Driver Finishes Last 4 Races ~ Texas

[16Fan]

Driver Averages at Texas in Recent Races (since Feb 2010) DriverAvg
FinishRaces WinsTop
5'sTop
10'sTop
20'sLaps
LedPolesAvg
StartHigh
FinishLow
FinishDNFAvg
Rating 1Greg Biffle6.004034426713.84100114.4detail2Matt Kenseth6.7541334258013.51200110.5detail3Jimmie Johnson8.25401344109.52140104.2detail4Denny Hamlin9.254222443027.5120094.3detail5Kasey Kahne10.50402235012.8321085.1detail6David Ragan10.50400241115.3715093.9detail7Kevin Harvick11.50400241023.8620085.9detail8Marcos Ambrose11.50400141020.8617089.2detail9Dale Earnhardt Jr.12.254003348018.8725088.7detail10Clint Bowyer13.50401334409.0236199.2detail11A.J. Allmendinger14.00400140017.01019083.1detail12Tony Stewart14.0041113259110.81321104.9detail13Carl Edwards14.25402231708.02331100.6detail14Ryan Newman15.25400044016.01120077.7detail15Mark Martin16.004012336022.5336182.5detail16Paul Menard16.25401231015.0535183.4detail17Kurt Busch17.004012252010.3430079.1detail18Kyle Busch17.00301120015.7332093.9detail19Trevor Bayne17.00300030019.71717070.8detail20Sam Hornish Jr.18.50200020014.51819060.2detail21Elliott Sadler20.50200010120.01823062.9detail22Aric Almirola21.00100000013.02121056.2detail23Jeff Burton21.504000234016.31136180.1detail24Max Papis22.00100000027.02222047.7detail25Brad Keselowski22.254000234027.01433070.0detail26Martin Truex Jr.22.50400220021.3838271.0detail27Joey Logano23.254011130017.8437169.9detail28Juan Pablo Montoya23.25400022013.51334172.0detail29Jeff Gordon24.2540011125020.5637287.4detail30Bill Elliott25.00100000036.02525049.2detail31Casey Mears25.67300001030.02526049.4detail32Regan Smith25.75400000012.32137163.7detail33David Reutimann25.75400010016.31537177.8detail34Jamie McMurray26.004000110019.81636169.3detail35Bobby Labonte26.50400000034.52330048.0detail36Kevin Conway27.00100000040.02727032.9detail37Scott Speed27.33300010028.31639149.4detail38Brian Vickers28.67300000030.72138155.3detail39Robby Gordon30.67300002038.72635140.5detail40Patrick Carpentier31.00100001037.03131037.5detail41Landon Cassill31.33300000032.02640145.5detail42Andy Lally31.67300004042.02934035.9detail43Travis Kvapil32.00300001039.02441138.3detail44David Gilliland33.00400001034.52942137.6detail45Ken Schrader33.00100000041.03333034.0detail46Tony Raines34.00100000042.03434030.9detail47Dave Blaney37.50400001035.03043236.3detail48Michael McDowell38.00300001023.33341236.4detail49Geoff Bodine38.00100000042.03838131.0detail50David Starr38.00100000033.03838141.4detail51Mike Bliss38.33300001036.33442231.1detail52Reed Sorenson39.00100000043.03939139.7detail53Josh Wise40.00100000035.04040132.7detail54Joe Nemechek41.00400000033.33943430.0detail55J.J. Yeley42.00200000031.04143229.8detail56Mike Skinner42.00200000037.04143227.4detail

 

[16Fan]

After a one-week respite, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns with a primetime Saturday night show at Texas Motor Speedway, the Samsung Mobile 500.

The nod for favorites this week has to go to the drivers in the Roush-Fenway Racing stable. The team is an eight-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway - more than double the victory total of its two closest rivals, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, who have six combined.

The leader of the pack right now at Roush is Matt Kenseth. The last time the Sprint Cup series raced at night was the season-opening Daytona 500. Although rescheduled, Kenseth shined under the lights at Daytona and there’s no reason why he won’t shine again Saturday. Kenseth is the defending winner of this race and has two career victories at Texas.

"Texas gives us several lines to race on, so it’s just turned into a place where drivers can take the high line or the low line when it comes to racing for position," said Kenseth. "Texas is just a great fast track with the challenge of relatively flat straightaways and high-banked turns. So it’s a place that can be challenging, but I always look forward to racing there twice a year."

The other Roush driver stepping into the role of favorite this week is Carl Edwards. After some less-than-stellar racing, he’s looking forward to getting back to the front of the field. He leads the top 12 drivers in the standings with three wins overall at Texas and finished second there in the fall.

This week’s spoiler could be the biggest story of the season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on a 135-race winless streak, but has the feel of a driver who could win at any time. He has three Top-3 finishes (and four Top 10s overall), which has moved him to second in the points.

The last time he was this high in the standings at this stage of the season was 2008, the same year he picked up his most recent race victory. And the last time Earnhardt Jr. held the points lead was October 2004, the year he won his first Cup race. That first win came at Texas Motor Speedway and he could find himself visiting Victory Lane again, for the first time in nearly four years Saturday night.

Head-to-head

Tony Stewart vs. Ryan Newman: Stewart won this race in the fall and has surprised many with his strong start to the season. He has two wins but in the races he hasn’t won, Stewart has struggled. His teammate and employee, Ryan Newman, is coming off an upset win at Martinsville and has won at Texas as well. His boss was victorious here last fall, while Newman finished in 11th. Look for the same result Saturday, as Stewart finishes ahead of Newman.

Jimmie Johnson vs. Kasey Kahne: Both Hendrick Motorsports drivers will look to upstage Earnhardt Jr., but each seems to be lacking that extra little pop that can propel them into contender status. Both have wins at Texas and both want the distinction of winning the 200th race for Hendrick. While they’ll probably fall short of that goal, look for Johnson to at least finish in front of Kahne.

Bottom Line

Sixteen of the 22 races have been won from a Top-10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole - Kasey Kahne in 2006. Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.

Picks

Matt Kenseth (+800)
Carl Edwards (+800)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+1,500)

 

[16Fan]

RACE LINEUP

Samsung Mobile 500 | Texas Motor Speedway

April 14, 2012 | Race 7 of 36

POSCARDRIVERMAKESPONSORSPEEDTIMEBEHIND156Martin Truex Jr.ToyotaNAPA Auto Parts 190.36928.366Leader217Matt KensethFordBest Buy 190.14828.399-0.033316Greg BiffleFord3M Filtrete 190.12128.403-0.037455Mark MartinToyotaAaron's 2011 Best of the Best 190.02028.418-0.05255Kasey KahneChevroletFarmers Insurance 189.63328.476-0.110639Ryan NewmanChevroletU.S. Army 189.49428.497-0.13179Marcos AmbroseFordStanley189.46728.501-0.13582Brad KeselowskiDodgeMiller Lite 189.38128.514-0.14891Jamie McMurrayChevroletBass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats 189.29428.527-0.1611048Jimmie JohnsonChevroletLowe's / Kobalt Tools 189.28128.529-0.1631127Paul MenardChevroletQuaker State / Menards 189.08228.559-0.1931222AJ AllmendingerDodgeShell / Pennzoil 189.02328.568-0.2021311Denny HamlinToyotaFedEx Office / March of Dimes 188.88428.589-0.2231420Joey LoganoToyotaDollar General 188.80528.601-0.2351529Kevin HarvickChevroletBudweiser188.65328.624-0.2581688Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletDiet Mountain Dew / National Guard 188.44228.656-0.2901718Kyle BuschToyotaInterstate Batteries 188.29828.678-0.3121815Clint BowyerToyota5-hour Energy 188.29128.679-0.3131921Trevor BayneFordMotorcraft / Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center 188.18628.695-0.3292099Carl EdwardsFordFastenal187.95728.730-0.3642134David RaganFordScorpion Truck Bed Liners 187.87228.743-0.3772213Casey MearsFordGEICO187.81328.752-0.3862343Aric AlmirolaFordSmithfield187.74828.762-0.3962431Jeff BurtonChevroletCaterpillar187.67628.773-0.4072542Juan MontoyaChevroletTarget187.53928.794-0.4282678Regan SmithChevroletFurniture Row / Farm American 187.29228.832-0.4662751Kurt BuschChevroletPhoenix Construction Services 187.18228.849-0.4832883Landon CassillToyotaBurger King / Dr Pepper 187.11028.860-0.4942914Tony StewartChevroletMobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy / Office Depot 186.99428.878-0.5123047Bobby LabonteToyotaBush's Baked Beans 186.98128.880-0.5143110David ReutimannChevroletAccell Construction 186.66428.929-0.5633226Josh Wise*FordMorristown Driver's Service 186.36128.976-0.6103398Michael McDowellFordCurb Records 185.92529.044-0.6783424Jeff GordonChevroletDuPont 20 Years 185.60529.094-0.7283538David GillilandFordModSpace185.60529.094-0.72836249J.J. YeleyToyotaJPO Absorbents 185.54229.104-0.7383793Travis KvapilToyotaDr Pepper 185.19129.159-0.79338195Scott SpeedFordTommy Williams Drywall 185.12229.170-0.8043932Reed SorensonFordJani-King184.82429.217-0.8514023Scott RiggsChevroletNorth Texas Pipe / Embassy Suites 184.74829.229-0.8634136Dave Blaney+ChevroletJimmie Johnson's Anything With an Engine 183.27529.464-1.0984233Tony Raines+ChevroletPrecon Marine 181.82429.699-1.33343119Mike BlissToyotaHumphrey Smith Racing 184.72929.232-0.866Did Not Qualify4430David StremmeToyotaInception Motorsports 184.71629.234-0.8684587Joe NemechekToyotaAMFMEnergy.com / Pellet & Wood Stoves184.37629.288-0.9224674Stacy ComptonChevroletTurn One Racing 181.03829.828-1.462
+ Set by Owner Points
* Denotes Rookie