2012 Ford EcoBoost 400

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2012 Ford EcoBoost 400
Race details [1] [2] [3]
Race 36 of 36 in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Ford EcoBoost 400 logo.png
Date November 18, 2012 (2012-11-18)
Location Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.542 km)
Weather Clear with the air temperature around 77 °F (25 °C); wind out of the NNW at 8 miles per hour (13 km/h).
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 30.672
Most laps led
Driver Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps 191
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree

The 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on November 18, 2012 at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. Contested over 267 laps, it was the thirty-sixth in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as the final race in the ten-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, which ends the season. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won the race, his second win of the season and Hendrick's first win at Homestead Miami (and their 10th win of the season), while Clint Bowyer finished second and Ryan Newman finished third.

Contents

The race was notable for three lasts: the last race for Dodge in the foreseeable future, the last race with the fifth-generation Sprint Cup car body, and the last for long-time Hendrick Motorsports sponsor DuPont with Jeff Gordon, as DuPont was leaving the #24 team at the end of the season following a spinoff of its automotive coatings division to The Carlyle Group. This race was also notable for Brad Keselowski winning his first Sprint Cup Championship

Report

Background

Homestead Miami Speedway is one of ten intermediate tracks to hold NASCAR races; the others are Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway. [4] The race was held on the standard track at Homestead Miami Speedway; a four-turn oval track that is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. [5] The track's turns are banked from 18 to 20 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at three degrees. The back stretch, opposite of the front, also has a three degree banking. [5] The racetrack has seats for 65,000 spectators. [5]

Heading into the final race of the season, Brad Keselowski was leading the Drivers' Championship with 2,371 points while Jimmie Johnson was second with 2,351 points, twenty points behind Keselowski. [6] A maximum of 48 points were available for the final race. [7] Behind Keselowski and Johnson in the Drivers' Championship, Kasey Kahne was third with 2,321 points, three points ahead of Clint Bowyer and twelve ahead of Denny Hamlin in fourth and fifth. [6] Matt Kenseth with 2,297 was four points ahead of Greg Biffle, as Kevin Harvick with 2,285 points, was one point ahead of Tony Stewart and twenty-five ahead of Martin Truex Jr. [6] Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was eleventh and twelfth with 2,256 and 2,211 points, respectively. [6]

Chevrolet had already secured the Manufacturer's Championship, and entered the race on 240 points, thirty-three points ahead of Toyota with 203 points, [8] with a maximum of nine points available at the Ford EcoBoost 400. [9] Ford was third with 170 points, seventeen ahead of Dodge. Stewart was the race's defending winner, after his victory at the 2011 race. [10]

Entry list

No.DriverTeamManufacturer
1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
2 Brad Keselowski (CC) Penske Racing Dodge
5 Kasey Kahne (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
10 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
11 Denny Hamlin (CC) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Ford
14 Tony Stewart (CC) Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet
15 Clint Bowyer (CC) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
16 Greg Biffle (CC) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
17 Matt Kenseth (CC) Roush Fenway Racing Ford
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
19 Mike Bliss (i) Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota
20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21 Trevor Bayne (i) Wood Brothers Racing Ford
22 Sam Hornish Jr. (i) Penske Racing Dodge
23 Scott Riggs R3 Motorsports Chevrolet
24 Jeff Gordon (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
26 Josh Wise (R) Front Row Motorsports Ford
27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
29 Kevin Harvick (CC) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
30 David Stremme Swan Racing Toyota
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
32 Ken Schrader FAS Lane Racing Ford
33 Stephen Leicht (R) Circle Sport Chevrolet
34 David Ragan Front Row Motorsports Ford
36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
37 J. J. Yeley Max Q Motorsports Chevrolet
38 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford
39 Ryan Newman Stewart–Haas Racing Chevrolet
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota
48 Jimmie Johnson (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
51 Regan Smith Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
55 Mark Martin Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
56 Martin Truex Jr. (CC) Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
78 Kurt Busch Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
79 Reed Sorenson (i) Go Green Racing Ford
83 Landon Cassill BK Racing Toyota
87 Joe Nemechek (i) NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (CC) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
91 Jason Leffler (i) Humphrey Smith Racing Toyota
93 Travis Kvapil BK Racing Toyota
98 Michael McDowell Phil Parsons Racing Ford
99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford
Official Entry list


Results

Qualifying

GridNo.DriverTeamManufacturerTimeSpeed
120Joey Logano*Joe Gibbs RacingToyota30.672176.056
29Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord30.797175.342
32Brad Keselowski (CC)Penske RacingDodge30.841175.092
499Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord30.857175.001
543Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord30.877174.887
615Clint Bowyer (CC)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota30.901174.752
756Martin Truex Jr. (CC)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota30.920174.644
818Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota30.934174.565
955Mark MartinMichael Waltrip RacingToyota30.954174.452
1048Jimmie Johnson (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.020174.081
1117Matt Kenseth (CC)Roush Fenway RacingFord31.038173.980
125Kasey Kahne (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.040173.969
1316Greg Biffle (CC)*Roush Fenway RacingFord31.047173.930
141Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.069173.807
1524Jeff Gordon (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.081173.740
1688Dale Earnhardt Jr. (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.129173.472
1722Sam Hornish Jr. (i)Penske RacingDodge31.194173.110
1827Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.200173.077
1939Ryan NewmanStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet31.216172.988
2021Trevor Bayne (i)Wood Brothers RacingFord31.275172.662
2142Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.279172.640
2230David StremmeSwan RacingToyota31.293172.563
2329Kevin Harvick (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet31.296172.546
2451Regan Smith*Phoenix RacingChevrolet31.303172.507
2598Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord31.909172.474
2678Kurt BuschFurniture Row RacingChevrolet31.347172.265
276Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i)Roush Fenway RacingFord31.376172.106
2813Casey MearsGermain RacingFord31.385172.057
2919Mike BlissHumphrey Smith RacingToyota31.417171.881
3083Landon CassillBK RacingToyota31.440171.756
3136Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet31.442171.745
3247Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota31.454171.679
3331Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.463171.630
3434David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord31.472171.581
3514Tony Stewart (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingChevrolet31.490171.483
3626Josh Wise (R)Front Row MotorsportsFord31.497171.445
3710David ReutimannTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet31.538171.222
3893Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota31.610170.832
3937J. J. YeleyMax Q MotorsportsChevrolet31.623170.762
4038David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord31.641170.664
4111Denny Hamlin (CC)* **Joe Gibbs RacingToyota31.755170.052
4232Ken Schrader*FAS Lane RacingFord31.863169.476
4323Scott RiggsR3 MotorsportsChevrolet31.636170.692
Failed to Qualify
79Reed SorensonGo Green RacingFord31.713170.277
33Stephen Leicht (R)Circle SportChevrolet31.754170.057
91Jason LefflerHumphrey Smith RacingToyota31.758170.036
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota31.838169.609
Official Starting grid

* - Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, Regan Smith, and Denny Hamlin had to start at the rear of the field because of going to backup cars.

** - Made the field via owners points.

Race results

PosCarDriverTeamManufacturerLaps RunPoints
124Jeff Gordon (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26747
215Clint Bowyer (CC)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota26742
339Ryan NewmanStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet26742
418Kyle Busch*Joe Gibbs RacingToyota26742
516Greg Biffle (CC)Roush Fenway RacingFord26739
656Martin Truex Jr. (CC)Michael Waltrip RacingToyota26739
743Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord26737
829Kevin Harvick (CC)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet26736
978Kurt BuschFurniture Row RacingChevrolet26735
1088Dale Earnhardt Jr. (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26734
1127Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26733
1299Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord26732
139Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord26732
1420Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26730
152Brad Keselowski (CC)Penske RacingDodge26629
1655Mark MartinMichael Waltrip RacingToyota26628
1714Tony Stewart (CC)Stewart–Haas RacingChevrolet26627
1817Matt Kenseth (CC)Roush Fenway RacingFord26627
1931Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26625
201Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26624
215Kasey Kahne (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26624
2222Sam Hornish Jr. (i)Penske RacingDodge2660
2321Trevor BayneWood Brothers RacingFord2660
2411Denny Hamlin (CC)Joe Gibbs RacingToyota26620
2547Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota26519
2693Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota26518
2783Landon CassillBK RacingToyota26517
2842Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26416
2913Casey MearsGermain RacingFord26415
3051Regan SmithPhoenix RacingChevrolet26414
3134David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord26313
3236Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet26312
3338David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord26211
3410David ReutimannTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet26110
3537J. J. YeleyMax Q MotorsportsChevrolet2619
3648Jimmie Johnson (CC)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2249
3732Ken SchraderFAS Lane RacingFord2197
3830David StremmeSwan RacingToyota1836
396Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (i)Roush Fenway RacingFord1570
4026Josh Wise (R)Front Row RacingFord384
4198Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord343
4223Scott RiggsR3 MotorsportsChevrolet232
4319Mike Bliss (i)Humphrey Smith RacingToyota160
Official Race results

* - led the most laps

Standings after the race

References

  1. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  2. Brown, Brian (November 14, 2012). "TheFord 400". Rotoworld.com. NBC Sports. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  3. Ryan, Nate (November 16, 2012). "Brad Keselowski starts third, Jimmie Johnson 10th". USA Today. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  4. "Tracks". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 "The History of Homestead-Miami Speedway". Homestead Miami Speedway. Archived from the original on November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "2012 Official Driver Standings: AdvoCare 500". NASCAR. Turner Motorsports. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  7. "NASCAR Point System". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  8. "Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site – 2012 Manufacturers Championship Standings". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  9. "2012 Manufacturer Standings". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  10. "2011 Ford 400". Racing-Reference.info. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
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2012 AdvoCare 500
Sprint Cup Series
2012 season
Next race:
2013 Daytona 500