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See where your favorite driver ranked in the eight-plus hour session on Friday

Pos. No. Name Make Laps Best Time (sec.) Best Speed (mph)
1. 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 38 46.128 195.109
2. 33 Brian Scott Chevrolet 57 46.253 194.582
3. 27 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 53 46.310 194.342
4. 43 Aric Almirola Ford 52 46.433 193.828
5. 42 Kyle Larson Chevrolet 73 46.533 193.411
6. 13 Casey Mears Chevrolet 45 46.547 193.353
7. 41 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 44 46.572 193.249
8. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 67 46.604 193.116
9. 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 88 46.615 193.071
10. 10 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 56 46.617 193.063
11. 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 95 46.627 193.021
12. 4 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 43 46.635 192.988
13. 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 65 46.648 192.934
14. 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 106 46.658 192.893
15. 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 57 46.709 192.682
16. 26 Cole Whitt Toyota 53 46.758 192.480
17. 31 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 43 46.766 192.448
18. 22 Joey Logano Ford 60 46.826 192.201
19. 20 Matt Kenseth Toyota 42 46.829 192.189
20. 2 Brad Keselowski Ford 44 46.850 192.102
21. 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 33 46.910 191.857
22. 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 50 46.950 191.693
23. 21 Trevor Bayne Ford 47 46.959 191.657
24. 51 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 48 46.966 191.628
25. 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 59 47.053 191.274
26. 16 Greg Biffle Ford 55 47.065 191.225
27. 7 Michael Annett Chevrolet 57 47.081 191.160
28. 14 Mark Martin Chevrolet 62 47.108 191.050
29. 52 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet 41 47.163 190.828
30. 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota 59 47.193 190.706
31. 83 Alex Bowman Toyota 78 47.267 190.408
32. 17 Ricky Stenhouse Ford 47 47.351 190.070
33. 30 Parker Kilgerman Toyota 48 47.364 190.018
34. 95 Michael McDowell Ford 41 47.402 189.865
35. 77 Dave Blaney Ford 17 47.480 189.553
36. 99 Carl Edwards Ford 39 47.498 189.482
37. 40 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 46 47.771 188.399
38. 93 Ryan Truex Toyota 63 47.876 187.986
39. 32 Reed Sorenson Ford 38 47.942 187.727
40. 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 42 48.544 185.399

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Crew chief guided Jeff Gordon to 10 wins from 2005 to 2010

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Steve Letarte has been at Hendrick Motorsports since he was 16, and he graduated early from high school so he could go to work for the team full time. He started out sweeping floors, and rose through the ranks to become a crew chief who oversaw race-winning efforts in NASCAR’s top series.

Like many others at Rick Hendrick’s race team, Letarte seemed a lifer. But Thursday brought the news that the 34-year-old Maine native would step down as Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s crew chief after this coming season, and become a race analyst for NBC Sports when the network returns as a NASCAR broadcast partner beginning in 2015.

For Hendrick, it means saying goodbye to a crew chief who not only turned Earnhardt’s No. 88 program around — this past year’s fifth-place finish was his best in seven years — but also nearly won a championship in a successful stint with Jeff Gordon.

"I think we certainly had high hopes for a long future with Steve. He’s been there for a long time, and he’s brought a lot to Hendrick Motorsports. He started as a kid there and has really grown into being one of the top crew chiefs," Gordon said Thursday, when rain washed out the first day of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway.

"You want to be able to have that experience as well as knowledge. He’s a smart guy, and you want to have that on your side in any shape or form, whether as a crew chief or in another role at Hendrick. So yeah, to me the biggest thing that stands out is just how well he and Junior connect, and what the future will be for that position for Junior beyond ’14."

Letarte, whose has displayed a knack for issuing positive reinforcement and keeping his driver motivated over the radio, took over the No. 88 team in 2011 after Earnhardt had suffered through consecutive seasons in which he finished 25th and 21st in Sprint Cup points. Since then the progress has been steady, even if the two have won just one race together — at Michigan in the summer of 2012. Letarte’s most successful years to this point came with Gordon, with whom he won 10 races from 2005 through 2010. The two nearly won the title in 2007, dominating the regular season until finishing second to Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

"You never want to see a talented and all-around quality person like Steve move on, but we understand this is an exciting opportunity for him and his family," Hendrick said in a statement. "He has all the tools to be a terrific broadcaster, and I know our fans will enjoy hearing his perspective. We’re looking forward to a successful year in 2014 with Steve and Dale leading the No. 88 together. They have some of the best chemistry in the garage, and we know they’ll build on last season and continue to be a championship-contending team."

At NBC, Letarte will round out a booth that will also include Jeff Burton as analyst and Rick Allen as race announcer. Burton, a 21-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series, split with Richard Childress Racing after last season and is running a part-time schedule this year for Michael Waltrip Racing. Allen currently calls Camping World Truck Series events for Fox Sports 1. Letarte did not speak to the media Thursday, though he is scheduled to join Burton and executive producer Sam Flood on an NBC panel Friday morning.

"I think he’s going to do fantastic," Gordon said. "We all know Steve is a good talker, and he’s very knowledgeable about the sport, very passionate about it, and so I think they’ve made an excellent choice there."

But what about the No. 88 team? Earnhardt was also unavailable Thursday, but is slated to speak to the media Friday morning. Hendrick Motorsports announced that Letarte will remain in his current role with Earnhardt through 2014, and added that the organization won’t look for a new crew chief until the after the season.

"You know, I think only time will tell how it’s going to affect (the No. 88 team), but I think Steve is very, very good at compartmentalizing the commitment and what it takes to do his job as a crew chief and be the best crew chief that he can be," Gordon said. "And he and Junior have a great relationship, and I’m sure when the news first broke to Junior, it probably was a bit of an adjustment, but I feel like they’ve worked through all the details on how to maintain that level of competition, the momentum that they had from last year, and keep that going through this year."

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, the 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.

Letarte, who with his wife Tricia has two children, has occasionally done television and radio work on the side. Gordon said he wasn’t shocked to hear the news that his teammate would be moving behind the microphone full-time — even though Letarte has been a fixture at Hendrick for as long as many can remember.

"Not necessarily," Gordon said. "I mean, I’ve seen him do some work with TV and radio over the last year or two, so I can’t say I was totally surprised. He’s a young man that has a lot of talents and is always eager to take that next step in life. He has a family. It takes a lot to be a crew chief. It’s quite a commitment, and I think this is a great opportunity for him."

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Redesign takes place as effort to allow smoother fan entry, exit

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — An innovation at Daytona International Speedway has potentially improved one of the track’s frontstretch crossover gates — by removing the gate entirely.

As part of the facility’s Daytona Rising rebuilding project, one of the track’s crossover gates — which allows spectators to travel between the grandstand and the infield area — has been completely revised. Instead of a gate itself, the access point now consists of an aluminum platform that lifts up, a hinged area of the SAFER barrier that is winched toward the grandstand, and the bottom of the fencing rolling up to allow six feet and eight inches worth of clearance.

"It’s really about moving fans in and out of the property faster," said Daytona president Joie Chitwood III. "What happens is, we can’t really add more gates along the frontstretch. So how can we improve what we have from a fan convenience perspective? That was the key to this."

Crossover gates came under scrutiny last year when Kyle Larson struck one in a crash during the Nationwide Series opener at Daytona, and pieces of his car went through the crumpled fencing and injured several spectators. Gates at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway, the other restrictor-plate venue in the Sprint Cup Series, were reinforced with additional steel cabling in the aftermath.

But Chitwood said efforts to improve the track’s crossover gates had been underway well before last year’s Speedweeks, and the primary reason for the change is to improve the efficiency of fan access between the grandstands and the infield for events like pre-race concerts. The Daytona Rising project, during which virtually the entire track will be remade over a period of years — indeed, a steel framework already towers above the existing stands — offered the perfect opportunity for the upgrade.

"We’ve been trying to come up with something like this for a number of years, and I think the renovation, Daytona Rising, helped us come to this point," Chitwood said Thursday as rain delayed the opening day of Preseason Thunder testing. "This is really separate from what occurred in 2013 from a fence perspective. We’ve added crossover gates in years past to try and get more units out there, but this was really something in the making years ago."

Before, fans crossed over the race track using a pair of portable staircases and an actual gate in the fencing itself. Now they’ll walk up the banking, through the revised gate, and climb three built-in steps to the grandstand area. Chitwood said Daytona consulted with the University of Nebraska’s Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, which developed the SAFER barrier, as well as fence engineering firm HNTB and NASCAR before making the change. The price tag was "significant," he added.

Daytona has one revised crossover gate at present, about midway down the frontstretch, and not the one Larson’s car struck last year. Chitwood said personnel will track the amount of time it takes to fans to get through the new gate, and if the results are satisfactory, the facility’s other nine frontstretch gates will be converted prior to Daytona’s July race weekend. In addition, the gates at Talladega would also be converted prior to that track’s race weekend in May.

"We hope it accomplishes what it’s supposed to, and that’s to move people quicker," Chitwood said. "Once we feel comfortable with that, then we’ll look at finishing off this property as well as Talladega. And we hope it will be something the other folks will look at."

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Longtime Hendrick Motorsports employee to provide TV analysis in 2015

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.

"You never want to see a talented and all-around quality person like Steve (Letarte) move on, but we understand this is an exciting opportunity for him and his family," team owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. "He has all the tools to be a terrific broadcaster, and I know our fans will enjoy hearing his perspective. We’re looking forward to a successful year in 2014 with Steve and Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) leading the No. 88 together. They have some of the best chemistry in the garage, and we know they’ll build on last season and continue to be a championship-contending team.

"We don’t expect to address the crew chief position until after the season. Everyone with the team is focused on 2014 and committed to having another great year."

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.

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Online, mobile balloting again take prominent role in Daytona opener

VOTE NOW: Cast your ballot for Sprint Unlimited race format

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For the second year in a row, fans will decide upon a number of competition elements for the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona, the 75-lap, non-points race that kicks off the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing season on Saturday, February 15 (8:00 P.M. EST, FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio).

Starting today, fans can cast their votes to set the overall format and determine key racing elements. Fans will again set the number of laps in each of the three segments, while also voting on how drivers will line up at the start of the race and how they will line up for the restart of the final segment.

“We are excited to build off of the success of last year’s event and give our fans another opportunity to help make key decisions that will enhance the excitement around this highly anticipated race,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “This interactive element is unique to NASCAR — and all of sports."

Fans can submit their votes within the official NASCAR app, NASCAR Mobile, or at NASCAR.com/SprintUnlimited. Voting is unlimited and all votes cast through NASCAR Mobile will count twice. The voting window for the race format will close on Saturday, February 15 at 6:00 p.m. ET, while voting for the starting order and final segment restart order will close at various times during the race broadcast. Voting results will be announced live during the FOX Sports 1 race broadcast.

Voting Categories:

  • Race Format: Number of laps in each race segment (Voting ends at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15)
    • Option A: 30 laps/35 laps/10 laps
    • Option B: 30 laps/30 laps/15 laps
    • Option C: 30 laps/25 laps/20 laps
  • Starting Order: How drivers will line up to start the race (Voting ends at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 15)
    • Option A: Most Career Poles (most to least)
    • Option B: 2013 Driver Points Standings
    • Option C: Final Practice Speeds (fastest to slowest times)
  • Restart Order for Final Segment: How drivers will line up for the final segment (Voting ends at the conclusion of the 2nd segment)
    • Option A: Fastest lap in the race (first and second segments both count)
    • Option B: Most laps led (first and second segments both count)
    • Option C: Mandatory pit stop (drivers lineup how they come off pit road)

 

“Our ultimate goal is to use Sprint’s wireless technology to bring NASCAR Sprint Cup fans closer to our sport, and this is the latest example,” said Steve Gaffney, vice president of corporate marketing for Sprint. “This effort, the Sprint Unlimited, gives fans the opportunity to sit in NASCAR race control and make calls on key elements of the race. We encourage fans to grab their wireless device and seize this unique opportunity.”

“We look forward to partnering with NASCAR and Sprint to host the second Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway,” said Joie Chitwood III, Daytona International Speedway president. “Our passionate race fans helped create an exciting event last year from start to finish. With two new voting categories and real-time results, this year’s fan-driven event will be as exciting as ever.”

20 Sprint Cup Series drivers are set to participate in the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona. Each driver raced his or her way into the starting lineup by winning pole positions in 2013 or by winning past Sprint Unlimited events.

2014 participants include:

Tickets for the Sprint Unlimited are available online at NASCAR.com/tickets, at https://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can follow @NASCAR and @MissSprintCup on Twitter to engage in the #SprintUnlimited conversation. NASCAR Mobile is available to download for free from the App Store on Apple devices and Google Play on Android devices. Fans can also download the newest version by logging on to www.nascar.com/mobile.

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IMSA, touring series executive to replace longtime official Darby

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.

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Posted on by Holly Cain

First day of testing wiped out by rain but Hall of Fame ready to get back in car

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Rain cancelled Rusty Wallace’s long-planned return to the famed No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Thursday afternoon, but you wouldn’t have been able to see the disappointment on the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s face. He’ll try again Friday.

"My face has hurt all day long from smiling so hard and I ain’t even been on the race track yet,” Wallace said. "I want to get in the car.”

After a couple months of anticipation, a full battery of medical tests and a new NASCAR license to make it offical, Wallace was scheduled to share driving duties with the car’s regular driver, 2012 Sprint Cup champ Brad Keselowski during one of the Preseason Thunder test sessions. After Keselowski shook the car down, Wallace was slated to make single car runs in the afternoon. He’ll get another chance Friday and admitted no matter what, he’s enjoyed the whole experience.

"I think the coolest thing for me was walking in the garage area and having all the crew guys come by and say, ‘hey, we’re glad you’re here; it’s going to be fun,”’ Wallace said, adding with a grin, "I have thought about going out there and when it was my last run of the day and I was supposed to get of the car and turn it over to Brad, I thought about finding a car to draft with and putting a big number up.”

The track opens at 9 a.m. Friday and NASCAR did not determine an end time.

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Posted on by Holly Cain

Team owner expects SHR team to frequent Victory Lane

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A rather svelte Tony Stewart walked into the Daytona International Speedway media center Thursday morning; no cane, no detectable limp, plenty of sass.

Five months and three surgeries after shattering his right leg in a sprint car race, Stewart looked and sounded a lot more like the gritty racer with three Sprint Cup Series championships, displaying the quick-witted personality that has kept reporters and his competition in check for years.

After being sidelined for the final 15 races of 2013, Stewart said his return to Sprint Cup competition in 2014 is on track, even if he isn’t during NASCAR’s Preseason Thunder test sessions Thursday and Friday.

"We’re still on schedule to be (medically) clear the day before (The Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 15), so we’ll be down here for two days hanging out and watching our teams run," Stewart said.

"Luckily this is a smooth race track; it’s not rough and bumpy. If it were Dover, I would be a lot more concerned."

And his health?

"I’m a pretty good [weather] barometer right now," he joked from the rainy speedway. "Seems like if the rain comes or snow or cold comes, I know it right before it changes.

"But," he added, "I feel pretty good. I still have a little ways to go, but we’ve got four weeks to get ready. 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 — and that’s the main thing."

Stewart said recovery and therapy still make up the bulk of his days, and after days of tiring easily and working through the pain, his stamina is improving. The days of high pain are seldom.

He went home to Indiana during the holidays and plans to attend the Chili Bowl later this month. It’s one of Stewart’s favorite races to drive, but this year, fellow Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne will drive Stewart’s car — then they will raffle it off to raise money for Charlie Dean Leffler, the young son of their late friend and racer, Jason Leffler.

Stewart even says he is optimistic he will do some sprint car racing this season — he has a sponsor and is preparing the car — but says it’s too early to set any kind of schedule for that.

"The Cup car is the priority right now, and making sure that we’re comfortable there," Stewart said. "I’m going to feel 100 percent enough to drive a Cup car; bouncing around in a sprint car is a little different deal. There’s not a sense of urgency [to setting that schedule]."

Although Stewart has been able to drive a street car for the past four months, he hadn’t sat in his No. 14 Bass Pro Shops Chevy until about three weeks ago when he got his seat fitted.

"It felt like an old pair of shoes," said Stewart, a huge grin on his face. "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."

Veteran Mark Martin will be testing Stewart’s car this preseason. But between the intensive physical therapy and traveling, Stewart has been closely monitoring the situation at his namesake Stewart-Haas Racing operation.

The team has added a fourth driver, Kevin Harvick, to a lineup that includes Stewart, Danica Patrick and another SHR new hire: 2004 Cup champ Kurt Busch. And the team shop is expanding accordingly with construction underway on a 125,000 square foot addition.

"I think when it first happened, it was a thrash at first to kind of figure out, okay, how are we going to do this," Stewart said. "But the atmosphere at the shop, we’ve not seen it.

"I’ve not seen it the five years I’ve been there. It’s just at a high it’s never been at before. We feel like we’re actually way ahead of where we were last year this time."

In fact, Stewart said he fully expects at least three of his teams to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, acknowledging that second-year Cup driver Patrick is still navigating a steep learning curve.

And listening to Stewart speak, it was evident that he fully believes in and expects a full recovery and return to form. He is not only determined to get back in the race car at first opportunity, but to immediately position himself as a championship contender.

He kidded that the mental recovery from this injury has been tougher than getting his leg to heal up.

"The hardest part is just not knowing where I’m supposed to be," Stewart said. "I’ve never had an injury like this so I don’t have anything to compare it to."

However, he said, the upside of the mandated down time has been moments with family, friends and fans to reflect and project — something he rarely bothered to do before.

"It’s pretty cool to finally have time a little bit to reflect back on what we’ve done our career," Stewart said. "It’s neat to talk about what we did in the past, but I’m excited to talk about what hopefully we can do in the future now."

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Posted on by Holly Cain

Fans have a shot to pick from a handful of starting lineup formats

RELATED: Cast your vote today

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — As the ultimate “fan” race, much is still be decided about NASCAR’s traditional Daytona SpeedWeeks 75-lap opener, The Sprint Unlimited.

Fans will decide the race lap segments, starting order and final restart through online voting at NASCAR.com and NASCAR Mobile.  But the one known entity for the Feb. 15 night extravaganza is which 20 drivers have earned a position on the starting grid.

The 17 pole-winners in 2013 plus three past winners of the event are eligible to settle this year’s score.

Denny Hamlin (four poles) won the most poles last season and is joined by three-time pole-sitter Kyle Busch. Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards all qualified for The Sprint Unlimited after starting from pole twice.

Marcos Ambrose, Kurt Busch, last year’s winner Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, and both 2013 rookies, Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also earned berths.

Past winners of The Sprint Unlimited in the field include Terry Labonte (1985), Ken Schrader (1989-1990) and Tony Stewart (2001, 2002, 2007).

And here’s where the fun and gamesmanship starts. Fans will have until 7:30 p.m. the night of the race to decide how to set the grid order. And, depending on the fans’ decision it will be based on career poles, 2013 championship points or final practice speeds set the day before the race.

Should fans select career poles as the criteria to set the field, the lineup would look like this:

Gordon (74 career poles) and Newman (51) would start on the front row, followed by Johnson (32), retired two-time champ Labonte (27), Hamlin (17) and Kurt Busch (16).

Stewart (14), Kyle Busch, (13), Earnhardt Jr. (13) and Edwards (13) would round out the top-10.

Former Cup champ and last year’s title runner-up Kenseth (11) would start 11th followed by McMurray (9), Logano (7), Harvick (6), Keselowski (3), Ambrose (3) and Stenhouse Jr. (1) and Patrick (1).

If fans vote to base the start on 2013 championship points, obviously the grid looks much different.

Johnson and Kenseth would comprise the front row with Harvick and Kyle Busch on row two. Earnhardt, Gordon, Logano, Kurt Busch, Newman and Edwards would follow. And Keselowski and McMurray would move up dramatically — starting ninth and 10th based on points instead of 12th and 15th based on career poles.

The final scenario for the starting order depends on the practice speeds, which would have put Hamlin on pole.

However in 2013, fans had an option not given this year and voted to start the field based on the order the drivers won their poles throughout the year, which gave Edwards the nod.

Leading up to last year’s inaugural The Sprint Unlimited, drivers throughout the garage were in favor of the unique format and fan interaction.

“It makes it different for us but adds a fan element and that’s kind of cool they have some say in what’s going on,’’ Kyle Busch said. “So that’s good.

“It is a fun race, just having the format and atmosphere that you get and just going for broke.’’

 

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

Two days of testing for Nationwide Series begins on Saturday at Daytona

RELATED: Complete Preseason Thunder schedule

Preseason Thunder testing gets underway for the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Daytona International Speedway.

Team Penske, Richard Childress Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing are among the organizations particpating in the two days of Nationwide Series testing.

Moving up from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, Chase Elliott will be testing in the No. 9 for JR Motorsports. It was announced this week that Elliott would joining the JR Motorsports team for 2014. Bill Elliott, a former champion of NASCAR’s premier series and Chase’s father, will be testing Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s car for JR Motorsports.

Also making the transition from the Truck Series is Ty Dillon who will be testing in the No. 3 for Richard Childress Racing.

Also of note, Dylan Kwasniewski will be testing the No. 32 car for Turner Scott Motorsports. Kwasniewski, 18, won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title in 2013 and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West title in 2012.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series first day of testing was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, but rain washed out Day 1 of testing. Sprint Cup Series testing is scheduled for Friday.

The Truck Series will have its sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

Below is the full roster of drivers participating in the two days of Nationwide Series testing.

NNS Daytona Test – January 11-12, 2014
Car # Team Driver
2 RCR Brian Scott
3 RCR Ty Dillon
6 RFR Trevor Bayne
7 JRM Regan Smith
9 JRM Chase Elliott
11 JGR Elliott Sadler
13 Long Carl Long
16 RFR Ryan Reed
17 Vision Tanner Berryhill
22 Penske Ryan Blaney
23 Ware Racing Ryan Ellis
28 Long Matt Carter/Harrison Rhodes
31 TSM Dylan Kwasniewski
32 TSM Kyle Larson
37 Vision Mike DiBenedetto
43 Petty Dakoda Armstrong
52 Jimmy Means Joey Gase
55 Viva Jamie Dick
60 RFR Chris Buescher
62 RCR Brendan Gaughan
73 Cope Derrike Cope
84 Billy Boat Chad Boat
85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart
88 JRM Bill Elliott
98 Biagi David Ragan
99 RAB James Buescher

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