Atlanta Motor Speedway: History

Atlanta Motor Speedway:

History

·         Originally called Atlanta International Raceway, the track was then a 1.5-mile paved speedway.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, won by Fireball Roberts from the pole.

·         The track was re-measured to 1.522 miles in the spring of 1970.

·         It was renamed Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1990.

·         The track layout was reversed and the track was re-configured to 1.54 miles between the two races in 1997.

Notebook

·         There have been 106 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta Motor Speedway since the first race there in 1960. Until 2010 there have been two races per year except 1961, which had three. This year marks the third season with only one event.

·         544 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway; 364 in more than one.

·         Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Atlanta with 65. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 40 starts, followed by Joe Nemechek with 37.

·         Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Atlanta in 1960 with a speed of 133.870 mph.  

·         47 drivers have Coors Light poles at Atlanta, led by Buddy Baker and Ryan Newman with seven each.  

·         Winning consecutive Coors Light poles has happened eight times at Atlanta, among six drivers.

·         Ryan Newman holds the record for most consecutive poles at Atlanta with six; spring of 2003 through 2005.

·         Youngest Atlanta pole winner: Terry Labonte (03/15/1981 – 24 years, 3 months, 27 days).

·         Oldest Atlanta pole winner: Harry Gant (11/14/1993 – 53 years, 10 months, 4 days).

·         43 different NSCS drivers have won at Atlanta Motor Speedway, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt with nine wins. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.  

·         11 drivers have posted consecutive wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Marvin Panch (1965 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), David Pearson (1973 sweep), Richard Petty (1974 fall, 1975 spring), Cale Yarborough (1980 fall, 1981 spring), Bill Elliott (1985 sweep; 1992 sweep), Dale Earnhardt (1989 fall, 1990 spring; 1995 fall, 1996 spring), Bobby Labonte (1997 fall, 1998 spring), Jeff Gordon (1998 fall, 1999 spring), Carl Edwards (2005 sweep), Jimmie Johnson (2007 sweep)

·         Youngest Atlanta winner: Kyle Busch (03/09/2008 – 22 years, 10 months, 7 days).

·         Oldest Atlanta winner: Morgan Shepherd (03/20/1993 – 51 years, 5 months, 8 days).

·         The Wood Brothers have the most wins at Atlanta in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 12: Cale Yarborough (three), David Pearson (three), Marvin Panch (two), Neil Bonnett (two) A.J. Foyt (one) and Morgan Shepherd (one). Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are tied for the second most wins at Atlanta with 11 each.

·         Nine different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Atlanta; led by Chevrolet with 37 victories; followed by Ford with 29. Toyota has three wins at Atlanta.

·         14 of the 106 (13.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kasey Kahne in 2006.

·         The fifth starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Atlanta Motor Speedway; the most recent was Jeff Gordon in 2011.   

·         26 of the 106 (24.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from the front row: 14 from the pole and 12 from second-place.

·         60 of the 106 (56.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-five starting position.

·         84 of the 106 (79.2%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Atlanta have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Seven of the 106 (6.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Atlanta is 39th, by Bobby Labonte in the fall of 2001.

·         No driver has swept the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway across all three NASCAR national series. Two drivers have won in multiple NASCAR national series in the same weekend at Atlanta: Carl Edwards (2005, NSCS/NNS); (fall 2008, NSCS/NNS) and Kyle Busch (spring 2008, NSCS/NCWTS)

·         Dale Earnhardt and David Pearson lead the series in runner-up finishes at Atlanta with seven each; Jeff Gordon leads all active driverswith five.

·         Dale Earnhardt leads the series in top-five finishes at Atlanta with 26; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16.   

·         Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Atlanta with 33; Jeff Gordon leads all active driverswith 25.

·         Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.571.

·         Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at 11.654.

·         Nine of the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta in his first appearance (2001). Carl Edwards won in his second appearance (2005).      

·         Denny Hamlin competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway 12 times before winning in the spring of 2012; the longest span of any the 10 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

·         Among the 10 active NSCS Atlanta winners Denny Hamlin (12) is the only driver to have made 10 or more attempts before his first win.

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Atlanta without visiting Victory Lane at 37; followed by Matt Kenseth with 25.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the March 11, 2001 race won by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon with a MOV of 0.006 second.

·         There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2007 (325/329); spring of 2010 (325/341) and fall of 2012 (325/327).

·         Four of the 88 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 6/18/2006.    

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway five times; most recently the fall of 2010.   

·         One active driver has posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Terry Labonte (3/15/1981).

·         Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (11/15/1992) and Martin Truex Jr. (10/31/2004).

·         Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at Atlanta Motor Speedway: Kevin Harvick (3/11/2001) and Carl Edwards (3/20/2005).

·         Cale Yarborough leads all drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Atlanta with 3,283 laps led in 47 starts. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in laps led at Atlanta with 1,297.    

·         Three female drivers have competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick.

Homestead-Miami Speedway Ford Championship Weekend

NASCAR UNVEILS 2015 SCHEDULES FOR TOP THREE SERIES

2015 Ford Championship Weekend to be held November 20-22

MIAMI – In 2015, for the 14^th consecutive year, Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the Championship finales in all three of NASCAR’s premier series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. NASCAR today announced all three schedules for the 2015 season, including the season-ending races, which will take place at Homestead-Miami Speedway the weekend of November 20-22, 2015.  For the first time since 2012, race weekend will fall immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.

“We are extremely proud to host NASCAR’s finales in all three of its premier series for an unprecedented 14 consecutive years,” Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer said. “South Florida is a championship town, having played host to numerous Super Bowls, NBA Finals, World Series, college football championship games, and NASCAR’s championship weekend every year since 2002. We are also excited to host Ford Championship Weekend on the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2015, giving race fans who come from out of town an entire week to celebrate and enjoy South Florida.”

New to the NASCAR schedule for 2015 is the addition of NBC Sports as a broadcast partner. Along with FOX, NBC and NBC Sports Network will televise the Sprint Cup Series schedule starting next year. FOX will air the first 16 races, while NBC will broadcast the final 20, including the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday, November 22 on NBC network television for the first time since 2009.

The 2015 NASCAR Nationwide Series finale will also be broadcast on NBC national television, and the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1.

Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted NASCAR’s Championship races every year since 2002, including all 10 (2004-13) of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finales in NASCAR’s premier series. Fans have been witness to several historic Championship moments, including all six of Jimmie Johnson’s Cup titles, the tiebreaker between Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart in 2011, and Kurt Busch hoisting the first Chase hardware in 2004 after holding off Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in the last lap to win the title by a margin of eight points.

The 2014 Ford EcoBoost 400 will again serve as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship race. However, for the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, four drivers will battle it out for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway, following a three-round, nine-race elimination series in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Driving in a race-within-a-race, the four drivers will compete in a full 43-car field, and fans will have the opportunity to be a witness to the historic finish to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that can only be seen at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The 2014 Ford Championship Weekend will be held on November 14-16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and will be the host of the NASCAR Nationwide Series finale, as well as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale, in addition to the Sprint Cup Series championship. For ticket purchases and more information about 2014 Ford Championship Weekend, visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com, or call (866) 409-RACE (7223).

 

Dover International Speedway announces race dates for the 2015 season

Dover International Speedway announces race dates for the 2015 season

NASCAR returns to the Monster Mile May 29-31 and Oct. 2-4, 2015

DOVER, Del. – Dover International Speedway officials have announced the track’s 2015 race dates, as two tripleheader NASCAR weekends will return to the track on May 29-31 and Oct. 2-4, 2015.

The spring weekend at Dover will include the Friday, May 29 “Lucas Oil 200” NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the Saturday, May 30 “Buckle Up 200” presented by Click It or Ticket NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the Sunday, June 1 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The fall weekend brings the Oct. 2 “Drive Sober 150” presented by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, the Oct. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and Oct. 4 “AAA 400” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

For the second straight year, the fall NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will serve as the first “knockout race” in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The third event in the 10-race Chase, the “AAA 400” is the finale of the Challenger Round of the playoff format, and will see the championship field reduced from 16 to 12 drivers by day’s end.

The Speedway’s three-tier pricing program will also return in 2015, offering fans reduced pricing on tickets as long as they commit to the track early. For instance, fans that purchase their Sunday, May 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tickets by Dec. 1, 2015 can save nearly 50% in some seating sections as part of the track’s Preferred Pricing Period.

“We’re pleased to welcome back NASCAR for its twice-annual trips to Dover in 2015,” said Michael Tatoian, executive vice president and COO of Dover Motorsports, Inc. “In addition, the return of our three-tier pricing program will give fans the opportunity to lock in their race tickets at a great value.”

Fans can begin placing deposits on tickets for both the May 29-31 and Oct. 2-4, 2015 race weekends. Returning fans have the opportunity to reserve their same seats for 2015 race weekends.

For tickets, to place a deposit or for more information, call 800-441-RACE or click here. You can also keep up with the Monster Mile at Facebook.com/DoverInternationalSpeedway or on Twitter at @MonsterMile.

Chicagoland Speedway

THE FIRST RACE IN THE CHASE FOR THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP RETURNS TO CHICAGO IN 2015

2015 Chicagoland Speedway NASCAR Race Tickets Go On-Sale

Monday, Sept. 15

Joliet, Ill. — August 26, 2014 — Today, NASCAR announced that Chicagoland Speedway will once again host the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2015.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup will return to Chicagoland Speedway for the fifth consecutive year in 2015, Sept. 18-20, with a triple-header weekend of action. Rally, Rock and Race weekend will return with a stand-alone NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, June 20, the day prior to Father’s Day. In addition to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the June weekend will welcome back the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and two nights of TORC: The Off Road Championship Presented by Amsoil at Route 66 Raceway.

Tickets for the 2015 NASCAR race weekends at Chicagoland Speedway will go on sale Monday, September 15, 2014. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ChicagolandSpeedway.com, by calling 888-629-RACE, through the Chicagoland Speedway mobile app,  or by visiting the Chicagoland Speedway Administrative office Monday-Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm.

Chicagoland Speedway fans will have access to the best prices of the year beginning on Monday, September 15. Ticket renewal information will be reaching 2014 customers following the upcoming Sept.12-14 race weekend.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Sept. 18-20, will begin with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series under the lights on Friday night. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the NASCAR Nationwide Series will hit the track as the precursor to Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series showdown, the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

NASCAR’s Father’s Day weekend features a rare-off weekend for the Sprint Cup Series, with the Nationwide Series taking center stage in the world of motorsports at Chicagoland Speedway.

The complete 2015 NASCAR schedule at Chicagoland Speedway is as follows:

Date                             Event

Saturday, June 20         NASCAR Nationwide Series

 

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

Friday, Sept. 18                        NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Saturday, Sept. 19        NASCAR Nationwide Series

Sunday, Sept. 20          NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

 

For more information on Chicagoland Speedway, stay connected on Twitter and Facebook or by visiting www.ChicagolandSpeedway.com.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

LOUDON, N.H. - New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the largest sports and entertainment facility in New England, will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2015 by once again hosting two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekends. This evening, NASCAR officials released its national series schedules for next season, including dates for all three series at NHMS.
The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule features some major and minor date changes for several tracks. New Hampshire Motor Speedway's traditional Camping World RV Sales 301 will move to one week later than 2014 to Sunday, July 19, while the SYLVANIA 300 will again have its traditional spot as the second race of the Challenger Round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship on Sunday, Sept. 27.
The Nationwide Series (July 18) and Camping World Truck Series (Sept. 26) will again be on the Saturday docket as part of two big NASCAR weekends.
"We are certainly focused on our upcoming September NASCAR weekend, but we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate our silver anniversary by once again hosting two NASCAR weekends in 2015," said Jerry Gappens, executive vice president and general manager of the speedway. "These anchor event weekends are the largest sporting events in New England. We are looking forward to a grand silver anniversary celebration to reflect on the proud 25-year history of this great facility and events, while raising the bar in presenting the most entertaining and jam-packed schedules of racing and entertainment to our fans."
Since 1997, NASCAR's premier stock car division has made two stops at NHMS, which has hosted a race in the Chase since the playoff's inception in 2004.
Recognized as one of the most unpredictable tracks on the circuit, the Magic Mile has seen 13 different drivers roll into Sunoco Victory Lane in the last 13 races at the 1.058-mile oval. Brad Keselowski's win in July tied Texas Motor Speedway's streak for consecutive races with a different winner, and should the streak extend to 14 in September, it would set a new NASCAR record.
"The streak is a testimony to the competitive challenge our track presents to drivers. In addition to new winners, we're seeing record lead changes, more drivers than ever on the lead lap, and some great finishes," said Gappens. "We've had part-time drivers, former champions, and first-time winners end up in Sunoco Victory Lane. We take a lot of pride in the fact that anyone can win and anything can happen here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway."
Gappens also noted that he will be in discussions with both NASCAR and American-Canadian Tour officials about including their popular regional touring series (including the Whelen Modified Tour, K&N Pro Series East and the ACT Invitational races) to complete the weekend racing cards in July and September, respectively.
Ticket renewal deadlines for July and September NASCAR weekends are Oct. 15 and Dec. 15, respectively. Non-season ticket holder seats are also available now. Anyone that renews tickets to both races by Dec. 15, will be enrolled in the speedway's Loud 'N Proud Perks Program. Loud 'N Proud is a free, loyalty program designed to thank our most committed fans.
Tickets for this September's action-packed SYLVANIA 300 NASCAR weekend can be purchased by stopping by our Ticket Office, visiting the speedway website at www.nhms.com, or calling our Ticket Hotline at (603) 783-4931.

-NHMS-

Bristol Motor Speedway: History

Bristol Motor Speedway:

History

·         Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960. The track was an exact half-mile.

·         First NASCAR Sprint Cup race was July 30, 1961; Jack Smith won the event (with relief from Johnny Allen).

·         In the fall of 1969, the track was reshaped and re-measured to .533-miles.

·         The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.

·         The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.

·         The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992.

·         The name changed to Bristol Motor Speedway in May 1996.

·         The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.

Notebook

·         There have been 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961, two races each season.

·         All races have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps.

·         431 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol; 296 in more than one.

·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Bristol with 60. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 43 starts.

·         Fred Lorenzen won the inaugural Coors Light pole with a speed of 79.225 mph.

·         47 different drivers have poles at Bristol, led by Mark Martin and Cale Yarborough with nine each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.

·         The race winner has started from the pole 22 times, the most productive starting position. The last driver to win from the pole was Carl Edwards, in the night race of 2008.

·         Four drivers have won from the pole position multiple times: Bobby Allison (1972 twice), Cale Yarborough (1973, 1977 twice, 1980), Darrell Waltrip (1981 twice, 1982) and Rusty Wallace (1991, 1993, 1999, 2000).

·         10 different drivers have posted consecutive poles at Bristol Motor Speedway; Mark Martin is the only of the 10 to win four consecutive poles at Bristol: Fireball Roberts (swept 1962), Fred Lorenzen (swept 1963), Richard Petty (1967-’68), Bobby Allison (swept 1972), Cale Yarborough (swept 1973; swept 1977; swept 1980), Darrell Waltrip (swept 1981), Geoff Bodine (swept 1986), Mark Martin (swept 1995-1996– all four races; and swept 2009); Rusty Wallace (swept 1998), Jeff Gordon (swept 2002) and Denny Hamlin (fall 2013, spring 2014).

·         Jeff Gordon leads (active drivers) the series in average starting position at Bristol with a 7.442. 

·         Youngest Bristol pole winner: Joey Logano (3/21/2010 – 19 years, 9 months, 25 days) – his first series career pole.

·         Oldest Bristol pole winner: Harry Gant (8/27/1994 – 54 years, 7 months, 17 days).

·         41 different drivers have won at Bristol, led by Darrell Waltrip (12). Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch each have five wins, the most among active drivers.

·         Junior Johnson leads the series in car owner wins at Bristol with 16; Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske and Jack Roush are tied among active car owners for the most wins at Bristol with 10 each.

·         12 drivers have won consecutive races at Bristol led by Darrell Waltrip with seven consecutive victories from 1981-1984. The other 11 are Fred Lorenzen (1963-1964 sweep), David Pearson (1968 sweep), Bobby Allison (1972 sweep), Cale Yarborough did it twice (1974 sweep and four straight from 1976-1977), Richard Petty (1975 sweep), Dale Earnhardt also did twice (1985 sweep and 1987 sweep), Alan Kulwicki (1992 sweep), Rusty Wallace (2000 sweep), Kurt Busch (2003 sweep and 2004 spring race), Kyle Busch (2009 sweep), and Brad Keselowski (2011 fall-2012 spring).

·         Youngest Bristol winner: Kyle Busch (03/25/2007 – 21 years, 10 months, 23 days).

·         Oldest Bristol winner: Dale Earnhardt (08/28/1999 – 48 years, 3 months, 30 days).

·         Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Bristol; led by Chevrolet with 43 victories; followed by Ford with 34. Toyota is ranked fifth among Manufacturers with six wins at Bristol.

·         35 of the 107 (33.0%) races at Bristol have been won from the front row: Pole position (22 wins); second-place (13 wins).

·         85 of the 107 (32.7%) races have been won from a top-10 starting position; including 53 from the first four spots.

·         Five of the 107 (4.6%) races have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 38th, by Elliott Sadler; in 2001.

·         Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Bristol with 10; Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers with four.

·         Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty lead the series in top-five finishes at Bristol with 26 each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 16.

·         Richard Petty has 37 top-10 finishes at Bristol, more than any other driver. Jeff Gordon leads the series among active drivers in top-10 finishes with 24.

·         Kyle Busch leads the series (active drivers) in average finish at Bristol with a 10.895.

·         Seven of the last 10 races have ended with a Margin of Victory of less than a second at BMS.  

·         There has been four green-white-checkered finishes at Bristol – all four were the spring race: 2007 (500/504); 2008 (500/506); 2009 (500/503); 2014 (500/503).

·         Two of the 107 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 3/31/1996.   

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway three times; most recently August 25, 2012.   

·         Kurt Busch posted his first series career win at Bristol (2002), and Joey Logano won his first pole at Bristol (2010).

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series (active drivers) with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol without visiting Victory Lane with 38.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol was the 3/25/2007 race won by Kyle Busch with a MOV of 0.064 second.

·         Two female drivers have made NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Bristol: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Michigan International Speedway: History

Michigan International Speedway:
History

• Michigan International Speedway sits on more than 1,400 acres in the “Irish Hills” of Southeastern Michigan. Ground-breaking took place on Sept. 28, 1967.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan was held June 15, 1969 – won by Cale Yarborough at a speed of 139.254 mph.
• The track was known as Michigan Speedway during the time Roger Penske was the primary owner (1996-99).
• The 2-mile speedway underwent a repave in 2012.

Notebook

• There have been 90 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race there in 1969. Other than 1973, which had just one race, there have been two races each season since 1969.
• The first race was 500 miles in length; the second was scheduled for 600. The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles for the last race in 1970 and both races in 1971 – with the race distance being 402 miles. All other races have been scheduled for 400 miles.
• 372 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway; 269 in more than one.
• Bill Elliott leads the series in starts at Michigan with 61. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 43 starts.
• Donnie Allison won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Michigan in 1969 with a speed of 160.135 mph. 
• 46 drivers have Coors Light poles at Michigan, led by David Pearson with 10. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with five.
• Six drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Michigan. David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Michigan with five; fall 1976 through 1978.
• Four active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Michigan: Terry Labonte (1983 sweep), Bill Elliott (1984 sweep and 1988 sweep), Bobby Labonte (2003 sweep), and Brian Vickers (fall 2008 – 2009 sweep). 
• Youngest Michigan pole winner: Joey Logano (08/16/2013 – 23 years, 2 months, 23 days).
• Oldest Michigan pole winner: Mark Martin (08/19/2012 – 53 years, 7 months, 10 days).
• 36 different NSCS drivers have won at Michigan International Speedway, led by David Pearson with nine wins; Greg Biffle leads all active drivers with four. 
• Eight drivers have posted consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway, including four consecutive by Bill Elliott (1985 sweep and 1986 sweep).
• Youngest Michigan winner: Joey Logano (08/18/2013 – 23 years, 2 months, 25 days).
• Oldest Michigan winner: Harry Gant (08/16/1992 – 52 years, 7 months, 6 days).
• Roush Fenway Racing has the most wins at Michigan in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 13: Mark Martin (four), Greg Biffle (four), Carl Edwards (two), Matt Kenseth (two) and Kurt Busch (one).
• Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Michigan; led by Ford with 34 victories; followed by Chevrolet with 21.
• 17 of the 90 (18.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Joey Logano in 2013.
• The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (17) than any other starting position at Michigan International Speedway.   
• 25 of the 90 (27.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the front row: 17 from the pole and eight from second-place.
• 68 of the 90 (75.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan have been won from a top-10 starting position.
• Six of the 90 (6.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Michigan was 32nd, by Mark Martin in the spring of 2009.
• Jeff Gordon leads the series in runner-up finishes at Michigan with eight; followed by Darrell Waltrip with seven.
• NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the series in top-five finishes at Michigan with 21; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 18.  
• Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Michigan with 31; followed by Bill Elliott with 29. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 26.
• Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Michigan with a 8.800.
• Carl Edwards leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Michigan with an 9.050 Matt Kenseth (9.767) is the only other active driver with an average finish in the top 10 with more than one start.
• All active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Michigan International Speedway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Tony Stewart won at Michigan in his third appearance, the fewest previous starts among the active NSCS winners.     
• Kevin Harvick competed at Michigan International Speedway 19 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.
• Among the active NSCS Michigan winners Kevin Harvick (19), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (17) Kyle Busch (13), Jeff Gordon (11), Brian Vickers (11) and Joey Logano (10) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win.
• Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan without visiting Victory Lane at 40.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway was the June 10, 2001 race won by Jeff Gordon over Ricky Rudd with a MOV of 0.085 second.
• There have been two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Michigan International Speedway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): fall of 2011 (200/203); and fall of 2012 (200/201).
• Four of the 90 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Michigan International Speedway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 6/18/2006.   
• Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Michigan International Speedway four times; most recently the spring of 2008 race.  
• Three drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Michigan International Speedway: Jeff Burton (8/18/1996), J. Yeley (6/17/2007) and Marcos Ambrose (6/17/2012).     
• Two active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver have posted their first career start at Michigan International Speedway: Carl Edwards (8/22/2004) and Landon Cassill (6/13/2010).
• Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Michigan with 990 laps led in 43 starts.
• Four female drivers have competed at Michigan International Speedway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie, Robin McCall, Shawna Robinson and Danica Patrick. Of the four female drivers to compete at Michigan, Guthrie has the best finish (10th).

Watkins Glen International: History

Watkins Glen International:

History

·         After several events were held on the streets of Watkins Glen, a permanent facility was opened in 1956.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was in 1957, won by Buck Baker (83.064 mph, 8/4/57).

·         After a six-year absence, NASCAR returned to The Glen in 1964 and 1965.

·         After a 21-year absence, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to The Glen, and has run one race a year there since 1986.

Notebook

·         There have been 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen International, one race per season.

·         The first NSCS race at Watkins Glen was scheduled for 101.2-miles in 1957, the second race was 161.7-miles (1964) and the third race was 151.8-miles (1965). Every race since has been scheduled for 220.5-miles.

·         252 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen; 152 in more than one.

·         Mark Martin, Michael Waltrip and Terry Labonte lead the series in starts at Watkins Glen with 22 each. Jeff Gordon leads the series among full-time active drivers with 21.

·         Buck Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Watkins Glen in 1957 with a speed of 87.071 mph. Driver/owner Buck Baker went on to win the inaugural race from the pole.

·         19 drivers have Coors Light poles at Watkins Glen, led by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin with three each. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with two.

·         Mark Martin is the only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver to post consecutive Coors Light poles at Watkins Glen (three) – 1993, 1994, and 1995.

·         Youngest Watkins Glen pole winner: Kyle Busch (08/15/2011 – 26 years, 3 months, 13 days).

·         Oldest Watkins Glen pole winner: Morgan Shepherd (08/13/1989 – 47 years, 10 months, 1 day).

·         18 different drivers have won at Watkins Glen International in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, led by Tony Stewart with five wins. 

·         Jeff Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in road course wins with nine (Sonoma, five; Watkins Glen, four); Tony Stewart has the second most road course wins all-time with seven (Watkins Glen, five; Sonoma, two).

·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison holds the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series record for the most wins at a single road course track with six - Riverside International Raceway.

·         Four drivers have posted consecutive wins at Watkins Glen, including three consecutive by Mark Martin (1993, ’94, ‘95) and Jeff Gordon (1997, ’98, ‘99). The other two drivers to win consecutive races at Watkins Glen are Tony Stewart (2004, ’05) and Marcos Ambrose (2011, ’12).

·         Youngest Watkins Glen winner: Kyle Busch (08/10/2008 – 23 years, 3 months, 8 days).

·         Oldest Watkins Glen winner: Geoff Bodine (08/11/1996 – 47 years, 3 months, 24 days).

·         Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing are tied for themost wins at Watkins Glen in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with six:

o    Hendrick Motorsports: Jeff Gordon (four), Tim Richmond (one) and Ricky Rudd (one).

o    Joe Gibbs Racing: Tony Stewart (four) and Kyle Busch (two).

·         Six different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Watkins Glen; led by Chevrolet with 16 victories; followed by Ford with seven, Pontiac with four, Toyota with two and Buick and Mercury each have one.

·         Nine of the 31 (29%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Kyle Busch in 2008.

·         The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (nine) than any other starting position at Watkins Glen.   

·         11 of the 31 (35.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from the front row: nine from the pole and two from second-place.

·         21 of the 31 (67.7%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-five starting position.

·         22 of the 31 (70.9%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Watkins Glen have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         None of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Watkins Glen was 18th, by Steve Park in the 2000.

·         Brad Keselowski and Mark Martin lead the series in runner-up finishes at Watkins Glen with three each.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Watkins Glen with 12; followed by Ricky Rudd with eight. Tony Stewart leads all active drivers with seven.  

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Watkins Glen with 16; followed by Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart with 10 each.

·         Tony Stewart leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Watkins Glen with a 6.286.

·         Brad Keselowski leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Watkins Glen with a 6.500.

·         All five of the active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners at Watkins Glen participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane.      

·         Kevin Harvick (2006) competed at Watkins Glen five times each before winning; the longest span of any the five active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen without visiting Victory Lane at 18. Nemechek is followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth with 14 each.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen is the 2001 race won by Jeff Gordon over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.172 second.

·         There have been two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Watkins Glen (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): 2005 (90/92) and 2011 (90/92).

·         Only one of the 31 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Watkins Glen has been shortened due to weather conditions - the 1992 race – only 51 of the scheduled 90 laps were completed.

·         The 8/14/2011 race was the only NSCS race at Watkins Glen that has been postponed to another date due to weather (8/15/2011).    

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Watkins Glen six times; most recently in 2008.  

·         One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose (08/15/11).

·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Watkins Glen with 233 laps led in 21 starts. 

·         Danica Patrick and Patty Moise are the only two female NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers to compete at Watkins Glen International.

Pocono Raceway: History

Pocono Raceway:

History

·         Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

·         The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

·         The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

Notebook

·         There have been 73 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.

·         2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.

·         322 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway; 222 in more than one.

·         Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55. Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 43 starts.

·         Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph. 

·         39 drivers have posted Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin lead all active drivers with three each.

·         Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

·         Two active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

·         Youngest Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (08/07/2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).

·         Oldest Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (06/10/1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).

·         32 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins. 

·         Six drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of the June Pocono race, will attempt to capture the second season sweep of his career, and first since Talladega in 2002.

·         Youngest Pocono winner: Joey Logano (06/10/2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).

·         Oldest Pocono winner: Harry Gant (06/17/1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).

·         Hendrick Motorsportshas the most wins at Pocono in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 16: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one), Kasey Kahne (one), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one) – including the last four consecutively.

·         Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 29 victories; followed by Ford with 21.

·         15 of the 73 (20.5%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson (June, 2013).

·         The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.   

·         24 of the 73 (32.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and nine from second-place.

·         51 of the 73 (69.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

·         Five of the 73 (6.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono is 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with six.

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 19.  

·         Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with 30.

·         Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.176.

·         Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.720.

·         Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards are the only two active drivers towin at Pocono in their first appearances.     

·         Joe Nemechek leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 38; followed by Matt Kenseth with 29 and Kevin Harvick with 27.

·         Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway was the July 23, 2000 race won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.

·         There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).

·         Six of the 73 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.   

·         Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway five times; most recently the spring of 2013.  

·         Casey Mears (8/1/2004) posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway.     

·         One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin (06/11/06).

·         Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 974 laps led in 43 starts. 

·         Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Spotter Bar and Hot Pit Paddock added at Atlanta

Spotter Bar and Hot Pit Paddock added to Corporate Suite Amenities for NASCAR night racing Labor Day Weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway

HAMPTON, Ga. (August 1, 2014) — Atlanta Motor Speedway today announced two unique amenities which will enhance the race experience for all suite level customers beginning with the Aug. 29-31 Labor Day Weekend NASCAR race.

The Spotter Bar is located on the suite level of Atlanta Motor Speedway and features sleek granite accents, high-top tables and a relaxing environment. Suite holders will have access to the bar that serves premium cocktails, beer and wine and features live audio communications between drivers and teams throughout the race.

The Hot Pit Paddock is the Speedway’s most unique and up close location to watch racing action.  Located at the beginning of pit road, it provides patrons the opportunity to see the race from an area usually only reserved for NASCAR and team members.  Each corporate suite will receive a minimum of two transferable passes to provide access to the Hot Pit Paddock that can be shared among suite patrons throughout the race.

Private corporate suites remain one of the premier options to entertain clients and provide hospitality at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Suite amenities include VIP parking, pre-race pit passes, world class catering from Levy Restaurants, private restrooms and televisions along with access to the new “Spotter Bar” and “Hot Pit Paddock”.

Atlanta Motor Speedway offers suites in many different configurations to meet the entertaining needs of business, corporations and fans. To secure your customized suite package for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Labor Day Weekend, visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com/suite or call the sales office at 770-946-3940.