The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 64th season of NASCAR professional stock car racing in the United States and the 41st modern-era Cup season. The season started on February 18, 2012, at Daytona International Speedway, with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by the Daytona 500 on February 27. The season continued with the Chase for the Sprint Cup beginning on September 16 at Chicagoland Speedway and concluded with the Ford EcoBoost 400 on November 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
During the 2011 season, NASCAR announced the Sprint Cup Series would be changing to fuel injection from carburetors, which had been used since NASCAR's founding in 1949. Sprint Nextel announced at the 2011 Awards Ceremony that they had extended their sponsorship of the series until 2016. Roger Penske won the Owners' Championship, while Brad Keselowski won the Drivers' Championship at the final race of the season. Chevrolet won the Manufacturers' Championship with 249 points. Despite starting his season late, Stephen Leicht was the 2012 NASCAR Rookie of the Year after beating Josh Wise.
2012 was the final season that the fifth-generation cars (also known as the Car of Tomorrow) as the new Generation 6 cars were introduced for the 2013 season.
Teams and drivers Complete schedule There were 40 full-time teams in 2012.
ManufacturerTeamRace DriverCrew Chief ChevroletEarnhardt Ganassi Racing1Jamie McMurrayKevin Manion42Juan Pablo MontoyaChris HeroyFurniture Row Racing78Regan Smith Pete Rondeau Todd Berrier Kurt Busch Hendrick Motorsports5Kasey KahneKenny Francis24Jeff GordonAlan Gustafson48Jimmie JohnsonChad Knaus88Dale Earnhardt Jr. Steve LetarteRegan Smith Phoenix Racing51Kurt Busch Nick HarrisonDavid Reutimann A. J. Allmendinger Regan Smith Richard Childress Racing27Paul MenardRichard Labbe Shane Wilson 29Kevin HarvickShane Wilson Gil Martin 31Jeff BurtonDrew Blickensderfer Shane Wilson 33Elliott Sadler Gil Martin Buddy Sisco Tony Glover Brendan Gaughan Hermie Sadler Austin Dillon Circle SportTony Raines Jeff Green Stephen Leicht (R) Cole Whitt Stewart–Haas Racing14Tony StewartSteve Addington39Ryan NewmanTony GibsonMatt Borland10Danica Patrick Tommy Baldwin Jr. Steve Wood Greg Zipadelli Tony Gibson Brandon Thomas Tommy Baldwin RacingDavid Reutimann Dave Blaney Tony Raines Tomy Drissi J. J. Yeley 36Dave Blaney Ryan Pemberton Tommy Baldwin Jr. Tony Raines J. J. Yeley DodgePenske Racing2Brad KeselowskiPaul Wolfe22A. J. Allmendinger Todd GordonSam Hornish Jr. FordFAS Lane Racing32Terry Labonte Frank StoddardMike Bliss Ken Schrader Reed Sorenson T. J. Bell Boris Said Jason White Mike Olsen Timmy Hill Front Row Motorsports26Tony Raines Charles Dickey Jr.Josh Wise (R) 34David RaganJay Guy38David GillilandPat Tryson Derrick Finley Germain Racing13Casey MearsBootie BarkerPhil Parsons Racing98Michael McDowell Gene NeadDavid Mayhew Mike Skinner Richard Petty Motorsports9Marcos AmbroseTodd Parrott Mike Ford Drew Blickensderfer43Aric AlmirolaGreg Erwin Mike Ford Todd Parrott Roush Fenway Racing16Greg BiffleMatt Puccia17Matt KensethJimmy Fennig99Carl EdwardsBob Osbourne Chad Norris ToyotaBK Racing83Landon CassillDoug Richert93David Reutimann Todd AndersonTravis Kvapil Inception MotorsportsSwan Racing30David Stremme Steve LaneBrian Simo Patrick Long Joe Gibbs Racing11Denny HamlinDarian Grubb18Kyle BuschDave Rogers20Joey LoganoJason RatcliffJTG Daugherty Racing47Bobby LabonteTodd Berrier David Hyder Brian Burns Michael Waltrip Racing15Clint BowyerBrian Pattie55Mark Martin Rodney ChildersBrian Vickers Michael Waltrip 56Martin Truex Jr.Chad Johnston Scott Miller NEMCO Motorsports87Joe NemechekStephen Gray
The No. 33 changed owners in April. Joe Falk acquired the assets and ownership and was listed as owner after Martinsville; however Childress still fielded the car in races which Austin Dillon competed in.
Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamRace DriverCrew ChiefRoundsChevroletMax Q Motorsports Tommy Baldwin Racing37J. J. YeleyBill Henderson Tony Furr Dave BlaneyTurn One Racing74Reed SorensonPeter SospenzoStacy ComptonTony RainesCole WhittTurner Motorsports50Bill ElliottTrent OwensDodgePenske Racing12Sam Hornish Jr.Chad WalterRobby Gordon Motorsports7Robby GordonSamuel Stanley Shane BourgeoisFordGo Green Racing79Tim AndrewsPaul Andrews Mike AbnerScott SpeedKelly BiresMike SkinnerReed SorensonLeavine Family Racing95Scott SpeedWally RogersMax Q MotorsportsRick Ware Racing37Mike WallaceBill HendersonTimmy Hill (R)Tony RainesRoush Fenway Racing6Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Chad Norris Scott GravesWood Brothers Racing21Trevor BayneDonnie WingoXxxtreme Motorsport44David ReutimannFrank KerrToyotaBK Racing73Travis KvapilBuddy SiscoDavid ReutimannHamilton Means Racing52Scott SpeedScott EgglestonMike SkinnerHillman Racing40Michael WaltripBuddy SiscoTony RainesNEMCO Motorsports97Bill ElliottScott EgglestonTimmy HillRAB Racing09Kenny WallaceScott ZipadelliRobinson-Blakeney Racing49J. J. YeleyTony Furr Scott Eggleston Jason LefflerSS Motorsports0Mark GreenBrad Smales ToyotaR3 Motorsports23Robert Richardson Jr.Bryan Cook Greg Conner Cruz Gonzalez ChevroletScott Riggs Toyota Ford Humphrey Smith Racing19Mike BlissPaul Clapprood Skip Pope Chris CookJason LefflerJeff Green Ford Toyota Chevrolet 91Reed SorensonPeter SospenzoJason Leffler
Team changes Roush Fenway Racing supported only three Sprint Cup Series teams after sponsorship troubles led to the closure of the No. 6 team, then driven by David Ragan. The team ran the Daytona 500 with 2011 Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and ran other races that depended on sponsorship.Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to drive at Daytona Richard Childress Racing also downsized to three teams. Their No. 33 entry ran the first six races, with Elliott Sadler running the Daytona 500, Brendan Gaughan running the next four, and Hermie Sadler running at Martinsville. After Martinsville, Virginia car dealer and LJ Racing owner Joe Falk acquired ownership of the #33. Germain Racing changed their manufacturer to Ford after being with Toyota in 2011. The Racer's Group owner Kevin Buckler announced the closure of his NASCAR team TRG Motorsports on January 9, 2012. Red Bull Racing Team officially closed in December 2011. Turn One Racing and Go Green Racing announced plans to enter the Cup Series in 2012. Turn One had scheduled 8 to 10 races after the Daytona 500, while Go Green Racing fielded the No. 19 Ford for Tim Andrews with his father Paul as the crew chief for 10 races. Robinson-Blakeney Racing fielded a Cup Series team for J. J. Yeley. Turner Motorsports attempted to make its Cup Series debut at Daytona in July. The team fielded a No. 50 Chevrolet for veteran Bill Elliott sponsored by retail chain Walmart in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the chain's founding. Stewart–Haas Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing announced on January 31 that they had formed an alliance for the 2012 season. TBR transferred the owners points of its No. 36 car over to SHR's No. 10 team, ensuring Danica Patrick a spot in the Daytona 500. Furthermore, David Reutimann drove the No. 10 in the 26 races that Patrick does not drive in. In February 2012, former Red Bull Racing Team director Thomas Ueberall purchased the owner's points of the No. 83 and No. 4 (later changed to 93). The team is known as BK Racing. Landon Cassill drove the No. 83 and Travis Kvapil drove the No. 93 at most of the races with David Reutimann piloting the car for the Daytona 500. On February 13, 2012, Michael Waltrip Racing purchased the owner's points from FAS Lane Racing and transferred them to the No. 55 ride, which guaranteed Mark Martin a spot in the Daytona 500. FAS Lane later acquired the 2011 owner's points from the Roush Fenway Racing team's No. 6 ride. Inception Motorsports acquired the owner's points of the dormant TRG Motorsports team, which finished 36th in 2011 Owners Championship.Inception does points deal
Crew chief changes On July 27, 2011, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Kenny Francis would join driver Kasey Kahne in 2012, continuing their partnership. Former crew chief Lance McGrew worked on developing the Chevrolet for the 2013 season. Mike Ford, the crew chief for Denny Hamlin in 2011, was fired by Joe Gibbs Racing. He eventually took over Crew Chief Duties for Aric Almirola midway through the 2012 season Former Penske Racing crew chief Steve Addington announced his hiring by Stewart–Haas Racing to be crew chief for Tony Stewart. SHR crew chief Darian Grubb was informed of his post-season release by Tony Stewart prior to the 2011 Bank of America 500. He was later hired by Joe Gibbs Racing to crew chief for Denny Hamlin. Hendrick Motorsports engineer Chris Heroy was signed as the crew chief for Juan Pablo Montoya. Former Earnhardt Ganassi Racing crew chief Brian Pattie was hired by Michael Waltrip Racing to be crew chief for Clint Bowyer's No. 15 car. Richard Childress Racing crew chiefs Gil Martin and Shane Wilson swapped cars for 2012, with Martin crew chiefing the No. 33 on a limited basis and Wilson moving to the 29 at Kevin Harvick's request. After being released by Red Bull Racing Team after the 2011 season, Ryan Pemberton was the crew chief for Dave Blaney at Tommy Baldwin Racing after Philippe Lopez left the team for Richard Petty Motorsports' Nationwide Series team.
Driver changes
Changed teams Following the loss of one of his major sponsors, 2011 Richard Petty Motorsports driver A. J. Allmendinger moved to Penske Racing to drive the vacated No. 22 Dodge. Clint Bowyer changed teams for the 2012 season moving from Richard Childress Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) where he drove the No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota. Kurt Busch, whose 2011 season was marked by various behavior problems, mutually agreed with Roger Penske and sponsors Royal Dutch Shell and Pennzoil to be released from Penske Racing. Busch was later announced as the driver of the No. 51 Chevrolet run by Phoenix Racing. Kasey Kahne replaced Mark Martin in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet with Farmers Insurance Group sponsorship. Expressing the desire to run a limited schedule, Mark Martin joined MWR for 2012 for 25 races, driving the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota vacated by David Reutimann. David Reutimann, who drove for Michael Waltrip Racing in 2011, signed a one-year contract to drive for Tommy Baldwin Racing and BK Racing. Former Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan signed to drive for Front Row Motorsports in the No. 34 Ford. Landon Cassill and Travis Kvapil signed to drive with BK Racing, a team that purchased the assets of the former Red Bull Racing Team.
Entered the series On November 4, 2011, it was announced that former IndyCar driver Danica Patrick would drive the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Stewart–Haas Racing for 10 races. On January 4, 2012, Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Aric Almirola would drive the team's 'iconic' No. 43 Ford after driving in the Nationwide Series in 2011. On February 15, Rick Ware Racing announced its partnership with Larry Gunselman's Max Q Motorsports to run 2011 Nationwide Series ROTY Timmy Hill in the No. 37 Ford. Mike Wallace attempted Daytona. Ware dissolved the partnership after Hill decided to return to the Nationwide Series. Max Q reformed in July 2012 with a technical agreement from Tommy Baldwin Racing. On January 20, 2012, Go Green Racing announced they would attempt at least 10 Sprint Cup Series races with Tim Andrews in the No. 19 Ford, with his father Paul Andrews, a longtime crew chief, leading the effort.
Exited the series After being released by TRG Motorsports following the 2011 season, 2011 Rookie of the Year winner Andy Lally returned to the Rolex Sports Car Series to drive for Magnus Racing in the GT category. TRG later suspended its Cup team.
Changes
Technology