The Chase/The Playoffs
a whisker plot showing the distribution of green-flag speeds for playoff drivers during the playoffs.
The Chase/The Playoffs
Talladega Superspeedway
A pie chart showing that 50% of the drivers who get into the playoffs having only won road courses and/or superspeedway races don't make it out of the top 16.
Road Courses
Drivers
Road Courses

Which NASCAR Tracks Are Most Accident Prone?

With Bristol this weekend, thoughts turn naturally to carnage. Short track racing means accidents. Given the greater-than-usual level of aggression among drivers this year, we can expect there to be at least a few collisions.

But does short-track mayhem hold a candle to Daytona and Talladega? Let’s see. […]

Busch, Kyle
Busch, Kurt

Winning vs. Consistency: The Delicate Balance of the NASCAR Playoffs

The NASCAR playoffs determine the season’s champion. Is the champion the guy who wins the most races? Or the guy who runs up front the most?

There’s no scientific way to answer this question, but there is data. NASCAR has modified their playoffs to try to create a suitable balance between winning and consistency. Have they succeeded?

[…]

Drivers
Road Courses