The 2012 Subway Jalapeño 250 was a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on July 6, 2012. The race was the 11th iteration of the event and the 16th race of the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series. Austin Dillon originally won the pole but was disallowed after failing inspection which gave the pole Ricky Stenhouse Jr. but it was Kurt Busch who would dominate in the race that saw 42 lead changes over 101 laps as he would lead the most laps and would win the race on a last lap pass.
Background Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races for ARCA, AMA Superbike, IMSA, SCCA, and Motocross. The track features multiple layouts including the primary high-speed tri-oval, a sports car course, a motorcycle course, and a karting and motorcycle flat-track. The track's infield includes the Lake Lloyd, which has hosted powerboat racing. The speedway is operated by NASCAR pursuant to a lease with the City of Daytona Beach on the property that runs until 2054. Dale Earnhardt is Daytona International Speedway's all-time winningest driver, with a total of 34 career victories (12- Daytona 500 Qualifying Races) (7- NASCAR Xfinity Series Races) (6- Busch Clash Races) (6- IROC Races) (2- Pepsi 400 July Races) (1- The 1998 Daytona 500).
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points #DriverTeamMake 01 Mike Wallace JD Motorsports Chevrolet 1 Kurt Busch (i) Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 2 Elliott Sadler Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 3 Austin Dillon (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Danny Efland JD Motorsprots Chevrolet 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 7 Danica Patrick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 08 Bryan Silas (i) Randy Hill Racing Ford 10 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Toyota 11 Brian Scott Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Sam Hornish Jr. Penske Racing Dodge 14 Eric McClure TriStar Motorsports Toyota 15 Jeffrey Earnhardt Rick Ware Racing Ford 18 Joey Logano (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 19 Tayler Malsam TriStar Motorsports Toyota 20 Clint Bowyer (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 22 Brad Keselowski (i) Penske Racing Dodge 23 Robert Richardson Jr. R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 24 Casey Roderick SR² Motorsports Toyota 30 James Buescher (i) Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Allgaier Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 33 Kevin Harvick (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 36 Bobby Santos III Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 38 Brad Sweet (R) Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 39 Josh Richards Go Green Racing Ford 40 Erik Darnell The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 41 Timmy Hill Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 42 Josh Wise (i) The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 43 Michael Annett Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 44 Mike Bliss TriStar Motorsports Toyota 46 Chase Miller The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 47 Stephen Leicht (i) The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 50 T. J. Bell MAKE Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 52 Joey Gase Hamilton Means Racing Chevrolet 54 Kyle Busch (i) Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 70 Johanna Long (R) ML Motorsports Chevrolet 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 81 Jason Bowles (R) MacDonald Motorsports Toyota 82 Blake Koch MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 88 Cole Whitt (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 99 John Wes Townley (i) RAB Racing ToyotaOfficial Entry list
Qualifying Austin Dillon originally won the pole but his time was disallowed for failing post-qualifying inspection which started Dillon in 42nd place and gave the pole position to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. whose time was 50.775 and a speed of 177.253. Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Time Speed 1 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Roush Fenway Racing Ford 50.775 177.253 2 88 Cole Whitt (R) JR Motorsports Chevrolet 50.821 177.092 3 7 Danica Patrick JR Motorsports Chevrolet 50.844 177.012 4 33 Kevin Harvick (i) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.849 176.995 5 1 Kurt Busch (i) Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 50.886 176.866 6 22 Brad Keselowski (i) Penske Racing Dodge 50.921 176.744 7 01 Mike Wallace JD Motorsports Chevrolet 50.974 176.561 8 18 Joey Logano (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 50.978 176.547 9 11 Brian Scott Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.001 176.467 10 36 Bobby Santos III Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet 51.019 176.405 11 70 Johanna Long (R) ML Motorsports Chevrolet 51.067 176.239 12 20 Clint Bowyer (i) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 51.083 176.184 13 2 Elliott Sadler Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 51.125 176.039 14 30 James Buescher (i) Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 51.192 175.809 15 44 Mike Bliss TriStar Motorsports Toyota 51.197 175.792 16 12 Sam Hornish Jr.** Penske Racing Dodge 51.231 175.675 17 43 Michael Annett Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 51.277 175.517 18 99 John Wes Townley (i) RAB Racing Toyota 51.283 175.497 19 38 Brad Sweet (R) Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 51.300 175.439 20 54 Kyle Busch (i) Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 51.397 175.107 21 31 Justin Allgaier Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 51.440 174.961 22 19 Tayler Malsam TriStar Motorsports Toyota 51.515 174.706 23 10 Jeff Green TriStar Motorsports Toyota 51.579 174.490 24 24 Casey Roderick SR² Motorsports Toyota 51.635 174.300 25 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota 51.647 174.260 26 14 Eric McClure TriStar Motorsports Toyota 51.677 174.159 27 39 Josh Richards Go Green Racing Ford 51.690 174.115 28 4 Danny Efland JD Motorsports Chevrolet 51.747 173.923 29 81 Jason Bowles (R) MacDonald Motorsports Toyota 51.788 173.785 30 15 Jeffrey Earnhardt Rick Ware Racing Ford 51.836 173.625 31 82 Blake Koch MacDonald Motorsports Dodge 51.974 173.164 32 08 Bryan Silas (i) Randy Hill Racing Ford 51.976 173.157 33 51 Jeremy Clements Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet 52.043 172.934 34 23 Robert Richardson Jr. R3 Motorsports Chevrolet 52.140 172.612 35 50 T. J. Bell MAKE Motorsports Chevrolet 52.238 172.288 36 74 Mike Harmon Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet 52.308 172.058 37 41 Timmy Hill Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet 52.407 171.733 38 47 Stephen Leicht (i) The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 52.419 171.693 39 42 Josh Wise (i) The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 52.473 171.517 40 52 Joey Gase Hamilton Means Racing Chevrolet 52.580 171.168 41 40 Erik Darnell* The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 52.748 170.623 42 3 Austin Dillon (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet — — 43 46 Chase Miller The Motorsports Group Chevrolet 52.603 171.093Official Starting grid
* – Made the field via owners points.
** – Sam Hornish Jr. had to start at the rear of the field due to an engine change.
Race As soon as the race started, drivers started to form into tandems. Outside pole sitter Cole Whitt took the lead from pole sitter Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with Kevin Harvick pushing Whitt and Whitt led the first lap. On lap 4, Clint Bowyer took the lead with Elliott Sadler pushing him. Bowyer and Sadler switched positions on lap 5 and gave the lead to Brad Keselowski with Joey Logano behind him. Keselowski and Logano did the same thing on lap 6 and gave the lead to Sadler. On lap 7, Kurt Busch took the lead with his brother Kyle pushing him. On lap 8, Joey Logano took the lead. On that same lap, the first caution flew when Brian Scott's car stalled on the backstretch. Brad Keselowski won the race off of pit road but his teammate Sam Hornish Jr. did not pit and Hornish led the field to the restart on lap 12. On lap 15, Joey Logano took the lead with Elliott Sadler pushing him. On lap 16, Mike Wallace attempted to take the lead with Clint Bowyer pushing him but both Logano and Wallace left the middle open and the Busch brothers took advantage and Kurt Busch took the lead with Kyle behind him. On lap 18, Danica Patrick took the lead with Brad Keselowski behind her after the Busch brothers decided to switch positions. On lap 23, Kurt Busch took the lead with Kyle behind him. On lap 31, Mike Wallace took the lead with Kevin Harvick pushing him. On lap 32, Joe Nemechek took the lead with Ricky Stenhouse after Wallace and Harvick switched spots. On lap 34, Kyle Busch took the lead with brother Kurt behind him. On lap 37, the Busch brothers switched positions and did so successfully without losing the lead. On lap 41, the second caution would fly when Mike Wallace spun in turn 2 after Wallace was trying to pass Bryan Silas and also to avoid Sam Hornish Jr. who just came off of pit road while Silas tried to do the same but Silas clipped Wallace in the left rear and turned him. Danica Patrick won the race off of pit road and she led the field to the restart on lap 46. On the restart, Kurt Busch took the lead with Austin Dillon behind him but both were passed by Joe Nemechek with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Nemechek took the lead. On lap 48, Danica Patrick took the lead with Kevin Harvick but both got separated and gave the lead back to Nemechek. On lap 49, Joey Logano took the lead with Elliott Sadler.
Final laps