Johnson, Team Celebrate Daytona 500 Title

Knaus, Johnson and Hendrick celebrate

Following his second career victory in the “Great American Race,” Jimmie Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus and owner Rick Hendrick inducted the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet into the Daytona International Speedway Ticket and Tours Building during Monday’s annual Champion’s Breakfast. 

“The night was great,” Johnson said of the celebration. “We had a lot of fun in the infield. I think the security guys knew we were here and said, ‘Nice job celebrating, now you guys just need to slow down a little bit.’" 

While Johnson’s late night celebration went well, his immediate celebration after taking the checkered flag was not as successful. His burn out in the tri-oval grass actually damaged the front end of the No. 48 car that is now on display in the indoor Gatorade Victory Lane at the “World Center of Racing.” 

“The damage was pretty bad. I’m not going to lie,” Johnson said with a laugh. “I just wanted to get a cool picture on the Daytona logo. I think every driver’s goal is to get on the logo and do a burnout. I turned down and pulled it into second gear and thought I had the right angle to spin it off into the grass. As I turned in, the right front tire dug in. I knew instantly, when it grabbed the dirt, that I had a big problem. It just didn’t go as planned.” 

"Jeez, Jimmie. You busted it!"

Joining the five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion was long-time crew chief Knaus, who was unable to serve as crew chief on the team when they won the Daytona 500 in 2006. Knaus was sent home by NASCAR after the No. 48 car failed post-qualifying inspection. 

“This is a dream race; everyone wants to come to Daytona,” said Knaus. “I remember sitting on the sofa in the early 1970’s, watching the Daytona 500 and wanting to be a part of it for years. When we won this race in 2006 that was probably one of my best moments as a crew chief. Unfortunately I wasn’t here, so that’s the bad thing.

 

“To finally be able to be down here in Victory Lane with the 48 car and Jimmie and the rest of my guys, it’s a fantastic thing and I’m honored to be the crew chief on this race team.”

“(Chad) didn’t get to call the race and he didn't get to experience the fun that followed,” said Johnson of the 2006 win. “That’s why I’m so happy for him – to have that moment standing there in Victory Lane.”  

There are many obligations that come with winning NASCAR’s biggest, richest and most prestigious race. After the Champion’s Breakfast, where Johnson and Daytona International Speedway president Joie Chitwood III unveiled the logo for the 56^th annual Daytona 500, Johnson left immediately to begin a whirlwind media tour.

“(Winning the Daytona 500) was thrilling – there’s nothing like that moment,” Johnson said. “What follows winning this race is what happens when you win the championship; NASCAR owns you for a few days. I’m not sure exactly of everything we have in store. I think we go to Charlotte today for some more media and then to Connecticut to ESPN; tomorrow is New York media. I’m not sure what happens after that, but I’m sure it’s going to be busy and I’m just going to savor the moment. There’s no telling when this will happen again, so I want to enjoy it.”

NMPA Most Popular Driver Voting Now Open

Going for number 11

Fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. will try to defend a 10-year win streak as voting opens today for the NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award. Fans can vote online once a day throughout the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season to earn their driver the coveted "most popular" trophy. This year marks the first year of eligibility for Sprint Cup rookie Danica Patrick, whose fan base could push voting activity and award competition to a new intensity.

Fans can visit www.MostPopularDriver.com and vote once a day for their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup driver among the 39 eligible. All 39 will remain eligible for voting throughout the entire Sprint Cup Series season. Voting will conclude November 17 at 11:59 PM ET after the season's final race at Homestead Miami (Fla.) Speedway. The winner will be announced at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.

Earnhardt Jr. notched his 10^thstraight NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver award last season, tying a record for consecutive wins set by Bill Elliott. Elliott holds the record for most overall wins with 16.

Patrick, who made history last week by becoming the first woman to earn a Sprint Cup pole and to lead the Daytona 500, could challenge Earnhardt Jr.'s streak with her far-reaching fan base that includes women, girls and cross-over fans from her open-wheel racing career.

"Dale Jr.'s fans have really staked a claim on this award for the past decade, but the vote could get interesting this year," said Kenny Bruce, president of the NMPA. "We've had some close competitions in the past, so there are actually multiple drivers who could break the streak, and Danica is certainly one of them."

The NMPA Most Popular Driver distinction has been awarded every year since 1956. At one time, the contest was decided by a poll among drivers, taken at the end of the racing season. Later, members of the media determined the winner. Today, race fans from all over the world make the ultimate decision.

For more information and to vote on the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, visit www.MostPopularDriver.com.

COMMENTARY: Blame The Pilot, Not The Airplane

Disappointed in the lack of side-by-side racing in Sunday’s Daytona 500?

Don’t blame NASCAR’s new, Generation 6 race car.

Much of Sunday’s 2013 season opener was spent in single-file formation, with drivers huddled passively against the outside SAFER barrier, logging laps, playing it safe and attempting few – if any – passes. A number of drivers expressed unhappiness with the race’s “better safe than sorry” tempo, with Jeff Gordon complaining via in-car radio, "I think we're fast enough to get past a lot of these cars. If (someone would) step out with us, we could make it work."

Eventual second-place finisher Dale Earnhardt, Jr., sang a similar tune, telling crew chief Steve Letarte, “Nobody wants to go with anybody.” Clint Bowyer groused in a midrace Motor Racing Network radio conversation, “I’m getting antsy. I keep asking (crew chief) Brian Pattie, `Can I go yet? This is boring!’”

And yet, no one broke from the rank and file until the final 20 laps, when a ho-hum Daytona 500 suddenly turned into a no-holds barred nail biter. Finally off his leash, Earnhardt busted out the first in a series of scintillating three-wide moves, catapulting his National Guard Chevrolet through the middle of a snarling pack of race cars en route to his second runner-up Daytona 500 finish in the last four seasons.

While Junior hammered away in Daytona's dangerous middle groove, Jimmie Johnson staked claim to the supposedly unworkable inside line, gathering up a handful of drafting partners and overhauling leader Brad Keselowski in the last of 28 lead changes on the day. Johnson held off his hard-charging Hendrick Motorsports teammate by a car length at the line to claim his second career Daytona 500 victory, and even he executed his post-race victory burnout, unhappy fans clogged social media with complaints and demands for major rule changes.

“Why couldn’t they do THAT all day long,” they asked. “Why were the first 180 laps so boring?”

The answer has nothing to do with rules, and everything to do with intent. The final 20 laps of Sunday’s race proved beyond all doubt that NASCAR’s new car can compete side-by-side, if the drivers elect to do so.

So why did they wait so long to release the hounds Sunday?

In the aftermath of a savage Nationwide Series crash that rained debris into the grandstands and sent more than two dozen fans to area hospitals a day earlier, a certain degree of discretion was perhaps understandable. Veteran Mark Martin gave voice to that sentiment, saying, “I was happy we were able to race and not have a huge accident.”

In Victory Lane, Johnson indicated that the scarcity of parts for the new, Gen-6 cars may also have played a role, saying, "When we were running single file, we were just trying to get to the finish. We've all crashed so much. I believe a lot of competitors wanted to get to the last pit stop and then race for it, instead of tearing up their equipment."

Bottom line? The drivers could have raced harder yesterday, but chose not to. Blame the pilot, not the airplane

Earnhardt attempted to calm the fan base after the checkered flag, saying, "The car is doing everything we hoped it would do. The package is really good. The (track) surface is still relatively new. If we had the old surface with this car, it would have been an incredible race, people sliding around and wearing tires out.

"We're headed in the right direction," he said. "Today, for some reason, it just felt like we're on the right track as a sport. That's got me really excited.”

NASCAR’s perennial most popular driver said a few minor “tweaks” – a little more rear spoiler, perhaps– could produce spectacular racing in the circuit’s next restrictor plate race, at Talladega Superspeedway in June. Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski agreed, saying Earnhardt was “spot on” with his favorable assessment of the new car.

A minor rule change may ultimately be in order, but a better, more competitive attitude on the part of the drivers will help even more.

When the desire was there Sunday, the drivers could race.

They just needed a little more “want to.”

Stewart's Win Overshadowed By Crash, Fan Injuries

Larson (32) slams the fence

Tony Stewart won his seventh career NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway today, and no one cared.

Stewart’s victory was overshadowed by a savage, final-lap crash that saw rookie Kyle Larson’s Chevrolet severed at the firewall, sending suspension parts, a tire/wheel assembly and other debris over a 22-foot tall catch fence and into the frontstretch grandstands, injuring an estimated 15 spectators.

“It will be better when I hear news that all the drivers and the fans in the stands are OK,” said a shaken Stewart after Saturday’s DRIVE4COPD 300, looking toward a grandstand where EMTs and rescue personnel were attending to the injured.

Larson's engine lies entangled in the fence

Larson climbed from his demolished racer uninjured, and along with Justin Allgaier and Brad Keselowski, was evaluated and from the track’s Infield Care Center.

“I was getting pushed from behind,” said Larson of the crash. “By the time my spotter could say they were wrecking, I was already in it. I could see the ground (and) I had flames come into the cockpit, but luckily I was all right and could get out of the car quick.

“I took a couple of big hits there, and I saw my engine was gone,” he said. “I just hope everybody is alright.”

Eleven of the injured spectators were transported to Halifax Medical Center, a Level 2 Trauma Center located less than half a mile from the speedway. Four others were reportedly taken to another area hospital. No update on their conditions had been provided by NASCAR or Daytona International Speedway as of 5:45 PM ET, and reports that NASCAR President Mike Helton would peak to the media at 6 PM were dismissed by NASCAR's Senior Director of Competition Communication, Kerry Tharp.

An injured fan is removed from the speedway.

“We don’t have a timetable for anyone from NASCAR or the track (to update the situation),” said Tharp. “We are currently continuing to assess the situation, and are taking care of those involved. As soon as we can, we will have someone from NASCAR and track in here. But at this point, there is no timetable.”

NASCAR President Mike Helton confirmed to ESPN shortly after the incident that fans had been injured, saying, “Fortunately… there were plenty of emergency workers ready to go, and they jumped in on it pretty quickly. Right now, it’s just a function of trying to determine what damage is done.

A dozen drivers were involved in the final crash, including Larson, Regan Smith, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Travis Pastrana, Elliott Sadler, Brad Keselowski, Justin Allgaier, Joe Nemechek, Robert Richardson, Trevor Bayne, Mike Wallace and Alex Bowman.

Richard Petty Motorsports driver Michael Annett was injured in an earlier crash, and is currently being held for observation at Halifax Medical Center. He will be kept for observation after complaining of pain in his chest and sternum. A statement from the team said Annett underwent a CT scan and was treated for a bruised chest.

UPDATE: 6:40 pm ET-- NASCAR will make a statement at 7 PM ET from the Media Center at Daytona International Speedway.

UPDATE: 7 pm ET -- Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood confirmed that “14 people were transported off-property, with 14 others treated at our track Care Center.”

Chitwood declined to provide details on the condition of the injured fans, saying, “It is not appropriate for me to comment on that.” Sources at Halifax Medical Center say 12 fans were treated for a variety of traumatic and non-traumatic injuries, including at least five suffering from heat exhaustion. Two are reported in critical condition with traumatic injuries inflicted by debris from the crash, including one with what is being described as life-threatening head trauma. One minor is also among the injured, and both critically injured fans have reportedly been stabilized.

Chitwood promised a thorough review of the track’s facilities and safety protocol, saying, “We will review where the debris flew and what we need to do (about) that.” He said the fencing will be repaired, and that fans will be seated in the affected areas during tomorrow’s Daytona 500. “We expect to go racing tomorrow with no changes (in safety protocol),” he said.

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O’Donnell said the sanctioning body, “will conduct a thorough review (of the crash), learn what we can and see what we can apply in the future. We look at it after every incident. Our initial evaluation is still on going, and if there is something we can do to improve, we will certainly look at that. We will take the car (and look at it), and we will evaluate the fencing. We need to take the time to see if there is something we can do to improve.”

 

Chitwood stressed that tomorrow’s Daytona 500 will take place as scheduled, saying, “We are in the process of repairing the facility and we will be ready for racing tomorrow.”

Photos: Getty Images for NASCAR

Media Picks Johnson To Regain Title

"Better safe than sorry" may have been the mindset of voters in the annual preseason NASCARMedia.com poll that tapped five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson as the favorite to win the 2013 title.

Despite a two-year championship drought – an eternity for the El Cajon, Calif. native – Johnson has qualified for the “postseason” Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in each of its nine seasons. His 22 Chase wins are more than any other driver.

So, as they say, you have to be in it to win it.

Johnson, who will start his 400th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Sunday’s Daytona 500, finished third last season behind champion Brad Keselowski and runner-up Clint Bowyer.

Possibly the biggest surprise of this year’s media poll: The voters came out in full force for Kyle Busch.

Busch tallied the second-highest vote total, a somewhat surprising number considering he enters 2013 coming off a 2012 season he has called the worst of his career. Busch opened the season with a flourish, winning his Duel at Daytona race on Thursday.

Rounding out the top 12 were defending series champion Keselowski, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne.

Media members were also tasked with predicting the final Top-5 for the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

With two-time NASCAR Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. moving to a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup ride, the 2013 championship is wide open. But, voters feel that Austin Dillon can duplicate the feat he accomplished in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: follow up a Sunoco Rookie of the Year title with a series championship.

Voters picked Dillon to win this year’s NASCAR Nationwide championship, with Elliott Sadler, Brian Vickers, Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith rounding out the Top-5.

In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series poll, voters are predicting history. Never in the series’ 18-year history has a driver won back-to-back titles, but voters think the drought will end. They picked James Buescher to repeat in 2013, with Ty Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Timothy Peters and Johnny Sauter rounding out the Top-5.

Photo: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America

Chitwood Announces Details Of Daytona Renovation

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood outlined the specifics today of a previously announced renovation of the legendary Florida Superspeedway.

Chitwood outlined a multi-million dollar project that will include a new front facade for the speedway, increased fan comfort, wider seats with chair backs and arm rests, better sight lines, more numerous restroom facilities and improved access via elevators, escalators and staircases. Plans call for 11 new concourses along Daytona’s backstretch, complete with state-of-the-art fan amenities and displays outlining the track’s history. Chitwood said he hopes to receive approval from the track’s parent company, International Speedway Corporation, to begin construction in late 2013.

"We're giving this a professional stadium feel, something that makes people want to pull off the side of the road and take a picture,’’ said Chitwood today. "This is all about the fans. And what we’re talking about is massive.’’

The main entrance of the speedway will include an open-air concourse overlooking the track, and each concourse will feature concession stands, souvenir and merchandise retailers and restaurants.

"This is where we show the uniqueness of Daytona, this is who we are,’’ said Chitwood of the main concourse. “As you come here, this will be where you see Daytona for the first time, this is where you (realize) that you are on hallowed ground.

"The name Daytona means something and this is where we re-impress on everyone what Daytona means to our sport."

The new project will not impact the 2014 Daytona 500, with work scheduled around the speedway’s annual GRAND AM, NASCAR and AMA Motorcycle events.

“Whatever we do, the Daytona 500 will absolutely continue to maintain its role as the first event of the NASCAR season,’’ he said.

Pole Start Does Not Guarantee Success At Daytona

Patrick starts first Sunday

Make no mistake about it, it’s better to be fast than slow.  

Given their choice, every one of the 44 competitors who battled Danica Patrick for the pole in this week’s 55^th running of the Daytona 500 would trade places with her on Sunday. But while there is no better, safer, or more encouraging place to start than on the inside of the front row, history shows that a pole-position start is anything but a precursor to Victory Lane. 

In the 54 previous editions of the Daytona 500, only seven drivers have won from the pole position. Only Cale Yarborough (1968, 1984) and Bill Elliott (1985, 1987) were able to perform the feat more than once.  

Winning the “Great American Race” from the outside pole is even more unlikely. Only six drivers have accomplished this feat, with Richard Petty the only driver with more than one victory from the second starting spot.  

The Daytona 500 has not been won from the pole since Dale Jarrett turned the trick, 13 years ago.  Last year’s winner, Matt Kenseth, came from fourth on the starting grid. Trevor Bayne came from 32^nd to win in 2011, with Jamie McMurray winning from the 13th starting position in 2010.  Kenseth came from 39^th at the start to win in 2009, proving yet again that it’s not where you start at Daytona that matters most, it’s where you finish.  

Fireball Roberts (1962), Richard Petty (1966), Buddy Baker (1980) and Jeff Gordon (1999) have all captured the Harley J. Earl Trophy from the pole, joining an elite fraternity of drivers to claim NASCAR’s grandest prize from the number-one starting spot.  

Patrick will attempt to join the club Sunday.

 

Photo: Associated Press

Harvick, Busch Claim Budweiser Duel Wins

Harvick is 2-for-2 at Daytona

Kevin Harvick made another bid for favorite’s status in Sunday’s Daytona 500, while Kyle Busch staked a claim for a second-row starting spot in the “Great American Race” with wins in their respective Budweiser Duel at Daytona qualifying races yesterday at Daytona International Speedway. 

In a replay of last Saturday’s Sprint Unlimited, Harvick once again surged to the front, then held off two lanes of pursuers to prevail over Greg Biffle by 0.165 seconds. It is the second time in a week that Harvick and Biffle have finished one-two here at Daytona, after Harvick claimed the Sprint Unlimited title over Biffle by 0.149 seconds. 

“We’ve been fortunate to win the first two races of Speedweeks,” said Harvick, who now has six career wins at the World Center of Racing. “We just have to keep a level head on our shoulders, not get too high over what we’ve done, and do the same things that we’ve done. If (winning the Daytona 500 is) meant to be, it’s meant to be. I think we definitely have the car and team to be in contention to do that.” 

“You have to be in the right place at the right time,” said Biffle of his second `close but no cigar’ outing of the new season “You have to get a run and have some cars with you. A bunch of people wanted to know why I didn’t turn him. It doesn’t take any talent to wreck somebody for the win and wreck 20 cars behind you. You have to run as hard as you can and trade a little paint, but at the same time, we all have to finish.” 

Kyle scores in Duel #2

Busch’s win over Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillon in the second Budweiser Duel marks his second career victory in the 150-mile races. Unlike Harvick, who laid back for the first half of his race, Busch kept his No. 18 Toyota near the front of the field and led two different times for a total of 19 laps. 

“This is certainly a huge confidence boost for our team, being able to set the momentum in the right direction at the start of the season,” he said. 

Dillon, who will start eighth in his first “Great American Race” on Sunday, was thankful for a good run behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet. 

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Dillon. “I’m glad my grandfather can sleep now. He was wearing me out before the race, especially when those three RCR cars (qualified in the first Duel). It was a blast out there.” 

With no cautions in the second Duel to slow the pack, the event featured the second-highest speed in the history of the Duels. With a pace of 193.966 mph, the race ran just 0.209 mph slower than the record set by Matt Kenseth in last year’s second Budweiser Duel.

Danica Patrick, who has secured the pole for Sunday’s Daytona 500, will become the first woman to lead the field to the green flag in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.  

“I think what I really need to do is go down to Harvick’s bus tonight and figure out what he’s got going on,” said Patrick when asked what she learned today. “He’s got it figured out here this year, so, good job to him.”  

Of the 45 drivers participating in the Duels, only 12 were guaranteed a spot in NASCAR’s biggest race. Brian Keselowski – brother of defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad – and Mike Bliss failed to make the 43-car field. Racing action resumes today with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250, which will be run under the lights at 8:00 ET.

 

Photo: Terry Renna/AP, Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images    

Bayne Remains Upbeat Despite Duel Crash

Bayne was in contention before the crash

The scene in the Motorcraft/Quick Lane garage area at Daytona International Speedway Thursday was a tale of two race cars. On one side of the aisle, there was a battered No. 21 Ford Fusion, one that led more than half of the first of two Budweiser Duel qualifying races, only to be wiped out in a crash.

On the other side sat a brand-new Fusion, one that had never touched asphalt before being unloaded from the Wood Brothers’ hauler.

The first car, despite the damage, did its job. It was third fastest in qualifying, assuring driver Trevor Bayne and the team a starting spot for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Bayne will start 33rd, one spot worse than he started in 2011 when he won the 500.

The backup car now is poised to pick up where the first car left off; after plenty of massaging by crew chief Donnie Wingo and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane crew.

“We may not even practice on Friday, but that’s OK,” said team co-owner Eddie Wood. “We didn’t practice on Friday in 2011, and we won that race.”

There also is a final practice session on Saturday, and Wood said he was confident the new car would be race ready by then. Despite Thursday’s crash, Wood and the Motorcraft crew remained upbeat.

“You can’t be disappointed when you lead more than half the race,” he said.

In the early going Thursday, Bayne and his red-and-white Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion looked like potential winners. He started on the outside pole and passed pole-sitter Danica Patrick on the opening lap. He led the first 36 circuits, but slid entering pit road, flat-spotting his right-front tire and necessitating a four-tire change.

While racing his way back to the front, Bayne was swept up in a multi-car crash on the backstretch with just six laps to go.

“It is unfortunate because we had a fast race car, and you don’t want to tear that stuff up,” Bayne said. “But I know they have a good back-up car for me, and we will try to get it on Sunday.”

STP, Martinsville Announce Race Sponsorship

Martinsville Speedway and the STP brand announced a multi-year entitlement sponsorship agreement today at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. The sponsorship kicks off with the STP Gas Booster 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race scheduled for April 7, 2013 at the historic Virginia track. 

"STP and Martinsville Speedway have both been a part of the NASCAR family for decades. To work with a company that has such legendary status in our sport is exciting to me," said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. "Bringing together two companies that have so much history and such fan recognition is going to be a winning combination for everyone, especially the fans." 

The Martinsville Speedway entitlement is the latest addition to the STP brand's motorsports portfolio which includes entitlement sponsorships of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide events at Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, respectively, and the entitlement sponsorship for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

In addition to sponsoring the race, the STP^® brand will be a co-primary sponsor of Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 Jani-King STP Ford Fusion driven by Aric Amirola at the Martinsville spring race. The paint scheme will be commemorative of the first time the STP^®logo was on Petty's car at Riverside in 1972.

"STP, Richard Petty Motorsports and Martinsville Speedway were made for each other. It is surprising this hasn't happened sooner! Everyone at the STP brand is very proud to support Martinsville Speedway, the fans and Richard Petty Motorsports," said Jamie Kistner, Brand Director, STP. "The sponsorship is a perfect way to introduce our latest product innovation, STP Gas Booster Concentrated Fuel System Treatment. This is the first time that we've leveraged an entitlement sponsorship to launch a new product. The STP brand continues to develop innovative technology and believes NASCAR provides a perfect platform to share the news with fans."

STP Gas Boostee is a modern approach to fuel system treatments. One treatment of STP Gas Booster starts working immediately to help restore lost power and performance, and this unique formulation also helps to restore fuel economy by cleaning the fuel system. The STP brand continues to develop breakthrough technology to help consumers keep their engines running better longer.

"It is hard to believe my relationship with STP started more than 40 years ago, and here we are today announcing yet another chapter in the brand's history with me, Richard Petty Motorsports and NASCAR," said Richard Petty. "During my time with STP I've watched the brand become a fan favorite with products that give them The Racer's Edge and this partnership is yet another example of their commitment. I can't wait to see the '72 Riverside STP car paint scheme back on the track."

Richard Petty and the No. 43 STP machine have a storied history at Martinsville: Petty has the most wins with a total of 15

·         Petty has the most grandfather clocks, awarded to the winner, with a total of 12

·         Petty has 67 starts, the most of any driver

·         Petty has the most top-10 and top-five finishes

·         In 1960, Petty won the spring race at the age of 20, becoming the youngest winner at Martinsville.

·         The last "ride" by Petty came on the side door of the famous No. 43 STP car with John Andretti driving him to Victory Lane in April of 1999; that year also marks the last time the No. 43 STP machine won there

The STP Gas Booster 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled for Sunday, April 7, the day after the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Pole Day is Friday, April 5.

Ticket prices for the STP Gas Booster 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race start as low as $37. Tickets for the STP Gas Booster 500, the Kroger 250 and Martinsville Pole Day may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com.

2014 Budweiser Duel To Run Under The Lights

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III announced today that the Budweiser Duel, the 150-mile qualifying races that determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500, will move under the lights in 2014.

The Budweiser Duel At Daytona, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, will start under the lights and will be televised by FOX Sports Media Group. 

“To earn a coveted starting spot in the Daytona 500, the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will have to perform under the lights and in front of a primetime audience in the Budweiser Duel,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “Moving the Budweiser Duel under the lights will add another dimension to Budweiser Speedweeks.” 

The Budweiser Duel joins The Sprint Unlimited and the NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race as the three nighttime races held during Budweiser Speedweeks.

This year’s 55th annual Daytona 500 is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 24 on MRN Radio and FOX.  Tickets for all of the events during Budweiser Speedweeks are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.

Crawford Set For Daytona Return

Former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Daytona winner Rick Crawford returns to the World Center of Racing Friday night, driving the #50 SUPERSEAL Construction Products Chevy with MAKE Motorsports in the NextEra Energy Resources 250.

The #50 MAKE Motorsports team returns to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013 with a new partner, longtime businessman and former ARCA official Ron Olah.

Crawford has compiled over 336 Truck Series starts in his career, making him the all-time leader. He has five series wins, headlined by a 2003 victory at Daytona that is remembered as one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the speedway. He will make his first start for MAKE Motorsports this weekend, with primary sponsorship from SUPERSEAL Tile Subfloor & SUPERSEAL Carpet & Laminate Subfloor. Associate sponsors are Precon Marine, Lilly Trucking and CRASHCLAIMSR.US attorney James Carter.

Pastrana Seeks New Kind Of Daytona Win

"Expectations are pretty high"

The neon yellow stripe on the back of Travis Pastrana’s No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang may blend in with the car’s garish paint scheme, but little else about the action sports star blends in. The 6-foot-2 Pastrana brings a fresh perspective to NASCAR in his first full-time season with Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

By NASCAR standards, Pastrana is not a rookie, having made nine previous starts in the Nationwide Series. Nonetheless, Pastrana will make his first Daytona International Speedway start Saturday, with that rookie stripe on his rear bumper.

“It’s a scary feeling to be a rookie again,” Pastrana said. “As I come into NASCAR with success in other forms of racing and enter this year as a full-time driver with a top team – everyone’s expectations are pretty high. I’ve always liked to be thrown into the deep end.”

Despite never making a stock car start at Daytona, Pastrana is no stranger to Victory Lane at the track.

“My first Supercross win was on the infield here at Daytona,” said Pastrana. “Daytona Speedweeks and Daytona Bikeweek have been two of my favorite events for as long as I can remember. Having the opportunity to race here in a NASCAR event is truly a dream come true.” 

Pastrana's ride will be tough to miss

The driver of the No. 60 Ford Mustang knows that racing at DIS presents a new set of challenges, unique to restrictor-plate racing.

“Every driver I’ve talked to seems to agree that there is nothing that can prepare you for a restrictor-plate race,” said Pastrana. “Nearly 200 mph – three and four wide and not being able to see anything in front of the car you are pushing – not being able to slow down when you are being pushed and all heck breaks loose in front of you.”

Roush Fenway Racing teammate Trevor Bayne, who will pilot the No. 6 Cargill Ford Mustang this season, has served as a teacher for Pastrana, after winning the Daytona 500 just two years ago.

“Hopefully, I can earn Trevor's trust, because he's the man here and I couldn't ask for a better teammate for my first race.”

Pastrana feels as though he has placed himself in a perfect situation to capitalize on success, this season and beyond.

“I'm lined up with great equipment and an amazing crew,” added Pastrana. “I'm surrounded by a lot of knowledge and I'm ready to learn. This season is going to be an epic ride. Game on.”

Harvicks, Clydesdales Deliver To Veterans

Anheuser-Busch called upon its world-renowned Budweiser Clydesdales to deliver a special package to military veterans Jayson and Justin Ryter Wednesday in Ormond Beach, Fla. Their delivery man, NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick – who’s no stranger to horsepower – was fit for the job, as the Marines received tickets to Sunday’s Daytona 500.

The Budweiser Clydesdales have been an enduring symbol of Anheuser-Busch’s heritage, tradition and commitment to quality since 1933, when August A. Busch Jr. and Adolphus Busch III surprised their father, August A. Busch Sr., with the gift of a six-horse Clydesdale hitch to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition. The hitch now consists of eight majestic horses, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon, and two drivers seated next to the hitch’s signature mascot Dalmatian.

On Wednesday, however, the hitch had two additional passengers – Harvick and his wife DeLana – who presented the brothers with several cases of Budweiser in addition to the Daytona 500 tickets.

“Anytime you get an opportunity to show your appreciation for our men and women in the military it’s great to be a part of,” said Harvick, winner of the 2007 Daytona 500. “This is obviously just one of the many things that Budweiser does for our military personnel. The Clydesdales add a whole new element to it. People love to see the hitch and the Clydesdales. To be able to ride on the hitch and come up the city streets and see all the people on the side of the roads is exciting.”

Jayson and Justin, 22-year-old fraternal twins, recently returned home after four years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps. Both siblings enlisted shortly after graduating from Seabreeze High School in 2008. Jayson served in various missions as a Military Transport Operator (MTO), including several months in Afghanistan, while Justin was permanently stationed in Hawaii in Personnel Administration .

The twins were discharged from active duty within six months of each other– Jayson in August of last year and Justin only a few weeks ago in January - and returned home to Ormond Beach to pursue a college degree. They currently are enrolled at Daytona State College.

“I’m blown away,” Justin said. “I’m just speechless. This is probably the most exciting thing that’s happened here in a while. I can’t wait to get to the track on Sunday and watch Kevin race.”

“I’ve always seen (the Clydesdales) on commercials and thought about how I would love to see them in person someday,” Jayson said. “Here I am seeing them and I’m just surprised they’re actually in front of my house.”

ESPN Honors Earnhardt In New Promo

ESPN will debut a new promotional spot paying homage to the legendary No. 3 of the late NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt during the telecast of Saturday’s season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Daytona International Speedway.

Austin Dillon drives No. 3 in the NASCAR Nationwide series; a car owned by his grandfather, Richard Childress, who also was Earnhardt’s car owner. Childress had stopped using the number following Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500, until Dillon began racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series three seasons ago.

In the new ESPN spot, images of NASCAR fans and their reverence for the No. 3 run under a narration from Dillon, who speaks of his respect for Earnhardt, the number and NASCAR fans, as well as his desire to make his own mark in the sport.

The commercial continues ESPN’s “Names Are Made Here” campaign for the NASCAR Nationwide Series, which ESPN airs for the full season. The spot will air across ESPN programming through July.

The spot can be viewed HERE.

Sauter Anxious To End Daytona Misfortune

ThorSport Racing driver Johnny Sauter has had plenty of success at Daytona International Speedway over the years. None of it, however, has come in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.  

The Wisconsin native hopes to reverse his fortune with a strong run at the “World Center of Racing” in Friday night’s season opening “NextEra Energy Resources 250.” 

"Given my recent history, it's hard not to think about crashing when I think about Daytona," laughed Sauter. "I've come close to winning in both the Nationwide and Truck Series, but for some reason, finishing Truck races has been kind of been a tough row to hoe.

"I've raced Daytona enough to know that luck has a huge presence,” he said. “Either you're on the right or wrong side of that when it comes to getting crashed. I have run up front and gotten wrecked at the end, and I’ve hidden in the back and had the same result. No matter what you do, Daytona can reach out and bite you.

“If you're watching (the race), pick your bathroom breaks very carefully. It could happen on Lap 1 or on the last lap; I've had it happen both ways in a three-year period."

Sauter started in the Top-10 in each of his first three Daytona attempts, but was wrecked on the opening lap in 2010. He was leading last year when eventual winner John King turned him around coming to the white flag in a race that featured four caution periods in the last 10 laps.

Sauter's Carolina Nut Co. Toyota

"Eighty percent of what happens at Daytona is out of your control,” said Sauter. “Either you're lucky or you're not. I can give you millions of examples; last year James Buescher went into Turn Four on the last lap in 11^th place, then drove through a big wreck and won the Nationwide race.

“It's a big game of luck, and no matter how bad the past is, you've just got to block it out. This is a new season and we're starting from scratch -- everybody is -- so everybody's expectations are high. But (crew chief) Joe Shear Jr. and I know we've got what it takes to contend for this championship and a win at Daytona."

Sauter will debut ThorSport's newly numbered No. 98 Carolina Nut Co./Curb Records Toyota Tundra in the 14^th annual Daytona opener, and said support from teammates Matt Crafton (in the No. 88 Slim Jim/Menards Toyota) and Todd Bodine (No. 13 Mattei Air Compressors Toyota) could help him reverse his run of tough Daytona luck. 

"We’ll be trying to get a ThorSport truck into Victory Lane," said Sauter. "You can't deny Todd's history, with all his superspeedway wins, and Crafton and I always seem to run well. Hopefully, we can all get hooked-up together and have a good run. Hopefully, somebody can pull off the win for ThorSport."