2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350

The 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on June 26, 2011, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Contested over 110 laps, it was the sixteenth race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season and the first of two road course competitions on the schedule. The race was won by Kurt Busch for the Penske Racing team. Jeff Gordon finished second, and Carl Edwards clinched third.

2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350
Race details[1][2]
Race 16 of 36 in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Track as used by NASCAR
Date June 26, 2011 (2011-June-26)
Official name Toyota/Save Mart 350
Location Infineon Raceway Sonoma, California
Course Permanent racing facility
1.99 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 110 laps, 220 mi (350 km)
Weather Sunny with a high around 81; wind out of the SW at 13 mph.
Average speed 75.432 miles per hour (121.396 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 1:16.82
Most laps led
Driver Kurt Busch Penske Racing
Laps 75
Winner
No. 22 Kurt Busch Penske Racing
Television in the United States
Network Turner Network Television
Announcers Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach, Jr. and Kyle Petty

There were five cautions and 13 lead changes among 9 different drivers throughout the course of the race, Kurt Busch's first win of the season. The result moved Kurt Busch to the fourth position in the Drivers' Championship. He remained 34 points behind first place driver Edwards and three ahead of Kyle Busch in seventh. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 108 points, 15 points ahead Ford and 24 ahead of Toyota. Dodge was fourth on 67 points with 20 races remaining in the season.

Report

Background

Prior to the race, Carl Edwards led the Drivers' Championship with 532 points, and Kevin Harvick stood in second with 512 points. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was third in the Drivers' Championship with 505 points in a Chevrolet, Kyle Busch was fourth with 503 points, and Jimmie Johnson was in fifth also with 503 points.[3] In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 102 points, 13 points ahead of Ford. Toyota, with 81 points, was 23 ahead of Dodge in the battle for third.[4]

Infineon Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Infineon Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52 miles (4.06 km) long;[5] the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14 km).[5] The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout.[6] In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99 miles (3.20 km).[7]

Practice and qualifying

Joey Logano became the youngest pole sitter in a Cup Series road course race.

Three practice sessions were held before the Sunday race—one on Friday, and two on Saturday. The first session lasted 90 minutes. The Saturday afternoon session lasted 45 minutes, and the evening session lasted 75 minutes.[8] In the first practice session, Kurt Busch was the quickest, leading Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex, Jr., who were in second, third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.[9] During qualifying, forty-four cars were entered, but only forty-three were able to race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure.[10] Joey Logano clinched his second career pole position, with a time of 1:16.82.[11] He was joined on the front row of the grid by Jamie McMurray.[11] Paul Menard qualified third, Hamlin took fourth, and Ryan Newman started fifth.[11] The driver that failed to qualify was Tony Ave.[11]

In the second practice session, McMurray was the fastest with a fastest lap time of 1:17.62, less than two-tenths of a second quicker than second-placed Kurt Busch.[12] Clint Bowyer took third place, ahead of fourth-placed Kyle Busch and A. J. Allmendinger.[12] The Saturday evening session was held around the same time of day the race would start.[13] Brad Keselowski was the quickest, posting a time of 1:18.10, narrowly faster than both McMurray in second and Kurt Busch in third.[13] Juan Pablo Montoya and Bowyer, rounded out the top five positions.[13]


Results

Qualifying

No. Driver Team Manufacturer Speed Time Grid
20Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota93.2561:16.821
1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet93.2231:16.852
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet93.1761:16.893
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota93.0811:16.964
39Ryan NewmanStewart Haas RacingChevrolet93.0621:16.985
4Kasey KahneRed Bull Racing TeamToyota92.9361:17.096
43A. J. AllmendingerRichard Petty MotorsportsFord92.9351:17.097
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord92.9181:17.108
33Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet92.8301:17.179
83Brian VickersRed Bull Racing TeamToyota92.7201:17.2710
22Kurt BuschPenske RacingDodge92.6161:17.3511
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet92.5611:17.4012
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet92.5531:17.4013
56Martin Truex, Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota92.5451:17.4114
2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge92.4471:17.4915
5Mark MartinHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet92.4391:17.5016
42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet92.4111:17.5217
88Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet92.3721:17.5618
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota92.3481:17.5819
14Tony StewartStewart Haas RacingChevrolet92.1841:17.7120
47Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota92.1571:17.7421
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord92.0961:17.7922
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord92.0761:17.8123
78Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet92.0221:17.8524
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet91.9871:17.8825
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet91.8181:18.0226
13Casey MearsGermain RacingToyota91.7641:18.0727
7Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge91.7511:18.0828
34David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord91.6891:18.1329
51Boris SaidPhoenix RacingChevrolet91.6031:18.2130
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota91.4061:18.3831
00David ReutimannMichael Waltrip RacingToyota91.3881:18.3932
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord91.3151:18.4533
6David RaganRoush Fenway RacingFord91.2551:18.5134
77P. J. JonesRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge91.2231:18.5335
36Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet91.2141:18.5436
60Mike SkinnerGermain RacingToyota90.7811:18.9237
66David MayhewHP RacingToyota90.5611:19.1138
32Terry LabonteFAS Lane RacingFord90.5041:19.1639
81Brian SimoWhitney MotorsportsChevrolet90.3461:19.3040
71Andy LallyTRG MotorsportsFord90.3031:19.3341
37Chris CookFront Row MotorsportsFord90.2851:19.3542
46Andy PilgrimWhitney MotorsportsChevrolet89.8851:19.7043
Failed to Qualify
38Tony AveFront Row MotorsportsFord89.7171:19.85

Race results

Kurt Busch won the race.
Pos Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
11122Kurt BuschPenske RacingDodge11048
21324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11042
32399Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord11041
4933Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11041
589Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord11039
6120Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota11039
71248Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11037
81456Martin Truex, Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota11036
92629Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11036
10152Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge11034
111918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota11033
122934David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord11033
13743A. J. AllmendingerRichard Petty MotorsportsFord11031
143317Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord11030
1521Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet11029
162478Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet11029
17327Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11027
18287Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge11026
19165Mark MartinHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11025
2064Kasey KahneRed Bull Racing TeamToyota11024
212531Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11023
221742Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet11023
232216Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord11021
243200David ReutimannMichael Waltrip RacingToyota11020
25539Ryan NewmanStewart Haas RacingChevrolet11019
264346Andy PilgrimWhitney MotorsportsChevrolet11018
274237Chris CookFront Row MotorsportsFord11017
283051Boris SaidPhoenix RacingChevrolet11016
29346David RaganRoush Fenway RacingFord11015
303866Michael McDowellHP RacingToyota11014
313636Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet11013
323932Terry LabonteFAS Lane RacingFord11012
334081Brian SimoWhitney MotorsportsChevrolet10911
342713Casey MearsGermain RacingToyota10810
354171Andy LallyTRG MotorsportsFord1049
361083Brian VickersRed Bull Racing TeamToyota1038
37411Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota998
382147Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota916
392014Tony StewartStewart Haas RacingChevrolet886
403187Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota660
411888Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet453
423760Mike SkinnerGermain RacingToyota100
433577P. J. JonesRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge51
Source:[16][17]

Standings after the race

References

  1. "Sprint Cup Series Schedule". ESPN. Archived from the original on 20 January 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  2. "The Toyota/Save Mart 350". 21 June 2011. Rotoworld.com. Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  3. "Driver's Championship Classification". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  4. "Manufactures' Championship Classification". Jaski.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  5. "Sears Point". www.gt-racing.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  6. "Passing is tough in Chute". The Augusta Chronicle. 28 June 1998. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  7. "Sears Point Breaks Ground On Modified Chute". Racingwest.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  8. http://www.jayski.com/news/races/2011/story?id=6457457#prac
  9. "Practice 1 Results". NASCAR. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  10. "Qualifying Order". NASCAR. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  11. "Qualifying Results (Race Lineup)". NASCAR. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  12. "Second Practice Session Results". NASCAR. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  13. "Third Practice Session Results". NASCAR. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  14. "Lineup Statistics". MotorRacingNetwork.com. Archived from the original on 27 June 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  15. "Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site — Infineon Sprint Cup Qualifying Order/Results, Lineup". Jayski.com. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  16. "2011 Official Race Results : Toyota/Save Mart 350". NASCAR. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  17. "Toyota/Save Mart 350 Race Results". Motor Racing Network. International Speedway Corporation. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
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