Cautions? Not so much this NASCAR season

The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season had a significant decrease in the number of cautions compared to the previous three seasons.

There were 216 cautions during the 36-race Cup series season. There were 305 cautions in the 2009 season, 265 in 2010 and 278 last season.

Some additional caution statistics provided by Darnell Communications:

Most Cautions in a Race
2012 – 14 (Kansas 2)
2011 – 18 (Martinsville 2)
2010 – 15 (Martinsville 2)
2009 – 17 (Darlington)

Fewest Cautions in a Race
2012 – 1 (Fontana)
2011 – 3 (New Hampshire 2)
2010 – 3 (Richmond 2)
2009 – 3 (Michigan 1, Indianapolis)

Most Caution Laps in a Race
2012 – 87 (Bristol 2)
2011 – 108 (Martinsville 2)
2010 – 103 (Bristol 2)
2009 – 73 (Martinsville 1)

Most Miles Under Caution
2012 – 105.000 (Daytona 1)
2011 – 150.000 (Daytona 1)
2010 – 100.000 (Daytona 1)
2009 – 99.718 (Darlington)

Races Extended Due to Caution
2012 – 10
2011 – 7
2010 – 7
2009 – 5

Races Shortened Due To Weather
2012 – 2
2011 – 0
2010 – 0
2009 – 3

Jeb Burton joins Turner Motorsports

   Turner Motorsports announced this week it signed Jeb Burton, the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, to a two-year contract to run fulltime in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and a limited Nationwide Series schedule in 2013 and 2014.

   Jeb Burton, who made his first Truck Series start at Martinsville Speedway this past March, has one top-10 finishes in five career starts.

   "I'm really proud that I can race for Turner Motorsports over the next two years," Burton, 20, said. "This team has had so much success, and I'm happy to have the opportunity to work with such a quality team."

   Said team owner Steve Turner: "I'm really excited that we will have Jeb under the Turner Motorsports umbrella. Everyone at Turner Motorsports feels he has the skills to be successful in NASCAR and we are eager to welcome him to our team."

   Ward Burton will also join Turner Motorsports to assist with driver development.

Brad Keselowski's Top 10 list on Letterman

   2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski made an appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on Tuesday night.

    Keselowski's Top 10 list?

    The "Top 10 Signs You're Not Cut Out To Be A Race Car Driver:"

    10. You're only in it for the intensely vibrating seat.

    9. You've always felt that passing other cars is rude.

    8. Terms of your parole won't let you leave Delaware.

    7. All this week, you've been stockpiling Twinkies.

    6. Friends know you as "Mr. Motion Sickness."

    5. You're existentially opposed to the starting line and finish line being the same line.

    4. You know what "existentially" means.

    3. You don't like to be rushed.

    2. You can't even handle high-speed Internet.

    1. More than 10 minutes sitting? Crippling ass cramps.

Jeff Burton has wrist surgery

    Richard Childress Racing Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Burton had successful, minor wrist surgery on Tuesday to alleviate symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, his team announced.

   "After feeling some reoccurring symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, my physician and I decided routine surgery would be best for this situation," said Burton, who was back at home soon after the outpatient procedure.

   "There is no such thing as an offseason in this sport so I wanted to get it done as soon as possible to be ready for my Caterpillar Visitors Center appearance with Richard (Childress) early next month. Plus, we have many test sessions planned in December with the No. 31 Chevrolet team in preparation for the 2013 season with my new crew chief Luke Lambert. I will be ready to go."

   The 2013 Cup season will be Burton's 20th fulltime year. The South Boston, Va., native has amassed 21 wins, 132 top-five and 248 top-10 finishes, six poles and led 6,513 laps during his career. He finished 19th in the series standings this season.

Danica Patrick announces divorce

 

   In a posting to her Facebook page and a message posted to www.DanicaRacing.com, NASCAR driver Danica Patrick on Tuesday announced she and her husband of seven years, Paul Hospenthal, are getting divorced.

 

   “I am sad to inform my fans that after 7 years, Paul and I have decided to amicably end our marriage,” Patrick wrote in her Facebook post.

  

   “This isn't easy for either of us, but mutually it has come to this. He has been an important person and friend in my life and that's how we will remain moving forward."

 

   Hospenthal, 47, and Patrick, 30, married in November 2005 in Arizona. They have no children.

 

   Patrick, a former IndyCar series driver, finished 10th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings this season, with four top-10 finishes in 33 races. In voting on NASCAR.com, she was named the series' most popular driver.

 

   Patrick will drive fulltime in 2013 in the Sprint Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing.

 

   A spokesperson for Patrick confirmed the divorce and said Patrick would have no other public comment.

Regan Smith gets crew chief at JR Motorsports

   Greg Ives, who served as race engineer for Jimmie Johnson’s run of five consecutive Sprint Cup Series championships, has been named crew chief for JR Motorsports and driver Regan Smith for the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

   Ives, 33, and Smith, 29, will spearhead JRM’s bid for a 2013 championship in the No. 5 Chevrolet. Smith won his first race with JR Motorsports last Saturday at Homestead, Fla.

   “Regan’s win on Saturday and the announcement of Greg’s hiring are huge momentum boosts for this company going into the off-season,” said team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Greg comes highly regarded. He has been a huge part of the No. 48 team’s success, and this is a good opportunity for him to get his feet wet as a crew chief."

   Team manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller said JRM will likely field just one fulltime Nationwide team in 2013 with Smith and a second part-time team featuring Earnhardt Jr. and other select drivers.

   Until now, Ives has spent all nine years of his NASCAR career at Hendrick Motorsports. A native of Bark River, Mich., and a graduate of Michigan Technological University, Ives began as a mechanic in the then 24/48 (now 48/88) shop in 2004 before moving into an engineering role on the No. 48 team in 2006.

   “Whether I realized it or not, each of my nine years at Hendrick Motorsports recognizing my goals early and giving me opportunities to ultimately reach them," Ives said.

Two NASCAR champions crowned Monday night

Four of NASCAR's brightest young stars occupied the spotlight Monday night as champions in two national series were crowned.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 25, and James Buescher, 22, officially were proclaimed champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Stenhouse was honored for becoming just the sixth competitor in series history to win consecutive Nationwide titles. Buescher becomes the second-youngest champion in the Truck Series' 18-year history. Stenhouse won six times during the 2011 season while Buescher's four victories were most in the Truck Series.

Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 18 Toyota Camry won the Nationwide Series owners championship, with Joey Logano winning seven times in the car. The title is JGR's fourth in the last five seasons matching Richard Childress Racing for most in the series. Its last came in 2010.

Turner Motorsports won its first Truck Series Owner Championship. Texan Steve Turner's No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado, with Buescher behind the wheel, won the title in the organization's fifth season in the series.

Austin Dillon, 22, won Nationwide Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Dillon is the third competitor to win rookie championships in both Nationwide and Truck series. Ty Dillon, 20, won the Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award. The Dillon brothers are the first siblings to capture NCWTS freshman titles.

Elliott Sadler, Austin Dillon, Sam Hornish Jr. and Michael Annett finished second through fifth in the championship standings and were honored along with Stenhouse in the Nationwide Series.

Timothy Peters, Joey Coulter, Ty Dillon and Parker Kligerman were second through fifth in the Truck Series final points and joined Buescher on stage.

After a fan vote on NASCAR.com in which nearly 120,000 combined votes were cast, each series' Most Popular Driver was revealed. Danica Patrick and Nelson Piquet Jr. were chosen by fans in the Nationwide and Truck series, respectively. Each was honored for the first time.

• Monday night's banquet photos