CUP: McDowell Takes 2012 LASTCAR Cup Lead, Moves To Fifth In Series Standings

SOURCE: motorsport.com

Michael McDowell picked up the 19th last-place finish of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career in Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at the Kansas Speedway when his #98 K-Love / Curb Records Ford fell out with a vibration after he completed 6 of the race’s 267 laps.

The finish was McDowell’s fifth of the 2012 season since Chicagoland, five races ago. He now has sole possession of the 2012 LASTCAR Sprint Cup Championship, breaking a tie with Josh Wise, who did not qualify for Sunday’s race. McDowell is now tied with G.C. Spencer for the fifth-most last-place finishes in Sprint Cup history and is tied with three other drivers for ninth-most all-time.

McDowell qualified 23rd at an average speed of 189.261 mph, making him the fastest of the eleven "go-or-go-homers" who attempted to make the field. In the race itself, Humphrey-Smith Motorsports teammates Mike Bliss and Reed Sorenson exchanged 43rd until McDowell fell out during the opening green-flag run. J.J. Yeley finished 42nd, missing his second-straight last-place finish in this race by four laps.

LASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time both McDowell and the #98 had ever finished last in a Cup Series race at Kansas.
*It was also the first time a Cup Series last-place finisher at Kansas fell out because of a vibration.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #98-Michael McDowell / 7 laps / vibration
42) #37-J.J. Yeley / 11 laps / vibration
41) #91-Reed Sorenson / 18 laps / overheating
40) #87-Joe Nemechek / 22 laps / rear gear
39) #36-Dave Blaney / 25 laps / brakes

LASTCAR CUP SERIES DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Michael McDowell (5)
2nd) Josh Wise (4)
3rd) Scott Riggs, Reed Sorenson, Scott Speed (3)
4th) Mike Bliss, Joe Nemechek, J.J. Yeley (2)
5th) Trevor Bayne, Kelly Bires, Dave Blaney, Landon Cassill, Brendan Gaughan, Jason Leffler, David Ragan, Brian Vickers (1)

LASTCAR CUP SERIES OWNER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #98-Phil Parsons Racing (5)
2nd) #26-Front Row Motorsports (4)
3rd) #19-Humphrey-Smith Racing, #23-R3 Motorsports (3)
4th) #49-Robinson-Blakeney Racing, #79-Go Green Racing, #87-NEMCO Motorsports, #95-Leavine Family Racing, #91-Humphrey-Smith Racing (2)
5th) #21-Wood Brothers Racing, #33-Richard Childress Racing, #34-Front Row Motorsports, #36-Tommy Baldwin Racing, #55-Michael Waltrip Racing, #74-Turn One Racing, #83-BK Racing (1)

LASTCAR CUP SERIES MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Ford (16)
2nd) Toyota (9)
3rd) Chevrolet (7)