Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
The 2012 running of the Daytona 500 proved to be one of the most bizarre races, not only in the history of the Great American Race but in the history of NASCAR. The weirdness was capped off by an incident between Juan Pablo Montoya and one of the safety trucks that was towing a blower that was blowing debris off the track's surface. Something appeared to break on Montoya's Target Chevrolet as he was catching the pack going into the third turn. Montoya lost control and spun into the blower and the truck, igniting a kerosene-fueled fireball. Thankfully no one was injured and racing resumed over an hour and a half later after diligent work by track safety crews.
Penalty Report - Daytona
Number/Driver, Lap, Infraction, Penalty
#38 David Gilliland, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#27 Paul Menard, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#10 Danica Patrick, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#5 Kasey Kahne, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#51 Kurt Busch, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, engine change
#10 Danica Patrick, 2, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#32 Terry Labonte, 2, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#21 Trevor Bayne, 2, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#51 Kurt Busch, 2, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#39 Ryan Newman, 13, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#38 David Gilliland, 15, Speed-Exiting pits, tail end
#21 Trevor Bayne, 38, Safety violation, bumper bar loose
#87 Joe Nemechek, 65, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#98 Michael McDowell, 66, Safety violation, window net loose
#38 David Gilliland, 66, Speed-Exiting pits, tail end
#98 Michael McDowell, 82, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end*
#24 Jeff Gordon, 83, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#32 Terry Labonte, 88, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#10 Danica Patrick, 89, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end*
#98 Michael McDowell, 89, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end*
#31 Jeff Burton, 129, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#33 Elliott Sadler, 129, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#15 Clint Bowyer, 129, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#30 David Stremme, 157, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#99 Carl Edwards, 160, Safety violation, tail end, unapproved work on car
#18 Kyle Busch, 160, Safety violation, tail end, unapproved work on car
#51 Kurt Busch, 177, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#13 Casey Mears, 178, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#9 Marcos Ambrose, 178, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#99 Carl Edwards, 188, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#9 Marcos Ambrose, 188, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#78 Regan Smith, 188, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#5 Kasey Kahne, 188, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#51 Kurt Busch, 189 Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#83 Landon Cassill, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#38 David Gilliland, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#14 Tony Stewart, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#36 Dave Blaney, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#39 Ryan Newman, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#18 Kyle Busch, 197, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#38 David Gilliland, 198, Running the stop and go sign/light, 1 lap
#38 David Gilliland, 198, Speed-Exiting pits, tail end
*Note that McDowell and Patrick were not involved in the cause of the caution flags for those particular events nor did they have any other reason to pit before the pits were open.
Thank you to NASCAR Statistics and TheHotLap.com for the information.