NASCAR National Series News & Notes — Daytona
MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
He’s Back. Dale Jr. Set To Return At Daytona
After missing the final 18 races of the 2016 season Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to his No. 88 Chevrolet for Sunday’s 59th running of the DAYTONA 500 (2 p.m. ET on FOX).
Earnhardt, a two-time DAYTONA 500 winner, qualified second for Sunday’s race, a mere .002 seconds behind Chase Elliott. In 34 total starts at “The Birthplace of Speed,” he has four wins, 13 top fives and 19 top 10s.
Sunday’s race marks the sixth time an Earnhardt will follow a pole-winning Elliott on the starting grid. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt (Dale Jr.’s father) started second to fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (Chase’s father) in five Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, the last in 1995 at Phoenix.
Earnhardt leads active drivers with four runner-up finishes in the DAYTONA 500.
Hamlin Hopes For DAYTONA 500 Repeat
Denny Hamlin provided one of the most dramatic victories in the history of the DAYTONA 500 last season when he passed Martin Truex Jr. to take the checkered flag by the race’s closest-ever margin of victory (.010 seconds).
The No. 11 Toyota driver will attempt to become only the third driver to win back-to-back DAYTONA 500s: Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84) and Sterling Martin (1994-95).
Chasing History: Jimmie Johnson Launches Drive For Eighth Title
Jimmie Johnson joined two titans of stock car racing last season when he tied NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with his seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Now, he’ll try to pass them as he goes for his eighth title.
The 41-year-old Californian has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s won at least four races for the last five seasons and multiple races in all 15 of his full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaigns.
For his career, he boasts 80 wins, 218 top-five and 330 top-10 finishes.
Past Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champions Chase First DAYTONA 500 Win
Last season, three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart retired with every title you could think of – except DAYTONA 500 winner.
This year, three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champions will attempt to win their first DAYTONA 500s – Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch.
Despite not having a win in the 500, Busch leads active drivers with a 95.9 driver rating at Daytona International Speedway and claims one win, seven top fives and eight top 10s in 23 starts there.
Keselowski won last year’s July race at Daytona. In 15 starts at the 2.5-mile track, he has one win, three top fives and four top 10s.
Kurt Busch boasts the fourth-best driver rating among active competitors at Daytona (89.9), but has never won at the Florida track. He’s posted 12 top fives, 10 top 10s and a 17.0 average finish in 31 starts there.
Stacked Sunoco Rookie Class Sets Sights On Daytona
In 2016, Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher both made NASCAR’s playoffs as rookie drivers. They joined Denny Hamlin as the only rookies to achieve the feat.
This season’s Sunoco Rookie class, consisting of Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Ty Dillon is set to make some waves as well.
Jones, 20, has won 13 national series races. He led the NASCAR XFINITY Series with four wins last season. The Michigan native has made three Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts (all as a sub in 2015) with a high finish of 12th at Texas.
Suarez, 25, captured the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship last season and won four national series races. He turned his performance up with no finish worse than fifth in the playoffs, including a win in the Championship 4 Round race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Sunday marks his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.
Dillon, 25, claims four NASCAR national series wins. He has made 18 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts in the last three years and has a high finish of 14th (2014 at Michigan). Dillon has competed in the last two DAYTONA 500s, finishing 28th in 2015 and 25th in 2016.
Elliott Takes Coors Light Pole For DAYTONA 500
Chase Elliott will lead the field to green in Sunday’s 59th running of the DAYTONA 500 after pacing Sunday’s qualifying with a fast lap at 192.872 MPH (46.663). It marks the second consecutive season Elliott will start from the pole in The Great American Race.
Chase and Bill Elliott are the fourth father-son duo to win the Daytona 500 pole, joining Richard and Kyle Petty, Bobby and Davey Allison, and Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Elliotts are the first father-son duo to win consecutive Daytona 500 poles.
The pole win was the third straight Daytona 500 pole for Elliott’s crew chief Alan Gustafson (Jeff Gordon, 2015; Elliott 2016-17), tying the record set by Chase’s uncle, Ernie Elliott (1985-87).
The DAYTONA 500 has been won from the pole nine times, last by Dale Jarrett in 2000. Bill Elliott won the race from the pole twice (1985, 87).
Can-Am Duels Set For Thursday
The drivers of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will take to the track at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night for the Can-Am Duels. The Duels will determine who starts in the third through 40th positions in Sunday’sDAYTONA 500.
Thirty-eight teams are locked into the DAYTONA 500 (36 via charter and the two fastest open teams from Sunday’squalifying – Elliott Sadler and Brendan Gaughan). The highest finisher in each Duel among the Open teams will make the Daytona 500. The other Open teams will be driven by Reed Sorenson, Corey LaJoie (both in Duel 1), and Timmy Hill or DJ Kennington (in Duel 2).
The highest finishers other than Chase Elliott (pole winner) in Duel 1 will fill the third through 39th starting spots on Sunday, while the highest finishers in Duel 2 other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. will line up in the fourth through 40th positionson Sunday.
Logano Wins The Clash
Joey Logano took the lead on the final lap and held on to win The Clash at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
He’ll attempt to match Denny Hamlin, who won both The Clash and the DAYTONA 500 last year. The other drivers who have won both races in the same season: Jeff Gordon (1997), Dale Jarrett (1996, 2000), Bill Elliott (1987) and Bobby Allison (1982).
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES
New Batch Of Sunoco Rookies Keep Veterans on Toes
There’s a new crop of drivers looking to make their names during the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series season. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year class includes William Byron, Cole Custer, Spencer Gallagher, Daniel Hemric and Matt Tifft.
William Byron – No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro – is the pre-season favorite to win the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year award purely based on how successful he was in his rookie campaign last season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Charlotte, North Carolina native, finished last season in the trucks with a series-rookie record seven wins driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports. This season, the JR Motorsports young gun will be looking to build on his recent success, and he will do that with the guidance of crew chief David Elenz. This weekend at Daytona the 19-year-old Byron will be making his series debut.
Cole Custer – No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang – Almost everything is new at Stewart-Haas Racing this season – the announcement of moving to Ford from Chevrolet, and the creation of a NASCAR XFINITY Series team that will field one of the sport’s budding talents, Cole Custer. Custer, the Ladera Ranch, California native, will be teamed with crew chief Jeff Meendering in 2017. Custer made five series starts last season for JR Motorsports with four different crew chiefs. In spite of the crew chief rotation, he was able to post one top five and two top 10s. The 19-year old Custer will be making his NASCAR XFINITY Series track debut at Daytona this weekend.
Spencer Gallagher – No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet Camaro – is leading the charge of expanding his family-owned organization, GMS Racing, and with that comes the newly formed NASCAR XFINITY Series No. 23 team. Gallagher, who calls Las Vegas, Nevada home, finished the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season 12th in points after posting eight top 10s. Now Gallagher has turned his focus to the NASCAR XFINITY Series and will be working with crew chief Joey Cohen. The duo started seven NXS races last season, posting one top-10 finish. The 27-year-old’s top 10 just happened to come at Daytona International Speedway last July where he started 27th and raced his way up to an eighth-place finish.
Daniel Hemric – No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro – made the announcement last season that he would be jumping to the NASCAR XFINITY Series and joining Richard Childress Racing in 2017. Hemric is coming off a solid season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he made the playoffs and finished sixth in the final standings driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. The 26-year-old from Kannapolis, North Carolina will be working with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr. who led Austin Dillon to rookie of the year honors and a series title (2013). This weekend at Daytona will be Hemric’s NASCAR XFINITY Series debut.
Matt Tifft – No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – returns to the NASCAR XFINITY Series after being sidelined due to health issues last season. Tifft ultimately recovered and returned to racing, competing in the final six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races for Red Horse Racing, posting two top 10s during that span. This season, Tifft is looking to showcase his talent and bring the Rookie of the Year honors to JGR for the third consecutive season (Daniel Suarez, 2015; Erik Jones, 2016). Tifft has made 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series starts, logging one top five and six top 10s. He has made two restrictor-plate starts; finishing 23rd at Daytona and eighth from the pole at Talladega.
Annett, Reddick Looking To Make A Splash In Florida
Two drivers joining the NASCAR XFINITY Series garage this season are Michael Annett and Tyler Reddick, and what better way to start off the season then at Daytona.
Former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael Annett signed with JR Motorsports over the offseason and will be driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro with crew chief Jason Stockert in the NXS in 2017. Annett is no stranger to the series having made 163 starts over six years from 2008-2013, posting seven top fives and 34 top 10s. His career best in the series final standings came in 2012 when he finished fifth.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standout Tyler Reddick has leaped to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2017 and will drive for Chip Ganassi Racing. Reddick has competed in the NCWTS for the last four years, amassing three wins, 25 top fives and 40 top 10s. Reddick will be running a part-time schedule this season sharing the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet Camaro with Kyle Larson and Justin Marks.
NASCAR XFINITY Series Etc.:
Joe Gibbs Racing Goes For Six – After capturing its fifth NASCAR XFINITY Series owner title last season (2008, ’09, ’10, ’12 and ’16) the JGR organization immediately turned its attention to number six. This season Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Matt Tifft and Daniel Suarez will contribute to the owner title winning cause. Jones, Tifft and Suarez will be competing this weekend at Daytona. Gibbs has four NASCAR XFINITY Series Daytona wins, but only once in the season opener (Tony Stewart, 2008).
JR Motorsports Looking To Take Back-To-Back Season Openers – Last season in a wild race that saw 32 green flag passes for the lead, former series champion Chase Elliott captured the victory for JR Motorsports. This season, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew is looking to go back-to-back. Not since 2010-2011 (Kevin Harvick Inc. with driver Tony Stewart) has a team burst open the season with back-to-back season opening wins. Michael Annett, Elliott Sadler, Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier will be blazing the JRM nameplate come Saturday.
Star-Studded Lineup Includes Some Monsters – A star-studded lineup of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will pull double duty this weekend, as Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne and Aric Almirola will race in both the PowerShares QQQ 300 and Daytona 500.
Milestones
Starts – Jeff Green will attempt to make his 450th NASCAR XFINITY Series start this weekend at Daytona. Green is ranked fourth all-time on the series starts list behind Kenny Wallace (547), Jason Keller (520) and Mike Wallace (494). This will also be Green’s 24th series start at Daytona; which will tie him with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenny Wallace for the fourth-most series starts at Daytona.
Daytona XFINITY Quick Facts
- Daytona International Speedway has hosted 50 NASCAR XFINITY Series races.
- 26 different drivers have won at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, led by Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart with seven wins each.
- Eight of the 26 series Daytona winners have multiple wins – none are active this weekend.
- Former winners active this weekend (four): Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne, and Ryan Reed – all with one victory
- Race Record – Geoff Bodine (157.137 mph, 2/16/1985)
- 37 different drivers have won the pole, led by Joe Nemechek with five.
- Qualifying Record – Tommy Houston (194.389 mph, 2/14/1987)
- Former pole winners’ active this weekend (eight): J.J. Yeley (2), Austin Dillon (2), Aric Almirola, Dakoda Armstrong, Ty Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez each have one.
- All-time lap leader – Dale Earnhardt Jr., 560 Laps Led
- Single Race Laps Led Record – Joe Nemechek, 105 Laps Led (2/14/1998)
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
Sauter Begins Title Defense At Daytona
Back for his ninth full-time season to defend his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title, Johnny Sauter will attempt to win the NextEra 250 at DAYTONA International Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1) for the second consecutive year.
The No. 21 GMS Racing driver became the first competitor in NCWTS history to clinch an automatic berth in the playoffs when he held off Ryan Truex for the victory at Daytona last year.
Sauter captured the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title on the strength of three wins, 12 top fives and 19 top 10s. He increased his performance at the end of the year finishing first, first, second and third in the final four races.
Matt Crafton (2013-14) is the only driver who’s won back-to-back NCWTS titles.
Bell Ready To Build On Strong Sunoco Rookie Campaign
Following a third-place championship finish in his rookie NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Christopher Bell is back in the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra for another go-around.
“I’m really excited to begin my second full-time season with Kyle Busch Motorsports,” Bell said. “Every track that we will race at this season I’m already going to have experience at, unlike last year where a lot of the tracks I was going to for the first time. I feel like having more experience will be a big help – I know what to expect from all of the tracks and that will allow me to be better prepared for each and every race this season. My goal going into this year is pretty simple and that’s to go out and win more races.”
In 30 career NCWTS starts, Bell owns two wins, 11 top fives and 20 top 10s. He has led more than 300 laps.
Last month, Bell won the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals sprint car event.
Chasing Hornaday: Crafton Goes For Championship No. 3
Matt Crafton will embark on his quest for a third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, beginning withFriday’s NextEraEnergy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Crafton, who finished runner-up in last year’s final standings, has never won at Daytona. He has a best finish of fifth (2010) at the 2.5-mile track.
Crafton trails only Ron Hornaday Jr. (4) and Jack Sprague (3) on the all-time championships list.
Family Affair: Father-Son Nemechek Combo To Race Against Each Other At Daytona
John Hunter Nemechek, 19, and his father Joe Nemechek, 53, will compete in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway. It is the first time they will race against each other in the series.
The last father-son combo to compete in the same NCWTS Race was Dave and Ryan Blaney at Eldora in 2013. The last time a father-son combo competed in a NASCAR national series race at Daytona was 2006 (Bobby Hamilton/Bobby Hamilton Jr.).
John Hunter scored an eighth-place championship finish last season on the strength of two wins, five top fives and 11 tops 10s. He qualified for the first-ever NCWTS playoffs.
Joe Nemechek is a 20-time NASCAR national series winner with four victories in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and 16 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The Naples, Florida, native earned the 1992 NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: DAYTONA 500
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Sunday, February 26
The Time: 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 500 miles (200 laps)
Next Race: Can-Am Duel at Daytona
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Thursday, February 23
The Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 5 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: Duel 1 – 150 miles (60 laps), Duel 2 – 150 miles (60 laps)
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Next Race: PowerShares QQQ 300
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Saturday, February 25
The Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 3 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 300 miles (120 laps)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: NextEra Energy Resources 250
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Friday, February 24
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250 miles (100 laps)
Sources: NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications