YouGabSports Blogs
View All
Chase Standings, One Last Lap
Posted by sfelber9 Nov 19th 2009
Category: Racing

Twenty-fifth place.

That's all that stands between Jimmie Johnson and his historic fourth consecutive Cup Series championship. If Johnson finishes 25th or better in the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC), the Cup title is his.

The good news for Mark Martin, who is the only driver that can catch Johnson, is that Johnson has finished 26th or worse 47 times in his career. Even better news for Martin is one of those came at Homestead, when the No. 48 crashed in 2005 and came home 40th.

The bad news for Martin is aside from that slip, Johnson has been impressive in Miami. He doesn't have a win, but he does have five top-10s in eight starts, including a second and a third back in '03 and '04.

Even worse news for Martin is how Johnson returns to the track after a victory. In 46 starts following a visit to Victory Lane, Johnson has nine victories, 23 top-fives and 31 top-10s. So after a victory, Johnson averages a finish of 9.47.

Johnson has finished 26th or worse after a victory six times, but the last time that happened was in 2007.

Inside the Data

Chase drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway
                 
Driver Starts Wins Top-fives Top-10s Poles Laps Led Avg. Start Avg. Finish
Carl Edwards 5 1 3 4 1 251 13.6 6.4
Jeff Gordon 10 0 5 8 0 62 16.8 9.9
Tony Stewart 10 2 3 5 0 341 13.7 11.9
Mark Martin 9 0 4 5 0 30 17.6 12.0
Denny Hamlin 4 0 2 2 0 20 33.0 13.0
Greg Biffle 7 3 3 3 0 173 17.3 13.4
Jimmie Johnson 8 0 2 5 1 43 21.6 13.6
Kasey Kahne 5 0 1 2 1 90 5.8 17.6
Ryan Newman 7 0 0 2 0 140 10.1 20.3
Kurt Busch 8 1 3 3 2 49 16.2 21.5
Juan Montoya 3 0 0 0 0 2 24.3 22.0
Brian Vickers 6 0 0 0 0 11 13.0 31.7

DID YOU KNOW?

7.0  Average finish of Jimmie Johnson in this year's Chase. Believe it or not, this is only his third best Chase. In 2007, he averaged a finish of 5.0 en route to his second Cup title. Last year his average finish was 5.7 for title number three. His first championship was won with an average finish in the Chase of 10.8.

NECESSITOUS NUMBERS

1  Homestead is the only Cup track Jeff Gordon has competed on and has yet to score a victory. He has a win at 21 of the 22 tracks currently on the Cup schedule along with wins at Rockingham and North Wilkesboro.
 
2  Mark Martin is just the second driver in Cup Series history to win five or more races in a season over the age of 50. Harry Gant won five races in 1991 at the age of 51.
 
3  Three drivers average a top-10 finish at Homestead: Carl Edwards (6.4), Kevin Harvick (9.1) and Jeff Gordon (9.9).
 
3  Three drivers have led 20 or more races this season. Jimmie Johnson has led the most races with 28 of 35, Mark Martin held the lead in 23 races and Kurt Busch led 21 races.
 
3  Three drivers have been running at the finish in all 35 races this season: Casey Mears, Juan Montoya and David Reutimann.
 
5  Kevin Harvick has top-10 finishes at Homestead in five of the past six races. He's finished second twice and finished on the lead lap in all six events.
 
6  Roush Fenway Racing has won six of the 10 Cup races held at Homestead, including the past five. Kurt Busch took the checkered in 2002, Greg Biffle rolled off three consecutive from '04-'06, Matt Kenseth earned his first win at the track in '07 and Carl Edwards is the defending race winner.
 
7.8  Average starting position of the winners at Homestead in the Chase era. Four of the five races were won from a starting position inside the top seven. Greg Biffle's win from the 22nd starting position in 2006 is the deepest a race winner has started at Homestead.
 
12  Rick Hendrick will win his 12th national series owners title Sunday at Homestead, putting him alone in first place with 12. Richard Childress is second with 11.
 
492  Number of points Carl Edwards has scored in the past three races at Homestead, tops among all drivers. In those races, Edwards finished first, fifth and eighth. Martin Truex Jr. is second with 464 points and Denny Hamlin is third with 459.
 
All Information Courtesy of Nascar.com
Please Sign In to Add a Comment
or
RSS
Blog Categories
Recent Comments
"I stopped collecting last year. I might just start again. I can't promise(got..."
In: Five Minute Frags - Waxing Nostalgic
by: ScottJax77
"Wow I thought you was ranting onAlbert. Got me there. LOL ..."
In: Whose Fault is it Anyway...
by: ScottJax77
"3-0 now... Kings are on fire... dvt"
In: Talking Sports
by: dougvantyle
"The Kings are prettier... dvt"
In: Random Thoughts
by: dougvantyle
"Beeze Thisis what makesHockey somuch frigginfun. Like IHM said No ESPNhype.They just..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"Harvey I think theHeat getLazy maybe to muchSouthBeach. Sully is a living..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"ESPN's hockeycoverage, or lack there is disgusting!"
In: Talking Sports
by: TheBEEZER
"Friggin' Sully is a damn legend! The Coyoyeslook lost against the Kings...LA..."
In: Talking Sports
by: TheBEEZER
"Yeah, U of Michigan fans are the same way up here man. Just..."
In: Random Thoughts
by: IHateMillen
"It looks asthough thePacers will be givingtheHeat everything thatMiami can handle.An upsetis very..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Harvey Dakota
"Scott,it is very easy tohate on the Yankeesbecause they have had so much..."
In: Random Thoughts
by: Jefft02
"I respect the Red Sox. There is even a player ortwo I like...."
In: Random Thoughts
by: ScottJax77
"I think it's Monday morning QB at best. These players are on a..."
In: Random Thoughts
by: Lanz
"Scottjax He is a legend in these parts I believe they..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"IHM Totally agree with you on Hockey and ESPN, it's like an..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"Sorry Qwaz. The Q stuck on my key board"
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"waz Absolutely, much smaller than we think. The damn wood pecker..."
In: Talking Sports
by: Lanz
"It's likeIHM says, its all about the$$$. The players knew what they weregetting..."
In: Random Thoughts
by: ScottJax77
"thanks."
In: Random Thoughts
by: ScottJax77
"So your saying Yankee fans are a lotlike Dukefans, gatorfans (you should hear..."
In: Random Thoughts
by: ScottJax77

This website is powered by Spruz