2012 Toyota/Save Mart 350
Race details[1][2]
Race 16 of 36 in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Date June 24, 2012 (2012-June-24)
Location Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, California
Course Permanent racing facility
1.99 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 112 laps, 222.88 mi (358.69 km)
Scheduled Distance 110 laps, 218.9 mi (352.285 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching up to 73.9 °F (23.3 °C); wind speeds up to 17.1 miles per hour (27.5 km/h)[3]
Average speed 83.624 miles per hour (134.580 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Richard Petty Motorsports
Time 75.203
Most laps led
Driver Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing
Laps 71
Winner
No. 15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing
Television in the United States
Network TNT
Announcers Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach Jr. and Kyle Petty

The 2012 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on June 24, 2012, at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. Contested over 110 laps, it was the sixteenth race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and the first of two road course competitions on the schedule. Clint Bowyer of Michael Waltrip Racing took his first win of the season, while Tony Stewart finished second and Kurt Busch finished third.

Report

Background

Sonoma Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International.[4] The standard road course at Infineon Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52 miles (4.06 km) long;[5] the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14 km).[5] The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout.[6] In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99 miles (3.20 km).[7]

Before the race, Matt Kenseth led the Drivers' Championship with 565 points, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. stood in second with 561. Greg Biffle was third in the Drivers' Championship with 548, sixteen points ahead of Jimmie Johnson and thirty-four ahead of Denny Hamlin in fourth and fifth. Kevin Harvick, with 504, was seven points ahead of Martin Truex Jr., as Tony Stewart with 491 points, was ten ahead of Clint Bowyer and thirty-three in front of Brad Keselowski.[8] In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 105 points, eighteen points ahead of Toyota. Ford, with 77 points, was twenty-eight points ahead of Dodge in the battle for third.[9] Kurt Busch was the defending race winner.[10]

Five teams chose to temporarily replace their regular drivers with road course ringers. One of which was Tommy Baldwin Racing, who replaced regular David Reutimann with Tomy Drissi,[11] while another was FAS Lane Racing who chose Boris Said to replace regular drivers, Reed Sorenson and Ken Schrader.[11] Humphrey Smith Racing also changed drivers, with Mike Bliss, racing at Road America in the Nationwide Series on the weekend, being replaced with Chris Cook,[12] while Phil Parsons Racing replaced Michael McDowell with David Mayhew and Inception Motorsports co-owner David Stremme stepped aside in favor of Brian Simo.[11] Robby Gordon also qualified for his first race since Auto Club Speedway.[11][13]

Practice and qualifying

Marcos Ambrose, from Richard Petty Motorsports, won the pole position

Three practice sessions were scheduled to be held before the Sunday race—one on June 22, 2012, and two on June 23, 2012. The first session lasted 90 minutes. The second session was 45 minutes, while the final session finished after 75 minutes.[14] Jeff Gordon was quickest with a time of 75.653 seconds in the first session, less than two-tenths of a second faster than Truex Jr.[15] Bowyer was just off Truex Jr.'s pace, followed by Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and Ryan Newman. Marcos Ambrose was seventh, still within a second of Gordon's time.[15]

"I was hiding under the truck. Jeff is such a talented road racer. He's one of the world's best road racers. I knew he had a great car from the lap he put down in practice. I was very nervous to watch him go."

Marcos Ambrose, following the qualifying session.[16]

Forty-four cars were entered for qualifying, but only forty-three could qualify for the race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure.[17] Ambrose clinched the second pole position of his career, with a record setting time of 75.203 seconds.[18][19] He was joined on the front row of the grid by Gordon.[18] Johnson qualified third, Biffle took fourth, and Truex Jr. started fifth.[18] Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Kenseth and Newman rounded out the top ten. The driver that failed to qualify for the race was Brian Simo.[18] Following the qualifying session, Ambrose stated, "I beat myself up here in 2010.It was nothing to do with the car or the track. It was me. I know what not to do on the last restart."[16] Afterward, third-placed Johnson commented, "It was on edge the whole lap. I don't want to drive 110 laps the way it drove today."[16]

In the second practice session, Gordon remained quickest with a time of 75.961 seconds.[20] Ambrose, with a time of 76.718, was second quickest, ahead of Allmendinger, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Keselowski.[20] Kyle Busch, Johnson, Truex Jr., Bowyer, and McMurray completed the first ten positions.[20] Gordon continued to be quickest through the third practice session with a time of 76.846, 0.885 slower than his fastest lap during the second session.[21] Biffle was second quickest in the session, while Montoya was scored third.[21] Johnson followed in the fourth position ahead of Allmendinger, Hamlin and Edwards.[21] Truex Jr., Kahne and Kyle Busch rounded out the first ten positions in eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively.[21]

Race

The race, the fifteenth in the season, began at 3:21 p.m. EDT and was televised live in the United States on TNT.[1] The conditions on the grid were dry before the race with the air temperature around 74 °F (23 °C).[2] Track minister Tim Boeve began pre-race ceremonies, by giving the invocation.[22] Next, University of California Straw Hat Band performed the national anthem, while Tony LaRussa and Toby Appleton, a Toyota Military Hero, gave the command for drivers to start their engines.[22] During the pace laps, David Gilliland had to start last on the grid after missing the mandatory drivers meeting.[23] After leading 13 laps, Gordon would reach the 23,000 career laps led mark, the most of any current Sprint Cup Series driver .

Results

Qualifying

No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed Grid
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord75.20395.2621
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet75.35795.6072
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet75.57494.9753
16Greg BiffleRoush-Fenway RacingFord75.63294.7224
56Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota75.66194.6865
15Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota75.66694.6796
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota75.70494.6327
51Kurt BuschPhoenix RacingChevrolet75.76494.5578
17Matt KensethRoush-Fenway RacingFord75.79094.5249
39Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet75.80294.50910
99Carl EdwardsRoush-Fenway RacingFord75.80794.50311
42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet75.95594.31912
2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge75.99594.26913
20Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota76.04494.20914
5Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet76.04694.20615
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota76.05294.19916
22A. J. AllmendingerPenske RacingDodge76.06494.18417
47Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota76.12994.10318
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet76.19294.02619
13Casey MearsGermain RacingFord76.22093.99120
55Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota76.25493.94921
95Scott SpeedLeavine Family RacingFord76.28393.91322
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet76.34393.84023
14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet76.35693.82424
1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet76.43193.73225
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet76.43493.72826
38David Gilliland1Front Row MotorsportsFord76,60193.52427
32Boris SaidFAS Lane RacingFord76.81193.26828
34David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord76.89593.16629
43Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord76.90693.15330
78Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet76.97993.06431
36Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet77.06292.96432
98David MayhewPhil Parsons RacingFord77.17192.83333
7Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge77.39692.56334
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet77.48392.45935
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota77.75192.14036
19Chris CookHumphrey Smith RacingToyota77.80592.07637
49J. J. YeleyRobinson-Blakeney RacingToyota77.93191.92738
93Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota78.00991.83639
26Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord78.10091.72940
10Tomy DrissiTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet79.09190.57941
83Landon CassillBK RacingToyota80.18789.34142
33Stephen Leicht2Circle Sport RacingChevrolet78.13691.68643
Failed to Qualify
30Brian SimoInception MotorsportsToyota78.65891.078
Sources:[18][24][25]
Notes
^1  David Gilliland started last on the grid because of missing the mandatory drivers meeting.[23]
^2  Stephen Leicht also had to start in the rear of the grid after his team changed engines.[23]

Race results

Clint Bowyer won the race.
Pos. Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1615Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota11247
22414Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet11242
3851Kurt BuschPhoenix RacingChevrolet11242
42155Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota11240
5348Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11239
6224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11239
7416Greg BiffleRoush-Fenway RacingFord11237
819Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord11237
91722A. J. AllmendingerPenske RacingDodge11235
101420Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota11234
113531Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11233
12132Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge11232
13917Matt KensethRoush-Fenway RacingFord11231
14155Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11230
152013Casey MearsGermain RacingFord11229
162629Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11228
17718Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota11227
181039Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet11226
19251Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet11225
202327Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet11224
211199Carl EdwardsRoush-Fenway RacingFord11223
22556Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota11223
231988Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet11221
241847Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota11120
252295Scott SpeedLeavine Family RacingFord11119
262738David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord11118
272934David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord11117
283043Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord11016
292832Boris SaidFAS Lane RacingFord1100
304026Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord11014
314283Landon CassillBK RacingToyota11013
323178Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet10912
333849J. J. YeleyRobinson-Blakeney RacingToyota10711
341242Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet10710
351611Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota989
363993Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota928
373236Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet847
384110Tomy DrissiTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet786
39347Robby GordonRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge735
403398David MayhewPhil Parsons RacingFord250
414333Stephen LeichtCircle Sport RacingChevrolet223
423719Chris CookHumphrey Smith RacingToyota132
433687Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota10
Source:[26]

Standings after the race

References

  1. 1 2 "Sprint Cup Series Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Brian (June 19, 2012). "The Toyota/SaveMart 350(k)". Rotoworld.com. NBC Sports. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  3. "Weather information for the 2012 Toyota/Save Mart 350". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  4. White, Rea (18 June 2010). "Road course races challenge the specialists". Fox Sports. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Sears Point". gt-racing.co.uk. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  6. "Passing is tough in Chute". The Augusta Chronicle. 28 June 1998. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  7. "Sears Point Breaks Ground On Modified Chute". SPR Media Relations. RacingWest. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  8. "2012 Official Driver Standings: Quicken Loans 400". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Manufactures' Championship Classification". Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site. ESPN. Archived from the original on November 30, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  10. "2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Said, Drissi to drive at Sonoma". NASCAR. Turner Sports. June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  12. "NASCAR team tabs local to qualify its car at Sonoma". Motorsport Magazine. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  13. "NASCAR At Sonoma: Sprint Cup Series Hits The Road". SB Nation. NASCAR Wire Service. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  14. "THE RACE: Toyota / Save Mart 350(k)". Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site. ESPN. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  15. 1 2 "Practice One Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 Hembree, Mike (June 22, 2012). "CUP: Ambrose Wins Sonoma Pole". SPEED TV. Fox Sports. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  17. "Qualifying Entry List". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Race Official Lineup". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  19. NASCAR Wire Service (June 22, 2012). "Ambrose edges Gordon for pole at Sonoma". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  20. 1 2 3 "Practice Two Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "Practice Three Timing and Scoring". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  22. 1 2 "Lap-by-Lap: Sonoma". NASCAR. Turner Sports. June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 "Racetrax: Toyota/Save Mart 350". Fox Sports. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  24. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Grid". ESPN. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  25. "Lineup for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma". USA Today. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  26. "2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Results". ESPN. June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
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