Quaker State 400 2012: Start Time, Lineup, TV Schedule and More

Coming off a big win at Sonoma, Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip Racing will be out to make it two in a row at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday. 

But just like last year, MWR will have to go through Kyle Busch to do it.

In the 2011 race, MWR's David Reutimann finished second behind Busch, while Bowyer finished 35th. Last weekend's race was Bowyer's first win on a road course, and he needed to hold off a resurgent Busch to get it. Busch was in the hunt till late, but he damaged his car with about eight laps remaining, leaving Bowyer home free.

Also in the hunt on Saturday will be Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, neither of whom has never won at Kentucky.

Where: Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky. 

When: Saturday, June 30, 6:30 p.m. ET

Watch: TNT

Live Stream: TrackPass 

Listen: Motor Racing Network

Starting Order: Qualifying will be Friday, June 29 at 5 p.m. ET. You can watch it go down on SPEED. 

Full TV Schedule (via NASCAR.com) 

Quaker State 400 Practice, Friday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m. ET, SPEED

Quaker State 400 Practice, Friday, June 29 at 1:30 p.m. ET, SPEED

Quaker State 400 Qualifying, Friday, June 29 at 5 p.m. ET, SPEED

Quaker State 400, Saturday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. ET, TNT

Drivers to Watch

Kyle Busch 

The defending champion almost won three times in three days last year at Kentucky: He won the truck race, then finished third in the Nationwide Series before taking the Cup race, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. He certainly knows how to win at this track, and perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for him to compensate for last week's snafu.

This year, since Busch is only driving in the Cup race instead of in the truck race and the Nationwide Series race, he has one shot at glory, and it will come on Saturday.

Jeff Gordon 

Last year, traffic got the best of Gordon, as he started 20th in the order and finished in 10th place. Kentucky Speedway, along with Homestead-Miami Speedway, are the only two places Gordon hasn't yet won, and he's well aware of the challenges that this track presents.

Gordon told SpeedwayMedia: 

"

The track is very challenging. There are pretty severe bumps getting into turn three, so it’s hard to run side-by-side because you get really loose underneath somebody. And the pace is pretty fast—you carry good speed through the corners here.

"

Matt Kenseth

The current Sprint Cup Series points leader has been tabbed as the 15-1 co-favorite by Kentucky Derby oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, who set a morning line for the race at the Kentucky Speedway just for kicks, according to USA Today. 

But take that with a grain of salt, because his odds for I'll Have Another in this year's Derby weren't too good.

Prediction: Kyle Busch Wins

He's proven that he knows how to win at this track, and this year, with less on his plate, he'll be even more focused on this one victory.