2012 Mock Season Results

The 2012 season has begun at the Daytona International Speedway for the annual Budweiser Shootout.

Jeff Gordon, former two time winner of this event, drew the pole and led the field to the green flag, however it would be Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson leading the event's first lap and the first lap of 2012.

The lead would swap almost every lap until the event's first caution that took out several favorites like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. The field would then regroup and race for the next 20 laps until the second and final caution came out.

Brad Keselowski was trying to lap Denny Hamlin but had no where to go and collide with him, causing "The Big One" that shrunk the field down to 12 drivers, but leader Kasey Kahne would drop out of the event two laps later due to a blown Header.

A.J. Allmendinger would soon take the lead and would lead for much of the remaining laps until a late pit stop allowing Roush teamates Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards to team up and draft past. Allmendinger would get around Biffle but ran out of time as Carl Edwards scored his first win in the Budweiser Shootout.

Other Noticeables:
Carl Edwards scored his first win in the Budweiser Shootout,
Edwards led 2 times for 13 laps, including the final 11 laps,

1.99-Carl Edwards (13 laps led)
2.22-A.J. Allmendinger (30 laps led)
3.48-Jimmie Johnson (1 lap led)
4.24-Jeff Gordon (3 laps led)
5.16-Greg Biffle (5 laps led)
6.14-Tony Stewart-1 lap (7 laps led)
7.31-Jeff Burton-1 lap
8.39-Ryan Newman-2 laps
9.55-Michael Waltrip-2 laps (2 laps led)
10.2-Brad Keselowski-3 laps (7 laps led)
11.20-Joey Logano-3 laps
12.5-Kasey Kahne-47 laps (Header) (3 laps led)
13.29-Kevin Harvick-49 laps (Accident)
14.56-Martin Truex Jr.-49 laps (Accident) (5 laps led)
15.27-Paul Menard-49 laps (Accident)
16.11-Denny Hamlin-49 laps (Accident)
17.34-David Ragan-50 laps (Accident)
18.42-Juan Pablo Montoya-50 laps (Accident) (1 lap led)
19.15-Clint Bowyer-73 laps (Accident) (2 laps led)
20.18-Kyle Busch-73 laps (Accident)
21.9-Marcos Ambrose-73 laps (Accident)
22.88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.-73 laps (Accident)
23.51-Kurt Busch-73 laps (Accident) (1 lap led)
24.17-Matt Kenseth-74 laps (Accident)
25.1-Jamie McMurray-74 laps (Accident)

Jeff Gordon-Pole
Jimmie Johnson-1
Clint Bowyer-2-3
Kurt Busch-4
Michael Waltrip-5
Carl Edwards-6-7
Martin Truex Jr.-8-11
Brad Keselowski-12
A.J. Allmendinger-13
Brad Keselowski-14
Tony Stewart-15
Michael Waltrip-16
Brad Keselowski-17-18
Tony Stewart-19-21
Martin Truex Jr.-22
Juan Pablo Montoya-23
Tony Stewart-24-26
Brad Keselowski-27-29
Kasey Kahne-30-32
A.J. Allmendinger-33-48
Jeff Gordon-49-51
A.J. Allmendinger-52-64
Greg Biffle-65-69
Carl Edwards-70-80

22 Lead Changes among 13 drivers

Caution Flags: 2 for 8 laps
Lap 6 (Cars #17, 88, 11, 24, 39, 1, 16, 9 and 51 Accident Backstretch),
Lap 30 (Cars #42, 34, 11, 27, 56, 29, 2, 20, 55, 14 and 99 Accident Turn 3)

Margin of Victory: 0.192 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 22 Minutes and 48 Seconds

The second race of the 2012 season was once again held at the Daytona International Speedway, however it too was a non-points race.

With qualifying already completed, the field was split in two groups and would compete in what is known as the Gatorade Duel 150s to fill out the rest of the field for the Daytona 500.

Jamie McMurray led the 25 drivers to the green flag, but was quickly taken over by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The lead would swap hands almost every lap, just line in the Shootout, no one was left behind which led to great pack racing.

The first to strike bad luck would be Dale Earnhardt Jr. who would cut a tire and be forced to pit, he would go several laps down but he was already locked in to the 500. As the laps counted down, fans cheered loudly as both Terry Labonte and Michael Waltrip led laps, however Labonte's day would turn sour with a late crash, resulting in a 19th place run.

Mike Wallace, despite complaining about the engine sounding off, drafted himself through the field with McDowell and soon found himself in first for much of the day and then in victory lane to score the win, but to also lock himself into the Daytona 500.

Other Noticeables:
Mike Wallace scored his first win in the Gatorade Duel 150,
Wallace led 5 times for 20 laps, including the final 7 laps,
Due to winning, Wallace is locked into the Daytona 500 as well as McDowell
Michael Waltrip, used the draft all day to stay up front and finished 8th,
Robby Gordon, despite leading a lap, was caught up in a wreck late and finished far down in the running order and will miss the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2005

1.37-Mike Wallace (20 laps led)
2.98-Michael McDowell (3 laps led)
3.99-Carl Edwards
4.43-Aric Almirola
5.29-Kevin Harvick (1 lap led)
6.30-David Stremme (2 laps led)
7.1-Jamie McMurray
8.40-Michael Waltrip (6 laps led)
9.2-Brad Keselowski (3 laps led)
10.10-Danica Patrick
11.21-Trevor Bayne (6 laps led)
12.14-Tony Stewart (1 lap led)
13.27-Paul Menard
14.42-Juan Pablo Montoya (2 laps led)
15.38-David Gilliland-1 lap
16.7-Robby Gordon-2 laps (1 lap led)
17.22-A.J. Allmendinger-2 laps (1 lap led)
18.32-Terry Labonte-2 laps (7 laps led)
19.31-Jeff Burton-3 laps (3 laps led)
20.34-David Ragan-3 laps (1 lap led)
21.88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.-4 laps
22.11-Denny Hamlin-6 laps (Accident) (1 lap led)
23.83-Landon Cassill-19 laps (Gearbox)
24.6-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-22 laps (Accident) (2 laps led)
25.9-Marcos Ambrose-37 laps (Accident)

Jamie McMurray-Pole
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-1-2
A.J. Allmendinger-3
Michael Waltrip-4
Tony Stewart-5
Brad Keselowski-6-8
Mike Wallace-9-10
Jeff Burton-11
Trevor Bayne-12-17
David Ragan-18
Michael Waltrip-19
David Stremme-20-21
Kevin Harvick-22
Jeff Burton-23-24
Michael Waltrip-25-28
Robby Gordon-29
Denny Hamlin-30
Terry Labonte-31-35
Mike Wallace-36-42
Michael McDowell-43-44
Mike Wallace-45
Juan Pablo Montoya-46
Mike Wallace-47-49
Juan Pablo Montoya-50
Terry Labonte-51-52
Michael McDowell-53
Mike Wallace-54-60

25 Lead Changes among 16 drivers

Caution Flags: 3 for 12 laps
Lap 23 (Cars #9 and 14 Accident Turn 2),
Lap 37 (Cars #34, 6, 2, 7 and 22 Accident Turn 1),
Lap 54 (Cars #21, 42, 27, 32, 98, 11 and 34 Accident Turn 1)

Margin of Victory: 0.078 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 7 Minutes and 25 Seconds

The second race of the 2012 season was once again held at the Daytona International Speedway, however it too was a non-points race.

With qualifying already completed and Gatorade Duel 150 #1 already complete it was time for the last chance to see who would make the 2012 Daytona 500.

Greg Biffle led the 24 drivers to the green flag, but was quickly taken over by Joey Logano The lead would swap hands almost every lap, even veteran Bill Elliot led before the event's first and only caution came out for a three car spin in Turn 3

While under caution, drivers slowed and then ran into the back of each other, taking out J.J. Yeley, Elliott Sadler and Ryan Newman. As the field pitted, Joey Logano was leaving his pit and collided with Kurt Busch, causing damage to Logano and forcing him to retire from the event. The remainder of the race was a mad dash to see who would make the race, with Yeley already out five drivers faught their hardest to make the final transfer spot.

Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Winston Cup Champion, found his way to the front with drafting help from Joe Nemechek and would hold off a frantic last lap to score another unlikely win during Speedweeks.

Other Noticeables:
Bobby Labonte scored his second win in the Gatorade Duel 150; his first came in 1999 driving for Joe Gibbs,
Labonte led 7 times for 15 laps, including the final 2 laps,
Joe Nemechek(2nd) finished in the transfer spot and will race in the 2012 Daytona 500,
Kenny Wallace, Robert Richardson Jr., Bill Elliott, Dave Blaney and J.J. Yeley failed to finish high enough and will miss the Daytona 500.

1.47-Bobby Labonte (15 laps led)
2.87-Joe Nemechek (6 laps led)
3.55-Mark Martin (6 laps led)
4.09-Kenny Wallace (2 laps led)
5.16-Greg Biffle (3 laps led)
6.24-Jeff Gordon (7 laps led)
7.23-Robert Richardson Jr. (3 laps led)
8.5-Kasey Kahne (3 laps led)
9.17-Matt Kenseth (7 laps led)
10.78-Regan Smith (1 lap led)
11.97-Bill Elliott (1 lap led)
12.93-David Reutimann (1 lap led)
13.51-Kurt Busch
14.26-Tony Raines
15.18-Kyle Busch
16.36-Dave Blaney-1 lap
17.56-Martin Truex Jr.-1 lap
18.48-Jimmie Johnson-2 laps
19.15-Clint Bowyer-3 laps (1 lap led)
20.13-Casey Mears-4 laps
21.20-Joey Logano-45 laps (Accident) (3 laps led)
22.39-Ryan Newman-46 laps (Accident)
23.33-Elliott Sadler-46 laps (Accident) (1 lap led)
24.49-J.J. Yeley-46 laps (Accident)

Greg Biffle-Pole
Joey Logano-1-2
Elliott Sadler-3
Robert Richardson Jr.-4-5
Bill Elliott-6
Clint Bowyer-7
Mark Martin-8-9
Matt Kenseth-10-12
Joey Logano-13
Jeff Gordon-14-18
Robert Richardson Jr.-19
Matt Kenseth-20-23
Kasey Kahne-24
Greg Biffle-25
Kyle Busch-26
Greg Biffle-27
David Reutimann-28
Bobby Labonte-29
Greg Biffle-30
Kenny Wallace-31
Kasey Kahne-32-33
Jeff Gordon-34-35
Bobby Labonte-36
Mark Martin-37-39
Bobby Labonte-40-42
Joe Nemechek-43
Kenny Wallace-44
Bobby Labonte-45-47
Joe Nemechek-48-51
Bobby Labonte-52
Joe Nemechek-53
Bobby Labonte-54-57
Mark Martin-58
Bobby Labonte-59-60

32 Lead Changes among 15 drivers

Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps
Lap 13 (Cars #15, 56 and 26 Spin Turn 3)

Margin of Victory: 0.090 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 2 Minutes and 44 Seconds