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The 59th annual Daytona 500 is just around the corner, so we sifted through the numbers on Racing Reference to find some interesting tidbits for you to chew on while you wait for the Feb. 26 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) running of The Great American Race.

10
Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads active drivers with 10 victories on restrictor-plate tracks. That’s double the amount for the next-closest competitors, Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson, who have five apiece. Two of Junior’s 10 restrictor-plate wins have come in the Daytona 500, his last being in 2014.

9
Dale Earnhardt Jr. also leads active drivers with nine second-place finishes in restrictor-plate races. Tony Stewart had eight, followed by Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett and Jimmie Johnson all tied at six apiece. So in 19 of Junior’s 67 restrictor-plate races, he has finished either in first or second place.

RELATED: More restrictor-plate stats

1967
The last time the Daytona 500 was run on Feb. 26 was 1967, and the winner was Mario Andretti. It was Andretti’s only win in 14 NASCAR premier series starts. He drove for Holman-Moody and beat Fred Lorenzen in a race that ended under caution. Andretti, of course, was better known for his open-wheel career.

No. 11
When Andretti won the Daytona 500 he was driving the No. 11 car. That number has been on the Daytona 500-winning car just two other times: In 1977, eventual NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough drove it to Victory Lane. Last year, Denny Hamlin won in the race’s closest finish ever (.010 seconds over Martin Truex Jr.).

RELATED: Stats by car number

22
The number of DNFs for Michael Waltrip in his restrictor-plate racing career, tying him with Bobby Labonte for third-most all-time. However, Waltrip has the most starts in restrictor-plate races at Daytona and Talladega with 108 and has won four times, including twice in the Daytona 500 (2001 and ’03). Waltrip will be making the final start of his career in this year’s Daytona 500.

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ITEM 1: Richard Petty autographed photo w/ Rick Wilson at the zoo


It’s what you’ve dreamt of for the past 25 years — an autographed photo of Richard Petty. And Rick Wilson. AT THE ZOO.


Alternative: Men’s NASCAR Classics light blue Richard Petty 80th birthday shirt

While the photo would look great at your desk at the office instead of that picture of your family, a T-Shirt featuring The King might do a better job out in public.


ITEM 2: NASCAR sheet metal No. 4 Kevin Harvick Jimmy John’s quarter-panel


A piece of sheet metal from Kevin Harvick‘s Jimmy John’s car that just reads "Freaky." Give the guests stopping by your racing cave the wrong idea.


Alternative: Unsigned Kevin Harvick Fanatics authentic display case with race-used sheet metal

Protect yourself from sharp metal edges with a display-case protected piece of Happy’s car.

ITEM 3: 2003 Wheels High Gear No. 69 Greg Biffle rookie racing card

A Greg Biffle rookie card — No. 69, of course.


Alternative: Greg Biffle pit row cornhole game set


Greg Biffle cornhole. I think he would have wanted it this way.


ITEM 4: Ryan Newman action figure



An action figure of Ryan Newman spilling a bottle of sports drink. Butter fingers!


Alternative: Men’s Ryan Newman New Era black team relation knit beanie

Protect your head from rogue sports drink spray.


ITEM 5: Dale Jr. NASCAR 3M Hard Charger Award


A novelty check for $25,000. If you successfully cash it, you’ve got a pretty decent return on investment.


Alternative: NASCAR Superstore $25 Gift Card

Why have $25,000 in novelty dollars when you can have 25 real dollars’ worth of NASCAR merchandise?


ITEM 6: Ron Hornaday No. 2 pit board sign


Does Ron Hornaday live in your neighborhood? Wave this sign out front of your house and find out — he’ll surely stop!

Alternative: WinCraft NASCAR street sign


You might get a little more buy-in from your cohabitants with the alternative.


ITEM 7: Mike Bliss Advair race-used fire suit



Was your Mike Bliss Halloween costume feeling incomplete? No longer.


Alternative: Men’s Kyle Busch orange M&M’s Halloween t-shirt


Of course there’s no true alternative to a complete Mike Bliss driver suit and helmet.

ITEM 8: Dale Jarrett No. 88 race-used tire side wall picture


Finally! The answer to your longtime question: "Where can I find a photo of Dale Jarrett to put inside the sidewall of my tire?"


Alternative: Dale Jarrett collectible lot of 15 trading cards

You might be able to assemble all these trading cards on a piece of poster board, and enjoy 15 pictures of Dale Jarrett instead of just one.


ITEM 9: Mike Wallace No. 91 Spam Racing denim jacket


Want to show your love of Mike Wallace‘s tenure in Joe Falk’s No. 91 Spam Racing machine from the late ’90s? What better way than with a 20-year-old denim jacket?


Alternative: Rusty Wallace black vintage car t-shirt


While Mike Wallace merchandise is hard to come by in this decade, you can always count on brother Rusty to come through with vintage shirts.


ITEM 10: Dale Jr. wakeboard



You’ve often asked yourself: "How can I combine my love of NASCAR and passion for wakeboarding?" Look no further than this Dale Earnhardt Jr.-from-the-early-2000s-themed wakeboard.


Alternative: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2017 wall calendar

Of course, there’s no substitute for a wakeboard — but this calendar can help you remember when it’s time to hit the … waves? (Or whatever it is that wakeboarders say).

ITEM 11: Dale Sr. knife set in metal tin car


What do we have here? If you guessed "a car resembling the late Dale Earnhardt’s that’s been stretched out in Microsoft Paint and has wheels that don’t touch the ground," you’re right!


Alternative: Dale Earnhardt checkered flag black name and number bandana


How about a nice bandana instead?

ITEM 12: Race-used Cougar hood


It’s a hood. With a cougar.


Alternative: Fanatics authentic Daytona generic chair with black track bottom


It’s hard to beat actual seats from Daytona International Speedway.

ITEM 13: Kyle Busch ID holder 


Holy heck! A genuine "Kyle Bush" ID holder! And you’d better believe it’s emblazoned with that famous No. 18 (well, a No. 18 that doesn’t really resemble the real thing).


Alternative: WinCraft NASCAR color frost key ring


How about something a little more official?


(And speaking of … )


ITEM 14: NASCAR race official race-used fire suit



There’s no telling what you could do when you show up to the race in an Official’s uniform.


Alternative: Men’s Fanatics branded black NASCAR t-shirt


It’s probably a safer bet to show your love of NASCAR with a simple t-shirt than impersonating a race official. Trust me on that one.

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BUY TICKETS: See the Coca-Cola 600 live!

CONCORD, N.C. — Fans will roar and the red, white and blue will wave before the green flag on May 28 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Iconic rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd will salute America with the ultimate Memorial Day Weekend mix of rock and racing in front of a captivated audience in the Coca-Cola 600 Concert presented by Speed Perks.

The 2006 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees will perform hits including world-renowned, Southern rock anthems "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama" for Coca-Cola 600 ticket holders on the Pit Party stage on pit road.

"We can’t wait to get to rocking with all the race fans," lead singer Johnny Van Zant said. "This is going to be one of the coolest concerts we’ll play all year. It’s not often that you get the chance to perform before something as true-blue American as the Coca-Cola 600. Everybody had better be ready because it’s going to get wild."

The Lynyrd Skynyrd concert is part of the 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which also includes the May 20 Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race. Platinum-selling entertainer Justin Moore will perform a free pre-All-Star Race concert presented by Rayovac Batteries and Kwikset.

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Defending Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin showed up Wednesday night to attend an Orlando Magic NBA game and help promote the upcoming Daytona Speedweeks, conceding there remains a lot of positive feedback about a special and sentimental move he made a day earlier for one of the sport’s favorite sons.

 

On Tuesday, Hamlin revealed on social media that he will carry his car owner J.D. Gibbs’ first name above the driver door on his No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry. Like Gibbs, Hamlin’s initials are J.D. — James Dennis. Gibbs’ initials J.D. stand for Jason Dean.

 

RELATED: Hamlin unveils tribute on No. 11 ride

 

Gibbs, a popular and well-liked personality has been sidelined from his once-busy role running the Joe Gibbs Racing team because of health reasons. He has been treated for symptoms affecting his brain function and his welfare is always on the mind of team members.

 

So for Hamlin, this was actually an easy way to send a strong message of support.

 

And the positive response to the gesture has been immediate and strong.

 

"It’s very tough to figure out what is the right thing to do to pay tribute to J.D.," Hamlin said Wednesday while visiting the local Florida media.

 

"That car is number 11 for a reason. Although people always think it’s that number because it always has been throughout my career, that was J.D.’s number — his college number — when he played football (at the College of William and Mary)."

 

Hamlin reminded that it was actually J.D. that persuaded his famous father, Joe Gibbs, to hire Hamlin and give him a chance in the big leagues.

 

The result has been 29 wins and a championship runner-up finish (2010) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.

 

"It’s a very special thing for him and it’s always been his car,” Hamlin said. "He was there that very first time and made the call to sign me to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing so I tried to do the best I could to pay tribute to him as well and his family.

 

"We’re going to leave it on for the year. I think it’s important to do that.”

 

After one more official off day (Thursday) before the 2017 season begins, Hamlin will arrive at Daytona International Speedway for the season kickoff non-points race, the Advance Auto Parts Clash on Saturday night.

 

Front row qualifying for the Feb. 26 Daytona 500 will be Sunday.

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BUY TICKETS: Special Chase Elliott-inspired plan

HAMPTON, Ga. — Acclaimed television personality and designer Ty Pennington has been named grand marshal for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway Sunday, March 5, 2017.

 

An Atlanta native and alumnus of The Art Institute of Atlanta, Pennington will return to his home state to visit with race fans, attend the pre-race drivers’ meeting and give the command as part of his grand marshal duties.

 

"I am very excited to be coming home to Atlanta to work with Atlanta Motor Speedway," said Pennington of the opportunity. "The fans at their events are always filled with energy and love to have a good time. I can’t wait."

 

Pennington first won national attention as the quirky and creative carpenter on the groundbreaking home-improvement series Trading Spaces. Later, as host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Pennington helped transform the lives of thousands while inspiring millions more around the world to volunteer their time to help others.

 

Pennington recently was the host of Food Network’s American Diner Revival, a hit show that showcases both design and food in an emotionally charged format. Ty travels the country breathing new life into the heart and soul of many communities and local diners.

 

Ty also worked with the legendary Chef Emeril Lagasse in the TBS show On The Menu. The Mark Burnett-produced show is "the first cooking competition show to give viewers at home the chance to taste the dishes they see on screen."

 

NASCAR racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway March 3-5, 2017, featuring the Rinnai 250 XFINITY Series and Active Pest Control 200 Camping World Truck Series doubleheader on Saturday, March 4 and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, March 5.

 

For more information or to purchase tickets today, contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office at (770) 946-4211, (877) 9-AMS-TIX or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

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Stewart-Haas Racing and Aspen Dental expanded their partnership on Tuesday, with the dental company becoming the lead sponsor for Danica Patrick in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Aspen Dental will debut on the No. 10 Ford Fusion for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 and will be the primary sponsor for a double-digit slate of races, the team announced Tuesday.

Aspen Dental has had a relationship with SHR since 2012, and Patrick has been aligned with the brand since 2014. Notably Patrick’s car featured an Aspen Dental paint scheme in 2015 at Chicagoland Speedway in which the names of 2,200 veterans adorned it as part of the Healthy Mouth Movement, an initiative that has contributed $7.5 million in donated dentistry for veterans.

"From the first time I visited Aspen Dental’s headquarters in 2013, I was struck by their commitment to helping people and changing lives," Patrick said in a team release. "I love working with organizations that care about people, and teaming up with a group that has such an important mission — breaking down barriers and helping patients get the dental care they need — is very rewarding."

This will be Patrick’s fifth full-time season in a premier series ride for SHR; one of her highlights was winning the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500.

"Our commitment to Danica Patrick goes back almost four years and our relationship with SHR even further," said Bob Fontana, chairman and CEO of Aspen Dental Management, Inc. "She is a strong advocate for the Aspen Dental brand and a wonderful ambassador for programs like the Healthy Mouth Movement."

In addition to the Healthy Mouth Movement, Patrick’s other work with Aspen Dental included "A Taste of the Future," a hidden-camera video campaign designed to raise awareness about the long-term consequences of delaying dental care.

"Aspen Dental has been a great partner for Stewart-Haas Racing for many years," said Tony Stewart, co-owner for SHR. "We’ve both grown with this sponsorship and we know we can achieve even more thanks to their increased role with Danica and our No. 10 team."

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RELATED: Read more Inside Groove


Ah, can you feel it?


Love is in the air — and on the interwebs.


Some NASCAR drivers took to Twitter to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2017 and give special shoutouts to their sweethearts, while other, more single drivers took the opportunity to channel their inner Kate Winslet (looking at you, Noah Gragson.)


Here’s the best V-Day tweets we’ve seen on Twitter this February 14.


How Junior celebrates at the track | Dale gets V-Day gift from … ‘Rowdy?‘


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Ahead of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, Denny Hamlin unveiled a tribute to his car owner J.D. Gibbs Tuesday on Twitter.

"This is pretty special to me," Hamlin said in a video he posted on Twitter. "J.D. Gibbs is actually the car owner of the No. 11 FedEx Camry and he’s the one who actually gave me my first opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing. We went to a test at Hickory Motor Speedway, called his dad up, they signed me about 13 years ago. So I wanted to do something to honor him."

Both Gibbs and Hamlin have the same initials, J.D. — Jason Dean (J.D.) Gibbs and James Dennis Hamlin. In March of 2015, J.D. Gibbs curtailed his involvement as the then-president of Joe Gibbs Racing due to health issues as he started treatment for symptoms impacting areas of brain function. He was named co-chairman of JGR, with his father, team owner Joe Gibbs, in February of 2016.

Hamlin has spent his entire Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career with Joe Gibbs Racing. Over 12 years, he has 29 wins — including a victory in the 2016 Daytona 500 and a runner-up finish in the 2010 standings.

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RELATED: NASCAR Drive

 

NASCAR Drive is back for 2017

 

NASCAR Drive is the ultimate, live, race-day experience. With in-car video and lap-by-lap commentary, you can follow along with the 40-car field in one place all for FREE. Access driver stats, follow the social conversation and never miss a minute of race day.


NASCAR Drive is available in 2017 on your desktop and mobile device during each Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race and select XFINITY Series races.  It’s also available inside NASCAR Mobile, the official app of NASCAR.