They say the week after the Daytona 500 is when the real NASCAR season begins.
But this year’s, it’s a bit different. As part of its 2015 schedule, NASCAR moved Atlanta Motor Speedway’s lone Sprint Cup race to the second week of the season, which in turn allowed Darlington Raceway to return to its traditional Labor Day weekend spot.
Atlanta begins a pivotal four-race stretch with two races on 1.5-milers (Atlanta, Las Vegas), then the one-miler at Phoenix and the two-miler at Fontana. We’ll see which teams truly have an advantage.
Here’s a look at how top Sprint Cup drivers have fared on the high-banked Atlanta oval over the years.
ATLANTA-SPECIFIC STATISTICS
Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ortho Ford)
· Three top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 15.7
· Average Running Position of 13.9, 12th-best
· Driver Rating of 90.8, 11th-best
· 237 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
· 1,031 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
· 3,466 Laps in the Top 15 (66.2%), sixth-most
· 539 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), seventh-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet)
· One win, eight top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 13.0, 10th-best
· Driver Rating of 92.7, ninth-best
· 227 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
· 1,119 Green Flag Passes, third-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.203 mph, eighth-fastest
· 3,382 Laps in the Top 15 (64.6%), seventh-most
· 535 Quality Passes, eighth-most
Carl Edwards (No. 19 ARRIS Toyota)
· Three wins, nine top fives, 11 top 10s
· Average finish of 14.6
· Average Running Position of 12.4, eighth-best
· Driver Rating of 100.1, third-best
· Series-high 371 Fastest Laps Run
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.499 mph, second-fastest
· 4,038 Laps in the Top 15 (77.1%), third-most
· 552 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 3M Chevrolet)
· Five wins, 16 top fives, 26 top 10s; two poles
· Average finish of 11.9
· Average Running Position of 10.2, second-best
· Series-best Driver Rating of 106.0
· 296 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.453 mph, fourth-fastest
· 4,161 Laps in the Top 15 (79.5%), second-most
· Series-high 612 Quality Passes
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)
· One win, three top fives, six top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 16.8
· Average Running Position of 12.1, fifth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.4, sixth-best
· 263 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.463 mph, third-fastest
· 3,312 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4%), ninth-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Jimmy John’s/ Budweiser Chevrolet)
· One win, five top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 18.8
· Driver Rating of 90.4, 12th-best
· 280 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· 949 Green Flag Passes, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.232 mph, seventh-fastest
· 3,045 Laps in the Top 15 (58.1%), 12th-most
· 470 Quality Passes, 11th-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet)
· Three wins, 12 top fives, 14 top 10s
· Average finish of 11.5
· Series-best Average Running Position of 9.1
· Driver Rating of 104.9, second-best
· 280 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 171.523 mph
· Series-high 4,381 Laps in the Top 15 (83.7%)
· 582 Quality Passes, third-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Dollar General Toyota)
· Nine top fives, 15 top 10s
· Average finish of 12.3
· Average Running Position of 12.2, sixth-best
· Driver Rating of 97.9, fifth-best
· 201 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
· 1,034 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.339 mph, fifth-fastest
· 3,749 Laps in the Top 15 (71.6%), fourth-most
· 544 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kyle Larson (No. 42 ENERGIZER Chevrolet)
· One top 10
· Average finish of 8.0
· Average Running Position of 11.3, third-best
· Driver Rating of 91.1, 10th-best
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet)
· Three wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s; one pole
· Average finish of 12.7
· Average Running Position of 12.3, seventh-best
· Driver Rating of 98.1, fourth-best
· 233 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
· Average Green Flag Speed of 171.191 mph, ninth-fastest
· 3,353 Laps in the Top 15 (68.3%), eighth-most
· 509 Quality Passes, 10th-most
Atlanta Motor Speedway Data
Season Race #: 2 of 36 (03-01-14)
Track Size: 1.54-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,332 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,800 feet
Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles
Qualifying/Race Data
2014 pole winner: Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 190.398 mph, 29.118 secs., 08-29-14
2014 race winner: Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 131.514 mph, (03:55:22), 08-31-14
Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine, Ford, 197.478 mph, 28.074 secs., 11-15-97
Track race record: Bobby Labonte, Pontiac, 159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97