| Race details[1][2] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 24 of 36 in the2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series | |||
| Date | August 27, 2011 (2011-08-27) | ||
| Location | Bristol Motor Speedway inBristol, Tennessee | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 0.533 miles (0.858 km) | ||
| Distance | 500 laps, 266.5 mi (428.89 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures reaching as low as 62.1 °F (16.7 °C); wind speeds up to 15 miles per hour (24 km/h)[3] | ||
| Average speed | 96.753 mph (155.709 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Stewart Haas Racing | ||
| Time | 15.624 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Laps | 206 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ABC | ||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick,Dale Jarrett,Andy Petree | ||
The2011 Irwin Tools Night Race was astock car racing competition that took place on August 27, 2011. Held atBristol Motor Speedway inBristol, Tennessee, the 500-lap race was the twenty-fourth in the2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.Brad Keselowski of thePenske Racing team won the race;Martin Truex Jr. finished second andJeff Gordon finished third.

Bristol Motor Speedway is one of fiveshort tracks to holdNASCAR races; the others areRichmond International Raceway,Dover International Speedway,Martinsville Speedway, andPhoenix International Raceway.[4] The standard track at Bristol Motor Speedway is a four-turn short trackoval that is 0.533 miles (0.858 km) long.[5] The track's turns arebanked from twenty-four to thirtydegrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked from six to ten degrees. The back stretch also has banking from six to ten degrees.[5]
Before the race,Kyle Busch led theDrivers' Championship with 799 points, andJimmie Johnson stood in second with 789 points.Kevin Harvick was third in the Drivers' Championship with 760 points, andCarl Edwards was fourth with 760 points.Matt Kenseth,Jeff Gordon,Ryan Newman,Kurt Busch,Dale Earnhardt Jr. andTony Stewart rounded out the first ten positions.[6] Kyle Busch was the race's defending champion.[7]
On August 23, 2011,Toyota debuted the 2012Toyota Camry at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, prompting the Toyota teams to change their headlights, taillights, fog lights, and rear decals.
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The race was televised byABC in the United States. However, several affiliates including ABC owned-and-operatedWABC inNew York City,WPVI inPhiladelphia andWTVD inRaleigh-Durham pre-empted the race in order to offer continuing coverage ofHurricane Irene,[8] while other ABC affiliates pre-empted this race to airNFLpreseason games.

| Grid | Car | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 15.624 | 122.811 |
| 2 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.642 | 122.670 |
| 3 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.643 | 122.662 |
| 4 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.654 | 122.662 |
| 5 | 5 | Mark Martin | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.658 | 122.544 |
| 6 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 15.659 | 122.537 |
| 7 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.676 | 122.404 |
| 8 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Dodge | 15.683 | 122.349 |
| 9 | 20 | Joey Logano | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15.688 | 122.310 |
| 10 | 22 | Kurt Busch | Penske Racing | Dodge | 15.699 | 122.224 |
| 11 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 15.715 | 122.100 |
| 12 | 78 | Regan Smith | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 15.721 | 122.053 |
| 13 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.725 | 122.022 |
| 14 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.725 | 122.022 |
| 15 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.727 | 122.007 |
| 16 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.727 | 122.007 |
| 17 | 34 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15.736 | 121.937 |
| 18 | 43 | A. J. Allmendinger | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 15.738 | 121.921 |
| 19 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 15.755 | 121.790 |
| 20 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15.760 | 121.751 |
| 21 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.765 | 121.713 |
| 22 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.775 | 121.635 |
| 23 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 15.785 | 121.558 |
| 24 | 6 | David Ragan | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 15.787 | 121.543 |
| 25 | 4 | Kasey Kahne | Red Bull Racing Team | Toyota | 15.793 | 121.497 |
| 26 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Red Bull Racing Team | Toyota | 15.820 | 121.290 |
| 27 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr. | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 15.822 | 121.274 |
| 28 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO Motorsports | Toyota | 15.835 | 121.175 |
| 29 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Toyota | 15.839 | 121.144 |
| 30 | 47 | Bobby Labonte | JTG Daugherty Racing | Toyota | 15.843 | 121.113 |
| 31 | 30 | David Stremme | Inception Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.875 | 120.869 |
| 32 | 66 | Michael McDowell | HP Racing | Toyota | 15.879 | 120.839 |
| 33 | 38 | Travis Kvapil | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 15.894 | 120.725 |
| 34 | 00 | David Reutimann | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 15.901 | 120.672 |
| 35 | 36 | Dave Blaney | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 15.930 | 120.452 |
| 36 | 46 | Scott Speed | Whitney Motorsports | Ford | 15.949 | 120.308 |
| 37 | 95 | David Starr | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 15.970 | 120.150 |
| 38 | 71 | Andy Lally | TRG Motorsports | Ford | 16.012 | 119.835 |
| 39 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Robby Gordon Motorsports | Dodge | 16.012 | 119.835 |
| 40 | 51 | Mike Bliss | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 16.049 | 119.559 |
| 41 | 32 | Terry Labonte | FAS Lane Racing | Ford | 16.306 | 117.674 |
| 42 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 16.306 | 116.397 |
| 43 | 60 | Mike Skinner | Germain Racing | Toyota | 16.089 | 119.158 |
| Failed to qualify | ||||||
| 44 | 50 | T. J. Bell | LTD Powersports, LLC | Chevrolet | 16.103 | 119.158 |
| 45 | 55 | J. J. Yeley | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 16.116 | 119.062 |
| 46 | 37 | Jeff Green | Max Q Motorsports | Ford | 16.302 | 117.703 |
Source:[9] | ||||||

| Pos | Car | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps Run | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Brad Keselowski | Penske Racing | Dodge | 500 | 47 |
| 2 | 56 | Martin Truex Jr. | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 500 | 43 |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 43 |
| 4 | 48 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 41 |
| 5 | 1 | Jamie McMurray | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 40 |
| 6 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 500 | 39 |
| 7 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 500 | 37 |
| 8 | 39 | Ryan Newman | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 37 |
| 9 | 99 | Carl Edwards | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 500 | 35 |
| 10 | 9 | Marcos Ambrose | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 500 | 34 |
| 11 | 4 | Kasey Kahne | Red Bull Racing Team | Toyota | 500 | 32 |
| 12 | 43 | A. J. Allmendinger | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 500 | 32 |
| 13 | 20 | Joey Logano | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 500 | 32 |
| 14 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 500 | 31 |
| 15 | 31 | Jeff Burton | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 29 |
| 16 | 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 28 |
| 17 | 22 | Kurt Busch | Penske Racing | Dodge | 500 | 27 |
| 18 | 78 | Regan Smith | Furniture Row Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 26 |
| 19 | 42 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Earnhardt Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 25 |
| 20 | 6 | David Ragan | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 500 | 24 |
| 21 | 83 | Brian Vickers | Red Bull Racing Team | Toyota | 499 | 23 |
| 22 | 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 499 | 22 |
| 23 | 13 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Toyota | 499 | 21 |
| 24 | 34 | David Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 498 | 20 |
| 25 | 71 | Andy Lally | TRG Motorsports | Ford | 498 | 19 |
| 26 | 33 | Clint Bowyer | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 498 | 18 |
| 27 | 95 | David Starr | Leavine Family Racing | Ford | 497 | 0 |
| 28 | 14 | Tony Stewart | Stewart–Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 16 |
| 29 | 51 | Mike Bliss | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 0 |
| 30 | 27 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 496 | 14 |
| 31 | 16 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 496 | 13 |
| 32 | 30 | David Stremme | Inception Motorsports | Chevrolet | 494 | 12 |
| 33 | 32 | Terry Labonte | FAS Lane Racing | Ford | 494 | 11 |
| 34 | 47 | Bobby Labonte | JTG Daugherty Racing | Toyota | 471 | 10 |
| 35 | 36 | Dave Blaney | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 457 | 9 |
| 36 | 00 | David Reutimann | Michael Waltrip Racing | Toyota | 430 | 8 |
| 37 | 38 | Travis Kvapil | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 371 | 0 |
| 38 | 5 | Mark Martin | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 363 | 6 |
| 39 | 66 | Michael McDowell | HP Racing | Toyota | 49 | 5 |
| 40 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | NEMCO Motorsports | Toyota | 42 | 0 |
| 41 | 60 | Mike Skinner | Germain Racing | Toyota | 28 | 0 |
| 42 | 46 | Scott Speed | Whitney Motorsports | Ford | 28 | 0 |
| 43 | 7 | Robby Gordon | Robby Gordon Motorsports | Dodge | 10 | 1 |
Source:[2] | ||||||
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