This week it’s NASCAR in prime-time as the drivers and teams head to Kansas Speedway for the Digital Ally 400.
When the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series goes racing under the lights on Saturday night it is always an extra challenge for teams and drivers. There are always the same factors that have to be addressed week in and week out … handling, speed and such. However, the added challenge comes with the race starting in the daylight and ending in the night.
The track goes through a transition from daytime to nighttime. The temperature drops (sometimes by a lot) on the track changing how a car handles racing around it. Often a car that is handling well at the start of the race becomes impossible to control when the sun goes down and the lights around the track come on. The opposite is true as well. Some drivers have their hands full when a race starts in the daytime and finds the car to handle great once the night sets in.
Here is a look at the unchanging factors the drivers will dealing with at the track and in this week’s race.
Kansas Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5-miles
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 17 to 20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 17 to 20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 10 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,685 feet
Backstretch Length: 2,207 feet
Digital Ally 400 Data
Season Race #: 12 of 36 (05-11-19)
Race Length: 267 laps / 400 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 80 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 107 laps
Below are the top active drivers in overall performance at Kansas during their careers.
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Kansas
Kevin Harvick ………………………… 108.6
Jimmie Johnson …………………….. 104.1
Martin Truex Jr. ……………………… 100.1
Ryan Blaney ……………………………. 98.7
Kyle Larson …………………………….. 93.3
Kyle Busch ……………………………… 91.1
Brad Keselowski ……………………… 91.0
Chase Elliott ……………………………. 90.3
Joey Logano …………………………… 88.6
Kurt Busch ……………………………… 87.6
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2018 races (22 total) among active drivers at Kansas Speedway.
There are nine active drivers that have won during their cup series careers racing at Kansas Speedway.
Jimmie Johnson – 3 wins
Kevin Harvick – 3 wins (including this race in 2018)
Joey Logano – 2 wins
Martin Truex Jr – 2 wins
Brad Keselowski – 1 win
Chase Elliott – 1 win (fall 2018 race)
Denny Hamlin – 1 win
Kyle Busch – 1 win
Ryan Newman – 1 win
Which driver and team will adjust through the track transition from the day to the night to make it to Victory Lane? We will find out Saturday, May 11th starting at 6:30 PM central time (7:30 PM eastern time) in the Digital Ally 400 at Kansas Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
