NASCAR AdvoCare 500 Results: Patrick Equals Best Career Finish In Atlanta

Paradise Valley resident Danica Patrick finished 29th at the NASCAR AdvoCare 500 Sprint Cup race Sunday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. It tied for the best finish of her career in a Sprint Cup race.

Patrick is racing part-time at the Sprint Cup level; she'll transition to Sprint Cup full-time in 2013.

The winner was Denny Hamlin, who won his second straight Sprint Cup race. Patrick was six laps behind Hamlin.

Hamlin made a wise move to stay out of the pits after a crash late in the in race, and it paid off as he passed other drivers. Hamlin was also the first one out of the pits after another crash with three laps to go.

The 12-driver Chase starts after next weekend's race in Richmond, Va., and Hamlin is in prime position to go in as the leader.

Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. finished second, third and fourth.

For more on NASCAR, head to SB Nation's dedicated racing hub or check out Ranting and Raving.

NASCAR At Bristol Results 2012: Denny Hamlin Takes Checkered Flag

On Saturday night, the Bristol Motor Speedway played host to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the second time in 2012. Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson all managed to clinch berths in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, but the evening belonged to Denny Hamlin, as he captured the checkered flag on the new surface at the fastest half-mile.

Hamlin just edged out Johnson to pick up his third win of the season and remain firmly above the cutoff, which is now just two races away. There are still several drivers trying to secure their spots as things get down to crunch time.

Here are the full results from Saturday night's race at Bristol:

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Brian Vickers
5. Marcos Ambrose
6. Kyle Busch
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Joey Logano
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Paul Menard
11. Martin Truex Jr.
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13. Juan Pablo Montoya
14. Bobby Labonte
15. Kevin Harvick
16. Regan Smith
17. Jamie McMurray
18. Travis Kvapil
19. Greg Biffle
20. David Gilliland
21. Casey Mears
22. Carl Edwards
23. Michael McDowell
24. Landon Cassill
25. Matt Kenseth
26. Dave Blaney
27. Tony Stewart
28. Kurt Busch
29. Danica Patrick
30. Brad Keselowski
31. Jason Leffler
32. David Ragan
33. Jeff Burton
34. Sam Hornish Jr.
35. Aric Almirola
36. Ryan Newman
37. David Stremme
38. Josh Wise
39. Joe Nemechek
40. Stephen Leicht
41. Scott Riggs
42. Ken Schrader
43. Mike Bliss

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Pure Michigan 400 Results: Greg Biffle Takes Checkered Flag

The 2012 Pure Michigan 400 was a good one, with numerous leaders throughout and a great finish. Greg Biffle took the checkered flag on the 201st lap, just ahead of Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the rest of the field.

Here are the full results from the race.

Greg Biffle
2 Brad Keselowski
3 Kasey Kahne
4 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5 Marcos Ambrose
6 Carl Edwards
7 Clint Bowyer
8 Ryan Newman
9 Paul Menard
10 Martin Truex Jr.
11 Denny Hamlin
12 Sam Hornish Jr.
13 Kyle Busch
14 Jamie McMurray
15 Travis Kvapil
16 Kevin Harvick
17 Matt Kenseth
18 David Gilliland
19 Jeff Burton
20 Aric Almirola
21 David Reutimann
22 Bobby Labonte
23 David Ragan
24 Trevor Bayne
25 Landon Cassill
26 Juan Pablo Montoya
27 Jimmie Johnson
28 Jeff Gordon
29 Regan Smith
30 Kurt Busch
31 Joey Logano
32 Tony Stewart
33 T.J. Bell
34 David Stremme
35 Mark Martin
36 Joe Nemechek
37 Casey Mears
38 Dave Blaney
39 Mike Skinner
40 Josh Wise
41 Scott Riggs
42 Reed Sorenson
43 Jason Leffler

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Watkins Glen Results 2012: Marcos Ambrose Wins After Wild Finish

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolled into Watkins Glen on Sunday for the Finger Lakes 355. The unique track caused problems for many drivers but it also led to a terribly thrilling conclusion.

The final lap of the race has to be seen to be believed. Kyle Busch was well in the lead during the white flag final lap, but spun out on a supposedly oil-slicked track, allowing Bred Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose to duke it out along the remainder of the serpentine track in a raucous dogfight. Ambrose finally came out in front and roared across the finish line to take the checkered flag. It was just Ambrose's second career Sprint Cup Series win -- both at Watkins Glen.

You can see the wild finish for yourself in the video below:

Here are the full results from Sunday's Finger Lakes 355 at Watkins Glen:

1. Marcos Ambrose
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Sam Hornish Jr.
6. Greg Biffle
7. Kyle Busch
8. Matt Kenseth
9. Regan Smith
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Ryan Newman
12. Paul Menard
13. Kasey Kahne
14. Carl Edwards
15. Kevin Harvick
16. Casey Mears
17. Scott Speed
18. Aric Almirola
19. Tony Stewart
20. David Gilliland
21. Jeff Gordon
22. David Ragan
23. Landon Cassill
24. Travis Kvapil
25. Boris Said
26. Stephen Leicht
27. Bobby Labonte
28. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
29. Joe Nemechek
30. Jeff Burton
31. Kurt Busch
32. Joey Logano
33. Juan Pablo Montoya
34. Denny Hamlin
35. Jason Leffler
36. Dave Blaney
37. Michael McDowell
38. Josh Wise
39. Jamie McMurray
40. JJ Yeley
41. Chris Cook
42. Patrick Long
43. Brian Vickers

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Watkins Glen 2012: Starting Lineup, TV Schedule & More

As the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls into Watkins Glen on Sunday, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the current points leader. He has a slim five-point edge over Matt Kenseth and a six-point lead over third-place Greg Biffle. He'll be looking to gain some ground and pick up a big win on Sunday, if possible. Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon are currently the leaders for the Wild Card positions, but they'll have a whole field gunning for them as there are only five races left before the Sprint Cup cutoff.

Sunday's race will be televised on ESPN. The green flag is scheduled to wave at 10:20 a.m. PT. There is a low chance of rain and the temperature should be in the high 70s. There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site and on the "Watch ESPN" app. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's Finger Lakes 355 at Watkins Glen:

1. Juan Pablo Montoya
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Marcos Ambrose
6. Ryan Newman
7. Tony Stewart
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Martin Truex Jr.
10. Jamie McMurray
11. Michael McDowell
12. Jeff Gordon
13. Regan Smith
14. Joey Logano
15. Greg Biffle
16. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
17. Sam Hornish Jr.
18. Carl Edwards
19. Kevin Harvick
20. Kasey Kahne
21. Scott Speed
22. Paul Menard
23. Denny Hamlin
24. Matt Kenseth
25. Boris Said
26. Bobby Labonte
27. Kurt Busch
28. Jeff Burton
29. Aric Almirola
30. Casey Mears
31. Dave Blaney
32. David Ragan
33. Brian Vickers
34. David Gilliland
35. Landon Cassill
36. Joe Nemechek
37. JJ Yeley
38. Josh Wise
39. Stephen Leicht
40. Mike Bliss
41. Jason Leffler
42. Travis Kvapil
43. Patrick Long

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Pocono 2012 Results: Jeff Gordon Wins Rain-Shortened Race, Fans Struck By Lightning

On Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series came to Pocono Raceway. After a 90-minute rain delay, the race finally got started, but thunderstorms stopped the drive 106 laps into the 160-lap event. Jeff Gordon entered the race knowing he absolutely needed to win and for once this season, he got his wish. Thanks to the opportune shower, Gordon was able to claim the checkered flag, while Kasey Kahne finished second.

The day had a tragic aftermath, however. Lightning struck the parking lot at Pocono after the race was called, sending several NASCAR fans to the hospital. In all, nine fans were injured and one fan lost their life. Please visit this StoryStream on SB Nation's NASCAR hub to read more about the tragedy.

Here are the unofficial results of Sunday's Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway.

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Tony Stewart
6. Ryan Newman
7. Carl Edwards
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Regan Smith
10. Marcos Ambrose
11. Paul Menard
12. Mark Martin
13. Joey Logano
14. Jimmie Johnson
15. Greg Biffle
16. Kevin Harvick
17. Jamie McMurray
18. Aric Almirola
19. Sam Hornish Jr.
20. Juan Pablo Montoya
21. David Gilliland
22. Jeff Burton
23. Matt Kenseth
24. David Reutimann
25. Travis Kvapil
26. Landon Cassill
27. Bobby Labonte
28. David Ragan
29. Denny Hamlin
30. Kurt Busch
31. Jason White
32. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
33. Kyle Busch
34. David Stremme
35. Casey Mears
36. Joe Nemechek
37. Josh Wise
38. Tony Raines
39. Mike Bliss
40. JJ Yeley
41. Mike Skinner
42. Reed Sorenson
43. Scott Riggs

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Indianapolis Results 2012: Jimmie Johnson Takes Checkered Flag

Sunday's running of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was definitely a tense affair. Tensions were running high for much of the race, including Tony Stewart complaining of drivers purposefully blocking his lane. Stewart finished in 10th place and threatened reprisal is this perceived trend keeps up throughout the remainder of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The big winner on Sunday was Jimmie Johnson, who captured the checkered flag for the fourth time in the Brickyard 400. Johnson now sits in fourth place in the overall Sprint Cup points standings. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished in fourth place on Sunday and will become the new points leader. Previous leader Matt Kenseth wrecked out and finished in 35th place.

Here are the full results from Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Greg Biffle
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Ryan Newman
8. Martin Truex Jr.
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Tony Stewart
11. Mark Martin
12. Kasey Kahne
13. Kevin Harvick
14. Paul Menard
15. Clint Bowyer
16. Sam Hornish Jr.
17. Trevor Bayne
18. Regan Smith
19. Aric Almirola
20. Marcos Ambrose
21. Juan Pablo Montoya
22. Jamie McMurray
23. Dave Blaney
24. David Stremme
25. Landon Cassill
26. Bobby Labonte
27. David Gilliland
28. David Ragan
29. Carl Edwards
30. Ken Schrader
31. Stephen Leicht
32. Jeff Burton
33. Joey Logano
34. Casey Mears
35. Matt Kenseth
36. Kurt Busch
37. Travis Kvapil
38. Scott Speed
39. JJ Yeley
40. Josh Wise
41. Scott Riggs
42. Mike Skinner
43. Mike Bliss

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Indianapolis 2012: Brickyard 400 TV Schedule, Starting Lineup & More

NASCAR returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday for the race traditionally known as the Brickyard 400. It has a stupid name this year that is not worth typing out.

As the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series continues, Matt Kenseth will try to pad his lead atop the points standings. He is slotted in at No. 10 in the starting lineup. Jeff Gordon, who needs a win to keep his Sprint Cup hopes alive, is at No. 9.

The green flag is scheduled to wave at 10:19 a.m. PT. This will be the first race of the season broadcast on ESPN, who will handle the television broadcasts for the remainder of the year. Hopefully they'll do a better job than TNT, although it would be difficult to do much worse.

There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found via the "Watch ESPN" app. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Performance Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the complete starting lineup for Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Carl Edwards
3. Joey Logano
4. Aric Almirola
5. Greg Biffle
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Kyle Busch
8. Paul Menard
9. Jeff Gordon
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Ryan Newman
12. Juan Pablo Montoya
13. Kurt Busch
14. Regan Smith
15. Kasey Kahne
16. Jamie McMurray
17. Martin Truex Jr.
18. Trevor Bayne
19. Mark Martin
20. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
21. Jeff Burton
22. Brad Keselowski
23. Marcos Ambrose
24. Sam Hornish Jr.
25. Casey Mears
26. David Stremme
27. Kevin Harvick
28. Tony Stewart
29. Bobby Labonte
30. Travis Kvapil
31. David Gilliland
32. Dave Blaney
33. Clint Bowyer
34. Scott Speed
35. Josh Wise
36. David Ragan
37. Stephen Leicht
38. Landon Cassill
39. Mike Skinner
40. JJ Yeley
41. Ken Schrader
42. Scott Riggs
43. Mike Bliss

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Loudon Results 2012: Kasey Kahne Moves Into Contention With Win

On Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kasey Kahne grabbed the checkered flag in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. With the win, Kahne finally moved into contention in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Kahne officially turned around a season that started off disastrously with a string of wrecks and is now sitting pretty to gain Wild Card entry or better in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Kahne edged out Denny Hamlin to pick up the big win. Overall Sprint Cup points leader Matt Kenseth finished in 13th place and will remain in the top spot, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Greg Biffle.

Here are the full results for Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Clint Bowyer
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Jeff Gordon
7. Jimmie Johnson
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Greg Biffle
10. Ryan Newman
11. Martin Truex Jr.
12. Tony Stewart
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Joey Logano
15. Brian Vickers
16. Kyle Busch
17. Paul Menard
18. Carl Edwards
19. Marcos Ambrose
20. Jamie McMurray
21. Jeff Burton
22. Sam Hornish Jr.
23. Bobby Labonte
24. Kurt Busch
25. Juan Pablo Montoya
26. Regan Smith
27. David Gilliland
28. Aric Almirola
29. Landon Cassill
30. Travis Kvapil
31. Ken Schrader
32. Stephen Leicht
33. David Reutimann
34. David Ragan
35. David Stremme
36. Casey Mears
37. Josh Wise
38. Joe Nemechek
39. Dave Blaney
40. Michael McDowell
41. Scott Riggs
42. Kelly Bires
43. JJ Yeley

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Loudon 2012: TV Schedule, Starting Lineup & More

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has reached its midway point and there are just eight races remaining before the cutoff in the Chase for the Cup. On Sunday, the Series rolls into New Hampshire and the track famously dubbed the "Magic Mile."

Kyle Busch holds the pole position for the race and overall leader Matt Kenseth is way down at No. 27 in the starting lineup. The weather forecast is iffy, so delays are certainly possible.

The green flag is scheduled to wave at 10:16 a.m. PT. This will be the final race televised on TNT this season. There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Performance Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Martin Truex Jr.
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Ryan Newman
7. Jimmie Johnson
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
10. Tony Stewart
11. Greg Biffle
12. Kevin Harvick
13. Brian Vickers
14. Paul Menard
15. Kurt Busch
16. Joey Logano
17. Regan Smith
18. Bobby Labonte
19. David Ragan
20. Marcos Ambrose
21. Carl Edwards
22. Brad Keselowski
23. Aric Almirola
24. Sam Hornish Jr.
25. Jeff Burton
26. David Reutimann
27. Matt Kenseth
28. Jamie McMurray
29. Landon Cassill
30. Travis Kvapil
31. Juan Pablo Montoya
32. Josh Wise
33. Casey Mears
34. Joe Nemechek
35. Dave Blaney
36. Michael McDowell
37. Ken Schrader
38. JJ Yeley
39. David Gilliland
40. David Stremme
41. Scott Riggs
42. Kelly Bires
43. Stephen Leicht

For more on the chase for the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Daytona 2012 Results: Tony Stewart Takes Checkered Flag In Coke Zero 400

On Saturday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series came to Daytona International Speedway and the drivers raced under the lights in the Coke Zero 400. The race featured some big crashes, with the two biggest taking place with seven laps to go and on the final lap. That last lap severely skewed the final standings, but Tony Stewart edged out Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle to take home the checkered flag. It is the third win of the year for Stewart.

Kenseth and Biffle were working in tandem on the final lap, when out of Turn 4, Kevin Harvick shot into the bottom clot. Biffle wasn't anticipating Harvick would be making a move and caused the final wreck, which ended with Biffle in 21st place and Harvick in 23rd.

Here are the results from Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway:

1. Tony Stewart
2. Jeff Burton
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Joey Logano
5. Ryan Newman
6. Carl Edwards
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Brad Keselowski
9. Michael Waltrip
10. Bobby Labonte
11. David Reutimann
12. Jeff Gordon
13. Jamie McMurray
14. Paul Menard
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
16. Travis Kvapil
17. Martin Truex Jr.
18. Casey Mears
19. Aric Almirola
20. Terry Labonte
21. Greg Biffle
22. Dave Blaney
23. Kevin Harvick
24. Kyle Busch
25. Denny Hamlin
26. David Ragan
27. Trevor Bayne
28. Juan Pablo Montoya
29. Clint Bowyer
30. Marcos Ambrose
31. David Gilliland
32. Landon Cassill
33. Sam Hornish Jr. (subbed for suspended AJ Allmendinger)
34. Regan Smith
35. Kurt Busch
36. Jimmie Johnson
37. Bill Elliott
38. Josh Wise
39. David Stremme
40. JJ Yeley
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Stephen Leicht
43. Michael McDowell

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Daytona 2012: Coke Zero 400 TV Schedule, Starting Lineup & More

To celebrate the Fourth of July, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will roll into Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. The drivers will race under the lights in Florida for the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400. Overall Sprint Cup points leader Matt Kenseth holds pole position for the race and is looking to pad his lead. Nos. 2, 3 and 4 starters Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle all got bumped up in the starting lineup when Tony Stewart failed his post-qualifying inspection. Stewart will have to start near the end of the field as a result.

The green flag is scheduled to wave at 4:53 p.m. PT and will be the fifth of six races this year that will be broadcast on TNT. There IS live streaming of the race tonight, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the full starting lineup for Saturday's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona:

1. Matt Kenseth
2. Ryan Newman
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Greg Biffle
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Bill Elliott
7. Casey Mears
8. AJ Allmendinger
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Marcos Ambrose
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Carl Edwards
13. Paul Menard
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. Trevor Bayne
16. Jimmie Johnson
17. Aric Almirola
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Joey Logano
20. Jeff Burton
21. Mike Bliss
22. Kyle Busch
23. Denny Hamlin
24. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
25. Regan Smith
26. David Stremme
27. David Ragan
28. Michael Waltrip
29. Clint Bowyer
30. Jamie McMurray
31. Josh Wise
32. David Gilliland
33. Dave Blaney
34. Terry Labonte
35. Kurt Busch
36. Joe Nemechek
37. Stephen Leicht
38. Landon Cassill
39. David Reutimann
40. Travis Kvapil
41. Bobby Labonte
42. Tony Stewart (was second, failed post-qualifying inspection)
43. JJ Yeley

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Kentucky 2012 Results: Brad Keselowski Takes Checkered Flag

On Saturday night, the Quaker State 400 took place at Kentucky Speedway, as the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolled right along. Brad Keselowski ended up taking the checkered flag, holding off Kasey Kahne for the all-important win.

The victory allows Keselowski to stay put at No. 10 in the overall Sprint Cup standings, avoiding the cutoff for the time being as the Chase for the Cup keeps getting closer. Matt Kenseth finished in seventh place and remains the overall points leader, while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. moves back into second place. Jimmie Johnson moves into third place overall with his sixth-place finish on Saturday, dropping Greg Biffle to fourth in the standings.

Here are the results from Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway:

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Martin Truex Jr.
9. AJ Allmendinger
10. Kyle Busch
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Paul Menard
13. Marcos Ambrose
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. Jamie McMurray
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Travis Kvapil
18. Casey Mears
19. Kurt Busch
20. Carl Edwards
21. Greg Biffle
22. Joey Logano
23. David Reutimann
24. Jeff Burton
25. Landon Cassill
26. Aric Almirola
27. Bobby Labonte
28. David Gilliland
29. David Ragan
30. Michael Waltrip
31. Ken Schrader
32. Tony Stewart
33. Regan Smith
34. Ryan Newman
35. Dave Blaney
36. David Stremme
37. Josh Wise
38. Michael McDowell
39. Scott Speed
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Stephen Leicht
42. Mike Bliss
43. Scott Riggs

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Sonoma 2012 Results: Clint Bowyer Gets Unexpected Win

On Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolled into Sonoma for the Toyota/Save Mart 350. The 12-turn course proved tricky for some of the top drivers on the Sprint Cup leaderboard, opening the way for an unexpected driver to grab the checkered flag.

Clint Bowyer picked up his sixth career win on Sunday, holding off Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch despite a green-white-checkered-flag finish that resulted in 112 laps rather than the intended 110.

Greg Biffle took seventh place to leapfrog Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the overall standings. Biffle is just 11 points behind overall leader Matt Kenseth, who placed 13th on Sunday.

Here are the full results for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350:

1. Clint Bowyer
2. Tony Stewart
3. Kurt Busch
4. Brian Vickers
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Jeff Gordon
7. Greg Biffle
8. Marcos Ambrose
9. AJ Allmendinger
10. Joey Logano
11. Jeff Burton
12. Brad Keselowski
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Kasey Kahne
15. Casey Mears
16. Kevin Harvick
17. Kyle Busch
18. Ryan Newman
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Paul Menard
21. Carl Edwards
22. Martin Truex Jr.
23. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
24. Bobby Labonte
25. Scott Speed
26. David Gilliland
27. David Ragan
28. Aric Almirola
29. Boris Said
30. Josh Wise
31. Landon Cassill
32. Regan Smith
33. JJ Yeley
34. Juan Pablo Montoya
35. Denny Hamlin
36. Travis Kvapil
37. Dave Blaney
38. Tomy Drissi
39. Robby Gordon
40. David Mayhew
41. Stephen Leicht
42. Chris Cook
43. Joe Nemechek

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Sonoma 2012: TV Schedule, Starting Lineup & More

If you've heard the knock on NASCAR racing being that it's just a bunch of left turns, you might want to tune in on Sunday for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. The 110-lap race features 12 turns in each 1.95-mile lap. It's a unique course and should make for a unique race.

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is definitely beginning to heat up as the Chase for the Cup draws closer. New overall points leader Matt Kenseth will try to hold the field at bay and has a good starting position to attempt to do so. Kenseth will be No. 9 in the starting lineup, while Marcos Ambrose holds the pole position when the green flag waves on Sunday.

The green flag for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 will wave at 12:19 p.m. PT. Sunday's event will be the third of six races to be televised on TNT this year. There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Performance Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here's the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Sonoma:

1. Marcos Ambrose
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Greg Biffle
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Kyle Busch
8. Kurt Busch
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Carl Edwards
11. Ryan Newman
12. Juan Pablo Montoya
13. Brad Keselowski
14. Joey Logano
15. Kasey Kahne
16. Denny Hamlin
17. AJ Allmendinger
18. Bobby Labonte
19. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
20. Casey Mears
21. Brian Vickers
22. Scott Speed
23. Paul Menard
24. Tony Stewart
25. Jamie McMurray
26. Kevin Harvick
27. David Gilliland
28. Boris Said
29. David Ragan
30. Aric Almirola
31. Regan Smith
32. Dave Blaney
33. David Mayhew
34. Robby Gordon
35. Jeff Burton
36. Joe Nemechek
37. Chris Cook
38. JJ Yeley
39. Travis Kvapil
40. Josh Wise
41. Tomy Drissi
42. Landon Cassill
43. Stephen Leicht

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Michigan 2012 Results: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins First Race In Four Years

On Sunday, for the first time since 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took home the checkered flag. At the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway, the same site where Earnhardt Jr. has last won, a whole 144 races ago, the son of the most beloved driver in NASCAR history picked up a big win on Father's Day.

With the win, Earnhardt Jr. vaults up into the No. 2 spot in the overall standings of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Matt Kenseth remains No. 1 overall and Greg Biffle slides down to third place. Earnhardt Jr. appeared to have no issues with a last-minute NASCAR tire change to accommodate the track. Earnhardt Jr. owned the track on Sunday and has the long-awaited win to show for it.

Here are the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 11 races to go until the Chase (NOTE: These are strictly in relation to Chase spots):

1. Matt Kenseth +109 inside Chase
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. +105
3. Greg Biffle +92
4. Jimmie Johnson +76
5. Denny Hamlin +58
6. Kevin Harvick +48
7. Martin Truex Jr. +41
8. Tony Stewart +35
9. Clint Bowyer +25
10. Brad Keselowski +2
11. Carl Edwards -2 from top 10
12. Kyle Busch -26 (Holds No. 1 Wild Card spot, 1 win)
13. Ryan Newman -31 (Holds No. 2 Wild Card spot, 1 win)
14. Paul Menard -37
15. Joey Logano -51 (-20 from No. 2 Wild Card spot)
16. Kasey Kahne -67 (-36 from No. 2 Wild Card spot)
17. Marcos Ambrose -70
18. Jamie McMurray -81
19. Juan Pablo Montoya -81
20. Jeff Gordon -83
21. Jeff Burton -83
22. Aric Almirola -86

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Michigan 2012: Start Time, TV Schedule, Streaming Info & More

The Quicken Loans 400 will be held at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is really beginning to heat up and there will be no shortage of intrigue in this one. Second-place driver Greg Biffle will be at No. 3 in the starting lineup, looking to reclaim his spot as overall points leader. The new leader, Matt Kenseth, will be close behind at No. 6 in the starting lineup.

The race will also be interesting to watch in order to see how the drivers deal with the track. The blistering of tires during practice runs and qualifying laps prompted NASCAR and Goodyear to bring in super-hard tires from 2006 for the race. We'll see how that all shakes out on Sunday.

The green flag is expected to wave at 10:16 a.m. PT on Sunday. The race will be televised on TNT for the second time this season. There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the complete starting lineup for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway:

1. Marcos Ambrose
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Greg Biffle
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Ryan Newman
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Trevor Bayne
8. Tony Stewart
9. Joey Logano
10. Jimmie Johnson
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Regan Smith
13. Clint Bowyer
14. Mark Martin
15. Aric Almirola
16. Martin Truex Jr.
17. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
18. Paul Menard
19. Jamie McMurray
20. AJ Allmendinger
21. Juan Pablo Montoya
22. Austin Dillon
23. Scott Riggs
24. Casey Mears
25. Brad Keselowski
26. Kurt Busch
27. Michael McDowell
28. Jeff Gordon
29. Mike Bliss
30. Josh Wise
31. Bobby Labonte
32. Landon Cassill
33. Jeff Burton
34. Kyle Busch
35. David Gilliland
36. Dave Blaney
37. Joe Nemechek
38. David Ragan
39. Travis Kvapil
40. Ken Schrader
41. Tony Raines
42. Carl Edwards
43. JJ Yeley

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Pocono 2012 Results: Joey Logano Takes The Checkered Flag

The Pocono 400 is in the books as the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series officially enters its second half. In the end, pole position holder Joey Logano managed to take the checkered flag by muscling past Mark Martin with a bump-and-run pass with three laps left to go. Martin was none too pleased with the move, but the end result was Logano's second career win. His first came way back in 2009.

This was the fifth top 10 finish for Logano this season and the first time he has placed above eighth. Matt Kenseth finished in seventh place and ensured he would take over as the overall Sprint Cup points leader. Previous leader Greg Biffle fell out of the top spot with a disappointing 24th-place finish.

Here are the NASCAR results from today's race at Pocono:

1. Joey Logano
2. Mark Martin
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
9. Paul Menard
10. Jamie McMurray
11. Carl Edwards
12. Ryan Newman
13. Marcos Ambrose
14. Kevin Harvick
15. Jeff Burton
16. Regan Smith
17. Juan Pablo Montoya
18. Brad Keselowski
19. Jeff Gordon
20. Martin Truex Jr.
21. David Reutimann
22. Bobby Labonte
23. David Gilliland
24. Greg Biffle
25. Dave Blaney
26. Travis Kvapil
27. David Ragan
28. Aric Almirola
29. Kasey Kahne
30. Kyle Busch
31. AJ Allmendinger
32. Tony Raines
33. Stephen Leicht
34. Michael McDowell
35. Casey Mears
36. JJ Yeley
37. Joe Nemechek
38. Mike Bliss
39. Stacy Compton
40. Scott Riggs
41. Reed Sorenson
42. Josh Wise
43. Landon Cassill

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Pocono 2012: Starting Lineup, TV Schedule & More

On Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads into Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 400. Greg Biffle is still the overall points leader heading into the race, but he holds the slimmest of leads. He is only one point ahead of the second-place Matt Kenseth. If that weren't enough, Biffle and Kenseth are back-to-back in the starting lineup, at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively. Joey Logano will hold the pole position for the second straight year at Pocono.

The green flag is expected to drop at 10:19 a.m. PT on TNT. This is the first of six races that will be televised on TNT this season. There will be live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com's "RaceBuddy" site. If you'll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network's web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway:

1. Joey Logano
2. Carl Edwards
3. Paul Menard
4. Kyle Busch
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Mark Martin
7. Regan Smith
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
9. Marcos Ambrose
10. Kasey Kahne
11. Jamie McMurray
12. Jeff Gordon
13. Greg Biffle
14. Matt Kenseth
15. Landon Cassill
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Juan Pablo Montoya
18. Ryan Newman
19. AJ Allmendinger
20. Jeff Burton
21. Kevin Harvick
22. Tony Stewart
23. Martin Truex Jr.
24. Jimmie Johnson
25. David Reutimann
26. Casey Mears
27. Bobby Labonte
28. Mike Bliss
29. Aric Almirola
30. Michael McDowell
31. Brad Keselowski
32. JJ Yeley
33. Joe Nemechek
34. David Ragan
35. Josh Wise
36. David Gilliland
37. Travis Kvapil
38. Scott Riggs
39. Stacy Compton
40. Tony Raines
41. Reed Sorenson
42. Dave Blaney
43. Stephen Leicht

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Dover Results 2012: Jimmie Johnson Grabs The Checkered Flag

On Sunday, the FedEx 400 took place at Dover International Speedway. One of the trickiest courses in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series lived up to its billing, as it proved befuddling for many of the drivers.

The race was marred by a big 12-car crash in the early laps, which included several "start-and-park" drivers who wrecked their cars before they had a chance to park. This wreck could end up being disastrous for those drivers and their teams.

Jimmie Johnson took advantage of a late caution to take the checkered flag, taking over the lead from Jeff Gordon, who had led for 60 laps at that point. The caution proved to be the ultimate turning point, as Johnson took home the checkered flag and Gordon ended up in 13th place.

Here are the full results from Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Aric Almirola
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Joey Logano
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Marcos Ambrose
11. Greg Biffle
12. Brad Keselowski
13. Jeff Gordon
14. Mark Martin
15. Ryan Newman
16. AJ Allmendinger
17. Paul Menard
18. Denny Hamlin
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Bobby Labonte
21. David Ragan
22. Jeff Burton
23. Travis Kvapil
24. Kurt Busch
25. Tony Stewart
26. Carl Edwards
27. Regan Smith
28. Juan Pablo Montoya
29. Kyle Busch
30. Reed Sorenson
31. David Reutimann
32. Dave Blaney
33. David Stremme
34. JJ Yeley
35. Stephen Leicht
36. Mike Bliss
37. Scott Riggs
38. Landon Cassill
39. Joe Nemechek
40. David Gilliland
41. Casey Mears
42. Michael McDowell
43. Scott Speed

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Dover 2012: TV Schedule, Starting Lineup & More

On Sunday, the 2012 Sprint Cup Series will come to the strange Dover International Speedway for the FedEx 400. The very high-banked concrete track often proves confusing for drivers, so it will be interesting to see how overall points leader Greg Biffle and others handle the unique course.

The top NASCAR drivers will be duking it out for 400 laps around the one-mile track known as "The Monster Mile." Mark martin holds the pole position in the starting lineup.

The green flag is set to wave at 10:15 a.m. PT. The race will be televised on FOX. If you want to listen to the radio broadcast, you can listen on the Motor Racing Network's Web site. You can also check MRN's site for a list of affiliate stations in your area.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's FedEx 400 at Dover International Speedway:

1. Mark Martin
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Ryan Newman
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Greg Biffle
8. Kyle Busch
9. Kurt Busch
10. Denny Hamlin
11. Joey Logano
12. Aric Almirola
13. Kasey Kahne
14. Jeff Gordon
15. Jeff Burton
16. Brad Keselowski
17. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
18. Martin Truex Jr.
19. Carl Edwards
20. Paul Menard
21. Marcos Ambrose
22. Bobby Labonte
23. AJ Allmendinger
24. Jamie McMurray
25. Scott Speed
26. Regan Smith
27. Landon Cassill
28. David Ragan
29. Tony Stewart
30. David Gilliland
31. Juan Pablo Montoya
32. David Stremme
33. Michael McDowell
34. JJ Yeley
35. Joe Nemechek
36. Mike Bliss
37. Stephen Leicht
38. Reed Sorenson
39. David Reutimann
40. Casey Mears
41. Dave Blaney
42. Travis Kvapil
43. Scott Riggs

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Coke 600 2012 Results: Kasey Kahne Takes The Checkered Flag

On Sunday, NASCAR held its longest race of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series and, to date, the least eventful of the season. In the end, Kasey Kahne took home the checkered flag as he continues his amazing run of solid finishes after spending the early part of the season wrecking time and again. It was Kahne's first win of the year and it came on his 300th career start. It's also Kahne's first win since becoming a part of Hendrick Motorsports.

Fellow Washingtonian Greg Biffle, who swapped leads with Kahne in the last hundred laps, finished in fourth place and remains the overall Sprint Cup points leader, netting 10 points on the second-place Matt Kenseth.

Here are the full results from the 2012 Coke 600:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Kyle Busch
4. Greg Biffle
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Jeff Gordon
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Carl Edwards
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Jimmie Johnson
12. Martin Truex Jr.
13. Clint Bowyer
14. Ryan Newman
15. Paul Menard
16. Aric Almirola
17. Regan Smith
18. Landon Cassill
19. Jeff Burton
20. Juan Pablo Montoya
21. Jamie McMurray
22. Casey Mears
23. Joey Logano
24. Trevor Bayne
25. Tony Stewart
26. David Gilliland
27. Kurt Busch
28. Bobby Labonte
29. Travis Kvapil
30. Danica Patrick
31. T.J. Bell
32. Marcos Ambrose
33. AJ Allmendinger
34. Mark Martin
35. David Ragan
36. Michael McDowell
37. Scott Speed
38. David Stremme
39. Stephen Leicht
40. Dave Blaney
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Cole Whitt
43. Josh Wise

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Coke 600 2012: TV Time, Starting Lineup & More

The 2012 Indianapolis 500 may be taking place on Sunday, but that isn't the only automobile race on a jam-packed day. Charlotte Motor Speedway will play host to the 2012 Coca-Cola 600, a marathon race that is the longest of the year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Overall points leader Greg Biffle is still atop the leaderboard, but just two slim points separate him from No. 2 driver Matt Kenseth. Biffle will have a bit of an edge in the race, as he is No. 4 in the starting lineup, while Kenseth will be all the way down at No. 20 in the grid. Jimmie Johnson, currently at No. 5 on the leaderboard, will start just ahead of Biffle at No. 3 in the starting lineup and will be trying to rack up the points this week.

Sunday's race begins at approximately 3:19 p.m. PT and will be televised nationally on FOX. If you wanted to listen on the radio, you can listen on the Performance Racing Network's Web site. You can also check PRN's site for a list of affiliate stations in your area.

Here is the full starting lineup for Sunday afternoon's Coca-Cola 600:

1. Aric Almirola
2. Marcos Ambrose
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Greg Biffle
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Mark Martin
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Paul Menard
10. Regan Smith
11. AJ Allmendinger
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
13. Trevor Bayne
14. Kevin Harvick
15. Martin Truex Jr.
16. Ryan Newman
17. Kyle Busch
18. Landon Cassill
19. Joey Logano
20. Matt Kenseth
21. Tony Stewart
22. Jeff Burton
23. Jeff Gordon
24. Brad Keselowski
25. Casey Mears
26. Bobby Labonte
27. Cole Whitt
28. Carl Edwards
29. Juan Pablo Montoya
30. David Ragan
31. Jamie McMurray
32. Michael McDowell
33. Josh Wise
34. Stephen Leicht
35. David Stremme
36. Dave Blaney
37. Travis Kvapil
38. Scott Speed
39. David Gilliland
40. Danica Patrick
41. TJ Bell
42. Kurt Busch
43. Joe Nemechek

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR All-Star Race 2012 Results: Jimmie Johnson Wins $1 Million Race For 3rd Time

On Saturday, NASCAR held their annual All-Star Race in Charlotte. The race has no bearing on the 2012 Sprint Cup Series standings, as no points were awarded in the event. There was, however, a winner's purse of $1 million for the lucky driver who finished in first place.

The race itself was a new-format 90-lap race divided into four 20-lap segments and a final 10-lap, winner-take-all sprint. Some of the drivers -- like overall points leader Greg Biffle -- didn't seem very interested in exerting themselves in a try for the check, but plenty others put forth the effort to win.

In the end, Jimmie Johnson pulled ahead in the late laps and won easily. It was Johnson's third win in the All-Star Race. The Sprint Cup Series resumes next week.

Here are the full All-Star Race results:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Brad Keselowski
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Kyle Busch
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Marcos Ambrose
8. Kurt Busch
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Ryan Newman
11. AJ Allmendinger
12. Regan Smith
13. Jeff Gordon
14. Clint Bowyer
15. Trevor Bayne
16. Paul Menard
17. Tony Stewart
18. David Ragan
19. Bobby Labonte
20. Denny Hamlin
21. Mark Martin
22. Greg Biffle
23. Carl Edwards

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR All-Star Race 2012: Start Time, Starting Lineup, TV/Radio Schedule And More

On Saturday, Charlotte will play host to the 2012 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The annual event is a chance for the drivers and fans alike to let their hair down and let it all hang out. While the race will not result in any points toward the 2012 Sprint Cup Series standings, the winner will receive a check for $1 million and some pretty sweet bragging rights, to boot.

The five-stage race will be four 20-lap segments, followed by a winner-take-all 10-lap sprint from pit road. It's likely to be every bit as thrilling and hair-raising as that sounds.

The All-Star Race has a preliminary race. The Sprint Showdown is a 40-lap race to determine two of the last three entrants into the main event. The Showdown begins at approximately 4:30 p.m. PT and the All-Star Race green flag will be at 6:12 p.m. PT. The race will air on the SPEED Network and you can listen on the Performance Racing Network's Web site. You can also check PRN's site for a list of affiliate stations in your area.

Here's the starting lineup for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Ryan Newman
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Greg Biffle
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Paul Menard
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Tony Stewart
10. Regan Smith
11. Trevor Bayne
12. Clint Bowyer
13. Carl Edwards
14. David Ragan
15. Matt Kenseth
16. Mark Martin
17. Kurt Busch
18. Marcos Ambrose
19. Brad Keselowski
20. Kasey Kahne
21. Sprint Showdown winner
22. Sprint Showdown runner-up
23. Sprint Fan Vote winner

And here is the starting lineup for the Sprint Showdown:

1. AJ Allmendinger
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Jeff Burton
5. Aric Almirola
6. Landon Cassill
7. Juan Pablo Montoya
8. Bobby Labonte
9. Travis Kvapil
10. David Stremme
11. Casey Mears
12. David Reutimann
13. Joey Logano
14. Stephen Leicht
15. Scott Speed
16. David Gilliland
17. Mike Bliss
18. JJ Yeley
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Joe Nemechek
21. Josh Wise
22. Tony Raines

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Darlington Raceway 2012 Results: Jimmie Johnson Wins His 1st Race Of The Year

In a race marred by repeated cautions and culminating in a green-white-checkered restart in the final three laps, Jimmie Johnson held on under the lights on Saturday night to pick up the win in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The victory was the first for Johnson in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup series and was the long-awaited 200th Sprint Cup victory for owner Rick Hendrick.

Johnson took over on Lap 324 out of 367 and never looked back, holding off Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin to take home the checkered flag. With the win, Johnson jumps up to fifth place in the overall Sprint Cup points standings. Points leader Greg Biffle, who lead for over 30 laps to begin the race, finished 12th.

Here are the full results for Saturday night's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kyle Busch
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Carl Edwards
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Marcos Ambrose
10. Joey Logano
11. Clint Bowyer
12. Greg Biffle
13. Paul Menard
14. Regan Smith
15. Brad Keselowski
16. Kevin Harvick
17. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
18. Jeff Burton
19. Aric Almirola
20. Mark Martin
21. Kurt Busch
22. Casey Mears
23. Ryan Newman
24. Juan Montoya
25. David Gilliland
26. Landon Cassill
27. Dave Blaney
28. David Ragan
29. Bobby Labonte
30. Reed Sorenson
31. Danica Patrick
32. Travis Kvapil
33. A.J. Allmendinger
34. Jamie McMurray
35. Jeff Gordon
26. David Reutimann
37. J.J. Yeley
38. Cole Whitt
39. David Stremme
40. Joe Nemecheck
41. Mike Skinner
42. Scott Speed
43. Jose Wise

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Talladega 2012: Starting Lineup, TV Time & More

On Sunday, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will descend on Talladega Superspeedway. Jeff Gordon will hold the pole position in the 500-mile race, in search of his first win of the season.

Jeff Gordon holds the pole position in the race and is still looking for his first win of the year. Greg Biffle will enter the race in the No. 6 position in the starting lineup and remains the overall points leader in the Sprint Cup standings. He holds the lead by five points over Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt will start the race at No. 18 in the starting lineup.

The favorites to win on Sunday include Earnhardt, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth.

The race will begin at 10:20 a.m. PT on Sunday and will be televised nationally on FOX.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. AJ Allmendinger
3. Marcos Ambrose
4. Aric Almirola
5. Kasey Kahne
6. Greg Biffle
7. Carl Edwards
8. Tony Stewart
9. Michael Waltrip
10. Matt Kenseth
11. Trevor Bayne
12. Juan Pablo Montoya
13. Brad Keselowski
14. Ryan Newman
15. Martin Truex Jr.
16. Josh Wise
17. Paul Menard
18. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
19. Jimmie Johnson
20. Kevin Harvick
21. Kyle Busch
22. Denny Hamlin
23. Jamie McMurray
24. Clint Bowyer
25. Casey Mears
26. David Gilliland
27. David Stremme
28. Terry Labonte
29. Jeff Burton
30. Joey Logano
31. Regan Smith
32. David Ragan
33. Kurt Busch
34. David Reutimann
35. Michael McDowell
36. Bill Elliott
37. Joe Nemechek
38. Dave Blaney
39. Robert Richardson Jr.
40. Tony Raines
41. Landon Cassill
42. David Reutimann
43. Bobby Labonte

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Richmond 2012 Results: Kyle Busch Edges out Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

On Saturday, the Capital City 400 was held at Richmond International Raceway. The ninth event in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series was the second Saturday race of the season.

In the end, Kyle Busch was able to edge fan-favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to take the checkered flag. Earnhardt looked ready to finally snap his winless streak of 137 straight races, but the three-quarter mile track wore out his brakes early and he came just short of being able to catch and overtake Busch, who picked up the 24th win of his career.

There was a bit of controversy on one of the restarts, with 83 laps remaining. Jeff Gluck at SB Nation explains the situation far better than I could, so click through to read about that.

Here are the full results from Saturday's race at Richmond:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3. Tony Stewart
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Kasey Kahne
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Mark Martin
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Carl Edwards
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Juan Pablo Montoya
13. Paul Menard
14. Jamie McMurray
15. Ryan Newman
16. AJ Allmendinger
17. Bobby Labonte
18. Greg Biffle
19. Kevin Harvick
20. Landon Cassill
21. Casey Mears
22. Marcos Ambrose
23. Jeff Gordon
24. Joey Logano
25. Martin Truex Jr.
26. Aric Almirola
27. Regan Smith
28. Kurt Busch
29. Dave Blaney
30. Travis Kvapil
31. Jeff Burton
32. David Ragan
33. David Reutimann
34. Reed Sorenson
35. Stephen Leicht
36. David Gilliland
37. David Stremme
38. Josh Wise
39. Michael McDowell
40. Cole Whitt
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Mike Bliss
43. Scott Speed

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Kansas Speedway 2012 Results: Denny Hamlin Takes Home The Checkered Flag

On Sunday, the eighth race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was held at Kansas Speedway. The drivers who ran the 1.5-mile track combined for the safest race in the history of the Kansas Speedway, as there were only three caution flags during the entire race.

Martin Truex, Jr. led for the most laps, but Denny Hamlin took home the checkered flag for his second win of the year. With the victory, Hamlin moves into fifth place in the Sprint Cup standings, while Truex moves up two spots to sit in second place. The overall leader remains Greg Biffle, who finished in fifth place and holds a 15-point lead over Truex. It was the fifth Top-5 finish of the year for Biffle.

Here are the results from Sunday's NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway:

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Greg Biffle
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Carl Edwards
10. Kyle Busch
11. Brad Keselowski
12. Juan Pablo Montoya
13. Tony Stewart
14. Jamie McMurray
15. Joey Logano
16. Marcos Ambrose
17. Kurt Busch
18. Paul Menard
19. Sam Hornish Jr.
20. Ryan Newman
21. Jeff Gordon
22. Jeff Burton
23. Aric Almirola
24. Regan Smith
25. Travis Kvapil
26. Casey Mears
27. David Gilliland
28. Reed Sorenson
29. David Reutimann
30. David Ragan
31. JJ Yeley
32. AJ Allmendinger
33. Mark Martin
34. Landon Cassill
35. Bobby Labonte
36. Clint Bowyer
37. Dave Blaney
38. David Stremme
39. Josh Wise
40. Michael McDowell
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Mike Bliss
43. Scott Riggs

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Kansas Speedway 2012: A.J. Allmendinger Holds Pole Position

On Sunday, the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway will be the latest race in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Points leader Greg Biffle will attempt to hold onto his place as the overall points leader, as he tries to hold off Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Biffle, however, will have to deal with less-than-ideal placement in Sunday's starting lineup. He did not fare quite as well as he had hoped, as he will begin the race in 17th place. Luckily, Kenseth is right behind him, in 18th place. A.J. Allmendinger won pole position for the STP 400 -- just the second pole he has won in his racing career.

The green flag will drop on Sunday at 10:16 a.m. ET, so get to your television early if you want to catch this one. The race will be televised on FOX.

Starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway:

1. AJ Allmendinger
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Joey Logano
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Mark Martin
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Sam Hornish Jr.
11. Brad Keselowski
12. Jeff Burton
13. Ryan Newman
14. Kurt Busch
15. Jimmie Johnson
16. David Reutimann
17. Greg Biffle
18. Matt Kenseth
19. Paul Menard
20. Jeff Gordon
21. David Gilliland
22. Carl Edwards
23. Tony Stewart
24. David Stremme
25. Kyle Busch
26. Aric Almirola
27. David Ragan
28. Marcos Ambrose
29. Regan Smith
30. Bobby Labonte
31. JJ Yeley
32. Landon Cassill
33. Dave Blaney
34. Travis Kvapil
35. Scott Riggs
36. Jamie McMurray
37. Michael McDowell
38. Josh Wise
39. Juan Pablo Montoya
40. Casey Mears
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Reed Sorenson
43. Mike Bliss

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Texas Motor Speedway 2012: Greg Biffle Wins Race To Extend Sprint Cup Lead

In the first Saturday race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the Texas Motor Speedway played host to the Samsung Mobile 500.

The race was largely uneventful, but points leader Greg Biffle managed to win his first race of the season to extend his lead in the chase for the Sprint Cup. Indeed, it was the first checkered flag that Biffle had won since October of 2010. Biffle had previously clung to the top spot on the Sprint Cup leaderboard thanks to top-10 finishes in four of the first six races of the season, including starting off 2012 with three straight third-place finishes.

Biffle took the lead on Lap 304 of 334 and hung on for the win, his second at Texas Motor Speedway. He now holds a 19-point lead over second-place Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who finished in fifth place and 10th place, respectively.

Here are the full results for Saturday's race:

1. Greg Biffle
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Mark Martin
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Carl Edwards
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11. Kyle Busch
12. Denny Hamlin
13. Kurt Busch
14. Jamie McMurray
15. AJ Allmendinger
16. Juan Pablo Montoya
17. Clint Bowyer
18. Paul Menard
19. Joey Logano
20. Marcos Ambrose
21. Ryan Newman
22. Aric Almirola
23. Regan Smith
24. Tony Stewart
25. Casey Mears
26. David Reutimann
27. Bobby Labonte
28. Trevor Bayne
29. Jeff Burton
30. Landon Cassill
31. David Gilliland
32. Reed Sorenson
33. JJ Yeley
34. Tony Raines
35. David Ragan
36. Brad Keselowski
37. Dave Blaney
38. Travis Kvapil
39. Josh Wise
40. Mike Bliss
41. Michael McDowell
42. Scott Riggs
43. Scott Speed

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Martinsville 2012: Full Results From Sunday's Short-Track Race

On Sunday, NASCAR held its sixth race of the 2012 Sprint Cup season at Martinsville Speedway, the shortest track on the circuit. Many drivers seemed completely baffled by the track, which necessitated hard accelerations on the brief straightaways followed by immediate braking on each turn.

The ending of the race was fairly bizarre, as a caution flag came out on Lap 497 of 500, resulting in a green-white-checkered-flag finish. Unfortunately, there was a crash on the restart, spinning out Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Ryan Newman was able to shoot through on the successful restart, passing AJ Allmendinger on the white-flag lap to pick up the win, which was the 16th of his career and his first at Martinsville.

Here are the full results of Sunday's race:

1. Ryan Newman
2. AJ Allmendinger
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Tony Stewart
8. Aric Almirola
9. Brad Keselowski
10. Clint Bowyer
11. Carl Edwards
12. Jimmie Johnson
13. Greg Biffle
14. Jeff Gordon
15. Marcos Ambrose
16. Regan Smith
17. Bobby Labonte
18. Brian Vickers
19. Kevin Harvick
20. Jamie McMurray
21. Juan Pablo Montoya
22. Jeff Burton
23. Joey Logano
24. David Ragan
25. Casey Mears
26. Paul Menard
27. Travis Kvapil
28. David Gilliland
29. Landon Cassill
30. David Stremme
31. Hermie Sadler
32. Ken Schrader
33. Kurt Busch
34. Dave Blaney
35. David Reutimann
36. Kyle Busch
37. JJ Yeley
38. Kasey Kahne
39. Joe Nemechek
40. Michael McDowell
41. Josh Wise
42. Scott Riggs
43. Reed Sorenson

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Martinsville 2012: Starting Lineup, TV Schedule & More

On Sunday, NASCAR will come to Martinsville Speedway in Virginia for the Goody's Fast Relief 500. The sixth race in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series will take place on the shortest track in all of NASCAR and the second short-track race in as many weeks. The drivers will race 500 laps on a track measuring just over a half-mile in length.

The leaders in the Sprint Cup chase heading into Sunday are Greg Biffle in first place with 195 points and Kevin Harvick hot on his heels with 188. Harvick is in a great position to take over the top spot, as he will be in the second slot in the starting lineup, behind pole holder Kasey Kahne. Kahne will hope to begin redeeming himself, as he has only managed to finish two out of five races this season.

The race will be televised nationally on FOX and the green flag will be waved at 10:14 p.m. PT.

Here is the full starting lineup for Sunday's race.

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Ryan Newman
6. Brian Vickers
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Kyle Busch
9. Jeff Gordon
10. Joey Logano
11. Paul Menard
12. Marcos Ambrose
13. Martin Truex Jr.
14. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
15. Tony Stewart
16. Bobby Labonte
17. Regan Smith
18. Jeff Burton
19. Aric Almirola
20. Jamie McMurray
21. Matt Kenseth
22. Jimmie Johnson
23. Michael McDowell
24. David Ragan
25. Casey Mears
26. Greg Biffle
27. AJ Allmendinger
28. Carl Edwards
29. David Reutimann
30. Josh Wise
31. Landon Cassill
32. Juan Pablo Montoya
33. Scott Riggs
34. Travis Kvapil
35. Reed Sorenson
36. Ken Schrader
37. Joe Nemechek
38. David Gilliland
39. David Stremme
40. Kurt Busch
41. Hermie Sadler
42. Dave Blaney
43. JJ Yeley

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Fontana 2012 Results: Tony Stewart Wins Race Shortened By Rain

NASCAR held the Auto Club 400 on Sunday in Fontana, CA. The race ended up being called short due to rain, the first time a race has been shortened due to weather in the history of Fontana's Auto Club Speedway. The 200-lap race was called after the red flag came out on Lap 129.

When the initial caution came out on Lap 124, Tony Stewart faked towards pit road but instead stayed out with the race car and grabbed the lead. As a result, he was awarded first place in the race when the official call was made to end the race. The first-place finish was the second of the season for Stewart. He now sits in fourth place in the 2012 Sprint Cup Series standings, one point behind Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Greg Biffle finished in sixth place and remains the overall Sprint Cup leader, followed by Kevin Harvick.

The complete results of Sunday's Auto Club 400:

1. Tony Stewart
2. Kyle Busch
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Carl Edwards
6. Greg Biffle
7. Ryan Newman
8. Martin Truex Jr.
9. Kurt Busch
10. Jimmie Johnson
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Mark Martin
13. Clint Bowyer
14. Kasey Kahne
15. AJ Allmendinger
16. Matt Kenseth
17. Juan Pablo Montoya
18. Brad Keselowski
19. Paul Menard
20. Regan Smith
21. Marcos Ambrose
22. Jeff Burton
23. Casey Mears
24. Joey Logano
25. Aric Almirola
26. Jeff Gordon
27. David Reutimann
28. Bobby Labonte
29. Travis Kvapil
30. David Gilliland
31. David Ragan
32. Jamie McMurray
33. Dave Blaney
34. Ken Schrader
35. JJ Yeley
36. Landon Cassill
37. Josh Wise
38. Michael McDowell
39. David Stremme
40. Mike Bliss
41. Scott Riggs
42. Reed Sorenson
43. Brendan Gaughan

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Bristol 2012 Results: Brad Keselowski Takes Checkered Flag

The first short-track race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was held on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Food City 500 lived up to its billing as a thrilling race on a track that has a length of just over a half-mile. The big winner of the day was Brad Keselowski, who won his second straight race at the track. It was his fifth career win.

With the victory on Sunday, Keselowski shoots up to 13th in the Sprint Cup standings. It's already been a season of ups and downs for the driver after just four races. Although he now has a first-place finish and a fifth-place finish, he's finished 32nd twice. Greg Biffle remains the points leader overall, although his 13-place finish is a bit of a drop-off after three straight third-place finishes.

Here are the full results from Sunday's race:

1. Brad Keselowski
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Brian Vickers
6. Jeff Burton
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Juan Pablo Montoya
9. Jimmie Johnson
10. Paul Menard
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Ryan Newman
13. Greg Biffle
14. Tony Stewart
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
16. Joey Logano
17. AJ Allmendinger
18. Kurt Busch
19. Aric Almirola
20. Denny Hamlin
21. David Reutimann
22. Brendan Gaughan
23. David Ragan
24. Regan Smith
25. Casey Mears
26. David Gilliland
27. Travis Kvapil
28. Bobby Labonte
29. Landon Cassill
30. JJ Yeley
31. Michael McDowell
32. Kyle Busch
33. Ken Schrader
34. Dave Blaney
35. Jeff Gordon
36. Marcos Ambrose
37. Kasey Kahne
38. David Stremme
39. Carl Edwards
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Scott Riggs
42. Reed Sorenson
43. Josh Wise

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Bristol 2012: Start Time, Starting Lineup, TV/Radio Schedule And More

The fourth race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season will take place on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Food City 500 is a 500-lap race that clocks in at 266.5 total miles, so it will be a race that runs on the shorter side. Greg Biffle is hoping to retain his place at the top of the leaderboard in the Sprint Cup chase and he is well-positioned to achieve his goal. He won the pole position for Sunday's race and will already have all other drivers behind him when the green flag drops.

The race will begin at 1:07 p.m. EDT and will be televised nationally on FOX. If you wanted to listen online, head over to the Performance Racing Network's Web site. You can also check PRN's site for a list of affiliate stations in the Arizona or Southwest region.

Here's the full starting lineup for Sunday's race:

1. Greg Biffle
2. AJ Allmendinger
3. Ryan Newman
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Regan Smith
7. Aric Almirola
8. Carl Edwards
9. Joey Logano
10. Kasey Kahne
11. Paul Menard
12. Marcos Ambrose
13. Kyle Busch
14. Kevin Harvick
15. Martin Truex Jr.
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Jamie McMurray
18. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
19. David Reutimann
20. Denny Hamlin
21. Matt Kenseth
22. Jimmie Johnson
23. Tony Stewart
24. Casey Mears
25. Brian Vickers
26. David Gilliland
27. Kurt Busch
28. David Stremme
29. Landon Cassill
30. Juan Pablo Montoya
31. David Ragan
32. Brendan Gaughan
33. Jeff Burton
34. Travis Kvapil
35. Dave Blaney
36. Bobby Labonte
37. Josh Wise
38. Reed Sorenson
39. Michael McDowell
40. JJ Yeley
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Ken Schrader
43. Scott Riggs

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR Las Vegas Results 2012: Tony Stewart Takes Checkered Flag

On Sunday, NASCAR held the Kobalt Tools 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The third race of the 2012 Sprint Cup season was an important one for many of the drivers, looking to find their rhythm and not dig themselves into a deep hole right at the start of the season.

Kasey Kahne, in particular, was looking to make a statement. He qualified for the pole position in Sunday's race, but failed to finish either of the previous two races and entered the day in 31st place in the Sprint Cup standings. He stayed in the top 10 for a good amount of time, but ultimately finished 19th in the race. Still, finishing the entire race and placing in the top 20 is a great step in the right direction for Kahne.

Tony Stewart ended up taking the checkered flag in the race, while Jimmie Johnson came in second. Johnson's fourth place finish last week and second place finish on Sunday are doing a good job of erasing his performance in the Daytona 500 to open the season, when he wrecked, finished 42nd and was penalized 25 points for rules infractions.

Stewart is now in seventh place in the Sprint Cup standings with 100 points.

Here are the full results from Sunday's race.

1. Tony Stewart
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Greg Biffle
4. Ryan Newman
5. Carl Edwards
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Paul Menard
8. Jamie McMurray
9. Trevor Bayne
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Jeff Gordon
13. Marcos Ambrose
14. Jeff Burton
15. Regan Smith
16. Joey Logano
17. Martin Truex Jr.
18. Mark Martin
19. Kasey Kahne
20. Denny Hamlin
21. David Ragan
22. Matt Kenseth
23. Kyle Busch
24. Aric Almirola
25. Juan Pablo Montoya
26. Bobby Labonte
27. Casey Mears
28. David Stremme
29. Dave Blaney
30. Ken Schrader
31. David Reutimann
32. Brad Keselowski
33. David Gilliland
34. Brendan Gaughan
35. Kurt Busch
36. Landon Cassill
37. AJ Allmendinger
38. Michael McDowell
39. Travis Kvapil
40. Josh Wise
41. Joe Nemechek
42. Timmy Hill
43. JJ Yeley

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

NASCAR At Las Vegas: 2012 Start Time, Starting Lineup, TV/Radio Schedule And More

The Kobalt Tools 400 will take place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday. This is just the third race of the 2012 Sprint Cup season but there is no shortage of storylines to watch. Perhaps the most intriguing is that Kasey Kahne has won pole position for the race. Kahne crashed early in each of the first two races this year and is looking for a high placement, as he currently sits in 31st place in the Sprint Cup standings.

Kahne managed to finish Saturday's Nationwide race in 10th place, so that will likely be a nice confidence builder heading into Sunday.Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the checkered flag in the Nationwide Series race.

The race will begin at 12:08 p.m. PDT on Sunday, so hopefully you remembered to set your clocks forward. The telecast can be found on FOX. No rain is expected, which of course is nothing but good news.

Here is the full starting lineup for Sunday's race:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Kyle Busch
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Tony Stewart
8. Joey Logano
9. Greg Biffle
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Kurt Busch
13. Mark Martin
14. AJ Allmendinger
15. Marcos Ambrose
16. Jeff Gordon
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Ryan Newman
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Brad Keselowski
21. Carl Edwards
22. Jeff Burton
23. Brendan Gaughan
24. Bobby Labonte
25. Trevor Bayne
26. Paul Menard
27. Aric Almirola
28. Regan Smith
29. Juan Pablo Montoya
30. Landon Cassill
31. David Reutimann
32. Casey Mears
33. Josh Wise
34. David Gilliland
35. David Ragan
36. JJ Yeley
37. Travis Kvapil
38. Dave Blaney
39. Michael McDowell
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Ken Schrader
42. Timmy Hill
43. David Stremme

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

Sprint Cup 2012: Kasey Kahne In Top Spot For NASCAR Las Vegas

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Las Vegas is on Sunday. Kasey Kahne, in the qualifying runs, earned himself his 23rd career pole position. His average lap speed was 190.456 mph, which was a track record at LVMS.

Two drivers failed to qualify for the race. They were Scott Riggs and Robby Gordon.

Here is the starting lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Las Vegas:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Kyle Busch
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Tony Stewart
8. Joey Logano
9. Greg Biffle
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Kurt Busch
13. Mark Martin
14. AJ Allmendinger
15. Marcos Ambrose
16. Jeff Gordon
17. Denny Hamlin
18. Ryan Newman
19. Jamie McMurray
20. Brad Keselowski
21. Carl Edwards
22. Jeff Burton
23. Brendan Gaughan
24. Bobby Labonte
25. Trevor Bayne
26. Paul Menard
27. Aric Almirola
28. Regan Smith
29. Juan Pablo Montoya
30. Landon Cassill
31. David Reutimann
32. Casey Mears
33. Josh Wise
34. David Gilliland
35. David Ragan
36. JJ Yeley
37. Travis Kvapil
38. Dave Blaney
39. Michael McDowell
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Ken Schrader
42. Timmy Hill
43. David Stremme

NASCAR Phoenix Results: Denny Hamlin Holds Off Kevin Harvick To Take Checkered Flag

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 took place on Sunday at the Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona. The second race of the 2012 Sprint Cup Series was a closely-contested race, as would be expected. The final twist came in the final laps. Kevin Harvick, who led for nearly 90 of the 312 laps in the race, was chasing Denny Hamlin for the lead when he ran out of fuel with just two laps to go. Harvick managed to take second place, while Greg Biffle picked up third place for the second consecutive week.

Hamlin now stands in first place overall in the Sprint Cup rankings with 89 points, following his victory on Sunday and his fourth-place finish in the Daytona 500 last week. Biffle's back-to-back bronzes have him second in the standings with 83 points, while Harvick sits in third with 81.

You can check out the full results of the race below.

1. Denny Hamlin
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Greg Biffle
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Brad Keselowski
6. Kyle Busch
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Mark Martin
10. Joey Logano
11. Juan Pablo Montoya
12. Aric Almirola
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
15. Kurt Busch
16. Bobby Labonte
17. Carl Edwards
18. AJ Allmendinger
19. Travis Kvapil
20. Regan Smith
21. Ryan Newman
22. Tony Stewart
23. Dave Blaney
24. Mike Bliss
25. David Ragan
26. JJ Yeley
27. Brendan Gaughan
28. David Gilliland
29. David Stremme
30. Clint Bowyer
31. Paul Menard
32. Marcos Ambrose
33. Jeff Burton
34. Kasey Kahne
35. Landon Cassill
36. David Reutimann
37. Jamie McMurray
38. Josh Wise
39. Casey Mears
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Robby Gordon
42. Scott Riggs
43. Michael McDowell

For all news and information regarding the 2012 Sprint Cup Series, please visit NASCAR Ranting & Raving or check out SB Nation's dedicated NASCAR hub.

Daytona 500 2012 Highlights: Matt Kenseth Wins One Fiery Mess

The Daytona 500 took about a day and a half to complete. It was such a messy, messy thing, but someone had to win.

The first few minutes started with crash. CRASH! So much crash. Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick both got knocked out on that first flare up. You can see the video by clicking here.

Then Ryan Newman lost a tire and got hit from behind by A.J. Allmendinger. Then Jeff Gordon's engine disintegrated. Then Clint Boyer got stranded. Then FIRE, FIRE, FIRE! Not to mention, FIRE. Did we say something about fire? Thank you a lot for that Juan Pablo Montoya.

After all that, what about another crash between Casey Mears and Marcos Ambrose? Don't forget Jamie McMurray got spun out, and Tony Stewart got all wrecked up.

Finally, Matt Kenseth was the last one standing with his urine-stained car. Talk about greatness. If only all Daytona 500s were like this.

For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.

Daytona 500 2012 Postponed: New Start Time, TV Schedule And More

The Daytona 500 was postponed an extra day after rain forced the event to be moved. The race will start tomorrow weather permitting.

Most of the pertinent info is coming in. Here's all you need to know about tomorrow's Daytona 500 coverage. It'll be taking place at the Daytona International Speedway, racing 500 miles around the track.

Schedule: Today's race can be seen on FOX, with pre-race coverage beginning at noon EST/10 AM MT, just as schedule for yesterday.

Ticket information: The Daytona 500 wasn't sold out yesterday, so you have to imagine there's probably going to be some extra space today with people having to leave to return to their homes.

Weather info: Chance of thunderstorms, which could mean more postponement, and more issues.

Starting lineup: Here's the starting grid for the Daytona 500, which shouldn't change.

For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 storystream for all the pertinent updates, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.

Daytona 500 2012: Start Time, TV Schedule And More