Fords pace practice as Cup cars back on track at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Three days after sweeping the top two spots for Sunday?s Daytona 500, Ford teams were at it again, posting the top four times during Wednesday?s first practice session for Sprint Cup Series teams here at Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona qualifying races a mixed bag of opportunity
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? For the second time in less than a week, NASCAR?s Sprint Cup Series teams will hit the track to compete in a non-points race. But unlike last Saturday night?s Budweiser Shootout, this time there?s a bit more at stake. For several teams, it?s go fast or go home. For others, it?s go fast but bring it home.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won?t lay back in Daytona 500, more comfortable with pack racing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent the last two restrictor-plate races hanging out in the rear of the field, trying to avoid the wrecks and waiting to make his move.
The strategy allowed him to make it to the final lap of the race but was far from a winning one.
New BK Racing owner committed to running successful Cup team
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Tomato grower Wayne Press had invested in TRG Motorsports, a team that showed potential but eventually wound up folding its Sprint Cup operation after three seasons.
That experience, though, didn?t sour him nor some of his other partners enough to keep them out of the Cup garage.
Timothy Peters hopes past success at Daytona, Martinsville leads to fast start to 2012
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Timothy Peters is the only driver with a full-time ride in the Camping World Truck Series who has won races at both Daytona and Martinsville. Considering those are the first two stops on the 22-race schedule, he can use his success there as a confidence builder going into the 2012 season.
Contenders and Pretenders: Battle for Truck Series title wide open
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Austin Dillon?s move to the Nationwide Series means NASCAR?s Camping World Truck Series will crown a new champion in 2012. But will it be a new champion, or simply a different one? The competition for the 2012 title will come from everywhere, four-time series champ Ron Hornaday said.
Preseason Predictions: We pick the champions, big winners and how Junior and Danica will do
Tony Stewart rallied to win his third Sprint Cup championship last year and, in the process, finished the season with the most wins (five) in the series.
Jimmie Johnson had an off year while Carl Edwards bounced back and returned to championship contention.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. nearly snapped his long winless streak, and Danica Patrick proved that she has potential to be a contender in stock cars.
How will the fare this season?
JR Motorsports counting on 'rookie' drivers in Danica Patrick, Cole Whitt
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Even though JR Motorsports has been around for less than a decade, it seems much older considering that its co-owners have a rich history in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr., sister Kelley Earnhardt-Miller, Tony Eury Jr. and Rick Hendrick are some of the most familiar names in NASCAR.
Feud of the Week: Chad Knaus vs. NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? One of the best NASCAR feuds in the mid-2000s was revisited last week. Bad boy crew chief Chad Knaus vs. NASCAR officials.
Contenders and Pretenders: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has plenty of challengers for Nationwide title
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? A year ago when considering contenders for the Nationwide Series championship, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wasn?t a name that rolled off many tongues. ... Ten months later, Stenhouse Jr. was crowned series champion. Stenhouse Jr. will go for a repeat in 2012. And when considering contenders this year, you have to start there.
Jeremy Mayfield says NASCAR appears to have coordinated with investigators on 'baseless' indictment
Suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield was indicted by a Catawba County (N.C.) grand jury Monday on a charge of possession of stolen goods stemming from a Nov. 1 search of his property. The charges were not a major surprise as law enforcement officials last November seized more than $100,000 with of goods that had been reported stolen. Also found was 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, and Mayfield was indicted on charges of felony possession of the drug in November. The drug case is pending with March 5 as the next scheduled court date.
Pack racing is back, but two-car draft may still determine who wins at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? NASCAR worked all winter to eliminate the two-car draft at Daytona International Speedway. In the first race of Speedweeks, it worked, for the most part. But when the 82-lap race wound down to the end, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch hooked up in a tandem draft and pulled away from the field, settling the victory between themselves.
NASCAR continues to evaluate controversial points transfers, damage to credibility
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? With points swaps for the Daytona 500 officially complete, NASCAR will continue to evaluate its top-35 rule and how it oversees the transfer of points. About the only consensus in the debate is that NASCAR has a complicated system that brings its credibility into question.
Words of comfort: Jeff Gordon explains wild ride, spectacular crash to daughter
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Jeff Gordon climbed out of his upside-down race car Saturday night not wanting to re-live the first time he ever flipped a Sprint Cup car. But he had to explain what happened in the Budweiser Shootout to someone who needed to know.
Tony Stewart not complacent, team working to maintain 2011 momentum
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Tony Stewart has never been accused of being complacent, so it was doubtful that even a third Sprint Cup championship could harness his desire. But with the hiring of a new crew chief (Steve Addington in place of the fired Darian Grubb) and competition director (Greg Zipadelli in place of the fired Bobby Hutchens), the Stewart-Haas Racing organization had work to do beyond getting cars ready following Stewart?s incredible run to the 2011 Cup title.
Starting lineups for Gatorade Duels
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Here are the starting lineups for Thursday's Gatorade Duel qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.
The top two finishes among non-guaranteed drivers will earn a starting spot in Sunday's Daytona 500. The rest of the field will be set on qualifying speeds.
Race No. 1
Trevor Bayne, Tony Raines, David Stremme earn starting spots in Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Three former Daytona 500 winners entered qualifying Sunday not having a starting spot in the sport?s biggest race.
One of them can breathe a little easier. The other two have been through this before and know the pressure they face in the qualifying races Thursday.
With starting spot secure, Danica Patrick has pressure-free qualifying day at Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Danica Patrick has gone through the drama of Indianapolis 500 qualifying, so the pressure in her first Daytona 500 qualifying attempt couldn?t compare to IndyCar?s biggest event.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver already had a guaranteed starting spot at Daytona through the team?s partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing, which had one of the 35 spots based on 2011 owners points. Knowing she would make her Cup debut in the Feb. 26 Daytona 500 no matter how she qualified, all Patrick had to doing Sunday was secure her starting position for the qualifying races Thursday at Daytona International Speedway.
Carl Edwards wins pole, Roush Fenway sweeps front row for Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? Carl Edwards will begin his quest for the 2012 Sprint Cup championship from the best of all possible places ? the pole position for next Sunday?s Daytona 500.
The Roush Fenway Racing driver, who finished tied with Tony Stewart for the 2011 title, only to lose by virtue of having fewer race wins, led a strong showing by Ford teams here at Daytona International Speedway Sunday with his lap of 194.738 mph.
Jeff Owens: Kyle Busch shows Earnhardt-like talent with The Save
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? There?s probably only one driver in the history of NASCAR who could have done what Kyle Busch did Saturday night.
Only one driver who could have saved a wrecked race car in such jaw-dropping fashion. Only one driver who could have made a move so spectacular that everyone was still talking about it the next day, and will be for quite some time.
