2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (Start Your Engines!)

Category:Start Your Engines!
The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was the 64th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 41st modern-era Cup series season.
2012 was the final season that the original SAFER Car design–which debuted in the 1997 season–were used in competition, as the New Body Program was completed in 2013 with the debut of a new carbody that better reflected car design trends of the 2010s.
==Teams and drivers==
===Complete schedule===
Manufacturer	Team 	No. 	Race driver 	Crew chief 	Model
Chevrolet 	Cale Yarborough Motorsports	98 	Shane Hmiel 	 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	1 	Martin Truex Jr. 	Kevin Manion 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	3 	Kevin Harvick 	Gil Martin 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	8 	Dale Earnhardt Jr. 	Tony Eury Jr. 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	30 	Jeffrey Earnhardt (R)	Shane Wilson 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	31 	Jeff Burton 	Drew Blickensderfer	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Earnhardt Childress Racing 	48 	Jimmie Johnson 	Chad Knaus 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Furniture Row Racing 	78 	Kurt Busch 	Pete Rondeau
Todd Berrier	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	5 	Jerry Nadeau 	Lance McGrew 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	25 	Ricky Hendrick 	Alan Gustafson 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	35 	Landon Cassill 	 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	50 	Brad Keselowski 	Steve Letarte 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Phoenix Racing 	51 	Kurt Busch 	Nick Harrison 	2011 Impala
Chevrolet 	Phoenix Racing 	51 	David Reutimann 	Nick Harrison 	2011 Impala
Chevrolet 	Phoenix Racing 	51 	A. J. Allmendinger 	Nick Harrison 	2011 Impala
Chevrolet 	PPI Motorsports 	32 	Boston Reid 	 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Stewart-Haas Racing 	14 	Tony Stewart 	Greg Zipadelli 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Stewart-Haas Racing 	39 	Ryan Newman 	Tony Gibson 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Stewart-Haas Racing 	61 	Mark Martin 	Matt Borland 	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Stewart-Haas Racing 	10 	Danica Patrick 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	10 	David Reutimann 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	10 	Dave Blaney 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	10 	Tony Raines 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	10 	Tomy Drissi 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	10 	J. J. Yeley 	Tommy Baldwin Jr.
Steve Wood
Tony Gibson
Brandon Thomas	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	36 	Dave Blaney 	Ryan Pemberton
Tommy Baldwin Jr.	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	36 	Tony Raines 	Ryan Pemberton
Tommy Baldwin Jr.	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Tommy Baldwin Racing 	36 	J. J. Yeley 	Ryan Pemberton
Tommy Baldwin Jr.	2012 Impala
Dodge 	AK Racing 	7 	James Kulwicki 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	22 	Jeff Gordon 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	23 	Jason Leffler 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	24 	Scott Wimmer 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Chip Ganassi Racing 	40 	Jamie McMurray 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Chip Ganassi Racing 	41 	Bryan Clauson 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Chip Ganassi Racing 	52 	Juan Pablo Montoya 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Evernham Motorsports 	9 	Kasey Kahne 	Kenny Francis 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Evernham Motorsports 	19 	Casey Elliott 	Ernie Elliott 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Evernham Motorsports 	91 	Casey Atwood 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Kelman Racing 	86 	Ryan Kelman 	Wally Rogers 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	McDuffie Racing 	170 	Crissy Hillsworth 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Moroso-Rudd Racing 	82 	Rob Moroso 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Moroso-Rudd Racing 	83 	Brendan Gaughan 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	60 	Chloe Johnson 	Jed Luke 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	69 	Jenny Smith 	Barry Baker 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	80 	Tim Johnson 	Charlie Davis 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	85 	Belle Armstrong 	Scott Smith 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Penske Racing 	02 	A. J. Allmendinger 	Todd Gordon 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Penske Racing 	02 	Sam Hornish Jr. 	Todd Gordon 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Penske Racing 	2 	Blaise Alexander 	Paul Wolfe 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Penske Racing 	12 	Paul Menard 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Petty Enterprises 	42 	Aric Almirola 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Petty Enterprises 	43 	John Andretti 	Greg Erwin 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Petty Enterprises 	44 	Chad McCumbee 	Mike Ford 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Petty Enterprises 	45 	Adam Petty 	Todd Parrott 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Phil Parsons Racing 	89 	Michael McDowell 	Gene Nead 	2011 Charger
Dodge 	Phil Parsons Racing 	89 	David Mayhew 	Gene Nead 	2011 Charger
Dodge 	Phil Parsons Racing 	89 	Mike Skinner 	Gene Nead 	2011 Charger
Ford 	Brett Favre Racing 	15 	Tim Steele 	 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Brett Favre Racing 	90 	Davey Allison 	 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	DGB-Medallion Racing 	09 	Marcos Ambrose 	 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Terry Labonte 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Mike Bliss 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Ken Schrader 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Reed Sorenson 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	T. J. Bell 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Boris Said 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Jason White 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Mike Olsen 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	FAS Lane Racing 	65 	Timmy Hill 	Frank Stoddard 	2011 Fusion
Ford 	Front Row Motorsports 	26 	Josh Wise (R) 	Charles Dickey Jr. 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Front Row Motorsports 	34 	David Ragan 	Jay Guy 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Front Row Motorsports 	38 	David Gilliland 	Pat Tryson
Derrick Finley	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Germain Racing 	13 	Casey Mears 	Bootie Barker 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Orr Motorsports 	37 	Regan Smith 	 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Roush Fenway Racing 	16 	Greg Biffle 	Matt Puccia 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Roush Fenway Racing 	66 	Matt Kenseth 	Jimmy Fennig 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Roush Fenway Racing 	99 	Carl Edwards 	Bob Osbourne
Chad Norris	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Wood Brothers Racing 	21 	Trevor Bayne 	Donnie Wingo 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Yates Racing 	28 	Clifford Allison 	 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Yates Racing 	88 	Jeremy Mayfield 	 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Yates Racing 	96 	Jason Leffler 	 	2012 Fusion
Pontiac 	Kennedy Racing 	03 	Melvin Kennedy 	Mark Cutter 	2012 G6
Pontiac 	Kennedy Racing 	04 	Louise Kennedy 	 	2012 G6
Toyota 	BK Racing 	183 	Landon Cassill 	Doug Richert 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	BK Racing 	93 	David Reutimann 	Todd Anderson 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	BK Racing 	93 	Travis Kvapil 	Todd Anderson 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Inception Motorsports
Swan Racing	30 	David Stremme 	Steve Lane 	2011 Camry
Toyota 	Inception Motorsports
Swan Racing	30 	Brian Simo 	Steve Lane 	2011 Camry
Toyota 	Inception Motorsports
Swan Racing	30 	Patrick Long 	Steve Lane 	2011 Camry
Toyota 	Joe Gibbs Racing 	11 	Denny Hamlin 	Darian Grubb 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Joe Gibbs Racing 	18 	Kyle Busch 	Dave Rogers 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Joe Gibbs Racing 	20 	Joey Logano 	Jason Ratcliff 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	JTG Daugherty Racing 	47 	Kenny Irwin Jr. 	Todd Berrier
David Hyder
Brian Burns	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Michael Waltrip Racing 	17 	Clint Bowyer 	Brian Pattie 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Michael Waltrip Racing 	55 	Brian Vickers 	Rodney Childers 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	NEMCO Motorsports 	87 	Joe Nemechek 	Stephen Gray 	2012 Camry
Chevrolet
Dodge	Richard Childress Racing 	33 ^	Elliott Sadler 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Impala
Chevrolet
Dodge	Richard Childress Racing 	33 ^	Brendan Gaughan 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Impala
Chevrolet
Dodge	Richard Childress Racing 	33 ^	Hermie Sadler 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Impala
Chevrolet
Dodge	Richard Childress Racing 	33 ^	Austin Dillon 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Impala
Chevrolet
Dodge	Circle Sport 	33 ^	Tony Raines 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Charger
Chevrolet
Dodge	Circle Sport 	33 ^	Jeff Green 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Charger
Chevrolet
Dodge	Circle Sport 	33 ^	Stephen Leicht (R) 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Charger
Chevrolet
Dodge	Circle Sport 	33 ^	Cole Whitt 	Gil Martin
Buddy Sisco
Tony Glover	2012 Charger
^ The No. 33 changed owners in April. Joe Falk acquired the assets and ownership and was listed as owner after Martinsville, and also switched from Chevrolet to Dodge; however Childress still fielded the car in races which Austin Dillon competed in.
=== Limited schedule ===
Manufactuer	Team 	No.	Race driver 	Crew chief 	Model
Chevrolet 	Max Q Motorsports
Tommy Baldwin Racing	137	J.J. Yeley 	Bill Henderson
Tony Furr	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Max Q Motorsports
Tommy Baldwin Racing	137	Dave Blaney 	Bill Henderson
Tony Furr	2012 Impala
Chevrolet 	Turn One Motorsports 	74 	Reed Sorenson 	Peter Sospenzo 	2009 Impala SS
Chevrolet 	Turn One Motorsports 	74 	Stacy Compton 	Peter Sospenzo 	2009 Impala SS
Chevrolet 	Turn One Motorsports 	74 	Tony Raines 	Peter Sospenzo 	2009 Impala SS
Chevrolet 	Turn One Motorsports 	74 	Cole Whitt 	Peter Sospenzo 	2009 Impala SS
Chevrolet 	Turner Motorsports 	150	Bill Elliott 	Trent Owens 	2012 Impala
Dodge 	Go Green Racing 	79 	Tim Andrews 	Paul Andrews
Mike Abner	2010 Charger
Dodge 	Go Green Racing 	79 	Scott Speed 	Paul Andrews
Mike Abner	2010 Charger
Dodge 	Go Green Racing 	79 	Kelly Bires 	Paul Andrews
Mike Abner	2010 Charger
Dodge 	Go Green Racing 	79 	Mike Skinner 	Paul Andrews
Mike Abner	2010 Charger
Dodge 	Go Green Racing 	79 	Reed Sorenson 	Paul Andrews
Mike Abner	2010 Charger
Dodge 	Hamilton Means Racing 	52 	Scott Speed 	Scott Eggleston	2009 Charger
Dodge 	Hamilton Means Racing 	52 	Mike Skinner 	Scott Eggleston	2009 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	119	Mike Bliss 	Paul Clapprood
Skip Pope	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	119	Chris Cook 	Paul Clapprood
Skip Pope	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	119	Jason Leffler 	Paul Clapprood
Skip Pope	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	119	Jeff Green 	Paul Clapprood
Skip Pope	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	191	Reed Sorenson 	Peter Sospenzo 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Humphrey Smith Racing 	191	Jason Leffler 	Peter Sospenzo 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	70 	Ace Johnson 	 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	Penske Racing 	12 	Sam Hornish Jr. 	Chad Walter 	2012 Charger
Dodge 	R3 Motorsports 	123	Robert Richardson Jr.	Bryan Cook
Greg Conner
Cruz Gonzalez	2011 Charger
Dodge 	R3 Motorsports 	123	Scott Riggs 	Bryan Cook
Greg Conner
Cruz Gonzalez	2011 Charger
Dodge 	RAB Racing 	109	Kenny Wallace 	Scott Zipadelli	2011 Charger
Dodge 	Robby Gordon Motorsports	107	Robby Gordon 	Samuel Stanley
Shane Bourgeois	2012 Charger
Dodge 	SS Motorsports 	0 	Mark Green 	Brad Smales 	2009 Charger
Dodge 	Xxxtreme Motorsports 	144	David Reutimann 	Frank Kerr 	2011 Charger
Ford 	Leavine Family Racing 	95 	Scott Speed 	Wally Rogers 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Max Q Motorsports
Rick Ware Racing	37 	Mike Wallace 	Bill Henderson 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Max Q Motorsports
Rick Ware Racing	37 	Timmy Hill (R) 	Bill Henderson 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Max Q Motorsports
Rick Ware Racing	37 	Tony Raines 	Bill Henderson 	2012 Fusion
Ford 	Roush Racing 	6 	Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 	Chad Norris
Scott Graves	2012 Fusion
Toyota 	BK Racing 	73 	Travis Kvapil 	Buddy Sisco 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	BK Racing 	73 	David Reutimann 	Buddy Sisco 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Hillman Racing 	140	Michael Waltrip 	Buddy Sisco 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Hillman Racing 	140	Tony Raines 	Buddy Sisco 	2012 Camry
Toyota 	NEMCO Motorsports 	97 	Bill Elliott 	Scott Eggleston	2012 Camry
Toyota 	NEMCO Motorsports 	97 	Timmy Hill 	Scott Eggleston	2012 Camry
Toyota 	Robinson-Blakeney Racing	49 	J.J. Yeley 	Tony Furr
Scott Eggleston	2010 Camry
Toyota 	Robinson-Blakeney Racing	49 	Jason Leffler 	Tony Furr
Scott Eggleston	2010 Camry
== Schedule ==
No.	Race title 	Track 	Date 	TV
1 	Toyota/Save Mart 350 	Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma 	January 29 	Fox
 	Budweiser Shootout 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 12 	CBS
 	Gatorade Duel 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 16 	CBS
2 	Daytona 500 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 19 	CBS
3 	Subway 400 	Rockingham Speedway, Rockingham 	February 26 	Fox
4 	Kobalt Tools 400 	Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas 	March 4 	Fox
5 	Food City 500 	Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol 	March 11 	Fox
6 	TranSouth Financial 400 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	March 18 	Fox
7 	San Jose 500 	San Jose Motorplex, Gilroy 	March 25 	Fox
8 	Goody's Fast Relief 500 	Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 	April 1 	Fox
9 	Diet Coke 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	April 8 	Fox
10 	Texas 400 	Texas World Speedway, College Station 	April 15 	Fox
11 	First Union 400 	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 	April 22 	Fox
12 	Capitol City 400 	Richmond International Raceway, Richmond 	April 28 	Fox
13 	Aaron's 499 	Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln 	May 6 	Fox
14 	Auto Club 400 	Auto Club Speedway, Fontana 	May 13 	Fox
 	Sprint Showdown 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 19 	Speed
 	NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 19 	Speed
15 	Coca-Cola 600 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 27 	CBS
16 	FedEx 400 	Dover International Speedway, Dover 	June 3 	Fox
17 	Pabst Blue Ribbon 400 	The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis 	June 10 	TBS
18 	Motorcraft 400 	Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth 	June 17 	TBS
19 	Budweiser 400 	Riverside International Raceway, Riverside 	June 24 	TBS
20 	Quaker State 400 	Kentucky Speedway, Sparta 	June 30 	TBS
21 	Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	July 7 	CBS
22 	Lenox Industrial Tools 301 	New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon 	July 15 	TBS
23 	Music City USA 420 	Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville 	July 22 	TBS
24 	Crown Royal presents the Curtiss Shaver 400	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 	July 29 	ABC
25 	Pennsylvania 400 	Pocono Raceway, Long Pond 	August 5 	ESPN
26 	Finger Lakes 355 at The Glen 	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen 	August 12 	ESPN
27 	Pure Michigan 400 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn 	August 19 	ESPN
28 	Irwin Tools Night Race 	Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol 	August 25 	ABC
29 	Showtime Southern 500 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	September 2 	ABC
30 	Federated Auto Parts 400 	Richmond International Raceway, Richmond 	September 8 	ESPN
31 	GEICO 400 	Chicago Motor Speedway, Cicero 	September 16	ESPN
32 	Tyson Holly Farms 400 	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 	September 23	ESPN
33 	AAA 400 	Dover International Speedway, Dover 	September 30	ESPN
34 	Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 	Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln 	October 7 	ABC
35 	Bank of America 500 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	October 13 	ABC
36 	Hollywood Casino 400 	Kansas Speedway, Kansas City 	October 21 	ESPN
37 	Iowa Corn 400 	Iowa Speedway, Newton 	October 28 	ESPN
38 	AdvoCare 500 (Atlanta) 	Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton 	November 4 	ABC
39 	AdvoCare 500 (Phoenix) 	Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale 	November 11 	ESPN
40 	Ford EcoBoost 400 	Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead 	November 18 	ESPN
41 	Roblox 500 	San Jose Motorplex, Gilroy 	November 25 	ABC
42 	Sprite 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	December 2 	ABC
43 	Los Angeles Times 500 	Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario 	December 9 	ABC
==Changes==
===Technology===
On January 21, 2011, NASCAR announced that the Sprint Cup Series would change to electronic fuel injection from carburetors, which had been used since 1949, for the 2012 season. During the 2010 off-season, NASCAR had discussed doing the change during the 2011 season; however, in the January 21 announcements, Robin Pemberton stated, "We don't anticipate any points races this year, or races with fuel injection. It'll be a year dedicated to finetuning and getting the process down, whether it be inspection or the team side of it, with building engines. That's going along quite well." Afterward, John Darby, NASCAR's managing director of competition, said he hoped to debut the electronic fuel injection engine at least in the second race of the 2012 season.
==Technical changes==
As the final year for the original SAFER Car body design that had been in use since its introduction in 1997 (the various body changes in the intervening years notwithstanding), the only changes made by Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, and Toyota were minute details that only hardcore fans would notice.
Pontiac had pulled factory support following the 2003 season, with a few small and underfunded teams running them in 2004. Kennedy Racing was the sole holdout for running Pontiacs full-time in the Cup Series, doing so with their own funds and their own body panels. They would update their Pontiacs to reflect their showroom counterparts, and in 2011 and 2012, to keep their cars legal under NASCAR's homologation rules, they rebranded their cars as the G6, one of the models that the reconstituted Pontiac was offering at the time. 2012 marked the final year Kennedy Racing could legally run Pontiacs, as Pontiac had not participated in the New Body Program, and the use of the new body was strictly enforced. Throughout 2012, Melvin Kennedy and his daughter Louise ran special paint schemes commemorating Pontiac's final departure from NASCAR. Kennedy Racing would switch to Chevrolet for 2013. Pontiac, meanwhile, wouldn't be gone from NASCAR long, as in 2015, they returned with full factory support in the Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series, Kennedy Racing being one of the first teams to make the switch.