Nascar Race Today

Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR/Getty Images It shouldn't be surprising Austin Dillon topped the speed charts at Daytona testing, but it should raise excitement.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Preseason Thunder? Not so dramatic. Mostly just a constant, nagging drizzle wiped out most of the first pre-Daytona 500 testing sessions for Sprint Cup teams on Thursday and Friday. But even with all the leaning on tires, checking Twitter feeds and undergoing mandatory NASCAR drug tests, drivers had plenty of time to make some of the first news of 2014 at Daytona International Speedway.

1. Austin Dillon ramps up the anticipation: Yes, testing performance is worthless in terms of points and trophies.

Yes, the Sprint Cup rookie producing the top speed -- 195.109 mph single-car runs -- may have no relevance to his Daytona 500 performance. And yes, for a Richard Childress Racing team with DNA entwined with restrictor-plate racing, the more shocking result would have been a speed outside the top 10.

But, hey, give the 23-year-old credit for seizing a moment. He put the primer-black No. 3 Chevrolet atop the leaderboard in its return to Cup competition, 13 years after it was shuddered with the death of Dale Earnhardt on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

If there was to be anticipation of the fabled car returning to the Daytona 500 -- and there was, a lot of it -- it will be even greater now, but also with curiosity over what the former Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series champion can accomplish in his second attempt at the Sprint Cup season-opener.

2. The most thankless job in NASCAR is coming open: Maybe a young engineer or car chief, eagerly seeking the big break and career-defining job is out there.

Maybe an established crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports or elsewhere, completely comfortable with the work and performance with their current driver. Maybe they wants no part of replacing Steve Letarte after this season as crew chief for NASCAR's most popular and most breathlessly scrutinized driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Either way, that person is out there somewhere, and a year from now, their life will have changed drastically. Good performances? Junior did it. Bad performances? Bad call on that wedge adjustment? Letarte would have done better. Even though Letarte was at times mauled by Earnhardt's fan base, too, despite helping resurrect his performance -- with a win, two Chase for the Sprint Cup appearances and a fifth-place points finish in 2013 -- since taking over the No. 88 program in 2011.

It will require a special character to not only hold the job but succeed in it, as evidenced by the litany of predecessors who attempted with various degrees of success at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and HMS to cultivate the driver's obvious abilities.

Earnhardt, asserting a maturity that Letarte helped develop, said he doesn't require a certain set of traits in a new crew chief as much a positive force and an ally.

Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said last week that the team will address the position at the end of the season, but Crew Chief Silly Season 2015 will begin in haste, especially the speculation facet, especially if Earnhardt, who would have entered the season with high expectations and an apparent wave of momentum, founders in the early races.

3. Tinker time: NASCAR appears set to tweak qualifying formats and points structures as telegraphed by chairman Brian France and his stated desire to "incentivize risk-taking."

A new points system, in theory, would place greater emphasis on victory, moving away from a format used from 1975 to 2003 that rewarded consistency.

That system was slightly modified in 2004 and 2007 with the advent and later modification of the Chase. The points system was simplified in 2011, but stayed much the same.

A new qualifying format is also on the docket after the Daytona 500, said vice president of competition Robin Pemberton.

"There are some details we're working on and trying to finalize all of those things," he said Friday. "I can tell you that the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series will not be single‑car qualifying at all this year, and we're still working on some of the final details of that."

For a driver who has won six of the last eight championships, all this change might seem like a way to derail what peer Denny Hamlin last season so aptly dubbed "The Jimmie Johnson Era."

Johnson said he thought he understood NASCAR's intention regarding qualifying, but actually didn't.

"I thought I knew it, but [crew chief] Chad [Knaus] brought me up to something different," Johnson said Friday. "The last I heard was the town hall meeting we had, then I disconnected and was brought up to speed yesterday. It's way different, certainly will build a lot of excitement, tough to figure out.

"The great thing as Chad and I were discussing, there are opportunities within that to get it right and get a bunch of poles."

Back to the drawing board, NASCAR.

4. Rookie year 2.0 for No. 10: Stewart-Haas Racing's four-driver lineup has amassed a weighty four Sprint Cup championships and 95 wins in a combined 43 seasons at NASCAR's highest level.

Danica Patrick's contribution to those statistics? One rookie season in 2013. While team co-owner/driver and three-time champion Tony Stewart expects he and new additions Kevin Harvick and 2004 series champion Kurt Busch to at least qualify for the Chase, expectations are tempered for the junior member of the lineup.

"It's not that we're discounting Danica, but it's still a work in progress," said Stewart, who is still convalescing from a broken leg suffered last August, but expects to race in Speedweeks. "She's still learning. This year I think will be a big year for her.

"I think having that first full season under her belt now and being able to go to every place twice and get the feeling of what a Cup weekend is like, I think all the new [will have worn] off of that this year and I think she knows more what to expect and it's more a matter of focusing on the things that she can be better at."

Patrick produced her only top-10 finish and pole at the Daytona 500 last season before finishing 27th in points.

5. Roush Fenway is talking comeback: Carl Edwards entered the Chase nine points off the lead in the standings after winning the final regular season race at Richmond, but finished 13th, 137 points off the pace of Johnson.

That was 118 points behind Matt Kenseth, who had left the organization before the season to join Joe Gibbs Racing. RFR's Greg Biffle finished ninth in points with one win.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was named rookie of the year, but did not qualify for the playoffs. It was an adequate year unless considered through the filter of one of the series' most meticulous and demanding organizations, and owner Jack Roush has never hesitated to institute change as a motivational or re-organizational tool.

Stenhouse got back crew chief Mike Kelley, with whom he won consecutive Nationwide titles in 2011-12, but otherwise, they just had a good talk. And vice president of competition Robbie Reiser found a way to bend the laws of time.

"We've got Robbie Reiser working about 25 hours a day, which is good," said Edwards, a two-time winner last season. "We just sat and talked for the last hour, hour‑and‑a‑half about the state of Roush Fenway, what we're working on.

"We've communicated better than we ever have. But I think for us as a company, the simple way as a company is we feel like we have the best people. We feel like we have the best manufacturer support behind us. We believe we have drivers, including myself, that are as good as anybody in the garage ... that we can compete.

"We have to put all of that together and we have to have a really strong leader like Robbie Reiser to put all of it together and see the results that we think we should have."

Contributor, espnW.com

From that meeting at the Virginia short track, a relationship was born, one that on Wednesday reached a new level with Smithfield's decision to ramp up its commitment to Richard Petty Motorsports, Almirola's team in the Sprint Cup Series. What began as a seven-race sponsorship deal two years ago has been expanded to 29 for this season and each of the next two years, with the company's investment in RPM increasing 50 percent each year through 2016. The agreement also includes a contact extension for Almirola, which is concurrent with the Smithfield deal.

The formal announcement took place in the Hudson Theatre, just steps from Broadway, and indeed had RPM officials signing a happy tune.

"It's tremendous," said Brian Moffitt, the team's chief executive officer. "When Richard took back control of the company, him being a champion and a winner, he didn't just want to run around in the back of the pack. It's about being competitive. And Smithfield stepping up the way they are, it gives us more testing opportunities, it gives us more to advance research and development. We've been able to hire human capital -- in our business it's all about the people, and we've been able to invest in some really good people we've been able to bring into the company."

The new agreement puts RPM's flagship No. 43 car in its best financial shape since Petty and a pair of investors took over a once-foundering organization from former majority owner George Gillett in late 2010. RPM, which receives chassis from Roush Fenway Racing and engines from Roush-Yates, also fields the No. 9 car of Marcos Ambrose. But the No. 43 has long been a symbol of the seven-time champion in the cowboy hat, and Wednesday's announcement bolstered hopes of ending a winless skid for the vehicle that dates back to 1999.

"Not only are they investing in Richard Petty Motorsports, but they're investing in our performance, to help us to perform at the level we need to be competitive," Almirola said. "Because let's be real -- everybody's seen it for 100 years in racing: money buys speed. The teams with the most money, with the most resources, with all the right tools and right people, and that can afford the right people and the right parts and pieces, are successful. This is a huge step in that direction."

From Smithfield's perspective, the relationship with RPM was successful in helping to connect its brand with NASCAR fans, and justified the increased financial commitment. "Our results completely validate our participation," said Larry Pope, the company's president and chief executive officer.

Almirola finished 18th in Sprint Cup points last season, after a promising early stretch that saw him record four consecutive top-10 finishes, a first for the No. 43 car since Bobby Hamilton did it in 1996. But it was that meeting with Weber back in his Nationwide days that really helped him, and later RPM, gain traction with Smithfield. The Tampa native took over RPM's No. 9 car for five races after Kasey Kahne left the team in late 2010. Later when RPM was in talks with Smithfield about prospective sponsorship, the company was pleased to learn that Almirola was in the Petty fold.

By 2012, Almirola was driving a No. 43 car that had Smithfield brands on the hood for much of that season, and the relationship has blossomed from there. "I think Aric kind of epitomizes what Richard stands for," Moffitt said, "... and that's what Smithfield was looking for."

For Almirola, the increased sponsor commitment means perhaps his best shot yet at putting the No. 43 back into Victory Lane for the first time since John Andretti did it at Martinsville Speedway in the spring of 1999. With a better-funded vehicle underneath him, there's now pressure to get it done -- but pressure that the 29-year-old welcomes, because he knows the promise it entails.

"I'll gladly take the pressure that comes with it," he said, "because if there's no pressure, that means you're not competitive. And if I'm not going to be competitive, I don't want to do this. I l want to race, I want to win. I don't get excited about playing board games unless I think I can have a chance to win. So I think it's a great opportunity for me to go out and have a chance to be extremely successful. And I welcome the pressure, because that means I have all the tools and the people that I need to go out to be successful, and it's up to me and my crew chief and my guys to go out and get that done."

Posted: Wednesday, January 15, 2014, 11:45 AM

By the end of the month NASCAR is expected to announce an overhaul to its points system and qualifying procedure for its three national divisions.

Significant changes are afoot in NASCAR but exactly what those changes are is yet to be determined.

The most discussed modification is how NASCAR distributes points, with the sanctioning body wanting to put a greater emphasis on winning. Three times within the past 40 days, high-ranking officials have strongly hinted that NASCAR will announce a revised points system before the start of the 2014 season.

"January is going to be full of announcements ... stay tuned."-NASCAR President, Mike Helton

The latest signal came during a press conference involving NASCAR president Mike Helton a week ago at Daytona International Speedway. Helton was asked directly about a revision of the points system, and his answer, though vague, was telling.

"January is going to be full of announcements, so we'll wait," Helton said. "But we are looking at different models and a lot of things that's been on the table for some time and we've not implemented or we've implemented part of that. But stay tuned."

These comments follow remarks made by NASCAR CEO Brian France during a radio interview last week. During an appearance on Motor Racing Network's "NASCAR Live" France said officials would like to strike a better balance between consistency and winning.

NASCAR has long structured its points distribution with an emphasis on consistency. The last time it adjusted its points system was prior to the 2011 season when it adapted a formula that awarded a point for every position, along with bonus points for leading laps and winning.

"We think we can make some tweaks that will incentivize risk-taking, racing harder and so on," France said. "We're looking at that. And we'll undoubtedly be coming up with things that put the incentive on winning races and competing at the highest level."

France's comments on MRN echo those he made during the Sprint Cup Awards Banquet in Las Vegas. It seems a given an announcement of some sort will be made within the next few weeks, most likely during the NASCAR Media Tour which begins Jan. 27.

The forthcoming changes won't be limited to just how points are awarded. Additionally, a new qualifying format will be introduced in all three national series that will likely do away with single-car runs. Instead, NASCAR seems intent on staging group qualifying sessions with multiple drivers on the track at one time.

Although not officially announced, Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said during preseason testing at Daytona that an overhaul is on the horizon and like the revised points system, the new qualifying format will be rolled out later this month.

Furthermore, NASCAR has outlawed tandem drafting on restrictor-plate tracks in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. The common practice that sees two drivers run nose-to-tail in an attempt to break away from the pack is being banned for safety reasons.

Last season races at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway were marred by crashes featuring multiple vehicles. The February Nationwide race at Daytona saw the car of Kyle Larson get airborne and into the catchfence with large pieces of debris flying into the grandstands injuring more than 30 spectators.

To help curb bump drafting, teams will use a smaller cooling system to limit how long drivers can run in tandem before overheating their engines. This rule came at the urging of several owners who wanted the practice diminished.

Drivers who violate the new policy are subject to penalty at NASCAR's discretion.

"I don't particularly care for the tandem," Regan Smith said. "I liked the way the Cup races were last year where you could go out there as an individual and work your way up through the pack. ...It's tough to comprehend the concept of let me help this guy get to the front, knowing that I might have to finish second to him just so I can finish second because it happens that he's the car out front and I'm the car in back.

"I think getting rid of (tandem drafting) is going to be good."

* Earnhardt conflicted over crew chief's departure

* Tony Stewart confident he'll be ready for Daytona

* Roush Fenway Racing's fortunes hinge on redesigned Ford car

* The good times, hard life and shocking death of Dick Trickle

* How to drive sideways: The Amateur goes to rally car school

By: Al Pearce on January 14, 2014

After a few years of relatively dull Rookie of the Year campaigns, NASCAR expects to have a fairly competitive and spirited scrap this year, especially in its Sprint Cup Series.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the 2013 award over Danica Patrick in a virtual one-sided runaway. The year before, Stephen Leicht was ROTY after running fewer than half the races and beating one other underfunded rookie in Josh Wise That followed the 2011 and 2010 classes that featured Andy Lally against nobody and Kevin Conway against one part-time rookie.

Stenhouse still has a solid ride with Roush Fenway Racing, but Leicht, Lally and Conway have disappeared from the Cup scene.

The 10 ROTY winners before them have enjoyed solid careers, each with at least one Cup victory. Backward from 2009, they were Joey Logano, Regan Smith, Juan Pablo Montoya, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick and (in 2000) Matt Kenseth.

And now here come potential stars Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, Parker Kligerman, Cole Whitt and Michael Annett as the Class of 2014. Dillon (with Richard Childress Racing) and Larson (with Ganassi-Sabates Racing) have solid, quality, competitive Chevy rides. Annett is in a Chevy from low-budget Tommy Baldwin Racing and Kligerman and Whitt are teammates at Toyota-based Swan Racing, another low-budget team.

Without question, Dillon and Larson are the rookie favorites.

Dillon was the top Camping World Truck Series rookie in 2011 and its champion in 2012. He was the top Nationwide Series rookie in 2012 and its champion last year. All told he has 22 poles, seven victories, 49 top-five finishes and 87 top-10 finishes in 132 combined Truck Series and Nationwide starts. He was third and first in his two full Nationwide seasons and fifth and first in his two full Camping World seasons.

He hopes to become the first NASCAR driver to win Rookie of the Year in the three major national touring series. A handful of drivers - Harvick, Dillon, Biffle, Edwards, Stenhouse, Jeff Gordon, Johnny Benson Jr., Kyle Busch and the late Kenny Irwin - have won rookie honors in two series.

Larson's stock car resume is relatively slim. He had no poles, no victories, nine top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes in last year's 33 Nationwide races. But that consistency was enough for eighth in points and the Rookie of the Year trophy. He also won a Camping World race, had two other top-five finishes and two other top-10 finishes in just six starts over two seasons. He won the 2012 K&N East title with a pole, two victories, eight top-five finishes and 12 top-10 finishes in 14 starts driving Toyotas for Max Siegel's Rev Racing, part of the NASCAR-funded Drive-For-Diversity program.

Compared to Dillon and Larson -- particularly with their well-funded, time-proven teams -- it seems Whitt, Kligerman and Annett are in over their heads. (FYI: Many NASCAR-watchers felt the same way when virtual unknown Lennie Pond beat overwhelming favorite Darrell Waltrip for Rookie of the Year in 1973).

Kligerman has 102 combined Cup (two), Nationwide (51) and Truck Series (49) starts, plus 23 in the ARCA series. He's won three NASCAR poles, has a Truck Series victory at Talladega, 16 top-five finishes and 43 top-10 finishes. But he has nine ARCA victories, 14 top-five finishes and 20 top-10 finishes, a clear sign of some potential. Also, he was fifth in 2012 Truck Series points for owner Brad Keselowski and ninth in 2013 Nationwide points for owner Kyle Busch. He seems a ROTY year long shot, but stranger things have happened.

Whitt, his teammate and ROTY rival, has only one Camping World pole to show for his 92-start NASCAR career: 14 in Cup, 51 in Nationwide and 27 in the Truck Series. His stats: one pole, no victories, six top-five finishes and 29 top-10 finishes. He was ninth in 2011 Truck Series points for owner Stacy Compton and seven in 2012 Nationwide points for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He divided last year among the Cup (seven starts) and Nationwide (15) series with modest results.

Annett got his ride with Baldwin's underfunded team by bringing a sponsor, the Pilot Travel Center/Flying J chain of truck stops. His resume is top-loaded with Nationwide starts, 163 of them for three teams. He was 10th and 13th in points for Germain Racing in 2009 and 2010, ninth for Rusty Wallace Racing in 2011 and fifth for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2012. An injured sternum kept him from eight races last year, when he was 15th in final points. He's run a handful of Truck Series races, and has a pole, two victories, five top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes in just 10 ARCA starts.

Most eyes will be on Dillon and Larson, especially given Dillon's seat in the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet that hasn't been run since Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Dillon's strong resume in the Camping World and Nationwide series makes him a huge favorite to snatch yet another ROTY trophy.

Of course, that's what they said about ol' DW 41 years ago, too.

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NASCAR has outlawed tandem drafting on restrictor-plate tracks in 2014 for the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, which saw some brutal accidents at the end of the races at Daytona and Talladega last year.

The sanctioning body was able to eliminate tandem racing - where one car pushes another car around the track to increase the speed of both cars - in Sprint Cup with engine-cooling rules that make it difficult to orchestrate a tandem draft without overheating the engine.

MORE: Dillon tops Cup speed chart | Complete test speeds | Earnhardt-Letarte look ahead

It will try those engine cooling rules plus smaller spoilers in the Nationwide and truck series this year but also have issued an edict to the drivers in its two top development series not to tandem draft. Drivers can still bump-draft but can't be bumper-to-bumper pushing beyond a tap.

"We had a few owners who came to us and said, 'Look, you've got to help us. Just tell them they can't do it and police it and we'll help you with it,'" NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton said in an interview with SN Saturday. "We'll see how all that works out. It's a reaction to a lot of things, and part of it you'd have to think that weighs in is the big wrecks."

PHOTOS: Daytona 500 crashes | Larson's Nationwide crash

At the end of the Nationwide race at Daytona last year, Kyle Larson's car got airborne and sent pieces of car parts and debris flying into the speedway's catchfence. The fence buckled at the crossover gate - which can be removed so fans can get to and from the infield - and debris from Larson's car injured more than 30 fans.

At the end of the truck race at Talladega in October, several drivers were involved in a last-lap accident that destoryed several trucks.

While wrecks often happen no matter the style of racing, tandem drafting includes the danger of a driver's view being blocked when pushing another car. And any sudden move from the car being pushed often will result in a crash. With limited visibility and less reaction time than normal (as well as often having drivers with less experience), NASCAR opted to ban the practice.

"You still have to rely on a lot of other cars to work with you in the draft, and two cars are still faster than one, but the fact that you don't have to have somebody locked onto your back bumper or your front bumper like the tandem racing, it puts a lot more control in your own hands rather than relying on other guys," said James Buescher, who won the Nationwide race at Daytona in 2012.

Drivers like having that control.

"It's tough to comprehend the concept of let me help this guy get to the front, knowing that I might have to finish second to him just so I can finish second because it happens that he's the car out front and I'm the car in back," said JR Motorsports driver Regan Smith, who was involved in the Larson crash last year.

"I think getting rid of that is going to be good. I'm excited to see the style of race it will be when that's gone, and assuming that that's gone completely this year. Just the rules alone I think are going to be enough to do away with 90 percent of it."

Pemberton said the ban will be strictly policed. Drivers can be black-flagged for tandem drafting, NASCAR officials said.

"You can pull up and bump a guy and hit him, but you just cannot stay (there), you can't connect," Pemberton said. "So far what we've seen on the track today has been pretty good. ... The drivers like the fact that we're helping with that. The vast majority don't want to hook up."

"We feel like it will be a better race, a better show with more of a conventional old-school style of drafting," Pemberton said.

By: Al Pearce on 1/14/2014

With a wink and a smile, NASCAR president Mike Helton teased broadly that things are about to change (again) in the way NASCAR runs its races and determines its champion. He didn't offer any specifics last week at Daytona International Speedway even as he deftly played the media like a marlin on a line. "Stay tuned," he said coyly. "January is going to be full of announcements, so we'll wait for them."

In recent years, Helton, vice-president of competition Robin Pemberton and NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France have used the annual Sprint Cup Media Tour in Charlotte to make major announcements. Among them: the Car of Tomorrow, the Chase for the Championship format and the new, slimmed-down point system as well as several personnel moves. Helton, Pemberton and France likely will have plenty to announce on this year's Jan. 27-30 Tour at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

In Daytona Beach, though, Pemberton revealed that all qualifying in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series will be in a group session instead of the traditional single-car session. "There are some details we're working on and trying to finalize," Pemberton said. "I can tell you that the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series will not be single car qualifying at all this year. We're still working on some of the final details of that. That includes for the race here in Daytona."

Sprint Cup team owners fully expect a change from single-car to group qualifying everywhere except for the season-opening Daytona 500. The 500 format features a convoluted process of single-car timed runs, a pair of 150-mile qualifying races and a handful of owner-point guarantees tacked onto the back of the grid. The Thursday afternoon 150-milers are a tradition of Speed Week, a revenue-generating afternoon that NASCAR isn't about to ditch.

"I think what comes into play is the fact that Daytona's format has always been a one off and a great format," Pemberton said. "We've got the Duels on Thursday, and that's been a pressure packed race for the teams. Especially now with the lack of lock ins. You have to race in. This place stands on its own right now. They have qualifying races which nobody else has. They've been a one-up on everybody for the most part."

Last fall, at their R&D Center near Charlotte, NASCAR officials met with teams in a "town hall-like" session to discuss possible format changes for this season. Drivers learned they were considering scrubbing boring single-car qualifying runs that never played well on TV. The alternative would be group qualifying similar to the system on road courses, where a number of drivers would qualify at the same time. They'd go into a group based on practice speeds, from slowest to fastest, then each driver's quickest lap would be its qualifying time of record.

In another likely change, France recently told a NASCAR-based radio show he was considering making winning more meaningful by juggling the point system yet again. Currently, a winner can gain a maximum six points on the second-place finisher and might gain only three, depending on lap-leader bonus points. In France's mind, that doesn't inspire the "Game 7" moments he's often said he wants.

"We're not satisfied we have the exact balance we want with winning, consistency, points, running for a championship," he said on "NASCAR Live." "We think we can make some tweaks that continue to incentivize risk-taking, racing harder and so on. We're looking at that. We'll undoubtedly be coming with things that put the incentive on winning races and competing at the highest level."

Drivers, though, wonder how much harder they can race. "I don't know how you make it perfect all the time," said Ford driver Carl Edwards. "I don't know how you can make every race as important as the final lap of the final race for the championship. But I can tell you this: Every driver out there... we don't have to get motivated to try to win that race. If anything, you have to sometimes not be too motivated so you don't ruin your championship hopes. I think it's a battle, but everyone's doing the best they can.

"I actually got a phone call one time from a promoter after a race and he asked me, 'What could I do, how much money could I offer to make guys race harder?' because it was a race that didn't end very dramatically. I tried to explain that all of us race to win; that's the whole point; that's why we started racing. I race just as hard in my little four cylinder modified car as I race now. I think it's $40 to win or something in those races. It doesn't matter. The money's not important. It's not about incentives like that. It's just that we're trying to win."

"So whatever format they come up with, there will only be two things on each driver's mind: Win the race and to win the championship, and that's it. So we're racing as hard as we can. I don't think there's any incentive you can throw out that's going to make people put on a better race. I'm not certain of that [because] I feel we're all racing pretty hard right now."

As Helton said.... stay tuned.

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Free admission to NASCAR Hall of Fame on Feb. 1

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2014) -- For the first time since its 2010 opening, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will offer fans unlimited access to the attraction ... FREE OF CHARGE. On Saturday, Feb. 1, fans will be admitted into the Hall for free as part of NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day -- a full day of special activities that includes autograph and Q&A sessions with current drivers and NASCAR Hall of Famers. "Our sport is unique in many ways, starting with our fans -- the most loyal fans in all of sports," said NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. "Any successes we have start with our fans, which is why we always look for opportunities to 'give back.' "NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day is one of those opportunities, with the added benefit of building excitement for the upcoming Daytona 500 thanks to the combination of current and past NASCAR stars coming together."Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Greg Biffle headline a group of more than 20 NASCAR national series drivers scheduled to interact with fans during this first-of-its-kind event in Uptown Charlotte, N.C. Several NASCAR Hall of Famers, including Class of 2014 inductees Jack Ingram, Dale Jarrett and Maurice Petty, will also be on hand. Fans will have free access to the Hall on a first-come, first-served basis in lieu of needing a ticket. However, fans need to secure free tickets for the driver autograph sessions in advance at nascarhall.com, where they can also find schedules and details about NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day. Several new exhibits will be on display, including a revamped Glory Road; newly rewrapped Gen-6 racing simulators; a Champions exhibit honoring Jimmie Johnson, Austin Dillon and Matt Crafton; and a Memorable Moments exhibit highlighting recent significant NASCAR milestones. In addition, fans will be among the first to see the new Hall of Honor exhibit featuring artifacts from the Class of 2014, which will open Thursday, Jan. 30. Immediately following NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will close for a special Junior Johnson Midnight Moon Sign & Shine. The event will feature a private Q&A and autograph session with Junior Johnson and other NASCAR Hall of Famers, and a free tasting at the Midnight Moon moonshine bar. Fans purchasing NASCAR Hall of Fame memberships at NASCAR Fan Appreciation Day will have access to the event.

Kurt Busch did not win the championship last season. He also did not win a single race. While statistically, 2013 was by no means the best or most memorable year of his career, it was easily the most significant.

His surprising run in 2013 has given him a new chance with a new team, and he is once again a legitimate championship contender.

Following the series finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2011, the frustrations of a poor playoff performance reached their boiling point for Busch. During a post-race interview with ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch, Busch launched a verbal tirade at the legendary motorsports commentator.

Weeks after the incident, Busch was released from his contract with Racing and left without a ride for the following season.

With his reputation damaged, Busch's only driving opportunity arose with James Finch and his single-car operation, Phoenix Racing.

Busch scored career worsts, with just five top-10 finishes and only one top-five finish, driving in the underfunded car.

Late in the 2012 season, Busch announced that he would drive the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet in 2013. That car is also a single-car team, but had proven to be a little more successful than the automobile he was currently driving.

Putting a good season together for a small team while continuing to repair his reputation was key if Busch hoped to land a ride on a top-tier organization ever again.

And that is precisely what he did.

Busch and his team were the feel-good story of the year in 2013. With the former series champion behind the wheel, Furniture Row Racing became the first single-car team in Sprint Cup history to qualify for the Chase.

In the eight years before Busch arrived, Furniture Row Racing cars had compiled a total of 11 top-10s, three top-fives and 48 laps led.

In just one season driving for the team, Busch amassed 16 top-10 finishes with 11 ending inside the top five. He also led 448 laps, which was the seventh-most in the series.

After two seasons driving for underfunded teams, Busch received a contract from Stewart-Haas Racing to drive a fourth car for their operation beginning with the upcoming season.

The move will pay huge dividends for Busch right from the start. After winning at least one race every year from 2002 through 2011, Busch has gone winless each of the last two seasons.

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

That streak will come to an abrupt end driving for his new team.

Stewart-Haas cars have won a total of 19 events in five years of competition. Busch will surely add to that total in 2014.

Aside from race wins, Busch will also have the opportunity to compete for the series championship in 2014. While his Cinderella regular season in 2013 was good enough to earn a spot in the Chase, his chances of contending for the title were minimal at best.

Driving for a team with seemingly unlimited funds and copious amounts of resources, Busch is instantly thrust toward the forefront of the championship discussion.

In 13 full-time seasons, Busch has finished in the top 10 of the championship standings six times. He is the first series champion under the Chase format and has three career wins in the postseason.

Two seasons removed from his unfortunate parting with Racing, Busch has earned the right to be back with a top-tier team. His on-track performance in 2013 is proof of the immense talent he possesses. Off the track, he managed to do enough to earn the trust of sponsors once again.

He may not enter the season as a championship favorite, and he may not end the season by winning it, but, rest assured, Kurt Busch will be a contender in 2014 after spending the last two seasons patiently waiting for one more opportunity to associate himself with a top-tier organization.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a mess.

That much was evident from every four-letter word that exploded over the radio, a cacophony of profanity-laced frustration that characterized one of the worst meltdowns NASCAR's most popular driver had ever suffered behind the wheel of a race car. He had been in the lead, then got a set of tires that didn't click with his vehicle and started dropping back in the field.

And he wasn't happy about it.

"I can't figure out why we keep (bleeping) up in the middle of these races," Earnhardt vented to his crew. "Every (bleeping) time."

It was just the beginning of an absolute fit thrown by Earnhardt during a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2008, a tantrum that grew so bad car owner Rick Hendrick had to intervene and play amateur psychologist over the radio. Earnhardt finished fifth that day, and maintained fourth place in the standings at the time, but it was clear the No. 88 team was hanging by a thread. Adversity had a way of overwhelming them, so in retrospect it seemed no surprise that Earnhardt tumbled into the 20s in points in each of the next two years.

Things these days are much different. Earnhardt still doesn't win races probably as often as he should, and he can still get mad over the radio and, unfairly or not, he can still heap loads of responsibility upon himself. But the Dale Earnhardt Jr. of today is far more polished and professional than he was then, far more capable of managing and overcoming misfortune, much better suited to contending for a championship over the long haul of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. And a primary reason for all that is the past three years Earnhardt has spent working with crew chief Steve Letarte.

Hendrick has made plenty of great decisions over the past 30 years, not surprising given that he oversees an organization that's won 11 championships at NASCAR's top level. His most recent masterstroke was pairing Earnhardt with Letarte, a crew chief who exuded the kind of positivity the driver of the No. 88 car sorely needed at the time. It's easy to forget now, after three straight seasons where he's qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but many fans thought Earnhardt's career was over after he finished 25th and 21st in consecutive seasons (2009, 2010). People envisioned him fielding a Sprint Cup car out of JR Motorsports, and just playing out the string.

In retrospect, it all seems so ludicrous. Success in sports is so often about fit, the right athlete being in the right situation at the right time. For his first three seasons at Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt was a square peg being hammered into a round hole. He was at Hendrick, the best team in NASCAR, but he wasn't yet of Hendrick. Letarte, a Hendrick employee since he was 16, steeped in the owner's way of doing business, nurtured by championship seasons with Jeff Gordon, changed all that. He demanded more of Earnhardt off the track, he gave more to Earnhardt on the track, and the result was a transformation that in 2013 netted the driver's best season in years.

"We really took off at the very beginning of our working relationship, because he was always positive," Earnhardt said during Preseason Thunder. "I'd beat myself up, and went through such a struggle on the race track, and professionally, I was having a hard time up until that point in the couple years before I worked with Steve. And things just weren't good at all. I couldn't get any traction, couldn't get anything going in the right direction, and I didn't know why, why I didn't run well. I couldn't see a problem with the team I was with. I couldn't see a problem with the people I was working with. I couldn't see a reason why we were so unsuccessful."

He certainly can now. Letarte entered the picture after the 2010 campaign as part of a Hendrick personnel shuffle that moved him from Gordon's No. 24 program, and was adamant he and Earnhardt would get everything figured out. He put an emphasis on improving the cars, of giving Earnhardt something better underneath him, and took the pressure off his driver in the process. He demanded more of Earnhardt in terms of debriefs and follow-up reports. He kept his driver upbeat and motivated in the seat, and he produced immediate results.

"It took a lot of pressure off of me, as I wasn't the reason for all the failures and all the struggles in the past," Earnhardt remembered. "When we would not run well, he could point to an area where we could improve, and we would improve that area and the performance would pick up. It was a lot of fun, (to) take the pressure off of me and just be able to go to work and see things change and get better. That was just a great experience."

Now, Earnhardt will call upon all the lessons he learned under Letarte, given that his crew chief will be leaving after the 2014 campaign to become a television analyst with NBC Sports. This is no small departure -- given the rather wide disparity in results before and after Letarte's arrival, it appears evident that the droll Maine native was the missing link. And yet, listening to Earnhardt over the radio today versus five years ago, seeing his level of engagement today versus five years ago, it seems fairly certain that Letarte's presence has made a lasting difference. The Dale Earnhardt Jr. who suffered that meltdown over the radio in 2008 feels like a different driver than the one we see now.

No one seems more aware of that than Earnhardt himself, who is more prepared for life after his current crew chief because of the time the two have spent working together.

"I've grown a lot as a driver working with Steve, and I feel confident that we can continue to see success," Earnhardt said. "I want to give Steve a lot of credit for how I've changed, and he does have a lot of influence on the performance of the team, but I feel confident the team is going to be just fine no matter who the crew chief is. There's a culture in that shop, and it's a culture of success and winning, and anything else is not acceptable. I feel like that will continue after Steve is gone.

"I think the things that I've learned with Steve, and what he's taught me and how I've grown as a person and as a driver, I'll be able to try to maintain that and carry that into the next relationship I have with the next crew chief. I really feel like he's helped me become much more professional behind the wheel in handling my responsibilities and communicating and carrying myself as an adult and as a professional. That was a bit of a problem for me when I was younger. I'd kind of lose it behind the wheel every once in a while and argue and fight. We definitely have moved quite a ways away from that."

Indeed, they have. Thinking back to the days when Earnhardt and former crew chief Tony Eury Jr. regularly feuded with one another -- something that at the time was just chalked up to cousins being cousins -- it's been a day-and-night transition.

Again, so much of success is about fit, and Earnhardt's next crew chief will still need to possess the traits and tactics that bring out the best in him. But Earnhardt has been molded into a more mature and professional race car driver, one much better suited to withstand his crew chief's looming departure. Over and above any single race win, that may prove Steve Letarte's greatest victory.

DETROIT, MI - The first day of Detroit's North American International Auto Show wasn't just about the cars, but also those that drive them.

Nobody showed up Monday during the media preview with a better racing resume than 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski.

This Rochester Hills, Mich. native clearly was in his element and gave a few reviews of new Ford products on display in Cobo Center's new Grand Riverview Ballroom.

"Digging the new Ford F-150," Keselowski wrote on his Twitter page (@keselowski).

Keselowski said on Twitter he planned on being at the Auto Show all day Monday. A look at Keselowski's reaction to some things he saw Monday morning at the Auto Show:

Keselowski is one of only two NASCAR drivers to have won a championship in both the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series.

The only other driver to accomplish such a feat was Bobby Labonte.

Labonte won the Sprint Cup in 2000 (then called the Winston Cup) and the Nationwide title in 1991 (then called the Busch Series).

Commentary

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Ultimately, Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn't begrudge him. But it took a while.

Rumors of crew chief Steve Letarte's possible departure from Hendrick Motorsports for an analyst job at NBC Sports had bloomed from a possibility and then a gnawing inevitability by the end of the 2013 Sprint Cup season, but Earnhardt was still dismayed.

And given the fact he had just completed what he deemed his greatest season at Hendrick Motorsports, he could have easily rued the timing. Fifth in points, his best since 2006. Five top-5s and three runner-up finishes in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and one blown motor at Chicagoland Speedway from arguably his best chance for a championship at NASCAR's highest level. After a decade of fits and starts, NASCAR's most popular driver finally appeared a complete championship contender.

But Earnhardt learned long ago that mastery of timing is not a luxury drivers can expect.

"Things in the sport, no matter how great they are and how much you enjoy them, aren't always going to stay the same," he said. "This is just another situation where that's come true."

Relationships with expiration dates can erode into ineffectiveness. But they can also thrive. Darian Grubb won the 2011 Sprint Cup title having already been informed by driver/owner Tony Stewart that he would be fired after the season. Kevin Harvick won twice in the Chase and finished third in the standings last season, although his departure for Stewart-Haas Racing had been public for more than a year.

That Letarte the family man and Earnhardt the bachelor remain friends and respect the validation each has brought to the other's career will certainly help them through the season.

"Dale and I have had that conversation," Letarte said, "and he said it the best, that this will give us an opportunity to really cherish those races and those opportunities, and I think if anything, it might allow us to be better at our jobs because frustration sets in for everyone in the garage area.

"And I think this is one more thing that could maybe drag us out of frustration, because you know there's a time stamp on the end of it. So do you really want to throw away your last trip to Sonoma together? Do you want to put personal feelings in the way of trying to win the Brickyard? It would be a shame for what we've built over the last three years, and I don't think it would happen."

That he isn't leaving for another organization should also, Letarte said. And, he stressed, his focus is squarely on Earnhardt this season.

"I'm not working on being a broadcaster in 2014; I'm working on filling a trophy case," said Letarte, who'll begin his broadcast commitment in 2015.

Earnhardt said he would offer no suggestions for filling what Letarte called "the best job in the garage area," leaving the process completely to team owner Rick Hendrick and general manager Doug Duchardt with hopeful input from Letarte and Jimmie Johnson crew chief Chad Knaus.

There is the sense that Earnhardt is both comfortable with the decision-making of an owner who first paired him with Letarte when he was moved from four-time champion Jeff Gordon's team in 2011. There is also the sense that Earnhardt would be comfortable with an internal selection from an organization where employees seem to frequently begin their careers sweeping shop floors -- like Letarte, at age 16 -- and graduated to the pit box.

"I think that Steve knows what makes this team work," Earnhardt said. "Steve knows how I can be successful and how the individuals within the team can be successful.

"I think it's important that Chad has got a lot of influence because he knows how well the shop works together and what the culture is in the shop and how a guy, a particular guy may mesh in that environment."

No one had meshed with Earnhardt quite like Letarte. Earnhardt acknowledges how his crew chief has influenced "how I've changed."

The grounded Mainer, 34, had provided a calming influence on the free-spirited 39-year-old son and namesake of a NASCAR legend, a driver who had worked with numerous crew chiefs through varying degrees of success through 12 seasons when they were first teamed. There were the rowdy rock-star days with his uncle Tony Eury Sr. -- which yielded a 2004 Daytona 500 win -- then cousin Tony Eury Jr. -- which yielded a fifth-place points finish in 2006, his best until last season, but a working environment so toxic to their personal relationship they once had to be split.

Other pairings at Dale Earnhardt Inc., with Pete Rondeau and then Steve Hmiel, and at Hendrick Motorsports with Lance McGrew, had failed to maximize the output of the two-time Nationwide champion who claimed 15 of his 19 Cup wins by 2004. But the partnership with Letarte, Earnhardt said, will benefit him with whoever is chosen to lead the No. 88 Chevrolet program in 2015.

"I think the things that I've learned with Steve and what he's taught me and how I've grown as a person and as a driver I'll be able to try to maintain that and carry that into the next relationship I have with the next crew chief," Earnhardt said. "I really feel like he's helped me become much more professional behind the wheel in handling my responsibilities and communicating and carrying myself as an adult and as a professional.

"That was a bit of a problem for me when I was younger. I'd kind of lose it behind the wheel every once in a while and argue and fight. We definitely have moved quite a ways away from that."

Maturity is a double-edged proposition for Earnhardt. Professionally, it has put him in his best position to compete for a Sprint Cup championship. And personally, it allows him to accept that Letarte wanting a career that allows him more time with his wife and 8- and 10-year-old children is a noble notion.

Earnhardt first learned of Letarte's options around the Charlotte race weekend last fall and believed his crew chief had decided to leave by the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Just that he would even want to do anything different blew me away because we were all having such a good time and the team was moving forward and the trajectory was great for what we were trying to accomplish. We were getting closer and closer to realizing our potential," Earnhardt said. "Just for me, personally, it was difficult. And the more I sat down with him and talked about it, the more it made sense and the more I understood his situation, and I could put my own selfishness aside and kind of understand what was important to him and how this was good for him.

"You know, he's a good guy. He deserves these opportunities, and he's earned it."

Contributor, espnW.com

NASCAR driver Daniel Andrews stops for a photo inside the UPS Store along Grand Avenue on Thursday afternoon. Andrews is scheduled to race in this year's NASCAR Nationwide Series starting next month. JEREMY MARTIN/Boomerang photographer

It might be impossible to explain to the uninitiated what it's like to drive a race car."It's really hard to define the experience. The only way to really understand it is to experience it," said Daniel Andrews of Laramie. "You'll be right next to another car, by a margin of inches, going 200 mph. One false move and you'll end it all; you're right on the edge. And that's what makes or breaks drivers, whether they can handle it."Andrews recently qualified to be the NASCAR driver for the California-based Eclipse Racing team. He will drive in NASCAR's Nationwide Series, which kicks off next month and features races on tracks across the country. He said he'll be the first driver ever from Wyoming to compete in the series."To even think of getting onto the big tracks in the Nationwide Series seemed impossible," Andrews said, but he managed to earn enough qualifying points on smaller tracks, such as the Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colo.Andrews, 35, is the son of Connie and Larry Andrews, who own the UPS store in Laramie. Racing runs in the family; Daniel Andrews said he learned to drive at about age 7, and started racing at 12. He grew up in Casper and Cody, and has lived in Laramie for about five years. In addition to his love of driving, he also developed a passion for mechanics, and often helped work on race cars."On the NASCAR team, it's going to be strange for me having just the role of the driver. Other team members will take care of the mechanics," he said.Andrews served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997-2002, and his duties included working as a mechanic on Harrier jets. He said military service, particularly while deployed overseas, gave him a sense of discipline and keen situational awareness that translates well into racing.He also enjoys the competition."It's sort of like playing 'king of the hill' when you're a kid," he said. "If you're in first place, you've got 30 other guys behind you who want to be in your place."The car he'll be driving is a Toyota. Though that's not a brand that might immediately spring to mind when thinking of an all-American racing sport, Andrews said Toyota is popular among NASCAR teams. Regardless of brand, all NASCAR racecars must be built to a strict set of specifications, to ensure fair competition.The cars typically have five-speed transmissions and eight-cylinder, 340-cubic-inch engines that put out about 750 horsepower on specialized racing fuel, Edwards said.NASCAR provides the fuel, but teams are responsible for all other expenses, including travel costs for the team members and equipment. The expenses can run from $300,000-$500,000 per race.Prize money for winning or placing high in a race makes up some of the difference, but racing teams rely heavily on sponsorships to cover their costs, Andrews said. He hopes some Wyoming companies might be willing to pitch in, to get behind a driver from the Cowboy State.NASCAR racing also includes the more prestigious Sprint Cup Series, which Andrews said has never seen a driver from Wyoming. He hopes to change that."My goal is to race in the Sprint Cup Series," he said. "It's sort of like the difference between minor league and major league baseball."While Nationwide Series drivers may not participate in Sprint Cup races, Sprint Cup drivers sometimes join Nationwide Series races. Some race fans criticize that as being unfair, Andrews said. He sees it as an opportunity."It's something more for me to drive for. It will give me a push to drive harder and faster," he said.

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NASCAR on NBC 2.0 begins in 2015 as they take over the second half of the season from ESPN. Already, NBC has named two fresh faces to call NASCAR Cup races in 2015 - play by play man Rick Allen moves over from Fox's truck series coverage and Jeff Burton moves from the driver's seat to the analyst's chair.

Ever since Fox joined together Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds the blueprint for a NASCAR booth has been one play by play man, one driver, and one crew chief. NBC will go the same route and in a surprising turn of events, has named Steve Letarte of Hendrick Motorsports as a race analyst. Here's the relevant quotes and announcement from NBC...

"I've always been impressed with Steve Letarte's interviews, and feel smarter after hearing him break down the crucial elements of each race," said Flood. "It wasn't long into our first meeting about this potential role on our broadcast team when I realized that Steve is going to be 'Must See TV.'"

Letarte will join fellow analyst Jeff Burton and race announcer Rick Allen across NBC Sports Group's exclusive coverage of NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series action on NBC and NBCSN, which includes races, pre- and post-race shows, qualifying, and studio programming.

"As soon as I met with Sam Flood and his team at NBC Sports it became obvious to me how excited they are to be covering NASCAR in 2015 and beyond. Their excitement, along with my love for racing, solidified my decision to move away from the pit box and into the broadcast booth," said Letarte. "I want to thank Rick Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for the opportunities they have given me over the last 18 years, and I want to reaffirm my commitment to Dale Jr. and the entire 88 team to go win races and challenge for the championship in 2014."

It's quite the coup for NBC as Letarte currently serves as the crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and will continue in that capacity for the 2014 season before moving to NBC in 2015. NBC must have made quite the pitch to Letarte to get him to walk away from the Hendrick powerhouse and Earnhardt Jr.'s team at just 34 years old. It's not something I can recall seeing in the industry before. Imagine Mike Tomlin announcing that he would be leaving the Steelers at the end of next season to join the NFL on CBS. Although he won't have a full-time ride this season, Burton will also move from the track directly to the broadcast booth as he's scheduled to drive some races for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Allen, Burton and Letarte will give NBC's NASCAR coverage a freshness that it didn't have during its first run with the sport in the early 2000s. Additionally, having a driver and crew chief move directly from competition to the booth is a great advantage for NBC in giving the network a contemporary voice. Many times some of the best and most relevant analysis in sports comes from people who have just been there.

The chemistry of the trio will have to be established over time, but right now NBC has to be encouraged with the team their building for the network's return to NASCAR.

JACKSON, MI - NASCAR fans can see drivers Ryan Newman, David Ragan and Michael Waltrip as they talk about the sport during Michigan International Speedway's "Tech Talk" at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The hour-long program, which will take place Wednesday, Jan. 15 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, will feature two guest panels and cover research and development (R&D) and technology in NASCAR as well as fan engagement in the sport.

Fans and guests will hear from engineers and drivers from all three of NASCAR's manufacturers - Ford, Toyota and Chevrolet, according to a news release. The event is free for the public to attend.

"We're thrilled to host this event at the world's foremost auto show," MIS President Roger Curtis said in a statement. "Technology and fan engagement in NASCAR, with its teams and drivers, the manufacturers and the racetracks has been a significant part of this business and this sport since its inception. Our sport is committed to continuous improvement and we're thrilled to share it with you."

The discussion will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. during the Industry Preview portion of the auto show.

The presentation will also be broadcast online at http://ift.tt/19kzZTV. Fans can also follow the conversation on Twitter with #NASCARTechTalk.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The days of single-car qualifying runs in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are over, and the sanctioning body continues to examine qualifying options for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beyond the Daytona 500.

That was the word Friday from Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition, who said the traditional qualifying process for the Daytona 500 would remain in place -- but the starting lineups for the Nationwide and Truck tours would be determined by a format other than single-car qualifying yet to be announced, at Daytona International Speedway and elsewhere.

"I can tell you that the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series will not be single-car qualifying at all this year, and we're still working on some of the final details of that," Pemberton said during a media briefing at Daytona.

NASCAR moved to group qualifying on road courses for 2013, and late last year in a meeting with competitors said it was considering the elimination of single-car qualifying beginning with the 2014 campaign. No format change for Sprint Cup qualifying has been announced, and Pemberton said the Daytona 500 would retain its usual format entailing single-car qualifying runs and the two 150-mile Budweiser Duel races that set the field for the Great American Race.

"Daytona's format has always been a one-off, and it's a great format," Pemberton said. "We've got the duels on Thursday, and that's always been a pressure-packed race for the teams. Especially now with the lack of lock-ins, you've got to race in. And so this place stands on its own right now."

The Nationwide and Truck circuits, though, will see something different for Coors Light and Keystone Light Pole Qualifying beginning at Speedweeks next month, though Pemberton stopped short of saying whether that would be group qualifying, qualifying races or some other format involving multiple cars on the track.

"We'll let you know during the rest of the month of January ," he said. "... We've got a lot of things on our plate, more than normal. As we work through the details, we'll get them out to you as soon as we can."

And what of potential changes to Sprint Cup qualifying beyond the Daytona 500? "I can tell you we're finalizing everything and we're working on it," Pemberton said, "and we will have plenty of news in the month of January."

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is admittedly scared by the daunting task of replacing crew chief Steve Letarte.

He'll leave it up to team owner Rick Hendrick and management at Hendrick Motorsports, and they've got the entire season to find a new crew chief. Letarte was formally introduced Friday as the third and final member of NBC Sports Group's broadcast booth for its NASCAR coverage beginning in 2015.

Earnhardt and Letarte have been paired since 2011. Although the duo has just one win together, they've made the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship the past three seasons.

More important, Letarte rebuilt the confidence in NASCAR's most popular driver and instilled a structure around Earnhardt that the driver admits raised his professionalism in the race car.

"The one thing that I fear is just trying to get a guy in there that's equally as talented," Earnhardt said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. "Steve is a great cheerleader and definitely built up my confidence and changed me as a race car driver and as a person. Working with him has really helped me grow. I think that my fear is can we replace Steve?"

Earnhardt brought cousin Tony Eury Jr. with him to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. When that working relationship fractured, Hendrick replaced Eury with longtime company man Lance McGrew.

Only that combination failed to produce results, so Earnhardt was paired with former Jeff Gordon crew chief Letarte when Hendrick made a massive organizational shake-up shortly after the 2010 season ended.

Letarte's influence on Earnhardt was immediate, so Earnhardt will once again put his trust in Hendrick. He'll also want Letarte and Jimmie Johnson's six-time championship winning crew chief Chad Knaus to be part of the decision making. Knaus works side-by-side with Earnhardt's crew chief, so Earnhardt believes Knaus needs to have input.

"It was Rick and upper management that decided to put me with Steve," Earnhardt said. "I didn't know exactly what was going to happen, but I just wanted to trust their judgment, and that's what I'm going to do again.

"I would love to have input from Chad Knaus and Steve. I think that Steve knows what makes this team work. Steve knows how I can be successful and how the individuals within the team can be successful. It's important that Chad has got a lot of influence because he knows how well the shop works together and what the culture is in the shop and how a guy, a particular guy may mesh in that environment."

Letarte, meanwhile, finds himself in the unique position of entering his final season atop the pit box under an intensified spotlight to perform. Earnhardt's popularity already brings immense attention and pressure to the No. 88 team, and with Letarte's end-of-year exit looming, fans could be particularly harsh about results.

Letarte believes it will be business as usual.

"I think what makes this situation unique is I'm not going to crew chief for another organization," he said. "I'm not working on being a broadcaster in 2014, I'm working on filling a trophy case, and to do that we have to win our first race."

Letarte and Earnhardt first discussed the NBC opportunity in October, when Earnhardt heard rumors and summoned Letarte to his motorhome to discuss the whispers, and Letarte kept his driver involved as he weighed his decisions.

Ultimately, after 19 years in the garage, it was the ability to spend more time with his two children that made the NBC job more attractive than continuing as a crew chief.

"I don't think I've ever hidden it from anyone that my family has always been my No. 1 priority," Letarte said. "If it comes down to if I'm going to be unsuccessful in anything I do, being a father shouldn't be on the list. So I'm going to put that one first, and this allows me to put that one first and still be in a sport that I love and join a great team."

Earnhardt can respect that.

"For me personally, it was difficult. And the more I sat down with him and talked about it, the more it made sense and the more I understood his situation, and I could put my own selfishness aside and kind of understand what was important to him and how this was good for him," Earnhardt said. "He deserves these opportunities and he's earned it."

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Commentary

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Tony Stewart isn't a bad patient. He just worries.

Rehabilitation and anticipation are the latest undiscovered elements of the worst injury of the 42-year-old's career.

"I guess the hardest part is just not knowing where I'm supposed to be," he said on Thursday before Sprint Cup testing was canceled by rain at Daytona International Speedway. "I mean, I've never had an injury like this so I don't have anything to compare it to."

The three-time Sprint Cup champion surmises he won't be completely recovered from three surgeries to repair a broken right tibia and fibula suffered in an Aug. 5 sprint car accident. He can't control that. But he said he'll give completely what he has. That he can control, no matter the stress. Fortunately, he said, he has four weeks until it matters.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "I still have a little ways to go, but we've got four weeks to get ready the rest of the way. Even when we get here in February, it's not going to be 100 percent. Physically I'm not going to feel 100 percent, but I'll be able to do my job 100 percent, so that's the main thing.

"I don't mind it taking a little longer for the physical side to heal, as long as I can drive a race car when I need to when I get back."

Having previously logged nearly 700 NASCAR points races, 26 in Indy car and scores of sprint car races without serious injury, Stewart still struggles to assess milestones in his recovery. He judges progress and pains in weekly increments as if they were lap times. Troublesome little aches send him groping for his phone, which is why being Stewart's therapist is a 24-hour job.

"Just not knowing exactly what I'm supposed to feel like, if something hurts why is it hurting ... I've not had those experiences before," said Stewart, who missed the final 15 races of the 2013 season. "The therapist gets his phone, I think he sets it on his nightstand at night because I call him at night and ask him a lot of questions. But having those guys around, it kind of takes the psychological side and kind of puts a lot of that at ease.

"He knows if I call, he's picking it up. I don't think his wife is happy I have his cell number, but I'm happy I have it. It's been a peace of mind for me."

Stewart can nag his therapist in person again beginning Friday night, as he is scheduled to resume his regular sessions after completing exercises at home and while traveling for the holidays. Recovering to race has been just part of a busy offseason for Stewart, whose team is undergoing an expansion in personnel and material and will contest the 2014 season as a four-driver program. Monitoring details with competition director Greg Zipadelli remained a necessity.

"We got done with the Charlotte test and he was the first person I spoke to on the way home," said Kevin Harvick, who joins Stewart-Haas Racing this season. "He's raced his whole life, so he wants to get back in the car. He wants to be competitive."

Stewart's hope of being competitive for the start of the season is bolstered by Daytona International Speedway being the first venue on the schedule. Though he's still not sure how his body will handle the rigors of Speedweeks -- including the non-points Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel -- and 200 laps around the high-banked, high-speed restrictor-plate track in the Daytona 500, it is preferable to smaller, more physically demanding venues.

"Luckily, this is a smooth racetrack. It's not rough and bumpy," he said. "If it were Dover, I would be a lot more concerned. But the hard part with here is you're just with your throttle, with your right leg, you're on the gas so long.

What can we expect as NASCAR teams crank it up this week for testing at Daytona International Speedway? As Brant James writes, there is no shortage of intriguing storylines. Story

"That's the only thing we're worried about right now just because we just don't know until we get in a car and actually run, and we're not going to know that until the day before. We'll get a little bit of time in there, but we'll know a little better after practice is over."

Though Stewart is not scheduled to take a car to race speed until that pre-Sprint Unlimited practice, he has been driving a passenger car for four months. Underscoring his craving to return, a mundane seat-fitting became a melancholic experience at his shop in December.

"It felt like an old pair of shoes," he said of his No. 14 Chevrolet. "The hard part was they kept telling me I had to get out of it. I wanted to sit in it. I felt like a kid. I wanted to keep moving the steering wheel and everything else.

"They said, 'You have to get out so we can finish doing our job with the seat.' That was kind of fun to get back in there. It kind of felt like the first time I got in one. It was that kind of excitement."

Just a few more weeks.

Contributor, espnW.com

Brant James has covered the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, a World Series and Stanley Cup for the big hometown daily, an NCAA tournament and a Super Bowl. He's walked to the paddock with Kentucky Derby horses before post, ridden to the top of Mount Washington with Travis Pastrana and landed on an aircraft carrier with Dale Earnhardt Jr. He once induced Danica Patrick into a dance number from Moulin Rouge by saying the word "Switzerland." It's been pretty interesting so far.

Almost as if we're psychics, Nascar '14 was given a confirmed North America release date today, with the new racing title arriving on February 18th for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Priced at $49.99, pre-ordering from Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, Target, or Amazon will get you diecast cars, exclusive paint schemes, and more.

After more than 700,000 votes were tallied in the worldwide Drive for the Cover content, Tony Stewart was chosen for the Nascar '14 box art:

Deep Silver COO Geoff Mulligan briefly talked about Nascar '14, with NASCAR VP of Licensing and Consumer Products Blake Davidson doing the same below that:

Here's an overview of what to expect from Nascar '14:

A fun fact stated in the press release: NASCAR is the 2nd most-watched sport on TV after the NFL.

Will you be buying Nascar '14? Let us know in the comments below.

Friday's testing periods to be extended

RELATED: Full Preseason Thunder schedule

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The only cars on the race track for Day 1 of Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway were trucks. Trucks pulling jet dryers and the Air Titan track drying system.Sprint Cup Series cars, scheduled for two days of testing here on the 2.5-mile superspeedway, remained in the garage as rain washed out the scheduled first day of testing for the series.

Officials pulled the plug at 3:30 p.m. ET. Preseason Thunder features two scheduled days of testing for Cup teams, followed by two days for the Nationwide Series (Saturday-Sunday) and two days for the Camping World Truck Series (Monday-Tuesday). With the loss of Thursday's time on track, officials shuffled the original schedule and said Friday's session will run "as long as necessary." Teams will test through lunch and could extend as late as 7 or 8 p.m. depending on how early cars are able to get on track Friday. Most competitors spent the day trying to find ways to occupy their time. "I walked to the truck; I walked to the car. Walked back to the truck, and then back to the car. It's been pretty boring out there today," Team Penske driver Joey Logano said. The Sprint Cup Series will open its 2014 season with the running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for Feb. 23. According to track officials, all of Thursday's fan fest activities were expected to remain on schedule with no change in location.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and most of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be turning laps at Daytona Inrnational Speedway beginning Thursday for Pre-Season Thunder.

Earnahrdt Jr will again be behind the wheel of his No. 88 Chevrolet SS. His car for this practice session will be black with the National Guard logo. Red will adorn the bottom portion of the car.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR has named Richard Buck, a NASCAR executive with a wealth of diverse experience in motorsports, as NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director. Buck will serve in the role held the past 12 years by John Darby, who will remain at NASCAR as managing director, competition. Buck and NASCAR's two other national series managing directors -- Wayne Auton ( NASCAR Nationwide Series) and Chad Little ( NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) -- now will report directly to Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president, competition and racing development.

Buck currently serves as vice president, racing operations for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), a role he will maintain through the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona (Jan. 25-26), at which time he will assume his new position. In addition to his role with IMSA, Buck has been serving as the managing director of NASCAR's Touring Series, the all-important grassroots racing program that has developed numerous top-flight NASCAR drivers over the years.

"Richard Buck has demonstrated a deep and unique knowledge of motorsports, and his versatility and innovative approach to competition should serve the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage extremely well," said Mike Helton, NASCAR president. "His wide range of expertise will be of great benefit to our premier series. NASCAR is in the midst of exciting change in the Competition area, and Buck will be instrumental in providing us with fresh insights and implementing many of the changes in the years ahead."

A native of Phoenix, Buck worked from 1980-2000 as a crew chief, team manager and director of operations with open-wheel racing teams. As a crew chief, he is a multiple-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Prior to joining NASCAR in January 2005, Buck worked with teams in all three NASCAR national series.

"I'm eager and ready to pursue this unique opportunity to serve as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series managing director," said Buck. "I appreciate the faith that NASCAR's management team has entrusted in me for this role. As we prepare to launch the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, I'm thrilled to expand my role in the sport of NASCAR, and I look forward to helping the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition team continue to produce the best racing in the world."

Buck will maintain his current role as IMSA prepares to hold the 2014 Rolex 24 At Daytona during the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season. With his pending departure, IMSA will realign its competition structure, with Scot Elkins, IMSA vice president, competition and technical regulations, to work even more closely with NASCAR's top executives in racing, including Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president, racing operations; Gene Stefanyshyn, vice president, innovation and racing development; and Pemberton. They will form a joint NASCAR / IMSA Competition Committee to meet routinely to share ideas, best practices and resources on innovation and development regarding the two different types of racing.

Additionally, as Buck has been serving as NASCAR's managing director of its Touring Series, he will relinquish that role and NASCAR will promote Brad Moran to that position. Moran has been serving as the Touring Series director.

Darby will retain responsibilities as managing director, competition, helping to transition the NASCAR Competition model as it evolves to incorporate more technology and innovation originating at the NASCAR Research & Development Center. Over the past 12 years, Darby has been an instrumental part of a significant number of enhancements for NASCAR, including the introduction last year of the Gen-6 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car and an innovative laser inspection process.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Steve Letarte, the crew chief who has helped return Dale Earnhardt Jr. to prominence in NASCAR's premier series, will leave his post at Hendrick Motorsports after this coming season to become a television analyst for NBC Sports.

NBC confirmed the pending move Thursday, the opening day of the NASCAR Preseason Thunder test session at Daytona International Speedway. Letarte has won 11 races in nine seasons as crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series, and oversaw Earnhardt's most recent victory in the summer of 2012. Letarte also finished second in final points with Jeff Gordon in 2007.

Letarte will join fellow analyst Jeff Burton and race announcer Rick Allen in the booth when NBC returns as a NASCAR television partner beginning with the 2015 season. Letarte was not available for comment Thursday, according to a team spokesperson. NBC officials have a media briefing scheduled in Daytona for Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET; video of the announcement will be streamed live at NASCAR.com/presspass.

"I've always been impressed with Steve Letarte's interviews, and feel smarter after hearing him break down the crucial elements of each race," Sam Flood, executive producer of NBC Sports, said in a statement released by the network. "It wasn't long into our first meeting about this potential role on our broadcast team when I realized that Steve is going to be 'Must See TV.' "

Letarte has worked for Hendrick since he was 16, ascending to the crew chief's role with Gordon in the final weeks of the 2005 season. He will maintain his current role atop the No. 88 pit box for the duration of the 2014 season.

"As soon as I met with Sam Flood and his team at NBC Sports it became obvious to me how excited they were to be covering NASCAR in 2015 and beyond. Their excitement, along with my love for racing, solidified my decision to move away from the pit box and into the broadcast booth," Letarte said in a statement. "I want to thank Rick Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports for the opportunities they have given me over the last 18 years, and I want to reaffirm my commitment to Dale Jr. and the entire 88 team to go win races and challenge for the championship in 2014."

Letarte's departure will leave a void at Hendrick, given that the Maine native has proven crucial in turning around Earnhardt's fortunes. Earnhardt had finished 25th and 21st in Sprint Cup points in the two seasons prior to his pairing with Letarte in 2011, but his new crew chief's positive reinforcement produced improvement that was almost immediate. Earnhardt's fifth-place result in 2013 was his best since 2006. There are no early indications as to who may be Letarte's successor as the No. 88 crew chief.

NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached an agreement in July of last year that grants NBC Universal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional and Touring Series events, and other live content beginning in 2015. Of NBC Sports Group's 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBC Sports Network. Four of NBC Sports Group's 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBC Sports Network.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske have both tweaked their team names headed into the 2014 seasons.

Ganassi has dropped "Earnhardt" from the formal name of his NASCAR organization. His team will now be known as Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, the name it used before a late 2008 merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc.

The signs at the shop have already been changed to drop Earnhardt from the name.

Penske, meanwhile, wants all of his teams to be called Team Penske. His NASCAR organization had used Penske Racing, while IndyCar had been Team Penske.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- NASCAR is replacing longtime Sprint Cup Series director John Darby with Richard Buck.

The move comes four years after NASCAR first announced it was seeking a successor to Darby so he could take a managerial role. Darby will remain managing director of competition.

Buck spent last year as vice president of racing operations for the International Motor Sports Association - a job he'll keep through the Rolex 24 at Daytona this month - and managing director of NASCAR's Touring Series.

He worked from 1980 to 2000 as a crew chief, team manager and director of operations with Champ Car teams, and won five Indianapolis 500s as a crew chief - with Rick Mears, Al Unser Sr., Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi.

He worked with teams in all three NASCAR national series before joining NASCAR in 2005.

Darby was named Sprint Cup director in 2002. A no-nonsense official, he oversaw the implementation of the "Car of Tomorrow" in 2007 and the "Gen-6" car last season.

Darby will still lead the competition department and help NASCAR through a transitional phase on the track and at the Research & Development Center in North Carolina.

Copyright 2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Commentary

Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images Austin Dillon will pilot the iconic No. 3 Cup car for team owner and grandfather Richard Childress.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The brief interruption that is NASCAR's "offseason" officially ends Wednesday, with Sprint Cup teams set to begin testing at Daytona International Speedway for the Feb. 23 Daytona 500.

Or maybe it already ended at an open test at Charlotte Motor Speedway in December. At least Nationwide and Truck teams will begin in earnest, also, conducting their own two-day sessions beginning this weekend.

Even with just 54 days elapsed since Jimmie Johnson won his sixth Sprint Cup title at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the offseason has been replete with change. Drivers and crew chiefs moved in droves and members of the old guard -- like Mark Martin and Jeff Burton -- began ceding to a wave of new hopefuls like Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon.

A primer of the storylines and the shuffles as testing resumes:

Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing -- The 2004 Sprint Cup champion joins new teammates Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart, eventually. Stewart has yet to return as a driver after breaking his leg in a sprint car accident in August. After making the Chase with one-car Furniture Row Racing last season, Busch returns to the landed gentry, although SHR struggled much of last season. Much will be expected of him.

Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing -- The rebranded No. 39 of vanquished Ryan Newman becomes Harvick's new ride at SHR. Look past the absence of the 29 usually on Harvick's doors and he will at least be recognizable much of the season by sponsors Budweiser and Jimmy John's.

Terry Labonte, No. 32 Ford, FAS Lane/Go Green Racing -- The two-time series champion is scheduled to contest at least the Daytona 500.

Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing -- The 2008 Daytona 500 winner slides into the seat vacated by Jeff Burton.

Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing -- Released by Michael Waltrip Racing when NAPA pulled its sponsorship in the Richmond race-manipulation fallout, the two-time Nationwide champion landed in one of the most desirable rides available. He brings his pit crew with him from MWR, which should improve the prospects of a car Kurt Busch used to qualify for the Chase (and remain there).

AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty -- The erstwhile Penske Racing Sprint Cup and IndyCar driver returns to a full-time Cup program after completing a comeback from NASCAR drug rehabilitation in 2012 and a season of working in various series.

Alex Bowman, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing -- The former RAB Nationwide driver will test at Daytona and appears set to replace David Reutimann in the car after the veteran and team split this week.

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing -- Certain to be one of the focal points of the early parts of the season, if not its entirety, the 23-year-old former Truck and Nationwide champion will be the first to campaign the 3 at NASCAR's highest level since Dale Earnhardt was killed in a Chevrolet bearing the number on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

Parker Kligerman, No. 30 Toyota, Swan Racing -- Half of an all-rookie lineup for a rookie Cup team, Kligerman finished ninth in the Nationwide Series last season. He brings the owner points from Swan's No. 30 to his first full Cup campaign.

Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing -- The 21-year-old's rapid and resplendent rise from sprint car dervish to Sprint Cup rookie is complete. Now comes the part where he's expected to win races and championships and all the while become the face of NASCAR diversity. No pressure there. He's been up to the task so far, though.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing -- The Sprint Cup rookie of the year remains in place at RHR but is reunited with Mike Kelley, with whom he won two Nationwide titles.

Ryan Truex, No. 93, BK Racing -- The younger brother of Martin Truex Jr. will test at Daytona this week and seems set to replace Travis Kvapil.

Brian Vickers, No. 55, Michael Waltrip Racing -- The 11th-year Cup performer contested 14 races in the No. 55 last season before a recurrence of blood-clotting prompted physicians to shut him down. A Nationwide regular last year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Vickers relaunches into a full-time Cup campaign for the third time in his career.

Cole Whitt, No. 26 Toyota, Swan Racing -- The journeyman former JR Motorsports Nationwide driver entered seven races for Swan in Cup last season.

3 is a magic number -- Austin Dillon's progression to Sprint Cup has been made methodically and successfully with a stylized No. 3 on the doors of a truck or car fielded by his grandfather and team owner Richard Childress. That he will utilize the family number as a Sprint Cup rookie came as no surprise to the nostalgic. But a No. 3 Sprint Cup car at Daytona International Speedway will evoke memories and emotions from the nostalgic and pragmatic alike. The series will be reminded, even as it moves past a hurt 13 years running, how much the late Dale Earnhardt meant and still means to it.

Comeback kids -- Success in the Daytona 500 is not necessarily a precursor to season-long prosperity. Success in a preseason test relates pretty much the same way to the Daytona 500. But for drivers like 2012 series champion Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin, who finished unfulfilling 2013 seasons with flourishes, there will be an eagerness to get on with things, and get on with them well.

Seven up -- Six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson returns to the 2.5-mile superspeedway as defending series and Daytona 500 winner.

48 days 'til The Great American Race. Will @JimmieJohnson get his 3rd Harley J. Earl trophy? #hattrick #RoadtoDAYTONA pic.twitter.com/ZC87HjpMWX

Contributor, espnW.com