All-Star All the Time: Johnson Wins Million Dollar Race

Photo Credit: Brian Lawdermilk/HHP - Pool/Getty Images

Since 1986, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has recognized some of the sports superstars with the running of an All-Star race. Held up Charlotte Motor Speedway for all but one year (Atlanta in 1987), the All-Star race is NASCAR’s top series’ title sponsors reward to event winners.

For 2012, 20 winner of 2011 and 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events were granted an instant pass into the latest Sprint All-Star event worth a million dollars to the race’s ultimate victor. Prior to the event, a 40-lap race of non-recent Sprint Cup Series winners was held resulting in three additional places. By winning the Sprint Showdown, Dale Earnhardt Jr and the #88 Dale Jr Foundation Chevrolet was granted the for entry into the All-Star race. Finishing behind Earnhardt Jr, AJ Allmendinger’s charge to 2^nd place was rewarded with the second pass. The third and final entrant in the 2012 Sprint All-Star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway was Bobby Labonte who gained access to the race by being the Fan Vote Favourite.

A 23-car field led by Kyle Busch and the #18 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, the 23-car field started for what would be a total 90-lap race (divided into four 20-lap segments and a final 10-lap sprint). In the first segment of the 2012 Sprint All-Star race, Kyle Busch led the first 14 laps until the #48 Lowes Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson motored by the Toyota. Johnson would storm to win in the first 20-lap segment of the event. Winning the initial segment of the Sprint All-Star event, Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsport team would play strategy by pitting through the end of the remaining 20-lap races. The win of a race segment by Johnson and other segment winner gave the drivers a top spot in the final 10-lap run.

Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

In the second segment, the #17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford of Matt Kenseth took the victory from Denny Hamlin in the few 3 laps of the 20-lap race. The success at the end of the segment for Roush Fenway Racing was accompanied with some disappointment when the #99 team car of Carl Edwards suffered an engine problem 7 laps into the second race. Using special engines developed for the short non-points race, Roush Fenway Racing would also lose the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle to a spectacular engine explosion during the mid-way point of the third race segment. The issues with the Roush Fenway Racing Ford engines would be the only race incidents that would result in yellow flags during the segments.

Dominating the third segment for almost the entire event, Brad Kieslowski’s #2 Miller Lite Dodge was being reeled-in by the #5 Chevrolet driven by Kasey Kahne. Driving a back-up after crashing in qualifying, Kahne sized up the blue Penske Racing-fielded Dodge through the final laps never able to find a full advantage on Keselowski. Through the final corner of the final lap of the segment, Kasey Kahne swung his Chevrolet under Brad Keselowski on a run to the finish line. By a matter of inches, Keselowski’s Dodge held into a victory in the third segment.

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Segment four was possibility the biggest crowd-pleaser as NASCAR Sprint Cup’s Most Popular Driver showed some major fight. Early in the run, Sprint Showdown winner Dale Earnhardt Jr found the edge on front-starting #51 Chevrolet piloted by Kurt Busch. Going onto victory in the fourth and final segment, Earnhardt Jr and the #88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports bucked the trend of usually unimpressive All-Star races. During the entire 2012 Sprint All-Star race, Dale Earnhardt Jr was able to pass fast cars with the #88 car in the Charlotte Motor Speedway event.

Setting up the final 10-lap run for the Sprint All-Star race, the winners of the previous segments were rewarded with top starting positions (at risk if they lose spots during a pit stop). After a mandatory trip down pit road for all NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders, the top-four leaders chose to stop-and-go preserving their race positions. With Jimmie Johnson starting at the front, the #48 Lowes Chevrolet needed only a strong restart to chart a path to victory. As Johnson accomplished a textbook launch, the outside front row starting car spun its tires. Holding off Brad Keselowski handsomely through the final laps, Jimmie Johnson powered the #48 Chevrolet to his third All-Star race victory (last win coming in 2006).

The win #48 team concludes what has been a fully strong week for the organization who appeared to be struggling through the early part of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Winning Hendrick Motorsport’s 200^th Cup race last Saturday at Darlington, the crew also won the annual pit competition held in conjunction with the NASCAR all-star race weekend. The victory celebration for the Sprint All-Star was complete with Johnson taking the Checkered Flag from the flagman while during a burn-out and team owner Rick Hendrick riding on the race car.

Rounding out the top five in the 2012 Sprint All-Star race is Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.



2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Sprint All-Star Race
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race Results

1	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Patriotic Chevrolet
2	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
3	17	Matt Kenseth	Fifth Third Bank Ford
4	18	Kyle Busch	M&M's Toyota
5	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	DaleJrFndtn/NationalGuard/DietMtnDew Chev
6	29	Kevin Harvick	Budweiser / Rheem Chevrolet
7	9	Marcos Ambrose	DeWalt Ford
8	51	Kurt Busch	Monster Energy Chevrolet
9	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
10	39	Ryan Newman	Tornados Chevrolet
11	22	AJ Allmendinger	Pennzoil Dodge
12	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
13	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
14	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
15	21	Trevor Bayne	Good Sam / Camping World Ford
16	27	Paul Menard	Menards / CertainTeed Chevrolet
17	14	Tony Stewart	Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet
18	34	David Ragan	US Shredder Ford
19	47	Bobby Labonte	KingsFrd Toyota
20	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Office Toyota
21	55	Mark Martin	Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
22	16	Greg Biffle	3M / American Red Cross Ford
23	99	Carl Edwards	Fastenal Ford

Late Race Events Set Up Kyle Busch for Richmond Cup Win

Photo Credit: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

The Saturday night race at Richmond International Raceway couldn't have come at a better time for the NASCAR sprint Cup Series. Receiving some backlash for the lack of excitement through three of the past four races, the premier stock car racing series in the world was looking forward to the 2012 season's first attempt at the 3/4-mile short track oval in the state of Virginia.

With the Mark Martin driven #55 Aarons Toyota starting on pole position for the second time this season, the 43 cars took the green flag for the Capital City 400 at Richmond. Martin led the first 29 laps of the 400-lap event until the #99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford wheeled by Carl Edwards took the led position of the NASCAR Sprint Cup field. As teammates Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle have already secured wins in the series for 2012, Edwards finds himself in position to allow all three full-time Roush Fenway Racing runners to lock up early season victories throughout the Capital City 400.

Due to an rainstorm earlier in the today that altered the track handling characteristics, NASCAR appeased drivers and teams with competition caution on lap 50 allowing competitors to adjust for differing race conditions from practice. At the end of the planned caution period, Carl Edwards reclaimed the race's lead and mobilized himself as a dominant force from lap 55 to lap 200.

Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

Behind Edwards in the first half of this 400-lap short track event for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson had mounted a torrent run towards the top positions of the Richmond race. Starting back in 27th spot as the lowest-starting Hendrick Motorsports car in the Capital City 400, the #48 Chevrolet of Johnson would leave the event leading the team's only lap on the Sprint Cup field throughout the night on lap 310. While Jimmie Johnson and team were able to mount a solid effort to break into the top-5, their efforts were largely undone through an undisciplined pit stop on lap 312. An uncharacteristically sloppy pit service by the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team not only cost Jimmie Johnson position initially, NASCAR examination of the stop caught that a tire was not under the control a crew member resulting in penalty. Dropped to the tail end of the race field with only 82 laps remaining in the race, Johnson made a valiant charge back through the field but could only manage a 6th place finish.

Through the second-half of the Capital City 400, the race appeared to belong to either the #99 Ford of Carl Edwards or the #14 Chevrolet of Tony Stewart. Collectively leading 324 of the race's 400 laps, the two 2011 point contenders were sharing the lead of the Richmond event. As a lap 318 restart appeared to shape up an interesting would eliminate the #99 car from a highly probable victory. 

Photo Credit: Brian Czobat/ Autostock, USA/Ford Motor Company 

Lined-up alongside Tony Stewart on the outside lane, Carl Edwards launched away from the #14 Chevrolet coming to the start/finish line. Aided by a dramatic spin of the tires from Stewart's car, the #99 Ford gained a huge advantage on a very strong restart. Unfortunately, Edwards' start would be concluded to be too quick as a review of field starting procedure clearly showed the #99 Ford jumping to the green flag on the restart. After 4 laps in the lead, Carl Edwards was directed to serve a pit drive-through penalty dropping him from first place to the tail end of the lead lap. Initially appearing as a debatable ruling by NASCAR, arguments circulated around the Stewart's slow launch to speed on the restart and the fact that the Richmond International Raceway's scoring pylon showed the #99 car in the first place spot coming up to green flag. After leading 206 laps, Edwards best efforts netted a 10th place run in the Capital City 400.

While not a record, caution for the 400-lap race at Richmond was displayed only 5 times. The lap-118 spin by Kurt Busch's #51 Chevrolet was the only yellow flag event that was immediately triggered by a car out of control. However, there was a later caution for debris that also involved the #31 Chevrolet of Jeff Burton brushing the outside wall. With a total of three debris cautions, there was some speculation after the race on whether the yellow flag was thrown for legitimate reasons by NASCAR other than to just regroup the Sprint Cup Series field.

Dominating the late stages of the Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Tony Stewart saw what could have been a sure victory challenged by a caution. With caution falling with 12 laps to go, Tony Stewart's plans went awry. As the leader pitted with a run in the final distance of the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at the short track, Stewart was beaten out of the pits by Joe Gibbs Racing's #18 Toyota piloted by Kyle Busch.

Photo Credit:  Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

On the final restart of the race, Kyle Busch's superb launch and another slip from Tony Stewart worked out to the advantage of the #18 car. Sailing across the line for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race win since the summer race at Michigan International Speedway, the victory was the 4th straight for Kyle Busch in the spring event at Richmond. While Kyle Busch celebrated a familiar triumph after the short track's spring race, Joe Gibbs Racing also gained a 6th win in the past 7 Richmond International Raceway events.

Finding his way around Tony Stewart on the restart, the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr grabbed second place. While Earnhardt Jr was in an ideal position for a final run on the #18 Toyota, weak brakes on the Hendrick Motorsports Chevy resulted in the car finishing more than a second behind.


In position for the a third victory of the 2012 season, Stewart's finish in the second runner-up spot was not the finish the reigning Sprint Cup Series champion was really to embrace. Frustrated in post-race to has a victory slip away, Tony Stewart commented “When the caution is for a plastic (water) bottle on the backstretch, it’s hard to feel good about losing,”.


Denny Hamlin finished 4th in the Capital City 400 while Kasey Kahne was the second-highest of three Hendrick Motorsports runners to finish in the top-10 ahead of Jimmie Johnson. A pair of Michael Waltrip Racing vehicles would take 7th and 8th at the end of 400 laps at Richmond with Clint Bowyer's #15 beating teammate and race pole-sitter Mark Martin. Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards rounded out the top-10 of the event.


Going from the 3/4-mile race track of Richmond International Raceway, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series prepares for the high-speed Talladega Superspeedway.




2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Capital City 400
Richmond International Raceway
Race Results

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Sponsor/Car Make
1	18	Kyle Busch	M&M's Brown Toyota
2	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
3	14	Tony Stewart	MOBIL 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
4	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Freight Toyota
5	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
6	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Chevrolet
7	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
8	55	Mark Martin	Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
9	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
10	99	Carl Edwards	Ford Eco-Boost Ford
11	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford EcoBoost Ford
12	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
13	27	Paul Menard	Menards / NIBCO Chevrolet
14	1	Jamie McMurray	McDonald's Chevrolet
15	39	Ryan Newman	Army Reserve Chevrolet
16	22	AJ Allmendinger	Shell Pennzoil Dodge
17	47	Bobby Labonte	Bush's Beans Toyota
18	16	Greg Biffle	3M / GKAS Ford
19	29	Kevin Harvick	Jimmy John's Chevrolet
20	83	Landon Cassill	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
21	13	Casey Mears	GEICO Ford
22	9	Marcos Ambrose	Stanley Ford
23	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
24	20	Joey Logano	The Home Depot Toyota
25	56	Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Brakes Toyota
26	43	Aric Almirola	Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
27	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Racing / Farm American Chevrolet
28	51	Kurt Busch	Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet
29	36	Dave Blaney	SealWrap.com Chevrolet
30	93	Travis Kvapil	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
31	31	Jeff Burton	BB&T Chevrolet
32	34	David Ragan	Front Row Motorsports Ford
33	10	David Reutimann	Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
34	32	Reed Sorenson	Virginia Faith & Freedom Coalition Ford
35	33	Stephen Leicht	LittleJoesAutos.com / Link-Belt Chevrolet
36	38	David Gilliland	Long John Silver's Ford
37	30	David Stremme	Inception Motorsports Toyota
38	26	Josh Wise	Morristown Drivers Service Ford
39	98	Michael McDowell	Curb Records Ford
40	74	Cole Whitt	Turn One Racing Chevrolet
41	87	Joe Nemechek	AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
42	19	Mike Bliss	Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota
43	95	Scott Speed	TWD Drywall Ford

Mark Martin Takes Pole for Richmond Sprint Cup Race

Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

Coming off two races on 1.5-mile ovals, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are steered towards the 3/4-mile Richmond International Raceway for the Capital City 400. Recent NASCAR Sprint Cup series races on at Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway received less than enthusiastic fanfare afterwards based on what many said were dull events. A racetrack that has for years won the approval of stock car competitors and fans as a model for short-track racing, the Richmond International Raceway's Saturday night event is seen as a great chance to see a much-needed, action-filled 400-lap race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

For the second time this season, part-time Sprint Cup competitor Mark Martin placed the #55 Aarons Toyota on the pole position. Lapping the 3/4-mile short track in 21.040 seconds at a speed of 128.327 miles per hour, Martin edged the #99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford of Carl Edwards with a slim 0.006-second advantage. Mark Martin's pole position highlights the suspreme dominance of Toyota Camrys in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond International Raceway. In the past 6 races held at the short track, Toyota entries won 5 of the events. However, every win by Toyota occurred with the Joe Gibbs Racing team in victory lane. Showing some outstanding pace this season, the three-car Michael Waltrip Racing team is currently the most united in front-running Performance. With Mark Martin on the pole, Martin Truex Jr starting in 8th place and #15 car of Clint Bowyer (a previous winner at Richmond) lined up 23rd, the chances of seeing a Michael Waltrip Racing victory this season may occur sooner rather than later.

Behind Carl Edwards, last summer's race winner Kevin Harvick starts 3rd alongside the #22 car of AJ Allmendinger. The previously mentioned Joe Gibbs Racing squad placed well after qualifying with Kyle Busch in 5th, Danny Hamlin 7th and Joey Logano 18th.

Still clawing for what will be a popular 200th win for Hendrick Motorsports, three of the four teams are starting in the top-10. Leading the Chevrolet-powered Hencrick Motorsports team is Jeff Gordon in 6th place. In order, Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance car and Dale Earnhardt Jr National Guard Chevy fill the fifth row of the Capital City 400. Mustering a 27th fastest run, Jimmie Johnson encountered trouble in qualifying resulting in his #48 Chevrolet being the slowest car of the Hendrick Motorsports group. Hendrick Motorsports has won ten times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Richmond.

The 400-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup race is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM Eastern time.




2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Capital City 400
Richmond International Raceway

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Sponsor/ Car Make
1	55	Mark Martin	Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
2	99	Carl Edwards	Ford Eco-Boost Ford
3	29	Kevin Harvick	Jimmy John's Chevrolet
4	22	AJ Allmendinger	Shell Pennzoil Dodge
5	18	Kyle Busch	M&M's Brown Toyota
6	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
7	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Freight Toyota
8	56	Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Brakes Toyota
9	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
10	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	National Guard / Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
11	43	Aric Almirola	Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
12	39	Ryan Newman	Army Reserve Chevrolet
13	51	Kurt Busch	Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet
14	9	Marcos Ambrose	Stanley Ford
15	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Racing / Farm American
16	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
17	36	Dave Blaney	SealWrap.com Chevrolet
18	20	Joey Logano	The Home Depot Toyota
19	47	Bobby Labonte	Bush's Beans Toyota
20	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
21	83	Landon Cassill	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
22	14	Tony Stewart	MOBIL 1 / Office Depot Chevrolet
23	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
24	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford EcoBoost Ford
25	98	Michael McDowell	Curb Records Ford
26	13	Casey Mears	GEICO Ford
27	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Chevrolet
28	16	Greg Biffle	3M / GKAS Ford
29	93	Travis Kvapil	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
30	31	Jeff Burton	BB&T Chevrolet
31	27	Paul Menard	Menards / NIBCO Chevrolet
32	26	Josh Wise	Morristown Drivers Service Ford
33	10	David Reutimann	Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
34	30	David Stremme	Inception Motorsports Toyota
35	87	Joe Nemechek	AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
36	95	Scott Speed	TWD Drywall Ford
37	1	Jamie McMurray	McDonald's Chevrolet
38	34	David Ragan	Front Row Motorsports Ford
39	19	Mike Bliss	Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota
40	33	Stephen Leicht	LittleJoesAutos.com / Link-Belt Chevrolet
41	38	David Gilliland	Long John Silver's Ford
42	32	Reed Sorenson	FAS Lane Racing Ford
43	74	Cole Whitt	Turn One Racing Chevrolet

Biffle Blasts By Johnson for Texas Cup Win

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

The Texas Motor Speedway event Saturday night was the first time since the Daytona 500 that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series would race 500 miles in 2012. Back in February, the Daytona International Speedway 500-mile race was not completed until almost 35 hours after its scheduled start time thanks to a rare rain delay and an event that took 3 hours, 36 minutes to completed, minus a two-hour red flag. With exception to a strong wind, Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway was readied under ideal weather conditions on Saturday night immediately withdrawing any probability of this 7^th race on the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be like the Daytona 500.

As the #56 NAPA Toyota Camry took for the first pole of the year, Martin Truex Jr joined Mark Martin in adding to the Michael Waltrip Racing tally of qualifying victories in 2012. When the green flag released the 43-car field for the 334-lap Samsung Mobile 500, Truex Jr made use of his top-fielded position to lead the first 31 laps.

While the Michael Waltrip Racing #56 Toyota was able to hold the first place position early, pre-race favourite team Roush Fenway Racing began living up to the promise they were showing in practice at Texas Motor Speedway early. Third-fastest in qualifying, Greg Biffle climbed to lead on lap 32 in the #16 Ford. Roush Fenway Racing partner Matt Kenseth in the #17 car would also lead briefly during a pit stop staying near the front all night through the Samsung Mobile 500.

With the first pit stops for the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams occurring under green flag conditions, drivers and teams would have no idea they were going to make these higher-stress service stops so often in the Samsung Mobile 500. The yellow flag slowed the field of fuel-injected stock cars on just two occasions at Texas. With the lowest previous amount of cautions being five and three earlier Texas Motor Speedway Cup races ending up with 12, the Samsung Mobile 500 would run under green for the final 234 lap.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

As the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway continued at a record pace under green onward from lap 100, the battle for the lead was chiefly centered on three drivers. Martin Truex Jr, Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson would lead during sizable portions of the last two-thirds of the event. A late race pit miscue took Truex Jr and the #56 car out of the running for victory of the Texas race.

Leaving Biffle and Johnson to battle for the Samsung Mobile 500 trophy, the #48 Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson was determined to grant car owner Rick Hendrick has 200^th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Leading Saturday’s event for the longest continuous duration of 102 laps, Johnson would roll past lap 300 of the Samsung Mobile 500 in the top position. However, the trip past 300-mark of the Texas event featured a Ford Fusion stalking Johnson. Inching closer on the #48 Lowes Chevy, Greg Biffle would be carrying a full head of steam through the final stint of the race. With just over 30 laps remaining, Greg Biffle stormed past Jimmie Johnson and would sail the #16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford to victory at Texas.

Photo Credit: Nigel KinradeAutostock

Greg Biffle’s victory puts to rest a 49 race winless streak extending back to the Kansas Speedway in 2010. The win in the Samsung Mobile 500 pads the points lead Biffle has accumulated during the first 7 races of 2012. The race was strong for the three major Roush Fenway Racing cars with Biffle’s victory being the topper. Matt Kenseth came across the line 5^th and the #99 car Carl Edwards emerged from a 20^th place starting position to grab 8^th after 500 miles. Greg Biffle leads Matt Kenseth in the current NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings by 19 points following the Texas Motor Speedway event.

With the 200^th win for Hendrick Motorsports foiled at Texas, Johnson hung on to his #48 Chevrolet for the runner-up position in a race that was actually a successful outing for the four-car Chevy team. Jeff Gordon finished 4^th and Kasey Kahne earned his first top-10 finish for Hendrick Motorsports with a 7^th place run. Fast but misfortunate during Sprint Cup races up to Texas, the strong race for Kahne and the #5 car could be the ingredient for a turnaround this season. Completing the Hendrick Motorsports quartet, the #88 car of Dale Earnhardt Jr cracked the top-10 for the fifth time in 2012. Dale Earnhardt Jr is currently tied with Matt Kenseth in the overall driver’s point count after 7 races in what has been NASCAR’s most popular driver’s most aggressive starts to the season since joining Hendrick Motorsports.
The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ next race will be a 400-mile, Sunday afternoon affair at Kansas Speedway.



2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Samsung Mobile 500
Texas Motor Speedway
Race Results

Pos #	Car #	Drivers	Sponsor/ Car Make
1	16	Greg Biffle	Filtrete Ford
2	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
3	55	Mark Martin	Aaron's Best of the Best Toyota
4	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
5	17	Matt Kenseth	Best Buy Ford
6	56	Martin Truex, Jr.	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
7	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
8	99	Carl Edwards	Fastenal Ford
9	29	Kevin Harvick	Budweiser Chevrolet
10	88	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
11	18	Kyle Busch	Interstate Batteries Toyota
12	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Office/March of Dimes Toyota
13	51	Kurt Busch	Phoenix Construction Services, Inc. Chevrolet
14	1	Jamie McMurray	Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
15	22	AJ Allmendinger	Shell Pennzoil Dodge
16	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
17	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
18	27	Paul Menard	Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet
19	20	Joey Logano	Dollar General Toyota
20	9	Marcos Ambrose	Stanley Ford
21	39	Ryan Newman	US ARMY Chevrolet
22	43	Aric Almirola	Smithfield Ford
23	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet
24	14	Tony Stewart	Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy/Office Depot Chevrolet
25	13	Casey Mears	GEICO Ford
26	10	David Reutimann	Accell Construction Chevrolet
27	47	Bobby Labonte	Bush's Beans/Tom Thumb Toyota
28	21	Trevor Bayne	Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
29	31	Jeff Burton	Caterpillar Chevrolet
30	83	Landon Cassill	Burger King/Dr. Pepper Toyota
31	38	David Gilliland	Mod Space Ford
32	32	Reed Sorenson	JaniKing Ford
33	49	JJ Yeley	JPO Absorbents Toyota
34	33	Tony Raines	Precon Marine Chevrolet
35	34	David Ragan	Scorpion Truck Bed Liners Ford
36	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
37	36	Dave Blaney	Jimmie Johnson's Anything With An Engine Chevrolet
38	93	Travis Kvapil	Dr. Pepper Toyota
39	26	Josh Wise	Morristown Driver's Service Ford
40	19	Mike Bliss	Humphrey Smith Racing, LLC Toyota
41	98	Michael McDowell	Curb Records Ford
42	23	Scott Riggs	North TX Pipe/Embassy Suites Chevrolet
43	95	Scott Speed	TWD Drywall Ford

Six Down, Thirty to Go: The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season So Far

Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images for NASCAR

With NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers and teams taking their first break off during the Easter weekend, the chance to reflect on the 2012 season so far sheds light on some notable developments. Included below are some headline-worthy stories after the first six races of the stock car racing tour.


　

The Longest (Possibly Best) Daytona Ever!

Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

A first-time rain postponement to Monday night, a wild action-filled Daytona International Speedway event, Danica Patrick’s debut in NASCAR Sprint Cup, Brad Keselowski taking Twitter onto the race track and a jet dryer set ablaze are just a few items that made the 2012 Daytona 500 most memorable.

As a major rainstorm kept 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup car engines quiet within the Daytona International Speedway Sunday and into most of Monday, the season opener for the 2012 tour started during prime time television. Showing the respect race fans for the Great American Race, an estimated crowd of 140,000 people were present more than a day and half after the event’s originally scheduled start. With 25 lead changes between 13 drivers, the 2012 edition of the Daytona 500 was a suspenseful affair perfect for Monday night treatment.

While the actual race took 3 hours, 36 minutes to complete, that time tally did not account for a more than 2-hour red flag period needed to extinguish a jet dryer fire started when the #42 Chevrolet piloted by Juan-Pablo Montoya suffered a mechanical problem that shot his stock car into the speedway clean-up vehicle. Thanks to Dodge driver Brad Keselowski’s ingenuity of carrying an iPhone in a closed compartment of the vehicle during the race, his Twitter page came alive giving fans a connection to drivers in competition.

The victory for Matt Kenseth (occurring past 1am Eastern time) capped what a Daytona 500 distinguished from all others. A perfect way to start the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

　

　

Stewart Stamps Victory Lane Early

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

In 2011, Tony Stewart fought through the first 26 races winless and barely muscled into the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. With many writing-off Stewart and the #14 Stewart/Haas Racing team early of any championship contention, the driver/owner came to life through the 10-race Chase. Recording 5 wins en route to his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, Tony Stewart rolled into the 2012 season as a top runner. Winning one of the Gatorade Duel 150 events in the Daytona qualifying heats, the first six official races ha netted two wins for Stewart (a driver who has historically won most of his events later in a NASCAR Sprint Cup season).

After six races, Tony Stewart is 12 points out of the lead position in the series standings. Stewart is third place behind Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr in 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup points heading into the Texas Motor Speedway round.

　

Car 48 Fights On and Off Track for Points

Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

Hendrick Motorsports has not the ideal start of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season in the first six races. While Dale Earnhardt Jr is currently seated in 2^nd place in the driver’s standings, the four-car team is continuing to chase their first victory for 2012 (which has the added prestige as being Hendrick Motorsports’ 200^th win in the series).

For what is considered the Hendrick Motorsports organization’s top team, the season started badly even before their Daytona 500 car was prepped during Speedweeks. During inspection, NASCAR measurements determined that the #48 Chevrolet’s roof C-pillar was out of tolerances. Holding back the penalty until after the Daytona 500 race, NASCAR levied a hefty $100,000 as well as a 25-point deduction for the #48 owner’s points and Jimmie Johnson’s driver points standing. Chad Knaus and the #48 car chief were also handed a six-race suspension.

It is unclear if the penalty would have impeded the #48 team at the Daytona 500 since they were caught up in a wreck completing the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet’s race after just one lap. Following the 2012 Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson and the #48 team returned to form finishing no lower than 12^th following the season opener. As the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team recorded better on-track results, the race organization appealed their penalty. Initially left defeated when a three-person panel ruled to uphold the penalties, Hendrick Motorsports took their case to the chief appellate officer where the team largely prevailed. Only left with the monetary fine, the victory through the stock car racing appeal process is a most noteworthy achievement.


　

Michael Waltrip Racing is No Laughing Matter

Photo Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images for NASCAR

Debuting as a charter Toyota team for the Camry’s controversial entry into the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2007, the Michael Waltrip Racing organization started in disastrous fashion as a three-car group struggling to make races. Making progressive steps to a top-caliber NASCAR Sprint Cup team, the three-car team of 2012 has shown impressive front-runner status in the first half dozen races of the year.

Driving the NAPA Toyota for a third season for the Michael Waltrip Racing camp, Martin Truex Jr has been the Sprint Cup series model of consistency in 2012. Truex Jr’s #56 Toyota has finished no lower than 17^th in the first races of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour. The week-by-week results have combined for a 6^th place position in the overall drivers points standings.

Releasing David Reutimann after 2011, the Michael Watrip Racing squad had acquired Clint Bowyer for the #15 Toyota. Despite a rocky start of the year in the Daytona 500, Bowyer and his crew have placed the #15 into the top-10 for 3 of the 5 races afterwards. Clint Bowyer is 9^th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point’s standings.

For what is the first four races in a limited schedule for Mark Martin in 2012, the Arkansas NASCAR superstar delivered a pair of top-10 finishes and a pole for Michael Waltrip Racing at Phoenix International Raceway. At Bristol Motor Speedway, Brian Vickers took over the #55 and drove a masterful first race to a fifth place result. Through the driving collective, the Michael Waltrip Racing #55 Toyota is 9^th in car owner points after the first 6 NASCAR Sprint Cup races of 2012.



The Fuel Injected Future is Here

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images for NASCAR

Joining the vehicles in the modern automotive marketplace in North America, NASCAR Sprint Cup adopted electronic fuel injection as the method for feeding the V-8 engines of their stock cars. After considerable testing during 2011 and through the past off-season, fuel injection debuted at Daytona with levels of uncertainty. Despite the miles put on the NASCAR Sprint Cup car’s new fuel delivery system in testing, the performance of this format of fuel injection left unknowns during first conditions. For the most part, the new electronic fuel injection system on the stock cars has proven successful in replacing what was the long-standard carburetor.

Allowing teams to explore a level of computer-assisted data acquisition, the electronic fuel injection system has given tools many other forms of motorsports have been utilizing over a decade. The only major downside attributed to the electronic fuel injection system was an isolated incident involving the #14 Chevrolet of Tony Stewart. Mid-way through the Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway, the system had shut down Stewart’s engine costing the reigning champion and crew two laps diagnosing the problem.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup electronic fuel injection system still has a season’s worth of challenges as it powers 43 race cars through the ongoing 2012 schedule. New race tracks, the 2012 series’ first 500-mile event set for Texas Motor Speedway and the two road courses should provide the best opportunities to see how the new norm of NASCAR Sprint Cup can benefit the future of stock car competition.

　

　

Kahne’s Rough Start with Hendrick Motorsports

Photo Credit: Russell LaBounty © 2012 Russell LaBounty Autostock

Despite all of the ingredients for success, the newly forged relationship between Kasey Kahne and Hendrick Motorsports has resulted in less than stellar start to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Kasey Kahne’s was involved in a somewhat complex flight path to Hendrick Motorsports first charted in 2010.

Driving the #9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2010, Kahne signed to replace Mark Martin at Hendrick Motorsports for than-distant 2012 season. Expecting to see how Kasey Kahne’s future plans would affect his relationship with his Richard Petty Motorsports team through the 2010 season, it initially appeared promising that the two soon-to-be parted entities could focus on track. Collecting three top-five finishes in June and July races, the partnership would deteriorate during the Charlotte Motor Speedway fall race. As the Richard Petty Motorsports #9 Ford was sidelined after an early race accident, Kahne implied he was too ill to continue completing laps in event. When suspicion arose that Kahne may not have been truthful, the partnership dissolved.

Through the remainder of 2010 and into the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Kasey Kahne home a pivotal temporary home with Team Red Bull. By the end of the 2011 tour, Kahne and the #4 Toyota was one of the hottest combinations in the NASCAR Sprint Cup racing field. Finishing in the top-10 for 7 of 8 final races, Kahne and Team Red Bull won the Phoenix event in their second-to-last journey together.

Leaving 2011 with optimism of front-running presence, Kasey Kahne finally climbed into the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at Daytona. Amusingly sponsored by Farmer’s Insurance, the #5 Chevrolet piloted by Kahne has been potentially the most at-risk contender wherever an accident on track unfolds. After six races, the team’s top finish was 14^th at the rain-shortened event at Auto Club Speedway in California. Most dramatically is the #5 car has recorded results 29^th or worse in 4 races starting the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. In the overall series driver point’s standings, Kahne is 31^st.

On the bright side, Kasey Kahne and the #5 Hendrick Motorsports has scored two pole positions proving they have pace. In the remainder of the 2012 season, Kahne and the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will require some fortune to fall their way to change what has been a series of mechanical problems and brushes with mayhem.

　

Boring Bristol Bout, Manic Martinsville Short Track Events

Photo Credit: Russell LaBounty © 2012 Russell LaBounty Autostock

So far this year, the under one mile short tracks of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have presented a mixed bag of racing action.

Once known as one of the hottest ticket in motorsports, the Bristol Motor Speedway Sprint Cup Series events have been diminishing as an attraction most likely because of the recent on-track product. As impressive as the dominating performance by Brad Keselowski was during the 4^th race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the high number of empty seats signified that the same ‘beating-and-banging action’ Bristol gained years ago was no longer on a prime showcase.

A reconfiguration of the Bristol Motor Speedway’s concrete surface (that was actually meant to improve side-by-side racing with so-called “progressive banking”) has taken away much of the racing action NASCAR short track fans desired. The contribution of the Car of Tomorrow since 2007 could also be defeating the on-track competition when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has been racing at the short track. While Keselowski’s victory at the track in came through 13 lead changes, most of those were performed during green-flag pit stops as only 5 caution periods interrupted the event (the lowest level since spring of 1996).

As a contrast to the Bristol Motor Speedway event, the Martinsville Speedway race held on the short, flat-banked oval provided an electric finish with side-by-side battling for position, intrigue and controversy. With a certain Hendrick Motorsports victory set, a stalled #10 Stewart/Haas Racing Chevrolet driven by David Reutimann set up an event that would ended under a green-white-checkered finish. Hendrick Motorsports would lose both lead cars of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in a turn 1 tangle at Martinsville allowing Ryan Newman to steal victory.