NASCAR » Cup: Charlotte - Race results

Clint Bowyer won the Saturday night Bank of America NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway after leaning out his fuel to win by a margin of 0.417s ahead of Denny Hamlin.

It's Bowyer's third win in 2012 and his eighth win in 248 series starts. It's the first time he's found victory lane in a Cup race at Charlotte - or even on a 1.5-mile oval circuit. Bowyer led for just 29 of the 334 laps of the race, with Brad Keselowski leading the longest with 139 laps out in front before an enforced late fuel stop left him down in 11th place.

With Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson finishing in second and third place at Charlotte respectively ahead of race polesitter Greg Biffle, Keselowski's first finish outside the top ten so far in the 2012 Chase means that the situation at the top of the title standings closes up. Keselowski's lead over Johnson has been cut to just 7pts, with just another 8pts further back to Hamlin in third. Bowyer's win puts him up into fourth place ahead of Kasey Kahne.

On Friday, the two practice sessions had been topped first by Biffle (28.867s, 187.065 mph) and the second by Kyle Busch with a lap of 28.665s (188.383 mph).

Race results

1. #15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 334 laps 3hrs 14mins 1secs (47/4 pts)
2. #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 334 laps + 0.417s (43/1 pts)
3. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 334 laps + 15.355s (42/1 pts)
4. #16 Greg Biffle Ford 334 laps + 27.280s (41/1 pts)
5. #18 Kyle Busch Toyota 334 laps + 29.759s (39/0 pts)
6. #55 Mark Martin Toyota 334 laps + 30.258s (39/1 pts)
7. #99 Carl Edwards Ford 334 laps + 1 lap (37/0 pts)
8. #5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 334 laps + 1 lap (36/0 pts)
9. #20 Joey Logano Toyota 334 laps + 1 lap (35/0 pts)
10. #56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 334 laps + 1 lap (34/0 pts)
11. #2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 334 laps + 1 lap (35/2 pts)
12. #43 Aric Almirola Ford 334 laps + 1 lap (32/0 pts)
13. #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 334 laps + 1 lap (31/0 pts)
14. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford 334 laps + 1 lap (30/0 pts)
15. #22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 334 laps + 1 lap (0pts)
16. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 334 laps + 1 lap (28/0 pts)
17. #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 334 laps + 1 lap (27/0 pts)
18. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 332 laps + 2 laps (27/1 pts)
19. #42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 332 laps + 2 laps (25/0 pts)
20. #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 332 laps + 2 laps (24/0 pts)
21. #78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 332 laps + 2 laps (23/0 pts)
22. #21 Trevor Bayne Ford 332 laps + 2 laps (0pts)
23. #38 David Gilliland Ford 331 laps + 3 laps (21/0 pts)
24. #51 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet 330 laps + 4 laps (20/0 pts)
25. #93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 330 laps + 4 laps (19/0 pts)
26. #83 Landon Cassill Toyota 329 laps + 5 laps (18/0 pts)
27. #27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 328 laps + 6 laps (17/0 pts)
28. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 327 laps + 7 laps (16/0 pts)
29. #13 Casey Mears Ford 327 laps + 7 laps (15/0 pts)
30. #10 David Reutimann Chevrolet 327 laps + 7 laps (14/0 pts)
31. #98 Michael McDowell Ford 326 laps + 8 laps (13/0 pts)
32. #47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 324 laps + 10 laps (12/0 pts)
33. #9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 303 laps + 31 laps (12/1 pts)
34. #34 David Ragan Ford 287 laps + 47 laps (10/0 pts)
35. #6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 190 laps Engine (0pts)
36. #32 Timmy Hill Ford 182 laps Engine (0pts)
37. #30 David Stremme Toyota 62 laps Rear Gear (7/0 pts)
38. #88 Regan Smith Chevrolet 61 laps Engine (6/0 pts)
39. #119 Mike Bliss Toyota 53 laps Rear Gear (0pts)
40. #195 Scott Speed Ford 50 laps Vibration (4/0 pts)
41. #191 Reed Sorenson Toyota 32 laps Vibration (0pts)
42. #37 J.J. Yeley Ford 30 laps Brakes (2/0 pts)
43. #36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 25 laps Transmission (1/0 pts)

Practice 3 times

1. #18 Kyle Busch Toyota 28.665s (Leader) 188.383 mph
2. #88 Regan Smith Chevrolet 28.722s (-0.057) 188.009 mph
3. #55 Mark Martin Toyota 28.738s (-0.073) 187.904 mph
4. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 28.742s (-0.077) 187.878 mph
5. #27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 28.815s (-0.150) 187.402 mph
6. #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 28.821s (-0.156) 187.363 mph
7. #99 Carl Edwards Ford 28.850s (-0.185) 187.175 mph
8. #2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 28.852s (-0.187) 187.162 mph
9. #5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 28.895s (-0.230) 186.883 mph
10. #43 Aric Almirola Ford 28.902s (-0.237) 186.838 mph
11. #20 Joey Logano Toyota 28.940s (-0.275) 186.593 mph
12. #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 28.977s (-0.312) 186.355 mph
13. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 28.987s (-0.322) 186.290 mph
14. #15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 28.992s (-0.327) 186.258 mph
15. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 28.997s (-0.332) 186.226 mph
16. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford 29.001s (-0.336) 186.201 mph
17. #56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 29.006s (-0.341) 186.168 mph
18. #16 Greg Biffle Ford 29.031s (-0.366) 186.008 mph
19. #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 29.048s (-0.383) 185.899 mph
20. #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 29.052s (-0.387) 185.874 mph
21. #51 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet 29.087s (-0.422) 185.650 mph
22. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 29.114s (-0.449) 185.478 mph
23. #42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 29.116s (-0.451) 185.465 mph
24. #78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 29.124s (-0.459) 185.414 mph
25. #22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 29.130s (-0.465) 185.376 mph
26. #21 Trevor Bayne Ford 29.176s (-0.511) 185.084 mph
27. #47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 29.248s (-0.583) 184.628 mph
28. #9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 29.248s (-0.583) 184.628 mph
29. #6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 29.310s (-0.645) 184.238 mph
30. #38 David Gilliland Ford 29.333s (-0.668) 184.093 mph
31. #195 Scott Speed Ford 29.337s (-0.672) 184.068 mph
32. #93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 29.431s (-0.766) 183.480 mph
33. #34 David Ragan Ford 29.451s (-0.786) 183.355 mph
34. #83 Landon Cassill Toyota 29.465s (-0.800) 183.268 mph
35. #37 J.J. Yeley Ford 29.484s (-0.819) 183.150 mph
36. #30 David Stremme Toyota 29.535s (-0.870) 182.834 mph
37. #13 Casey Mears Ford 29.557s (-0.892) 182.698 mph
38. #119 Mike Bliss Toyota 29.569s (-0.904) 182.624 mph
39. #98 Michael McDowell Ford 29.620s (-0.955) 182.309 mph
40. #10 David Reutimann Chevrolet 29.651s (-0.986) 182.119 mph
41. #32 Timmy Hill Ford 29.661s (-0.996) 182.057 mph
42. #36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 29.688s (-1.023) 181.892 mph
43. #191 Reed Sorenson Toyota

Practice 2 times

1. #16 Greg Biffle Ford 28.867s (Leader) 187.065 mph
2. #5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 28.940s (-0.073) 186.593 mph
3. #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 28.943s (-0.076) 186.574 mph
4. #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 28.976s (-0.109) 186.361 mph
5. #55 Mark Martin Toyota 28.989s (-0.122) 186.278 mph
6. #56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 28.990s (-0.123) 186.271 mph
7. #2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 29.034s (-0.167) 185.989 mph
8. #88 Regan Smith Chevrolet 29.079s (-0.212) 185.701 mph
9. #39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 29.115s (-0.248) 185.471 mph
10. #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 29.126s (-0.259) 185.401 mph
11. #99 Carl Edwards Ford 29.136s (-0.269) 185.338 mph
12. #15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 29.153s (-0.286) 185.230 mph
13. #20 Joey Logano Toyota 29.161s (-0.294) 185.179 mph
14. #18 Kyle Busch Toyota 29.163s (-0.296) 185.166 mph
15. #11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 29.202s (-0.335) 184.919 mph
16. #14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 29.229s (-0.362) 184.748 mph
17. #43 Aric Almirola Ford 29.238s (-0.371) 184.691 mph
18. #17 Matt Kenseth Ford 29.238s (-0.371) 184.691 mph
19. #27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 29.255s (-0.388) 184.584 mph
20. #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 29.262s (-0.395) 184.540 mph
21. #22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 29.284s (-0.417) 184.401 mph
22. #78 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 29.320s (-0.453) 184.175 mph
23. #51 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet 29.335s (-0.468) 184.080 mph
24. #42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 29.416s (-0.549) 183.574 mph
25. #47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 29.479s (-0.612) 183.181 mph
26. #21 Trevor Bayne Ford 29.480s (-0.613) 183.175 mph
27. #195 Scott Speed Ford 29.491s (-0.624) 183.107 mph
28. #13 Casey Mears Ford 29.522s (-0.655) 182.914 mph
29. #6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford 29.536s (-0.669) 182.828 mph
30. #9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 29.561s (-0.694) 182.673 mph
31. #1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 29.570s (-0.703) 182.617 mph
32. #38 David Gilliland Ford 29.595s (-0.728) 182.463 mph
33. #98 Michael McDowell Ford 29.608s (-0.741) 182.383 mph
34. #93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 29.626s (-0.759) 182.272 mph
35. #191 Reed Sorenson Toyota 29.644s (-0.777) 182.162 mph
36. #119 Mike Bliss Toyota 29.718s (-0.851) 181.708 mph
37. #34 David Ragan Ford 29.752s (-0.885) 181.500 mph
38. #83 Landon Cassill Toyota 29.783s (-0.916) 181.311 mph
39. #30 David Stremme Toyota 29.799s (-0.932) 181.214 mph
40. #32 Timmy Hill Ford 29.823s (-0.956) 181.068 mph
41. #10 David Reutimann Chevrolet 29.849s (-0.982) 180.911 mph
42. #36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 29.972s (-1.105) 180.168 mph
43. #37 J.J. Yeley Ford 30.059s (-1.192) 179.647 mph

Sprint Cup Series championship standings

1. (--) Brad Keselowski 2214pts
2. (--) Jimmie Johnson 2207pts (-7pts)
3. (--) Denny Hamlin 2199pts (-15pts)
4. (+1) Clint Bowyer 2186pts (-28pts)
5. (-1) Kasey Kahne 2179pts (-35pts)
6. (+3) Greg Biffle 2171pts (-43pts)
7. (+1) Martin Truex Jr. 2165pts (-49pts)
8. (-1) Tony Stewart 2164pts (-50pts)
9. (-3) Jeff Gordon 2164pts (-50pts)
10. (--) Kevin Harvick 2158pts (-56pts)
11. (+1) Matt Kenseth 2147pts (-67pts)
12. (-1) Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2128pts (-86pts)
13. (--) Kyle Busch 951pts (-1263pts)
14. (--) Ryan Newman 889pts (-1325pts)
15. (--) Carl Edwards 881pts (-1333pts)
16. (--) Paul Menard 847pts (-1367pts)
17. (+1) Joey Logano 832pts (-1382pts)
18. (-1) Marcos Ambrose 828pts (-1386pts)
19. (--) Jeff Burton 764pts (-1450pts)
20. (--) Jamie McMurray 741pts (-1473pts)
21. (--) Aric Almirola 718pts (-1496pts)
22. (--) Juan Montoya 700pts (-1514pts)
23. (--) Regan Smith 676pts (-1538pts)
24. (--) Bobby Labonte 667pts (-1547pts)
25. (--) Mark Martin 602pts (-1612pts)
26. (--) Kurt Busch 580pts (-1634pts)
27. (+1) David Gilliland 541pts (-1673pts)
28. (-1) David Ragan 540pts (-1674pts)
29. (--) Travis Kvapil 531pts (-1683pts)
30. (--) Casey Mears 526pts (-1688pts)
31. (--) Landon Cassill 493pts (-1721pts)
32. (--) AJ Allmendinger 420pts (-1794pts)
33. (--) Dave Blaney 368pts (-1846pts)
34. (--) David Reutimann 351pts (-1863pts)
35. (+1) David Stremme 216pts (-1998pts)
36. (-1) Brian Vickers 213pts (-2001pts)
37. (--) Michael McDowell 166pts (-2048pts)
38. (--) J.J. Yeley 153pts (-2061pts)
39. (--) Josh Wise* 123pts (-2091pts)
40. (--) Ken Schrader 111pts (-2103pts)
41. (--) Stephen Leicht* 107pts (-2107pts)
42. (--) Michael Waltrip 94pts (-2120pts)
43. (--) Terry Labonte 94pts (-2120pts)
44. (--) Scott Speed 93pts (-2121pts)
45. (--) Tony Raines 71pts (-2143pts)
46. (--) Scott Riggs 52pts (-2162pts)
47. (--) Brendan Gaughan 50pts (-2164pts)
48. (--) Boris Said 34pts (-2180pts)
49. (--) Bill Elliott 14pts (-2200pts)
50. (--) Hermie Sadler 13pts (-2201pts)
51. (--) Mike Olsen 11pts (-2203pts)
52. (--) Robby Gordon 11pts (-2203pts)
53. (--) Mike Skinner 10pts (-2204pts)
54. (+20) Timmy Hill 8pts (-2206pts)
55. (-1) Tomy Drissi 6pts (-2208pts)
56. (-1) Stacy Compton 5pts (-2209pts)
57. (-1) David Mayhew 4pts (-2210pts)
58. (-1) Kelly Bires 3pts (-2211pts)
59. (-1) Patrick Long 2pts (-2212pts)

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

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