General

NASCAR at Phoenix 2012: Start time, lineup, TV/radio schedule, live streaming info and more

Nov 11, 2012, 12:30 PM UTC

It’s NASCAR race day at Phoenix International Raceway, and we’ve got the actual race start time, the starting lineup and some other facts about today’s AdvoCare 500 for you below.

What time does the race start today? Today’s Phoenix race has a late afternoon start time in order to finish close to primetime on the East Coast. Two executives from race sponsor AdvoCare will give the command to fire engines at 3:12 p.m. Eastern time (1:12 p.m. local), followed by the green flag at 3:20 p.m.

Race name/distance: Today’s race is the AdvoCare 500, which is NOT 500 miles (thankfully). It’s actually 312 laps around the 1-mile Phoenix International Raceway for a total of 312 miles. That’s 500 kilometers, which is why there’s a “500” in the name.

TV, radio and live streaming: Today’s race can be seen on ESPN, as will next week’s season finale at Homestead. There IS live streaming of the race today, which can be found at NASCAR.com’s “RaceBuddy” site and on the “Watch ESPN” app. If you’ll be away from your computer and TV, check the Motor Racing Network’s web site for a list of affiliate radio stations in your area.

*** NOTE: If you're out and about today and can't watch the race, make sure to follow me (@jeff_gluck) on Twitter. I'll be tweeting updates about the event. ***

National anthem: JoJo, the young pop singer who sang “Get Out,” will perform the national anthem today. Now 21 years old, JoJo was supposed to sing the anthem at Fontana this year but her appearance was postponed until now.

Tickets: The grandstands at Phoenix are SOLD OUT (55,000 seats), but there are still some general admission tickets available for the hillside (bring your own chairs). If you’re hoping for grandstand seats, there are plenty of scalpers along Avondale Blvd. on the way from I-10 into the track.

Weather: The unofficial NASCAR weatherman, Brian Neudorff, says today’s weather at Phoenix will be chilly for Arizona standards – in the low 60s – but not rainy.

Last time: In March, Denny Hamlin set the tone for his solid season by driving to victory at a track where his championship dreams once took a huge hit. And one year ago, Kasey Kahne won for Red Bull Racing on his way out the door.

Here’s the starting lineup for today’s NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway: