NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway — August 25, 2012
Denny Hamlin
Winner
500
Laps
43
Entries
13
Leaders
Denny Hamlin won the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 25, 2012, leading 70 of 500 laps. Jimmie Johnson finished second; Jeff Gordon rounded out the podium. The race featured 13 different leaders.
Race Details
Date
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Track
Season
2012
Winner
Leaders
13 drivers
| Pos | Start | +/- | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | +7 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2 | 37 | +35 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 3 | 11 | +8 | Jeff Gordon |
| 4 | 22 | +18 | Brian Vickers |
| 5 | 9 | +4 | Marcos Ambrose |
| 6 | 10 | +4 | Kyle Busch |
| 7 | 23 | +16 | Clint Bowyer |
| 8 | 4 | -4 | Joey Logano |
| 9 | 12 | +3 | Kasey Kahne |
| 10 | 7 | -3 | Paul Menard |
| 11 | 15 | +4 | Martin Truex, Jr. |
| 12 | 16 | +4 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
| 13 | 28 | +15 | Juan Pablo Montoya |
| 14 | 36 | +22 | Bobby Labonte |
| 15 | 13 | -2 | Kevin Harvick |
| 16 | 14 | -2 | Regan Smith |
| 17 | 26 | +9 | Jamie McMurray |
| 18 | 41 | +23 | Travis Kvapil |
| 19 | 3 | -16 | Greg Biffle |
| 20 | 18 | -2 | David Gilliland |
| 21 | 1 | -20 | Casey Mears |
| 22 | 27 | +5 | Carl Edwards |
| 23 | 30 | +7 | Michael McDowell |
| 24 | 33 | +9 | Landon Cassill |
| 25 | 17 | -8 | Matt Kenseth |
| 26 | 25 | -1 | Dave Blaney |
| 27 | 21 | -6 | Tony Stewart |
| 28 | 20 | -8 | Kurt Busch |
| 29 | 43 | +14 | Danica Patrick |
| 30 | 2 | -28 | Brad Keselowski |
| 31 | 39 | +8 | Jason Leffler |
| 32 | 24 | -8 | David Ragan |
| 33 | 6 | -27 | Jeff Burton |
| 34 | 29 | -5 | Sam Hornish Jr. |
| 35 | 5 | -30 | Aric Almirola |
| 36 | 19 | -17 | Ryan Newman |
| 37 | 31 | -6 | David Stremme |
| 38 | 32 | -6 | Josh Wise |
| 39 | 40 | +1 | Joe Nemechek |
| 40 | 38 | -2 | Stephen Leicht |
| 41 | 35 | -6 | Scott Riggs |
| 42 | 42 | — | Ken Schrader |
| 43 | 34 | -9 | Mike Bliss |
Model Performance
How well did the NR-Rating model predict this race? Across 8 matched drivers, the model averaged 8.4 positions off — close to the season average of 8.5. Average
| Pos | Driver | Predicted | Actual | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny Hamlin | 6.8 | 1 | +5.8 |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 17.7 | 2 | +15.7 |
| 6 | Kyle Busch | 15.6 | 6 | +9.6 |
| 8 | Joey Logano | 12.1 | 8 | +4.1 |
| 11 | Martin Truex, Jr. | 13.8 | 11 | +2.8 |
| 21 | Casey Mears | 18.0 | 21 | -3.0 |
| 23 | Michael McDowell | 15.0 | 23 | -8.0 |
| 30 | Brad Keselowski | 12.0 | 30 | -18.0 |
Predicted finish from NR-Rating model. Delta = predicted − actual (positive = driver beat prediction). Confidence: High Confidence = low variance (stdDev ≤ 9), Moderate = medium variance, Coinflip = high variance.
Historical Context
- Denny Hamlin: has 48 career starts at Bristol Motor Speedway with a 14.3 avg finish (4 wins) — the model correctly identified this strength.
- Jimmie Johnson: was the biggest surprise, finishing P2 vs predicted P18. Track history: 45 starts, 14.7 avg finish.
Explore More
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol?
Denny Hamlin won the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Where was the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol held?
The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Bristol was held at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 25, 2012.