Cup series points leader Greg Biffle has two wins, six top fives, eight top 10s; and one pole at the track. Between that and his current strong run in the series, he appears to be the man to beat this weekend, at least on paper. Jimmie Johnson also is strong here and should contend

History
Groundbreaking was held on May 25, 1999.

The official opening of Kansas Speedway was in 2001, with the first events being an ARCA race and a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on the same day – June 2

The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was Sept. 30, 2001.

Notebook

There have been 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Kansas since the track opened in 2001.

All of the races have been scheduled for 267 laps.

10 drivers have competed in all 12 races at Kansas.

Jeff Gordon won the first two NASCAR Sprint Cup races.

Jason Leffler won the first pole in September 2001.

Nine different drivers have won poles, led by Jimmie Johnson with three.

Eight different drivers have posted victories, led by Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart (each with two).

Seven of the 12 races have been won from a top-10 starting position.

Two drivers have won from the pole: Joe Nemechek in 2004 and Jimmie Johnson in 2008.

The furthest back in the field that race winner started was 25th, by Brad Keselowski last season.

Two active drivers with more than one start have averaged a top-10 finish: Greg Biffle (8.2) and Jimmie Johnson (8.3).

Jeff Gordon leads all drivers in top fives (eight) and top 10s (nine). Gordon’s three non-top 10s were a 39th in 2006, a 13th in 2004 and 34th in last season’s fall event.

Eight of the 12 races that ended under green had a margin of victory under one second. The 2007 race ended under caution.Z

Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway winner: Ryan Newman (10/05/2003 – 25 years, 9 months, 27 days).

Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kansas Speedway winner: Mark Martin (10/09/2005 – 46 years, 9 months, 0 days)

Kansas Speedway Data

Race #: 8 of 36 (04-22-12)

Track Size: 1.5 miles

Race Length: 400.5 miles

Banking/corners: 15 degrees

Banking/straights: 10.4 degrees

Frontstretch: 2,685 feet

Backstretch: 2,207 feet

Top 12 Driver Rating at Kansas

Jimmie Johnson........................ 120.6

Greg Biffle................................ 118.0

Tony Stewart............................. 105.9

Jeff Gordon.............................. 105.4

Matt Kenseth............................. 101.5

Carl Edwards.............................. 97.3

Mark Martin................................. 92.9

Kurt Busch.................................. 90.9

Brad Keselowski......................... 90.8

Kevin Harvick.............................. 90.0

Clint Bowyer............................... 88.7

Denny Hamlin............................. 85.1

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (eight total) at Kansas.

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: Kurt Busch, 174.752 mph, 30.901 seconds

2011 race winner: Brad Keselowski, (137.184 mph, 06-05-11)

Track qualifying record: Matt Kenseth, (180.856 mph, 29.858 seconds, 10-08-05)

Track race record: Greg Biffle, (138.077 mph, 11-03-10)

NASCAR in Kansas

There have been 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in Kansas, all at Kansas Speedway. The only other Kansas track to hold a NASCAR national series race was Heartland Park in Topeka, which hosted five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races from 1995-99.

16 drivers in NASCAR’s three national series (all-time) have their home state recorded as Kansas, including Jim Roper who won the very first NASCAR Sprint Cup race – Charlotte in 1949.

There have been two race winners in the top three NASCAR national series from Kansas: Clint Bowyer, with 5 Cup wins, 8 Nationwide wins and 3 Truck wins; plus Jim Roper ... with one Cup win

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