Race 2 Win: GFS Marketplace 400

Nextel Cup Series

Michigan International Speedway

Track data
Race #: 23 of 36 (8-20-06)
Track Size: 2 Miles
Event: GFS Marketplace 400
Number of Laps: 200
Location: Brooklyn, Mich.
Length of Event: 400 Miles
Length of Front Stretch: 3,600 Feet
Degree of Banking in Corners: 18 degrees
Length of Back Stretch: 2,242 Feet
Degree of Banking on Straights: 12 degrees(Front)
5 degrees(Back)

Qualifying/Race data:
Last year's event pole winner: Joe Nemechek 191.530 mph 8-20-05 37.592 seconds
Last year's event winner: Jeremy Mayfield 141.551 mph 8-21-05 2 hr, 49 min, 33 sec
Track qualifying record: Ryan Newman 194.232 mph 6-18-05 37.069 seconds
Track race record: Dale Jarrett 173.997 mph 6-13-99 2 hr 17 min, 56 sec

Historical data:
Previous winners at Michigan:
David Pearson (9) Cale Yarborough (8) Bill Elliott (7) Rusty Wallace (5) Richard Petty (4) Bobby Allison (4) Mark Martin (4) Dale Jarrett (4) Davey Allison (3) Bobby Labonte (3) Ryan Newman (2) Darrell Waltrip (2) Dale Earnhardt (2) Jeff Gordon (2) Greg Biffle (2) Charlie Glotzbach (1) Benny Parsons (1) Buddy Baker (1) Harry Gant (1) Ricky Rudd (1) Geoffrey Bodine (1) Ernie Irvan (1) Tony Stewart (1) Sterling Marlin (1) Matt Kenseth (1) Kurt Busch (1) Jeremy Mayfield (1) Kasey Kahne (1)
Races won from the pole: 15 of 74 events (20%)
Races won from in top 10: 60 of 74 events (81%)
Races won from outside top 10: 14 of 74 events (19%)

Track Milestones

Donnie Allison won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole at Michigan International Speedway in 1969.

Cale Yarborough won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan on June 15, 1969.

The first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan was a 500-mile event; the second was scheduled for 600 miles (only 330 completed). The format since the third race (June 1970) has been 400 miles.

The track was re-measured to 2.04 miles from the August 1970 through the August 1971 and then back to 2.0 miles since 1972.

Track Update
Michigan is the fourth-fastest track on the current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup schedule behind Talladega, Daytona and Atlanta based on Ryan Newman's Bud Pole speed of 194.232 mph set in June 2005.

Qualifying Update
There have been eight different Bud Pole winners in the past 10 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Michigan. Bobby Labonte (both 2003) is the only repeat Bud Pole winner in the 10-race period since August 2001. Qualifying was canceled in August 2004.

Manufacturer Update
Ford and Dodge have each won five of the last 10 races at Michigan. The last victory there by Chevrolet was the 2001 Kmart 400 - 11 Michigan races ago.

The Money
Purse $5,038,926
NASCAR NEXTEL Leader Bonus $20,000

Tire/Fuel Data
Goodyear Tire Codes: Left-side – D-4060; Right-side – D-4062
Other Nextel Cup Tracks At Which This Tire Combination Is Run: Dover International Speedway
Estimated Pit Window: Every 48-52 laps, based on fuel mileage

Mr. Michigan
Jack Roush Racing has unlocked the key to success on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup level at Michigan.

Mark Martin has competed in 41 races at Michigan and leads all active drivers in victories (four), top-fives (15) and top-10s (26).

Matt Kenseth has posted and average finish of 8.428. He has one victory, five top-fives, nine top-10s and 13 top-15s in 14 races at Michigan. Eight of those top-10s have come in the past 10 races.

In his seven Michigan races, Greg Biffle has five top-10 finishes, including two victories.

Carl Edwards has finished in the top-10 in all four of his Michigan appearances.

Would You Believe?
There have been 13 back-to-back victories at Michigan but only seven season sweeps. The last season sweep was in 1995 (Bobby Labonte). Mark Martin, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle have all posted cross-season back-to-back victories since that time.

Notebook

The field will consist of 43 cars. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.

Two qualifying laps will be used to determine starting positions with the adjustments made afterwards as required.

There have been 74 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Michigan International Speedway since the first race was held there in 1969. There have been two Michigan races each season except 1973, which had only one.

David Pearson leads all drivers with 10 Bud Poles at Michigan.

Joe Nemechek is the defending Bud Pole winner for the GFS Marketplace 400.

David Pearson leads all drivers with nine NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories at Michigan.

Bill Elliott had seven Michigan victories - six of which came in an eight-race span. He won the first Michigan race in 1984 then swept 1985 and 1986 before topping off his dominance with a victory in the second Michigan race of 1987. His seventh Michigan victory came in the 1989 Miller 400.

Jeremy Mayfield is the defending champion of the GFS Marketplace 400.

There have been 12 different race winners in the past 14 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Michigan. Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman are the only repeat race winners since August 1999 and both posted back-to-back victories.

Bill Elliott posted four consecutive victories at Michigan, winning both races in 1985 and again in 1986. David Pearson is the only other driver to post more than two consecutive victories at Michigan, winning three straight in 1972-73 (There was only one race in 1973).

The Bud Pole has been the most productive starting position at Michigan, providing 15 race winners.

Forty-three of 74 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Michigan have been won from the first four starting positions.

Only 14 races at Michigan have been won from outside a top-10 starting position - all have occurred in the past 30 races there as the first 44 races there were won from a top-10 starting position.

The farthest back that a Michigan race winner has started is 28th by Tony Stewart in the 2000 Kmart 400.

Bobby Labonte swept both Michigan NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races in 1995, the seventh time that a driver swept both races in a year at the Michigan track. Bobby Allison (1971), David Pearson (1972 and 1976), Cale Yarborough (1983) and Bill Elliott (1985 and 1986) have also swept Michigan.

Qualifying has been canceled three times at Michigan: June 1985, June 1990 and August 2004.

A race at Michigan has run less than the scheduled distance due to rain four times: August 1969 June 2000, August 2001 and June 2006. The 1974 Motor State 400 was shortened to 180 laps/360 miles by the energy crisis.

There have been three caution-free races at Michigan: June 1973, August 1984 and June 1999.

Seven Michigan races have ended under caution: August 1970, June 1974, June 1979, June 1981, June 2000, August 2001, June 2004 and June 2006.

Michigan Milestones

Ryan Newman is expected to make his 175th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Michigan.

Brian Vickers is expected to make his 100th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Michigan.

Scott Wimmer is expected to make his 100th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Michigan .

Starting Up Front is not Important at Michigan International Speedway
Three of the last four races at Michigan have been won from starting positions outside the top-10. However, five of the last eight have been won from a top-10 starting position. Kasey Kahne won the June Michigan race from the Bud Pole and became the 15th driver to do so. Kahne became the first driver to win from the Bud Pole at Michigan since Jeff Gordon in June 2001.

Michigan Pole Winners
There have been eight different Bud Pole winners in the last 10 races at Michigan. Only Bobby Labonte (both races in 2003) repeated as the Bud Pole winner during the period. Qualifying was rained out in August 2004.

Michigan Streaks

Jeff Gordon has posted five straight top-10 starts at Michigan, the longest current streak. Four of the five were front-row starts.

Kasey Kahne has started fourth or better in his last three races at Michigan.

Ryan Newman posted top-15 starts in his first nine races at Michigan. His streak ended with a 42nd-place start there in June.

Recent Dominance at Michigan

Matt Kenseth leads all drivers scoring top-15 finishes in the last 12 straight races at Michigan, the longest current streak.

Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have both scored top 10 finishes in each of the last four races at Michigan.

Ryan Newman has scored top-15 finishes in his last six races at Michigan.

Owner Wins at Michigan International Speedway
The Wood Brothers have scored 11 wins at Michigan International Speedway, the most of any car owner. Their last Michigan victory was scored by Dale Jarrett in August 1991 when Jarrett scored his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory, 30 Michigan races ago. The Wood Brothers were very strong in the early history of Michigan scoring nine of their 11 victories in the first 15 races held there: David Pearson (seven) and Cale Yarborough (two).

Owners “Two-Step” at Michigan International Speedway
Roger Penske-owned cars won two consecutive races at Michigan in the fall of 2003 and spring of 2004 (both by Ryan Newman). Jack Roush Racing teams won the next two races (both by Greg Biffle). Evernham Motorsports-owned cars have won the last two races at Michigan (Jeremy Mayfield and Kasey Kahne).

Leading The Way at Michigan International Speedway
Cale Yarborough led 1,308 laps in 36 races at Michigan, the most of all drivers. Bill Elliott led 1,004 in 54 races and ranks second in laps led there. Mark Martin ranks third among all drivers with 882 laps led in 41 races at Michigan - the most among active drivers.

Would you Believe?
A Chevrolet has won only one of the last 15 races at Michigan. Ford scored seven wins during the last 15 races there while Dodge scored five and Pontiac had two.

Michigan Standouts

Ricky Rudd had 58 career starts at Michigan International Speedway, more than any other driver.

Kyle Petty leads all full-time drivers with 50 starts at Michigan International Speedway.

David Pearson scored 10 Bud Poles at Michigan International Speedway, leading all drivers.

Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte lead all active drivers, each with four Bud Poles at Michigan.

David Pearson leads all drivers with nine victories at Michigan International Speedway.

Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin lead all active drivers each with four victories at Michigan International Speedway.

Cale Yarborough leads all drivers with 21 top-five finishes at Michigan International Speedway.

Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett lead all full time, active drivers each with 15 top-five finishes at Michigan.

Mark Martin has scored 26 top-10 finishes at Michigan, the most among full time, active drivers.

Brian Vickers leads all active drivers with an 8.2 starting average in five races at Michigan.

Carl Edwards has a 5.25 finishing average in his four races at Michigan, the best of all active drivers.

Who's Hot

Jimmie Johnson has scored a top-15 finish in 19 of the 21 races in 2006. His other two finishes were 30th or worse. Johnson has scored 10 top-10 finishes in the last 11 races.

Matt Kenseth has posted 11 top-five finishes in 2006 and ranks second in the point standings. After 21 races one year ago, he ranked 15th.

Jeff Burton has posted 15 straight top-15 finishes, a streak that began at Texas in April.

Jeff Burton (1,454) has scored more points in the last 10 races than any other driver.

Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne have each won four races in 2006, the most of all drivers.

Kevin Harvick has scored five straight top-10 finishes.

Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to score 17 top-10 finishes in the first 21 races of 2006, four more than the closest driver, Jeff Burton.

Greg Biffle is the only driver to lead at least one lap in 15 of the 21 races this season.

Denny Hamlin has scored top-15 finishes in 11 of the last 12 races.

Kyle Busch has scored seven straight top-15 finishes.

Top 10 in Points at This Track

First
Jimmie Johnson finished 17th in the AMD at the Glen. He remained first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, 124 points ahead of second-place Matt Kenseth. This is the biggest point lead of the season. Johnson has scored 17 top-10 finishes in 22 races this season, four more than any other driver. He has four victories (Daytona, Las Vegas, Talladega and Indianapolis), tied with Kasey Kahne for the most victories this season. Johnson has scored 19 top-15s in the first 22 races, the only driver to do so. One year ago Johnson ranked second in the point standings, 105 behind then point leader Tony Stewart. Johnson has ranked among the top-10 for 91 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. Johnson has competed in nine races at Michigan International Speedway scoring four top-10 finishes. Johnson has a 15.8 average finish at Michigan. He finished 10th in this race one year ago and sixth there in June. He has led in four of his nine races at Michigan but has not led there in the last two races. Johnson has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

Second
Matt Kenseth finished 21st in the AMD at the Glen, scoring just his fourth finish outside the top 20 this season. Kenseth has scored victories at California and Dover this season. Kenseth remained second in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for the 11th straight race. One year ago he ranked 16th in the point standings after 22 races. Kenseth has ranked among the top-five in the point standings since his victory in Race No. 2 at California, 21 straight races. He has competed in 14 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring one victory and nine top-10 finishes. His victory came there in June 2002. Kenseth has scored 12 straight top-15 finishes at Michigan, the longest current streak. He has been running at the finish in all 14 of his races at Michigan International Speedway. He finished third in this race one year ago and 13th there in June. Kenseth has led in five of his 14 races at Michigan. Kenseth has an 8.428 finishing average at Michigan International Speedway, ranking second among active drivers behind Carl Edwards with a 5.25 finishing average. Kenseth has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

Third
Kevin Harvick finished first in the AMD at the Glen and climbed from fourth to third in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Harvick has ranked among the top 10 in the last 16 races, since Texas in April. One year ago he ranked 14th in the point standings. Harvick has scored 13 top-10 finishes in 2006. He has competed in 11 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring four top-10 finishes. He finished 22nd in this race one year ago and 10th there in June. That was his first top-10 finish in his last five races at Michigan. He has led in just two races at Michigan International Speedway. Harvick has been running at the finish in all but one of his 11 races there. Harvick has a 17.363 average finish at Michigan International Speedway. Harvick is 246 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Fourth
Jeff Burton finished 11th in the AMD at the Glen and dropped from third to fourth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Burton ranked 21st after Race No. 6 at Martinsville. Burton has scored 16 straight top-15 finishes, extending a streak that began at Texas in April. He has scored 13 top-10 finishes in 22 races this season. One year ago he ranked 22nd in the point standings. Burton has competed in 25 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring eight top-10 finishes there. He finished 26th in this race one year ago and 11th there in June. He has led in just seven of his 25 races at Michigan, but has only led more than five laps in a race there twice. Burton has a 14.720 average finish at Michigan International Speedway. His best Michigan finish of third came there in June 1999. Burton is 207 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Fifth
Kyle Busch finished ninth in the AMD at the Glen and remained fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago Busch ranked 20th after 22 races. Busch has scored 12 top-10 finishes in 22 races in 2006. It marked his eighth straight top-15 finish, extending a streak that began at Michigan. Busch has posted just one DNF in 2006, an accident at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He ranked 12th in the point standings after Race No. 16 at Infineon. Busch has competed in three races at Michigan International Speedway finishing 43rd in this race one year ago and 14th there in June. His only Michigan top 10 came in his first race there in June 2005 when he finished ninth. He has led in two of his three races there. Busch is 199 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Sixth
Mark Martin finished 20th in the AMD at the Glen and remained sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. At this point one year ago he ranked fifth in the point standings. He has had only one DNF (Talladega in October 2005) in the 47 races since Dover in June 2005. Martin has competed in 41 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring four victories and 26 top-10 finishes there. His last victory at Michigan International Speedway came there in June 1998. He finished 17th in this race one year ago and 27th there in June. Martin has a 12.121 average finish at Michigan International Speedway. He has led in 24 of his 41 races at Michigan. Martin has not won a race since his victory at Kansas in October 2005, 29 races ago. Martin is just 143 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Seventh
Tony Stewart finished second in the AMD at the Glen, scoring his 14th top-15 finish of the season. This was his third runner-up finish in 2006. Stewart climbed from ninth to seventh in the point standings, posting the biggest gain among the top-10 drivers. Stewart posted four finishes of 28th or worse in the five races leading to Pocono, dropping him from fourth to 11th before climbing back to 10th after Pocono, ninth after Indianapolis and seventh after Watkins Glen. One year ago he ranked first in the point standings. He has competed in 15 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring one victory and nine top-10 finishes. Stewart finished fifth in this race one year ago and 41st there in June, tying his worst finish there set in August 2000. He has led in just four of his 15 races there. He has a 14.4 finishing average at Michigan International Speedway. Stewart is just 122 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Eighth
Denny Hamlin finished 10th in the AMD at the Glen and dropped from seventh to eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Hamlin has scored two victories in 2006, sweeping both races at Pocono Raceway. He has scored 10 top-10 finishes in 2006. Hamlin has been the highest finishing rookie in 12 of the 22 races this season. He has competed in one race at Michigan International Speedway scoring a 12th-place finish. Hamlin is just 110 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Ninth
Jeff Gordon finished 13th in the AMD at the Glen and dropped from eighth to ninth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. Gordon has scored two victories in 2006, winning at Infineon and Chicago. His four DNFs in 2006 are the most of any driver in the top-10. Gordon has scored 14 top-15 finishes in 22 races in 2006. Gordon has two victories and 18 top-10 finishes in his 27 races at Michigan International Speedway. Gordon finished 15th in this race one year ago and eighth there in June. Gordon's last victory at Michigan came there in June 2001. Gordon has led 844 laps in his 27 career races at Michigan ranking sixth all-time. Gordon is just 84 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

10th
Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 18th in the AMD at the Glen and remained 10th in the point standings. He has scored 15 top-15 finishes this season. Earnhardt has scored one victory in 2006, winning at Richmond. He has competed in 14 races at Michigan International Speedway scoring just three top-10 finishes. He finished 18th in this race one year ago and third there in June. He has been running at the finish in all but two of his races there. He has a 19.285 finishing average at Michigan International Speedway. He has led in seven of his 14 races at Michigan. Earnhardt is just 54 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne with four races left in the “Race to the Chase.”

Season Nuggets

Any driver leading the 11th-place driver by 571 points following Michigan is guaranteed a spot in the 2006 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

Only one driver that ranked in the top-10 after Race No. 22 in 2005 failed to make the Chase. Jamie McMurray was ninth and finished 12th. He was overtaken by Matt Kenseth who ranked 16th at this point one year ago and finished seventh.

After 22 races in 2006, five drivers are within the 400-point window. One year ago there were also five drivers within the 400-point window.

In 2005 six of the top-14 drivers were separated by eight points or less with twelfth and 11th tied and 11th to 10th separated by just three points.

After 22 races in 2006, five of the top-10 drivers are separated by 30 points or less.

Fourth-place Jeff Burton is 207 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne.

Current point leader Jimmie Johnson has scored 17 top-10 finishes in 22 races in 2006. That is four more top-10 finishes than any other driver.

Kevin Harvick has outscored all drivers in the last 10 races earning 1,492 points. He outscored current point leader Jimmie Johnson (1,380) by 127 points during the 10-race period. Johnson ranks fifth in points earned in the last 10 races.

Denny Hamlin, currently eighth in points, ranks fourth in points (1,420) earned in the last 10 races.

Tony Stewart, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rank 13th, 14th and 15th respectively in points earned in the last 10 races.

All 22 victories in 2006 have been scored by drivers ranked in the top-13 in the point standings. Jeff Burton (fourth) and Mark Martin (sixth) remain the only two drivers yet to score a victory in 2006.

Tony Stewart (seventh) and Greg Biffle (13th) have each earned 95 lap leader bonus points, 55 more than point leader Jimmie Johnson who has 40.

NASCAR Rookie-of-the-Year contender Denny Hamlin has scored top-10 finishes in 10 of the 22 races in 2006 (45 percent). In fact, Hamlin has scored 13 top-10s in 29 career races - also 45 percent. Hamlin has scored top-10 finishes in the last four races and 12 top-15 finishes in the last 13. He has been the highest finishing rookie in 12 of the 22 races in 2006 (55 percent).

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contender Denny Hamlin has posted top-10 starts in the last six races, the longest current streak. Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch each have posted four straight top-10 starts.

After winning only three races in all of 2005, Dodge has won five of the 22 races in 2006. Chevrolet has 14 victories while Ford has just three. One year ago Ford had nine victories at this point of the season.

Four of the top-six in driver points have been running at the finish in every race in 2006: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton Kevin Harvick and Mark Martin.

Kevin Harvick has climbed from 10th to third in the point standings since Sonoma.

Tony Stewart has climbed from 11th to seventh in the point standings since Loudon.

Jeff Gordon has posted four DNFs. That is the most DNFs of any driver ranked in among the top 24.

Qualifying

Eighty-five drivers have attempted to make the field for at least one race in 2006 (including Ricky Rudd who qualified for Tony Stewart at Dover).

There have been 11 different Bud Pole winners in 2006. Kasey Kahne (four), Jeff Burton (three), Kurt Busch (three), Greg Biffle (two), Ryan Newman (two) and Denny Hamlin (two) are the repeat Bud Pole winners this season.

Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.

Kurt Busch has posted 16 top-10 starts this season, more than any other driver.

Kurt Busch (8.41) has the best average start of all drivers that have competed in every race this season.

Two drivers have an average start of 10th or better to this point of 2006: Kurt Busch (8.41), Jeff Gordon (9.59).

Only five of the 32 drivers that have competed in every race this season have posted top-10 starts in at least half of their races.

Kyle Petty (32.59) has the worst average start of all drivers that have competed in every race this season.

Jeff Gordon has gone 42 races without scoring a Bud Pole - the longest streak in his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career.

Qualifying - Tidbit
Jeff Burton has posted three Bud Poles in 2006 - more than twice his career total of two for the previous 10 years since he posted his career-first Bud Pole in 1996.

The Races

Sixty-seven drivers have competed in at least one race in 2006; 33 have competed in every race.

There have been five green-white-checkered finishes this season; Daytona (which finished under caution), California, Las Vegas, Chicago and New Hampshire.

Four races have ended under caution in 2006, including both Daytona events.

There have been seven races with red-flag periods in 2006: Bristol, Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix, Pocono, Michigan, Sonoma.

On 37 occassions, including three in the Daytona 500 qualifiers, drivers have dropped to the rear before the start of a race this season; only 11 drivers have done so more than once.

Of the times that a driver has dropped to the rear, the finish improved on the start of record (qualifying position) 23 times.

No one dropped to the rear at Bristol, Martinsville or either Pocono.

Races - Would You Believe?
There have been 16 green-white-checkered finishes since the rule was implemented in 2004. The 2006 Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire was extended the most laps since that time. The previous ?longest overtime' was the 2005 Aaron's 499 at Talladega, which ran six laps beyond the scheduled number.

Finishes - Would You Believe?
Denny Hamlin won both races at Pocono this season - both from the Bud Pole. Hamlin became the first driver to sweep both races from the Bud Pole at a track since Jeff Gordon at Martinsville in 2003. He also became the first rookie driver to sweep both races at a track since Jimmie Johnson won both races at Dover in 2002.

Finishes

There have been 11 different race winners in 2006; seven have won more than once.

Kasey Kahne (four), Jimmie Johnson (four), Matt Kenseth (two), Tony Stewart (two), Jeff Gordon (two), Denny Hamlin (two) and Kevin Harvick (two) are the multiple race winners in 2006.

Matt Kenseth is the only driver to post 11 top-five finishes this season, one more than any other driver.

Jimmie Johnson is the only driver to post 17 top-10 finishes this season, four more than any other driver.

Jimmie Johnson (8.32) is the only driver to compete in every race this season and average a top-10 finish over those races.

Sterling Marlin (28.00) has the worst average finish of the drivers that have competed in every race this season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (3.86) has the best improvement of his average finish over his average start of all drivers that have competed in every race this season.

Kurt Busch (-5.56) has the worst ratio of his average start to his average finish of all drivers that have competed in every race this season.

Only five drivers in the current top 40 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings have yet to post a DNF this season - including Scott Riggs who has competed in one less race than the rest.

Martin Truex Jr. and Bobby Labonte are the only drivers in the top-25 in points that have failed to finish in more races than they have posted top-10 finishes.

The Bud Pole winner (or driver that started first) has posted a top-10 finish in nine races this season - five were victories: Kasey Kahne at Atlanta, Texas and Michigan and Denny Hamlin both races at Pocono.

Kasey Kahne has won from the Bud Pole in four of his five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories, inclduing three times this season. He has two other top-five finishes when he has started from the Bud Pole and his worst was 21st. Kahne's average finish in the races in which he has won the Bud Pole is 7.00.

Something to Shoot At?
Jimmie Johnson has won at least three races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first five full-time seasons. Kurt Busch has won at least three races in his first four full-time seasons and has one victory so far this season.

Bud Pole to Victory Lane
Kasey Kahne's and Denny Hamlin's victories from the Bud Pole at Michigan and Pocono mark the first time that back-to-back races have been won from the Bud Pole since Jeff Gordon did so at Sonoma and Daytona in 2004.

Lap Leaders

Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are the only drivers that have led in 15 races this season.

Twelve different drivers have led the most laps in at least one race this season.

Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart have each led the most laps in four races. Jeff Gordon (three), Matt Kenseth (two) and Denny Hamlin (two) are the only other drivers that have led the most laps more than once.

The driver that led the most laps in the race went on to win that race eight times this season.

Rookie Reed Sorenson did not lead a lap until Michigan in June. Including that race he has led in five of the past eight races.

Every driver that has completed in every race this season has led at least one lap.

Lucky Dogs

Forty-two drivers have been the beneficiary of the free lap back rule in 2006; including Kurt Busch (Bristol) and Kasey Kahne (Michigan), who received the lap back and went on to win the race.

A driver has received the pass back more than once in the same race 22 times this season, including Kyle Busch, who set the all-time record of five times at Watkins Glen. Terry Labonte recevied it three times at Bristol and Jeff Gordon three at Indianapolis.

Car Owner
Petty Enterprises has posted five top-10 finishes in 2006. The last time that Petty drivers posted more than three top-10s in a season was 1999: John Andretti (10) and Kyle Petty (nine).

Points

There have been five changes among two drivers in the points lead this season.

There have been eight changes among six drivers in the second position in the points this season.

Jimmie Johnson, resumed the lead in points following Talladega - the third time this season that he has held the top spot in the point standings.

Jeff Gordon returned to the top 10 following Las Vegas after a 14-race absence, the longest streak outside the top 10 since his full time career began in 1993.

Jeff Burton returned to the top-10 of the point standings following Las Vegas, ending a 90-race absence that dated to Pocono in July 2003. He moved into the top five following Chicago - his first time in the top five since Las Vegas in 2003.

Manufacturer

All three manufacturers were represented in the top-three qualifers at California, Texas, Sonoma and 2nd Daytona.

The Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire was the first race this season that did not have all three manufacturers in the top-10 qualifiers. The best starting position by a Ford was 13th. Ford also failed to post a top-10 starting position the following week at Pocono and then again at Watkins Glen.

All three manufacturers were represented in the top-five finishers of 11 races this season. Atlanta, Bristol, Texas, Charlotte and Michigan had all three makes in the top three.

All three manufacturers were represented in the top-10 finishers in all but three races this season. The best finish by a Ford at Chicago was 11th and 14th at second Pocono. Indianapolis saw the best finish by a Dodge of 12th

Chevrolet posted the top-six finishers and eight of the top-10 at Chicago.

Manufacturer - would You Believe?
Ford failed to lead a lap at Watkins Glen - the first time a Ford driver did not lead since Watkins Glen in 2005. The last driver to lead a lap at Watkins Glen was when Kurt Busch led lap 59 in 2004.

Top 10 Milestones
Jimmie Johnson has ranked in the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings for 91 consecutive races. He moved into sole posession of sixth on the all-time list following Watkins Glen, breaking a tie with Richard Petty.

Rookies

Five of the six Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year active candidates have competed in every race this season. David Stremme did not compete at Infineon or Watkins Glen.

There has been at least one rookie candidate start in the top-10 in 16 races this season. Four had three rookies start from a top-10 position. At Darlington three started from the top five.

At least one rookie contender posted a top-10 finish in 17 races this season. Two rookies post top-10s at Texas, Richmond, Charlotte and Indianapolis and three at Chicago.

Denny Hamlin's victories at Pocono are the best finishes by a rookie candidate in 2006.

Season Tidbits

Jeff Burton won the Bud Pole for the Daytona 500, posting his first Bud Pole since Richmond in September 2000.

Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500, posting his 19th career victory and his first in a restrictor-plate race. He also became the 42nd driver to post a victory in 95 races at Daytona.

Four drivers posted their all-time career high finish with their finish in the Daytona 500: Casey Mears (second), Clint Bowyer (sixth), Kirk Shelmerdine (20th), Brent Sherman (21st).

Kirk Shelmerdine finished 20th in the Daytona 500, the best finish of his 24-race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career. His previous best finish was 26th at Talladega in May 1994 and it was only his sixth finish better than 40th.

The 18 drivers that led in the Daytona 500 set the record for lap leaders at Daytona. The previous record of 15 was set in 1974, 1989 and 1996 – all in the Daytona 500.

The 168 laps led by Greg Biffle in the Auto Club 500 is the highest single-race total by a driver at California Speedway.

Jimmie Johnson's pass for the victory in the UAW-DaimerChrysler 400 was the first last-lap pass for victory since Dale Jarrett beat Tony Stewart on the final lap at Talladega last October. Johnson has been involved in three of the last four last-lap passes for victory – winning two.

Kurt Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol and joined brother Kyle, who won the Busch Series race, as the first brother combination to sweep a weekend since Ward and Jeff Burton at Darlington in September 2001.

The 11 different race winners since the inaugural race at Texas moved the Texas Motor Speedway into a tie with Martinsville for the most different race winners on a current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup track. Martinsville had 11 different race winners between the second race in 1997 and the second race in 2002.

Dale Jarrett failed to complete a single lap in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, posting his career-worst finish (43rd). He had finished last one other time in his 614 previous NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races - 42nd in a 42- car field at Sonoma in 1989. It was only the fourth time in his career that he completed less than 10 laps.

Denny Hamlin's victory in the Pocono 500 was the first by a Rookie contender in 2006 and marked the 12th season since 1994 that there was a first-time winner. 2004 was the only season since 1994 that failed to produce a first time winner.

In spite of only 129 of 200 laps being completed due to rain, the nine cautions at Michigan tied the track record for the most cautions.

The Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway was the 100th road-course race in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

Three records for 400-mile races at Daytona were set in the Pepsi 400: Leaders (15); Cars on Lead Lap (34) and Cars Running at Finish (40 [tied 2003]).

Jeff Gordon won the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicago, posting his first superspeedway victory other than on a restrictor-plate track since he won at Indianapolis in August 2004. It was also his first win on a 1.5-mile track since Atlanta in October 2003.

The 10 caution periods at Watkins Glen set the all-time track record.

Miles to Go
There are four races left before the final drivers that will participate in the Chase are set. Those races combine for a scheduled 1,350 laps covering 1,466.5 miles.

Preparing for the Chase - After 22 Races

In 2004
...the points leader, Jimmie Johnson was 40 points ahead of Jeff Gordon and 487 ahead of 10th-place, Jeremy Mayfield.
...eventual Champion, Kurt Busch, was in seventh place.
...seven drivers were within 400 points of the leader.

...eight of the drivers ranked in the top-10 made the Chase that season.

...six of the current top-10 in points were in the top 10.

In 2005
...Tony Stewart was the points leader, 105 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson and 520 ahead of 10th-place Carl Edwards.
...five drivers were within 400 points of the leader.

...nine of the drivers ranked in the top-10 made the Chase that season.

...only three of the current top-10 in points were in the top 10.

Chase - Would You Believe?
There are four races remaining before the Chase drivers are settled. Looking at the current top-15 in points in those races over the past two years,Greg Biffle has averaged the most NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship points - a 594-point average. Jimmie Johnson is 14th with 396 points. Denny Hamlin did not compete in those years.