2011 Coke Zero 400

Daytona International Speedway, where the race was held.

Daytona International Speedway is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the others being Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.[4] The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long.[5] The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.[5] Kevin Harvick was the defending race winner.[6]

Prior to the race, Carl Edwards led the Drivers' Championship with 573 points, and Harvick stood in second with 548 points. Jimmie Johnson was third in the Drivers' Championship with 540 points in a Chevrolet, Kurt Busch was fourth with 539 points, and Kyle Busch was in fifth with 536 points.[7] In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 108 points, 15 points ahead of Ford. Toyota, with 84 points, was 17 ahead of Dodge in the battle for third.[8]

Two practice sessions were scheduled before the race on Thursday. The sessions were scheduled to be 80 and 85 minutes long.[9] However, because of wet weather the first practice session was cancelled, and the following session was shortened to 45 minutes long.[10] In the only practice session for the race, Marcos Ambrose was the quickest with a time of 45.133 seconds.[11] A. J. Allmendinger followed in the second position, two hundredths of a second slower than Ambrose.[11] Kurt Busch was scored third ahead of Brad Keselowski, and Mark Martin in fourth and fifth.[11]

During qualifying, forty-five cars were entered, but only forty-three were able to race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure.[12] Martin clinched his 50th career pole position, with a time of 49.433.[13] He was joined on the front row of the grid by 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne.[13] Clint Bowyer qualified third, Jeff Gordon took fourth, and David Ragan started fifth.[13] The two drivers that failed to qualify were Tony Raines and J. J. Yeley.[13]

David Ragan scored his first career Cup Series win.

1. 6-David Ragan, Led 15 of 170 Laps
2. 17-Matt Kenseth, Led 14 Laps
3. 20-Joey Logano
4. 4-Kasey Kahne, Led 19 Laps
5. 18-Kyle Busch, Led 11 Laps
6. 24-Jeff Gordon, Led 1 Lap
7. 29-Kevin Harvick, Led 16 Laps
8. 27-Paul Menard, Led 5 Laps
9. 42-Juan Pablo Montoya, Led 2 Laps
10. 43-A. J. Allmendinger
11. 14-Tony Stewart, Led 1 Lap
12. 83-Brian Vickers
13. 11-Denny Hamlin, Led 4 Laps
14. 22-Kurt Busch, Led 6 Laps
15. 2-Brad Keselowski, Led 1 Lap
16. 34-David Gilliland
17. 9-Marcos Ambrose
18. 16-Greg Biffle, Led 1 Lap
19. 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Led 1 Lap
20. 48-Jimmie Johnson
21. 31-Jeff Burton, Led 3 Laps
22. 1-Jamie McMurray, Led 1 Lap
23. 39-Ryan Newman, Led 25 Laps
24. 78-Regan Smith, Led 4 Laps
25. 00-David Reutimann
26. 51-Landon Cassill, 1 Lap Down
27. 71-Andy Lally, 1 Lap Down
28. 32-Terry Labonte, 1 Lap Down
29. 38-Travis Kvapil, 1 Lap Down; Led 1 Lap
30. 87-Joe Nemechek, 1 Lap Down; Led 1 Lap
31. 47-Bobby Labonte, 2 Laps Down
32. 13-Casey Mears, 6 Laps Down (Led 3 Laps)
33. 5-Mark Martin, 6 Laps Down; Led 15 Laps
34. 7-Robby Gordon, 7 Laps Down
35. 56-Martin Truex, Jr., Completed 162 Laps (Accident); Led 16 Laps
36. 33-Clint Bowyer, 162 Laps (Accident); Led 3 Laps
37. 99-Carl Edwards, 26 Laps Down; Led 1 Lap
38. 35-Geoffrey Bodine, 143 Laps (Wheel Bearing)
39. 36-Dave Blaney, 47 Laps (Accident)
40. 60-Mike Skinner, 5 Laps (Wheel Bearing)
41. 21-Trevor Bayne, 4 Laps (Accident)
42. 66-Michael McDowell, 2 Laps (Electrical Malfunction)
43. 97-Kevin Conway, 1 Lap (Rear Gear)

• 37-Tony Raines
• 46-J. J. Yeley