Suarez, Coby Prevail In Battle At The Beach

Suarez is now 2-for-2

Daniel Suarez and Doug Coby held the winning hands in last night’s Second Annual UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway.

Suarez won his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race in 48 hours, surging to victory in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series portion of the doubleheader event, while Coby claimed the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event.

Suarez dominated the field, fending off several challengers to claim his second checkered flag of the week in the Sunshine State. He drove his Rev Racing/Sunoco Race Fuels Toyota comes to a season-opening victory Sunday at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.

Suarez’s margin of victory was .596 seconds on the short track built on the backstretch of Daytona International Speedway, as the Monterrey, Mexico native claimed his third victory in 32 NKNPS starts. He is a member of NASCAR’s Next program that spotlights young talent in the sport. He was the championship runner-up in the NASCAR Mexico Toyota Series last season after finishing the 2012 campaign in third place.

Coby won the Modified main event

“I have no words to explain how I feel right now,” said Suarez.  “This is a dream.”

Austin Hill finished second while Brandon McReynolds, son of two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief Larry McReynolds, battled from 16^th position to earn the third slot. Last year’s winner, Cameron Hayley finished 14th.

In the Whelen Modified Tour event, Coby made patience pay off, running among the top five all night and trailing defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ryan Preece for much of the race. Preece led 145 of the 150-lap feature event, but Dave Sapienza’s lapped car made contact with the left rear of Preece’s machine, badly bending its left-rear wheel.  Coby took advantage after contact on the ensuing restart, taking the lead and claiming the checkered flag victory by a margin of .322 seconds.

Jason Myers finished second, while Luke Fleming took the third-place finish.  Preece, who started on the pole, hung on to finish fourth with Burt Myers rounding out the top five.

“You cross your fingers that the guy behind you will try something, but not wreck you,” said Coby.  “I just got lucky, that’s how it ended.”

Coby’s win is the second Battle At The Beach victory for his team. Steve Park won the inaugural race at Daytona last year. The 2012 NWMT champion started the race in the fifth position.  

MRN, AARP, Quicken Loans Send Winner to Daytona 500‏

Dozens of racing teams have descended on Daytona International Speedway for the start of NASCAR’s 66^th season.  And this year, they’ll be joined by Janel Wente of Cypress, Texas.

Wente is the Grand Prize winner in the “MRN Free Pass Presented by Drive to End Hunger & Quicken Loans!” Sweepstakes.  In 2013, Motor Racing Network – “The Voice of NASCAR” – teamed with AARP Foundation, as part of the Drive to End Hunger initiative, and Detroit-based mortgage lender Quicken Loans for the season-long promotion.

As the top prize winner, Wente is getting a “free pass” from her mortgage payments for an entire year from Quicken Loans.

“Quicken Loans can’t wait to give Janel an entire year’s vacation from mortgage payments,” said Jay Farner, president and chief marketing officer for Quicken Loans.  “We always look for impactful ways to interact with racing fans and we hope that this prize will help Janel make 2014 a year to remember.”

In addition, Wente will receive $5,000 in groceries – with a matching donation to the regional food bank of her choice.  She’s selected the Houston Food Bank.  Wente’s hometown of Cypress is located about 30 miles northwest of Houston.

“They are well-respected in the community and fed over 900,000 people last year,” she said.  “I know this donation will be greatly appreciated.”

Wente also has been awarded an all-expenses-paid trip for two to this year’s Daytona 500.  The 56^th running of “The Great American Race” is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23, with live coverage on the Motor Racing Network starting at 12 p.m. (EST).

In addition to Wente being awarded the Grand Prize, monthly winners during the promotion were selected to receive $500 in grocery money.

“As ‘The Voice of NASCAR,’ Motor Racing Network proudly joined Drive to End Hunger and Quicken Loans for this program,” said MRN President and Executive Producer David Hyatt.  “Fans are the backbone of our business, and we’re honored to have Janel and her guest joining us for the Daytona 500 to kick off another season.”

COMMENTARY: The Day Everything Changed

Thirteen years ago today, everything changed.

On a sunny afternoon in Daytona Beach, Florida, NASCAR’s brightest star was extinguished when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. crashed to his death on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

Earnhardt’s passing was an unprecedented event in American sports; the equivalent of Michael Jordan landing on his head after a failed dunk and dying on the court during Game Seven of the NBA Finals. It shocked NASCAR Nation – and the nation as a whole – reminding us once again of the one undeniable truth of our sport. As long as men and women strap themselves into 3,000-pound objects at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour, horrible things can – and will -- happen.

At the time of his death, Earnhardt enjoyed an incredible degree of popularity. He was a hero of the common man, more comfortable atop a bulldozer than in a corporate boardroom. He was not, however, universally beloved. Like Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip before him, he won too often to command that kind of unadulterated adoration.

That has changed in the last 13 years. Today, it’s hard to find anyone who admits being an Earnhardt hater, or booing him from the grandstands at Bristol Motor Speedway the night he put the bumper to Terry Labonte.

It’s like all those hand-lettered “Anybody But Earnhardt” signs never existed.

Earnhardt’s “Intimidator” persona – with compulsory shades and black hat -- was cunningly crafted, and richly deserved. Early in his career, he was decidedly rough around the edges, elbowing his way toward the front of the pack in cars that were often not up to the task. Some of us go back far enough to remember him pulling into Martinsville Speedway each spring; a greasy shirted, long-haired back marker wheeling a ragtag Late Model Sportsman equally devoid of sponsorship and speed.

Back then, it was impossible to imagine that this was a man who would change the sport one day. But change it, he did.

He eventually fought his way to the Winston Cup Series, wheeling a series of underfinanced entries for a string of what were then called “independent” owners. After a season littered with crashes and blown engines at the wheel of Richard Childress’ #3 Chevy, Childress suggested that Earnhardt vacate the seat and drive for rival car owner Bud Moore.

“We’re not ready for you yet,” explained Childress, a statement that translated roughly to “we can’t afford you.”

A year later, however, Earnhardt returned. Childress’ team had raised the competitive bar, and Earnhardt was a better driver, as well. Together, they forged a partnership that produced six NASCAR Winston Cup Series championships and made both men wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.

During the height of their run, Earnhardt set himself apart from the competition. On the track, he was the yardstick by which all others were measured. “If you can run with Earnhardt,” the experts said, “you can run with anyone.” And it was true.

Off the track, he exerted an equally high degree of influence. He was the “go to guy” for media members, confident enough to deliver a scathing opinion or a withering quote, to hell with the consequences. He could walk into the NASCAR trailer unannounced and unsolicited, offering pointed opinions to men named France who were otherwise not subject to unsolicited opinions.

Much has changed since Earnhardt’s ill-fated Chevrolet nosed into the Turn Four wall at Daytona that afternoon in 2001. And happily, some things have changed for the better.

High-tech containment seats have replaced the cobbled-together, no-visible-means-of-support units of Earnhardt’s day. Open-faced helmets have been jettisoned in favor of safer, more protective full-faced models built of carbon fiber and kevlar. NASCAR mandates larger greenhouses and impact-absorbing foam in driver’s doors. More attention is paid to seat belt installation, roll bar padding and cockpit construction. SAFER barriers now cushion the concrete walls that cost Earnhardt – and so many others – their lives.

There are drivers alive today who would not be walking the earth if Earnhardt had lived.

That’s a blunt statement, and little consolation to his family, friends and legions of fans. But Michael McDowell, Elliott Sadler and other will confirm that it’s absolutely true.

God bless you, Dale. And thank you. 

Bestwick Remains With ESPN, Shifts To IndyCar

Allen Bestwick has agreed to a new multi-year deal with ESPN to become lap-by-lap announcer for ABC’s telecasts of the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500, in 2014. The veteran broadcaster also will branch into other sports beginning in 2015.  

Bestwick, who has been part of ESPN’s NASCAR coverage since 2007, will continue as the anchor for the network’s NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series telecasts in 2014, the final year of ESPN’s contract to televise live NASCAR racing. 

In 2015, in addition to IndyCar Series racing, Bestwick also will call play-by-play on college football telecasts for ESPN, a variety of collegiate sports on the upcoming SEC Network, and on ESPN interactive television productions of golf and tennis. 

“Allen Bestwick has been a valuable contributor to our NASCAR coverage the past seven years and we’re delighted that he will be bringing his versatility and talents to our IndyCar telecasts as well as other sports for years to come,” said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production.

Though closely associated with motorsports for most of his 27 years in broadcasting, Bestwick also has called football, track and field and hockey, among other sports, during his career. He worked a college football game for ESPN in November.  

“I love sports – all sports,” Bestwick said. “This is a tremendous opportunity to call the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, a childhood dream come true, and some other sports that I enjoy as well. And we still have two NASCAR champions to crown on ESPN in 2014. I’m thrilled to be going into the future with ESPN.” 

Bestwick started broadcasting in 1986 covering live NASCAR races as a turn announcer for MRN Radio. He worked for MRN for nearly 15 years, including as the play-by-play announcer from 1988-2000 and host of the network’s daily news program.

Bestwick, who also worked briefly in New York for ABC Radio, made his television debut in 1995 on the original NASCAR Today program on ESPN and joined the SPEED Channel in 1996 as the host of Inside NEXTEL Cup Racing, a post he held for 10 years. He started pit reporting for TBS and TNT in 1997. While continuing to work in radio, Bestwick joined NBC in 1999, covering NASCAR races as well as American Le Mans Series races, arena football and track and field events. He was part of NBC and TNT’s NASCAR coverage from 2001-2006, both as a pit reporter and lead announcer.   

Bestwick has been the anchor for ESPN’s NASCAR coverage since July of 2011. He previously was host of the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program from mid-2007 through mid-2011 while also calling selected races from the booth, and was a pit reporter for part of the 2007 season.  

ESPN’s NASCAR coverage for 2013 begins with the NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 22, with telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races beginning July 27 at Indianapolis.  

On May 25, ABC will televise the Indianapolis 500 for the 50^th consecutive year. The network also will televise four other IndyCar Series races as well as Indianapolis 500 qualifications. Coverage begins with the March 30 season opener in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Sirius XM Announces Daytona 500 Lineup, Programming

SiriusXM, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, will offer listeners comprehensive coverage of the 56^th running of the Daytona 500, with the live race broadcast, multiple channels carrying in-car audio from some of the sport’s top drivers, and daily coverage from Daytona International Speedway on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

On Daytona 500 race day, Sunday, February 23, SiriusXM will begin broadcasting live at 7:00 am ET and will offer listeners a full day of live coverage from the speedway. Subscribers will have access to all the action on the track during The Great American Race, which starts at 1:00 pm ET, plus full pre- and post-race coverage with expert analysis, reports from pit road and the garages, driver introductions and interviews with the winner and other drivers.  

SiriusXM will also offer additional Driver2Crew Chatter^TM channels that will carry the in-car audio of several drivers as they compete in the Daytona 500. Drivers featured will include reigning six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2012 champion Brad Keselowski, plus Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, and Coors Light Pole Award winner Austin Dillon, who will be running the #3 car for the first time in Cup series competition since that number was last driven by Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 2001.

Programming on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90 – including race broadcasts – is available to Sirius subscribers, XM Premier and SiriusXM Premier subscribers and is also simulcast online at SiriusXM.com and on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App. 

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also provide live coverage of the UNOH Battle at the Beach, the non-points race featuring drivers from the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, tonight, Feb. 18 (6:45 pm ET), the Budweiser Duel at Daytona, the 150-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying races, on Thursday, Feb. 20 (6:00 pm ET), the NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series race on Friday, Feb. 21 (7:00 pm ET), and the Drive4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, Feb. 22 (12:45 pm ET). 

Throughout this week fans will get up-to-the-moment news, analysis and interviews with drivers, owners and crew members on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, which will broadcast live from Daytona every day. The channel’s daily talk lineup begins at 7:00 am ET and features a roster of expert hosts that includes Hall of Famer Buddy Baker, Danny “Chocolate” Myers, Claire B. Lang, Dave Moody, Mike Bagley, Pete Pistone, Pat Patterson, Jim Noble, Angie Skinner, Brad Gillie and Lee Spencer. 

On Monday, Feb. 24, on The Morning Drive, hosts Bagley and Pistone will be joined live by the 2014 Daytona 500 champion driver, crew chief and team owner. 

As the Official Satellite Radio Partner of NASCAR, SiriusXM broadcasts every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race live. For more info on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio please visit www.siriusxm.com/nascar.

COMMENTARY: The Sad, Strange Life Of The NASCAR Conspiracy Theorist

What a sad, strange existence these NASCAR conspiracy theorists lead.

No sooner had Austin Dillon captured the pole for Sunday’s Daytona 500 than the Black Helicopter pilots began to circulate. Rather than allowing Dillon and his Richard Childress Racing teammates to bask in the glow of their much-deserved accomplishment, a small but determined band of cuckoo birds chose to shed their aluminum-foil hats long enough to declare the accomplishment too good to be true.

Dillon, of course, is the driver chosen by team owner Richard Childress to return RCR’s legendary No. 3 Chevrolet to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, 13 years after it was last driven by the late-great Dale Earnhardt. The return of the No. 3 to Daytona has understandably generated a good deal of attention. Unfortunately, it has also provided the Zombie Apocalypse cult members with a reason to fabricate their latest NASCAR fairy tale.

While facts are generally unwelcome in a discussion of this sort, we’ll attempt to interject a few, just for the fun of it.

FACT: Dillon is not your run-of-the-mill rookie. He is the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and claimed the NASCAR Nationwide Series title a year ago. He is also a former Rookie of the Year on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (2008), Camping World Truck Series (2010) and Nationwide Series (2012). After claiming the pole Sunday, Dillon jumped into a DIRTcar UMP Modified at Volusia Speedway Park in Barnerville, Fla. and won the feature there. Bottom line? The kid’s got talent.

FACT: Dillon is not the first rookie to win a Daytona 500 pole. In fact, he is the second freshman campaigner to grab the top spot in as many years. He joins Loy Allen Jr. (1994), Mike Skinner (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2002) and Danica Patrick (2013) as rookie Daytona 500 pole winners.

FACT: Most of the Sasquatch spotters touting a Dillon/NASCAR conspiracy said the exact same thing a year ago about Patrick.

FACT: Dillon had plenty of familiar company at the front of the pack yesterday. He and his RCR teammates captured three of the Top-10 spots in qualifying Sunday, with Ryan Newman fifth and Paul Menard 10^th.

FACT: Outside pole sitter Martin Truex, Jr., was among the fastest drivers in Daytona 500 practice, despite not taking part in preseason testing and logging only two laps on the 2-5-mile superspeedway prior to qualifying. Truex drives for Furniture Row racing, which utilizes chassis from RCR and engines from Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines.

FACT: Dillon, Newman, Menard and Truex were all at (or near) the top of the charts in practice all this week. Anyone surprised by their performance Sunday was clearly not paying attention.

If they take time off from their unwanted alien orifice probes and do a little independent thinking, the conspiracy buffs may realize that a scam of this type would be impossible to keep secret. In order for Dillon (or any other driver) to be handed an illicit Daytona 500 pole, every other team in the garage would need to be in on the plan. And without a lifelong vow of silence by every driver, crew chief, team member and NASCAR official in the sport, such a secret could never be kept.

As Michael Waltrip can surely attest, it’s impossible to keep a secret in NASCAR, even for a moment.

Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush and Roger Penske would never lie down for RCR in this manner; not for all the money in the world. And even if they did, it would only be a matter of time until they demanded their own clandestine piece of the pie.

Once that particular Pandora’s Box is opened, the sport is as good as dead. Brian France knows it, Mike Helton knows it and you know it too.

It’s a ludicrous, loony and unfair assertion, fatally flawed in premise and lacking in both motive and opportunity. So while the conspiracy buffs convene on their Grassy Knoll amid allegations of impropriety, skullduggery and intrigue, the rest of – the thinking majority – will count the minutes until they’re back on track once again at the World Center Of Racing.

Chevrolet Says Battery Pack Caused Pace Car Fire

Chevrolet has issued a statement in the aftermath of last night's Pace Car fire at Daytona International Speedway.

“During the closing laps of the NASCAR Sprint Unlimited race, the pace car experienced a fire in the trunk area, which contains a purpose-built auxiliary electrical kit to operate the numerous caution lights during the race,” said the written statement. “The pace car driver and passenger safely exited the vehicle. An assessment is underway.”

The incident occurred prior to the final 20-lap segment of the race, as the Pace Car led the field toward the DIS Superstretch. Smoke and flames began billowing from the right-rear trunk area of the car, and driver Brett Bodine – himself a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver – immediately pulled the car off the track and to the attention of nearby fire crews.

The blaze was quickly extinguished with only minor damage to the car.

"You think you've seen it all, and then you see that,” said driver Brad Keselowski afterward. "I saw the whole back half of the car was on fire. I thought it was a race car. Someone said it was the pace car and I couldn't help but start laughing. We've seen (fallen) wires, we've seen jet dryers, I don't even know what to expect for the 500. It's just never-ending.”

NASCAR quickly rolled out a new Pace Car, and the event resumed with only a momentary delay. Bodine and his passenger NASCAR official Buster Auton, were uninjured.

Actor Chris Evans Named Grand Marshall For Daytona 500

Chris Evans, star of Marvel’s latest Super Hero adventure “Captain America: The Winter Solider,” scheduled for release on April 4, will serve as Grand Marshal for the 56^th annual DAYTONA 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 23, at Daytona International Speedway.

As Grand Marshal, Evans will deliver the four most famous words in motorsports;“Drivers, start your engines.” In addition to the command, he will be introduced at the driver’s meeting, participate in pre-race ceremonies and ride in one of the Grand Marshal cars during the pace laps prior to the green flag of the historic 200-lap, 500-mile race.

“What better way to kick-off ‘The Great American Race’ than with Captain America, Chris Evans, giving the command to start engines,” said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. “We look forward to having him be a part of our pre-race ceremonies in front of more than a hundred thousand race fans in attendance and millions more watching on FOX as we launch the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.”

Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Solider,” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, finds Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans), living quietly in Washington, D.C. following the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America teams up with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and enlists the help of a new ally, Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan).

Predecessors to Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Solider” are “Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011) and “Marvel’s The Avengers” (2012), in which Evans portrayed Captain America as well.

Evans is also set to star in “Snowpiercer,” which opened as the #1 film in Korea and will be released later this year in the U.S. Additionally, Evans recently wrapped production on his directorial debut “1:30 Train,” in which he also stars.

Evans joins the remarkable list of previous DAYTONA 500 Grand Marshals including John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Nicolas Cage, Kate Upton, Jane Lynch, Matthew McConaughey and James Franco.

For more information on tickets for the 56th annual DAYTONA 500 and Sprint FANZONE/Pre-Race access, race fans can go online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

Good News, Bad News For Stewart At Daytona

Twenty four hours ago, Tony Stewart was feeling better than he has in months. Today, that enthusiasm is tempered by an engine issue that sent his Bass Pro Shops/Mobil One Chevrolet to the garage, trailing hour from its header pipes.

Stewart was the second of three Hendrick Engines customers to experience a catastrophic failure in this afternoon’s Sprint Cup Series practice, joining teammate Danica Patrick and Phoenix Racing driver Bobby Labonte. Prior to the blow-up, however, the two-time Sprint Cup Series champion was all smiles.

"I have zero percent pain in the car,” said Stewart following Friday night practice for the Sprint Unlimited. “That was nice. We’ll see what it feels like at 9 o’clock tonight, but so far, so good. (It’s) better than I was hoping for."

Asking if his forced layoff from racing was more troublesome than the badly broken leg suffered in an Aug. 5 Sprint Car crash, Stewart said, “No, I don't think so. The pain was the worst part of it, for sure. That's a level of pain I've never had before. You would think that having the ability to lay in bed, you get comfortable. But I've never spent so much time lying in bed feeling uncomfortable in my life. 

“I'm actually more comfortable sitting in a car than I am lying in bed at the end of the day. Sitting in the race car the last couple weeks getting everything done, it feels even more comfortable than a street car.  If we could figure out how to take the seat and pedals out of the car and lay it back 40 degrees, I could sleep like a baby for the first time in a long time.” 

Stewart said that even before his pain-free run yesterday, there were no plans to have a backup driver on hand to assist him.

“We're not going to need a backup driver,” he said. “I feel good enough that I'm confident we're not going to have to worry about (it).  Everybody at our shop, especially the guy that does the interior on our car, has worked really close together. We've tried to think of absolutely anything that could be a problem. (There’s nothing) that's going to take us out of the race car. It's just a matter of making everything as comfortable as possible. 

To that end, Stewart said teammate Kevin Harvick personally added a new piece of safety equipment to the No. 14 Chevrolet prior to Speedweeks.

“(He) didn't even ask me,” revealed Stewart. “He just went and ordered (it). He runs those knee knockers on the steering column, and he was like, `You're running this.’ He didn't leave it as an option. I showed up (and) it was on my car.  You're running this.  (It) shows what kind of teammates I have and what friends I have. 

“Getting in and out of the car wasn't as big a drama as I thought,” he said. “That's what my initial concern was when he told me he was putting (the knee knocker) in there. But we've been to the shop and worked on getting in and out.  It's pretty fluid now. I don't know how we could be more prepared than what we are right now. (In a) perfect scenario, everything would be healed 100% and we wouldn't be talking about it. The bone is about 65% healed right now, but as far as muscles and everything, the strength is coming much quicker than I thought it was going to be.”

Stewart said it will be “probably about another year” before he is 100% healed.

“We're about 65% right now,” he said. “There are so many gaps in the bone. A hairline fracture doesn’t have far to grow (to heal), but when you have pieces missing, it's got to regenerate that bone. When that (bad) weather came through last night, I knew it an hour before it got here. (My leg is) a barometer. I've had trouble with migraines before, (so now) I have a primary and backup system to tell you what the weather is going to do. I could have predicted within an hour when it was going to snow in Charlotte. 

“With the titanium rod in there, I have the strength I need.  But the actual physical healing is going to take a little longer.”

Truex Determined To Bounce Back With Furniture Row

The 2013 season was a difficult one for Martin Truex, Jr.

Driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, Truex won on the road course at Sonoma and appeared to have qualified for the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, before allegations of race manipulation in the regular-season finale at Richmond prompted NASCAR to remove him from the title hunt as part of an organization-wide MWR penalty.

Sponsor NAPA Auto Parts bolted at season’s end and Truex found himself out of a ride, less than three months before the start of the 2014 campaign. Fortunately, he was able to find a new position with Furniture Row Racing, which qualified for the Chase a year ago with Kurt Busch at the wheel.

Now, Truex is focused firmly on the future, determined to bounce back from a season he will remember with little fondness.

“Racing is a tough sport,” said Truex to reporters this week. “There are going to be a lot of ups and downs… and most likely a lot more downs than ups. This is a tough business and you are racing against 42 guys every weekend. You don’t win 50% of the time (like in other sports). If you win one percent of the time at this level, it’s pretty damn good.  It’s difficult and it takes a toll on your mentality.  You have to be strong-willed, know what you stand for and know why you are doing what you are doing.

“Last year was tough for me, he said, “but I feel like we moved on from it pretty quick and things are still going pretty good for me. I am obviously very appreciative of this opportunity (With FRR) and very fortunate that I was able to land in the great position I am in right now. Honestly, I am blessed to be here and looking forward to the opportunity.

“Going to a new team is always something that you’re nervous about,” he admitted. “But then, as you start to know the team, do some testing (and) go through all the things getting prepared for the new season, it starts to become really exciting.  There’s a lot of anticipation… looking forward to the start of the season and trying to see where you stack up, what kind of things you’re going to need to work on to get better at and all that. It’s been a really good experience so far.”

Truex made a number of trips to Colorado during the offseason and was “really impressed with the things they have, the stuff they’re doing and the things they are working on. Some of the stuff they did last year was really impressive. (I’m) looking forward to hopefully taking that team to the next level, going to Victory Lane and going back to the Chase again.”

In fact, the Long Island native said the timing was perfect for him to join a new team.

“If you ever had to pick a time to switch teams, you would want to do it when there were big rules changes, so you start off on an even playing field with everyone. We’re going to have to learn a lot of things about this race car with the new setups with the ride height changes and things, (and it’s) definitely a good time to be starting with a new group.

“It’s obviously a single car team, but they have the RCR (technical alliance) and that teammate mentality,” he said. “If we are off or struggling with (something), we can go to them for help. It’s got the benefits of a single car team, where we can move fast and make changes quick, build our own parts and not have to wait to get them finished to put on the car. But at the same time, if we get out in left field, we have that catch fence to help us with RCR.  

“There are benefits to being a single-car deal, and we will just have to see how it goes.  It is going to be different for me because I have not been in a situation like this before, so it’s going to be interesting and it’s going to be a lot of fun.  It’s going to be a new challenge and I always look forward to those.”

Truex revealed that there have been no major challenges in his transition to FRR, just “a lot of the little things.

“How do you like your seat? How do you like your shifter? How do you like your brake pedal to feel? What kind of steering box do you like at certain tracks? There are so many little things that you take for granted when you are with the same team for four or five years. You go through those things the first year, then forget all about them.

“You forget that other teams do things differently,” he said. “Going through all those little things that I like a certain way has probably been the biggest challenge. I’m sure there’s going to be other things that come up along the way that we’re going to have to figure out together. It takes a little bit of time to figure it all out

Truex said it won’t take long to determine where he and Furniture Row Racing stand, compared to the competition this season.

“I think by California, you really get a feel for where you stand,” he said. “We go to Vegas, which is a mile and a half, but it’s very bumpy. It’s a little bit different (and) it’s got newer asphalt. Then we go to California, which is an old, worn-out type of asphalt. (It’s a) really slick race track where you need a lot of downforce. We go to Bristol – a short track with high banks -- and a superspeedway here at Daytona. So there’s a good mix of tracks.

“I think pretty early in the season, we’ll kind of know the things that we’re going to need to work on. It doesn’t take long.”

Roush Fenway Racing Celebrates Daytona Anniversary

For the rest of the world, Feb. 14^th is Valentines Day. But for Jack Roush and his Roush Fenway Racing team, today marks the anniversary of their first foray into the world of NASCAR.

On Feb. 14, 1988 – 27 years ago today – Roush ran his first race at the highest level of stock car racing; and a day that served as the launching pad for one of the most successful organizations in professional sports history. Competing with a backup car not designed for superspeedway racing, Roush and his newly formed team completed just 19 laps before overheating and finishing 41st in the Daytona 500. Humble beginnings indeed for a team which went on to record a NASCAR record 315 wins and championships in all three of the sanctioning body’s national series.

Ronald Ragan was President of the United States back in 1988. A gallon of gasoline cost 96 cents, the average price of a car was just over $14,000, a loaf of bread would run you 61 cents and Roush was taking the first faltering steps toward becoming the winningest team owner in NASCAR history.  

“We wrecked our car in the twin qualifying race and had to run a car that was built for a smaller track,” recalled Roush of that day. “We went with what we had and of course did not yield the results we would have liked for your intro to NASCAR that day.” 

“We made the race on time,” said driver Mark Martin, who piloted the No. 6 Stroh’s Ford Thunderbird in Roush Fenway’s inaugural season and held the ride for the next 19 seasons. “Then we got wrecked in the Twin-125’s and we didn’t have a backup speedway car, so we used the Atlanta car for the race. We didn’t last 20 laps.” 

Those results quickly improved however, with Roush and Martin winning a pole and earning 10 Top-10 finishes that season. The next year, Roush Fenway won six poles, earned 19 Top-10 finishes and its first win, breaking into the win column at Rockingham in the fall. Roush Fenway went on to earn its first NASCAR championship in 2000 and its first Cup championship in 2003.

RFR earned its historic 300^th NASCAR victory in the 2012 Daytona 500; the same event in which their car had survived just 19 laps a quarter of a century earlier.  

Today, Roush’s teams have competed in 5,115 NASCAR races, holding the record for most NASCAR wins, most NASCAR wins in the Nationwide Series and most NASCAR wins in the Truck Series. The team will look for its third Daytona 500 win this season. 

Larry King Named Co-Grand Marshall Of Sprint Unlimited

Legendary television and radio journalist Larry King will serve as co-Grand Marshal of The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, Feb. 15 while his wife, singer Shawn King, will perform the National Anthem.

Shawn King will sing the National Anthem just prior to her husband Larry King’s starting command, “Drivers, start your engines,” which will be delivered alongside two race fans that will be selected earlier in day to serve as Co-Grand Marshals.

“We are excited to welcome Larry and Shawn King to the ‘World Center of Racing’ to participate in the pre-race ceremonies for The Sprint Unlimited,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “Larry is an iconic newsman and we’re looking forward to his command alongside two race fans. We are also delighted to have his wife Shawn King deliver a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.”

The Co-Grand Marshals that will give the starting command alongside Larry King are part of the 1,000+ prizes that will be awarded to race fans on property throughout Budweiser Speedweeks. Fans can register at the DAYTONA Reward Stations powered by Windows located in Sprint FANZONE, the Midway outside Turn 4 and in front of the Daytona International Speedway Ticket and Tours Building.  Fans can also pre-register online at www.DISRewards.com prior to arriving at the track.

King, who started his radio career in Florida, has been a household name for decades with his nightly coast-to-coast talk show “The Larry King Show” and his international TV call-in show “Larry King Live.” He is also known for his voice work for animated films such as “Shrek 2,” “Shrek the Third” and “Bee Movie.” Additionally, King has written several popular books including “How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” and his candid, tell-all book “Truth Be Told.”

Shawn King grew up in the entertainment business, starting her singing and acting career at the age of 3. Since then she has guest starred in many films and primetime television shows, co-hosted “The Spectacular World of Guinness Records” and hosted the weekly entertainment news show “Hollywood Insider.” In September 2005, she released a country album titled “In My Own Backyard.”

For more information on tickets for The Sprint Unlimited on Saturday as well as the 56th annual DAYTONA 500, race fans can go online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

COMMENTARY: Statement Needed From NASCAR In Second "UNOH Battle at the Beach"

Larson set a standard last year

NASCAR’s finest short track stars are set to converge on Daytona International Speedway Tuesday night for the Second Annual “UNOH Battle at the Beach.”

Hopefully, this year’s version will be different than the first.

One year ago, in front of a nationwide television audience, the inaugural “UNOH Battle At The Beach” began with a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series duel between Kyle Larson and C.E. Falk that saw Larson wreck leader Falk coming off the final turn. At most short tracks across the country, Larson’s jack`em up tactics would have warranted an immediate black flag. NASCAR allowed the finish to stand, however, setting a precedent that would haunt them for the remainder of the two-night event.

The following night, both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR K&N Pro Series events were afflicted with similarly violent finishes. Cameron Hayley picked up the K&N Pro Series checkers after Gray Gaulding harpooned Michael Self out of the lead on the final lap, then drifted up the race track, opening the door for Hayley. The Modified race went to veteran Steve Park, but only after leader Mike Stefanik spun on the final lap courtesy of contact with both Park and eventual second-place finisher Eric Goodale.

Stefanik was not amused...

After allowing Larson’s dump job to stand on Monday night, NASCAR had no choice but to rubber-stamp similar results on Tuesday, making Self and Stefanik little more than ducks in a 600-horsepower shooting gallery. An event designed to showcase the best of American short track racing instead became a display of Neanderthal knuckle-busting at its lowest, least skillful level.

Hopefully, NASCAR now realizes the error of its ways.

A newly designed race course has been mapped-out on the backstretch at Daytona International Speedway, with shorter straightaways and wider, more sweeping turns. The new layout should allow drivers to take a more conservative approach to Tuesday evening’s events, rather than resorting to the “stab and steer” tactics of a season ago.

NASCAR will also have an opportunity to turn thumbs-down on rough riding in this year’s event, warning competitors in pre-race driver’s meetings that overzealous use of front bumpers – on the final lap, or at any other time – will result in an immediate black flag, a trip to the back of the pack, or even disqualification from the event.

NASCAR cannot afford to swallow the whistle again Tuesday night. Competitors and fans alike deserve better.