2012 Pure Michigan 400

Michigan International Speedway, the race track where the race was held.

Michigan International Speedway is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races; the others are Daytona International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway.[3] The standard track at Michigan International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2 miles (3.2 km) long.[4] The track's turns are banked at eighteen degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at twelve degrees.[4] The back stretch, has a five degree banking.[4] Michigan International Speedway has a seating capacity of 137,243 people.[5]

Before the race, Jimmie Johnson led the Drivers' Championship with 777 points, and Greg Biffle stood in second with 776. Matt Kenseth was third in the Drivers' Championship with 775 points, 15 ahead of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and 42 ahead of Brad Keselowski in fourth and fifth. Martin Truex, Jr. with 728 was eleven points ahead of Clint Bowyer, as Tony Stewart with 716 points, was six ahead of Kevin Harvick, and 23 in front of Denny Hamlin.[6] In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was leading with 157 points, 32 ahead of Toyota. Ford, with 109 points, was 16 points ahead of Dodge in the battle for third.[7]

Mark Martin won the pole position

Three practice sessions will be held before the Sunday race—one on Friday, August 17, and two on Saturday, August 18. The first session lasted 90 minutes, while the second and third are scheduled for 55 minutes.[8] Johnson was quickest with a time of 36.465 seconds in the first session, less than two-tenths of a second faster than Kasey Kahne.[9] Mark Martin was just off Kahne's pace, followed by Harvick, Truex, Jr., and Carl Edwards. Ryan Newman (who was battling the flu and wasn't sure he would be able to race; Stewart-Haas had David Reutimann on standby[10]) was seventh, still within four-tenths of a second of Johnson's time.[9]

Forty-five cars were entered for qualifying, but only forty-three could qualify for the race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure.[11] Martin clinched the 55th pole position of his career,[12] with a time of 36.053 seconds.[13] He was joined on the front row of the grid by Edwards.[13] Johnson qualified third, Kenseth took fourth, and Kahne started fifth.[13] Trevor Bayne, Truex, Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Landon Cassill and Paul Menard rounded out the top ten. The two drivers that failed to qualify for the race were Stephen Leicht and J.J. Yeley.[13] Once the qualifying session concluded, Martin said, "I've had a few years of practice. I don't need a whole bunch of practice. I need fast race cars. That's what Rodney Childers is giving me. All it is driving the car. I've been doing that since I was 15."[12]

• Jimmie Johnson will start from the rear of the field for changing an engine.
• Ryan Newman will start from the rear of the field for having a back-up driver.
• Sam Hornish, Jr. will start from the rear of the field for having a back-up driver qualify the car.
• Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will start from the rear of the field for switching to a back-up car.