This weekend is the second race in the Round of Eight in the NASCAR Playoffs. Seven of the drivers still in the post-season look to win big in the AAA Texas 500.
Martin Truex Jr. won last week’s race at Martinsville to clinch his spot in the Championship Four. The remaining seven drivers in the Round of Eight will have to win this week or next, or acquire enough points to advance for a shot at the championship.
After last week’s race some drivers have a slightly more manageable path to the Championship Four. Others may have to win to get in. Of course, a win by somebody at the bottom will completely shuffle the list up.
Racing at Texas Motor Speedway has positives and negatives. They say everything is bigger in Texas. The size a room on the track reflects that. All that room is a positive in many ways.
However, with that room comes high speeds. That means a little mistake can become a big crash very quickly. That is one way that bigger is a negative.
Here is what all the drivers will be dealing with equally no matter what their end goal is.
Texas Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 2,250 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,330 feet
AAA Texas 500 Data
Season Race #: 34 of 36 (11-03-19)
Race Length: 334 laps / 501 miles
Stage 1 & 2 Length: 85 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 164 laps
Which active drivers have performed the best racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in their careers? Here’s a look at the top of the class.
Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Texas
Jimmie Johnson ……………………. 103.0
Kyle Busch …………………………… 102.2
Chase Elliott …………………………… 97.3
Kevin Harvick …………………………. 95.9
Martin Truex Jr. ………………………. 94.1
Erik Jones ………………………………. 91.8
Kurt Busch ……………………………… 90.0
Denny Hamlin …………………………. 89.2
Joey Logano …………………………… 88.5
Brad Keselowski ……………………… 87.8
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (28 total) among active drivers at Texas Motor Speedway. Driver names in RED above are currently in championship contention in the playoffs.
These are the drivers who have won previously at Texas Motor Speedway in NASCAR’s top division.
Active Drivers with Texas Win(s)
Jimmie Johnson – 7 Wins (All-time Leader)
Denny Hamlin – 3 Wins (Including March 2019 race)
Kyle Busch – 3 Wins
Kevin Harvick – 2 Wins (this race in 2018 & 2017)
Joey Logano – 1 Win
Kurt Busch – 1 Win
Ryan Newman – 1 Win
Driver names in RED above are currently in championship contention in the playoffs.
Will Jimmie Johnson finally break the longest streak without a win in his career (now at 92 races)?
Can Martin Truex Jr. score back-to-back wins in the Round of Eight like he did in the Round of 16 to put maximum pressure on the other NASCAR Playoffs drivers?
Maybe Denny Hamlin will sweep the 2019 Texas races to clinch his spot in the Championship Four.
Perhaps Kevin Harvick can earn his spot in the Championship Four by winning at Texas two years in a row.
There was drama during last week’s race at Martinsville and post-race as well. Will any of that drama continue this week during the race?
These and so many more questions will be answered when the green flag waives to start the AAA Texas 500 Sunday afternoon, November 3rd at Texas Motor Speedway starting at 2 PM central time (3 PM eastern time).
Here’s a reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends Saturday, November 2nd. Make sure you “Fall Back One Hour” when you go to bed or you will be an hour early for everything Sunday … including the race.
By: Buck Stevens
