Crazy 2012 Daytona 500 Claimed by Matt Kenseth

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

After 53 years of Sunday Daytona 500, NASCAR drivers, teams and fans could be forgiven for expecting the 500-mile event at the Daytona International Speedway would be resolved by the time many go back to work on Monday. Unfortunate for the 2012 running of the “Great American Race”, ended a long motorsport streak by postponing the classic stock car event on the 2.5-mile superspeedway oval for the first time ever.

 

Originally postponed to Monday afternoon, continuing rain showers gave the officials overseeing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series reason to again reschedule the start of the Daytona 500 to 7pm Eastern time. To the delight of everyone, the precipitation left the track in time for engines of 43 cars to ignite. Already an unusual event based on the Monday evening start, the 54^th Daytona 500 reception of the green flag kicked-off one of the most bizarre, memorable races in the race’s history.

 

Carl Edwards took the green flag for the 2012 debut of the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars but the #99 Fastenal Ford was quickly unseated once the lead drivers came up to speed. Regan Smith in the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet flew to the front by lap one just as the race’s first big wreck transpired. Just as most of the field completed the first lap of the Daytona 500, a multi-car tangle occurred when the #48 Lowes Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson was tapped in the middle of the drafting pack. As Johnson was sent into the outer Daytona wall, David Ragan in the #38 car, the #51 Chevy of Kurt Busch and the #10 driven by high-profile Sprint Cup Series rookie Danica Patrick were damaged. Patrick and Busch were able to return to the event after extended stays behind the wall as crews repaired their racing machines but 2006 Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports car was out of the event in just the second lap. The retirement of Johnson marked what would be a difficult Daytona 500 for Hendrick Motorsport that would be followed before halfway by a blown engine on Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet.

 

 

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After another yellow flag thrown on lap 14 for a spinning Ryan Newman (now major damage was sustained to his #39 Chevy), the race began to demonstrate advantages and perils of pack racing in the draft. After Lap 17, Denny Hamlin (who started 31^st position in the Daytona 500 following a disastrous finish in his Duel 150 event) led continuously for 24 laps. Unseating the #11 Toyota of Hamlin from the lead was the #31 Chevrolet belonging to Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton. Green flag pit stops would cause the front position to be swapped with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart until they pitted to return lead to Burton. A caution for debris would end 49 laps of green flag racing at Daytona International Speedway (a caution-free streak that would become the longest in the 2012 Daytona 500).

 

Martin Truex Jr in the #56 NAPA Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing led the NASCAR Sprint Cup pack across the line for the halfway-point in the 2012 Daytona 500 thereby making the race official. With concerns for rain around past the 100 lap-mark of the event, drivers were getting more aggressive than ever. After a short-lived fight, it was the #11 Toyota of Denny Hamlin that once again found the preferential lead position on lap 103. Holding up to first for another 28 laps, Greg Biffle took the lead of the Daytona 500 just ahead of a caution for the #15 Toyota of Clint Bowyer that ran out of fuel. Following the yellow flag, the Roush Fenway Racing group showing the near dominating pace identical to that displayed in the second Gatorade Duel 150 race. At lap 133, Biffle’s #17 Ford held the lead for 6 laps until the #17 Ford of Matt Kenseth would flourish to the led on lap 146 after a stint where two Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas were present at the found.

 

After the rain-out that delayed the race for over 30 hours, a caution initially called for a one-car spin involving the #30 Chevy of David Stremme after the vehicle blew an engine on-track. Crew members work to clean up the oil left by the #30 car incident (a safety crew that included a high-powered track jet dryer) under caution on lap 160 until a scary and surreal on-track moment.

 

The #42 Target Chevrolet piloted by Juan-Pablo Montoya, rushing to catch the back of the race, suddenly veered right on the backstretch hammering the jet dryer truck. A heavy hit, a fireball thrown up by the intense jet dryer heat. The front end of the #42 Chevy was briefly ignited but was extinguished quickly thanks partially to the damaged car spinning into the infield. However, as Juan-Pablo Montoya climbed out of his wrecked race vehicle, fuel from the jet dryer began running down the Daytona International Speedway’s 31-degree banking. A large fire burned as safety crew reinforcements with a fire truck raced to the scene. After several minutes of flames cooking overtop of the turn 3 asphalt, the fire was suppressed. Despite the inferno that erupted from the jet dryer fuel cascading down the track, neither Montoya nor the safety crew member Duane Barnes was seriously hurt in the accident (however both men were checked out by medical personnel for precaution).

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

Cleaning up the Daytona International Speedway after one of the harshest fires ever transpiring on the race surface, NASCAR threw a red flag stopping the Daytona 500. Attempting to steal to the race by staying on-track while other cars pitted, the #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing car driven by Dave Blaney was in the lead and looked poised to win the 2012 Daytona 500. The uncertainty of the jet dryer fire’s affect on the track’s surface and a chance of more rain showers threatened the continuation of the event. However, with no major rainfalls, the track crews just over two hours to extract the burnt jet dryer and truck, clean off the jet fuel residue as well as repair the track surface with a fast-drying compound.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

After an extended stay on the backstretch under red flag conditions, drivers were ordered back to their NASCAR Sprint Cup cars. Almost midnight, the field were again circulating around the 2.5-mile oval. Some questioned whether the resumption of the Daytona 500 was wise based on the considerable repairs conducted on the Daytona International Speedway. Concern for the track surface quickly dissipated when the field completed their first green flag laps over the restored turn 3 patch.

 

With 35 laps to go in the Daytona 500, the fight was on for the race’s Harley Earl Trophy. Matt Kenseth commanded the drafting pack waiting for the laps to count down. In three multi-car accidents in the final 21 laps consumed several frontrunners of the Daytona 500. Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Regan Smith and AJ Allmendinger were removed from contention either in the garage area or marching wounded on the race track. The #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne was also caught in a lap 189 crash. With three out of four Rick Hendrick cars out of front-running position, the #88 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Jr was the organization’s only chance at victory. On the final restart during a green-white-checkered period, Earnhardt Jr made a substantial fight to push the #16 Ford of Greg Biffle past the leading #17 car. Despite a hit pressing bump draft through the final two laps of the event, there was not enough pace to pass Matt Kenseth.

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Imags

 

After 202 laps (a race distance extended 2 laps due to the final green-white-checkered finish), the #17 Best Buy Ford of Matt Kenseth stormed across the start/finish line winning the 2012 Daytona 500. The 22^nd win for Kenseth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and second Daytona 500 victory, the #17 car win is also Roush Fenway Racing’s 300^th win within the top-3 NASCAR series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series).

 

Unable to push Greg Biffle to the lead, Dale Earnhardt Jr successfully passed the #16 car for second place. The 2012 race becomes Earnhardt Jr’s third runner-up finish in the Daytona 500 (His father finished second five times in the “Great American Race“). Biffle, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton rounded out the top-5 for the 2012 Daytona 500. Racing to a sixth place finish, Paul Menard scaled from a 37^th place starting position to insert himself between Richard Childress Racing teammates Burton and Kevin Harvick. Michael Waltrip Racing also earns honourable mention with Mark Martin placing tenth behind the wheel of the #55 Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Clint Bowyer finishing 11th after in-race troubles. Both veteran drivers were making first point-paying race drives for Michael Waltrip‘s race team.

 

In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the rain-shortened Daytona 500 event after completing 152 of the scheduled 200 laps. One of only four times a Daytona 500 race was cut due to weather, that instance had NASCAR declaring the event as over in a relatively short time span. Kenseth's 2012 Daytona win in what was a marathon NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season opener would definitely make-up for that premature Daytona 500 running in 2009.

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona 500
Race Results

 

1. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
2. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
3. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
4. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
5. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
6. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Peak Chevrolet
7. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
8. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
9. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
10. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
11. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota
12. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
13. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
14. 47 Bobby Labonte Kroger Toyota
15. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
16. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
17. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
18. 32 Terry Labonte C&J Energy Ford
19. 26 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
20. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford EcoBoost Ford
21. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY/Quicken Loans Chevrolet
22. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
23. 38 David Gilliland MHP/Power Pak Pudding Ford
24. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row/CSX Play It Safe Chevrolet
25. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
26. 93 David Reutimann Burger King Toyota
27. 33 Elliott Sadler General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet
28. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
29. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
30. 98 Michael McDowell No.98 KLOVE/Curb Records Ford Ford
31. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
32. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
33. 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
34. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
35. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
36. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
37. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
38. 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
39. 51 Kurt Busch Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet
40. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
41. 7 Robby Gordon MAPEI/Menards/SPEED Energy Dodge
42. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
43. 34 David Ragan Scorpion Truck Bedliners Ford

2012 Daytona 500 Gatorade Duel 150 Lineups

Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

 

 

Below is the starting lineup for the Gatorade Duel 150 races. Car and drivers marked in red must race into Daytona 500 during the Thursday qualifying heats. 

 

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Gatorade Duel 150 Race 1
Daytona International Speedway
Starting Lineup

1. 99 Carl Edwards Fastenal Ford
2. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet
3. 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford
4. 6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Ford EcoBoost Ford
5. 21 Trevor Bayne Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
6. 14 Tony Stewart Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
7. 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Helping Hungry Homes Ford
8. 27 Paul Menard Menards/Peak Chevrolet
9. 34 David Ragan Scorpion Truck Bedliners Ford
10. 22 AJ Allmendinger Shell Pennzoil Dodge
11. 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Dodge
12. 29 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet
13. 31 Jeff Burton Caterpillar Chevrolet
14. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya Target Chevrolet
15. 30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Toyota
16. 1 Jamie McMurray Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
17. 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
18. 32 Terry Labonte C&J Energy Ford
19. 40 Michael Waltrip Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota
20. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota
21. 98 Michael McDowell No.98 KLOVE/Curb Records Ford
22. 83 Landon Cassill Burger King Toyota
23. 38 David Gilliland MHP/Power Pak Pudding Ford
24. 37 Mike Wallace Poynt.com Ford
25. 7 Robby Gordon MAPEI/Menards/SPEED Energy Dodge

 

 

2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Gatorade Duel 150 Race 2
Daytona International Speedway
Starting Lineup

1. 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford
2. 13 Casey Mears GEICO Ford
3. 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
4. 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
5. 55 Mark Martin Aaron's Toyota
6. 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet
7. 17 Matt Kenseth Best Buy Ford
8. 39 Ryan Newman U.S. ARMY/Quicken Loans Chevrolet
9. 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota
10. 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
11. 26 Tony Raines Front Row Motorsports Ford
12. 18 Kyle Busch M&M's Brown Toyota
13. 9 Kenny Wallace American Ethanol Toyota
14. 36 Dave Blaney Ollie's Bargain Outlet Chevrolet
15. 51 Kurt Busch Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet
16. 33 Elliott Sadler General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet
17. 87 Joe Nemechek AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
18. 78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
19. 47 Bobby Labonte Kroger Toyota
20. 97 Bill Elliott AM FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota
21. 93 David Reutimann Burger King Toyota
22. 23 Robert Richardson Jr. North Texas Pipe Toyota
23. 49 JJ Yeley America Israel Racing Toyota
24. 15 Clint Bowyer 5-hour Energy Toyota

 

 

 

 

Complexion of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Teams

Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR

More than a month before Speedweeks open the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway, deals are coming together assuring to normally competitive field of cars for the crown jewel Daytona 500 race on February 26th. For others within stock car racing, the off-season consists also of a time where drivers and teams plan for a season of 36 races.

In a bizarre off-season move that erupted after from the actions of a disgruntled Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion was removed from his #22 Penske Racing Dodge moving to the #51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet team. A domino effect saw AJ Allmendinger joining the Penske Racing stock car team while 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series runner Aric Almirola takes over the vacated #43 Ford Fusion at Richard Petty Motorsports. 

As of mid-January, 39 driver and team combinations are expected to run the 2012 Daytona 500. Listed below a list of confirmed entrants includes a select number of expected part-time runners including the #6 Roush Fenway Ford being driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Among the confirmed list is 30 NASCAR Sprint Cup teams that are guaranteed to run the first 5 races of the 2012 season on virtue of placing in the top-35 in car owner points.

Still unable to find a new owner or investor, two of the vacancies in the top-35 cars in the Team Red Bull racing team. Approaching the Daytona 500, the team campaigning two Toyota Camrys last season is completely silent. While the arrangement for the #4 car driver Kasey Kahne to move to Hendrick Motorsports was orchestrated in 2010, Brian Vickers (Team Red Bull pilot since the organization's inception in 2007) is still without a seat for the Daytona 500. Kahne and #4 Team Red Bull car's victory at Phoenix International Raceway late in 2011 appears to be a last effort for the group. Heading into February, it remains a possibility that some or all of the 5 cars remaining as part of the top-35 will be romanced by new teams to relinquish their guaranteed starting spot. If the car owner spots in the top-35 remain unused, the active teams down the list of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup car owner points will inherit the sought-after honours.


Confirmed 2012 Entrants

Car Number /Driver /Race Team /Car Make
00 Mark Martin/Michael Waltrip/TBA Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
1 Jamie McMurray Earnhardt/Ganaasi Racing Chevrolet
2 Brad Keselowski Penske Racing Dodge
5 Kasey Kahne Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
6 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Roush Fenway Racing Ford
9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
10 Danica Patrick Stewart/Haas Racing Chevrolet
11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
13 Casey Mears GEICO Toyota Ford
14 Tony Stewart Stewart/Haas Racing Chevrolet
15 Clint Bowyer Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
16 Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Racing Ford
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Fenway Racing Ford
18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
20 Joey Logano Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
21 Trevor Bayne Wood Brothers Ford
22 A J Allmendinger Penske Racing Dodge
23 Robert Richardson R3 Motorsports Chevrolet
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
27 Paul Menard Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
30 David Stremme Inception Motorsports Chevrolet
31 Jeff Burton Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
35 David Reutimann Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
36 Dave Blaney Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet
38 Travis Kvapil Front Row Motorsports Ford
39 Ryan Newman Stewart/Haas Racing Chevrolet
42 Juan Pablo Montoya Earnhardt/Ganaasi Racing Chevrolet
43 Aric Almirola Richard Petty Motorsports Ford
47 Bobby Labonte JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
51 Kurt Busch Phoenix Racing Chevrolet
56 Martin Truex Jr. Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota
66 Michael McDowell HP Racing LLC Toyota
78 Regan Smith Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Toyota
88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
95 Scott Speed Leavine Family Racing Ford
99 Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Racing Ford


Possible (Unconfirmed) 2012 Team Combinations

Car Number /Driver /Race Team /Car Make
7 Robby Gordon Robby Gordon Motorsports Dodge
37 Josh Wise Gunselman Motorsports Ford
46 ? Whitney Motorsports Ford
75 Derrike Cope Creation-Cope Racing Dodge
92 Brian Keselowski K Automotive Chevrolet
93 ? Sinica Motorsports Chevrolet

2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona Team/Driver Entry List

Photo Credit: Grand Am

The following list is an preliminary list for the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona as of January 10th. The 50th annual Rolex 24 at Daytona is set for January 28th.


Grand Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Class

For the first time since 2008, a new look Daytona Prototype class will debut in 2012 in accordance to new Grand Am Rolex Series rules. Rolling along the high-banked Daytona International Speedway turns will be refreshed Riley along with the Dallara and Lola chassis cars. Set to make a stunning class debut is the Chevrolet Corvette DP car with five vehicles set to race with a Chevrolet V-8 engine.

Car #	Race Team	Drivers	Car Engine/Chassis
1	Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates	Joey Hand, Scott Pruett, Graham Rahal, Memo Rojas	BMW / Riley
2	Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates	Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya	BMW / Riley
2	Starworks Motorsport	Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Miguel Potolicchio, Maurizio Scala, EJ Viso	Ford / Riley
5	Action Express Racing	David Donohue, Christian Fittipaldi, Darren Law	Chevrolet / Corvette DP
6	Michael Shank Racing		Ford / Riley
8	Starworks Motorsport	Ryan Dalziel, Lucas Luhr, Allan McNish, Alex Popow, Enzo Potolicchio	Ford / Riley
9	Action Express Racing	Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, JC France, Max Papis	Chevrolet / Corvette DP
10	SunTrust Racing	Max Angelelli, Ryan Briscoe, Ricky Taylor	Chevrolet / Corvette DP
50	50+Predator/Alegra	Byron Defoor, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Brian Johnson, Jim Pace, Carlos de Quesada	BMW / Riley
60	Michael Shank Racing	Ozz Negri, John Pew	Ford / Riley
76	Krohn Racing	Colin Braun, Nic Jonsson, Tracy Krohn, Ricardo Zonta	Ford / Lola
77	Doran Racing		Ford / Dallara
90	Spirit of Daytona	Antonio Garcia, Oliver Gavin	Chevrolet / Corvette DP
99	GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing	Jon Fogarty, Memo Gidley, Alex Gurney	Chevrolet / Corvette DP

Grand Am Rolex Series GT Class

Photo Credit: Grand Am

A category consisting of production-based sports cars, the Grand Am Rolex Series GT Class will again feature the teams competing with the Chevrolet Camaro, Porsche GT3, BMW M3 and the Mazda RX-8. GT Class for the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona will see the debut of the Ferrari 458 Italia race car and the series entrance of Audi with their R8 supercar.

Car #	Race Team	Drivers	Car
3	Extreme Speed Motorsports	Ed Brown, Guy Cosmo, Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek	Ferrari 458
4	Magnus Racing	Justin Bell, Ryan Eversley, Daniel Graeff, Ron Yarab Jr.	Porsche GT3
12	Alliance Autosport	Scott Rettich, Matt Schneider, Darryl Shoff	Porsche GT3
15	Rick Ware Racing		Ford Mustang GT
16	Rick Ware Racing		Porsche GT3
17	Burtin Racing with Goldcrest Motorsports	Sebastian Asch, Jack Baldwin, Claudio Burtin, Martin Ragginger, Bryan Sellers	Porsche GT3
18	Muehlner Motorsports America, LLC	Mark J. Thomas	Porsche GT3
20	Liqui Moly Team Englster/Mitchum Motorsports Porsche	Franz Englster, David Murry, Joseph Safina, Gunter Schaldach	Porsche GT3
22	Bullet Racing	Randy Blaylock, Darryl O'Young, Steve Paquette, Joe White	Porsche GT3
23	Alex Job Racing	Emmanuel Collard, Marco Holzer, Butch Leitzinger, Cooper MacNeil	Porsche GT3
24	Alex Job Racing	Michael Avenatti, Bob Faieta, Fred Poordad, Bill Sweedler, Cort Wagner	Porsche GT3
26	NGT Motorsport	Henrique Cisneros, Sean Edwards, Carlos Kauffmann, Nick Tandy	Porsche GT3
40	Dempsey Racing	Patrick Dempsey, Charles Espenlaub, Joe Foster, Tom Long	Mazda RX-8
41	Dempsey Racing	Don Kitch Jr, Charles Putman, Dan Rogers	Mazda RX-8
42	Team Sahlen	Dane Cameron, Joe Nonnamaker, Wayne Nonnamaker, Will Nonnamaker, Joe Sahlen	Mazda RX-8
43	Team Sahlen	Joe Nonnamaker	Mazda RX-8
44	Magnus Racing	Andy Lally, Richard Lietz, John Potter, Rene Rast	Porsche GT3
45	Flying Lizard Motorsports with Wright Motorsports	Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Seth Neiman, Mike Rockenfeller	Porsche GT3
46	Michael Baughman Racing	Michael Baughman, Ray Mason, Mike Yeakle	Chevrolet Corvette
48	Paul Miller Racing	Rob Bell, Sascha Maassen, Bryce Miller	Porsche GT3
49	Team Sahlen	Joe Sahlen	Mazda RX-8
51	APR Motorsport	Ian Baas, Jim Norman, Dion von Moltke	Audi R8 Grand-Am
55	Acumen Motorsport	Frank Del Vecchio Doug Grunnet, Scott McKee	Porsche GT3
56	AF - Waltrip	Rui Aguas, Robert Kauffman, Travis Pastrana, Michael Waltrip	Ferrari 458
57	Stevenson Motorsports	Ronnie Bremer, John Edwards, Robin Liddell	Chevrolet Camaro GT.R
59	Brumos Racing	Andrew Davis, Hurley Haywood, Leh Keen, Marc Lieb	Porsche GT3
62	Risi Competizione	Raphael Matos, Toni Vilander	Ferrari 458
63	Risi Competizione		Ferrari 458
64	TRG	Gaetano Ardagna, Eduardo Costabat, Emilio Di Guida, Eliseo Salazar	Porsche GT3
65	TRG	Bob Doyle, Mike Hedlund, Jack McCarthy, Jim Michaelian	Porsche GT3
66	TRG	Dominik Farnbacher, Ben Keating, Patrick Pilet, France Allan Simonsen	Porsche GT3
67	TRG	Steven Bertheau, Marc Goossens, Wolf Henzler, Spencer Pumpelly	Porsche GT3
68	TRG	Chris Cumming, Kevin Estre, Damien Faulkner, Carlos Gomez, Ben Keating	Porsche GT3
69	AIM Autosport Team FXDD Racing with Ferrari	Emil Assentato, Anthony Lazzaro, Nick Longhi, Jeff Segal	Ferrari 458
70	SpeedSource	Jonathan Bomarito, Marino Franchitti, James Hinchcliffe, Sylvain Tremblay	Mazda RX-8
74	Oryx Racing	Humaid Al Masaood, Saeed Al Mehairi, Steven Kane,	Audi R8 Grand-Am
75	Stevenson Motorsports	Matt Bell, Al Carter, Eric Curran, Hugh Plumb	Chevrolet Camaro GT.R
82	Dick Greer Racing	John Fergus, John Finger, Dick Greer, Mark Hotchkis, Owen Trinkler	Porsche GT3
87	Racers Edge Motorsports	Jan Heylen, Doug Peterson, Maxim Soulet, Emilio Valverde	Dodge Viper
88	Autohaus Motorsports	Paul Edwards, Matthew Marsh, Tom Milner, Jordan Taylor	Chevrolet Camaro GT.R
93	Turner Motorsport	Michael Marsal, Dirk Muller, Jorg Muller, Dirk Werner	BMW M3
94	Turner Motorsport	Bill Auberlen, Paul Dalla Lana, Billy Johnson, Boris Said	BMW M3