Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup: Homestead-Miami Speedway

• Homestead-Miami Speedway has been a part of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup since the playoff’s inception in 2004. This season the track will host its 11th Chase event.
• The winner of the Homestead-Miami Chase race has gone on to win the championship during the Chase era once: Tony Stewart (2011).
• Greg Biffle leads the series in Chase race wins at Homestead-Miami with three (2004 – 2006); followed by Carl Edwards with two (2008, 2010).
• The worst finish in a Chase race by the eventual series champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway is 15th (three times), Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012.
• Chase Contenders have won seven of the 10 previous Chase races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two non-Chase contenders have won a Homestead-Miami Chase race: Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).    
• Four of the 10 previous Chase races at Homestead the eventual series champion has finished in the top five.
• Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in Chase race wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway with six, including five consecutive: Greg Biffle (2004 – 2006), Matt Kenseth (2007) and Carl Edwards (2008).    
• Ford leads the series in Chase wins at Homestead with six; followed by Chevrolet with two.  
• The most dominant performance by a Chase race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway is Carl Edward’s victory in 2010. He posted a Perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 and led 190 of the 267 laps (71.1% of his laps completed) - most by a Chase race winner at Homestead.

Homestead-Miami Speedway: History

Homestead-Miami Speedway:
History

• Groundbreaking for Homestead-Miami Dade Motorsports Complex – as the track was originally named – began Aug. 24, 1993.
• The first race held at Homestead-Miami Speedway was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Nov. 5, 1995 – won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.
• The original configuration was a four-turn, rectangular oval based on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's layout.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead was held on Nov. 14, 1999 – won by Tony Stewart.
• 2002 was the first season of the Championship Weekend at Homestead, with all three of NASCAR’s national series holding their season finale at the same track.

Notebook

• Since the inception of the position-based points system in 1975, only four drivers have made up a points deficit in the season finale: Richard Petty in 1979 (made up two points on Darrell Waltrip), Alan Kulwicki in 1992 (made up 30 points on Davey Allison), Jimmie Johnson in 2010 (made up 15 points on Denny Hamlin) and Tony Stewart in 2012 (made up three points on Carl Edwards).
• There have been 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, one per season since 1999.
• 113 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead; 89 in more than one.
• Two drivers have made all 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead: Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon.
• David Green won the first Coors Light pole at Homestead in 1999 at a speed of 155.759 mph (34.669 sec.).
• There have been 11 different Coors Light pole winners, led by Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne with two each.
• Youngest Homestead-Miami pole winner: Joey Logano (11/18/2012 – 22 years, 5 months, 25 days).
• Oldest Homestead-Miami pole winner: Bill Elliott (11/11/2001 – 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).
• Jamie McMurray (November, 2003) and David Reutimann (November, 2008) won their first career Coors Light poles at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• There have been nine different NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners at Homestead-Miami; three have won more than once, led by Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart with three each. Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin (two each) are the only other drivers with multiple wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Of the three drivers with multiple wins at Homestead, Tony Stewart is the only driver to win in two different manufacturers: Pontiac (1999, 2000) and Chevrolet (2011).
• Two of the 15 (13.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway have been won from the Coors Light pole: Bill Elliott (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).
• Five of the 15 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead have been won from the front row: two from the pole and three from second-place.
• 10 of the 15 (66.6%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead have been won from a starting position inside the top 10.
• 5 of the 15 (33.3%) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Homestead have been won from a starting position outside the top 10 – most recently - Jeff Gordon (15^th-place starting position; 2012).
• Denny Hamlin won the 2009 race from the 38th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started at HMS.
• Two drivers have won consecutive races at Homestead-Miami: Tony Stewart (1999 - 2000) and Greg Biffle (2004 – 2006, three straight).
• Carl Edwards leads the series in average finish at Homestead with a 6.600; only two other drivers have an average finish inside the top 10: Kevin Harvick (8.078) and Martin Truex Jr. (9.222).
• Roush Fenway Racing leads the series in wins at Homestead with seven, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing with five.
• Youngest Homestead winner: Kurt Busch (11/17/2002 – 24 years, 3 months, 13 days).
• Oldest Homestead winner: Bill Elliott (11/11/2001 – 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).
• Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick lead the series in runner-up finishes at Homestead with two each.
• Jeff Gordon leads the series in top-five finishes at Homestead with seven; followed by Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick with five each.
• Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick lead the series in top-10 finishes at Homestead with 11 each; followed by Jimmie Johnson with eight.
• Eight of the nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have won at Homestead-Miami participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Tony Stewart (1999) is the only driver to win at Homestead in his first appearance.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. lead the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 14.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Homestead was the (4/10/2010) race won by Greg Biffle with a MOV of 0.017 seconds.
• Danica Patrick became the first female driver to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway last season; starting 24^th and finishing 20^th.

SOLD OUT FOR FORD ECOBOOST 400 AT HOMESTEAD

GRANDSTANDS, PREMIUM SEATING AREAS SOLD OUT FOR

FORD ECOBOOST 400 AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY SUNDAY

MIAMI – As the championship race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series inches closer, the excitement continues to escalate.  Homestead-Miami Speedway President Matthew Becherer announced today that the grandstands are sold out for the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday, November 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  In addition, premium seating areas in Champions Club, Speedway Club and the Pit Box are sold out as well.  The Championship Round Ford EcoBoost 400 will air live from Homestead-Miami Speedway at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

“The response this year among our fans has been tremendous, both to the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format as well as the opportunity to come to Miami and witness history,” Becherer said.  “The fans who will be here at our track not only will be treated to a terrific weekend of racing, but also an unforgettable overall experience with all of the entertainment and amenities that we have planned.  For those who want to see some great racing, we encourage people to come out to the Camping World Truck Series race (Ford EcoBoost 200) on Friday night and the Nationwide race (Ford EcoBoost 300) on Saturday.  Many of the drivers who will be competing in the Sprint Cup race on Sunday also will be taking part in the first two races over the weekend.”

Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman each will have a chance to claim the 2014 Sprint Cup Series championship at the Ford EcoBoost 400 as they will compete amongst a full field of 43 cars.  Whichever driver among the Championship 4 finishes the highest on Sunday will be crowned the champion.  

Although the Ford EcoBoost 400 is now sold out, fans of some of the most popular drivers on the Sprint Cup Series circuit will have a chance to see those same drivers earlier in the weekend.  Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson are scheduled to take part in the Ford EcoBoost 300 on Saturday while Busch and Larson will compete in the Ford EcoBoost 200 on Friday.  Fans will also have the opportunity see one of the top young drivers on the NASCAR circuit in the Ford EcoBoost 300 as Chase Elliott takes the wheel for the first time since clinching the Nationwide Series Championship following the race in Phoenix last weekend.  At 18 years of age, Elliott is the youngest champion ever in any NASCAR series.

Tickets remain available for the Ford EcoBoost 200 on Friday and the Ford EcoBoost 300 on Saturday.  For more information on tickets, call 305-230-5255 or visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.