NASCAR Loop Data: Data Selection Wizard

The Loop Data Wizard give you complete control over selecting any combination of races and tracks to get the combined NASCAR Loop Data results.

I have pre-grouped the tracks based on a 'similar NASCAR tracks' theory written up by Christopher Harris for ESPN a few year ago. It might have some arguable points, but I have always liked it.

Restrictor Plate
Road Course
Flat Banked
Shallow Banked
Steep Banked
Cookie-Cutter
Odd Four

Restrictor Plate Tracks

There are only two restrictor plate tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Both Daytona & Talladega use horsepower-zapping plates over the carburetors to limit the amount of air coming into the engine. The entire race is run in a tight-pack of traffic. The team that gets their car too handle the best in this traffic (and that has luck on their side that day) usually do the best.

Daytona	Talladega
07-2010 \| Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola 02-2010 \| Daytona 500 07-2009 \| Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola 02-2009 \| Daytona 500 07-2008 \| Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola 02-2008 \| Daytona 500 07-2007 \| Pepsi 400 02-2007 \| Daytona 500 07-2006 \| Pepsi 400 02-2006 \| Daytona 500 07-2005 \| Pepsi 400 02-2005 \| Daytona 500	04-2010 \| Aaron's 499 11-2009 \| AMP Energy 500 04-2009 \| Aaron's 499 10-2008 \| AMP Energy 500 04-2008 \| Aaron's 499 10-2007 \| UAW-Ford 500 04-2007 \| Aaron's 499 10-2006 \| UAW-Ford 500 05-2006 \| Aaron's 499 10-2005 \| UAW-Ford 500 05-2005 \| Aaron's 499

Road Course Tracks

There are only two road courses on the NASCAR circuit. In the past it used to be the 'road course ringers' that were brought in by teams to replace their regular 'go fast, turn left' driver. Not so anymore. Although some 'ringers' still run for a few start-up teams or those flirting with falling out of the top-35 in points, most all of the NASCAR regulars have gotten adept at racing the road courses.

Infineon	Watkins Glen
06-2010 \| Toyota/Save Mart 350 06-2009 \| Toyota / Save Mart 350 06-2008 \| Toyota / Save Mart 350 06-2007 \| Toyota / Save Mart 350 06-2006 \| Dodge / Save Mart 350 06-2005 \| Dodge / Save Mart 350	08-2010 \| Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen 08-2009 \| Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen 08-2008 \| Centurion Boats at the Glen 08-2007 \| Centurion Boats at the Glen 08-2006 \| AMD at the Glen 08-2005 \| Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen

Flat Tracks

These four 'flat' tracks range in banking from 2° to 14° and vary in length from .526 miles to 1.058 miles. And while not a universal statement of 'good at one then good at all' of these tracks is true, the relative similar flatness of these tracks does create a similar racing style and patience needed by the driver. As well, it is important that the teams hit on the set-up of the car to give it the ability to turn well in the turns.

Martinsville	New Hampshire
03-2010 \| Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 10-2009 \| Tums Fast Relief 500 03-2009 \| Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 10-2008 \| Tums QuikPak 500 03-2008 \| Goody's Cool Orange 500 10-2007 \| Subway 500 04-2007 \| Goody's Cool Orange 500 10-2006 \| Subway 500 04-2006 \| DirecTV 500 10-2005 \| Subway 500 04-2005 \| Advance Auto Parts 500	06-2010 \| Lenox Industrial Tools 301 09-2009 \| Sylvania 300 06-2009 \| Lenox Industrial Tools 301 09-2008 \| Sylvania 300 06-2008 \| Lenox Industrial Tools 301 09-2007 \| Sylvania 300 07-2007 \| Lenox Industrial Tools 300 09-2006 \| Sylvania 300 07-2006 \| Lenox Industrial Tools 300 09-2005 \| Sylvania 300 07-2005 \| New England 300
Phoenix	Richmond
04-2010 \| Subway Fresh Fit 600 11-2009 \| Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 04-2009 \| Subway Fresh Fit 500 11-2008 \| Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 04-2008 \| Subway Fresh Fit 500 11-2007 \| Checker Auto Parts 500 04-2007 \| Subway Fresh Fit 500 11-2006 \| Checker Auto Parts 500 04-2006 \| Subway Fresh 500 11-2005 \| Checker Auto Parts 500 04-2005 \| Subway Fresh 500	05-2010 \| Crown Royal Presents The Heath Calhoun 400 09-2009 \| Chevy Rock & Roll 400 05-2009 \| Crown Royal Presents the Russ Friedman 400 09-2008 \| Chevy Rock & Roll 400 05-2008 \| Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 09-2007 \| Chevy Rock & Roll 400 05-2007 \| Crown Royal Presents The Jim Stewart 400 09-2006 \| Chevy Rock & Roll 400 05-2006 \| Crown Royal 400 09-2005 \| Chevy Rock & Roll 400 05-2005 \| Chevy American Revolution 400

Shallow Tracks

These two tracks are shallow-banked, but they're much larger than the 'Flat Banked' group, so they warrant their own category. The Brickyard in Indy obviously requires a lot of horsepower, but it's a shallow-banked place, so it's not at all an equivalent of your superspeedways. Pocono is a tri-cornered place set up to run partly like a speedway and partly like a road course; teams tend to set their cars up to work best off of Turn 3, the 6-degree turn, which is why we find that racers who do well at shallow Indy tend to do well at Pocono.

Indianapolis	Pocono
07-2010 \| Brickyard 400 07-2009 \| Allstate 400 At The Brickyard 07-2008 \| Allstate 400 At The Brickyard 07-2007 \| Allstate 400 At The Brickyard 08-2006 \| Allstate 400 At The Brickyard 08-2005 \| Allstate 400 At The Brickyard	08-2010 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2010 \| Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 08-2009 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2009 \| Pocono 500 08-2008 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2008 \| Pocono 500 08-2007 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2007 \| Pocono 500 07-2006 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2006 \| Pocono 500 07-2005 \| Pennsylvania 500 06-2005 \| Pocono 500

Steep Banked Tracks

Steep tracks that don't adhere to the cookie-cutter formula, and they're certainly the loosest group on this list. Bristol is often referred to as a "mini-Dover" (or, rather, Dover is referred to as a "Big Bristol"); at 36 degrees, Bristol is the steepest-banked joint on the circuit. Dover is concrete, and the high torque and aggressive driving styles that work on one usually work on the other. Same for the new configuration of Homestead, which used to be a flat track, but acquired some steep corners a few years ago. That grouping of three has worked pretty well for us in the past. The wild cards here are Darlington and Las Vegas. Darlington is definitely steep-banked enough to qualify for this group, but its sandpaper racing surface and difficult, narrow exits out of the turns make it its own animal. Darlington also encourages sliding out of the corners, which gives it something in common with Texas, among others. Meanwhile, like Homestead, Las Vegas Motor Speedway used to be a flat track, until its owners rebuilt the track's turns in the fall of '06. Now its configuration is something like the new Homestead.

Bristol	Darlington
08-2010 \| Irwin Tools Night Race 03-2010 \| Food City 500 08-2009 \| Sharpie 500 03-2009 \| Food City 500 08-2008 \| Sharpie 500 03-2008 \| Food City 500 08-2007 \| Sharpie 500 03-2007 \| Food City 500 08-2006 \| Sharpie 500 03-2006 \| Food City 500 08-2005 \| Sharpie 500 04-2005 \| Food City 500	05-2010 \| Showtime Southern 500 05-2009 \| Southern 500 05-2008 \| Dodge Avenger 500 05-2007 \| Dodge Avenger 500 05-2006 \| Dodge Charger 500 05-2005 \| Dodge Charger 500
Dover	Homestead-Miami
05-2010 \| Autism Speaks 400 09-2009 \| AAA 400 05-2009 \| Autism Speaks 400 09-2008 \| Camping World RV 400 06-2008 \| Best Buy 400 09-2007 \| Dodge Dealers 400 06-2007 \| Autism Speaks 400 09-2006 \| Dover 400 06-2006 \| Neighborhood Excellence 400 09-2005 \| MBNA NASCAR RacePoints 400 06-2005 \| MBNA RacePoints 400	11-2009 \| Ford 400 11-2008 \| Ford 400 11-2007 \| Ford 400 11-2006 \| Ford 400 11-2005 \| Ford 400
Las Vegas
02-2010 \| Shelby American 03-2009 \| Shelby 427 03-2008 \| UAW-Dodge 400 03-2007 \| UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 03-2006 \| UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 03-2005 \| UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400

Cookie-Cutter Tracks

Other than perhaps the road courses and superspeedways, this is the tightest grouping, because these cousin cookie-cutters are damn well near identical. If a guy dominates one, it's often safe to assume he's going to perform quite well at the others.

Atlanta	Charlotte
09-2010 \| Labor Day Classic 500 03-2010 \| Kobalt Tools 500 09-2009 \| Pep Boys Auto 500 03-2009 \| Kobalt Tools 500 10-2008 \| Pep Boys Auto 500 03-2008 \| Kobalt Tools 500 10-2007 \| Pep Boys Auto 500 03-2007 \| Kobalt Tools 500 10-2006 \| Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 03-2006 \| Golden Corral 500 10-2005 \| Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 03-2005 \| Golden Corral 500	05-2010 \| Coca-Cola 600 10-2009 \| NASCAR Banking 500 05-2009 \| Coca-Cola 600 10-2008 \| Bank Of America 500 05-2008 \| Coca Cola 600 10-2007 \| Bank Of America 500 05-2007 \| Coca Cola 600 10-2006 \| Bank Of America 500 05-2006 \| Coca-Cola 600 10-2005 \| UAW-GM Quality 500 05-2005 \| Coca-Cola 600
Texas
04-2010 \| Samsung Mobile 500 11-2009 \| Dickies 500 04-2009 \| Samsung 500 11-2008 \| Dickies 500 04-2008 \| Samsung 500 11-2007 \| Dickies 500 04-2007 \| Samsung 500 11-2006 \| Dickies 500 04-2006 \| Samsung / Radio Shack 500 11-2005 \| Dickies 500 04-2005 \| Samsung / Radio Shack 500

Odd Four

This isn't a straight-up foursome. The tracks which bear the most similarity are the two 2-milers, Fontana and Michigan. They're both Penske creations, and while the Fontana venue doesn't get the winters that the Michigan track does, they still ride relatively similarly. Kansas and Chicagoland both have single events each year, and are basically stand-alone tracks. However, Kansas bears a semi-strong resemblance to Chicagoland, and a somewhat fainter resemblance to Fontana, while Chicagoland bears a semi-strong resemblance to Kansas, and a somewhat fainter resemblance to Michigan. Yes, Kansas and Chicagoland are both 1.5-milers, but they really don't resemble the Atlanta-Charlotte-Texas triumvirate.

Chicagoland	Kansas
07-2010 \| LifeLock.com 400 07-2009 \| LifeLock.com 400 07-2008 \| Lifelock.com 400 07-2007 \| USG Sheetrock 400 07-2006 \| USG Sheetrock 400 07-2005 \| USG Sheetrock 400	10-2009 \| Price Chopper 400 09-2008 \| Camping World RV 400 09-2007 \| Lifelock 400 10-2006 \| Banquet 400 10-2005 \| Banquet 400
Fontana	Michigan
02-2010 \| Auto Club 500 10-2009 \| Pepsi 500 02-2009 \| Auto Club 500 08-2008 \| Pepsi 500 02-2008 \| Auto Club 500 09-2007 \| Sharp Aquos 500 02-2007 \| Auto Club 500 09-2006 \| Sony HD 500 02-2006 \| Auto Club 500 09-2005 \| Sony HD 500 02-2005 \| Auto Club 500	08-2010 \| Carfax 400 06-2010 \| Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 08-2009 \| Carfax 400 06-2009 \| LifeLock 400 08-2008 \| 3M Performance 400 06-2008 \| LifeLock 400 08-2007 \| 3M Performance 400 06-2007 \| Citizens Bank 400 08-2006 \| GFS Marketplace 400 06-2006 \| 3M Performance 400 08-2005 \| GFS Marketplace 400 06-2005 \| Batman Begins 400

FANTASY NASCAR RACING CHEATSHEET