Super Start Batteries 400
The Super Start Batteries 400 presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts is a NASCAR Cup Series race held at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Kansas received a second date beginning in 2011 as part of NASCAR's latest round of schedule realignment; with the other one being the Hollywood Casino 400, the thirty-second race of the season. Denny Hamlin is the defending winner.
NASCAR Cup Series | |
---|---|
Venue | Kansas Speedway |
Location | Kansas City, Kansas, United States |
Corporate sponsor | O'Reilly Auto Parts |
First race | 2011 |
Distance | 400.5 miles (644.542 km) |
Laps | 267 (Stages 1/2: 80 each Final stage: 107) |
Previous names | STP 400 (2011–2013) 5-Hour Energy 400 (2014) SpongeBob SquarePants 400 (2015) Go Bowling 400 (2016–2017) KC Masterpiece 400 (2018) Digital Ally 400 (2019) |
Most wins (driver) | Brad Keselowski (2) |
Most wins (team) | Joe Gibbs Racing (4) |
Most wins (manufacturer) | Toyota (5) |
Circuit information | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
Turns | 4 |
History
The inaugural STP 400 was held on June 5, 2011. Like the fall race at Kansas, the distance of the race was 400.5 miles (644.542 km).[1] Brad Keselowski won the inaugural running of the race ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. after saving fuel.[2] Unlike 2011, the 2012 race was moved to April 22, 2012 to allow more time for the Kansas Speedway to complete the track's reconfiguration.[3] During the 2012 STP 400, A. J. Allmendinger won the pole position with a time of 30.683 seconds,[4] but Denny Hamlin won the race after passing Martin Truex Jr..[5] For 2013, the race remained as the eighth race of the season in April, and was held on April 21, 2013.
In 2014, the race swapped dates with the Bojangles' Southern 500, and was held in May under the lights for the first time.[6] In 2020, the race was moved to a Sunday afternoon time and the weekend after the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in it being postponed to July 23 as a Thursday night event.[7]
The race has undergone various name changes throughout its history. After being known as the STP 500 from 2011 to 2013, it was renamed the "5-hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation" in 2014.[8] Nickelodeon sponsored the 2015 race via the SpongeBob SquarePants television show,[9] followed by GoBowling.com from 2016 to 2017.[10] KC Masterpiece and Digital Ally respectively assumed naming rights in 2018 and 2019,[11][12] followed by O'Reilly Auto Parts' Super Start Batteries brand in 2020.[13]
Past winners
Year | Date | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Race Distance | Race Time | Average Speed (mph) |
Report | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Laps | Miles (km) | |||||||||
2011 | June 5 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Dodge | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 2:55:10 | 137.184 | Report |
2012 | April 22 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 2:46:44 | 144.122 | Report |
2013 | April 21 | 20 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 2:59:51 | 133.611 | Report |
2014 | May 10 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 3:07:31 | 128.149 | Report |
2015 | May 9–10* | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 3:11:50 | 125.265 | Report |
2016 | May 7 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 2:49:20 | 141.909 | Report |
2017 | May 13 | 78 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 3:24:16 | 117.64 | Report |
2018 | May 12 | 4 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 2:53:38 | 128.395 | Report |
2019 | May 11 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 271* | 406.5 (654.198) | 3:06:09 | 131.023 | Report |
2020 | July 23* | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 267 | 400.5 (644.542) | 3:17:14 | 121.835 | Report |
Notes
- 2015: Race started on Saturday and finished shortly after midnight on Sunday due to rain delays.
- 2019: Race was extended due to a NASCAR overtime finish
- 2020: Race postponed from May 31 to July 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple winners (drivers)
# Wins | Driver | Years Won |
---|---|---|
2 | Brad Keselowski | 2011, 2019 |
Denny Hamlin | 2012, 2020 |
Multiple winners (teams)
# Wins | Team | Years Won |
---|---|---|
4 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020 |
2 | Hendrick Motorsports | 2014, 2015 |
Team Penske | 2011, 2019 |
Manufacturer wins
# Wins | Manufacturer | Years Won |
---|---|---|
5 | Toyota | 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2020 |
2 | Chevrolet | 2014, 2015 |
Ford | 2018, 2019 | |
1 | Dodge | 2011 |
References
- "THE RACE: STP 400". Jayski NASCAR Silly Season Site. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- Horne, Lisa (June 6, 2011). "Keselowski edges Junior for Kansas win". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
- "Kansas Speedway Announces 2012 NASCAR Race Dates". Kansas Speedway. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
- "Allmendinger wins Kansas pole despite late draw". NASCAR Wire Service. NASCAR. April 21, 2012. Archived from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- "Denny Hamlin earns win at Kansas". The Associated Press. ESPN. April 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- Cain, Holly (October 11, 2013). "KANSAS, DARLINGTON TO SWAP SCHEDULE SPOTS IN '14". NASCAR. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- "NASCAR plans to run 5 races at Kansas Speedway in July". KSHB-TV. June 4, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "5-Hour ENERGY Sponsors Kansas Cup Race". Performance Racing Industry. April 29, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Alonzo, Austin (May 6, 2015). "The story behind the SpongeBob SquarePants 400". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Kansas Speedway and GoBowling.com announced a partnership today for the May 7 GoBowling.com 400, Kansas Speedway's annual May NASCAR Sprint Cup Series night race". The Ledger. January 13, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Kerkhoff, Blair (May 2, 2018). "Kansas Speedway race has new sponsor with local ties and many flavors". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "Digital Ally Sponsoring Kansas Weekend". Kansas Speedway (Press release). Motor Racing Network. April 17, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "O'Reilly Auto Parts named entitlement sponsor for Kansas Speedway's July NASCAR Cup Series race". Kansas Speedway (Press release). July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
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