Monster Energy Series Playoff Fast Facts Race No. 6: Kansas Speedway
- Since the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff inception in 2004, Kansas Speedway has occupied five different positions on the Playoff schedule over the past 15 seasons. This year the famous 1.5-mile speedway returns to the sixth race of the Playoffs, and for the third-straight season it is the cutoff race for the Round of 12.
- In total three different tracks have hosted the sixth race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs – Martinsville Speedway (2004-2010), Talladega Superspeedway (2011, 2013-2016) and Kansas Speedway (2012, 2017-2019).
- A total of 10 different drivers have won the Monster Energy Series Playoff races at Kansas Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2008, 2011), Kevin Harvick (2013, 2016), Joey Logano (2014, 2015), Greg Biffle (2007, 2010) and Tony Stewart (2006, 2009), Martin Truex Jr. (2017), Matt Kenseth (2012), Mark Martin (2005), Joe Nemechek (2004) and Chase Elliott (2018).
- Twice the winner of the Monster Energy Series Playoff race at Kansas Speedway has gone on to win the title that same season:
o In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won the Kansas Playoff race from the pole, leading 124 laps, and then went on to win his third consecutive Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. Kansas was the third race of the Playoffs in 2008.
o In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won the Kansas Playoff race from the pole, leading 91 laps, and then went on to win his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season.
- Four-times the winner of the sixth race in the Monster Energy Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title later that season; once at Kansas Speedway and three-times at Martinsville Speedway:
o In 2006, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season.
o In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his second consecutive Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season.
o In 2008, Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his third consecutive Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season.
o In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won at Kansas, then the sixth race in the Playoffs, and went on to win his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title later that season.
- The worst finish in a Playoff race at Kansas by a driver that went on to win the title was 15th by Tony Stewart (2011). Last season’s champion, Joey Logano, finished eighth at Kansas last year.
- Three non-Playoff drivers have won the Playoff race at Kansas Speedway:
o Joe Nemechek (2004) was ranked 21st in the points at the time of the win.
o Tony Stewart (2006) was 11th in points at the time of the win.
o Greg Biffle (2007) was 14th in the points at the time of the win.
Kansas Speedway:
History
- Groundbreaking for Kansas Speedway was held on May 25, 1999.
- The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA Menards Series race and a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on the same day – June 2.
- The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was on Sept. 30, 2001 – won by Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet).
- During the 2012 season, between the April and October events, the 1.5-mile track underwent a repave, adding variable banking in the corners (17 to 20 degrees).
- There have been 27 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one event from 2001 – 2010 and two races per year since 2011.
Starts
- A total of 143 different drivers have competed in at least one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway; 108 drivers have competed in more than one.
- Three drivers have started all 27 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races and lead the series in starts at Kansas Speedway – Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Ryan Newman.
- Four drivers all-time have made their first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career start at Kansas Speedway: Erik Jones (5/09/2015), Ryan Blaney (5/10/2014), Austin Dillon (10/09/2011) and Denny Hamlin (10/09/2005).
- Jason Leffler (three starts) leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Kansas Speedway with a 3.500.
- Joey Logano (21 starts) leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Kansas with a 10.650.
Poles
- A total of 15 different drivers have won Busch Pole Awards at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series; seven of the 15 are active this weekend.
- Kevin Harvick leads the Monster Energy Series in poles at Kansas Speedway with fie (fall 2013, 2014 sweep, spring 2018 and spring 2019).
- Jason Leffler won the inaugural Busch Pole Award at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 mph (Dodge) driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
- Jason Leffler (2001) and Ryan Blaney (2017) are the only drivers to post their first-career Monster Energy Series pole at Kansas.
- Jimmie Johnson (2007-2008) and Kevin Harvick (three-straight: fall of 2013-2014 sweep) are the only two drivers to win consecutive Busch poles at Kansas Speedway.
- Youngest Kansas pole winner: Ryan Blaney (May 13, 2017 – 23 years, 2 months, 43 days).
- Oldest Kansas pole winner: Mark Martin (October 4, 2009 – 50 years, 8 months, 25 days).
- Four manufacturers have won Busch Pole Awards at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy Series; led by Chevrolet with 10; followed by Ford (nine), Toyota and Dodge (four each).
Wins
· A total of 15 different Monster Energy Series drivers have won at Kansas Speedway, nine of the 15 are active this weekend.
· Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson lead the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in wins with three victories each – Gordon (2001, 2002, 2014), Harvick (2013, 2016, 2018) and Johnson (2008, 2011, 2015).
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon won the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2001. Gordon won the first two series races at Kansas (2001, 2002).
· Youngest series Kansas winner: Chase Elliott (October 21, 2018 – 22 years, 10 months, 23 days).
· Oldest series Kansas winner: Mark Martin (October 9, 2005 – 46 years, 9 months, 0 days).
· Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr. are the only three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers that have posted consecutive wins at Kansas Speedway:
o Jeff Gordon (2001 and 2002) – the first two series events at Kansas
o Matt Kenseth (fall 2012, spring 2013)
o Martin Truex Jr. (2017 sweep)
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon is the only series driver to win at Kansas in his first appearance (2001).
· No Monster Energy Series drivers have won their first career race at Kansas Speedway.
· A total of six of the 27 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway have been won from the pole position; the most proficient starting spot in the field: Joe Nemechek (2004), Jimmie Johnson (2008), Matt Kenseth (spring 2013), Kevin Harvick (Playoffs 2013), Martin Truex Jr. (Playoffs 2017), Kevin Harvick (spring 2018).
Monster Energy Series Wins by Starting Positions at Kansas Speedway
· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Kansas Speedway is 25th, by Brad Keselowski in the spring of 2011.
· Martin Truex Jr. (17), Kyle Busch (16) and Kevin Harvick (15) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Kansas Speedway.
· Kurt Busch leads the series with the most Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 27.
· A total of eight different organizations have won in the Monster Energy Series at Kansas Speedway.
· Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with seven victories: Jeff Gordon (three: 2001, 2002 and 2014), Jimmie Johnson (three: 2008, 2011 and 2015) and Chase Elliott (Playoffs 2018).
· Four manufacturers have won at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy Series; led by Chevrolet with 12 victories, Ford with eight, Toyota has five and Dodge has two.
Additional Finishing Positions
· A total of 19 different drivers have finished runner-up at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy Series.
· Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. lead the Monster Energy Series in runner-up finishes at Kansas with three second-place finishes each.
· A total of 35 different drivers have finished in the top-five at Kanas Speedway in the Monster Energy Series.
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Kansas Speedway with 11 top fives.
· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy Series in top-five finishes at Kansas Speedway with nine top fives.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Kansas Speedway (All-Time & Active)
· A total of 53 different drivers in the Monster Energy Series have posted top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway.
· Jimmie Johnson leads the series in top-10 finishes at Kansas Speedway with 18 top 10s.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Kansas Speedway (All-Time & Active)
· NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace (five starts) leads the series in average finish at Kansas Speedway with an 8.200.
· Kevin Harvick (26 starts) leads all active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway with an average finishing position with a 9.692.
Track / Event Specific Stats
- Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the Monster Energy Series at Kansas Speedway is 0.081 second. The race was held on October 10, 2004 – the inaugural series event – Joe Nemechek beat Ricky Rudd.
Lap Leader Stats
- A total of 72 different drivers have led at least one lap in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Kansas Speedway.
- Kevin Harvick leads the Monster Energy Series in laps led at Kansas Speedway with 855 laps led in 28 starts.
- The most laps led in a single Monster Energy Series race at Kansas Speedway by the race winner was 197 laps of the 272 scheduled laps (72.4%) by Jimmie Johnson on Oct. 9, 2011 – he started 19th.
- The most laps led in a single Monster Energy Series race at Kansas Speedway by a driver that did not win the race was 173 laps of the 267 scheduled laps (64.7%) by Martin Truex Jr. on April 22, 2012 – he started sixth and finished runner-up.
Female Competitor Stats
- Danica Patrick is the only female driver that has competed at Kansas Speedway in the series:
- Danica Patrick’s seventh-place finish (2014) at Kansas Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is the third-highest finish by a female driver in series history. Patrick’s series career-best finish is sixth (Atlanta).
- The best finish by a female driver in the Monster Energy Series is Sarah Christian’s fifth-place finish (Heidelberg) in 1949.
NASCAR in Kansas
- There has been a total of 67 NASCAR national series races among two tracks held in the state of Kansas.
- The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Kansas was on July 29, 1995 at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas. The event was a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race and it was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. (Chevrolet) driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Kansas Drivers In NASCAR
- A total of 17 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Kansas.
- Of the 17 Kansas drivers, only two of them have won a NASCAR national series race; both have won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
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