The Shape of Things Yet to Come - The Sprint Cup Series STP 400 Race Primer
The Sprint Cup Series returns to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the STP 400 but it won’t be for the last time in 2011.
The traditional Kansas Chase date stays on the schedule, making Sunday’s inaugural spring race important on two totally different levels.
For drivers with more than a single victory, (think Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth) the STP 400 becomes a valuable test day for NASCAR’s playoff hopefuls. Acquiring data for the October race could become the difference between first and second place in the standings by Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Better put, Sunday could be a big-time preview for the championship run.
For teams sitting on the outside of the top 10, Sunday and Kansas has a more immediate impact. At the halfway point of the regular season, it’s now-or-never, do-or-die, and every other cliché for those trying to inch their way towards the top 10 or a wild card spot.
Jeff Gordon, Paul Menard, and Joey Logano have had strong showings during both practice sessions and an equal qualifying effort could put them in contention for a win and a Chase berth.
Two races mean double the success for Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson. Find the complete contender list after the jump.
Greg Biffle is ‘straight cash, homie’ in Kansas. In nine starts, Biffle has two wins, six Top-5s, and six Top-10s. His average finish (8.1) and driver’s rating (122.6) lead all active drivers at Kansas while his average running position (5.9) is only marred by a single DNF.
Biffle won here in October, taking the victory by 7.638 seconds ahead of Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and Tony Stewart. In his past four Kansas starts, Biffle has both wins and a pair of thirds.
Jeff Gordon won the first two Cup races in Kansas in 2001 and 2002 and has been a model of consistency ever since. The proof lies in his eight Top-10s in ten starts. He averages an 8.5 finish and boasts a driver rating of 106.5, third-best in the Sprint Cup series. Gordon’s slow start on the intermediates has him literally begging for a good run on Sunday.
In other news, Kansas is one of Jimmie Johnson’s best tracks. It’s a Chase track so who’s shocked?
In nine starts, Johnson has a single win (2008), seven Top-5s and eight Top-10s. His average finish (9.3) is third best in the Series and has a driver rating number of 118.7, good for second best in Sprint Cup racing.
Kansas is one of Tony Stewart’s better tracks. Combine that with his trend of upping his game during the summer months and Smoke could break through in a big way on Sunday.
In ten starts, Stewart has two wins, five Top-5s and seven Top-10s. His average finish of 12.3 is sixth-best on the circuit and his driver rating of 103.3 is fourth-best in Cup.
Simply put, Kansas is a track suited for veterans. Only A.J. Allmendinger is Top-10 statistical performer (one Top-5 and two Top-10s) with less than five starts at the speedway. Clint Bowyer, five starts, is more than solid as well with two Top-10s and an average finish of 11.8. Mark Martin last won here in 2005.
Also keep an eye out for Joey Logano. This is mysteriously Logano’s worst Cup Series track but Sliced Bread knows how to get around, winning the last two Nationwide Series races at the 1.5-mile tri oval.
The STP 400 will be held from Kansas Speedway on June 5 with the FOX television broadcast starting at 12:30 p.m. EST.
