2012 Federated Auto Parts 400

The 2012 Federated Auto Parts 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on September 8, 2012 at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps, it was the twenty-sixth and final race leading into the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season.

2012 Federated Auto Parts 400
Race details[1]
Race 26 of 36 in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Richmond International Speedway
Richmond International Speedway
Date Sept 8-9, 2012
Location Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia
Course Permanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.2 km)
Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 21.256
Most laps led
Driver Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 199
Winner
No. 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing
Television in the United States
Network ABC
Announcers Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree

Clint Bowyer of Michael Waltrip Racing won the race, his second of the season. Jeff Gordon finished second to clinch the second wild card spot in the Chase, and Mark Martin finished third.

Report

Background

Richmond International Raceway, the race track where the race was held.

Richmond International Raceway is one of five short tracks to hold NASCAR races; the others are Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, and Phoenix International Raceway.[2] The NASCAR race makes use of the track's standard configuration, a four-turn short track oval that is 0.75 miles (1.21 km) long.[3] The track's turns are banked at fourteen degrees. The front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at eight degrees while the back stretch has two degrees of banking.[3] The racetrack has seats for 94,063 spectators.[3]

First half

The race was set to start at 7:43 p.m. EDT but the start was delayed 90 minutes, and the cars were running under caution speed, Jeff Gordon was leading when the race restarted on lap 8, The second caution came out on lap 48, this was a planned competition caution, The race restarted on lap 52, and the third caution then came out on lap 53 for a one-car spin in the back straightaway (David Ragan), the race restarted on lap 57, and a couple of laps later, the fourth caution came out for rain on lap 139, by lap 153, the cars were brought down pit road the race was red flagged as rain returned again. After a delay of fifty-one minutes and 45 seconds, the cars started rolling again, and the race restarted on lap 156.

Second half

The fifth caution came out on lap 235 when Clint Bowyer spun out in the back straightaway, the race restarted on lap 239, The race was under longer green flag runs until the end, Clint Bowyer stretched his fuel mileage and despite a late charge from Jeff Gordon, the lead was too big to overcome for Gordon, and Bowyer would score his second win in Richmond, as well as the second win in the season. Gordon rallied back from going one lap down to finish 2nd, and knocked Kyle Busch out of the Chase by 3 points (Kyle finished 16th). Mark Martin clinched third.

Results

Qualifying

No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed Grid
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.256127.0231
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.263126.9812
78Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet21.275126.9103
15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota21.292126.8084
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.295126.7905
55Mark MartinMichael Waltrip RacingToyota21.296126.7846
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21.315126.6717
20Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21.327126.6008
56Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota21.335126.5539
2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge21.336126.54710
22Sam Hornish Jr.Penske RacingDodge21.359126.41011
83Landon CassillBK RacingToyota21.405126.13912
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.415126.08013
39Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet21.416126.07414
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota21.423126.03315
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord21.423126.03316
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord21.433125.97417
43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord21.439125.93918
98Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord21.449125.88019
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.455125.84520
5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.476125.72221
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord21.481125.69222
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord21.497125.59923
42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet21.506125.54624
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.512125.51125
1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet21.533125.38926
34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord21.533125.38927
14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet21.536125.37128
47Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota21.541125.34229
51Kurt BuschPhoenix RacingChevrolet21.561125.22630
30David StremmeInception MotorsportsToyota21.591125.05231
93Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota21.602124.98832
36Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet21.619124.89033
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota21.621124.87934
38David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord21.644124.74635
33Stephen LeichtCircle Sport RacingChevrolet21.648124.72336
10David ReutimannTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet21.651124.70637
23Scott RiggsR3 MotorsportsChevrolet21.680124.53938
32Ken SchraderFAS Lane RacingFord21.703124.40739
19Mike BlissHumphrey Smith RacingToyota21.719124.31540
26Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord21.746124.16141
13Casey MearsGermain RacingChevrolet21.759124.08742
91Reed SorensonHumphrey Smith RacingChevrolet21.813123.77943
Failed to Qualify
37J. J. YeleyMax Q MotorsportsChevrolet21.868123.468
0Mark GreenSS MotorsportsToyota22.321120.962


References

  1. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  2. "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  3. "NASCAR Tracks—The Richmond International Raceway". Richmond International Raceway. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
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