Joey Logano (10th).

Lap Leader Stats

  • A total of eight different Monster Energy Series drivers have led at least one lap at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course.
  • Kyle Larson leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course with 47 laps led. 

All-Time Lap Leaders at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course  

  • The most laps led by the race winner in a single Monster Energy Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course was 16 laps led Ryan Blaney on Sept. 30, 2018.
  • The most laps led in a single Monster Energy Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course by a driver that did not win the race was 47 laps led by Kyle Larson last season – he ultimately finished 25th in the event.

Track/Event Specific Stats

  • Since the advent of electronic scoring (in 1993) the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course is the 2018 race won by Ryan Blaney over Jamie McMurray with a MOV of 0.792 second.

NASCAR in North Carolina

  • There have been 812 NASCAR national series races held in the state of North Carolina among 31 different tracks.
  • The very first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race all-time was held in the state of North Carolina at Charlotte Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 19, 1949. The track is a 0.75-mile dirt track and the race was won by Jim Roper in a Lincoln. 

North Carolina Drivers In NASCAR

  • A total of 461 drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as North Carolina.
  • 52 drivers from North Carolina have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series; 31 have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

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