Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned Kentucky Speedway until 2008. The speedway has a grandstand capacity of 117,000. Construction of the speedway began in 1998 and was completed in mid-2000. The speedway has hosted the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, Xfinity Series, IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, and most recently, the NASCAR Cup Series beginning in 2011.
The first practice session was held on Thursday, July 12, at 4:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]John Hunter Nemechek of Chip Ganassi Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.853 and an average speed of 180.886 miles per hour (291.108 km/h).[3]
The second and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Thursday, July 12, at 6:05 PM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Ty Majeski of Roush Fenway Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.717 and an average speed of 181.714 miles per hour (292.440 km/h).[3]
Qualifying was held on Friday, July 13, at 5:05 PM EST.[2] Since Kentucky Speedway is under 2 miles (3.2 km), the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 15 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 15 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.[4]
Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste would win the pole, advancing through both preliminary rounds and setting a time of 29.759 and an average speed of 181.458 miles per hour (292.028 km/h) in the third round.[5]
