2011 Ford 400
Race details[1]
Race 36 of 36 in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2011 Ford 400 program cover, featuring Carl Edwards.
The 2011 Ford 400 program cover, featuring Carl Edwards.
Date November 20, 2011 (2011-11-20)
Location Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Florida
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance 267 laps, 400.5 mi (644.542 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching an average of 77.3 °F (25.2 °C); wind speeds up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h)
Average speed 114.976 miles per hour (185.036 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Roush Fenway Racing
Time 30.775
Most laps led
Driver Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing
Laps 119
Winner
No. 14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Allen Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, and Andy Petree

The 2011 Ford 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series motor race that was held on November 20, 2011, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. It was the thirty-sixth and final race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.[2] The event aired on ESPN and Motor Racing Network. Carl Edwards entered the event with a three-point lead over Tony Stewart in the championship standings. Edwards won the pole and finished second, while Stewart won the race. This left the two drivers tied atop the standings, and Stewart was awarded the title on the tiebreaker of most wins (five to one).

This race also marked Geoffrey Bodine's final career start. This was also the final race for Red Bull Racing Team.

Map of Homestead-Miami Speedway. Gray dashed lines are other courses. Grey solid line is another pit road option.

Background

Entry list
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
00 David Reutimann Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota Aaron's Dream Machine
1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Boats
2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge Miller Lite
4 Kasey Kahne Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Red Bull
5 Mark Martin Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Quaker State
6 David Ragan Roush Fenway Racing Ford UPS My Choice
7 Reed Sorenson Robby Gordon Motorsports Dodge Speed Energy, MAPEI
9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Stanley Tools, DeWalt Tools
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota FedEx Express
13 Casey Mears Germain Racing Toyota Hard Rock Vodka
14 Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet Office Depot, Mobil 1
16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford 3M Novec
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford Crown Royal
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Interstate Batteries
20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota The Home Depot
21 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Racing Ford Motorcraft, Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
22 Kurt Busch Penske Racing Dodge Shell, Pennzoil
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Drive to End Hunger, AARP
27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Menards, Duracell
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Budweiser
30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet Inception Motorsports
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
32 T. J. Bell FAS Lane Racing Ford Green Smoke
33 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Cheerios, Hamburger Helper
34 David Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford Front Row Motorsports
35 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet Golden Corral
36 Geoff Bodine Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet Luke & Associates, Inc.
37 Mike Skinner Max Q Motorsports Ford Koma Unwind
38 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford Long John Silver's "We Speak Fish"
39 Ryan Newman Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet U.S. Army
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Target
43 A.J. Allmendinger Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Best Buy
46 Scott Speed Whitney Motorsports Ford Green Stuff Absorbent, Anchor Texts
47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota Reese Towpower
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Lowe's
51 Landon Cassill Phoenix Racing Chevrolet Security Benefit, Thank a Teacher Today
55 J.J. Yeley Front Row Motorsports Ford Ingersoll Rand
56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota NAPA Auto Parts
66 Michael McDowell HP Racing Toyota HP Racing
71 Mike Bliss TRG Motorsports Chevrolet School Media
78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet Furniture Row, Denver Mattress
83 Brian Vickers Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Red Bull
84 Cole Whitt Red Bull Racing Team Toyota Kangaroo Express
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet AM FM Energy, Pellet & Wood Stoves
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet National Guard, AMP Energy
92 Scott Riggs K-Automotive Motorsports Chevrolet BBI Waste Industries, Melling Engine Parts
93 Grant Enfinger Sinica Motorsports Chevrolet Hewes Concrete Polishing
99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford Aflac

Race report

Practice and qualifying

Two practice sessions were held. They were originally scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, November 18, but were moved to Saturday morning after Friday's schedule was washed out by rain.[3] The first practice session was paced by Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a quick lap of 31.179 seconds for an average speed of 173.193 miles per hour (278.727 km/h). Championship contenders Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart were second and fifteenth on the chart, respectively.[4] The second session was led by Edwards, whose quickest lap of the session was 31.556 seconds or 171.124 miles per hour (275.397 km/h). Stewart managed only 28th, over a half second slower than Edwards.[5]

Qualifying was held Saturday afternoon.[3] Edwards claimed the pole position with a lap of 30.775 seconds or 175.467 miles per hour (282.387 km/h). Martin Truex Jr. qualified second, while Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five. Stewart was ranked 15th.[6]

Race summary

After pre-race ceremonies and pace laps, the green flag waved to start the race at 3:20 p.m. ET. Edwards immediately took the lead, claiming a bonus point toward the championship, while Stewart began working his way through the field, moving into the top ten by lap 11. The caution flag waved for the first time on lap 13 as a light rain began falling. During the ensuing round of pit stops, both Edwards and Stewart took two tires; Edwards retained the lead, while Stewart came out of the pits in eighth place. Three laps later, Stewart returned to pit road for repairs to his car's grille, leaving him in 40th place for the restart on lap 22. Stewart worked his way up to 27th within seven laps, and when a debris caution waved on lap 34, bragged over the radio that he was going to come back and win the race. The field hit pit road, and Edwards slipped to third position while Stewart's crew took extra time to work his car, sacrificing many of the positions gained since the first restart.[7]

The race was restarted on lap 37, and Edwards returned to the lead on lap 48, while Stewart charged through the field, working his way up to 12th by lap 68. During this run, the car of Edwards's Roush Fenway Racing teammate, Marcos Ambrose, developed engine problems, losing a cylinder. Green-flag pit stops began on lap 76. Steward pitted on lap 79, and Edwards hit pit road one lap later. Both took four tires and adjustments. The caution flew again on lap 83 as David Ragan, Edwards's teammate at Roush Fenway Racing, blew his engine. Edwards retook the lead when the final pitstops of the cycle were made under yellow, while Stewart took the lap 87 restart in 10th place.[7] Stewart climbed to fifth by the time the race was stopped for rain after 109 laps.[8]

The rain delay lasted slightly over an hour, and the race resumed under the yellow flag at approximately 6:00 pm ET. After pit stops, Edwards restarted third, with Stewart right beside him in fourth. Stewart immediately took second and moved into the lead six laps later, claiming the lap leader bonus point for himself as well. The caution waved for debris on lap 133, and both championship contenders lost positions on pit stops. After a restart and another quick caution, Edwards restarted third, Stewart from ninth. Edwards dropped back and was passed by Stewart one lap later. On lap 142, the caution flew again when Jimmie Johnson spun at turn 4. Stewart took the lead by the time the caution waved again on lap 154. A slow pit stop dropped Stewart to ninth on the restart, and he quickly began moving back up. Stewart bumped Edwards as the two were racing for third position, prompting NASCAR officials to tell Stewart to cut it out. Edwards moved back into the lead on lap 176 as Stewart moved into third. By the time green-flag pit stops began on lap 190, Edwards had clinched a second bonus point for leading the most laps.[7]

Edwards pitted on lap 202, while Stewart gambled on fuel mileage by not pitting until lap 212, hoping to make that his last stop. One lap later, the yellow flew again for rain with Edwards in the lead. Edwards pitted again under the yellow, taking two tires and topping off his fuel tank so that he too could go the rest of the way. Officials finally declared the track dry and restarted the race on lap 231 with Stewart in third place. With fresher tires than the cars in front of him, Stewart needed only one lap to retake the lead. Edwards moved into second three laps later, but could not catch Stewart as a result of Stewart having fresher left-side tires.[7] Stewart won the race, with Edwards second, Truex Jr. third, Matt Kenseth fourth, and Jeff Gordon fifth.[8]

Results

Qualifying

Carl Edwards scored the pole position.
No. Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed Grid
99Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord30.775175.4671
56Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota30.891174.8082
4Kasey KahneRed Bull Racing TeamToyota30.931174.5823
22Kurt BuschPenske RacingDodge30.942174.5204
2Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge30.947174.4925
17Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord30.950174.4756
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.957174.4367
16Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord31.015174.1098
48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.017174.0989
11Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota31.040173.96910
88Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.051173.90711
43A. J. AllmendingerRichard Petty MotorsportsFord31.082173.73412
6David RaganRoush Fenway RacingFord31.092173.67813
39Ryan NewmanStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet31.147173.37114
14Tony StewartStewart-Haas RacingChevrolet31.154173.33315
78Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet31.156173.32116
33Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.164173.27717
9Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord31.165173.27118
18Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota31.169173.24919
21Trevor BayneWood Brothers RacingFord31.185173.16020
29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.186173.15521
51Landon CassillPhoenix RacingChevrolet31.197173.09422
27Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.199173.08323
83Brian VickersRed Bull Racing TeamToyota31.220172.96624
5Mark MartinHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.234172.88925
1Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.268172.70126
42Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet31.276172.65627
00David ReutimannMichael Waltrip RacingToyota31.318172.42528
84Cole WhittRed Bull Racing TeamToyota31.324172.39229
55J. J. YeleyFront Row MotorsportsFord31.397171.99130
31Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.428171.82131
20Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota31.453171.68532
66Michael McDowellHP RacingToyota31.568171.05933
35Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet31.574171.02734
47Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota31.601170.88135
30David StremmeInception MotorsportsChevrolet31.601170.88136
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota31.657170.57837
34David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord31.738170.14338
13Casey MearsGermain RacingToyota31.778169.92939
38Travis KvapilFront Row MotorsportsFord31.919169.17840
32T. J. BellFAS Lane RacingFord32.199167.70741
36Geoffrey BodineTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet33.161162.84242
71Mike BlissTRG MotorsportsFord31.776169.94043
Failed to qualify
46Scott SpeedWhitney MotorsportsFord31.853169.529
7Reed SorensonRobby Gordon MotorsportsDodge31.885169.359
37Mike SkinnerMax Q MotorsportsFord32.031168.587
92Scott RiggsK-Automotive MotorsportsChevrolet32.186167.775
93Grant EnfingerSinica MotorsportsChevrolet32.568165.807
Source:[6]

Race results

Tony Stewart won the race and his third Cup Series championship title.
Pos Grid Car Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
11514Tony StewartStewart Haas RacingChevrolet26747
2199Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord26744
3256Martin Truex, Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota26742
4617Matt KensethRoush Fenway RacingFord26741
5724Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26740
61733Clint BowyerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26738
734Kasey KahneRed Bull Racing TeamToyota26737
82129Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26737
91011Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26735
103131Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26735
111188Dale Earnhardt, Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26733
121439Ryan NewmanStewart Haas RacingChevrolet26732
131678Regan SmithFurniture Row RacingChevrolet26731
14261Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26730
151243A. J. AllmendingerRichard Petty MotorsportsFord26729
162327Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet26728
172483Brian VickersRed Bull Racing TeamToyota26727
182800David ReutimannMichael Waltrip RacingToyota26726
193220Joey LoganoJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26725
2052Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingDodge26625
214371Mike BlissTRG MotorsportsFord2660
224038Travis KvapilFront Row MotorsportsFord2660
231918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota26622
24255Mark MartinHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26620
252021Trevor BayneWood Brothers RacingFord2660
263913Casey MearsGermain RacingToyota26618
273547Bobby LabonteJTG Daugherty RacingToyota26617
283435Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet26516
294132T. J. BellFAS Lane RacingFord26515
304236Geoffrey BodineTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet26314
312742Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet26114
32948Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26113
333834David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord24512
34422Kurt BuschPenske RacingDodge22010
35816Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord19010
362251Landon CassillPhoenix RacingChevrolet1530
372984Cole WhittRed Bull Racing TeamToyota1530
38136David RaganRoush Fenway RacingFord816
39189Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord725
403787Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsToyota290
413055J. J. YeleyFront Row MotorsportsFord253
423630David StremmeInception MotorsportsChevrolet142
433366Michael McDowellHP RacingToyota131
Source:[9]

Standings after the race

References and notes

  1. Weather information for the 2011 Ford 400at The Old Farmers' Almanac. Accessed 2013-06-21. 2013-07-05.
  2. NASCAR.COM - Big changes coming for Sprint Cup schedule August 6, 2010
  3. 1 2 Rodman, Dave. "Rain keeps Cup off track; practices rescheduled". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  4. "Practice 1 Speeds". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  5. "Practice 2 Speeds". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Race Lineup". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Lap-by-Lap: Homestead". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Homestead comeback completes Chase comeback". NASCAR. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  9. "2011 Official Race Results : Ford 400". NASCAR. November 20, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  10. "2011 Official Driver Standings: Ford 400". NASCAR. November 20, 2011. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
  11. "2011 Manufacturer Standings". NASCAR. Retrieved November 25, 2011.
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