2011 Showtime Southern 500
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Showtime Southern 500 was a NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on May 7, 2011 at Darlington Raceway
in Darlington, South Carolina
. Contested over 370 laps, 3 laps over the advertised distance, it was the tenth race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
season out of thirty-six. The pole position was won by Kasey Kahne
of Red Bull Racing Team. The race was won by Regan Smith
of Furniture Row Racing
, the first win for both Smith and the team, with Carl Edwards
in second and Brad Keselowski
in third.
, is the second oldest speedway on the NASCAR schedule next to Daytona International Speedway
. From above, the track has been long described as being shaped similar to an egg
. Consequently, the track's banking is also affected by its shape. The frontstretch and backstretch are banked at 3° and 2°, respectively. Turns 1 and 2, which have a wider radius, are banked at 25° and turns 3 and 4, which are much tighter than the first two, carry 23° of banking.
Prior to the race, Carl Edwards
held the Drivers' Championship lead with 326 points. Defending champion Jimmie Johnson
was in second place, 9 points back, followed by Richmond
Kyle Busch
in third, 21 points behind Johnson. Four points behind Busch was Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
in fourth with Kevin Harvick
one point behind in fifth. Kurt Busch
, with 289 points, was in sixth followed by Clint Bowyer
who was 5 points behind Busch. Ryan Newman
, Matt Kenseth
, and Tony Stewart
rounded out the top 10 in points, all 3 separated by 3 points. Defending race winner Denny Hamlin
was 17th in points. A. J. Allmendinger
and Jeff Gordon
remained in the wild card positions.
In the owner points battle, Tommy Baldwin Racing
moved into the top-35 in owners' points for the first time on the heels of a 13th place finish at Richmond, leading to a 3-way tie for 35th between the #32 team of FAS Lane Racing
, the #13 team of Germain Racing
, and the #71 team of TRG Motorsports.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on May 7, 2011 at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
in Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington, South Carolina
Darlington is a city in and the county seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a center for tobacco farming. The population was 6,720 at the 2000 census and is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Contested over 370 laps, 3 laps over the advertised distance, it was the tenth race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 63rd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. The season included 36 races and two exhibition races, beginning with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The...
season out of thirty-six. The pole position was won by Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #5 Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series....
of Red Bull Racing Team. The race was won by Regan Smith
Regan Smith
Regan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
of Furniture Row Racing
Furniture Row Racing
Furniture Row Racing is a NASCAR team based in Colorado and fields the #78 Chevrolet Impala for Regan Smith. The team is owned and sponsored by the U.S. furniture store chain Furniture Row and is the only NASCAR team headquartered in Colorado....
, the first win for both Smith and the team, with Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
in second and Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Robert Keselowski is an American auto racing driver currently competing in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the #22 Discount Tire Company/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing...
in third.
Background
The track, Darlington RacewayDarlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, is the second oldest speedway on the NASCAR schedule next to Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. From above, the track has been long described as being shaped similar to an egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
. Consequently, the track's banking is also affected by its shape. The frontstretch and backstretch are banked at 3° and 2°, respectively. Turns 1 and 2, which have a wider radius, are banked at 25° and turns 3 and 4, which are much tighter than the first two, carry 23° of banking.
Prior to the race, Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
held the Drivers' Championship lead with 326 points. Defending champion Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Kenneth Johnson is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports....
was in second place, 9 points back, followed by Richmond
2011 Crown Royal Presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400
The 2011 Crown Royal Presents the Matthew and Daniel Hansen 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on April 30, 2011 at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Contested over 400 laps on the 0.75-mile asphalt D-oval, it was the ninth race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series...
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch, is an American NASCAR driver and team owner. He currently drives the No. 18 Mars/Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, the No. 18 Z-Line Designs/NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs in the Nationwide Series, and the No...
in third, 21 points behind Johnson. Four points behind Busch was Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
* NOTE: References to "Earnhardt", "he", and "him" refer to the subject of this article, unless otherwise specified. References to his father will include "Sr."...
in fourth with Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
one point behind in fifth. Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
, with 289 points, was in sixth followed by Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer
Clint Bowyer is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship....
who was 5 points behind Busch. Ryan Newman
Ryan Newman
Ryan Joseph Newman is a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He drives the #39 United States Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing under crew chief Tony Gibson. Newman graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a B.S. in vehicle structure engineering...
, Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy "Matt" Kenseth is an American stock car driver. Kenseth currently drives the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
, and Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
rounded out the top 10 in points, all 3 separated by 3 points. Defending race winner Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...
was 17th in points. A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
and Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
remained in the wild card positions.
In the owner points battle, Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
moved into the top-35 in owners' points for the first time on the heels of a 13th place finish at Richmond, leading to a 3-way tie for 35th between the #32 team of FAS Lane Racing
FAS Lane Racing
FAS Lane Racing is a NASCAR team owned by long-time crew chief Frank Stoddard. It currently fields the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford Fusion for Terry Labonte, Mike Skinner, Ken Schrader, Mike Bliss, and Patrick Carpentier in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-History:...
, the #13 team of Germain Racing
Germain Racing
Germain Racing is an American NASCAR team. It is owned by the Germain brothers, Bob, Stephen, and Richard. The Germain family owns many car dealerships across the United States...
, and the #71 team of TRG Motorsports.