2012 STP 400

The 2012 STP 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on April 22, 2012 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Contested over 267 laps, it was the eighth race of the 2012 season. Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing took his second win of the season, while Martin Truex, Jr. finished second and Jimmie Johnson finished third.

2012 STP 400
Race details[1][2][3]
Race 8 of 36 in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Date April 22, 2012 (2012-04-22)
Location Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.5 km)
Weather Sunshine; wind out of the ENE at 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Penske Racing
Time 30.683
Most laps led
Driver Martin Truex, Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing
Laps 173
Winner
No. 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network Fox Broadcasting Company
Announcers Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds

Report

Background

Kansas Speedway, the race track where the race was held.

Kansas Speedway is one of ten intermediate tracks to hold NASCAR races.[4] The standard track at Kansas Speedway is a four-turn D-shaped oval track that is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long.[5] The track's turns are banked at fifteen degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is 10.4 degrees. The back stretch, opposite of the front, is at only five degrees.[5] The racetrack has seats for 82,000 spectators.[5]

Before the race, Greg Biffle led the Drivers' Championship with 273 points, and Matt Kenseth stood in second with 254. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was third in the Drivers' Championship also with 254 points, one ahead of Martin Truex, Jr. and five ahead of Kevin Harvick in fourth and fifth. Denny Hamlin with 242 was eight ahead of Tony Stewart, as Jimmie Johnson with 233 points, was eight ahead of Ryan Newman, and fourteen in front of Clint Bowyer.[6] In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 48 points, six ahead of Ford. Toyota, with 34 points, was 30 points ahead of Dodge in the battle for third.[7] Brad Keselowski was the race's defending race winner after winning it in 2011.[8]

Practice and qualifying

A. J. Allmendinger (pictured in 2015) won the pole position, after having the fastest time of 30.683 seconds.

Two practice sessions were held before the race on Friday. The first session lasted 80 minutes long, while the second was 90 minutes long.[9] Kyle Busch was quickest with a time of 31.083 seconds in the first session, over one-tenth of a second faster than Carl Edwards.[10] Kasey Kahne was third, followed by Landon Cassill, Earnhardt, Jr., and Newman. Stewart was seventh, still within a second of Kyle Busch's time.[10] In the second practice session, Johnson was fastest with a time of 30.865 seconds, only 0.113 seconds quicker than second-placed Mark Martin.[11] Biffle took third place, ahead of Keselowski, Sam Hornish, Jr. and Edwards. Jeff Burton managed to be seventh quickest.[11]

Forty-six cars were entered for qualifying, but only forty-three can race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure.[12] A. J. Allmendinger clinched his second pole position during his career, with a time of 30.683 seconds.[13] He was joined on the front row of the grid by Harvick.[13] Joey Logano qualified third, Hamlin took fourth, and Martin started fifth.[13] Truex, Jr., Earnhardt, Jr., Bowyer, Kahne, and Hornish, Jr. rounded out the first ten positions.[13] The three drivers who failed to qualify for the race were Tim Andrews, Jeff Green and Tony Raines, who had times of 31.820 and 31.846 seconds.[13]

Race

The race, the eighth in the season, started at 1:16 p.m. EDT and was televised live in the United States on Fox.[1] The conditions on the grid were dry before the race and overcast skies are expected.[14] Cole Cochran, of Kansas City Alliance Raceway Ministries, began pre-race ceremonies, by giving the invocation. Next, Jeremy Vitt performed the national anthem, and Victory Junction Gang Camp ambassadors gave the command for drivers to start their engines.[14] During the pace laps, Logano had to move to the rear of the grid because of changing his engine.[14]

Results

Qualifying

No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed Grid
22A. J. AllmendingerPenske RacingDodge30.683175.9931
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.726175.7472
20Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.730175.7243
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.740175.6674
55Mark MartinMichael Waltrip RacingToyota30.772175.4845
56Martin Truex, Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota30.779175.4446
88Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.802175.3137
15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota30.804175.3028
5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.841175.0929
12Sam Hornish, Jr.Penske RacingDodge30.842175.08610
2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge30.846175.06311
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.870174.92712
39Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet30.877174.88713
51Kurt BuschPhoenix RacingChevrolet30.879174.87614
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.892174.80315
10David ReutimannTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet30.892174.80316
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord30.909174.70617
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord30.948174.48618
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.977174.32319
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.988174.26120
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord30.991174.24421
38David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord31.004174.17122
14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet31.009174.14323
30David StremmeInception MotorsportsToyota31.029174.03124
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota31.031174.02025
43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord31.034174.00326
34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord31.044173.94727
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord31.059173.86328
78Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet31.078173.75629
47Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota31.080173.74530
49J. J. YeleyRobinson-Blakeney RacingToyota31.121173.51631
83Landon CassillBK RacingToyota31.144173.38832
36Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet31.145173.38333
23Scott RiggsR3 MotorsportsChevrolet31.169173.24934
93Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota31.174173.22135
1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.181173.18236
98Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord31.186173.15537
26Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord31.258172.75638
42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.303172.50739
13Casey MearsGermain RacingFord31.398171.98640
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota31.464171.62541
32Reed SorensonFAS Lane RacingFord31.754170.05742
19Mike BlissHumphrey Smith RacingToyota31.506171.39643
Failed to Qualify
79Tim AndrewsGo Green RacingFord31.581170.989
33Jeff GreenJoe FalkChevrolet31.808169.769
74Tony RainesTurn One RacingChevrolet31.869169.444
: Qualified by owner points.[13]
:Logano will start last on the grid after changing an engine before qualifying.[3]

Race results

Denny Hamlin won the race.
Pos Grid Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Run Points
1411Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26747
2656Martin Truex, Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota26744
31548Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26742
41817Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord26741
51716Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord26739
6229Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26738
7788Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26737
895Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26736
92199Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord26736
102518Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26734
11112Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge26734
123942Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26733
132314Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet26731
14361Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26630
15320Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26629
16289Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord26628
171451Kurt BuschPhoenix RacingChevrolet26627
181927Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26626
191012Sam Hornish, Jr.Penske RacingDodge2660
201339Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet26524
212024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26423
221231Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26422
232643Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord26421
242978Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet26320
253593Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota26319
264013Casey MearsGermain RacingFord26318
272238David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord26317
284232Reed SorensonFAS Lane RacingFord2630
291610David ReutimannTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet26215
302734David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord26214
313149J. J. YeleyRobinson-Blakeney RacingToyota26113
32122A. J. AllmendingerPenske RacingDodge25713
33555Mark MartinMichael Waltrip RacingToyota25511
343283Landon CassillBK RacingToyota21410
353047Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota1329
36815Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota1258
373336Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet827
382430David StremmeInception MotorsportsToyota806
393826Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord655
403798Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord584
414187Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota470
424319Mike BlissHumphrey Smith RacingToyota270
433423Scott RiggsR3 MotorsportsChevrolet181
Source:[17][18]

Standings after the race

References

  1. "Sprint Cup Series Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  2. Brown, Brian (April 17, 2012). "The STP 400". Rotoworld.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  3. "Allmendinger earns Kansas pole". inRacingNews.com. April 21, 2012. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  4. "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  5. "NASCAR Tracks—The Kansas Speedway". Kansas Speedway. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  6. "Driver's Championship Classification". NASCAR. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  7. "Manufactures' Championship Classification". Jayski.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  8. "2011 STP 400". racing-reference.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  9. "Jayski'sŽ NASCAR Silly Season Site – Sprint Cup Race Info / Rundown Page". Jayski.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  10. "Practice One Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  11. "Practice Two Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  12. "Qualifying Entry List". NASCAR. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  13. "Race Official Lineup". NASCAR. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  14. "Race Summary". NASCAR. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  15. "Lineup Statistics". MotorRacingNetwork.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  16. "Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site — Kansas Sprint Cup Qualifying Order/Results, Lineup". Jayski.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  17. "2012 Official Race Results : STP 400". NASCAR. April 23, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  18. "STP 400 Race Results". Motor Racing Network. International Speedway Corporation. April 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
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