# 2012 Quaker State 400

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.

## Report
### Background

Kentucky Speedway, is one of ten intermediate tracks to hold NASCAR races. The standard track at Kentucky Speedway is a four-turn tri-oval track that is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. 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. The racetrack has seats for 107,000 spectators. The defending winner of the event is Kyle Busch, who won it in 2011. 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.

### Race

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
### Qualifying

| 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 | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify | Failed to Qualify | 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: |||||||

### Race results

| 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

| Pos | Driver | Points |
| 1 | Matt Kenseth | 633 |
| 2 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 622 |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 610 |
| 4 | Greg Biffle | 608 |
| 5 | Denny Hamlin | 565 |
| Pos | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | Chevrolet | 177 |
| 2 | Toyota | 100 |
| 3 | Ford | 84 |
| 4 | Dodge | 73 |