NASCAR Numbers

NASCAR Numbers

By Reid Spencer

18: The number of drivers entered for the Feb. 15 Sprint Unlimited. The group includes Coors Light Pole Award winners from 2013 plus past winners of the event who attempted to qualify for at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race last year.

3: The number of drivers eligible for the Sprint Unlimited who did not win a pole in 2013. They are: 1985 race winner Terry Labonte, who ran five races last year with a best finish of 19th at Daytona in July; Ken Schrader, who has announced his retirement from Sprint Cup racing; and Tony Stewart, who will return to action for the first time after breaking his leg in a sprint car accident in August 2013.

196.434: In miles per hour, Danica Patrick’s pole-winning speed for last year’s Daytona 500. Patrick went on to finish eighth in the 500, the best result ever for a female driver. Thanks to her pole-winning run, Patrick also will be the first woman in the Sprint Unlimited.

2: Number of drivers who have swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500. It’s a short, but stout, list: NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987)

11: Number of consecutive different Daytona 500 pole winners. Here’s the list, in chronological order: Jeff Green, Greg Biffle, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Burton, David Gilliland, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards and Danica Patrick. This run was preceded by Johnson taking the pole in 2002 as an unheralded rookie.

NASCAR ETC.

With a start in Saturday night’s Sprint Unlimited, Jeff Gordon will own the record for consecutive starts in the annual preseason non-points race – competing in 21 consecutively. He now shares the record with Mark Martin. … Aside from  becoming the first woman to win the Daytona 500 pole last year, Danica Patrick also became only the fourth Sunoco Rookie to accomplish the feat. There are scheduled to be at least eight rookies attempting to qualify for the Daytona 500 on Sunday. … Two drivers will make Sprint Unlimited debuts – Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Five have won the event in their first appearance: Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006).  … Fans can vote on elements of the Sprint Unlimited on NASCAR.com: nas.cr/pw6j