» B6 SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 NASCAR KENTUCKY 2012 LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER | KENTUCKY.COM What to watch during Saturday’s second annual NASCAR Sprint Cup TOP STORY LINES Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway THREE DRIVERS WHO (2000) ever at Kentucky and has three second- So Waltrip will be the first native Kentuckian ever place finishes in the Nationwide Series in Sparta. to race in a Cup event at Kentucky Speedway. In REALLY NEED TO WIN two career starts in Sparta in the Nationwide Series, 1. . Amazingly in a star-crossed WINNING DOUGH AT Waltrip has finished 14th (2004) and 42nd (2005). season in which he has led in 11 out of 16 races THE COOKIE CUTTERS run so far (the same number as points leader MORE KENTUCKY TIES ), Gordon is sitting 18th in points and Kentucky Speedway is one of seven 1.5-mile 1. Car owner Jack Roush. His Roush Fenway seems all but certain to miss the Chase for the tracks that play host to Sprint Cup races. Some Racing team fields cars for Matt Kenseth (for a Sprint Cup — unless he can earn a wild card by take better advantage of such tracks than others. while longer), and . Roush starting to win races (and it would probably take at 1. . Has won a staggering 16 is a Covington native and Berea College graduate. least two). times on mile-and-a-half tracks. 2. Mark Jacobs. The jackman for Juan Pablo 2. Carl Edwards. After coming out on the wrong 2. . Of Jack Roush’s 127 all- Montoya’s No. 42 team is a former University of end of last year’s sizzling championship duel with time Cup victories, 40 have come on 1.5-mile tracks. Kentucky starting defensive tackle and a four-year , Edwards is mired in a 49-race winless 3. Greg Biffle. Even by Roush Fenway stan- UK letterman (1995-98). streak and, if the Chase started now, would not be dards, the Biff has been a terror so far in 2012 3. William Sturgill. The jackman for David Ra- in it. on the cookie-cutter tracks. In four prior starts gan’s No. 34 car is a former Paul Laurence Dunbar 3. . After finishes of 29, 30, 32 and 17 on 1.5-mile tracks, the Vancouver, Wash., native High School football lineman and the grandson of in his last four races, the NASCAR bad boy is 12th has finished third (Las Vegas), first (Texas), fifth the famous Kentucky coal operator and political in season points and has a precarious hold on a (Kansas), and fourth (Charlotte). figure of the same name. wild-card spot for the Chase thanks to his victory at Others: Lexington native Jason Gay is front-tire Richmond. carrier for . Whitesburg product J.D. Holcomb has the same job on the pit crew of Jeff FOUR DRIVERS AS HOT Burton. Prestonsburg’s Lorin Ranier is the spotter AS THE WEATHER for Jamie McMurray. 1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Throwing out last week’s MARK CORNELISON | STAFF FILE PHOTO finish of 23rd on the road course at Sonoma (not Kyle Busch celebrated after he won last year’s UNIQUE DESIRE Junior’s cup of tea), the Crown Prince has finished Quaker State 400. Kyle Busch has won in four FOR KENTUCKY WIN sixth, fourth, eighth and first in his prior four races. different race series at the Sparta track. Jeff Gordon has won on every track where the The Junior Nation will explode if their driver adds a Sprint Cup Series runs except for Homestead/Mi- second win in three weeks. WEARING I HEART ami and Kentucky Speedway. Tony Stewart has won 2. Matt Kenseth. How do you earn the season KENTUCKY T-SHIRTS? on every track where the Sprint Cup Series runs points lead? Like Kenseth, you finish in the top GARRY JONES | ASSOCIATED PRESS except for Darlington and Kentucky. six in seven of your last 11 races. A victory for the These drivers have a history of running well at , left, and UK Athletics Direc- longtime driver of the No. 17 car on the week in Kentucky Speedway: tor Mitch Barnhart laughed as the Wildcat got which he announced he is leaving Roush Fenway 1. Kyle Busch. The defending Quaker State 400 TRAFFIC stuck in Waltrip’s UK tribute car Thursday. Racing at the end of 2012 would be dramatic. champion has won races in four different series — After last year’s inaugural Quaker State 400 3. Clint Bowyer. Counting last week’s road- Sprint Cup, Nationwide, Camping World Trucks and was marred by a massive traffic jam trying to get course victory, the Emporia, Kan., product has now ARCA — in Sparta. GO BIG BLUE into the race, this year’s event will be heavily under finished in the top seven in six of the last eight 2. . Won three straight Nationwide The No. 55 Toyota driven by Owensboro native the microscope to see if the millions of dollars in races. Don’t you just know the Kansas Jayhawks Series races (2009-11) in Sparta. Michael Waltrip will boast a paint scheme honoring infrastructure improvements paid for by the state basketball fan would love a bit of “revenge” from 3. Carl Edwards. A win in Cup would allow Ed- the University of Kentucky’s 2012 NCAA champion- of Kentucky and by Speedway owner Bruton Smith the 2012 NCAA title game by winning at Kentucky? wards, who won a trucks race at Kentucky in 2003 ship men’s basketball team. have fixed the problem. 4. Tony Stewart: The defending Cup Series and a Nationwide race in 2005, to join Kyle Busch Unlike a year ago, when Waltrip needed to qualify If the traffic problems are fixed, it will be nice champion has run second, second and third in the as the only drivers with wins in all three NASCAR on speed to race in the Cup Series in his home state before the 2013 Cup race in Sparta to have the domi- last three races. Smoke is famous for revving up national touring series at Kentucky Speedway. only to see qualifying washed out by rain, this time nant story lines actually be about racing, not parking. when the weather turns hot. 4. Greg Biffle. Biffle won the first trucks race he is definitely in the field based on owners’ points. MARK STORY

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CHRISCHRIS WARE | [email protected]@herald-leader.com GUIDE TO THE QUAKER STATE 400 KENTUCKY areas open Scalping: Kentucky Speedway pro- COOLER POLICY Weapons: guns, knives, mace, 5:15 p.m.: Pre-race concert by Chris hibits the resale of tickets, at any value, handcuffs, nightsticks, blackjacks or SPEEDWAY Young on its property. Fans may bring one 14-inch cooler other items and one carry-in item (i.e. backpack FACTS 7 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series driver TIPS FOR FANS WRISTBANDS FOR CHILDREN introductions or purse) into the speedway. Coolers Location: Sparta (Gallatin County) may contain unopened plastic bottles 7:30 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series race: What to wear and bring Children may receive a free Area: The speedway covers 1,000 or aluminum cans (water or soft drinks) Quaker State 400 (267 laps, 400.5 wristband at the information and guest acres of land. ■ Comfortable shoes are a must. and food. No alcoholic beverages or miles) services booths around the speedway. Track dimensions: 1.5-mile tri-oval The speedway covers a lot of ground, glass containers are allowed. All coolers with 14-degree banking in the turns and a and so will your feet. and carry-in items will be inspected at The band will help your child be located 1,600-foot backstretch. The tri-oval is 57 TICKETS ■ A fanny pack or small backpack the gates. should you become separated. feet wide and includes a 12-foot apron. ■ Grandstand and tower tickets is useful for carrying essentials, keeps PROHIBITED ITEMS Seating: 107,000 grandstand seats; available ranging from $70 to $110. your hands free and makes for a light TRAFFIC TIPS 36 luxury suites; 90-seat private interior load. Aerosol cans (Ticket prices increase $5 on race day) ■ Arrive early. The highest traffic Kentucky Club; 2,100-seat private exte- ■ Seat cushions are an added Alcoholic beverages ■ Fan Zone passes available for time is within four hours of the race. rior Bluegrass Club; 10 terrace boxes. $100. comfort during a long night on the hard Animals (except for those assisting ■ Make sure to have a full tank Campgrounds/parking: 125 private, ■ Visit Kentuckyspeedway.com or grandstands. people with disabilities) of gas. Getting into and out of the backstretch RV spaces; 650 infield RV call (888) 652-7223 to order. ■ Some additional items for your Baby strollers spaces; 3,500 additional reserved RV pre-race checklist: Balloons or beach balls speedway could take more time than spaces; parking for more than 30,000 Race tickets Chairs of any kind you anticipate. cars. GETTING IN Cash Fireworks or missile-like objects ■ For more information about AND AROUND Credit card Glass containers of any kind speedway parking and traffic, visit SATURDAY’S TICKET POLICIES Camera Illegal substances Kentuckyspeedway.com. Binoculars Laser pointers SCHEDULE Refunds: Kentucky Speedway does Sunscreen Coolers of any size WEATHER 7 a.m.: Parking lots open not issue refunds for any reason. If Hat Noise-making devices (bells, bull- 8 a.m.: Shuttle service begins the race is postponed, tickets will be Earplugs horns, whistles, etc.) Saturday’s forecast for Sparta calls 9 a.m.: Souvenir Row and midway honored on the rescheduled date. Sunglasses Projectiles of any kind for partly cloudy skies and a high of 100 displays open Re-entry: Fans may use their race Hand sanitizer Seat cushion with metal arm rests degrees. Expect a race-time tempera- 9 a.m.-11 p.m.: Ticket office and gift tickets to exit and re-enter the track Cellphone Sticks, bats, poles or clubs ture of about 95 degrees, dropping into shop hours an unlimited number of times. Tickets Race scanner (available for rental at Tripods the 80s after the sun sets. No rain is 11 a.m.: All ticket booths open must be scanned upon exiting and Souvenir Row) Umbrellas forecast. Noon: All gates, Fan Zone, hospitality re-entering. Rain poncho Video or movie cameras HERALD-LEADER STAFF REPORT