Predicting the 2014 NASCAR Chase Future Through Past Finishes

For ten years, NASCAR has been operating the Chase in the Sprint Cup series as a playoff for major league stock car racing. For 2014 though, the Chase has received a substantial makeover. Up to 16 drivers in contention, three rounds involving drivers getting knocked out and Homestead-Miami Speedway becoming a guaranteed showdown for four finalists is new traits found in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chasse. The only lingering leftover from the last chase format is the 10 races used to decide the championship’s outcome.

Attempting to predict the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup, I have considered the prospect computing race results of the 16 drivers participating in this year’s hunt. Using the historical finishes or average finishes, I came up with three interesting outcomes. Keep note that I am not taking into consideration the bonus points for victory in calculations. Using the Challenger, Contender and Eliminator rounds, I compiled the average finishes of each driver. With this information, I have extracted some entertaining accounts of where the 16 Chase drivers could end up in the 2014 championship fight. While I tried to make this a decent math lesson for myself, please do not put money on this information (I most certainly would not put my money on the line).

The following scenarios is work compiled as merely an entertaining exercise to see if the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase champion could be arrived to even before the first race at Chicagoland Speedway has received a green flag:

Potential Chase Outcome Scenario #1: Based on 2013 Finishes

Let’s say if for some miraculous reason drivers somehow finish races in identical or similar positions as 2013, the conclusion will be highly favourable for three of the four Hendrick Motorsports cars heading into homestead. In this study, in addition to average finishes, I have taken into account 2013 wins by some drivers as automatic entry into the next Chase round. This allowed Brad Keselowski to advance through the Contender round and given Jeff Gordon a chance to compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in this possible Chase.

Since AJ Allmendinger did not run in all 10 races in 2013, I substituted 2014 results at the tracks where he did not run last fall.

Finalists	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
	Jimmie Johnson
	Kevin Harvick
	Jeff Gordon
Eliminated in Eliminator Round	Brad Keselowski
	Carl Edwards
	Matt Kenseth
	Kurt Busch
Eliminated in Contender Round	Joey Logano
	Ryan Newman
	Kyle Busch
	Greg Biffle
Eliminated in Challenger Round	Kasey Kahne
	AJ Allmendinger
	Denny Hamlin
	Aric Almirola

　

Potential Chase Outcome Scenario #2: Last Race Run by Driver at Track

In this one, I used data from the last time drivers completed at a specific track on the Chase schedule. Eight of those race tracks have already held 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup races. In the case of Chicagoland Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, I used the 2013 races for both ovals.

Finalists	Kevin Harvick
	Jeff Gordon
	Jimmie Johnson
	Matt Kenseth
Eliminated in Eliminator Round	Greg Biffle
	Carl Edwards
	Kyle Busch
	Brad Keselowski
Eliminated in Contender Round	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
	Joey Logano
	Ryan Newman
	Denny Hamlin
Eliminated in Challenger Round	Kasey Kahne
	Kurt Busch
	AJ Allmendinger
	Aric Almirola

　

Potential Chase Outcome Scenario #3: Average Career Finishes Mixed with Last Race Finishes

Since I thought that average career finishes might not have been entirely accurate, I decided to weigh their recent results on a driver’s average. In the case of Denny Hamlin, the result was no change. For Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Aric Almirola, the computation of measuring career finishes against recent finishes showed a around five-position overall improvement for the final 10 Chase race tracks. Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch have shown the largest negative change with their recent finishes measuring poorly to their career averages.

Finalists	Carl Edwards
	Jeff Gordon
	Jimmie Johnson
	Kyle Busch
Eliminated in Eliminator Round	Kevin Harvick
	Kasey Kahne
	Denny Hamlin
	Aric Almirola
Eliminated in Contender Round	Brad Keselowski
	Ryan Newman
	Kurt Busch
	Matt Kenseth
Eliminated in Challenger Round	Dale Earnhardt Jr.
	AJ Allmendinger
	Greg Biffle
	Joey Logano

　

These three possible NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase outcomes are largely based on what has happened. One thing to know about the future is that it doesn’t always take advice from the past. There are so many variables beyond previous finishes to consider. The 2014 Chase has three drivers competing with their first full season with a different organization than in previous years. Also, Carl Edwards and long-time team Roush Fenway Racing are parting company at the end of this season potentially influencing the #99 Ford in a strongly positive or negative way. Tracks like Talladega Superspeedway and even Martinsville Speedway have to potential to radically shift the points balance.

With Chicagoland Speedway readying to host the first race of the 2014 Chase, all 16 drivers will be trying to register the right numbers to compete for the Sprint Cup at Homestead-Miami.

Information and photo source: NASCAR, Richmond International Raceway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Surpasses 500K Followers Three Days After Joining Twitter

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

It was a glorious start to the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season for the #88 Hendrick Motorsports team at the prestigious Daytona International Speedway. Piloting the National Guard sponsored Chevrolet SS, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second Daytona 500 race. His 2014 victory comes a little more than 10 years after his first victory in the sought-after 500-mile race on the 2.5 mile tri-oval.

For users of one of the world's most popular social media sites, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at the Great American Race also resulted in victory. Following the #88 Chevrolet race car's streak across the finish line first, Michael Waltrip mentioned that NASCAR's most popular driver would join Twitter. On Monday morning at 2:32 A.M. eastern time, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s official account tweeted its first message. On Wednesday, his Twitter audience rapidly exceeded 500,000 followers. As of Thursday morning, @DaleJr (Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s official account) stands at over 518,000 followers and climbing.

With the message, "Tonight seemed like as good a night as any to join Twitter. How is everyone doin?" and the hashtag, "#2XDaytona500Champ", the authorized Twitter account @DaleJr came online. The first Twitter post also featured a shot of the Harley Earl trophy belonging to the 2014 Daytona 500 winner. Four days since posting the message, the initial tweet was retweeted 16,226 times and favorited 27,950 times. By early Thursday, Earnhardt Jr. has posted 92 tweets through his account.

Showing instant mastery of the high-tech service posting pictures as well as using hashtags, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is already surpassing many long-established official Twitter account operated by NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. Becoming a social media star in 2012 as a result of some live-tweeting during a race delay at the Daytona 500, driver of the Penske Racing #2 machine Brad Keselowski received a massive spike in Twitter followers. Currently at over 470,000 followers, Keselowski was recently eclipsed by Earnhardt Jr,'s mounting follower count. In a Twitter response late Wednesday, Brad Keselowski posted "I'd say @DaleJr is getting a hang of this tweeter 😉". With 510,000 followers, Earnhardt Jr. has also passed his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon. The driver of the #88 car is still currently trailing his teammate driving the #48 on the Twitterverse. Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson stands at more than 550,000 followers on the social media site. The NASCAR driver at the peak of Twitter popularity has been IndyCar transplant and highly-publicized female driver Danica Patrick. Days before Dale Earnhardt Jr joined the social media community, NASCAR-related Twitter news broke that Danica Patrick became the first of the stock car series to exceed one million followers.

Before his official account became active on Monday, Dale Earnhardt Jr was one of the last NASCAR drivers to not join the social media service. In 2012, I composed a directory of NASCAR Twitter account noting almost every driver operated with a Twitter handle. Dale Earnhardt Jr. along with Dave Blaney and Paul Menard were among the only drivers in the Sprint Cup series not part of Twitter at that time. Weeks after I posted the list, Dave Blaney has Tweeted under the handle @BuckeyeBullet10 (although activity in light at just 25 tweets in almost two years). As of February 2014, Paul Menard is only of the last remaining holdouts. However, fans of micro blogging channel can turn to his Richard Childress Racing team's official account at @RCR27PMenard for updates.


Update to Story:

Also want to add that Roush Fenway driver Carl Edwards is not on Twitter. Edwards had maintained an active Facebook account but no updates have been provided since 2012.

Fellows Returns to JR Motorsports for 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Road Races

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

A road racing ace who has stepped on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, Canada's Ron Fellows has also been effective in showing his road racing mastery in NASCAR competition. Winning six times in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series, one of Fellows' greatest triumphs was in the 2008 NAPA Auto Parts 200 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. A race track named after an inspiring figure for Fellows, the patriotic feat was achieved with a JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Less than a week ahead of 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series debut of the three-race road racing campaign, the dynamic duel of JR Motorsports and Ron Fellows will be back together.

Officially announced Monday, Ron Fellows will pilot the #5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports for the three road course races starting with the June 23rd race at Road America. August races at Watkins Glen and the Montreal Circuit Gilles Villeneuve track will also be part of Ron Fellows' 2012 competitive outing. AER branding and colours will be worn on #5 Chevrolet at Road America this weekend only. Major retail chain Canadian Tire will be the primary sponsor for Fellows through the Watkins Glen and Montreal rounds later in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Canadian driver Ron Fellows enters the JR Motorsports three-car effort where he will be fielded alongside teammates Cole Whitt and Danica Patrick.

Happy to be part of the JR Motorsports in NASCAR Nationwide competition for a 5th year, Ron Fellows enters into the 2012 season confident in what he has grown accustomed of finding in the team. "They have an amazing group of people, and we've been competitive at almost all of the races." said Fellows who added, "That's what brings me back and keeps me young. My relationship with Dale Jr. began more than 10 years ago, and I'm proud to have driven for both him and his father.”

While the 2008 win at Montreal has been the only victory by the pairing, Fellows and the JR Motorsports team has scored 6 top-10 finishes in 9 races together including a close second at Road America last year. Maintaining a role largely behind the scenes in motorsports in general that includes becoming an member of the Mosport Park (now Canadian Tire Motorsports Park) new ownership, these NASCAR road races are some of the only occasions for fans to see one of Canada's most successful road racers.

Earnhardt Jr Rises at Michigan! Ends 143-Race Winless Streak

Photo Credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR

The lead storyline through the first two days of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race weekend at Michigan International Speedway circulated around the tires Goodyear brought to the newly repaved 2-mile oval. With an emergency Saturday evening practice session subtracting magnitude of the issue, Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway would receive headlines for another more positive reason. After 200 laps, a driver piloting a superhero-themed car battled his foes for a much-needed triumph.

The Sunday main event was initially threatened by rain showers that drenched the Michigan oval. Pushing the start of the Quicken Loans 400 past 3pm eastern time, the 43-car Father’s Day race still received enough daylight in the mid-June sky to create a rich, Sprint Cup spectacle.

Pole-sitter Marcos Ambrose #9 Ford was part of a trio of blue oval-badged race cars that would lead all but one of the race’s first 69 laps. Ambrose, the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle and the #17 car driven by Biffle’s Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth led early at the Michigan racetrack. Over the span of the Ford Fusions leading, four cautions would slow the progress of the Quicken Loans 400. With two being competitions caution called so the tire situation of days prior would be assessed, the issue was ultimately defused in the 400-mile race limited to only some blistering Goodyear rubber coming off some cars. The race’s first caution involved a lap 3 spin by the #51 Chevrolet driven by the heavily scrutinized Kurt Busch. The Phoenix Racing #51 car would also spin on lap 121 of the Quicken Loans 400 ending with the elder Busch driver placed 30^th in the finishing order.

Photo Credit: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images for NASCAR

Progressing from a 17^th place qualifying position, the black and green #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr had been moving in the right direction during the first one-third distance of the Michigan International Speedway race. On lap 70, the Hendrick Motorsports car themed to support the upcoming Batman movie “Dark Knight Rises” flew to the front of the Quicken Loans 400. The site of Earnhardt Jr’s last points-scoring win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series back in 2008, crowds were anxious to see if the #88 Chevrolet will have the staying power to keep the top spot to the end.

Unwilling to simply allow NASCAR Sprint Cup’s most popular driver to claim a win, the efforts of Dale Earnhardt Jr was challenged by auto racing comrade Tony Stewart. In a similar Hendrick Motorsports prepped Chevrolet Impala to that of Earnhardt Jr’s team vehicle, Stewart powered his #14 car around the #88 on lap 87. Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet and the #42 of Juan-Pablo Montoya would also spend a handful of laps at the front of the 400-mile event. After Ford’s dominating the early stage of the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Chevrolet had an impressive control of the later stages of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
As Chevrolet and Ford teams enjoyed being at the peak of competition at Michigan, one of Toyota’s most prolific organizations had an outing at Michigan they would prefer to forget. Joe Gibbs Racing saw all three cars fall deep in the running order. First, the #18 car of Kyle Busch spent an extended time in the garage due to a valvetrain issue on the car’s race engine. Busch returned the race 40 laps down to the leader and would finish the day 32^nd across the start/finish line.

In back-to-back incidents, the remaining Joe Gibbs Racing vehicles driven by Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin were taken out of competition. Logano’s #20 Toyota was part of a lap 127 wreck that collected the #38 of David Gilliland and the #5 Hendrick Motorsports car of Kasey Kahne. Both winners in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Joey Logano and Kahne would retire from the Quicken Loans 400. The #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin would leave the Michigan race on lap 134 when an apparently harmless spin turned into an inferno from the Joe Gibbs Racing car’s engine compartment. Denny Hamlin was classified 34^th in the race while the #20 of Joey Logano ended the day in 35^th spot.

Photo Credit: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images for NASCAR

When the final caution period of the Quicken Loans 400 concluded on lap 140, the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr led Tony Stewart across the flag for the crucial green flag. Without another yellow flag slowing the Michigan race in the last 60 laps, teams would require one remaining pit stop for fuel under green flag racing conditions. A pivotal moment, the Hendrick Motorsports crew rose to the occasion to give Earnhardt Jr a flawless, final pit service stop for two tires and fuel on lap 164. Retaking the lead on lap 171, the #88 Chevrolet would lead the final 30 circuits around the Michigan International Speedway to cross the line first.

Victorious at the Quicken Loans 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr entered the winner’s circle in what was celebrated as a popular 2012 race win. Convincing winning the Michigan International Speedway race by 5.3 seconds over Tony Stewart, the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led for 95 laps on the day. In what had previously been a rare state, Dale Earnhardt Jr was the class of the field. “I saved a little in my pocket in the last 50 laps and ran only as hard as I thought I needed to, and at the end of the race, this thing was a rocket and I couldn’t slow it down, it was so fast.” said Earnhardt Jr.

143 races and 4 years since his last Sprint Cup Series win in a regular event, this second win with Hendrick Motorsports is the result of some long struggles. Responding to the racing fortunes of past races, Earnhardt Jr commented, “I was so nervous in the last few laps of that race four years ago, and today, this was the worst -- that’s the worst feeling riding around there with 15 laps to go wondering what’s going to happen or how you were going to lose.” While just winning his first race of 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr has actually been enjoying a strong season overall with the victory at Michigan now catapulting him to second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver points standing.

Finishing second, Tony Stewart placed ahead of the Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusions of NASCAR Sprint Cup point’s leader Matt Kenseth and the #16 car of Greg Biffle. With Dale Earnhardt Jr becoming the third driver to add a win to Hendrick Motorsports’ 2012 tally, two teammates also had strong outings at Michigan concluding with top-10 runs. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Chevrolet finished 5^th just ahead of Jeff Gordon’s #24 car. Clint Bowyer for Michael Waltrip Racing was the highest finishing Toyota Camry in the Quicken Loans 400 with the #15 5-Hour Energy car.

With many of the approximate 82,000 spectators in audience electric in the celebration of the Dale Earnhardt Jr victory, the next trip for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup tour is to the California road course in Sonoma for the Toyota/Save Mart 350.


2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Quicken Loans 400
Michigan International Speedway
Race Result
　

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Sponsor/ Car Make
1	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	DietMtnDew/TheDarkKnightRises/NtnlGuard Chev
2	14	Tony Stewart	Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
3	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford EcoBoost Ford
4	16	Greg Biffle	3M/Salute Ford
5	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe's Chevrolet
6	24	Jeff Gordon	DuPont Chevrolet
7	15	Clint Bowyer	5-hour Energy Toyota
8	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
9	9	Marcos Ambrose	Stanley Ford
10	29	Kevin Harvick	Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet
11	99	Carl Edwards	Fastenal Ford
12	56	Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
13	2	Brad Keselowski	Miller Lite Dodge
14	1	Jamie McMurray	McDonald's Chevrolet
15	39	Ryan Newman	US ARMY Chevrolet
16	47	Bobby Labonte	Charter Toyota
17	43	Aric Almirola	Medallion Ford
18	83	Landon Cassill	Burger King Toyota
19	22	AJ Allmendinger	Shell Pennzoil Dodge
20	13	Casey Mears	Valvoline NEXTGEN Ford
21	31	Jeff Burton	Caterpillar Chevrolet
22	27	Paul Menard	Menards/Duracell Chevrolet
23	34	David Ragan	Front Row Motorsports Ford
24	33	Austin Dillon	American Ethanol Chevrolet
25	36	Dave Blaney	Seal Wrap Chevrolet
26	93	Travis Kvapil	Burger King Toyota
27	38	David Gilliland	Long John Silver's Ford
28	78	Regan Smith	Furniture Row Chevrolet
29	55	Mark Martin	Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
30	51	Kurt Busch	Phoenix Construction Services, Inc. Chevrolet
31	32	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Ford
32	18	Kyle Busch	Snickers Toyota
33	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
34	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Office Toyota
35	20	Joey Logano	The Home Depot Toyota
36	10	Tony Raines	Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
37	49	JJ Yeley	America Israel Racing/JPO Absorbents Toyota
38	98	Michael McDowell	Presbyterian Healthcare Ford
39	19	Mike Bliss	Humphrey Smith Racing, LLC Toyota
40	87	Joe Nemechek	AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
41	23	Scott Riggs	North TX Pipe Chevrolet
42	26	Josh Wise	MDS Transport Ford
43	21	Trevor Bayne	Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford

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

Dale Earnhardt Jr Dominates Sprint Showdown at Charlotte

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

The annual NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway is an reward for the winning 2011 and 2012 race winners in the series (or recent All-Star race winners. With 20 drivers earning a place into the race, three additional competitors had a final opportunity to participant in the one-million dollar event All-Star. Ahead of the Sprint All-Star race, a 40-lap Sprint Showdown race held at Charlotte Motor Speedway gave the non-qualifying drivers a chance to make Saturday night's main event. For the first of two 20-lap segments, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car drivers were ready prepared to claim either the first or second place position in order to transfer to the All-Star group.

A race-making move was made even before the green flag of the event. Pole sitter AJ Allmendinger driving the #22 Pennzoil Dodge suffered a deflating tire during the pace laps. As the green flag was ready to start the Sprint Showdown, Allmendinger ducked down onto pit road for a replacement tire. This action promoted the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr to the front-starting car on the inside row. Outside front row starter Martin Truex Jr in the #56 Toyota and Dale Earnhardt Jr immediately engaged in side-by-side combat in the first two laps of the event. Former teammates, the on-track fight between Earnhardt Jr and Truex Jr was fiercely fought until the #88 car gained an advantage through turn 3 on lap 2. The #88 Chevrolet sponsored by the Dale Jr Foundation, was put into a position that the Hendrick Motorsports driver would nor relinquish.

Into the second stage of the Sprint Showdown, the second place position in the race (the second and final transfer spot) was heavily battled. With all but 6 drivers pitting ahead of what was the final 20-lap run, the green flag for the second segment would become a matter where fresh tires favoured used tires. Taking the second place spot early in the second segment of the Sprint Showdown, Jamie McMurray soared around the #56 NAPA Toyota but was soon fighting off the charging of a resurgent AJ Allmendinger. In the second-last lap of the second segment, the Allmendinger's #22 Dodge completed a pass on McMurray's #1 Chevrolet. AJ Allmendinger received the final transfer spot into thet Sprint All-Star race with the second place finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr's first win in the Showdown event, he promotes the entire Hendrick Motorsports racing machines to the Sprint All-Star race. Earnhardt Jr won the All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in his rookie year of 2000.



2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Sprint Showdown
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Race Results

1	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	DaleJrFndtn/NationalGuard/DietMtnDew Chev
2	22	AJ Allmendinger	Pennzoil Dodge
3	1	Jamie McMurray	Bass Pro Shops / Allstate Chevrolet
4	56	Martin Truex Jr.	NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
5	42	Juan Pablo Montoya	Target Chevrolet
6	20	Joey Logano	The Home Depot Toyota
7	43	Aric Almirola	Smithfield Ford
8	31	Jeff Burton	CAT / BB&T Chevrolet
9	83	Landon Cassill	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
10	93	Travis Kvapil	Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota
11	13	Casey Mears	GEICO Ford
12	47	Bobby Labonte	Kingsford Toyota
13	26	Josh Wise	MDS Transport Ford
14	95	Scott Speed	Jordan's Truck Sales Ford
15	38	David Gilliland	SCORPION Window Film Ford
16	19	Mike Bliss	Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota
17	87	Joe Nemechek	AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
18	30	David Stremme	Inception Motorsports Toyota
19	10	David Reutimann	Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
20	36	Tony Raines	Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
21	33	Stephen Leicht	LittleJoesAutos.com Chevrolet
22	49	JJ Yeley	JPO Absorbents / America Israel Racing Toyota

Tony Stewart Hits Early Season Jackpot at Las Vegas

Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Having already competed at the 2.5-mile Daytana International Speedway and the 1-mile Phoenix International Raceway, the third race in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup tour took the series regulars to a track in between the earlier two circuits. Hosting the Kobalt Tools 400, the 1.5-mile of Las Vegas Motor Speedway became the stage for another interesting round in a Sprint Cup where the front-runners are still inconclusive.

 

Winning qualifying for the first time with his Hendrick Motorsports on Friday, Kasey Kahne placed the Farmer's Insurance #5 Chevrolet on the coveted pole. Kahne's 190.456-mile per hour lap average speed would be a record at the 1.5-mile oval.

 

 After some chaotic practice sessions, several top drivers would start the Kobalt Tools 400 fighting an even tougher battle. Losing their primary race cars, Jimmie Johnson and 2nd place qualifier Kyle Busch were required to start near the back of the 43-car field in accordance with NASCAR rules. Kyle Busch would receive aid prior to the green flag as several rear field cars allowed the #18 Toyota to start ahead oh them (An action permitted by NASCAR rules). At the front, as Busch was forced from his 2nd place spot, the start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway morphed into an all-Hendrick Motorsport front row with Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 Chevrolet starting alongside Kasey Kahne.

 

With the green flag falling for Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400, Kasey Kahne's time in the lead was over by the end of the second turn. Showing speed early, Dale Earnhardt Jr surged in the lead at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A sight so many JR Nation fans will want to see through this 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the #88 National Guard Chevrolet maintained a healthy lead on what was several challenger early on in the 400-mile event.

 

With Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano holding the second place position early, Tony Stewart shot to second appearing to have enough speed to catch Earnhardt Jr. However, Stewart needed to back off from the fight as a piece of debris obstructed the grille of his #14 Chevrolet. Dale Earnhardt Jr remained at the front of the Kobalt Tools 400 for 70 of the race's first 73 laps even surviving a lap-46 caution coming out while pitting.

Photo Credit: Nigel Kinrade/Autostock

 

The #88 Chevrolet would be knocked from the lead on lap 74 when several cars took two tires compared to Earnhardt Jr's team stopping for four. Dale Earnhardt Jr would be out of winning contention for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event as the race progressed leading to a 10th place day for the #88 Hendrick Motorsports-owned Chevrolet.

 

Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart would be some of the drivers leading the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams up to the halfway point of the Kobalt Tools 400. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway race was proving to be another hotly-contested round in the young 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup year until a true dominator emerged supreme at lap 180. Having already led for 41 laps in the event, Tony Stewart and his #14 Chevrolet developed a liking for the first place spot that saw another 50 laps commanded by the Mobil 1/Home Depot-sponsored car.

 

With all but 37 laps completed of the 267 scheduled lap distance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the race was slowed three times by the yellow flag. On 246, the #83 Toyota of Landon Cassill suffered an engine failure. With 10 laps to go, Kyle Busch would spin loose across the race track as he attempted to mount a strong top-10 finishing effort late. Spinning through the frontstretch, Busch was fortunate enough to guide the #18 Toyota safely through the infield grass. The second time this season Kyle Busch avoided a near certain wreck (the several saves during the Budweiser Shootout that later evolved to a win for the #18 Toyota), this time would not result in a best possible finish for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Kyle Busch would finish 23rd in what was a difficult Kobalt Tools 400 race.

 

 

Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

 

Despite a fierce challenge from a charging Jimmie Johnson (who flew from the back of the field to compete at the end for the Kobalt Tools 400), Tony Stewart lead 75 of the final 77 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to win the event. Winning in the third race of the year, this season's first win for Tony Stewart was the earliest in his career. The Las Vegas victory was #14 car crew chief Steve Addington's first win since joining Stewart/Haas Racing. In the last NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Phoenix, Tony Stewart's former crew chief Darian Grubb found early success wrenching the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and driver Denny Hamlin to the winner's circle.

 

Jimmie Johnson finished second in a race where his race team and sponsor Lowes partnered in providing relief funding for the areas of the United States hard-hit by tornadoes two weeks ago. The finishes for Johnson at this early time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series is playing pivotal to capturing lost ground from the Daytona penalty. Later this upcoming week, an review of the tech-inspection penalty that cost the driver and team 25 point following the disastrous Daytona 500 finish who also determine if crew chief Chad Knaus will have to serve a six-race suspension.

 

In third in the finish in the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle. Biffle prevailed best of a late-race battle between his Roush Fenway Racing teammates. On the last restart, a three-way fight among Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle resulted in Kenseth losing out when he needed to slow to avoid contact. Kasey Kahne was also caught up in the calamity. Kahne would finish 19th and Matt Kenseth come across the start/finish line 23rd. Carl Edwards would finish in the top-5 with Greg Biffle who is currently the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader in the 2012 driver standings.

 

Other strong finishers at the Las Vegas race included Ryan Newman who backed-up his teammate/owner's victory with a 4th place, Clint Bowyer's finished 6th for Michael Waltrip Racing, Paul Menard with 7th in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and a 9th place finish for Trevor Bayne driving the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion. For Bayne, this finish becomes his 2nd top-10 finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series (first being his 2011 Daytona 500 win).

 

Next Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season turns to the tight 0.533-mile short track oval of Bristol Motor Speedway.

 

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Kobalt Tools 400
Race Results

1. 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet
2. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
3. 16 Greg Biffle 3M/Meguiars Ford
4. 39 Ryan Newman Quicken Loans Chevrolet
5. 99 Carl Edwards Aflac Ford
6. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
7. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Schrock Chevrolet
8. 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald's Chevrolet
9. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
10. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
11. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
12. 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont 20 Years Chevrolet
13. 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford
14. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
15. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet
16. 20 Joey Logano Dollar General Toyota
17. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
18. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
19. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
20. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota
21. 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford
22. 17 Matt Kenseth Zest Ford
23. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
24. 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Fantasy Racing Camp Ford
25. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Clorox Chevrolet
26. 47 Bobby Labonte Kingsford/Bush's Beans Toyota
27. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
28. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
29. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
30. 32 Ken Schrader Federated Auto Parts Ford
31. 10 David Reutimann Accell Construction Chevrolet
32. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
33. 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
34. 33 Brendan Gaughan South Point Casino Chevrolet
35. 51 Kurt Busch Tag Heuer Eyewear Chevrolet
36. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
37. 22 AJ Allmendinger Pennzoil Dodge
38. 98 Michael McDowell Phil Parsons Racing Ford
39. 93 Travis Kvapil Burger King Toyota
40. 26 Josh Wise 1-800-Loan Mart Ford
41. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
42. 37 Timmy Hill Poynt.com Ford
43. 49 JJ Yeley America Israel Racing Toyota

 

Crazy 2012 Daytona 500 Claimed by Matt Kenseth

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

After 53 years of Sunday Daytona 500, NASCAR drivers, teams and fans could be forgiven for expecting the 500-mile event at the Daytona International Speedway would be resolved by the time many go back to work on Monday. Unfortunate for the 2012 running of the “Great American Race”, ended a long motorsport streak by postponing the classic stock car event on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval for the first time ever.

 

Originally postponed to Monday afternoon, continuing rain showers gave the officials overseeing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series reason to again reschedule the start of the Daytona 500 to 7pm Eastern time. To the delight of everyone, the precipitation left the track in time for engines of 43 cars to ignite. Already an unusual event based on the Monday evening start, the 54^th Daytona 500 reception of the green flag kicked-off one of the most bizarre, memorable races in the race’s history.

 

Carl Edwards took the green flag for the 2012 debut of the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars but the #99 Fastenal Ford was quickly unseated once the lead drivers came up to speed. Regan Smith in the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet flew to the front by lap one just as the race’s first big wreck transpired. Just as most of the field completed the first lap of the Daytona 500, a multi-car tangle occurred when the #48 Lowes Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson was tapped in the middle of the drafting pack. As Johnson was sent into the outer Daytona wall, David Ragan in the #38 car, the #51 Chevy of Kurt Busch and the #10 driven by high-profile Sprint Cup Series rookie Danica Patrick were damaged. Patrick and Busch were able to return to the event after extended stays behind the wall as crews repaired their racing machines but 2006 Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports car was out of the event in just the second lap. The retirement of Johnson marked what would be a difficult Daytona 500 for Hendrick Motorsport that would be followed before halfway by a blown engine on Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet.

 

 

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After another yellow flag thrown on lap 14 for a spinning Ryan Newman (now major damage was sustained to his #39 Chevy), the race began to demonstrate advantages and perils of pack racing in the draft. After Lap 17, Denny Hamlin (who started 31^st position in the Daytona 500 following a disastrous finish in his Duel 150 event) led continuously for 24 laps. Unseating the #11 Toyota of Hamlin from the lead was the #31 Chevrolet belonging to Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton. Green flag pit stops would cause the front position to be swapped with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart until they pitted to return lead to Burton. A caution for debris would end 49 laps of green flag racing at Daytona International Speedway (a caution-free streak that would become the longest in the 2012 Daytona 500).

 

Martin Truex Jr in the #56 NAPA Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing led the NASCAR Sprint Cup pack across the line for the halfway-point in the 2012 Daytona 500 thereby making the race official. With concerns for rain around past the 100 lap-mark of the event, drivers were getting more aggressive than ever. After a short-lived fight, it was the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin that once again found the preferential lead position on lap 103. Holding up to first for another 28 laps, Greg Biffle took the lead of the Daytona 500 just ahead of a caution for the #15 Toyota of Clint Bowyer that ran out of fuel. Following the yellow flag, the Roush Fenway Racing group showing the near dominating pace identical to that displayed in the second Gatorade Duel 150 race. At lap 133, Biffle’s #17 Ford held the lead for 6 laps until the #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth would flourish to the led on lap 146 after a stint where two Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas were present at the found.

 

After the rain-out that delayed the race for over 30 hours, a caution initially called for a one-car spin involving the #30 Chevy of David Stremme after the vehicle blew an engine on-track. Crew members work to clean up the oil left by the #30 car incident (a safety crew that included a high-powered track jet dryer) under caution on lap 160 until a scary and surreal on-track moment.

 

The #42 Target Chevrolet piloted by Juan-Pablo Montoya, rushing to catch the back of the race, suddenly veered right on the backstretch hammering the jet dryer truck. A heavy hit, a fireball thrown up by the intense jet dryer heat. The front end of the #42 Chevy was briefly ignited but was extinguished quickly thanks partially to the damaged car spinning into the infield. However, as Juan-Pablo Montoya climbed out of his wrecked race vehicle, fuel from the jet dryer began running down the Daytona International Speedway’s 31-degree banking. A large fire burned as safety crew reinforcements with a fire truck raced to the scene. After several minutes of flames cooking overtop of the turn 3 asphalt, the fire was suppressed. Despite the inferno that erupted from the jet dryer fuel cascading down the track, neither Montoya nor the safety crew member Duane Barnes was seriously hurt in the accident (however both men were checked out by medical personnel for precaution).

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

Cleaning up the Daytona International Speedway after one of the harshest fires ever transpiring on the race surface, NASCAR threw a red flag stopping the Daytona 500. Attempting to steal to the race by staying on-track while other cars pitted, the #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing car driven by Dave Blaney was in the lead and looked poised to win the 2012 Daytona 500. The uncertainty of the jet dryer fire’s affect on the track’s surface and a chance of more rain showers threatened the continuation of the event. However, with no major rainfalls, the track crews just over two hours to extract the burnt jet dryer and truck, clean off the jet fuel residue as well as repair the track surface with a fast-drying compound.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After an extended stay on the backstretch under red flag conditions, drivers were ordered back to their NASCAR Sprint Cup cars. Almost midnight, the field were again circulating around the 2.5-mile oval. Some questioned whether the resumption of the Daytona 500 was wise based on the considerable repairs conducted on the Daytona International Speedway. Concern for the track surface quickly dissipated when the field completed their first green flag laps over the restored turn 3 patch.

 

With 35 laps to go in the Daytona 500, the fight was on for the race’s Harley Earl Trophy. Matt Kenseth commanded the drafting pack waiting for the laps to count down. In three multi-car accidents in the final 21 laps consumed several frontrunners of the Daytona 500. Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger were removed from contention either in the garage area or marching wounded on the race track. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne was also caught in a lap 189 crash. With three out of four Rick Hendrick cars out of front-running position, the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr was the organization’s only chance at victory. On the final restart during a green-white-checkered period, Earnhardt Jr made a substantial fight to push the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle past the leading #17 car. Despite a hit pressing bump draft through the final two laps of the event, there was not enough pace to pass Matt Kenseth.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Imags

 

After 202 laps (a race distance extended 2 laps due to the final green-white-checkered finish), the #17 Best Buy Ford of Matt Kenseth stormed across the start/finish line winning the 2012 Daytona 500. The 22^nd win for Kenseth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and second Daytona 500 victory, the #17 car win is also Roush Fenway Racing’s 300^th win within the top-3 NASCAR series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series).

 

Unable to push Greg Biffle to the lead, Dale Earnhardt Jr successfully passed the #16 car for second place. The 2012 race becomes Earnhardt Jr’s third runner-up finish in the Daytona 500 (His father finished second five times in the “Great American Race“). Biffle, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton rounded out the top-5 for the 2012 Daytona 500. Racing to a sixth place finish, Paul Menard scaled from a 37^th place starting position to insert himself between Richard Childress Racing teammates Burton and Kevin Harvick. Michael Waltrip Racing also earns honourable mention with Mark Martin placing tenth behind the wheel of the #55 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Clint Bowyer finishing 11th after in-race troubles. Both veteran drivers were making first point-paying race drives for Michael Waltrip‘s race team.

 

In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the rain-shortened Daytona 500 event after completing 152 of the scheduled 200 laps. One of only four times a Daytona 500 race was cut due to weather, that instance had NASCAR declaring the event as over in a relatively short time span. Kenseth's 2012 Daytona win in what was a marathon NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener would definitely make-up for that premature Daytona 500 running in 2009.

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona 500
Race Results

 

1. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
2. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
3. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
4. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
5. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
6. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Peak Chevrolet
7. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
8. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
9. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
10. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
11. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
12. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
13. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
14. 47 Bobby Labonte Kroger Toyota
15. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
16. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
17. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
18. 32 Terry Labonte C&J Energy Ford
19. 26 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
20. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford EcoBoost Ford
21. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY/Quicken Loans Chevrolet
22. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
23. 38 David Gilliland MHP/Power Pak Pudding Ford
24. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row/CSX Play It Safe Chevrolet
25. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
26. 93 David Reutimann Burger King Toyota
27. 33 Elliott Sadler General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet
28. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
29. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
30. 98 Michael McDowell No.98 KLOVE/Curb Records Ford Ford
31. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
32. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
33. 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
34. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
35. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
36. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
37. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
38. 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
39. 51 Kurt Busch Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet
40. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
41. 7 Robby Gordon MAPEI/Menards/SPEED Energy Dodge
42. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
43. 34 David Ragan Scorpion Truck Bedliners Ford