The Sprint Unlimited Notes ‘n Nuggets
The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (19 are scheduled to compete in this year’s event).
The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:
Mark Martin had appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 20 consecutive events from 1989-2008.
With his start in this year’s race, Jeff Gordon, who currently has 19 consecutive starts in the event, will tie that mark.
There have been eight multiple winners in The Sprint Unlimited:
- Tony Stewart has won three (2001, 2002 and 2007).
- Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).
- Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
- Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008) and Kevin Harvick (2009-2010).
- Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back races. No driver has ever won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited races
Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.
Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:
Bobby Allison (1982)
Bill Elliott (1987)
Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)
Jeff Gordon (1997)
There have been three winners from the pole:
Darrell Waltrip (1981)
Bill Elliott (1987)
Ken Schrader(1989)
Two drivers have swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2012:
Dale Jarrett (2000)
Bill Elliott (1987)
One driver has swept The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2012:
Bobby Allison (1982)
Seven drivers have won The Sprint Unlimited (1979-2012) and the same season’s championship. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times – four times.
Tony Stewart (2002)
Jeff Gordon (1997)
Dale Earnhardt (1993)
Dale Earnhardt (1991)
Dale Earnhardt (1986)
Darrell Waltrip (1981)
Dale Earnhardt (1980)
Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2012). None went on to win that year’s Daytona 500.
Kevin Harvick (2009-10)
Tony Stewart (2000-01)
Ken Schrader (1990-91)
Neil Bonnett (1983-84)
The Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap
Manufacturer Victories Last Victory – Driver
Chevrolet 19 2010 – Kevin Harvick
Ford 7 2004 – Dale Jarrett
Buick 2 1982 – Bobby Allison
Oldsmobile 2 1980 – Dale Earnhardt
Pontiac 2 2002 – Tony Stewart
Dodge 1 2011 – Kurt Busch
Toyota 1 2012 – Kyle Busch
By the Numbers: The Sprint Unlimited
.013 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kyle Busch over Tony Stewart in 2012, the closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
.058 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the second closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
.08 –Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the third closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history
1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Dale Jarrett (2000 and 2004) and Kevin Harvick (2009) in The Sprint Unlimited races they won
2 – The starting position that has produced the most Sprint Unlimited wins (five).
2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts
5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006)
6 – Number of Sprint Unlimited wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader
7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for The Sprint Unlimited (1981)
11 – Number of starts before winning, most since race began in 1979 (Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin)
14 – Number of different leaders in the 2009 event, most since race began in 1979
19 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in The Sprint Unlimited, leads all manufacturers
20 – Most consecutive starts in The Sprint Unlimited by Mark Martin (1989-2008)
27 – Kevin Harvick’s starting position in 2009, the lowest by a race winner in the event’s history
28 – Number of lead changes in the 2011 event, highest number since race began in 1979
44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most by a driver who did not win the event
47 – Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, the most in a single Sprint Unlimited
124.095 mph – The slowest average speed of the race for The Sprint Unlimited was last season’s event won byKyle Busch.
197.802 mph – The fastest average speed of the race for The Sprint Unlimited was in 1987 won by Bill Elliott.
