The 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series was the 31st season of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the second-tier professional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season included thirty-three races, down from thirty-four, and began with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway and ended with the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Chevrolet won the Manufacturer's Championship. Joe Gibbs won the Owners' Championship with the No. 18 car, while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. of Roush Fenway Racing won the Drivers' championship with a sixth-place finish at the final race of the season.
Teams and drivers Complete schedule TeamManufacturerNoRace driverCrew chiefJD Motorsports with Gary KellerChevrolet01Mike WallaceNewt Moore4Danny Efland Patrick Magee Carl Harr Thomas Efland Danny Efland Matt Jones Daryl Harr Brad Teague Matt Bell Jeremy Clements RacingJeremy Clements Rusty Wallace RacingFordSteve Wallace Randy Hill RacingFord08Casey Roderick George Ingram Clinton Cram Kyle Fowler Tim Andrews Matt Frahm Tony Raines Bryan Silas Josh Richards Louis-Philippe Dumoulin Paulie Harraka Mike Harmon Danny Efland Scott Saunders Jeffrey Earnhardt Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2Elliott SadlerLuke Lambert3Austin Dillon (R)Danny Stockman Gil Martin 33Tony Stewart Ernie CopeKevin Harvick Brendan Gaughan Paul Menard Ty Dillon Max Papis 51Ty Dillon Ricky PearsonJeremy Clements RacingJeremy Clements Roush Fenway RacingFord6Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Mike KelleyJR MotorsportsChevrolet7Danica PatrickTony Eury Jr. Ryan Pemberton 88Cole Whitt (R)Tony Eury Sr. Bruce Cook TriStar MotorsportsToyota10Jeff Green Todd Myers Paul Clapprood Eddie Pardue Tony Raines Kevin Lepage Mike Bliss Charles Lewandoski 14Eric McClure Wes WardJeff Green 19Tayler Malsam Eddie Pardue Paul Clapprood John Quinn Alex Popow Mike Bliss Hal Martin 44Mike Bliss Paul Claprood John Quinn Jeff Green Hal Martin Tommy Baldwin RacingChevroletJohn Blankenship Brad Parrott Joe Gibbs RacingToyota11Brian ScottKevin Kidd Adam Stevens 18Denny Hamlin Matt Lucas Adam Stevens Mark Martin Joey Logano Michael McDowell Ryan Truex Drew Herring Penske RacingDodge12Sam Hornish Jr.Chad Walter Jeremy Bullins 22Brad Keselowski Jeremy Bullins Chad Walter Parker Kligerman Jacques Villeneuve Ryan Blaney R3 MotorsportsChevrolet23Robert Richardson Jr. Greg Conner Jason Miller Bill Prietzel Dexter Stacey Corrie Stott RacingJamie Dick RAB Racing with Brack MaggardToyota24John Wes Townley Howard Bixman Dave Fuge Jr. Dave Fuge Benny Gordon Jamie Lathrop Jason Sciavicco Chris Bohlman Kenny Wallace SR2 MotorsportsToyotaChevroletTanner Berryhill Benny Gordon (R) Casey Roderick Tim Bainey Jr. Angela Ruch Jamie Mosley Amber Cope Scott Saunders Tim Connolly Derek White Blake Koch David Starr Turner MotorsportsChevrolet30James Buescher Trent Owens Mike Hillman Jr. Steve Arpin Nelson Piquet Jr. Jamie McMurray Jason Leffler Miguel Paludo Alex Tagliani Alex Bowman Ryan Newman Dakoda Armstrong 31Justin AllgaierJimmy Elledge38Kasey Kahne Mike Shiplett Trent Owens Brad Sweet (R) Go Green RacingRick Ware RacingFordChevrolet39Joey Gase (R) Clinton Cram Timothy Farrell Jr. George Ingram Kelly Bires Matt Frahm Josh Richards Jeffrey Earnhardt Matt Bell Tim Andrews Matt Carter Dexter Stacey The Motorsports GroupChevrolet40Josh Wise Gary ShowalterErik Darnell J. J. Yeley 42Erik Darnell Mike Sroufe Geoffrey Chapman Josh Wise Matt Frahm Tim Schendel Blake Koch 46Chase Miller Ben Williams Jacob Richardson Matt DiBenedetto 47Scott Speed Clint Myrick Bobby Burrell Chris Bohlman J. C. Stout James Russell Tim Schendel Matt DiBenedetto Stephen Leicht J. J. Yeley T. J. Bell ML MotorsportsChevroletDodge70Johanna Long (R) Mark GutekunstCharles Lewandoski Derrike Cope Robinson-Blakeney RacingDavid Green Tony Raines Joe Nemechek Rick Ware RacingTimmy Hill FordChevrolet41Blake Koch Chris Wright George Church Jeff Spraker Ryan Southall Timmy Hill Fain Skinner Juan Carlos Blum Nur Ali Noel Dowler Richard Petty MotorsportsFord43Michael AnnettPhilippe LopezHamilton Means RacingChevrolet52Reed Sorenson Timothy BrownTim Schendel Kevin Lepage Joey Gase Ryan Ellis Justin Jennings Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyota54Kyle Busch Mike BeamKurt Busch MacDonald MotorsportsDodgeToyota81Jason Bowles (R)John MonsamNEMCO MotorsportsToyota87Joe Nemechek Gary CogswellSacred Power MotorsportsAlex Kennedy RAB Racing with Brack MaggardToyotaKenny Wallace Scott Zippadelli Mike Greci Ryan Truex John Wes Townley Victor Gonzalez Jr. Brett Moffitt Patrick Carpentier Alex Bowman Michael Waltrip RacingTravis Pastrana
Limited schedule TeamManufacturerNoRace driverCrew chiefRoundsSR2 MotorsportsChevroletToyota00Angela RuchChris Wright Kevin Eagle Wayne Southard Derek WhiteBlake KochTanner BerryhillMichael McDowellPhoenix RacingChevrolet1Kurt BuschNick HarrisonR3 MotorsportsChevrolet03Scott RiggsStephen GonzalezJR MotorsportsChevrolet5Dale Earnhardt Jr.Bruce Cook Tony Eury Sr. Ron FellowsRegan SmithRex StumpTeam SLRChevrolet8Scott Lagasse Jr.Brad Parrott Gene Nead Tommy Baldwin Jr. RAB Racing with Brack MaggardToyota09Kenny WallaceScott ZipadelliJennifer Jo Cobb RacingDodge13Jennifer Jo CobbEddie Troconis Steve Kuykendall Rick Ware RacingFordChevrolet15Timmy HillGeorge Church Ron Utter Chris Wright Ken Glen Ryan Southall Keith Plaza Carl Long Timothy Farrell Jr. Sterling Laughlin Stephen Steffy Bryan Honeycutt Jeffrey EarnhardtScott RiggsBlake KochCharles LewandoskiCarl LongDusty DavisChris CookMatt CarterKelly BiresStanton Barrett71Matt CarterStephen Steffy Sterling Laughlin Timothy Farrell Jr. Carl Long Bryan Honeycutt George Church Chris Wright Michael GuerityScott RiggsCarl LongTimmy Hill75Scott RiggsTimothy Farrell Jr. Ryan Southall Stephen Steffy Carl Long Ken Glen Blake KochMichael GuerityMatt CarterCarl LongTimmy HillSunEnergy1 RacingToyotaKenny HabulRandy Cox Jason Overstreet Vision RacingToyota17J. J. YeleyAdrian Berryhill Patrick Donahue Tanner BerryhillJoe Gibbs RacingToyota20Joey LoganoAdam Stevens Matt Lucas Kevin Kidd Ryan TruexBubba WallaceMichael McDowellClint BowyerBrian VickersRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21Joey CoulterHarold HollyYoung RacingDodge26John YoungEd AshGC Motorsports InternationalFordDodge27David RaganWayne GrubbJ. J. YeleyAndrew RangerRobinson-Blakeney RacingChevroletDodge28J. J. YeleyMike Chance Jeff Spraker David GreenDerrike CopeKevin LepageTony RainesJay RobinsonTurner MotorsportsChevrolet32Miguel PaludoMike Hillman Jr.Tommy Baldwin RacingChevrolet36Ryan TruexBrad ParrottRyan BlaneyBobby Santos IIIMAKE MotorsportsChevroletToyota50T. J. BellMark Zakalowski Bobby Burrell David StarrNDS MotorsportsDodge53Eric CurranMike OlsenTeam Kelley RacingChevrolet59Kyle KelleyRobert RuckerRoush Fenway RacingFord60Trevor BayneChad Norris Scott Graves Carl EdwardsBilly JohnsonTravis PastranaJames Carter RacingToyota72John JacksonJames Malone Kevin Eagle CFK MotorsportsChevrolet73Derrike CopeDave Fuge Jr. Dom Turse Bobby Burrell Mike Harmon RacingChevrolet74Mike HarmonDaniel KolandaDavid ReutimannKevin LepageScott RiggsRick CrawfordDavid GreenRay Hackett RacingFord76Donnie NeuenbergerBobby BurrellMacDonald MotorsportsDodge82Blake KochDoug HoweDeware Racing GroupFord86Kevin LepageThomas Legeman Rick Markle Shepherd Racing VenturesChevrolet89Morgan ShepherdGary Raven Willard Clark William Farrow Jr. David Farrow Jr. Lucas Bowman TriStar MotorsportsToyota91Jeff GreenTodd MyersTony RainesNEMCO MotorsportsToyota97Johnny SauterMike BoerschingerJoe NemechekBiagi-DenBeste RacingFord98Reed SorensonScott Plattenberger Jon Hanson Kevin Swindell
Team changes Discontinued/Suspended operations Kevin Harvick closed his team and transferred its cars, crew, and points over to Richard Childress Racing. Unable to secure a sponsor for the #66 Toyota driven by Steven Wallace, Rusty Wallace announced on January 6 that his Nationwide Series team Rusty Wallace Racing would be placed on hiatus and had released driver Michael Annett. After running a partial schedule in 2011, Team Rensi Motorsports moved to the K&N Pro Series East with development driver Mark Ballas.
Started operations Tommy Baldwin Racing returns to the Nationwide Series, fielding a #36 Chevrolet in 6 events for Sprint Cup driver Dave Blaney's son, Ryan Blaney, as well as one race appearances by K&N East Series champion Ryan Truex and Modified driver Bobby Santos III. Kyle Busch Motorsports announced on January 19 that driving duties would be split between Kyle Busch and his brother Kurt. Notably, Kyle ran in the Nationwide Series only for KBM, and drove 22 races while Kurt drove the other 11.
Driver changes Driver changes Danica Patrick raced full-time in 2012 driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports after running a part-time schedule in 2010 and 2011. Tayler Malsam raced full-time in 2012 driving the No. 19 Toyota for TriStar Motorsports, replacing Mike Bliss. 2011 ROTY runner-up Blake Koch moved to Rick Ware Racing, replacing Carl Long who drove the car for most of 2011. However, his sponsorship dried up after ESPN denied them ad time, and Koch left RWR. Kasey Kahne and USAC driver Brad Sweet split the driving duties of the No. 38 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports. Sweet contested Rookie of the Year and ran 18 races while Kahne ran the other 15. After fielding the #39 Ford for multiple drivers in 2011, Go Green Racing announced on January 6 that Joey Gase would drive the team's #39 entry full-time and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year. After the shutdown of Rusty Wallace Racing, Michael Annett teamed up with Richard Petty Motorsports to run the #43 Ford full-time.
Entering the series Travis Pastrana was to make his NASCAR debut with Pastrana-Waltrip Racing, running 7 races in 2011, beginning at Indianapolis.Travis Pastrana to make Nationwide Series debut at Indianapolis, lands sponsorship from Boost Mobile SceneDaily.com However, due to injuries he sustained at X Games XVII, his debut was delayed until Richmond in April 2012. Austin Dillon moved up to the Nationwide Series to run for Rookie of The Year honors in 2012. Dillon drove a No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. Cole Whitt was announced as the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports on January 4, replacing Aric Almirola who moved up to the Sprint Cup Series with Richard Petty Motorsports. Johanna Long announced her move up to the Nationwide Series with ML Motorsports, driving their #70 Chevrolet for 22 races to compete for Rookie of the Year honors. On January 9, Phoenix Racing announced that its driver in the Nationwide Series, as in the Sprint Cup Series, would be Kurt Busch, who completed in Nationwide part-time. Ryan Blaney, son of Sprint Cup driver Dave Blaney, ran a limited schedule in the Nationwide Series, driving the team's No. 36 for 6 races. Former K&N West Series Champion Jason Bowles ran for Rookie of the Year with MacDonald Motorsports.
Changed teams Exiting the series Aric Almirola left the series to drive in the # 43 RPM Sprint Cup Series full-time.
Schedule