Nascar 2012 - Race Five

NASCAR 2012 - “California Sun”

California Super-speedway was the location of the fifth race of the season for the Cup Series on March 25, 2012. The race was scheduled for 200 laps on the two mile track. Until a rain caution came out about lap 125, the race ran green.

There were many pit road violations during the three green flag stops throughout the first 125 laps. 24 Jeff Gordon had a penalty for taking equipment out of the pit box. He drug the gasman and the gas can from his pit while leaving during one of his stops. The penalty for this is a complete stop in his pit a second time. 17 Matt Kenseth also suffered from a tire leaving his pit, when he left after completing a stop on pit road. Several drivers were forced to drive though pit road a second time, for speeding while entering and leaving pit road, while making there stops.

When the rains came, 14 Tony Stewart faked going into pit road, and 11 Denny Hamlin followed him in, while Stewart then darted back onto the track. Hamlin was one of the only lead cars to make the stop, while the rest of the field stayed on track. 18 Kyle Busch, 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., 29 Kevin Harvick, and 99 Carl Edwards completed the top five.

The rains became too much for the track to be dried in time to finish the final laps, so 14 Tony Stewart was awarded the victory, when Nascar ended the race short of the 200 laps scheduled. This was Stewarts second win in three races.

NOTE- Joey Lagono won the Nationwide race on Saturday at thee same track. Previous winners for the Nationwide Series so far this season were, Daytona, FL. (James Buescher), Phoenix, AZ. (Elliott Sadler), Las Vegas, NV (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.), and Bristol, TN (Elliott Sadler).