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Daily 5 p.m. ET show blends news, analysis and inside access

The day after the next Daytona 500 champion is crowned, NBCSN introduces NASCAR AMERICA, a new 30-minute daily show dedicated to the nation’s longstanding fascination with speed and stock car racing.  Making its debut on NBCSN at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 24, and returning each weekday at the same time and place, NASCAR AMERICA will cover the sport from all angles, delivering news, highlights and access to NASCAR’s dynamic stars and personalities. The announcement was made today by Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBCSN.

Each episode of NASCAR AMERICA will bring fans closer to everything that drives this American pastime with in-depth access to the drivers, crew chiefs and team owners that are integral to the sport, opinions and analysis from NASCAR’s most prominent personalities, and exclusive looks inside the high-tech race shops and storied racing venues that dot the country.

"NASCAR AMERICA will engage the true racing fan in a number of ways, providing viewers with a mix of breaking news, storytelling and daily features," said Flood. "We’re going to celebrate the traditions as well as the changing landscape of the sport from coast to coast with wide-ranging content that feeds America’s passion for racing."   

Originating from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., as well as a new NBC Sports’ studio located in the racing hotbed of Charlotte, N.C., NASCAR AMERICA’s primary host is Rick Allen.  Allen, who will usher in NBC Sports’ live coverage of NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series racing as lead announcer in July 2015, will interact daily with NBC Sports motorsports reporters Marty Snider and Kelly Stavast. Snider and Stavast, both based in Charlotte, N.C., will operate on location throughout the country to deliver the latest news and features on NASCAR’s drivers and race teams. NBC Sports Group’s IndyCar and Formula One play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey will also serve as host of NASCAR AMERICA.  

Alongside Allen in the studio will be a constant rotation of guest analysts offering fresh perspectives and insights. Guest analysts who will join NASCAR AMERICA throughout February and March include NBC Sports NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton, Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Labonte, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, and crew chief Frank Stoddard. Future guest analysts, which will include former and current drivers and crew chiefs, NASCAR executives, and even prominent fans such as NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, will be announced at a later date.  

"The excitement and energy that the NBC Sports team is pouring into all the great ideas and concepts for NASCAR AMERICA has me convinced that this show will be special for race fans," said Burton. "I’m looking forward to contributing to NASCAR AMERICA, and watching it as well."  

NBC Sports’ unique position as a multiplatform media destination for not only NASCAR, but also Formula One, IndyCar and several other exciting racing series, provides the creators of NASCAR AMERICA with the ability to showcase a strong mix of motorsports coverage.  As such, NASCAR AMERICA will regularly feature input from NBC Sports’ IndyCar and Formula One on-air talent, including Leigh Diffey, Wally Dallenbach, Townsend Bell, Steve Matchett, David Hobbs and Will Buxton, each contributing from various locations around the world.  

Background
On July 23, 2013, NASCAR and NBC Sports Group reached a comprehensive agreement that grants NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the final 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, final 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015.

With this partnership, NBC’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race schedule includes a designation as the exclusive home to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, when the elite national series races through its final events of the season in an exciting and new elimination format.  The Chase culminates with the season-ending championship event, which returns to network television in 2015 for the first time since 2009. Of NBC Sports Group’s 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, seven will be carried on NBC annually, with 13 airing on NBCSN. Four of NBC Sports Group’s 19 NASCAR Nationwide Series races will air on NBC, with 15 airing on NBCSN.

In addition to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races, NBC also obtained exclusive rights to practice and qualifying sessions for NBC’s national series events during their portion of the season, as well as rights to broadcast the NASCAR K&N Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Toyota (Mexico) Series, the NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony and NASCAR’s season-ending banquets. Further, NBC is granted Spanish-language rights, certain video-on-demand rights and exclusive TV Everywhere rights for its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series events.

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Ward Burton: ‘Jeb’s character is intact’

Ward Burton has cried. He’s been angry. He’s looked back on all he and his family have done to try and build son Jeb Burton‘s racing career, and wondered — have we done something wrong?

"I know we haven’t. We’ve always treated all our relationships, and anyone for that matter, in an honest and ethical manner," the 2002 Daytona 500 champion told NASCAR.com. "I think sometimes, it’s an eye-opener that that’s not the way everybody views the world, or business relationships."

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That much was certainly brought home in recent weeks, after the younger Burton lost what shaped up as a championship-caliber ride in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series because the sponsor of his Turner Scott Motorsports team defaulted on a payment. The picture brightened considerably this past Friday, when ThorSport Racing announced it would field vehicles for Burton in both the ARCA and Truck openers at Daytona, and left open the possibility of more races with the 21-year-old should funding be found.

Ward Burton has ridden every trough and crest of this emotional wave with his son. The Burtons received the first inkling of potential sponsorship instability at Turner Scott during preseason testing at Daytona, where Jeb was fastest. Just over a week later, the word was official — Arrowhead had defaulted, leading Turner Scott to shut down its No. 4 team and lay off a number of employees. A disconsolate Jeb faced the possibility of a lost season, on the heels of one victory and seven poles recorded in his rookie campaign the year before.

"Jeb’s character is intact," said Ward, a five-time race winner in what is now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. "He handled it probably better than myself and the rest of my family. It’s been obviously devastating. He didn’t have to deal with some of the details of possible litigation and other things I was having to deal with, but he’s held up remarkably well. I’m real proud of him."

How did dad handle it? Well, that’s another story. Ward went through plenty of ups and downs in his NASCAR career, but said the period between learning of the sponsor loss and ThorSport’s call was "the only time in my life that I have not been able to find a positive. Normally when you have something going on, you can find some light at the end of the tunnel, or you can make a positive out of a negative. But these actions of Arrowhead, Jeb’s sponsor, have been just so devastating. We’re just very thankful. There was just so much turmoil in our lives."

In that light, the telephone call from ThorSport general manager David Pepper was a welcome relief. The deal came together "in a matter of a couple of days," Ward said. But with nothing guaranteed beyond Daytona, Ward continues to work the phones on his son’s behalf, trying to line up other potential partnerships, or distribution opportunities for the Carolina Nut Company brand — which is also operated by ThorSport owner Duke Thorson — that will back Jeb’s truck at Speedweeks. 

Whether Jeb will be in the season’s second Truck Series race, March 29 at Martinsville, remains unknown. "It’s still too early to say," Ward said. "All I say is, we’re just working feverishly …. As devastating as this has been for Jeb and his race team and his family, we’re going to make a positive out of this thing where he’s going to be in a better situation than he was. We’ve just got to keep working hard and make it happen."

For a parent, though, the emotional toll of it all can be a heavy one. Ward watched his son go through the motions of a normal preseason, from photo shoots to planning for trade show appearances, all of it while operating under the belief that his team had an ironclad sponsor contract in place for 2014. "Then the rug gets pulled out from under us," Ward said. But perhaps nothing wounded Ward Burton more deeply than something Jeb asked him shortly after the entire saga began to unfold.

"Dad," Jeb asked, "why doesn’t somebody want to sponsor me?"

The question cut his father to the bone.

"That question hurt me tremendously," Ward said. "There’s a 21-year-old kid there that’s a young man, and he’s asking a question, seeing others that do have sponsors and others that don’t, knowing that what he did last year was about just as much as any rookie has done. … All I could do at that moment was give him a hug and say, ‘Son, it’s right around the corner. We keep working hard, and you keep doing what you do on the track, and handle yourself properly off the track, and with plenty of hard work, hopefully somebody will come on board.’ "

It all made his own sponsorship issues back in the day seem simple by comparison. After all — this was his son.

"Never been through anything remotely similar to it," Ward said, "and hope like hell we never do again."

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Hendrick Motorsports driver says time with sports psychologist also has helped

After season upon season of massive overhaul — a revolving door of teams and car makes — Kasey Kahne considers it a luxury to at last say his team’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship hopes rest on just a little fine-tuning.

"Myself and (crew chief) Kenny (Francis) are working on small things to get better," Kahne said. "I know the speed is going to be in the cars. Last year I feel like the first half of the year we were as fast as anybody if not the fastest in a lot of races, but we didn’t put a whole season together — I didn’t, the team didn’t."

Kahne’s final championship ranking, 12th among 13 Chase drivers, doesn’t properly reflect the effort — or multiple near-wins.

A crash in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup’s second race at New Hampshire essentially ended Kahne’s shot to challenge for the trophy. But after having an offseason to dissect and digest the team’s situation, Kahne said he’s mostly optimistic about the new year for many reasons — primarily for all the shoulda-coulda that characterized his 2013.

"I go into each season feeling it’s going to be the best one, but this one definitely could be," said Kahne, driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet.

Kahne said for the first time in "as long as I can remember," he will have the same team, manufacturer and generation of car for two consecutive seasons. And plenty to build on.

Lost in last year’s Chase disappointment is a record of running up front that’s nearly as impressive as the top two title contenders: 2013 champ Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Matt Kenseth, who won six and seven races, respectively.

Kahne’s two 2013 victories (Bristol and Pocono) secured his fifth multi-win season in 10 years at the Cup level, and he also had more runner-up finishes (six) than any other driver last year.

And beyond that, his three official DNFs came with him running up front. He crashed at the spring Talladega race while battling for second place. He was leading at the first Michigan race when a tire problem put his Chevy into the wall. And he was dicing with teammate Johnson for the win in Daytona’s July race when Marcos Ambrose triggered a wreck among the three with four laps remaining.

"I didn’t really think about it until after the season, but we were pretty close to having a career year," Francis said. "If you look at all the close second-places and a number of times we crashed out while in the lead.

"We came away disappointed with how we ended up in the Chase … that left a kind of disappointing feel to the year, but overall if you really think about it, we had a lot of really good runs and were pretty close to winning a lot of races."

And with NASCAR’s new championship format — a victory automatically places a driver in the 16-spot Chase elimination round — winning has never meant more.

Hendrick Motorsports got a big boost this week when former champion crew chief Ray Evernham announced he was leaving the ESPN broadcast booth for a managerial position in the team’s competition department. That could be especially helpful for Kahne, considering the long and healthy relationship between the two.

Kahne won the 2004 Rookie of the Year honors driving for Evernham’s Dodge team.

Listening to Kahne talk about his expectations for 2014, he sounded as motivated and upbeat as if he were coming off a championship season. And that’s no accident.

The fine-tuning isn’t just about the car. Kahne has been using another valuable resource at Hendrick Motorsports during the offseason — sports psychologist Dr. Jack Stark.

"I’ve had people talk to me a long time about doing something like that, and I always kinda pushed it away," Kahne said. "This offseason I decided to look into some things so I tracked him down and I’ve been working with him ever since. I feel really good about it, and I feel like he’s a great guy. It can’t hurt at the end of the day. I got to that point, I felt like I needed to make gains personally. As far as physically, driving the cars, understanding the race cars, things like that, I didn’t think that was the spot I needed to work on as much as some other areas.

"So I looked into it and tracked him down. When I’m not performing, I look at myself first and then go from there. I need to do a better job of being motivated throughout the year, the entire season — not getting down when things happen you can’t control, or mistakes you make, come back stronger the next week. If I do that I think I’ll have a much better season than I had last year."

And that may be all it takes to elevate Kahne from perennial championship aspirant to title contender.

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American Council On Renewable Energy becomes official NASCAR Green Partner

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — At an event today at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center in Arlington, Va., NASCAR and the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced a multi-year partnership that designates the Washington, D.C.-based non-profit as NASCAR’s newest Official Green Partner.

A member-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, ACORE is dedicated to building a more secure and prosperous America with clean, renewable energy. With a focus on technology, finance and policy, ACORE promotes all renewable energy technologies for the production of electricity, fuels, heat and hydrogen. Lockheed Martin is sponsoring ACORE in this partnership; the companies share a commitment to promoting energy innovation, sustainability and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

"Our new partnership with ACORE exemplifies NASCAR’s commitment to expand the reach and scope of our Green platform," said Dr. Mike Lynch, NASCAR vice president of green innovation. "This collaboration will allow us to implement forward-thinking initiatives that are designed to educate our industry and fans about the benefits of putting environmentally responsible practices in place."

NASCAR now boasts the three largest green programs in sports: renewable energy, recycling and clean air. According to a 2013 study conducted on the Official NASCAR Fan Council, three out of four avid NASCAR fans are aware of "NASCAR Green" (72%) and recognize it as showing NASCAR cares about the environment (77%). 

On the renewable energy front, NASCAR surpassed five million competition miles last year across its three national series on Sunoco Green E15, a biofuel blended with 15 percent ethanol made from American-grown corn. A study commissioned by NASCAR and conducted by Toluna in 2013 shows avid NASCAR fans are nearly +50% more likely than non-fans to understand ethanol is a renewable resource. NASCAR also has the largest renewable energy stadium project in the world, Pocono Raceway, which powers more than 250 homes in the region. 

"America has always thrived on innovation and grit, and the renewable energy industry in particular has had dramatic successes, building up a new energy infrastructure, and bringing down costs in a short period of time," said ACORE CEO and President, Michael Brower. "Through the educational outreach of this partnership, we want to ensure the next generation of skilled workers in renewable energy is well equipped to create a more prosperous American future built on clean, renewable energy."

Sponsored by Lockheed Martin, ACORE will activate its NASCAR partnership with selected at-track activities in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway in July; Chicagoland Speedway in September; and Kansas Speedway in October. ACORE will provide educational tools about renewable energy and sustainability and an on-site membership registration. ACORE will also play a role in NASCAR’s month-long Race To Green Campaign in April, which will highlight the accomplishments of green programs that NASCAR, the industry and a wide range of partners have in place to help reduce the environmental impact of the sport. 

"At Lockheed Martin, we’ve been committed to providing innovative energy solutions for decades; we are thrilled to now work alongside ACORE and NASCAR to educate and inspire fans to go green," said Frank Armijo, vice president of energy solutions at Lockheed Martin. "By helping fans learn more about renewable energy, we can help build a strong, sustainable future."

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For second consecutive year, driver teams with Turner-Scott Motorsports for opener

Joining Turner Scott Motorsports for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series opener, Ryan Truex will pilot the No. 32 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway for the NextEra Energy Resources 250 on Feb. 21.

A two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion, Truex will make his second career start for TSM after making his debut for the team in 2013 at Daytona. Truex finished 28th in that race after a blown tire sent him to the garage with nine laps remaining.

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"I’m really excited to be running for Turner Scott Motorsports again this year," Truex said in a team release. "Last year was a lot of fun and we had a really good truck. Unfortunately, we had a tire go out in the end, but we were making our way toward the front. I’m looking to do the same thing again this year and stay up front this time. I think it’s really cool that Bass Pro Shops is coming on board again and helping me out. I appreciate that they wanted to do this again after doing this race with me last year."

TSM had a strong showing last year at Daytona with all four of the team’s entries securing starting positions in the top 10. Jeb Burton had the team’s best finish of fifth, followed by Miguel Paludo (seventh) and James Buescher (13th).

Truex has two other starts in the Truck Series and earned a best finish of ninth in 2012 at Phoenix International Raceway. He will compete full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2014 with BK Racing.

"I’m very excited to have Ryan back in our truck this season," team co-owner Harry Scott Jr. said. "He ran a heck of a race for us last year and was competing for the win until the very end. I’m glad that he’s going to have a chance to come back and have a shot at the win that eluded him last year. I’m hoping that he and Ben (Kennedy) will work well together and that Ben will be able to learn from Ryan and his experience from last year."

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Check out the statistics for eligible drivers in Saturday’s race at 8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1

RELATED: Cast your vote today

Below is a look at some of the top statistical performers at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. going into The Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 15. A total of 20 drivers are eligible to participate in the annual preseason, non-points race.

2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona Entry List
Denny Hamlin (5 Coors Light poles), Kyle Busch (3), Jimmie Johnson (3), Matt Kenseth (3), Joey Logano (2), Ryan Newman (2), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2), Jeff Gordon (2), Carl Edwards (2), Marcos Ambrose (1), Kurt Busch (1), Kevin Harvick (1), Brad Keselowski (1), Jamie McMurray (1), Danica Patrick (1), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (1), Tony Stewart (Winner: 2001, ’02, ’07), Terry Labonte (Winner: 1985)

Eligible Drivers Performance
Marcos Ambrose – No. 9 Stanley Ford             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2012 3 21 9 82 1 1 Running
2013 11 10 9 75 — — Running
Kurt Busch – No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2002 14 1 97 70 1 3 Running
2003 11 3 97 70 1 11 Running
2005 6 6 97 70 — — Running
2007 3 19 2 70 2 6 Running
2008 18 1 2 70 — — Running
2009 9 12 2 78 — — Running
2010 23 22 2 32 — — Accident
2011 1 17 22 75 3 3 Running
2012 17 6 51 82 — — Accident
2013 13 18 78 15 — — Accident
Kyle Busch – No. 18 M&M’s Toyota             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 15 14 5 72 2 4 Running
2007 7 6 5 70 3 39 Running
2009 10 10 18 78 2 6 Running
2010 4 17 18 76 — — Running
2011 16 21 18 41 2 2 Accident
2012 1 2 18 82 2 3 Running
2013 16 13 18 14 — — Accident
Dale Earnhardt Jr. – No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2001 6 10 8 70 — — Running
2002 2 16 8 70 1 20 Running
2003 1 19 8 70 4 13 Running
2004 2 19 8 70 — — Running
2005 7 12 8 70 — — Running
2006 2 19 8 72 1 1 Running
2007 14 17 8 70 — — Running
2008 1 7 88 70 7 47 Running
2009 18 9 88 64 4 23 Accident
2010 11 11 88 76 — — Running
2011 19 1 88 27 3 4 Accident
2012 20 8 88 54 2 12 Accident
2013 8 16 88 75 0 0 Running
Carl Edwards – No. 99 Fastenal Ford             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 16 11 99 71 — — Running
2008 12 20 99 70 1 1 Running
2009 7 11 99 78 2 11 Running
2010 17 1 99 74 2 42 Accident
2011 21 3 99 33 — — Accident
2012 9 11 99 82 — — Running
2013 12 1 99 75 — — Running
Jeff Gordon – No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
1994 1 6 24 20 1 2 Running
1995 4 5 24 20 — — Running
1996 9 7 24 20 — — Running
1997 1 3 24 20 — — Running
1998 14 5 24 25 — — Engine
1999 15 8 24 25 — — Running
2000 2 6 24 25 — — Running
2001 11 6 24 70 — — Running
2002 3 22 24 70 — — Running
2003 2 18 24 70 2 31 Running
2004 5 2 24 70 2 16 Running
2005 3 11 24 70 — — Running
2006 19 10 24 23 — — Accident
2007 21 11 24 31 — — Electrical
2008 4 22 24 70 1 1 Running
2009 4 28 24 78 2 2 Running
2010 6 23 24 76 — — Running
2011 6 12 24 75 1 1 Running
2012 15 14 24 73 3 16 Accident
2013 17 7 24 14 — — Accident
Denny Hamlin – No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2006 1 15 11 72 3 16 Running
2007 17 21 11 70 — — Running
2008 9 12 11 70 — — Running
2009 13 5 11 78 2 4 Running
2010 5 24 11 76 — — Running
2011 12 4 11 75 — — Running
2012 5 16 11 82 — — Running
2013 15 5 11 14 — — Accident
Kevin Harvick – No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 9 16 29 70 — — Running
2004 3 5 29 70 2 10 Running
2006 20 18 29 15 — — Engine
2007 5 20 29 70 2 11 Running
2009 1 27 29 78 1 1 Running
2010 1 2 29 76 5 21 Running
2011 7 18 29 75 — — Running
2012 22 22 29 54 3 4 Accident
2013 1 17 29 75 3 37 Running
Jimmie Johnson – No. 48 KOBALT TOOLS Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 7 2 48 70 1 4 Running
2004 9 17 48 70 — — Running
2005 1 17 48 70 1 16 Running
2006 5 2 48 72 3 12 Running
2007 4 8 48 70 — — Running
2008 3 18 48 70 — — Running
2009 14 21 48 77 1 2 Accident
2010 13 16 48 76 — — Running
2011 4 23 48 75 2 7 Running
2012 14 18 48 74 1 1 Accident
2013 14 11 48 14 — — Accident
Matt Kenseth – No. 20 Dollar General Toyota             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2003 3 5 17 70 3 6 Running
2006 6 16 17 72 — — Running
2009 8 25 17 78 1 1 Running
2010 16 8 17 74 — — Accident
2011 13 19 17 74 — — Running
2012 21 23 17 54 — — Accident
2013 5 12 20 75 2 25 Running
Brad Keselowski – No. 2 Miller Lite Ford             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2012 4 3 2 82 — — Running
Terry Labonte – No. 32 C&J Energy Services Ford             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
1982 2 1 44 20 — — Running
1983 10 11 44 19 — — Accident
1984 9 11 44 20 — — Running
1985 1 11 44 20 1 16 Running
1986 5 8 11 20 — — Running
1987 9 5 11 0 — — Accident
1988 9 5 11 20 — — Running
1989 3 4 11 20 — — Running
1992 13 7 94 20 — — Running
1996 4 11 5 20 — — Running
1997 11 1 5 20 1 10 Running
2001 15 12 5 69 — — Running
2002 7 7 5 70 — — Running
2003 14 17 5 70 — — Running
2004 8 6 5 70 3 17 Running
2013 19 19 32 2 — — Accident
Joey Logano – No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford               Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2009 28 19 20 3 — — Accident
2010 7 21 20 76 — — Running
2011 18 22 20 27 — — Accident
2012 18 10 20 54 1 1 Accident
2013 3 9 22 75 — — Running
Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2004 17 3 42 69 2 8 Accident
2006 8 17 26 72 1 1 Running
2008 22 4 26 24 — — Accident
2009 2 15 26 78 4 16 Running
2010 3 9 1 76 2 2 Running
2011 2 14 1 75 — — Running
2012 16 4 1 73 5 11 Accident
Ryan Newman – No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2002 15 8 12 70 — — Running
2003 4 15 12 70 — — Running
2004 16 16 12 69 1 4 Accident
2005 2 7 12 70 1 4 Running
2006 17 7 12 68 — — Accident
2007 20 9 12 46 — — Engine
2008 23 17 12 70 — — Running
2010 19 4 39 74 — — Accident
2011 3 8 39 75 3 18 Running
2012 7 13 39 82 — — Running
Tony Stewart – No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet             Times Laps
Year Fin St Car Laps Led Led Status
2000 4 3 20 25 — — Running
2001 1 7 20 70 — — Running
2002 1 3 20 70 2 31 Running
2003 15 12 20 70 — — Running
2004 7 18 20 70 — — Running
2005 4 8 20 70 — — Running
2006 3 3 20 72 3 7 Running
2007 1 14 20 70 2 11 Running
2008 2 10 20 70 2 9 Running
2009 3 6 14 78 1 4 Running
2010 9 13 14 76 2 6 Running
2011 11 2 14 75 3 4 Running
2012 2 15 14 82 1 7 Running
2013 4 15 14 75 2 5 Running

—

Sprint Unlimited Tidbits

The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (18 are entered in this year’s event).

The drivers with the most Sprint Unlimited appearances:

—- * Mark Martin (24)

—- * Bill Elliott (23)

—- * Jeff Gordon (20)

—- * Ken Schrader (19)

—- * Rusty Wallace (19)

Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon have appeared in the most consecutive Sprint Unlimited races, competing in 20 consecutive events. Martin from 1989-2008 and Gordon from 1994-2013.

There have been eight multiple winners in the Sprint Unlimited:

—- * Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).

—- * Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

—- * Kevin Harvick won in 2009, 2010 and 2013.

—- * Tony Stewart won in 2001, 2002 and 2007.

Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008).

Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back Sprint Unlimited races. No driver has won three consecutive Sprint Unlimited events.

Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) andDenny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Sprint Unlimited in which they competed.

Only five times in the 32-year history of the race has the winner gone on to win the Daytona 500:

—————- * Bobby Allison (1982)

—————- * Bill Elliott (1987)

——————* Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000)

—- * Jeff Gordon (1997)

There have been three winners from the pole: Darrell Waltrip (1981), Bill Elliott (1987) and Ken Schrader (1989).

Two drivers have swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2013: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987).

One driver has swept the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2013: Bobby Allison (1982).

Seven drivers have won the Sprint Unlimited (1979-2013) and the same season’s championship. Dale Earnhardt is the only one to have accomplished it multiple times – four times.

—- * Tony Stewart (2002)

—- * Jeff Gordon (1997)

—- * Dale Earnhardt (1993)

—- * Dale Earnhardt (1991)

—- * Dale Earnhardt (1986)

—- * Darrell Waltrip (1981)

——* Dale Earnhardt (1980)

Four drivers have won consecutive Sprint Unlimited races (1979-2013). None went on to win that year’s Daytona 500.

—- * Kevin Harvick (2009-10)

—- * Tony Stewart (2000-01)

—- * Ken Schrader (1990-91)

—- * Neil Bonnett (1983-84)

The format for the Sprint Unlimited has changed 12 times since its inception into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 1979.

The second starting position is the most proficient starting position in the field resulting in five wins over the 35 races.

Sprint Unlimited Manufacturer Recap

—

Manufacturer Victories Last Victory – Driver
Chevrolet 20 2013 – Kevin Harvick
Ford 7 2004 – Dale Jarrett
Buick 2 1982 – Bobby Allison
Oldsmobile 2 1980 – Dale Earnhardt
Pontiac 2 2002 – Tony Stewart
Dodge 1 2011 – Kurt Busch
Toyota 1 2012 – Kyle Busch

—

By the Numbers: Sprint Unlimited

.013 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kyle Busch over Tony Stewart in 2012, the closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

.058 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the second closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

.08 –Margin of victory in seconds by Dale Earnhardt over Sterling Marlin in 1995, the third closest margin in Sprint Unlimited history.

1 – Laps led by Rusty Wallace (1998), Neil Bonnett (1983-84), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Dale Jarrett (2000 and 2004) and Kevin Harvick (2009) in the Sprint Unlimited races they won.

2 – The starting position that has produced the most Sprint Unlimited wins (five).

2.75 – Average finish by Dale Earnhardt, best by any driver with multiple starts.

5 – Drivers who have won the event in their first appearance (Buddy Baker, 1979; Dale Earnhardt, 1980; Jeff Gordon, 1994; Dale Jarrett, 1996; Denny Hamlin, 2006).

6 – Number of Sprint Unlimited wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader.

7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for the Sprint Unlimited (1981).

9 – Number of races led, most since race began in 1979 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.)

11 – Number of starts before winning, most since race began in 1979 (Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin).

14 – Number of different leaders in the 2009 event, most since race began in 1979.

20 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in the Sprint Unlimited, leads all manufacturers.

20 – Most consecutive starts in the Sprint Unlimited by Mark Martin (1989-2008) and Jeff Gordon (1994-2013).

27 – Kevin Harvick’s starting position in 2009, the lowest by a race winner in the event’s history.

28 – Number of lead changes in the 2011 event, highest number since race began in 1979.

44 – Laps led by Greg Biffle in 2005, the most by a driver who did not win the event.

47 – Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008, the most in a single Sprint Unlimited.

124.095 mph – The slowest average speed of the race for the Sprint Unlimited was last season’s event won by Kyle Busch.

197.802 mph – The fastest average speed of the race for the Sprint Unlimited was in 1987 won by Bill Elliott.

MORE:

READ: Year in Review
driver profiles

READ: A season defined
by a night in Richmond

READ: Top 10 on-track
moves of 2013

WATCH: Handing out the
2013 Loopie Awards
Posted on by Staff Report

Petty holds the record of all-time wins with seven

Richard Petty claimed his first Daytona 500 win at Daytona International Speedway in 1964 and didn’t stop there. Petty would go on to win at the crown jewel of stock car racing six more times, earning himself the most all-time wins in NASCAR’s most historic race. As for the most wins for an active driver, veteran Jeff Gordon holds that distinction with three 500 victories.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Lee Petty was the first driver to win Daytona 500, Cup championship in same season

In 1959, Lee Petty set a trend that four other drivers have since followed — winning the Daytona 500 and the Cup championship in the same season. Following Lee Petty was son Richard Petty, who accomplished the feat four times (1964, 1971, 1974, 1979). Cale Yarborough broke through in 1977, Jeff Gordon got his double in 1997 and Jimmie Johnson has accomplished it twice, in 2006 and 2013. 

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Coors Light Pole Award was first for a woman

At the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season-opener in 2013 at Daytona International Speedway, Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Danica Patrick made history. Patrick set the stage early in qualifying with a top speed of 196.434 mph and ultimately outran her competitors and secured the pole position for the race, making her the first woman in NASCAR history to do so. Patrick went on to finish eighth in the Daytona 500 and led five laps.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Kevin Harvick won both events last year and finished 42nd in the Daytona 500

A total of 13 drivers have won both the Sprint Unlimited, which began in 1979, and one of the Daytona Duels in the same year. Out of those 13 drivers, none have pulled off the sweep and also won the Daytona 500. Last year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Kevin Harvick won both the Unlimited and one of the two duel races, but finished 42nd in the 500. Two years before that, Kurt Busch won both events, but finished fifth to Trevor Bayne, the youngest Daytona 500 winner to date.