Speed. What track, or tracks, on the NASCAR circuit do you think of when you think of a track being the fastest in terms of miles per hour? Is it Daytona International Speedway, or Talladega Superspeedway? Those are normally the first two that come to mind with the pack racing, big crashes and last lap passes for the win.
However, would you be surprised if I said that Michigan International Speedway, where the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is racing this coming weekend, is actually the fastest track on the NACAR circuit? I would be billing to bet you would be surprised at that statement. You see, Michigan International Speedway has long straightways and sweeping corners causing the tremendous speed. The speed is so fast, that after the track was repaved in 2012, corner entry speeds can range from 215-220 mph.
With speed during the race, all drivers also have to make sure they have speed in qualifying if the driver has hopes of winning the race. Since the first race at Michigan International Speedway in 1969, there has been 92 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Of these 92 races, 28.2% (26) races have been won from the front row. 19.5% (18) of these 26 races have been won from the pole, while the other 8 of the 26 have been won from starting second. The 18 races winning from the pole is the starting spot from which the most winners have been produced.
Even if the driver does not start from the pole, the ideal position to start is at least in the top-10. Of the 92 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Michigan, 75% (69) of the races have produced winners who started in the top-10. In the spring of 2009, Mark Martin became the driver to start deepest in the field when he started 32nd. Do not think either that the remaining 25% of the races were won by a driver who started deeper than 20th, as that is not the case. Only 7.6% (7) of the races were won from a starting position outside the top 20.
So how does it look for who is going to be the winner this weekend? It appears Matt Kenseth will be the man in victory lane on Sunday, as he won the pole on Friday, August 14th.
