General

All Paths Point to Here - The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Advocare 500 Race Primer

Sep 1, 2011, 10:49 AM UTC

It’s been awhile since NASCAR visited Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Once a bi-annual stop on the Sprint Cup Series schedule, Atlanta was consolidated into a single event to make room for Kentucky and turn this weekend into a Labor Day extravaganza. Include the added storylines of the Chase for the Championship and the Sprint Summer Showdown and the AdvoCare 500 has become the most important stop in the race to the Chase.

Brad Keselowski is the hottest driver in the Sprint Cup Series, winning two of the last four races with finishes of second and third peppered in-between.

It was pretty understandable when Keselowski found himself in 21st place in championship points going into Pocono as he and teammate Kurt Busch entered the season as the lone Dodges represented in the field.

Shared-data was far and few between for the Team Penske duo.

That lack of information makes this run even more incredible as Keselowski has jumped from outside the top 20 to 11^th in points, just 21 markers out of the top 10. As a result, Keselowski has to be the favorite entering Sunday night.

Six drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase for the Championship, including Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon.

Ryan Newman needs just a 20^th place finish to qualify while Dale Earnhardt Jr. must finish Atlanta with 49 more points than the 11^th place driver. He’s currently 39 points ahead of 11^th place Keselowski. It’s all but a given that each will make the final cut.

Tony Stewart, on the other hand, is smoke on the water. Stewart was lucky (not even an argument) to finish 28^th at Bristol after starting that race in 42^nd. He was even luckier to have Clint Bowyer (12th in points) finish 26^th. This leaves Stewart just 21 points ahead of Keselowski for the final provisional Top 10 Championship spot and the latter may not be denied.

With three wins and only two races remaining, Keselowski is virtually locked in. Getting into the top 10 is still tempting and would guarantee the driver of the Blue Deuce nine bonus points once Chicagoland and the Chase rolls around on Sept. 18.

Smoke does not have a win to fall back on and must stave off the fast-charging Keselowski to keep his championship hopes alive.

The stage has been set.

Read about Sunday’s contenders after the jump.

ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Atlanta Motor Speedway going into the AdvoCare 500 on Sept. 4. This list also includes those drivers eligible to win the Sprint Summer Showdown Presented by HTC EVO 3D $3 million bonus - Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Paul Menard.

Marcos Ambrose (No. 9 Kwikset Ford)

One top 10
Average finish of 22.2
Average Running Position of 23.8, 25th-best
Driver Rating of 61.7, 25th-best

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)

Three top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 16.3
Average Running Position of 13.1, seventh-best
Driver Rating of 93.7, ninth-best
234 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.426 mph, 11th-fastest
2,795 Laps in the Top 15 (71.2%), sixth-most
396 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge)

Three wins, three top fives, eight top 10s
Average finish of 18.1
Average Running Position of 14.7, 11th-best
Driver Rating of 95.6, sixth-best
236 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
679 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.451 mph, 10th-fastest
2,300 Laps in the Top 15 (58.6%), 12th-most
368 Quality Passes, eighth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 18 Pedigree Toyota)

One win, three top fives, three top 10s
Average finish of 17.3
Average Running Position of 14.9, 13th-best
Driver Rating of 90.6, 11th-best
182 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
747 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.385 mph, 12th-fastest
2,244 Laps in the Top 15 (57.2%), 13th-most
361 Quality Passes, 11th-most

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard Military Intelligence/AMP Energy Chevrolet)

One win, eight top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 12.5
Average Running Position of 11.9, fourth-best
Driver Rating of 96.9, fifth-best
223 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
740 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.676 mph, third-fastest
2,818 Laps in the Top 15 (71.8%), fifth-most
398 Quality Passes, third-most

Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)

Three wins, seven top fives, nine top 10s
Average finish of 14.2
Average Running Position of 13.3, eighth-best
Driver Rating of 101.2, third-best
Series-high 316 Fastest Laps Run
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.858 mph, second-fastest
2,952 Laps in the Top 15 (75.2%), third-most
362 Quality Passes, 10th-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet)

Four wins, 14 top fives, 23 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 12.5
Average Running Position of 10.8, third-best
Driver Rating of 100.6, fourth-best
158 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.459 mph, ninth-fastest
3,125 Laps in the Top 15 (79.6%), second-most
434 Quality Passes, second-most

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Charter Communications Toyota)

One top five, three top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 18.4
Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best
Driver Rating of 94.7, seventh-best
147 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.667 mph, fourth-fastest
2,324 Laps in the Top 15 (64.6%), 11th-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet)

Three wins, 10 top fives, 12 top 10s
Average finish of 10.4
Series-best Average Running Position of 7.5
Series-best Driver Rating of 110.1
243 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.002 mph
Series-high 3,545 Laps in the Top 15 (90.3%)
Series-high 437 Quality Passes

Kasey Kahne (No. 4 Red Bull Toyota)

Two wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 17.1
Average Running Position of 14.8, 12th-best
Driver Rating of 93.1, 10th-best
217 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.480 mph, eighth-fastest
2,561 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), ninth-most
332 Quality Passes, 13th-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

Eight top fives, 12 top 10s
Average finish of 13.0
Average Running Position of 13.4, ninth-best
Driver Rating of 94.5, eighth-best
139 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
756 Green Flag Passes, third-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.525 mph, seventh-fastest
2,630 Laps in the Top 15 (67.0%), eighth-most
390 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

Average finish of 30.5
Average Running Position of 21.4, 22nd-best
Driver Rating of 62.4, 24th-best

Paul Menard (No. 27 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet)

One top five, 2 top 10s
Average finish of 22.0
Average Running Position of 23.7, 24th-best
Driver Rating of 61.3, 26th-best

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet)

Three top fives, four top 10s
Average finish of 17.1
Driver Rating of 88.7, 13th-best
363 Quality Passes, ninth-most

Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Mobile 1 Chevrolet)

Three wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s
Average finish of 11.6
Average Running Position of 10.8, second-best
Driver Rating of 102.3, second-best
212 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.644 mph, fifth-fastest
2,922 Laps in the Top 15 (74.4%), fourth-most
390 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota)

Two top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 23.6
Average Running Position of 12.3, fifth-best
Driver Rating of 89.2, 12th-best
Average Green Flag Speed of 171.597 mph, sixth-fastest
2,631 Laps in the Top 15 (73.1%), seventh-most
396 Quality Passes, fourth-most

NASCAR Ranting and Raving Content Editor Matt Weaver will be reporting live on-site this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Follow him on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN

See More: