The 2012 Quaker State 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on June 30, 2012, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky. Contested over 267 laps, it was the 17th race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Brad Keselowski won the race, his third of the season. Kasey Kahne finished second and Denny Hamlin was third.

2012 Quaker State 400
Race details[1][2]
Race 17 of 36 in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2012 Quaker State 400 program cover, featuring Kyle Busch.
The 2012 Quaker State 400 program cover, featuring Kyle Busch.
Date June 30, 2012 (2012-June-30)
Official name Quaker State 400
Location Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.542 km)
Weather 88 degrees Fahrenheit Wind NW 10 mph Partly Cloudy skies
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 29.700 seconds
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 116
Winner
No. 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing
Television in the United States
Network TNT
Announcers Larry McReynolds, Wally Dallenbach Jr. and Kyle Petty
The race logo for the 2012 Quaker State 400.

Report

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Background

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Kentucky Speedway, the race track where the race will be held.

Kentucky Speedway, is one of ten intermediate tracks to hold NASCAR races.[3] The standard track at Kentucky Speedway is a four-turn tri-oval track that is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long.[4] The track's turns are banked at 14 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is 8 degrees. The back stretch, opposite of the front, is at only 4 degrees.[4] The racetrack has seats for 107,000 spectators.[5] The defending winner of the event is Kyle Busch, who won it in 2011.[6] The inaugural race was plagued by a massive traffic problem where many of the fans who expected to attend the race were turned away after several hours on Interstate 71. Following the problem, Kentucky Speedway announced that they bought more land for parking and began to work with the state government to improve traffic around the speedway in time for the 2012 race.[7][8][9][10]

Practice and qualifying

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Race

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The race, the 17th of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began at 7:48 EDT. The race was televised live in the United States on TNT. Jimmie Johnson started on pole position. The Kentucky Army National Guard and the Boone County Sheriff's Office presented the flag. The invocation was offered by Pastor John Roberts of Raceway Ministries. Laura Bell Bundy performed the national anthem. The grand marshal was Quaker State Official Steve Reindl.

Results

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Qualifying

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Jimmie Johnson scored the pole position.
Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed
1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.700 181.818
2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.765 181.421
3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 29.810 181.147
4 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.939 180.367
5 39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 29.944 180.337
6 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 29.962 180.228
7 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.963 180.222
8 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 29.966 180.204
9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.994 180.036
10 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 30.006 179.964
11 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.041 179.754
12 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 30.082 179.509
13 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 30.111 179.336
14 51 Kurt Busch Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 30.133 179.206
15 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.155 179.075
16 22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge 30.160 179.045
17 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 30.169 178.992
18 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.190 178.867
19 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.212 178.737
20 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.298 178.230
21 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford 30.367 177.825
22 14 Tony Stewart Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet 30.371 177.801
23 83 Landon Cassill BK Racing Toyota 30.505 177.020
24 95 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing Ford 30.594 176.505
25 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 30.644 176.217
26 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 30.687 175.970
27 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 30.729 175.730
28 47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 30.749 175.615
29 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.820 175.211
30 26 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.843 175.080
31 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 30.846 175.063
32 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota 30.900 174.757
33 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.911 174.695
34 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 30.963 174.402
35 98 Michael McDowell Phil Parsons Racing Ford 30.963 174.402
36 23 Scott Riggs R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 30.973 174.345
37 19 Mike Bliss Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota 30.986 174.272
38 10 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 31.122 173.511
39 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 31.359 172.199
40 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 31.658 170.573
41 32 Ken Schrader FAS Lane Racing Ford 32.041 168.534
42 36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
43 33 Stephen Leicht Circle Sport Racing Chevrolet 31.190 173.132
Failed to Qualify
44 49 J. J. Yeley Robinson-Blakeney Racing Toyota 31.284 172.612
45 52 Mike Skinner Hamilton Means Racing Toyota 31.418 171.876
Source:[11]

Race results

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Brad Keselowski won the race.
Pos Grid Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Run Points
1 8 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 267 47
2 19 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 42
3 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 42
4 7 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 40
5 9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 39
6 1 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 267 39
7 20 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 267 37
8 10 56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 267 36
9 16 22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge 267 35
10 2 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 267 36
11 4 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 33
12 15 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 267 32
13 12 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 267 31
14 31 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 30
15 17 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 267 29
16 6 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 267 28
17 34 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 267 28
18 21 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford 267 27
19 14 51 Kurt Busch Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 267 25
20 25 99 Carl Edwards Roush-Fenway Racing Ford 266 24
21 11 16 Greg Biffle Roush-Fenway Racing Ford 266 23
22 18 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 266 22
23 38 10 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 266 21
24 29 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 266 20
25 23 83 Landon Cassill BK Racing Toyota 266 19
26 13 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 266 18
27 28 47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 265 17
28 40 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 265 16
29 33 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 263 15
30 39 55 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 262 14
31 41 32 Ken Schrader FAS Lane Racing Ford 262 13
32 22 14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 231 12
33 26 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 209 11
34 5 39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 208 10
35 42 36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 114 9
36 32 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota 71 8
37 30 26 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 60 7
38 35 98 Michael McDowell Phil Parsons Racing Ford 58 6
39 24 95 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing Ford 55 5
40 27 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 52 0
41 43 33 Stephen Leicht Circle Sport Chevrolet 47 3
42 37 19 Mike Bliss Tri-Star Motorsports Toyota 18 0
43 36 23 Scott Riggs R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 12 1

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ "Sprint Cup Series Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  2. ^ "Johnson grabs pole at Kentucky Speedway". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  3. ^ "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "NASCAR Tracks—The Kentucky Speedway". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  5. ^ "Track Fast Facts". Kentucky Speedway. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  6. ^ "2011 Quaker State 400". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. July 9, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  7. ^ Jensen, Tom. What now, Kentucky? Archived 2012-05-12 at the Wayback Machine. Speed, 2011-07-10.
  8. ^ Hembree, Mike. Kentucky Speedway To Add Parking Area Archived 2012-05-12 at the Wayback Machine. Speed, 2011-07-10.
  9. ^ Kentucky Speedway apologizes to fans Archived 2012-05-12 at the Wayback Machine. Speedway Motorsports, 2011-07-11.
  10. ^ Blount, Terry. Kentucky Speedway gets a mulligan. ESPN, 2011-07-12.
  11. ^ "NASCAR Kentucky Starting Lineup 2012: Jimmie Johnson Leads Qualifying". SBNation.com. 29 June 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-03. Retrieved 2012-07-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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