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RELATED: Daytona 500 quick info

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Wearing eyeglasses, a black shirt with the Stewart-Haas Racing logo and black jeans, Tony Stewart very calmly sat on the stage alongside Ford executive Raj Nair and fellow Ford owners Roger Penske and Jack Roush ready to address reporters about the upcoming NASCAR season.

It’s a new gig for the newly retired three-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion — new in his role solely as team owner at the track and also new in representing Ford’s blue oval.

Ironically, it was the legendary Penske who cut up first, reminding Stewart he was in the wrong color attire — black for his team instead of white for Ford.

“We’ll get him in gear here before long,” Penske joked. “My white one (shirt) may be too big, though.’’

Stewart grinned and insisted he had “no answer” for the tease. Roush took a good-natured shot at Stewart a few minutes later — a welcome-to-the-club rite of passage. The popular driving champion, however, smiled a lot and looked absolutely comfortable answering questions on stage as an owner only for the first time in 18 years of full-time NASCAR competition.

RELATED: Stewart’s career highlights

“To be honest, it’s kind of nice,” Stewart said, smiling at his more-narrowly defined role. “If I’m late to practice, nobody yells at me. If I leave practice early, nobody yells at me. And if I don’t show up for practice at all, nobody yells at me. That side has been kind of nice. Really, the only drama I’ve had so far is Roger picking on me about the color of shirt I wear.”

In fact, after Stewart answered questions on stage alongside his fellow Ford owners, he lingered in the media room for nearly an hour doing one-on-one interviews and just generally catching up with reporters. It all had a first day of school feel to it.

Stewart was optimistic about his four-car team’s chances in Sunday’s Daytona  500, particularly noting the promise and enthusiasm he sees in Clint Bowyer taking over the No. 14 Mobil 1 Ford for Stewart.

RELATED: Go Behind the Wall with Bowyer as he preps for Daytona

A Ford driven by Penske driver Joey Logano won The Clash exhibition race last weekend. Kevin Harvick and Bowyer will start alongside one another in the 500 on the third row and Penske’s Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch will start on row four. Roush’s Trevor Bayne will line up next to Danica Patrick on row six.

“We’ll need to check about halfway through the race and see how happy they are, but up to this point, they’re really really excited,” Stewart said. “Kevin, Kurt, Clint and Danica, they’ve all been really happy and pleased with what we’ve got this year.

“Working with Jack’s team and Roger’s team, it’s good to have some good allies out there on race day and I think we’ve already seen with Roger’s bunch how good that relationship is working out so far on the race track.

“So we’re looking forward to a great weekend.”

RELATED: All of Stewart’s career Monster Energy Series wins


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RELATED: Daytona schedule | Starting lineup


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — There’s no such thing as a clear-cut favorite for Sunday’s Daytona  500. After six days of on-track activity for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, several camps can lay claim to having an edge, but singling out one driver is akin to a roulette wheel’s spin.

"We come down here a lot of years. You kind of pick a guy," said Jamie McMurray, the 2010 champion of the 500 who will start third in this year’s running. "If he finishes, he’s going to be there in the end. I think there’s 10 guys that have a legitimate shot to win this year."

What is clear is that Sunday’s winner of the Great American Race (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will have the benefit of a fast horse, potential assistance from teammates and the combination of an adept spotter and a frequently-used mirror. And if conventional wisdom holds serve, Team Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports should be the prime players in that game.

Preliminary races — Thursday’s Duel qualifiers and last weekend’s "The Clash" exhibition from a busy Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway — have shown that a strong leading car has the ability to change lanes and stem the aerodynamic momentum from an onrushing line of cars. The Duels showed the powerful but precarious nature of leading: In the first 150-miler, polesitter Chase Elliott staved off the pack with a series of blocks to lead the final 24 laps. In the nightcap, Dale Earnhardt Jr. — who led for 53 circuits — zigged too late when Denny Hamlin zagged with two laps left, and Hamlin led an organized aero charge to the checkers.


MORE: Logano wins ‘The Clash’ | Duel 1 results | Duel 2 results


"Because the way the lanes form, it’s just power in numbers," said Elliott, the 500’s Coors Light Pole Award winner for the second straight year. "It’s a power in what cars are lined up in what row, how they’re stacked against you, whether they’re two-wide or three-wide behind you. There certainly are guys that do a good job. Once they get out front they’re tough to get by. We see that all the time at these places."


RELATED: Elliott joins elite in back-to-back ‘Great American Race’ pole wins


Momentum can be an intangible in other sports, the vibe of a winning streak or the underlying oomph of the tide turning in a certain game. In NASCAR — and especially in the restrictor-plate genre of stock-car racing — it’s a palpable phenomenon.

While aerodynamics can be a great equalizer for underdogs, the power of Penske’s pair of Fords driven by Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski stands out. But so does the muscle flexed by defending 500 champion Hamlin and his flotilla of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. And it’s unwise to count out Hendrick & Co.; which monopolized the front row in qualifying with Elliott and Earnhardt.


MORE: Penske proves plate tracks take more than just luck


One thing is all but certain, especially when it gets to crunch time with the Harley J. Earl Trophy on the line: The cat-and-mouse between the race leader and the pack will be more exacting, with far more take than give.

"I’m sure that will be amped up Sunday," Elliott said after his Duel win. "I think it was similar to what you’ll see."

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RELATED: NASCAR 101: Format fast facts | Complete starting lineup

At a Glance

Where: Daytona International Speedway, 2.5-mile tri-oval in Daytona

Green flag: 2:30 p.m. ET
Stage lengths: Stage 1 ends on Lap 60, Stage 2 ends on Lap 120, Stage 3/race slated to end on Lap 200

TV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio 

Forecast: Sunny with a high temperature of 68 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. North-northeast winds of 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph

National anthem: Jordin Sparks, starring in "God Bless the Broken Road," DAV Ambassador

Grand Marshal: Actor Owen Wilson

Race distance: 200 laps, 500 miles

Pit road speed: 55 mph

Caution car speed: 70 mph

 

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RELATED: Final practice results


In Saturday’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran 30 laps at Daytona International Speedway, second only to the 36 posted by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne.


The No. 88 team changed from a qualifying engine to the race engine after practice on Friday, a practice customary at the Daytona  500. But Earnhardt found his car less responsive with the new engine; in addition, the car developed a slight vibration that led to the team changing drive shafts in the car.


"We changed the motor and went to the race engine today, took the qualifying motor out last night," Earnhardt explained. "I thought our car was a little better yesterday in practice. In the pack, it would develop runs a little bit better. It just seemed like I had to get a little luckier today with what was happening behind me, where yesterday the car would do some things or develop some things kind of on its own. 


"The thing about that is every time you get out there — you might not even change anything — it just depends on what kind of pack you get in, what kind of cars are around you, and your car’s performance can change and kind of fool you a little bit. I’m just hoping that today was a little more laid back, not quite as many cars out there, not quite as active in the draft, and maybe that’s why we didn’t see our car respond like it did yesterday."


RELATED: Junior’s Daytona 500 history


The vibration was of particular concern.


"You worry about that, because any kind of thing that is out of balance is going to hurt that straight-line speed," Earnhardt said. "We tried to work on that and were able to fix it right there on that last run. It’s just simple stuff like flipping drive shafts and things like that. 


"You want to get all that out of there so you don’t have any doubts about anything holding your car back. Otherwise, it’s been really uneventful. We haven’t had any issues or problems with the car mechanically, and nothing happened on the race track, so it looks like we are going to get this thing on the grid tomorrow and ready to go."


The change in drive shafts won’t affect Earnhardt’s second-place starting position on Sunday.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 25, 2017) — Reserved stadium tickets for the 59th annual DAYTONA 500, the season-opening event for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, are sold out, Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile announced today.
 
Ticket holders for "The Great American Race" on Sunday will enjoy all the amenities that come with the world’s only motorsports stadium including 101,500 permanent and wider seats, five expanded and redesigned entrances, 40 escalators and other upgrades throughout the 11 football-field sized neighborhoods in the facility.
 
Premium hospitality, infield admissions and UNOH Fanzone/Pre-Race access still remain for the DAYTONA 500 and are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP as well as through PrimeSport.com, the official ticket exchange and travel package provider of Daytona International Speedway.
 
This is the second straight year that the DAYTONA 500 has sold out.
 
"The ticket demand for the DAYTONA 500 continues to be a constant in our sport," Wile said. "Likewise, the race continues to be the perfect kick-off to a new NASCAR season, showcasing the unique and energized at-track experience that our sport — and our stadium — provides to our fans.
 
"This is the most prestigious event on the NASCAR schedule and a true American sports tradition. Fans have always recognized those facts. This latest sellout, once again, reflects that recognition."
 
This year’s Daytona  500 will be attended by fans representing 41 different countries and every state in the U.S.

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The "Big One" occurred in the waning laps of Stage 1 in the XFINITY Series Daytona opener with 12 cars involved.

During a Lap 26 restart — following a 20-car wreck on Lap 23 — the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of polesitter Brandon Jones, the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevy of Justin Allgaier and the No. 21 RCR Chevrolet of Daniel Hemric got loose, sparking the melee.

Both Jones and Allgaier hit the wall hard, bringing the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Daniel Suarez with them.

Roush Fenway Racing‘s Darrell Wallace Jr. and JGR teammates Matt Tifft and Erik Jones were affected as well. Other cars in the wreck included Chris Cockrum, Harrison Rhodes, Brandon Hightower, Scott Lagasse Jr. and Blake Koch.

“I think the 7 got turned by somebody and I saw Erik didn’t lift, so I didn’t lift and we were trying to go through the middle, and I think me and Daniel collided there," Wallace said. "It was just unfortunate circumstances that put us there. We probably looked like a boy band group walking out all together, but I just hate it for my guys."

NASCAR quickly parked the field under red-flag conditions.

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RELATED: Format FAQ | Full Speedweeks schedule


NASCAR’s 2017 race format enhancements debuted for the NASCAR XFINITY Series on Saturday, and veteran Elliott Sadler was the early beneficiary.


The sanctioning body introduced three race stages for all three NASCAR national series in the offseason, with points awarded for top finishers in Stage 1 and Stage 2. The Final Stage concludes the race and awards full race points.


For Stages 1 and 2, the first-place driver at the conclusion of each earns 10 race points, as well as one bonus playoff point for the postseason. Nine race points are awarded to the second-place driver, eight points for third-place, down to one point for 10th place.


Here are the stage results from Saturday:


* asterisk denotes driver ineligible for points in this series

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RELATED: Race results | Standings | Detailed breakdown


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For Ryan Reed, there’s magic in the air at the Birthplace of Speed.

Reed went to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway in February 2015 and hadn’t won since — until Saturday night, when he held off Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kasey Kahne in overtime to claim victory in the Powershares QQQ 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series season opener.

With the race going four laps past its scheduled distance of 120 laps, and with the series running NASCAR’s new three-stage event format for the first time, Reed blocked Kahne in Turn 2 on the first of two overtime laps and stalled his momentum.

MORE: See how the entire field fared in Stage 1, Stage 2

From that point on, Reed stayed out front and got to the finish line .219 seconds ahead of Kahne, with Austin Dillon a close third and Brad Keselowski and Brendan Gaughan fourth and fifth, respectively.

Reed’s triumph was a welcome start to the season for Roush Fenway Racing, which suffered through a winless season in 2016.

"I’m just so excited," Reed said in Victory Lane. "I knew if I could run two perfect laps (in overtime) with however many blocks I had to do in those two laps, I’d be standing here."

In a race that produced 10 cautions, one short of the event record, 20 of the 40 cars were running at the finish. Only three cars escaped damaged from a succession of major wrecks—those of Kahne, Ty Dillon (who ran out of gas on the first overtime lap) and David Starr (who dropped out after four laps with engine issues).


MORE: 20-car wreck brings out red flag | Twelve cars affected in ‘Big One’

The driver who got the worst end of the accident toll was Elliott Sadler, who led a race-high 40 laps and won the first two stages under caution (earning one playoff point for each) before clobbering the backstretch wall on Lap 104 in a 16-car accident.

Sadler was credited with a 24th-place finish but managed to hold third in the series standings, thanks to points earned in the first two stages. Reed leaves Daytona with a nine-point lead over second-place Brendan Gaughan, with Sadler 14 back.

"Man, that was a heck of a race," Gaughan said. "What a run to get back to the top five! Me and Austin — we were beasts coming through the field.

Before the race reached the end of the 30-lap first stage, the event had been red-flagged twice for a pair of massive wrecks that eliminated more than a handful of drivers expected to contend for the series championship.

On Lap 23, Scott Lagasse Jr. turned the No. 42 Chevrolet of Tyler Reddick across traffic on the backstretch, causing a colossal chain-reaction pileup that involved 20 cars — literally half the field. That wreck knocked out Cole Custer in his debut in the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, as well as Sunoco rookie Spencer Gallagher in the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet.

"My bad," Lagasse said on his radio in perhaps the tersest apology ever for a mistake that damaged that many cars.

As drivers jockeyed for position on Lap 29, rookie Daniel Hemric hit a patch of “speedy-dry” from the first wreck — which he described as "like driving on ice" — and washed up the track into the left rear of Justin Allgaier‘s Chevrolet, triggering a crash that involved 13 cars.

The melee damaged the cars of Hemric, Allgaier, Erik Jones, Darrell Wallace Jr., pole winner Brandon Jones and 2016 series champion Daniel Suarez beyond repair.

"I feel like we were racing too hard," said Suarez, who is running for points in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season. "It’s too early. I don’t really know what happened exactly. I haven’t seen the replay slowly.

"I feel like we have to be a little bit smarter than that. I just feel like it’s a long race, and we should be a little bit more smart."

Reed was involved in three of the accidents, including the Lap 104 incident, but recovered to win the race.

"I started out pretty aggressive and made some mistakes and ended up in the back of the pack," said Reed, who suffers from Type 1 diabetes. "I knew if I was there at the end it doesn’t matter where you are at, you will have a shot.

"I reminded myself of that, took a deep breath, bided my time and found my way to the front at the end. Everyone was so aggressive. This new format is breeding a lot of aggression — there’s a ton of incentive."

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DAYTONA 500: Starting lineup | Race-day schedule | Key info
RELATED: Junior fulfilled with his career numbers

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — He tested at Phoenix earlier this year, qualified on the outside of the front row for Sunday’s Daytona  500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and on Thursday he led the bulk of his Can-Am Duel qualifying race before finishing fifth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is officially back.


Today marks his return to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and no one is more pleased about it than the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.


"I really had fun," Earnhardt said Thursday evening after a strong return at a track where he’s typically one of a handful of drivers expected to run well. "I hated to lose but still we have to be aware of how far we’ve come to get back here. To go out there and lead all those laps and be able to make some good smart moves, it felt great."


The road back has been a long one for the 42-year-old Earnhardt, who missed the final 18 races of 2016 while recovering from a concussion. It marked the second time he had been sidelined by such an injury, and he admitted there were times he questioned what his racing future held.


RELATED: Junior emerges from injury stronger, centered and ready to win


"There was a lot of time during the recovery where there were days I was 90 percent sure I wasn’t going to drive again," he said. "There were days when it was 50 percent. It was just moving all over the place depending on what I felt that day. Your recovery is up and down, you have good days and bad days. …


"When it came down to it, I had to decide for myself if I wanted to drive anymore. I’m not going to race because of any other reason than I want to be out there."


Earnhardt will roll off second alongside Elliott, the pole winner, for the 59th running of the Daytona  500. He is a two-time winner of the "Great American Race" and one of the favorites based on past success and this year’s efforts thus far.


RELATED: Chronicling Junior’s return to racing | Dale Jr. in the 500


Restrictor-plate races are breeding grounds for multi-car crashes, with cars running two-, three- and sometimes four-wide, a dozen or more rows deep at 200-plus mph. Earnhardt doesn’t dwell on the possibility of another accident and what might result.


"I don’t want to wreck to sort of quantify my recovery," he said. "I think should that happen and I come out the other side of it feeling great, that will add a ton of confidence. I can’t sit here and say that I know exactly how I’m going to react in those situations with confidence. So yeah, when I go through that process, there’s a box or two to check that aren’t checked yet."


Three-time series champion Tony Stewart hung up his NASCAR uniform at the end of the ’16 season. Two of Stewart’s final four years driving for Stewart-Haas Racing were cut short due to injuries the Columbus, Indiana, native suffered in non-NASCAR events.


But there was no apprehension about climbing back in the car following lengthy recovery periods, he said.


"Never. It was more excitement to get back because you have to remember, we’re drivers," Stewart, the winner of 49 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, said. "That’s what we want to do, drive.


"When you have an injury, all it is is a pain in the ass. It’s keeping you from doing what you want to do. That’s why you heard so many drivers praise Junior last year (when) he chose not to run. And that’s hard."


Fellow driver Martin Truex Jr. has a close relationship with Earnhardt — the two were teammates from 2004-07 at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and spend time away from the track each fall on hunting trips.


"I know he’s got a lot on his shoulders," Truex said. "A lot of people put a lot of pressure on him, obviously. I think in a lot of ways he sometimes feels like he needs to be here for other people. But hopefully he made the decision based on what’s best for him. I think he did. I know he’s excited about racing still. He obviously still loves it and wants to do it and hopefully things will all work out for him."


It has been 20 races since Earnhardt won his last race and just five — due to his shortened ’16 season — since his last top five. Sunday affords the opportunity to reset both those streaks. After that? He’s yet to win a championship at NASCAR’s top level, but has finished as high as third. And, yes, he did say if he wins the title in ’17 "it would be hard to not call it a career."


RELATED: Earnhardt Jr. would consider walking away as champion


He has a new outlook and seems to be at peace with the road he’s traveled. For the longest time, he said "I let racing be who I was instead of what I did.


"Like Richard Petty said, I’ve got a whole other life beyond driving and I really believe that," Earnhardt said. "I’ve got a lot of things I’d love to do. Even outside of having a family, there are a lot of things in business that I’d love to see if I could succeed at. I think we got a glimpse of what that would be like; it looks pretty awesome."


For now, though, the Daytona  500 and another season of crisscrossing the country await. And Earnhardt is more than OK with that.


"Like I said, I crave to drive the car," he said. "I love the position I’m in with the team I’m with, (crew chief) Greg (Ives) and the guys, and until that feeling … and that ‘want’ to be there is gone, I want to keep going."