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Wednesday, April 5, 2017

2017 NASCAR Week 7: Texas

O'Reilly Auto Parts 500

Texas Motor Speedway

Image result for Auto Parts 500

By Richard Tix

This weekend will be a dramatic change from last week. Last week NASCAR ran Martinsville, a short track with concrete corners and got back to it's short track roots. This week we head to Texas Motor Speedway with a brand new asphalt laid down.

The story of the weekend most likely will be the new surface and if I were looking for a drinking work for race day, I would not use "repave" because I like living....

The story to me this weekend may once again be the 500 miles. TMS is one of those tracks that I think could stand to loose 100 miles on it's race and benefit (been saying it for a few years here). However, the stages could help out the fact that we still run 500 miles here.

Now, I do enjoy long races, long green flag runs, and the strategy that goes with it. However, I wouldn't feel cheated if this race was cut down to 400 miles. 500 miles used to be a test on the equipment running the race, but today most cars just don't wear down. In my opinion Texas is one of our stops that could lose those laps no longer needed.

But, BUT, if you try and change some of the traditional races and cut the miles I will not be on the same page (so don't take my statement above as a one size fits all opinion). For example, even Martinsville I don't want to take 100 miles away from. Sure, engine failures won't hurt you, but Martinsville is still a grind to keep your car clean for 500 miles. Because of that Martinsville still has it's old school feel of having to take car of your equipment for a grueling 500 miles.

So, Ill be keeping an eye on how stages effect the feel of 500 mile at a track where I in the past could stand losing 100 of those miles. What will you be watching for?




**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
  • Jimmie Johnson - If six career Texas wins says it all, then what does five wins since 2012 say? JJ has been very good here in the recent past with very few slip ups.
  • Kyle Busch - Kyle and Johnson have won seven of the last nine races here at Texas (Busch has won two of those). On top of that Kyle has five straight top 10's and seven in his last eight.
  • Chase Elliott - Chase only has two races under his belt here, but he already has two top fives to his name. 
The Middle
  • Kevin Harvick - Can "Happy" get over the hump? He has 28 starts, 16 top tens, six top fives, and five straight top tens all without a single win here at Texas.
The Bad
  • Trevor Bayne - On one hand, Bayne has to feel good being relevant enough on my radar to get considered for this list, on the other hand, he is still part of the list. Thirteen tries and zero top tens, worst yet is Bayne only has one top 15 in that time.
  • Austin Dillon - AD has eight tries at Texas with zero top tens and only one top 15... But, he does have a pole here and likes to hover around 20th, take that how you will.
  • Paul Menard - Hey, a guy on this list with a top ten at Texas! Three of them actually. Three top ten's in 23 races, so let's not get too excited here folks.
About the Track: Texas
Track Stats
  • Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last nine TMS races
  • Only three drivers have won back to back times here (Jimmie Johnson 2014/15, Hamlin-Both 2010 and Edwards- Both 2008). JJ won three straight from 2014-2015 (two in 2015).
  • Manufacturer wins- Ford: 12, Chevy: 12, Toyota: 5, and Dodge: 3. 32 total races.
  • Race has been won from the pole 3 times in 32 races. Twice in the last nine races.
  • Jeff Burton won the first Texas Motor Speedway race in 1997. He led 60 of 334 laps.
  • Dale Jarrett won the first Texas Motor Speedway pole in 1997. He led 42 laps.
Track Info
  • Surface - Asphalt
  • Length - 1.5 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns- 24 degrees

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