On the Loose Side
A NASCAR BLOG BY Kenny Bruce
Mark Martin has a history of trailing Jimmie Johnson
I don’t know what to make of this, but I’ll toss it out there anyway:
Mark Martin has finished second to Jimmie Johnson more times (six) than any other active driver in NASCAR’s Cup Series.
I guess it’s worth mentioning since the two Hendrick Motorsports drivers are running one-two in the Chase For The Sprint Cup.
Johnson, on the other hand, has finished second to Martin on only one occasion.
Twenty drivers have finished second to Johnson during his 46 career wins. Martin, owner of 40 career wins, has also seen 20 different drivers run second to him.
What does it mean? Probably not much, it’s just a couple of those odd statistics that I dug up recently.
In case you’re wondering, Jeff Gordon has finished second to Martin more times (six) than anyone else. Rusty Wallace and Bobby Labonte share the honor of finishing second most often to Gordon, with each falling one spot short of a win on eight occasions.
Speaking of Wallace, the former champion ran second to Gordon when the four-time champion won his first Cup race in 1994, and he trailed Martin across the finish line when Martin scored his first victory five years earlier, in 1989.
Told you they were some odd stats.
• While we’re on the subject of odd stats, and in an attempt to move the focus off the Chase:
Who has been the best at getting their team in the race each week? It’s all in how you look at it, I suppose. Scott Speed (Red Bull Racing), Bill Elliott (Wood Brothers) and Mike Bliss (Phoenix Racing) have been fastest among those having to qualify based on speed this year. Each has been quickest three times.
TRG Motorsports has been quickest on pole day three times as well … but with a different driver each time – Bliss, David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte.
Give the Wood Brothers the nod, though. In addition to Elliott’s three quick times, Gilliland also was tops in the No. 21 on one occasion.
Unfortunately, being quick in qualifying has rarely translated into success on race day for any of those teams, with the exception being Brad Keselowski. The soon-to-be Cup regular did score the first Cup win for Phoenix Racing at Talladega earlier this year.
Kenny Bruce
Kenny Bruce is a three-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association's George Cunningham Writer of the Year Award. He joined Street & Smith's Sports Group in 2001.
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