2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Race details[1][2]
Date May 19, 2012
Location Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance Showdown:
40 laps, 60 mi (96.56 km)
All-Star Race:
90 laps, 135 mi (217.26 km)
Avg Speed Showdown:
125.581 miles per hour (202.103 km/h)
All-Star Race:
92.045 miles per hour (148.132 km/h)
Sprint Showdown
Pole position A. J. Allmendinger (Penske Racing)
28.057 seconds
Winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports)
Sprint All-Star Race
Pole position Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing)
119.112 seconds
Showdown transfersDale Earnhardt, Jr. (Showdown winner)
A. J. Allmendinger (Showdown runner-up)
Bobby Labonte (Fan vote)
Most laps ledBrad Keselowski (Penske Racing)
20 laps
WinnerJimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)
Television
Network Speed
Announcers Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Michael Waltrip

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on May 19, 2012, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Contested over 90 laps, the it was the second exhibition race of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season. Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports took his third All-Star Race victory, while Brad Keselowski finished second and Matt Kenseth finished third.

Report

Background

Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race track where the race was held.

The track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, is one of ten intermediate to hold NASCAR races, the others being Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Homestead Miami Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway.[3] The standard track at Charlotte Motor Speedway is a four-turn quad-oval track that is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long.[4] The track's turns are banked at twenty-four degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is five degrees. The back stretch, opposite of the front, also had a five degree banking.[4] The racetrack has seats for 140,000 spectators.[4]

A total of 22 drivers were entered for the Sprint Showdown, while 21 different drivers were eligible to participate in the All-Star Race, including race winners from last season through the 2012 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and previous All-Star race winners from the past 10 years.[5][6] The drivers who finish first and second in the Sprint Showdown, a 40-lap preliminary race, was also eligible to compete in the race, as well as the Sprint fan vote winner.[5] The race was 90 laps long, separated into five segments: four segments of 20 laps and a final segment of 10 laps.[5] A mandatory pit stop was between the final two segments, while pitting between the 20 lap segments was optional.[5][7] Each segment winner moved to the front of the grid before the pit stops, but drivers lined-up for the restart how they left pit road.[5] Since the inaugural race in 1985, the format has changed eight times.[5]

Pit crew challenge

Time Warner Cable Arena (shown during a basketball game) is where the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge was held.

The top-24 pit crews[8] chose their pit stall by how they finished in the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge on May 17, 2012.[7] The winner of the event was the No. 48 team from Hendrick Motorsports, which is driven on track by Jimmie Johnson. They beat the No. 11 team from Joe Gibbs Racing, driven on track by Denny Hamlin, by 0.294 seconds. Following the challenge, Johnson stated, "In this discipline, the athleticism and training really pays off. We made a big effort to get full-fledged athletes who did nothing but work on their pit stops and disciplines. And then they focused on this — the distance to run, the car push and all that — and I think it just shows how strong they are, how physically able they are to get the job done."[9]

In addition, the event had individual winners who were the best in each category: jack man, gas man, front tire changers, and rear tire changers with the addition of two tire carriers. The jack man competition was won by Jeff Keer, from Kasey Kahne's Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 team, while the gas man competition was won by Tom Lampe, who was from Kyle Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 team. Jeff Burton's Richard Childress Racing No. 31 team's front tire changer, Tim Sheets, and tire carrier JD Holcomb, who performed a record time of 13.615 seconds. The rear tire changer and tire carrier competition was won be Jake Seminara and Kenny Barber from the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team.[9]

Practice and qualifying

A. J. Allmendinger won the preliminary race's pole position after posting a time of 28.706 seconds.

Two practice sessions were held on May 18, 2012; one for both the Sprint Showdown and the other for the All-Star Race. The Sprint Showdown practice was 85 minutes, while the All-Star Race practice session lasted 145 minutes. Qualifying for both events were held following the practice sessions.[10]

During the Sprint Showdown practice session, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was quickest with a time of 28.706 seconds, eight one-thousandths of a second faster than A. J. Allmendinger in the second position.[11] Landon Cassill followed in third, ahead of Bobby Labonte, Martin Truex, Jr. and Burton.[11] Casey Mears was scored seventh fastest, while Aric Almirola, Travis Kvapil and Juan Pablo Montoya completed the first ten positions.[11] Kyle Busch was quickest in the All-Star Race practice session with a time of 28.672.[12]

Kyle Busch won the Sprint All-Star Race pole position with a time of 1:59.112.

Greg Biffle followed Kyle Busch in the second position by 0.095 seconds.[12] Marcos Ambrose was third quickest, ahead of Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski.[12] Mark Martin was scored seventh fastest with a time of 28.986, 0.314 behind Kyle Busch.[12] Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard and Kurt Busch completed the first ten drivers in the session.[12]

Allmendinger clinched the Sprint Showdown pole position a time of 28.057 seconds.[13] Truex, Jr. qualified 0.208 seconds behind and will Allmendinger on the front row of the grid.[13] Earnhardt, Jr. took third place, ahead of Burton and Almirola in the fourth and fifth positions.[13] Cassill qualified sixth, while Montoya followed in seventh.[13] Labonte, Kvapil and David Stremme completed the first ten positions.[13]

Unlike the two-lap qualifying sessions in the season, the Sprint All-Star Race qualifying session consists of three laps and four-tire pit stop, which is during the second lap.[14] Kyle Busch won the pole position for the All-Star Race with a time of 1:59.112 for the three laps with pit stop.[15] Ryan Newman qualified second, ahead of Hamlin, Biffle, and Harvick.[15] Johnson, with a time of 2:01.076, was seventh quickest, less than one-tenth of a second quicker than Menard in eighth. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Regan Smith completed the first ten positions of the grid.[15] Also in the All-Star Race qualifying session, Kasey Kahne collided into the wall in the fourth turn while trying to finish his qualifying attempt, forcing him to change to a back-up car.[2] "We unloaded with a really fast race car [Friday]," Busch commented after the session, "The guys made some minor changes to it to kind of feel it out and make it better where we could. The guys did a great job there with the pit stop, coming down pit road and changing four [tires] and then getting back out there and coming back to the line pretty quick."[2]

Sprint Showdown

A.J. Allmendinger won the pole for the Sprint Showdown, but would have to go to pit road during the pace laps to change a flat tire. Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the showdown leading every lap to cruise to victory. A.J Allmendinger would finish second in the final transfer spot after a hard battle with Jamie McMurray.

Results

Showdown and All-Star Race qualifying

Showdown qualifying All-Star Race qualifying
No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Grid
22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge 28.057 192.465 1 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1:59.112 1
56 Martin Truex, Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 28.265 191.049 2 39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 1:59.821 2
88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.272 191.002 3 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 2:00.1683
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.467 189.693 4 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 2:00.420 4
43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 28.609 188.752 5 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2:00.622 5
83 Landon Cassill BK Racing Toyota 28.620 188.679 6 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2:01.076 6
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 28.622 188.666 7 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 2:01.147 7
47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 28.667 188.370 8 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 2:01.297 8
93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 28.727 187.976 9 14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 2:01.482 9
30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota 28.753 187.806 10 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 2:01.721 10
13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Toyota 28.762 187.748 11 21 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing Ford 2:01.861 11
10 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 28.778 187.643 12 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 2:02.292 12
20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 28.788 187.578 13 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 2:02.420 13
33 Stephen Leicht Joe Falk Chevrolet 28.922 186.709 14 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 2:04.183 14
95 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing Ford 28.927 186.677 15 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 2:05.351 15
38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 28.928 186.670 16 55 Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 2:06.624 16
19 Mike Bliss Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota 28.955 186.496 17 51 Kurt Busch Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 2:08.074 17
49 J. J. Yeley America Israel Racing Toyota 29.025 186.047 18 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 2:08.784 18
1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 29.047 185.906 19 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 2:10.436 19
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 29.081 185.688 20 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
No Time
20
26 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 29.188 185.008 21 21
36 Tony Raines Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 29.578 182.568 22 22
Source:[2][13]
Source:[2][15]

Showdown results

Showdown race results All-Star Race results
Pos Grid Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps
Run
Pos Grid Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps
Run
13 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40 16 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90
21 22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge 40 219 2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge 90
319 1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40 315 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford 90
42 56 Martin Truex, Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 40 41 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90
57 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet 40 521 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90
613 20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 40 65 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90
75 43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 40 718 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 90
84 31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 40 817 51 Kurt Busch Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 90
96 83 Landon Cassill BK Racing Toyota 40 920 5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90
109 93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota 40 102 39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 90
1111 13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Toyota 40 1122 22 A. J. Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge 90
128 47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 40 1210 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet 90
1321 26 Josh Wise Front Row Motorsports Ford 40 138 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 90
1415 95 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing Ford 40 1412 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 90
1516 38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 40 1511 21 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing Ford 90
1617 19 Mike Bliss Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota 28 167 27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 90
1720 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 26 179 14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet 90
1810 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota 22 1814 34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford 90
1912 10 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 20 1923 47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota 90
2022 36 Tony Raines Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 20 203 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 90
2114 33 Stephen Leicht Joe Falk Chevrolet 7 2116 55 Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota 90
2218 49 J. J. Yeley America Israel Racing Toyota 3 224 16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 67
23 2313 99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford 25
Source:
Source:

References

  1. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Busch claims pole for All-Star Race". NASCAR Wire Service. NASCAR. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  3. "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "NASCAR Tracks—The Charlotte Motor Speedway". Charlotte Motor Speedway. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "NASCAR tweaks All-Star race format". Associated Press. ESPN. March 28, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  6. "Action-packed week on tap for NASCAR fans". Official Release. NASCAR. May 15, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Hembree, Mike (March 27, 2012). "ALL-STAR: All-Star Race Format Changed". Speed TV. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  8. Post, Steve (May 8, 2012). "Wood eyeing three-peat in Pit Crew Challenge". NASCAR. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "No. 48 team beats Hamlin's in Pit Crew Challenge". NASCAR Wire Service. NASCAR. May 17, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  10. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Challenge". Jayski's® NASCAR Silly Season Site. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Sprint Showdown Practice Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "Sprint All-Star Race Practice Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 "Race Lineup: Sprint Showdown". NASCAR. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  14. "How all-star qualifying works". ThatsRacing.com. May 18, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Race Lineup: Sprint All-Star Race". NASCAR. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.