Motor Racing Statistics – By The Numbers (March 13, 2018)

The latest edition of the all-encompassing Motor Racing Statistics “By The Numbers” blog, which looks at interesting numbers through all forms of motorsports. This blog runs on Tuesdays through the year.

By The Numbers

.002 – Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch by .002 seconds – less than a foot – in the closest finish in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Darlington Raceway in 2003. The 15th anniversary of that race is Friday, March 16.

1 – Saturday is not only St. Patrick’s Day – the celebration of Ireland’s best known saint – it’s also the 12 Hours of Sebring. Derek Daly is the one and only Irish-born driver to win the 12 Hours of Sebring overall. He won in 1990 with Bob Earl, and in 1991 with Geoff and Gary Brabham.

1 – Aaron Reutzel won his first career World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series race last Friday, March 9, at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California.

1 – Lyn St. James won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1990 in the GTO class, co-driving with Robby Gordon and Calvin Fish. It marked her only 12 Hours of Sebring victory in eight attempts. St. James celebrates her birthday Tuesday, March 13.

4 – There have been four different drivers to win a NASCAR Xfinity Series race this season in as many races: Tyler Reddick (Daytona); Kevin Harvick (Atlanta); Kyle Larson (Las Vegas); and Brad Keselowski (Phoenix).

6 – Tom Kristensen holds the record for most overall victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring: six (1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2012).

7 – Each of the last seven NHRA Gatornationals events in the Top Fuel category has been won by a different driver: Del Worsham (2011); Morgan Lucas (2012); Antron Brown (2013); Doug Kalitta (2014); Spencer Massey (2015); Brittany Force (2016); and Tony Schumacher (2017).

15 – Ott Tanak holds the lead for most World Rally Championship stage victories this season with 15.

17 – Kevin Harvick now has 17 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories with Stewart-Haas Racing, one more than team co-owner Tony Stewart compiled with his team.

18 – Porsche has 18 overall victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring, with the most recent win coming in 2008.

29 – This weekend’s Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, will be the 29th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race held at the two-mile track.

37 – Sebastien Bourdais earned his 37th career IndyCar victory in Sunday’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. It was his sixth in the Verizon IndyCar Series; he earned 31 victories in the Champ Car World Series.

42 – Sebastien Ogier of France scored his 42nd World Rally Championship victory Sunday in the Rally Mexico, winning by more than a minute over Dani Sordo of Spain.

43 – A total of 43 cars are entered for Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring: 16 Prototypes, nine GTLM cars and 18 GTD cars.

49 – This weekend marks the 49th running of the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida. It will be the third stop on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series calendar and the first of the season for the Pro Stock Motorcycles.

50 – Logan Seavey led all 50 laps of Saturday’s Shamrock Classic at the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin, Illinois, the season opener for the USAC National Midget Series. It marked Seavey’s first career USAC victory.

66 – Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring will be the 66th edition of the marathon race.

67 – On this day, March 13, 67 years ago (1951), Wally Parks and three others sat down in a Los Angeles restaurant to piece together the parts that would become the National Hot Rod Association.

69 – Robert Wickens led a race-high 69 laps in Sunday’s 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season opener before contact with Alexander Rossi sent him into the wall. Wickens was the first driver since Sebastien Bourdais in 2003 to win the pole position in his first IndyCar race; Bourdais also accomplished the feat at St. Petersburg.

95 – There are 95 days (from Tuesday, March 13) until the 86th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

201 – Marco Andretti has competed in 201 Verizon IndyCar Series races in his career. Andretti celebrates his 31st birthday on Tuesday, March 13.

433 – Kevin Harvick has led 433 laps in the last three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, out of a possible 904 laps (has spent 47.9 percent of laps in the lead).

1,416.01 – Record number of miles completed in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2009, by Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello and Allan McNish, driving an Audi R15 TDI. That equates to 2,278.85 kilometers.

40,286 – Number of miles completed by Corvette Racing during the 12 Hours of Sebring.