Fast Five: Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR drivers get to sleep in their own beds this weekend as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 15, 2011. Here is a look at five significant facts and records that could have an impact on the results of the race’s finish.

Best Average Finish and Most Wins
Joey Logano, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota, has the best average finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 7.4. Jimmie Johnson has the most wins, with six. A win for Jimmie Johnson on Saturday night would be huge, and definitely quiet the critics who think he isn’t a contender for the championship. Johnson’s last win here was back in 2009, when he won from the pole.

Most Top-Fives and Most Top-Tens

Mark Martin holds the record for the most top-five and top-ten finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Martin has 18 top-five finishes and 23 top-ten finishes.

Martin really loves Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is obvious in his stats, and commented “This is my absolute favorite track we race on. There’s so much room to race here. Provides for a lot of passing, and hopefully a lot of excitement for the races. I’ve felt comfortable racing here since the first time I was here in 1982.” Could this be the weekend Mark Martin celebrates in Gatorade Victory Lane?

Fastest Qualifying Speed

Even though he doesn’t race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series anymore, Elliott Sadler holds the record for the fastest qualifying speed set back in 2005, with a speed of 193.216. Sadler will compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 on Friday night. He is currently 20 points from 1st place in the NNS standings.

Last Win at Charlotte Motor Speedway

The honor for the last win at Charlotte Motor Speedway goes to Kevin Harvick. Harvick and the No. 29 gambled correctly on fuel mileage to take home the checkered flag in the Coca-Cola 600. This was Harvick’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points paying win at the track.

Currently, Harvick is 1 point back in second place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship after a sixth place finish at Kansas Speedway last weekend. Can Harvick gamble again and sweep the races at the track?

Most Laps Led

Jimmie Johnson is the driver that has led the most laps at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with 1,385. After capturing the checkered flag last weekend at Kansas Speedway, he could have the momentum going to help him cross the finish line first in the Bank of America 500.

Qualifying for the Bank of America 500 from Charlotte Motor Speedway is Thursday night at 7pm EST on ESPN 2, while the race is Saturday night at 7:30 on ABC. Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, will be the In-Race Reporter for ABC.