Top 5 NASCAR stories of 2012

What do you say about a season that starts with a track catching fire? It was a year of transition in NASCAR, with a first-time champion unseating the old order and some familiar faces either failing to make the Chase or failing to make an impact.

Fans couldn’t decide if they liked yellow flags and wrecks or not, and NASCAR continued to struggle with attendance and ratings problems.
Still, the year produced some memorable moments, both on the track and in the pits, and NASCAR heads into 2013 with hope that a new Cupholder and new looks to its cars will bring back fans to both the TV and the stands. – By Jay Busbee

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5. Teams on the rise, teams on the decline – The best story from a team perspective was Michael Waltrip Racing, which went from punchline to legit championship contender with the addition of Clint Bowyer and the ascendance of Martin Truex Jr. (Plus, Bowyer ran right into the national spotlight at Phoenix when he chased down Jeff Gordon.) On the other end of the spectrum is Richard Childress Racing, which put only one driver (Kevin Harvick) in the... more
5. Teams on the rise, teams on the decline – The best story from a team perspective was Michael Waltrip Racing, which went from punchline to legit championship contender with the addition of Clint Bowyer and the ascendance of Martin Truex Jr. (Plus, Bowyer ran right into the national spotlight at Phoenix when he chased down Jeff Gordon.) On the other end of the spectrum is Richard Childress Racing, which put only one driver (Kevin Harvick) in the Chase, a driver they'll lose at the end of next season. RCR is banking heavily on Austin Dillon being a superstar, but that's a long-term strategy at best. less