2013 Federated Auto Parts 400

The 2013 Federated Auto Parts 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on September 7, 2013, at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Contested over 400 laps, it was the twenty-sixth and final race leading into the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season. Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing won the race, his second win of the season, while Kurt Busch finished second. Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, and Paul Menard rounded out the top five.

The race was the first for Harry Scott Jr. as a Sprint Cup Series team owner; Ryan Truex drove the #51 car in the team's debut.

The race was marred by a controversial finish, after evidence surfaced that two teams were found to have manipulated the outcome of the race and Chase positions in the final ten laps. NASCAR ultimately determined that Michael Waltrip Racing, Penske Racing, and Front Row Motorsports were involved in two separate, but intertwined, incidents, first by Clint Bowyer intentionally causing a caution with less than ten laps remaining in the race, and on the ensuing restart, having Brian Vickers pit after a restart from caution so that Martin Truex Jr. would clinch a Wildcard berth over Ryan Newman, and the second was collusion where Penske's Joey Logano earned the final guaranteed berth over Jeff Gordon after passing Front Row's David Gilliland. Both situations were intertwined together because of the tenth place and wild card situation. This scandal became widely known amongst fans and journalists as Spingate.

Entry list Car Driver Make Team1Jamie McMurrayChevroletEarnhardt Ganassi Racing2Brad KeselowskiFordPenske Racing5Kasey KahneChevroletHendrick Motorsports7Dave BlaneyChevroletTommy Baldwin Racing9Marcos AmbroseFordRichard Petty Motorsports10Danica PatrickChevroletStewart–Haas Racing11Denny HamlinToyotaJoe Gibbs Racing13Casey MearsFordGermain Racing14Mark MartinChevroletStewart–Haas Racing15Clint BowyerToyotaMichael Waltrip Racing16Greg BiffleFordRoush Fenway Racing17Ricky Stenhouse Jr.FordRoush Fenway Racing18Kyle BuschToyotaJoe Gibbs Racing19Mike BlissToyotaHumphrey Smith Racing20Matt KensethToyotaJoe Gibbs Racing22Joey LoganoFordPenske Racing24Jeff GordonChevroletHendrick Motorsports27Paul MenardChevroletRichard Childress Racing29Kevin HarvickChevroletRichard Childress Racing30David StremmeToyotaSwan Racing31Jeff BurtonChevroletRichard Childress Racing32Ken SchraderFordFAS Lane Racing33Tony RainesChevroletCircle Sport34David RaganFordFront Row Motorsports35Josh WiseFordFront Row Motorsports36J.J. YeleyChevroletTommy Baldwin Racing38David GillilandFordFront Row Motorsports39Ryan NewmanChevroletStewart–Haas Racing40Landon CassillChevroletCircle Sport42Juan Pablo MontoyaChevroletEarnhardt Ganassi Racing43Aric AlmirolaFordRichard Petty Motorsports47A.J. AllmendingerToyotaJTG Daugherty Racing48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletHendrick Motorsports51Ryan TruexChevroletHScott Motorsports55Brian VickersToyotaMichael Waltrip Racing56Martin Truex Jr.ToyotaMichael Waltrip Racing78Kurt BuschChevroletFurniture Row Racing83David ReutimannToyotaBK Racing87Joe NemechekToyotaNEMCO-Jay Robinson Racing88Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletHendrick Motorsports93Travis KvapilToyotaBK Racing95Reed SorensonFordLeavine Family Racing98Michael McDowellFordPhil Parsons Racing99Carl EdwardsFordRoush Fenway Racing

Results

Qualifying Pos Driver Team Make 124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet130.59920.674278Kurt BuschFurniture Row RacingChevrolet130.33420.71632Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingFord130.15820.744415Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota130.02020.766520Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota129.86420.791611Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota129.85120.79371Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet129.68920.819822Joey LoganoPenske RacingFord129.63320.828916Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord129.36620.8711048Regan SmithHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet129.28620.8841156Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota129.22420.8941242Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet129.12520.9101318Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota129.11920.9111488Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet129.06920.9191543Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord129.05720.9211614Mark MartinStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet129.02620.9261729Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet128.99520.931185Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet128.94620.9391931Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet128.81720.9602055Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota128.74320.9722117Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord128.58420.9982227Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet128.55921.0022334David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord128.48621.0142439Ryan NewmanStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet128.38221.0312513Casey MearsGermain RacingFord128.35121.0362699Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord128.29021.0462735Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord128.27221.0492840Landon CassillCircle SportChevrolet128.25421.0522930David StremmeSwan RacingToyota128.07721.0813098Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord128.04721.0863187Joe NemechekNEMCO-Jay Robinson RacingToyota127.84721.119329Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord127.79921.1273393Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota127.69021.1453447A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingToyota127.52721.1723583David ReutimannBK RacingToyota127.40121.1933610Danica PatrickStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet127.28621.2123738David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord127.25021.2183851Ryan TruexHScott MotorsportsChevrolet127.09521.2443995Reed SorensonLeavine Family RacingFord126.63021.322407Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet126.39921.3614133Tony RainesCircle SportChevrolet126.13921.4054232Ken SchraderFAS Lane RacingFord125.87421.4504336J. J. YeleyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet125.77421.467Failed to Qualify4419Mike Bliss Humphrey Smith RacingToyota127.20821.225Qualifying Results1 Regan Smith drove the No. 48 car for practice and qualifying; Jimmie Johnson was on paternity leave.

Race

Pos Driver Team Make Race Status Points199Carl EdwardsRoush Fenway RacingFord400Running4647278Kurt BuschFurniture Row RacingChevrolet400Running7343339Ryan NewmanStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet400Running44241Jamie McMurrayEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet400Running641527Paul MenardRichard Childress RacingChevrolet400Running340620Matt KensethJoe Gibbs RacingToyota400Running539756Martin Truex Jr.Michael Waltrip RacingToyota400Running037824Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet400Running4937914Mark MartinStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet400Running0351017Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Roush Fenway RacingFord400Running0341129Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet400Running0331216Greg BiffleRoush Fenway RacingFord400Running0321388Dale Earnhardt Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet400Running031145Kasey KahneHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet400Running0301547A. J. AllmendingerJTG Daugherty RacingToyota400Running0291642Juan Pablo MontoyaEarnhardt Ganassi RacingChevrolet400Running028172Brad KeselowskiPenske RacingFord400Running142291831Jeff BurtonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet400Running0261918Kyle BuschJoe Gibbs RacingToyota400Running0252043Aric AlmirolaRichard Petty MotorsportsFord400Running0242111Denny HamlinJoe Gibbs RacingToyota399Running0232222Joey LoganoPenske RacingFord399Running0222338David GillilandFront Row MotorsportsFord399Running0212455Brian VickersMichael Waltrip RacingToyota399Running002515Clint BowyerMichael Waltrip RacingToyota398Running72202613Casey MearsGermain RacingFord397Running018279Marcos AmbroseRichard Petty MotorsportsFord397Running0172893Travis KvapilBK RacingToyota397Running0162934David RaganFront Row MotorsportsFord397Running0153010Danica PatrickStewart–Haas RacingChevrolet396Running014317Dave BlaneyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet396Running0133283David ReutimannBK RacingToyota395Running0123333Tony RainesCircle SportChevrolet395Running003440Landon CassillCircle SportChevrolet395Running003551Ryan TruexHScott MotorsportsChevrolet395Running003636J. J. YeleyTommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet393Running083732Ken SchraderFAS Lane RacingFord393Running073830David StremmeSwan RacingToyota391Running063987Joe NemechekNEMCO-Jay Robinson RacingToyota388Running004048Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet372Running044135Josh WiseFront Row MotorsportsFord142Vibration004295Reed SorensonLeavine Family RacingFord126Brakes004398Michael McDowellPhil Parsons RacingFord76Brakes01Race Results

Final Chase for the Cup statistics Driver's points (post-race) - Sunday, September 8(post-penalties) - Friday, September 13 Pos Driver PointsWins Top 5 Top 10 Pos Driver Points Wins Top 5 Top 101Matt Kenseth201556131Matt Kenseth201556132Jimmie Johnson201249152Jimmie Johnson201249153Kyle Busch2012411153Kyle Busch2012411154Kevin Harvick200626134Kevin Harvick200626135Carl Edwards200628135Carl Edwards200628136Joey Logano200318146Joey Logano200318147Greg Biffle200313107Greg Biffle200313108Clint Bowyer200008138Clint Bowyer200008139Dale Earnhardt Jr.200005149Dale Earnhardt Jr.2000051410Kurt Busch2000081310Kurt Busch2000081311Kasey Kahne2000281111Kasey Kahne2000281112Martin Truex Jr.2000161112Ryan Newman2000161213 13Jeff Gordon20000512 (see below)

Race manipulation controversy

Team orders became an issue during the last ten laps of the race, and it was ultimately determined that three teams had tried to manipulate the finish of the race and Chase positions.

Under the Chase system at the time, 12 drivers were eligible to make the Chase: the top 10 in points, with two additional Wild Card spots for drivers positioned 11th-20th in the points with race wins. Entering the race, Kasey Kahne had already locked up the first Wild Card spot as he was the only repeat winner in the field outside of the top 10 in points, with his two race wins from earlier in the year at Bristol and Pocono. Ryan Newman entered the race trailing Martin Truex Jr. for the final wild card. In order to guarantee a Chase position, Newman needed to either win the race, or be five points ahead of Truex and not have Joey Logano or Greg Biffle fall out of the top ten (as if either Logano or Biffle dropped out of the top ten at the end of the race, the other Wild Card spot would go to one of them). Jeff Gordon trailed Logano by 16 points for 10th place, the final Chase spot based on points position.

On Lap 393, Gordon was ahead of Logano by a large enough margin that Gordon led Logano by two points for the final guaranteed Chase position. Newman was the leader, and would have bumped out both Logano and Truex (one win each) had the race ended at that point. It was on that lap that Truex's teammate Clint Bowyer spun out in Turn 4. From the various angles captured of the spin, it initially appeared that Bowyer had either been tapped from behind by Dale Earnhardt Jr. or he had cut a right front tire. The field pitted under the resulting caution flag, including Bowyer, Truex's other teammate Brian Vickers, Newman and the rest of the field. A slow pit stop for Newman dropped him to third, behind Carl Edwards, Paul Menard, with Kurt Busch starting next to him in 4th.

As a result of pit stops, Truex gained multiple positions. Logano, who was two laps behind the leader (while Gordon was on the lead lap), used a wavearound to move up to one lap behind the leaders, where he could race other cars one lap behind in an attempt to gain more positions and score enough points to retake Gordon. Edwards went on to win, albeit with controversy as it appeared he jumped Menard on the restart, with Kurt Busch and Newman finishing behind Edwards. However, Edwards was not penalized (as had happened to Jimmie Johnson at Dover in June) as NASCAR ruled that Menard had spun his tires and was slow getting up to speed.

Newman and Truex finished tied for the final wildcard spot on both wins, and the first tie-breaker, points. However, since Truex had an extra second-place finish at Texas, he entered the Chase. Logano, who overtook Gordon on the final restart, clinched the final non-wild card spot by one point over Gordon.