Tuesday, May 24, 2016

2016 NASCAR Week 13 Preview: Charlotte

Coca-Cola 600

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Photo: Richard Tix

By Richard Tix

The 2016 All Star Race has come and gone and so will all the criticisms. I won't go too deep into that as I was at the race, understood the initial rules, and had a great time with a great bunch of friends so my judgement is faded. I will say the people trying to dog Brad Keselowski for coming up with the idea might need to take a step back. 1. it wasn't him making the official calls and the rules he laid out were as simple as in recent years (some past rule's have been foggy too). 2. the officiating and not knowing how to handle certain outcomes were the biggest draw back and is where NASCAR dropped the ball.

I applaud him for coming up with an idea and NASCAR trying, I just wish NASCAR would have done its homework on the possible outcomes during the segments before the race actually started.

As for the race and being in Charlotte, if you have never been you should take a trip out to this weekends Coca-Cola 600. This past weeks ASR was my first visit to the track and it was awesome. Not even a weekend full of rain could stop me from having a great time.

Between everything the track had to offer (great seats, great racing, and history), the area had to offer (plenty of racing shops, bar's, and food plus racing roots), and the group I was with (great friends from all over the states), nothing short off calling off all the racing for the whole weekend was stopping us from enjoying the weekend.

In the end that's what it is all about, enjoying the experience. Racing, good refreshments, and great friends are the thing that gets left behind when folks don't travel to any tracks in a season. If you can make it happen, I 100% urge you to attend a NASCAR race in person. Nothing beats the experience and memories you can actually get at a track in person. The people you go with and even the new NASCAR fans you meet are the difference between sitting at home and being at the track. I first hand understand it's hard to get to tracks (being in MN it isn't easy), but when/if you can it's hands down an experience you need to make happen.

We had a bunch of first time race goers in our group and every one of them enjoyed their time. That's because nothing beats a fun race, tailgating at the track, and making memories with old and new friends.


**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good
  • Joey Logano- JoLo doesn't dominate at CMS everytime we stop here but he is the most recent winner (of a points race and now the 2016 ASR). He also holds a career average finish of 9.6 in 14 career races. Last year could be a sign of whats to come from Joey when he led 227 of 334 laps.
  • Jimmie Johnson- JJ gets a pass here. Why is that? Well, he hasn't been that good here lately but he still can get it done when you least expect it. Since 2006 he only has two wins, but both came after rough stretches. He has won from the pole three time of his seven total wins. 
  • Carl Edwards- Edwards was the other 2015 winner (JoLo above won at CMS as well in 2015). It was his first career win at Charlotte and with JGR. Carl has five straight top 10's here and eight in his last nine. With JGR being strong again in 2016 Carl should be a safe option.
The Middle
  • Kasey Kahne- It's hard to put a finger on Kahne at Charlotte. I would say overall he is very good at CMS, but lately he has been struggling. In the last four stops at Charlotte he hasn't had an average running position in the top 15 (16th was his best twice). The bright side is he has four career wins here as well, so nothing is out of the question.
The Bad
  • Danica Patrick- This just isn't her track, yet. She only has two top 20's and three top 25's in seven career races. Looking at the bright side she did finish a career best 19th last time here in 2015. 
  • Paul Menard- Menard's two top 10's in 18 career starts at CMS just isn't getting it done. To make matters worse he has a career average finish of 23.1 and a bad starting position to go with that, 20.7.
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr- 32 races, 6 top 5's, and 12 top 10's. It's not that Junior can't run well here, but it is just that the odds aren't in his favor. In his last 16 here he has 4 top 10's, 5 top 15's, and only 9 top 20's. I would consider that struggling for a driver at his skill level.
About the Track: Charlotte
Track Stats
  • The last time someone won a Charlotte race from the Pole not named Jimmie Johnson was 1998, Jeff Gordon. JJ has won 2 from the Pole since then (2004 and 2009)
  • JJ won 4 straight from 2004 to 2005, sweeping both times. Four straight is also a track Cup record
  • In that same stretch he (JJ) won 5 of 6 from 2003-2005 dropping the only race to Tony Stewart
  • The most cautions was 22 during the 2005 May Charlotte race, which JJ ended up winning.
  • In Jimmie Johnson's 7 wins, he (JJ) won 3 from the Pole, including this race in 2014.
  • Those 7 wins are the most by any driver in a career.
  • Bobby Allison has the second most wins with 6 total in 43 attempts
  • Of current drivers Ryan Newman has the most poles (9). 
  • David Pearson has the most career poles at Charlotte with 14.
  • Jimmie Johnson has led 1,735 or 9,955 career laps he has run at Charlotte. That is enough for second most behind Bobby Allison (2,338 total).
  • Richard Petty has the most top 10's in a career with 31 in 64 attempts. He is also tied with Bobby Allison for the most top 5's (23 total).
Track Info
  • Surface: Asphalt
  • Length: 1.5 mile
  • Banking
    • Turns: 24 degrees
    • Straights: 5 degrees 
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1960-21
6/19/1960
60
Joe Lee Johnson
20
'60 Chevrolet
1960-42
10/16/1960
50
Speedy Thompson
3
'60 Ford
1961-20
5/21/1961
19
Richard Petty
7
'61 Plymouth
1961-21
5/21/1961
19
Joe Weatherly
3
'61 Pontiac
1961-24
5/28/1961
55
David Pearson
3
'61 Pontiac
1961-49
10/15/1961
43
Joe Weatherly
6
'61 Pontiac
1962-23
5/27/1962
48
Nelson Stacy
18
'62 Ford
1962-52
10/14/1962
44
Junior Johnson
3
'62 Pontiac
1963-26
6/2/1963
44
Fred Lorenzen
2
'63 Ford
1963-52
10/13/1963
40
Junior Johnson
2
'63 Chevrolet
1964-25
5/24/1964
44
Jim Paschal
12
'64 Plymouth
1964-59
10/18/1964
44
Fred Lorenzen
3
'64 Ford
1965-19
5/23/1965
44
Fred Lorenzen
1
'65 Ford
1965-52
10/17/1965
44
Fred Lorenzen
1
'65 Ford
1966-20
5/22/1966
44
Marvin Panch
7
'65 Plymouth
1966-48
10/16/1966
44
LeeRoy Yarbrough
17
'66 Dodge
1967-20
5/28/1967
44
Jim Paschal
10
'67 Plymouth
1967-47
10/15/1967
44
Buddy Baker
4
'67 Dodge
1968-18
5/26/1968
44
Buddy Baker
12
'68 Dodge
1968-47
10/20/1968
45
Charlie Glotzbach
1
'68 Dodge
1969-21
5/25/1969
44
LeeRoy Yarbrough
2
'69 Mercury
1969-48
10/12/1969
45
Donnie Allison
3
'69 Ford
1970-16
5/24/1970
40
Donnie Allison
9
'69 Ford
1970-44
10/11/1970
40
LeeRoy Yarbrough
5
'69 Mercury
1971-21
5/30/1971
40
Bobby Allison
2
'69 Mercury
1971-42
10/10/1971
42
Bobby Allison
3
'69 Mercury
1972-12
5/28/1972
40
Buddy Baker
6
'72 Dodge
1972-29
10/8/1972
44
Bobby Allison
4
'72 Chevrolet
1973-12
5/27/1973
40
Buddy Baker
1
'73 Dodge
1973-27
10/7/1973
41
Cale Yarborough
2
'73 Chevrolet
1974-13
5/26/1974
40
David Pearson
1
'73 Mercury
1974-28
10/6/1974
42
David Pearson
1
'73 Mercury
1975-13
5/25/1975
40
Richard Petty
3
'74 Dodge
1975-25
10/5/1975
42
Richard Petty
9
'74 Dodge
1976-13
5/30/1976
40
David Pearson
1
Mercury
1976-27
10/10/1976
40
Donnie Allison
15
Chevrolet
1977-13
5/29/1977
40
Richard Petty
2
Dodge
1977-27
10/9/1977
41
Benny Parsons
8
Chevrolet
1978-12
5/28/1978
40
Darrell Waltrip
17
Chevrolet
1978-27
10/8/1978
40
Bobby Allison
8
Ford
1979-13
5/27/1979
41
Darrell Waltrip
3
Chevrolet
1979-27
10/7/1979
40
Cale Yarborough
4
Chevrolet
1980-13
5/25/1980
42
Benny Parsons
6
Chevrolet
1980-28
10/5/1980
41
Dale Earnhardt
4
Chevrolet
1981-13
5/24/1981
42
Bobby Allison
7
Buick
1981-28
10/11/1981
41
Darrell Waltrip
1
Buick
1982-12
5/30/1982
42
Neil Bonnett
13
Ford
1982-26
10/10/1982
40
Harry Gant
1
Buick
1983-12
5/29/1983
41
Neil Bonnett
5
Chevrolet
1983-27
10/9/1983
40
Richard Petty
20
Pontiac
1984-12
5/27/1984
42
Bobby Allison
16
Buick
1984-26
10/7/1984
41
Bill Elliott
2
Ford
1985-11
5/26/1985
42
Darrell Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
1985-25
10/6/1985
42
Cale Yarborough
7
Ford
1986-11
5/25/1986
41
Dale Earnhardt
3
Chevrolet
1986-26
10/5/1986
42
Dale Earnhardt
3
Chevrolet
1987-10
5/24/1987
42
Kyle Petty
7
Ford
1987-26
10/11/1987
42
Bill Elliott
7
Ford
1988-10
5/29/1988
41
Darrell Waltrip
5
Chevrolet
1988-25
10/9/1988
42
Rusty Wallace
3
Pontiac
1989-10
5/28/1989
42
Darrell Waltrip
4
Chevrolet
1989-25
10/8/1989
42
Ken Schrader
2
Chevrolet
1990-10
5/27/1990
42
Rusty Wallace
9
Pontiac
1990-26
10/7/1990
41
Davey Allison
5
Ford
1991-10
5/26/1991
41
Davey Allison
10
Ford
1991-26
10/6/1991
41
Geoffrey Bodine
6
Ford
1992-10
5/24/1992
42
Dale Earnhardt
13
Chevrolet
1992-26
10/11/1992
40
Mark Martin
4
Ford
1993-11
5/30/1993
41
Dale Earnhardt
14
Chevrolet
1993-27
10/10/1993
42
Ernie Irvan
2
Ford
1994-11
5/29/1994
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1994-28
10/9/1994
42
Dale Jarrett
22
Chevrolet
1995-11
5/28/1995
42
Bobby Labonte
2
Chevrolet
1995-28
10/8/1995
43
Mark Martin
5
Ford
1996-11
5/26/1996
43
Dale Jarrett
15
Ford
1996-28
10/6/1996
43
Terry Labonte
16
Chevrolet
1997-11
5/25/1997
42
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1997-28
10/5/1997
43
Dale Jarrett
5
Ford
1998-11
5/24/1998
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1998-28
10/4/1998
43
Mark Martin
2
Ford
1999-12
5/30/1999
43
Jeff Burton
2
Ford
1999-29
10/11/1999
43
Jeff Gordon
22
Chevrolet
2000-12
5/28/2000
43
Matt Kenseth
21
Ford
2000-29
10/8/2000
43
Bobby Labonte
2
Pontiac
2001-12
5/27/2001
43
Jeff Burton
18
Ford
2001-29
10/7/2001
43
Sterling Marlin
13
Dodge
2002-12
5/26/2002
43
Mark Martin
25
Ford
2002-31
10/13/2002
43
Jamie McMurray
5
Dodge
2003-12
5/25/2003
43
Jimmie Johnson
37
Chevrolet
2003-31
10/11/2003
43
Tony Stewart
6
Chevrolet
2004-12
5/30/2004
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2004-31
10/16/2004
43
Jimmie Johnson
9
Chevrolet
2005-12
5/29/2005
43
Jimmie Johnson
5
Chevrolet
2005-31
10/15/2005
43
Jimmie Johnson
3
Chevrolet
2006-12
5/28/2006
43
Kasey Kahne
9
Dodge
2006-31
10/14/2006
43
Kasey Kahne
2
Dodge
2007-12
5/27/2007
43
Casey Mears
16
Chevrolet
2007-31
10/13/2007
43
Jeff Gordon
4
Chevrolet
2008-12
5/25/2008
43
Kasey Kahne
2
Dodge
2008-31
10/11/2008
43
Jeff Burton
4
Chevrolet
2009-12
5/25/2009
43
David Reutimann
21
Toyota
2009-31
10/17/2009
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2010-13
5/30/2010
43
Kurt Busch
2
Dodge
2010-31
10/16/2010
43
Jamie McMurray
27
Chevrolet
2011-12
5/29/2011
43
Kevin Harvick
28
Chevrolet
2011-31
10/15/2011
43
Matt Kenseth
2
Ford
2012-12
5/27/2012
43
Kasey Kahne
7
Chevrolet
2012-31
10/13/2012
43
Clint Bowyer
4
Toyota
2013-12
5/26/2013
43
Kevin Harvick
15
Chevrolet
2013-31
10/12/2013
43
Brad Keselowski
23
Ford
2014-12
5/25/2014
43
Jimmie Johnson
1
Chevrolet
2014-31
10/11/2014
43
Kevin Harvick
7
Chevrolet
2015-12
5/24/2015
43
Carl Edwards
3
Toyota
2015-30
10/11/2015
43
Joey Logano
3
Ford

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I enjoyed the all-star race. My husband and I both thought it was a blast to watch and the comments from the booth and some of the drivers (in-car radio) were hilarious. It was a non-points race and people are just taking it too seriously.