Advance Auto Parts (AAP) 10-K 2005 FY Annual report

Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

        I, Jeffrey T. Gray, certify that:

        1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Advance Auto Parts, Inc.;

        2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

        3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

        4. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

(a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and         procedures to be designated under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to         the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those         entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b)   Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over         financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance         regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for         external purposes in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles;

(c)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in         this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as         of the end of the periods covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(d)   Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that         occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in         the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially         affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

        5. The registrant’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

(a)   All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control         over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to         record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a         significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

        Date:March 17, 2005

        /s/ Jeffrey T. Gray

        Jeffrey T. Gray

        Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer