NASCAR » Cup: Chicago - Race results

17 September 2012
Brad Keselowski got ahead of long-time race leader Jimmie Johnson off pit road, and then raced away to win the first Chase event of 2012 at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday.
From early on, Brad Keselowski emerged as the only serious threat to long-time leader Jimmie Johnson in the GEICO 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. Finally, after pulling off an opportunistic pass on Johnson coming out of the final round of pit stops, Keselowski was able to pull away to claim his fourth win of the 2012 season, his eighth in 116 series starts.

Johnson had to settle for second place, but after trailing Keselowski to the line by over three seconds had to admit that he likely wouldn't have had the pace needed to hold off the Penske #2 to the line regardless of the way Keselowski had come by the lead in the first place.

Keselowski and Johnson now lead the points standings with nine races to go, with Stewart close behind in third. Denny Hamlin dropped down from his early lead in the Chase after problems with refuelling at the final round of pit stops left him in trouble at the end.

After having scraped into the Chase with a last chance wildcard, Jeff Gordon's campaign got off to a disastrous start with a stuck throttle sending him into the wall on lap 188 of the 267-lap, 400-mile at the 1.5-mile oval, leaving him a full 47pts off Keselowski just one week into the post-season.

Full race report now available.

Race results

1. #2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 267 laps 2hrs 47mins 37secs (47/4 pts)
2. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 267 laps + 3.171s (44/2 pts)
3. #5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 267 laps + 10.585s (41/0 pts)
4. #18 Kyle Busch Toyota 267 laps + 13.757s (40/0 pts)
5. #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 267 laps + 17.409s (39/0 pts)
6. #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 267 laps + 18.893s (39/1 pts)
7. #20 Joey Logano Toyota 267 laps + 20.105s (37/0 pts)
8. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 267 laps + 21.105s (36/0 pts)
9. #56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 267 laps + 21.406s (35/0 pts)
10. #15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 267 laps + 22.419s (35/1 pts)
11. #22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 267 laps + 23.923s (0pts)
12. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 267 laps + 27.937s (32/0 pts)
13. #16 Greg Biffle Ford 267 laps + 27.968s (31/0 pts)
14. #55 Mark Martin Toyota 267 laps + 28.835s (30/0 pts)
15. #27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 267 laps + 31.581s (29/0 pts)
16. #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 267 laps + 71.674s (29/1 pts)
17. #43 Aric Almirola Ford 267 laps + 1 lap (28/1 pts)
18. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford 267 laps + 1 lap (27/1 pts)
19. #99 Carl Edwards Ford 267 laps + 1 lap (25/0 pts)
20. #21 Trevor Bayne Ford 267 laps + 1 lap (0pts)
21. #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 267 laps + 1 lap (24/1 pts)
22. #34 David Ragan Ford 267 laps + 1 lap (23/1 pts)
23. #42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 265 laps + 2 laps (21/0 pts)
24. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 265 laps + 2 laps (20/0 pts)
25. #10 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 265 laps + 2 laps (0pts)
26. #47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 264 laps + 3 laps (18/0 pts)
27. #9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 263 laps + 4 laps (17/0 pts)
28. #38 David Gilliland Ford 263 laps + 4 laps (16/0 pts)
29. #83 Landon Cassill Toyota 262 laps + 5 laps (15/0 pts)
30. #32 T.J. Bell Ford 261 laps + 6 laps (0pts)
31. #93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 259 laps + 8 laps (13/0 pts)
32. #51 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 245 laps + 22 laps (12/0 pts)
33. #36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 199 laps Engine (11/0 pts)
34. #78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 197 laps Engine (10/0 pts)
35. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 190 laps Accident (9/0 pts)
36. #13 Casey Mears Ford 146 laps Accident (8/0 pts)
37. #33 Cole Whitt Chevrolet 70 laps Fuel Pressure (0pts)
38. #26 Josh Wise * Ford 66 laps Vibration (6/0 pts)
39. #30 David Stremme Toyota 60 laps Transmission (5/0 pts)
40. #87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 52 laps Vibration (0pts)
41. #195 Scott Speed Ford 49 laps Susp. (3/0 pts)
42. #119 Mike Bliss Toyota 41 laps Brakes (0pts)
43. #98 Michael McDowell Ford 38 laps Rear Gear (1/0 pts)

Sprint Cup Series championship standings

1. (+3) Brad Keselowski 2056pts
2. (--) Jimmie Johnson 2053pts (-3pts)
3. (--) Tony Stewart 2048pts (-8pts)
4. (-3) Denny Hamlin 2041pts (-15pts)
5. (+6) Kasey Kahne 2041pts (-15pts)
6. (--) Clint Bowyer 2041pts (-15pts)
7. (--) Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2039pts (-17pts)
8. (-3) Greg Biffle 2037pts (-19pts)
9. (+1) Martin Truex Jr. 2035pts (-21pts)
10. (-1) Kevin Harvick 2032pts (-24pts)
11. (-3) Matt Kenseth 2030pts (-26pts)
12. (--) Jeff Gordon 2009pts (-47pts)
13. (--) Kyle Busch 814pts (-1242pts)
14. (+2) Ryan Newman 773pts (-1283pts)
15. (-1) Carl Edwards 772pts (-1284pts)
16. (+1) Paul Menard 760pts (-1296pts)
17. (-2) Marcos Ambrose 752pts (-1304pts)
18. (--) Joey Logano 715pts (-1341pts)
19. (--) Jeff Burton 667pts (-1389pts)
20. (--) Jamie McMurray 664pts (-1392pts)
21. (--) Juan Montoya 629pts (-1427pts)
22. (--) Aric Almirola 615pts (-1441pts)
23. (--) Regan Smith 576pts (-1480pts)
24. (--) Bobby Labonte 575pts (-1481pts)
25. (+1) Mark Martin 522pts (-1534pts)
26. (-1) Kurt Busch 511pts (-1545pts)
27. (--) Casey Mears 470pts (-1586pts)
28. (--) David Gilliland 467pts (-1589pts)
29. (--) David Ragan 460pts (-1596pts)
30. (--) Travis Kvapil 447pts (-1609pts)
31. (--) Landon Cassill 436pts (-1620pts)
32. (--) AJ Allmendinger 400pts (-1656pts)
33. (--) Dave Blaney 349pts (-1707pts)
34. (--) David Reutimann 316pts (-1740pts)
35. (--) David Stremme 189pts (-1867pts)
36. (--) Brian Vickers 177pts (-1879pts)
37. (--) J.J. Yeley 138pts (-1918pts)
38. (--) Michael McDowell 127pts (-1929pts)
39. (+1) Josh Wise* 115pts (-1941pts)
40. (-1) Ken Schrader 111pts (-1945pts)
41. (--) Stephen Leicht* 97pts (-1959pts)
42. (--) Scott Speed 79pts (-1977pts)
43. (--) Michael Waltrip 75pts (-1981pts)
44. (--) Tony Raines 67pts (-1989pts)
45. (--) Terry Labonte 66pts (-1990pts)
46. (--) Brendan Gaughan 50pts (-2006pts)
47. (--) Scott Riggs 50pts (-2006pts)
48. (--) Boris Said 34pts (-2022pts)
49. (--) Bill Elliott 14pts (-2042pts)
50. (--) Hermie Sadler 13pts (-2043pts)
51. (--) Robby Gordon 11pts (-2045pts)
52. (--) Mike Skinner 10pts (-2046pts)
53. (--) Tomy Drissi 6pts (-2050pts)
54. (--) Stacy Compton 5pts (-2051pts)
55. (--) David Mayhew 4pts (-2052pts)
56. (+1) Patrick Long 2pts (-2054pts)
57. (-1) Kelly Bires 2pts (-2054pts)

* Denotes Rookie
Only drivers registered for points in this series are shown

Tagged as: Jeff Gordon , chase , Tony Stewart , Matt Kenseth , Chicago , Brad Keselowski , Jimmie Johnson , Denny Hamlin , Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Related Pictures

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet and Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 Farmland Ford, lead the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 16, 2012 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, heads across the star/finish line to take the chequered flag and win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 16, 2012 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Aric Almirola, driver of the #43 Farmland Ford and Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, lead the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 16, 2012 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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Jimmie Johnson, driver of the NASCAR Sprint Cup #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet SS finished third April 21, 2013 at Kansas Speedway during the STP 400 in Kansas City, Kansas. Johnson continues to lead the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) standings. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk for Chevrolet)
US President Barack Obama, Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, Owner Roger Penske and Crew Chief Paul Wolfe attend an event at the White House, April 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama is hosted the event to honour Keselowski the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. (Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
US President Barack Obama (middle) shakes hands with team owner Roger Penske (right), as Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski (left) stands nearby during an event at the White House, April 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama is hosted the event to honour Keselowski the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. (Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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US President Barack Obama talks with Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, driver of Penske Racing #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion, on the driveway at the White House April 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted an event to honour the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. (Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
US President Barack Obama talks with Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, driver of Penske Racing #2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion, on the driveway at the White House April 16, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted an event to honour the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. (Photo Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s Chevrolet, racing during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 24, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/NASCAR via Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s Chevrolet, and Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 24, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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