Below is a look at the top statistical performers at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, going into the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30 .
Charlotte Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 15 of 36 (05-30-21)
Track Size: 1.5-miles
Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,980 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,500 feet
Race Length: 400 laps / 600 miles
Stage Length: 100 laps each
Top 12 Driver Ratings at Charlotte
Kyle Busch…………………………. 105.9
Chase Elliott…………………………. 96.5
Denny Hamlin……………………….. 95.0
Martin Truex Jr……………………… 92.0
Kevin Harvick……………………….. 90.8
Joey Logano………………………… 90.3
Kurt Busch…………………………… 88.5
Brad Keselowski……………………. 87.9
Tyler Reddick……………………….. 87.8
Kyle Larson………………………….. 86.8
Ryan Blaney…………………………. 86.7
William Byron……………………….. 83.2
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (30 total) among active drivers at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
At Charlotte Motor Speedway:
HISTORY
Construction began on Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in 1959.The track‘s first NASCAR Cup Series race was held on June 19, 1960 and won by Joe Lee Johnson in a Chevrolet.The track was repaved midseason in 1994.The track name changed from Charlotte Motor Speedway to Lowe‘s Motor Speedway in 1999. It changed back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 2010 season.The track was re-paved again before the 2006 season.In 2018, the Charlotte Motor Speedway introduced the road course configuration (ROVAL) and in the process relinquished the track‘s second event on the oval configuration effectively creating a new road course track on the schedule — the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (ROVAL).There have been 122 NASCAR Cup Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, two races per year from when the track opened in 1960 until 2017. Starting in 2018, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted just one race on the oval configuration, with the exclusion of last year with the pandemic reschedule the series competed in two races on the oval.In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying points races held the week before the May race. The first six fall races at Charlotte were 400-mile events (1960-65).
STARTS
A total of 557 different drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race at Charlotte Motor Speedway; 404 have competed in more than one.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in starts at Charlotte with 64.Kurt Busch leads all active drivers in series starts at Charlotte with 39; followed by Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman with 38 each.A total of 65 different drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history have made their first series career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Two active series drivers have made their first career start at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Kyle Larson (10/12/13) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (05/29/11).Jack Sprague (two starts) leads the series in average starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a 5.0.William Byron leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a 8.250 in four starts.
Top 10 in Average Starting Position at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg StartRacesRankActive DriversAvg StartRaces1Jack Sprague5.00021William Byron8.25042Fireball Roberts5.200102Tyler Reddick9.00023David Pearson6.391463Ryan Newman10.289384Joe Weatherly6.66794Denny Hamlin11.552295Fred Lorenzen7.056185Kyle Busch11.625326Pete Hamilton7.16766Chase Elliott12.11197Paul Goldsmith7.88997Joey Logano12.364228William Byron8.25048Christopher Bell13.50029Curtis Turner8.44499Erik Jones14.500610Tyler Reddick9.000210Brad Keselowski15.42922
POLES
A total of 47 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won the Busch Pole Award at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Nine of the 47 NASCAR Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway pole winners are active this weekend.RankActive Charlotte Pole WinnersPoles1Ryan Newman92Kyle Busch33Denny Hamlin24Kevin Harvick25Aric Almirola16Brad Keselowski17Kurt Busch18Martin Truex Jr19William Byron1NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway with 14 poles (1961, 1972, 1973, 1974 sweep, 1975 sweep, 1976 sweep, 1977 sweep, 1978 sweep, 1982).Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in poles at Charlotte Motor Speedway with nine (2001, 2003 sweep, 2004, 2005, 2007 sweep, 2009 and 2010).Fireball Roberts won the inaugural Busch Pole Award at Charlotte Motor Speedway (World 600) in 1960 with a speed of 133.904 mph.A total of 14 different drivers have won consecutive poles at Charlotte; Kevin Harvick is the most recent driver to post consecutive poles (2016 Playoffs, 2017 May race).David Pearson holds the record for most consecutive poles at Charlotte with 11-straight from the fall of 1973 through 1978.Youngest Charlotte Cup pole winner: William Byron (May 26, 2019 – 21 years, 4 months, 27 days)Oldest Charlotte Cup pole winner: Bobby Allison (October 11, 1987 — 49 years, 10 months, 8 days).Eight drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway.First Time Pole Winners at CharlotteDateAric AlmirolaSunday, May 27, 2012Brett BodineSunday, October 7, 1990Dale Earnhardt JrSunday, May 28, 2000Derrike CopeSunday, October 4, 1998Donnie AllisonSunday, May 26, 1968Jeff GordonSunday, October 10, 1993Ryan NewmanSunday, May 27, 2001Ward BurtonSunday, October 9, 1994Eight different manufacturers have won at least one NASCAR Cup Series pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway, led by Chevrolet with 34 poles, followed by Ford (30), Mercury (14), Dodge (13), Pontiac (10), Toyota (8), Buick (6) and Plymouth (4).
WINS
A total of 52 different NASCAR Cup Series drivers have won at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Eight of the 52 NASCAR Cup Series Charlotte Motor Speedway winners are active this weekend.RankActive Charlotte WinnersWins1Kevin Harvick32Martin Truex Jr33Brad Keselowski24Austin Dillon15Chase Elliott16Joey Logano17Kurt Busch18Kyle Busch1Jimmie Johnson leads the series in wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway with eight victories — 2003 summer, 2004 sweep, 2005 sweep, 2009 Playoffs, 2014 summer, 2016 Playoffs.Youngest Charlotte winner: Jeff Gordon (May 29, 1994 — 22 years, 9 months, 25 days).Oldest Charlotte winner: Cale Yarborough (October 6, 1985 — 46 years, 6 months, 9 days).10 drivers have posted their first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.First-Time Cup Winners at CharlotteDateAustin DillonSunday, May 28, 2017David ReutimannMonday, May 25, 2009Casey MearsSunday, May 27, 2007Jamie McMurraySunday, October 13, 2002Matt KensethSunday, May 28, 2000Bobby LabonteSunday, May 28, 1995Jeff GordonSunday, May 29, 1994Charlie GlotzbachSunday, October 20, 1968Buddy BakerSunday, October 15, 1967David PearsonSunday, May 28, 1961Nine drivers have posted consecutive wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including three consecutive by NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen (fall 1964 and both 1965) and four-straight by Jimmie Johnson (2004 and 2005 sweeps).17 of the 122 NASCAR Cup Series races at Charlotte (13.9%) have been won from the pole or first starting position; the most recent was Kyle Busch in the 2018 Coca-Cola 600.The first and second starting positions are the most proficient starting positions in the field, producing more winners (17 each) than any other starting position at Charlotte Motor Speedway — combining to win 27.87% of the races.The first starting position is the most proficient starting position in Coca-Cola 600 field, producing 11 victories — most recent — Kyle Busch in 2018.
NASCAR Cup Series Wins by Starting Positions at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Starting PositionWinsWinning %Starting PositionWinsWinning %11713.93%1532.46%21713.93%1632.46%31512.30%1732.46%4108.20%1821.64%586.56%1910.82%654.10%2021.64%786.56%2121.64%821.64%2232.46%964.92%2310.82%1021.64%2510.82%1110.82%2710.82%1221.64%2810.82%1332.46%3710.82%1421.64%StatsWinning %WinsWinning from the First Starting Position:13.93%17Winning from the Front Row:27.87%34Winning from a Top-Five Starting Position:54.92%67Winning from a Top-10 Starting Position:73.77%90Winning After Starting Outside the Top 20:8.20%10The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Charlotte is 37th, by Jimmie Johnson in the Coca-Cola 600 of 2003.Ryan Newman leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte without visiting Victory Lane at 38; followed by Denny Hamlin with 29 starts without a win.A total of 34 different drivers have won the Coca-Cola 600 in the NASCAR Cup Series.Six of the 34 NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 winners are active this weekend.RankActive Race WinnersCoke 600 WinsSeasons1Martin Truex Jr22019, 20162Kevin Harvick22013, 20113Brad Keselowski120204Kyle Busch120185Austin Dillon120176Kurt Busch12010NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip leads the series in Coca-Cola 600 wins with five victories (1978, 1979, 1985, 1988, 1989).Kevin Harvick (2011, 2013) and Martin Truex Jr. (2016, 2019) lead all active drivers in Coca-Cola 600 wins with two victories each.A total of 38 different organizations have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Eight of 38 winning organizations at Charlotte Motor Speedway are entered this weekend.RankOrganizationsCharlotte Cup Wins1Hendrick Motorsports202Richard Childress Racing83Roush Fenway Racing84Joe Gibbs Racing75Wood Brothers Racing66Team Penske47Chip Ganassi Racing28Stewart-Haas Racing1Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Charlotte in the NASCAR Cup Series with 20 victories among eight drivers: Jimmie Johnson (eight), Jeff Gordon (five), Darrell Waltrip (two), Ken Schrader (one), Terry Labonte (one), Casey Mears (one), Kasey Kahne (one) and Chase Elliott (one).Eight different manufacturers have won in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte; led by Chevrolet with 46 victories; followed by Ford (31), Dodge (15), Pontiac (8), Mercury (7), Toyota (7), Buick (4) and Plymouth (4).
ADDITIONAL FINISHING POSITIONS
Runner-Up Finishes:
A total of 56 different drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series have finished runner-up at Charlotte Motor Speedway; 26 of 55 have finished runner-up at Charlotte multiple times.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in runner-up finishes at Charlotte with nine second-place finishes.Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in runner-up finishes at Charlotte with four (2001, 2014, 2015, 2016).
Top Five in Runner-Up Finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversRunner-UpsRankActive DriversRunner-Ups1Richard Petty91Kevin Harvick42Bobby Allison62Denny Hamlin3Bobby Labonte6Kyle Busch34Cale Yarborough54Chase Elliott25Bill Elliott4Ryan Newman2Darrell Waltrip4David Pearson4Donnie Allison4Harry Gant4Kevin Harvick4Matt Kenseth4Rusty Wallace4
Top-Five Finishes:
A total of 120 different drivers have finished in the top-five in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are tied for the series most top-five finishes at Charlotte with 23 each.Kyle Busch leads all active series drivers with 14 top-five finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Top Five in Top-Five Finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversTop FivesRankActive DriversTop Fives1Bobby Allison231Kyle Busch14Richard Petty232Denny Hamlin103Darrell Waltrip193Kevin Harvick94David Pearson184Kurt Busch8Mark Martin185Martin Truex Jr7
Top-10 Finishes
A total of 211 different drivers have finished in the top-10 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads the series in top-10 finishes at Charlotte with 31.Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in top-10 finishes at Charlotte with 19 each.
Top Five in Top-10 Finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversTop 10sRankActive DriversTop 10s1Richard Petty311Kevin Harvick192Darrell Waltrip292Kyle Busch193Ricky Rudd273Denny Hamlin184Bobby Allison264Kurt Busch155David Pearson265Ryan Newman15
Average Finish
Johnny Beauchamp (two starts) leads the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Charlotte with a 7.0.Tyler Reddick (two starts) leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average finishing position at Charlotte with an 11.0.
Top 10 in Average Finishing Position at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-Time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversAvg FinishRacesRankActive DriversAvg FinishRaces1Johnny Beauchamp7.00021Tyler Reddick11.00022Rex White9.000102Joey Logano12.227223Don White10.33333Denny Hamlin12.483294Carl Edwards10.917244Chase Elliott13.00095Tyler Reddick11.00025Brad Keselowski13.619226Dick Hutcherson11.20056Martin Truex Jr13.621297Joey Logano12.227227Kyle Busch14.688328Denny Hamlin12.483298Kevin Harvick14.974389Earl Ross12.66739Christopher Bell15.000210Davey Allison12.8571410Cole Custer15.0002
LAP LEADERS
A total of 180 different drivers have led at least one lap in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte.NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison leads the series in laps led at Charlotte Motor Speedway with 2,339 laps led in 43 starts.Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in the series in laps led at Charlotte with 1,449 laps led 32 starts.Martin Truex Jr. holds the record for the most laps led in in a single NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway after he led 392 of the scheduled 400 laps (98%) in the 2016 Coca-Cola 600 — he started from the pole.The fewest laps led by the NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Charlotte was two — it happened twice — 2017 Austin Dillion‘s win, 2011 Kevin Harvick‘s win.The most laps led by a NASCAR Cup Series driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway that did not win was 289 of the scheduled 400 laps (72%) by NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson on June 2, 1963 — he finished second after starting from the pole.
Top 10 in Laps Led at Charlotte Motor Speedway (All-time & Active)
RankAll-Time DriversRacesLedCompleted% Led1Bobby Allison432,33912,49319%2Jimmie Johnson371,93612,83915%3Richard Petty641,70218,2369%4David Pearson461,66212,75313%5Cale Yarborough501,63313,03013%6Dale Earnhardt481,52315,37010%7Kyle Busch321,44910,91413%8Bill Elliott631,33719,5397%9Buddy Baker571,20214,0179%10Mark Martin581,18518,4296%RankActive DriversRacesLedCompleted% LedKyle Busch321,44910,91413%Martin Truex Jr291,05910,31710%Kurt Busch3967812,9645%Kevin Harvick3860512,8765%Denny Hamlin2937710,1454%Joey Logano223317,7614%Brad Keselowski223167,1544%Ryan Newman3827812,1102%Chase Elliott92242,8258%Alex Bowman92232,9208%
TRACK / EVENT SPECIFIC STATS
Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the May 29, 2005, race won by Jimmie Johnson over Bobby Labonte with a MOV of 0.027 second.
Top Five Closest NASCAR Cup Series Margin of Victories at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Margin of VictoryDateRace WinnerRunner-Up0.027Sunday, May 29, 2005Jimmie JohnsonBobby Labonte0.293Sunday, May 24, 2020Brad KeselowskiChase Elliott0.309Saturday, October 15, 2005Jimmie JohnsonKurt Busch0.330Sunday, May 26, 2019Martin Truex Jr.Joey Logano0.350Sunday, October 13, 2002Jamie McMurrayBobby LabonteFour NASCAR Cup Series races have resulted in NASCAR Overtime at Charlotte Motor Speedway.DateScheduled LapsActual LapsOvertimeRace WinnersSunday, May 24, 20204004055Brad KeselowskiSunday, October 8, 20173343373Martin Truex JrSunday, May 29, 20114004022Kevin HarvickSaturday, October 13, 20073343373Jeff GordonSaturday, October 15, 20053343362Jimmie JohnsonFive NASCAR Cup Series races have been shortened due to weather conditions at Charlotte Motor Speedway; four of the five were the Coca-Cola 600s:DateScheduled LapsActual LapsFewer LapsRace Winners5/25/2009400227173David Reutimann5/25/2003400276124Jimmie Johnson5/25/199740033367Jeff Gordon10/10/197133423896Bobby Allison5/26/1968400255145Buddy BakerQualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Cup Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway twice – the October race of 2002 and the October race of 2008.Last season‘s second race determined the starting lineup by inverting the field. Qualifying was cancelled due to the Pandemic protocols.
FEMALE COMPETITORS
Two female drivers have competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateDanica Patrick123810/8/2017Danica Patrick15255/28/2017Danica Patrick131010/9/2016Danica Patrick19215/29/2016Danica Patrick241910/11/2015Danica Patrick20225/24/2015Danica Patrick142610/11/2014Danica Patrick4395/25/2014Danica Patrick352010/12/2013Danica Patrick24295/26/2013Danica Patrick40305/27/2012Averages20.025.4 DriverStarting PositionFinishing PositionDateJanet Guthrie313510/8/1978Janet Guthrie27910/9/1977Janet Guthrie262210/10/1976Janet Guthrie27155/30/1976Averages27.820.3
NASCAR in North Carolina
There have been 752 NASCAR national series races among 32 tracks in the state of North Carolina.Track NameCityCupXfinityTruckTotal RacesFirst Year1Charlotte Motor SpeedwayConcord122751821519602Rockingham SpeedwayRockingham7842212219653North Wilkesboro SpeedwayNorth93429919494Hickory SpeedwayHickory354207719535Asheville-Weaverville SpeedwayWeaverville34003419516Occoneechee SpeedwayHillsboro32003219497Bowman Gray StadiumWinston-Salem29002919588Orange County SpeedwayRougemont02702719839Southern States FairgroundsCharlotte170017195410Charlotte SpeedwayCharlotte120012194911Concord SpeedwayConcord120012195612Wilson SpeedwayWilson120012195113New Asheville SpeedwayAsheville8008196214Dog Track SpeedwayMoyock7007196215Raleigh SpeedwayRaleigh7007195316Charlotte Motor Speedway Road CourseConcord3306195617Cleveland County FairgroundsShelby6006201818Champion SpeedwayFayetteville4004195819Caraway SpeedwayAsheboro0303198220Greensboro Agriculture FairgroundsGreensboro3003195721North Carolina State FairgroundsRaleigh3003195522Tar Heel SpeedwayRandleman3003196323Forsyth County FairgroundsWinston-Salem2002195524Harris SpeedwayHarris2002196425Jacksonville SpeedwayJacksonville2002195726Tri-City SpeedwayHigh Point2002195327Asheville SpeedwayAsheville0101198228Gastonia FairgroundsGastonia1001195829Harnett SpeedwaySpring Lake1001195330McCormick FieldAsheville1001195831Salisbury Super SpeedwaySalisbury1001195832Star Lite SpeedwayMonroe10011966Totals53319722752
North Carolina Drivers In NASCAR
A total of 464 different drivers in NASCAR national series history have their home state recorded as North Carolina. 56 of the 464 have won in a NASCAR national series race. DriverCupXfinityTruckCombined1Richard Petty200002002Dale Earnhardt76210973Lee Petty5400544Ned Jarrett5000505Junior Johnson5000506Herb Thomas4800487Buck Baker4600468Bobby Isaac3700379Dale Jarrett321104310Rex White28002811Dale Earnhardt Jr262405012Jim Paschal25002513Benny Parsons21002114Speedy Thompson20002015Buddy Baker19001916Harry Gant182103917Bob Welborn900918Kyle Petty800819Ryan Blaney5741620Morgan Shepherd41501921Bill Blair300322Austin Dillon3971923Gwyn Staley300324Brian Vickers330625William Byron2471326Billy Myers200227Jimmy Pardue200228Richard Brickhouse100129Phil Parsons120330Leon Sales100131Buddy Shuman100132Donald Thomas100133Jack Ingram03103134Tommy Houston02402435Sam Ard02202236Austin Cindric01111237Robert Pressley01021238Harrison Burton040439Scott Riggs045940Hank Parker Jr020241Johnny Rumley020242Dennis Setzer02182043Ronnie Silver020244Ed Berrier010145Ty Dillon013446Ty Gibbs010147Justin Labonte010148Stephen Leicht010149John H. Nemechek018950John Settlemyre010151Myatt Snider010152Timothy Peters00111153Andy Houston003354Todd Gilliland002255Ricky Hendrick001156Shane Hmiel0011Totals799239731,111
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