Statistical Advance: Analyzing the South Point 400

Top 10 Las Vegas Driver Ratings
Kevin Harvick………………………. 105.2
Joey Logano……………………….. 104.8
Jimmie Johnson…………………… 102.8
Kyle Busch…………………………. 100.4
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 97.3
Chase Elliott…………………………. 97.2
Matt Kenseth………………………… 96.3
Brad Keselowski……………………. 95.4
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 94.8
Kurt Busch……………………………. 82.2
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (18 total) among active drivers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Fast Facts: Race #4 (Las Vegas)

• This is the first year the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 has opened at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Race No. 30 of the season). Las Vegas is the sixth different track to host the fourth race of the Playoffs.
• From 2004 to 2019 (Playoff Era) five different tracks have hosted the fourth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Kansas Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, Auto Club Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway:
  • Kansas Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs five times: 2004, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2014.
  • Talladega Superspeedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs four times: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012.
  • Auto Club Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs twice: 2009, 2010.
  • Charlotte Motor Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs three times: 2015, 2016, 2017.
  • Dover International Speedway has hosted the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs twice: 2018, 2019.

• Prior to the 2020 season, Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2018 and 2019. Brad Keselowski won the 2018 Las Vegas Playoff race. Martin Truex Jr. won the 2019 Las Vegas Playoff race.

• A total of 12 different drivers have won the fourth NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race., led by Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson with three victories (2009, 2011, 2016).
• Three times the winner of the fourth race in the Playoffs has gone on to win the title the same season:
  • In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won the fourth race of the Playoffs at Auto Club Speedway and went on to win his fourth-straight series title the same season. The victory was his second of four during that postseason.
  • In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won at Charlotte Motor Speedway and went on to win his record tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series title the same season. The win was Johnson first of three that postseason.
  • In 2017, Martin Truex Jr. won at Charlotte Motor Speedway and went on to win the series title the same season. It was his first of three wins that postseason.

• Twice a non-Playoff driver has won the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs:
  • Joe Nemechek won the Kansas Speedway Playoff race in 2004, he was ranked 21st in point standings at the time.
  • Brian Vickers won the Talladega Superspeedway Playoff race in 2006, he was ranked 16th in points at the time.
• No non-Playoff driver has ever won the Playoff race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Kansas Speedway was 15th by Tony Stewart in 2011.
• The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway was 24th by Jimmie Johnson in 2006.
• The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Auto Club Speedway was third by Jimmie Johnson in 2010.
• The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Charlotte Motor Speedway was 20th by Kyle Busch in 2015.
• The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Dover International Speedway was sixth by Kyle Busch in 2019.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Records (2004-2019)

Below are all-time record performances by drivers during the 10-race Playoffs in the NASCAR Cup Series.

• Most Wins: 5 – Tony Stewart (2011).
• Most Runner-Ups: 4 – three times: Jimmie Johnson (2006), Jeff Gordon (2014), Chase Elliott (2017).
• Most Top Fives: 9 – Martin Truex Jr. (2017)
• Most Top 10s: 9 – 11 times: Kurt Busch (2004), Jeff Gordon (2007), Jimmie Johnson (2009, 2010, 2013), Kevin Harvick (2010, 2019), Carl Edwards (2011), Kyle Busch (2016), Martin Truex Jr. (2017, 2019).
• Most Laps Led: 986 out of a possible 3,156 (31.2%) – Jimmie Johnson (2009).
• Best Average Start (all 10 races): 4.2 – Denny Hamlin (2017)
• Best Average Finish (all 10 races): 4.3 – Martin Truex Jr. (2017)
• Top 3 Best Driver Rating Performances (all 10 races): 125.8 – Jimmie Johnson (2013), 120.8 – Martin Truex Jr. (2017) and 120.3 – Kevin Harvick (2014).
• Only been five Perfect Driver Rating (150.0) performances in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs – Kevin Harvick at Phoenix (2006, 2014), Clint Bowyer at New Hampshire (2007), Carl Edwards at Homestead-Miami (2010) and Jimmie Johnson at Texas (2013).

NASCAR Cup Series 2020 Top 12 in the Driver Standings at Las Vegas

* – Based on last 18 races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2005 – 2020).

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

HISTORY

• The construction to build Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) began in 1995. Speedway Motorsports Inc. acquired the property in 1998.
• The first NASCAR race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was an ARCA Menards Series West race won by Ken Schrader on Nov. 2, 1996.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas was held on March 1, 1998. Dale Jarrett won the pole for the event and Mark Martin won the race.
• In 2006, the track was reconfigured to include progressive banking.
• In total there have been 25 NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile track has hosted one race per season from 1998 to 2017. The 2018 season marked the first time Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosted two series events in a single season.

STARTS

• In total 165 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; 128 have competed in more than one.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with 22.
• A total of six drivers have made their NASCAR Cup Series career debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Stanton Barrett (1999), Kyle Busch (2004), Timmy Hill (2012), Jon Wood, Aric Almirola (2007) and Cole Custer (2018).
• Daniel Hemric (two starts) leads the series in average starting position at Las Vegas a 5.5.
• Joey Logano (two starts) leads all active drivers in the series in average starting position at Las Vegas an 8.6.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 17 different drivers have won the pole in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• Kasey Kahne leads the series in poles at Las Vegas with three (2004, 2007 and 2012).
• Kyle Busch (2008, 2009) and Kurt Busch (2010, 2016) lead all active drivers in poles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with two each.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett won the series’ inaugural pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a speed of 168.224 mph (32.773 secs.).
• Kyle Busch is the only driver to win consecutive poles at LVMS from 2008-2009.
• Youngest series LVMS pole winner: Erik Jones (Sept. 16, 2018 – 22 years, 3 months, 17 days).
• Oldest series LVMS pole winner: Dale Jarrett (Mar. 4, 2001 – 44 years, 3 months, 6 days).
• Only one NASCAR Cup Series driver has posted his first career pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Kasey Kahne (March 7, 2004).
• In total five different manufacturers have won a pole at Las Vergas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series; led by Ford (10), and followed by Chevrolet (four), Dodge (four), Toyota (three) and Pontiac (one).

WINS

• A total of 13 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway; seven are active this weekend.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with four victories (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010).
• Eight drivers (all-time) have multiple Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Las Vegas: Jimmie Johnson (four), Matt Kenseth (three), Brad Keselowski (three), Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards (each have two).
• Youngest LVMS winner: Kyle Busch (Mar. 01, 2009 – 23 years, 9 months, 27 days).
• Oldest LVMS winner: Sterling Marlin (Mar. 03, 2002 – 44 years, 7 months, 32 days).
• Three drivers have won consecutive races at Las Vegas: Jeff Burton (1999, 2000); Matt Kenseth (2003, 2004) and Jimmie Johnson, who is the only driver to win three consecutive races (2005, 2006 and 2007).
• Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Las Vegas with seven victories, followed by Hendrick Motorsports with five, Stewart-Haas Racing (four), Team Penske (four), Joe Gibbs Racing (three), Chip Ganassi Racing and Furniture Row Racing (each have one).
• Las Vegas-native Kyle Busch became the first and only driver to win from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, he accomplished the feat on March 1, 2009.
• Five of the 25 Las Vegas races (21.7%) have been won from the front row: Kyle Busch, 2009 (pole); Carl Edwards, 2008 (second starting position); Brad Keselowski, 2014 (second starting position); Martin Truex Jr., 2017 (second starting position); Kevin Harvick, 2018 (second starting position).
• The second starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field producing more winners (four) than any other starting position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 25th, by Matt Kenseth in 2004.
• Eight of the 13 NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won at Las Vegas participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Mark Martin (1998; inaugural event) is the only driver to win at Las Vegas in his first appearance.
• Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch lead the series among active drivers with the most starts at Las Vegas without visiting Victory Lane at 21 races each.
• Four manufacturers have visited Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas, led by Ford (13 wins), Chevrolet (seven), Toyota (four) and Dodge (one).
• No NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won their first career race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 18 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished runner-up at Las Vegas.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the series in runner-up finishes at Las Vegas with three.
• Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick lead all active drivers in second-place finishes at Las Vegas with two each.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 41 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished inside the top-five at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski lead the series in top-five finishes at Las Vegas with seven each.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 64 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished inside the top-10 at Las Vegas.
• Kevin Harvick leads the series in top-10 finishes at Las Vegas with 11.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Average Finish:

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt leads the series in average finishing position at Las Vegas with a 7.667.
• Joey Logano leads all active drivers in the series in average finish at Las Vegas with an 8.0.

Top Five in Average Finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 76 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have led at least one lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, led by Kevin Harvick with 679 laps led in 22 starts.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by the race winner was 214 of the scheduled 267 laps (80.1%) by Kevin Harvick on March 4, 2018 – he started second.
• The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by the race winner was just one lap of the scheduled 270 laps by Jimmie Johnson on March 12, 2006. Johnson passed Matt Kenseth on the final lap in NASCAR Overtime to win – he started third.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by a driver that did not win was 219 of the scheduled 267 laps (82%) by Jeff Gordon on February 28, 2010 – he started second and finished third.

Top 10 Lap Leaders at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Danica Patrick and Shawna Robinson are the only two female drivers to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.

TRACK SPECIFIC STATS

• Twice the NASCAR Cup Series race has resulted with a NASCAR Overtime finish at Las Vegas:

• Only one NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas has ended early due to weather:

• Qualifying has only been cancelled once at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2013. As a result, Brad Keselowski started from the first starting position.
• The closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the March 12, 2006 race won by Jimmie Johnson over Matt Kenseth by a margin of 0.045 second.

Top Five Closest Margins of Victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas

• Twice the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has ended under caution – in 2000 (Jeff Burton won) and earlier this season (Joey Logano won).

NASCAR Cup Series at Las Vegas:

NASCAR IN NEVADA

• There has been a total of 78 NASCAR national series races among two tracks in the state of Nevada.

• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Nevada was at Las Vegas Park Speedway on October 16, 1955. Las Vegas Park Speedway was a 1-mile dirt track, and the event was 200 laps. Norm Nelson won the race driving a Chrysler.

NEVADA IN NASCAR

• A total of 28 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Nevada.
• Five drivers with their home state recorded as Nevada have won at least one NASCAR national series race.

Drivers from Nevada

• Kyle Busch from Las Vegas, Nevada holds the record for the most combined wins across all three NASCAR national series
• Two of the 28 are NASCAR national series champions:

o Kyle Busch – Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2015, 2019)

o Kurt Busch – NASCAR Cup Series champion (2004)