Statistical Advance: Analyzing the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, going into the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday, September 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. F

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Fast Facts: Race #4 (Texas Motor Speedway)

• The 2022 season marks the first-time the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of 12 has opened at Texas Motor Speedway (Race No. 30 of the season).
• Texas Motor Speedway is the seventh different track to host the fourth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs; joining Kansas Speedway (2004, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2014), Talladega Superspeedway (2006, 2007, 2008, 2012), Auto Club Speedway (2009, 2010), Charlotte Motor Speedway (2015, 2016, 2017), Dover Motor Speedway (2018, 2019) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2020, 2021).
• The inception of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs was in 2004 and Texas Motor Speedway was added to the postseason schedule in 2005 – at the time replacing Darlington Raceway – and the 1.5-mile track has been hosting Playoff events ever since (2005-2022).
• Texas Motor Speedway has occupied three spots on the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs schedule:
  • From 2005 – 2020, Texas Motor Speedway hosted the eighth race in the Playoffs (Race No. 34).
  • In 2021, Texas Motor Speedway hosted the seventh race in the Playoffs (Race No. 33).
  • This season, Texas Motor Speedway will host the fourth race in the Playoffs (Race No. 30).
• A total of 14 different drivers have won the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs., led by Jimmie Johnson with three postseason victories (2009, 2011, 2016). Joey Logano leads all active drivers with two wins (2014, 2015).
• Four of the 14 drivers that have won the fourth Playoff race in the NASCAR Cup Series are active in the postseason this weekend – Denny Hamlin (2021), Kyle Larson (2019), Chase Elliott (2018) and Joey Logano (2014, 2015).

• Nine different drivers have won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races at Texas Motor Speedway, led by Jimmie Johnson with five postseason victories (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015). Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with three Texas Playoff wins (2017-2019).

• Three times the winner of the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs has gone on to win the title in the same season: 2009, 2016 and 2017.
  • In 2009, Jimmie Johnson won the fourth race of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Auto Club Speedway and went on to win his fourth-straight series title in the same season. The victory was his second of four wins during his postseason run that season.
  • In 2016, Jimmie Johnson won at Charlotte Motor Speedway (oval) and went on to win his record tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series title that same season. The win was Johnson’s 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.

• Three times the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway Playoff race has gone on to win the title later that same season:
  • In 2007, Jimmie Johnson won from the eighth starting position at Texas Motor Speedway and went on to win his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title later that season. The Playoff win at Texas was his third of four consecutive victories in the 2007 Playoffs – the only driver to win four straight in the NASCAR Cup Series postseason (Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix).
  • In 2011, Tony Stewart won from the fifth starting position at Texas Motor Speedway and went on to win his third NASCAR Cup Series championship later that season. The Texas Playoff win was Stewart’s fourth of his record setting five NASCAR Cup Series Playoff wins in a single postseason run in 2011 (Chicago, New Hampshire, Martinsville, Texas, Homestead-Miami).
  • In 2013, Jimmie Johnson won from the third starting position at Texas Motor Speedway and went on to win his sixth NASCAR Cup Series championship later that season. The Texas Playoff win was Johnson’s second postseason victory (Dover, Texas) in 2013.

• Twice a non-Playoff driver has won the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs: 2004 and 2006.
  • In 2004, Joe Nemechek won the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Kansas Speedway, he was ranked 21st in the point standings at the time of the victory.
  •   In 2006, Brian Vickers won the fourth race in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway, he was ranked 16th in points at the time of the victory.

• Three times a non-Playoff driver has won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race at Texas Motor Speedway: 2006, 2014, and 2015.
  • In 2006, Tony Stewart was ranked 11th in the point standings at the time of his Texas Playoff race win.
  • In 2014, Jimmie Johnson was ranked 11th in points at the time of his Texas Playoff win. Johnson had made the Playoffs in 2014 but was eliminated in the Round of 12.
  • In 2015, Jimmie Johnson was 12th in points at the time of the win. Johnson had made the Playoffs in 2015 but was eliminated in the Round of 16.

• The worst finish by a driver in the fourth NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race that later went on to win the title that same season was a 24th-place finish by Jimmie Johnson in 2006 at Talladega Superspeedway.
  • 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 Motor Speedway was sixth by Kyle Busch in 2019.
  • The worst finish by the eventual champion in the fourth race of the Playoffs at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was 22nd by Chase Elliott in 2020.

• The worst finish by a driver in the NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway Playoff race that later went on to win the title that same season was a 38th-place finish by Jimmie Johnson in 2009.

Texas Motor Speedway
Season Race #: 30 of 36 (10-25-22)
The Purse: $8,455,617
Track Size: 1.5-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length:  2,250 feet
Backstretch Length:  1,330 feet
Race Length: 334 laps / 501 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 105 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 124 laps

QUALIFYING DATA

Track Qualifying Record:

Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, 200.915 mph, 26.877 secs., November 3, 2017

2021 Playoff Pole Winner:

Starting Lineups were set by Metric Qualifying; Kyle Larson started from the first position.

RACE DATA

Track Race Record:

Greg Biffle, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford, 160.577 mph, (3:07:12), November 14, 2012

2021 Playoff Race Winner:

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, 134.859 mph, (3:42:54), October 17, 2021

Texas Motor Speedway – Stats & Tidbits

HISTORY

• Construction on Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) began in 1995.
• The first NASCAR national series race at Texas Motor Speedway was a NASCAR Xfinity Series event on April 5, 1997. The first Xfinity Series race at Texas was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin driving an RFK Racing Ford.
• The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway was on April 6, 1997, and the race was won by Jeff Burton in a RFK Racing Ford (125.111 mph).
• Texas Motor Speedway underwent a repave between the 2001 and 2002 NASCAR Cup Series seasons.
• In 2011, the spring NASCAR Cup Series race was moved from Sunday to Saturday night under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway. The 2017 season marked the first year it was moved back to a Sunday afternoon race.
• Texas Motor Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race on November 6, 2005 – won by RFK Racing driver Carl Edwards (151.055 mph)
• Texas Motor Speedway underwent its second repave between the 2016 and 2017 NASCAR Cup Series seasons. The renovation added a new layer of asphalt over the existing pavement, an expansive French drainage system on the frontstretch and backstretch and reduced the banking in Turns 1 and 2 by four degrees (now 20 degrees).
• The 2021 season marked the first time the track hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race instead of the points-paying spring event. This season, Texas Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race for the second straight year instead of hosting a spring points-paying race.
• There have been 41 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Texas Motor Speedway, one event from 1997 – 2004 and two races per year from 2005-2020. In 2021 and 2022, the track hosted the NASCAR All-Star Race and one points-paying Playoff race.

STARTS

• A total of 179 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway; a 144 drivers have competed in more than one Cup race at Texas.
• Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead the NASCAR Cup Series in starts at Texas Motor Speedway with 37 each.
• Seven drivers have made their first NASCAR Cup Series career start at Texas Motor Speedway; the most recent was John Hunter Nemechek in 2019.

First-Time Starters in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway

• Of the seven drivers that made their first career NASCAR Cup Series start at Texas Motor Speedway, Trevor Bayne posted the best finish in his series debut with a 17th-place finish on November 7, 2010.
• Steve Park leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Texas Motor Speedway with a 8.0 in five races.
• Ryan Blaney (13 starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Texas Motor Speedway with an 8.615; followed by Joey Logano with a 12.000 in 26 starts.

Top 10 in Average Starting Position in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas (All-Time & Active)

POLES

• A total of 25 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the pole at Texas Motor Speedway; nine drivers have won multiple poles at the 1.5-mile speedway.
• Six of the 25 NASCAR Cup Series Texas Motor Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.

• Kurt Busch leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Texas Motor Speedway with three (Spring 2015, Playoffs 2017, Spring 2018).
• Kevin Harvick (2017, 2019) and Martin Truex Jr. (2007, 2012) lead all active drivers in NASCAR Cup Series poles at Texas Motor Speedway.
• The inaugural Pole Qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997 was cancelled due to weather conditions – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett started the race from the first starting position. He finished the race runner-up.
• Jeremy Mayfield was the first NASCAR Cup Series pole winner at Texas Motor Speedway in 1998 with a speed of 185.906 mph, driving the Team Penske No. 12 Ford.
• Three drivers have won consecutive poles at Texas Motor Speedway: Bobby Labonte (2003 and 2004), Ryan Newman (2005 sweep) and Kurt Busch (2017 and 2018).
• Youngest Texas Cup Series pole winner: Brian Vickers (Nov. 5, 2006 – 23 years, 0 months, 12 days).
• Oldest Texas Cup Series pole winner: Bill Elliott (April 8, 2002 – 46 years, 6 months, 0 days).
• David Ragan (April 9, 2011) and Martin Truex Jr. (November 4, 2007) are the only two drivers who have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing are tied for the NASCAR Cup Series most poles at Texas Motor Speedway with seven each:
  • Hendrick Motorsports (seven poles among five drivers) – Terry Labonte (2000), Brian Vickers (2006), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2008), Jeff Gordon (2008, 2009), Jimmie Johnson (2012, 2019).
  • Stewart-Haas Racing (seven poles among three drivers) – Tony Stewart (2010, 2014), Kurt Busch (2015, 2017, 2018), Kevin Harvick (2017, 2019).
• Four different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series pole at Texas Motor Speedway; led by Chevrolet (15 poles), and followed by Ford (12), Toyota (five) and Dodge (four).

WINS

• A total of 21 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway, and nine of the 21 have won multiple times
• Six of the 21 NASCAR Cup Series Texas winners are active this weekend.

• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with seven victories (2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 sweep and 2017) in 35 starts.
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with four victories (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020).
• Three NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted consecutive wins at Texas Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2014 Playoff race and 2015 sweep), Carl Edwards (2008 sweep) and Denny Hamlin (2010 sweep).
• Youngest Cup Series Texas winner: Joey Logano (April 7, 2014 – 23 years, 10 months, 14 days).
• Oldest Cup Series Texas winner: Dale Jarrett (April 1, 2001 – 44 years, 4 months, 6 days).
• Jeff Burton (April 6, 1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (April 2, 2000) are the only two drivers to win in their first career NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Five of the six active winning drivers made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Texas Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (29), Kyle Busch (15) Austin Dillon (15) Kyle Larson (13) and Joey Logano (11).
• Martin Truex Jr. leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 32 starts; followed by Brad Keselowski (26 starts) and Michael McDowell (23 starts).
• A total of 18 different starting positions on the grid have led to victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway.
• The third starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, producing more wins (eight) than any other starting position (19.5%) – most recently: Kevin Harvick’s win in the 2018 Playoff race.
• Five of the 41 NASCAR Cup Series races (12.2%) at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the pole or first starting position: Kasey Kahne (2006), Jimmie Johnson (2012), Kyle Busch (2013), Kevin Harvick (2019) and Kyle Larson (2021).
• Eight of the 41 NASCAR Cup Series races (19.51%) at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the front row: five from first starting position and three from the second starting position.

NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Texas Motor Speedway

• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway is 31st, by Matt Kenseth in 2002.
• Two NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway in two different manufacturers: Jeff Burton (1997 – Ford; 2007 – Chevrolet) and Carl Edwards (2005, 2008 sweep – Ford; 2016 – Toyota)
• A total of nine different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Texas Motor Speedway with 10 victories among four drivers: Terry Labonte (Spring 1999), Jeff Gordon (Spring 2009), Jimmie Johnson (Playoffs 2007, Playoffs 2012, Playoffs 2013, Playoffs 2014, Spring 2015, Playoffs 2015, Spring 2017) and Kyle Larson (2021).
• Four different manufacturers have won a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, led by Ford and Chevrolet with 15 wins each; followed by Toyota (eight) and Dodge (three).

ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS

Runner-Up Finishes:

• A total of 23 different drivers have finished runner-up in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with five second-place finishes.
• Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. lead all active drivers in runner-up finishes at Texas with three each.

Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-Five Finishes:

• A total of 49 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-five at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Jimmie Johnson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 16 top fives.
• Kyle Busch leads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-five finishes at Texas with 14.

Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Top-10 Finishes:

• A total of 68 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have finished in the top-10 at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Kevin Harvick leads the NASCAR Cup Series in top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 24 top 10s.

Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

Average Finish:

• Tyler Reddick (three starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Texas Motor Speedway with an 8.667.

Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Texas Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)

LAP LEADERS

• A total of 84 different drivers have led at least one lap at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Jimmie Johnson (35 starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in laps led at Texas Motor Speedway with 1,152 laps led.
• Kyle Busch (31 starts), second-most all-time, leads all active series drivers in laps led at Texas Motor Speedway with 1,069 laps led.
• The most laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas by the race winner is 278 of the scheduled 339 laps (82%) by Tony Stewart on November 5, 2006 – he started eighth and won.
• The most laps led by a driver that did not win in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas is 312 of the scheduled 334 laps (93.4%) by Brad Keselowski on November 8, 2015; he started from the pole and finished second.
• The fewest laps led in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas by the race winner is one lap, the final lap of the scheduled 334 by Jeff Burton on April 15, 2007 – he started second and won.

Top 15 All-Time Laps Leaders in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas

FEMALE COMPETITORS

• Two female drivers have made NASCAR Cup Series starts at Texas Motor Speedway: Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick
• Danica Patrick holds the series record for best finish at Texas Motor Speedway by a female competitor with a 16th-place finish (twice: Spring 2015, Playoffs 2015).

TRACK / EVENT STATS

• Since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway was the April 4, 2004 race won by Elliott Sadler with a margin of victory of 0.028-second over second-place Kasey Kahne.

Top Five Closest Margin of Victories in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas:

• Six NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas have resulted with NASCAR Overtime:

• Of the 41 NASCAR Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, only one has been shortened from its originally scheduled distance due to weather:

• Weather has postponed the NASCAR Cup Series Texas race to another date three times:

• Qualifying has been cancelled five times in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas for the reasons indicated:

NASCAR IN TEXAS

• There have been 147 NASCAR national series races among four tracks in the state of Texas.

• The first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Texas was a NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. The event was held on December 7, 1969 and it was won by Bobby Isaac (Dodge).

TEXANS IN NASCAR

• A total of 96 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as Texas.
• A total of 10 different drivers from Texas have won at least one race in NASCAR’s three national series.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte leads all Texas drivers with 34 NASCAR national series wins.
• The most recent winner from the state of Texas was RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher, who won at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 17, 2022 – his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Winners from Texas:

— NASCAR —