This week NASCAR is heading to the state where they say “everything is bigger,” Texas. The Monster Energy Cup Series drivers will have to “Go Big or Go Home” to win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500.
The Texas Motor Speedway is one of the intermediate tracks on the NASCAR circuit at 1.5-miles in length. However, it still measures up to the “bigger in Texas” mantra as it has plenty of room to go two, three, four and (if a driver has the nerves) potentially five-wide at spots.
This race last season was a Saturday night race. The second race at the track last year saw a five hour delay due to weather and as a result was also a night race. That means the teams will have to go back to notes from 2015 for any insight on racing at Texas in the daytime. Add that fact to this year’s lower spoiler producing less down force and the result could be very exciting for fans to watch and drivers to deal with.
Let’s take a look at which active drivers have performed well during their careers at Texas Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Top 10 Driver Rating at Texas Motor Speedway
- Jimmie Johnson – 107.1
- Kyle Busch – 102.4
- Chase Elliott – 100.8
- Martin Truex Jr. – 93.0
- Erik Jones – 92.4
- Kevin Harvick – 90.0
- Brad Keselowski – 86.7
- Kasey Kahne – 86.0
- Clint Bowyer – 85.0
- Joey Logano – 84.1
*NOTE: Driver Ratings based on last 24 races (2005-2016) at Texas Motor Speedway.
As is the case at many tracks, Jimmie Johnson not only has the highest driver rating at the track, but he also has the most wins among active drivers with six victories at Texas Motor Speedway.
The next closest drivers to Jimmie in the wins column are Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch who each has two wins. Kyle’s second win came under the lights in this race last year.
There are no other drivers with multiple wins at Texas Motor Speedway. However, there are five drivers who have claimed the six-shooters in Victory Lane a single time. Those drivers are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano.
What will this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race hold for the drivers and fans? We will all find out when the green flag waives Sunday, April 9th at around 12:30 PM central time (1:30 PM eastern) for 334 laps (501 miles) of racing at Texas Motor Speedway … provided there isn’t another rain delay.
By: Buck Stevens
