Texas: NASCAR Sprint Cup Starting Line-up & Race Preview Posted by: MSulka on Nov 08, 2009 - 07:25 AM

Texas: NASCAR Sprint Cup Starting Line-up & Race Preview By Mike Sulka Ladies and Gentlemen... It's Texas time! The NASCAR Sprint Cup series has been racing at Texas Motor Speedway since 1997. In 2005, the Cup series added a second date for 'The Great American Speedway' located in Fort Worth, Texas. TMS is much like Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 1.5-mile oval owned by SMI - Speedway Motorsports Inc. - has 24 degree banking, and is D-shaped. In all, 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races have been run at the Speedway run by the flamboyant Eddie Gossage. In all, there have been 14 different winners in the 17 races. If you are looking for a solid winner today, there isn't one. The two most dominant winning drivers over the years have been Carl Edwards (3 wins - Fall, 2005 & both 2008 races), and Jeff Burton (2 wins - 1997 & Fall 2007). In the Spring of 2009, Edwards finished 10th, while Burton finished ninth. There is no clear winner today.

Looking at top five finishes over the years, there are a few trends... but Burton and Edwards aren't leaders there.

Jeff Gordon has the most top fives with 7 in 17 races. Gordon also won the Spring, 2009 race, and finished second in the Fall, 2008. So he's got the hottest current streak.

Matt Kenseth has six top five finishes in 14 tries, his last top five came in the Spring, 2009 race (5th). Kenseth has also had three second place finishes since 2006.

But if you are looking for a points standings shake up, you aren't going to like this next stat.

Jimmie Johnson has finished first or second in three of his last four visits to Texas. In fact, he's also finished second or better in four of his last six races at the track.

Jimmie Johnson fans are gonna love today's pick as we are going to pick...

Anybody other than Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon today. Not only would we like the NASCAR Sprint Cup 'Chase' to have some added tension, but we'll remind you of the first stat we quoted - 17 races, 14 different winners.

We haven't a clue who it will be, but we expect another first time Texas winner today.

And the top ranked driver without a Cup win at Texas is also the hottest driver at Texas... Kyle Busch. Busch won the NASCAR Camping World Truck race on Friday night. Yesterday afternoon, Busch won the NASCAR Nationwide race.

Today, we'll be rooting for history to be made as Kyle Busch will become the first NASCAR driver to win all three series races at one circuit.

So enjoy today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race, its sure to be a good one!

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