▁season , ▁began ▁at ▁ 1 : 0 0   p . m . ▁E ST ▁and ▁was ▁tele vised ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁ESP N . ▁The ▁conditions ▁on ▁the ▁grid ▁were ▁dry ▁before ▁the ▁race , ▁the ▁air ▁temperature ▁at ▁; ▁over cast ▁sk ies ▁were ▁expected . ▁Tim ▁Griff in ▁began ▁pre - race ▁cer emon ies , ▁by ▁giving ▁the ▁inv ocation . ▁Next , ▁Bret ▁Mich a els ▁along ▁with ▁Miami ▁native ▁Nan ette ▁Mel ina , ▁performed ▁the ▁national ▁anth em , ▁and ▁gave ▁the ▁command ▁for ▁drivers ▁to ▁start ▁their ▁engines . ▁During ▁the ▁pace ▁la ps , ▁Sam ▁Horn ish ▁had ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁the ▁grid ▁because ▁of ▁changing ▁to ▁his ▁backup ▁car . ▁ ▁K ase y ▁K ah ne ▁retained ▁his ▁pole ▁position ▁lead ▁into ▁the ▁first ▁corner , ▁followed ▁by ▁Carl ▁Edwards , ▁who ▁started ▁second . ▁On ▁the ▁following ▁two ▁la ps , ▁J imm ie ▁Johnson ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁fourth ▁position . ▁On ▁the ▁fourth ▁lap , ▁Edwards ▁passed ▁K ah ne ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁position . ▁After ▁starting ▁from ▁ 3 7 th , ▁Den ny ▁Ham lin ▁had ▁moved ▁to ▁ 2 7 th ▁by ▁lap ▁six . ▁Ele vent h - pla ced ▁qual ifier ▁Jeff ▁Gordon ▁joined ▁team mate ▁Johnson ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁four ▁la ps ▁later . ▁Johnson ▁passed ▁A . ▁J . ▁All m ending er ▁on ▁lap ▁ 1 2 ▁to ▁claim ▁the ▁third ▁position , ▁as