Before the race, Carl Edwards was leading the Drivers' Championship with 720 points, and Jimmie Johnson stood in second with 711 points. Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch followed in third and fourth with 709 and 706 points, six ahead of Kevin Harvick and 38 ahead Jeff Gordon in fifth and sixth. Ryan Newman with 658 was 16 points ahead of Tony Stewart and 19 ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet was first with 140 points, 21 ahead of Ford, and 26 ahead of Toyota. Dodge was placed fourth with 89 points. Juan Pablo Montoya is the race's defending winner from 2010.
