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After an incredible night that lasted six hours, Matt Kenseth is your 2012 Daytona 500 winner.
Six hours after it started, in one of the most amazing and wild NASCAR races you will ever see, Matt Kenseth was crowned the 2012 Daytona 500 winner. It was a green-white-checkered finish, the sixth time in the last seven full Daytona 500 races. Kenseth was the first driver to repeat as Daytona 500 champion since Jeff Gordon in 2005. It was his 22nd career win. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finished second and Greg Biffle finished third. Video of the finish below:
It was a green-white-checkered finish after a big multi-car wreck with Tony Stewart and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. prompted at caution on lap 197. Video of the multi-car wreck:
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After the race was postponed more than 30 hours due to inclement weather, it was delayed nearly another two hours after one of the most bizarre crashes you will ever see in motorsports. Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into the back of a jet dryer, creating an instant fireball and explosion that set the track on fire. Two hours of track work and repairs were done while the drivers congregated on the back stretch under a red flag.
For updates on the Daytona 500, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
With less than 15 laps to go in the 2012 Daytona 500, we had a big mutli-car wreck as the drivers push to finish off a long day with a career-defining win at the Great American Race. The crash involved Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, and Tony Stewart among others. It sent the race back under caution with 11 laps to go.
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It is the ninth caution of the day. Video of the wreck below:
And picking up a theme of the night, Brad Keselowski tweeted on his iPhone before the race even came out from under caution:
Nothing we could do there...Never saw the wreck till we were windshield deep.#DAYTONA500
— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) February 28, 2012
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
After nearly a two hour delay, the Daytona 500 resumed with considerable question marks surrounding the integrity of the track. We went back to green flag racing with 35 laps to go and at 12:10 AM Tuesday. Matt Kenseth is back in the lead after red flag leader Dave Blaney had to stop for fuel.
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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was not convinced of the track repairs at turn 3, which was set ablaze after Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into a jet dryer, igniting 200 gallons of jet fuel. Dale Jr. relayed his skepticism over the radio scanners.
Dale Jr: "This thing (track repair) is gonna come right up real quick. Like five or 10 laps." #NASCAR
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 28, 2012
So far, so good, as the repairs to turn three appear to be holding up with 28 laps left and lap speeds hitting 200 miles per hour.
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
The 2012 Daytona 500 is set to resume after an hour-plus delay due to an amazing crash that set the track on fire. Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into the back of a jet dryer vehicle carrying 200 gallons of jet fuel. The crash created an instant explosion and set the track on fire. Repairs to the track took well over an hour, so all the drivers, stuck on the backstretch under a red flag, got out of their cars and congregated. Brad Keselowski started tweeting and Carl Edwards requested some Cheez-Its. Unfortunately, Edwards removed the tear-off from his windshield - a no-no for a driver while there's a red flag. Edwards will restart at the back of the pack.
With all the drivers out of their cars, a shuttle bus "carpool" was requested in which a member of each pit crew went to the backstretch to help each driver get strapped in. It resulted in this hilarious image of a shuttle bus simply rolling down the middle of the track. It was just another surreal scene in an unbelievable night. Animated gif of the shuttle after the jump:
In a never-before-seen turn of events at an already bizarre Monday night Daytona 500, Juan Pablo Montoya slammed into the back of a jet dryer full of 200 gallons of jet fuel. It was an amazing scene as it created an instant fireball, setting the track ablaze as the race was immediately put under a red flag. Both Montoya and the driver of the jet dryer were treated and are doing fine. Dave Blaney currently leads but it appears we will get back to racing and finish out the final 40 laps shortly, after significant work to repair the track.
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It was an amazing scene, with perhaps even more amazing audio as it sounded like an airplane grazing overhead. Video with the amazing sound of the crash and explosion below:
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
Juan Pablo Montoya's scary crash into the back of an emergency truck set the Daytona 500 track ablaze with 200 gallons of jet fuel. There are forty laps to go but NASCAR crews continue to work on the track that was coated with jet fuel. The crews used Tide powder laundry detergent to wash down the track and try to get it back in shape for racing.
An animated gif of the crews washing the track with Tide:
NASCAR President Mike Helton said the track would be back in shape and the racing would resume within 30 minutes. Helton said that there were just a couple "gouges" which he said was not uncommon to have in a track. He also said there were some hotspots in the wall but that his crews were used to repairing that. Dave Blaney leads but it appears the last 40 laps will be run.
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
The Daytona 500 came to an abrupt red flag when Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into the back of an emergency vehicle full of 200 gallons of jet fuel. The jet dryer and Montoya's car exploded immediately upon impact, setting the track ablaze with Dave Blaney leaving. The drivers got out of the cars and started congregating on the track while they waited for the burned out truck to be removed and the track to be cleaned and assessed. Brad Keselowski tweeted while Carl Edwards asked for some snacks, preferably Cheez-Its.
Video of Edwards asking for some Cheez-Its after the jump:
Juan Pablo Montoya broke new ground in the 51st Daytona 500, losing control of his car and slamming into the back of an emergency truck full of 200 gallons of jet fuel. The truck immediately exploded, creating a huge fireball and setting the track on fire for minutes until a cadre of emergency crews were able to put it out. The condition of the track is still in doubt and with the race past the halfway point, it could become official with Dave Blaney leading.
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Click the image below for an animated gif that captured the impact of Montoya's crash:
Montoya did walk away from the crash and the driver of the emergency vehicle did appear shaken up but was taken to the hospital. While it looked like Montoya lost control of his car, not everyone was sympathetic.
One driver just said: "Montoya is a f----- idiot! PARK HIM!"
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 28, 2012
We are still under a red flag as we await the condition of the race surface.
Some more gifs of the fire:
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
With just 40 laps to go in the 2012 Daytona 500, we have a red flag in one of the most bizarre twists you will ever see in NASCAR. Drive Juan Pablo Montoya lost control of his car during a caution and ran into the back of an emergency jet dryer that was full of fuel. As a result, Montoya's car immediately blew to pieces and the emergency truck, full of 200 gallons of fuel burst into flames.
The resultant damage to the track could end the race. Dave Blaney currently leads the race with forty laps to go. This is certainly a new one for NASCAR.
An animated gif of the fuel setting the track surface aflame below:
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
Matt Kenseth is your leader at the 2012 Daytona 500 with just 50 laps left to go. The pre-race favorite and 2009 winner has battled overheating issues all night, but jumped in front as things begin to heat up and get tense.
Two Joe Gibbs drivers, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, battled in the top two spots before Kenseth took over as we hit the 150-lap mark. While weather delayed the race more than thirty hours from Sunday afternoon, it appears mother nature could add another disruption on Monday night and perhaps end this one early. A rain storm is approaching Daytona, but its traveling so slow that they may be able to sneak the race in and complete the final 200 laps before conditions change.
Click here for the latest weather update.
Everyone is keeping an eye on the radar, including he pole sitter who was heard over radio asking his crew chief to keep him up to speed. Via @Jeff_Gluck:
Carl Edwards: "How's the weather?" Crew chief Bob Osborne: "Looking at a half hour out, give or take." Carl: "Keep me up to speed on that."
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 28, 2012
The pace is certainly going to pick up as we race to the finish.
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
After 100 laps at the 2012 Daytona 500, Martin Truex Jr. leads the Great American Race in what is the first ever Monday night NASCAR event. The race quickly went wild, as the race went to caution twice early on. It's a cool evening race and track conditions are perfect so far. There were some weather threats this evening but with half the laps completed, the race is now official.
There's a $200,000 pay for the lap leader at the halfway point, so Truex, Jr. is already having a nice evening. Many races do not even pay that much for the winner. The halfway leader has won the Daytona 500 thirteen times in the 51-year history of the race but it has not happened in the past twenty years.
Video of Truex Jr.'s $200k lap:
Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle have led the most laps in tonight's race so far, with Hamlin leading a 24-lap stretch before green-flag stops began.
Meanwhile, first-time Daytona 500 racer Danica Patrick is in trouble through the mid way point.
Danica Patrick returns to the track. She is 62 laps down and in 40th place. #NASCAR
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 28, 2012
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
As we near the mid way point of the 2012 Daytona 500, Hendrick Motosports' Jeff Gordon's night has ended as the No. 24 car blew an engine. The three-time Daytona winner's car started spouting flames shortly after the 85-lap mark
Gordon could be heard over the radio explaining the issue to his crew and lamenting the blown engine.
"I have a feeling that water pressure gauge was not working properly. I have no idea where that came from."
"I've been smelling something. I thought it was coming from somebody else."
"I'm sorry, guys. We had a good piece, and we were just taking our time to be there at the end."
An animated gif of Gordon's blown engine below:
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
Matt Kenseth is currently in 32nd place at the 2012 Daytona 500, but his car sprung a leak while taking a pit stop. The new water stream relief valve was on full display, as Kenseth's car shot up like a whale's blow hole as the race hit the 75 lap mark. Kenseth has struggled so far as we move towards the midway point of the first ever Monday night NASCAR race. Daytona fans are just happy to see some racing, however, after nearly two full days of inclement weather. There have been four cautions so far, but Kenseth has avoided the big wreck thus far.
An animated gif of Kenseth's car spouting water after the jump:
After a six-car wreck on the second lap and two yellow flags, drivers settled into a rhythm by the 35th lap of the 2012 Daytona 500. Leading way after 25 laps was Denny Hamlin, number 11, of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Hamlin led for 16 laps. His fast lap, the 24th, he did in 45.084 seconds at a speed of 199.627 mph. Behind Hamlin was Paul Menard, followed by Regan Smith, Joey Logano and Jeff Burton. Hamlin started the race in the 31st spot of the starting grid.
Hamlin has never won a Dayton 500.
The race got off to a rocky start with a six-car accident on the second lap. That took Jimmie Johnson out of the race completely. It also sent Danica Paterick, making her NASCAR Sprint Series debut, to shop for repairs, putting her in a race for time. There was a second accident on pit row involving Ryan Newman and A.J. Allmendinger. Eight of the first 12 laps were run under the caution flag.
For complete Dayton 500 coverage, check out SB Nation’s NASCAR story stream.
The green flag had not been down very long before the first wreck happened in the 2012 Daytona 500. Actually, the crash happened on the second lap of the race, and it involved Danica Patrick and Jimmie Johnson, two of the biggest names in the event.
You can see the wreck here.
Johnson got turned turned by Elliot Sadler. David Ragan hit Johnson on the driver’s side, and that pulled Patrick into the crash.
That ended the race for Jimmie Johnson. Patrick was sent for repairs, marring her Dayton debut.
A total of six cars were involved in the wreck. The drivers involved included: Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Danica Patrick, David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler.
Only Johnson’s race is over, but the others all sustained some pretty serious damage.
For complete NASCAR coverage, including more video highlights, check out SB Nation’s NASCAR page. Be sure to follow SB Nation’s NASCAR editor on Twitter @Jeff_Gluck.
The 2012 Daytona 500 was supposed to take place on Sunday afternoon, but rain forced the race to be delayed until Monday afternoon. But the rain hasn't let up in Daytona even to start this week, and the race has now been postponed to 7 pm, with some wiggle room if the rain still hasn't subsided.
Daytona prez Chitwood: "We think 7 p.m. is realistic" and says there is "some buffer" if it's still wet then.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 27, 2012
This might be good for the television viewing audience because it will give a prime time venue for the biggest race of the year, but racing under the lights might be something that the teams have not prepared for. It should make a race that is never lacking for excitement even more interesting.
For updates on the status of the Daytona 500 today, keep it to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
The 2012 Daytona 500 has already been delayed until Noon on Monday, but with the weather forecast still looking grim, there is no certainty the race will be run on time on Monday, if at all. But the big issue might not be with the running of the race itself, according to Nate Ryan of USA Today, the teams will have to face a difficult trek across the Country for their race in Phoenix next week.
Even if the race can be squeezed in today, it still would make for a brutal turnaround. NASCAR races at Phoenix International Raceway next weekend, and team's haulers are due to enter the 1-mile track at 5 p.m. Thursday. It's roughly a 32-hour drive from NASCAR teams' Charlotte hub to Phoenix. That might force teams to scramble in sending their Phoenix cars to Florida rather than bringing their haulers back to Charlotte (a seven-hour drive from Daytona Beach) to swap out their cars.
Who wants to take a scenic drive cross-country? Who wants to do it in two days?
For updates on the status of the Daytona 500 today, keep it to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
For the first time in 54 years, the Dayton 500 has been postponed. The race was continually delayed all day on Sunday as the Daytona area dealt with inclement weather. The crew spent much of the day trying to dry the track as we waited for word on an official start time. Then, around 5:00 PM, word came down that the race would be postponed and rescheduled for Monday afternoon.
OFFICIAL: DAYTONA 500 POSTPONED until noon tomorrow. #NASCAR
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 26, 2012
While the race has been re-scheduled for Monday, it doesn't look like the weather will be getting any better, leading some to believe that the race may be in doubt.
Via Jody Barr:
Daytona may not happen. Tomorrow looks bad. Tues is out because of West Coast race next wk. Make up April 6? twitter.com/JodyBarrWIS/st…
— Jody Barr (@JodyBarrWIS) February 26, 2012
For updates on the status of the Daytona 500 today, keep it to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
The starting time of the 2012 Daytona 500 is now under an official delay, as rain showers have begun to move into Daytona Beach.
SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck tweets that racing fans should not expect the race to begin anytime soon, as a steady rain is now falling which will guarantee a lengthy delay.
The forecast does not appear to be much better as the day goes on, as rain is expected to keep coming from northwest Florida down to Daytona Beach. Monday's forecast doesn't appear to be much better, so expect race officials to do everything possible to get the race in today.
For updates on the status of the Daytona 500 today, keep it to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
Race day has finally arrived at Daytona International Speedway. The green flag will drop on the 2012 Daytona 500 at 1:29 P.M. EST, and with it NASCAR's Sprint Cup season will officially begin.
Carl Edwards earned the pole position in last Sunday's time trial, and will start NASCAR's Super Bowl alongside Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle. The second row is populated by the winners of Thursday's Gatorade Duel races, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth.
The complete starting lineup for the 2012 Daytona 500:
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
The Sprint Cup season officially kicks off Sunday when the green flag drops on the 2012 Daytona 500, run on the 2.5 mile track at Daytona International Speedway. Often called the Super Bowl of NASCAR, Daytona is the sport's most prestigious event and grandest spectacle. Carl Edwards is the pole sitter for the 54th running of the Daytona 500.
Here is what you need to know for the race:
Daytona 500 Start Time: Though the start time is officially listed as 1:00 P.M. EST, the green flag will not officially drop until 1:29 P.M. EST, after co-grand marshals Kate Upton of SI swimsuit issue fame and Jane Lynch of the television show Glee give the drivers the word to start their engines, with WWE superstar John Cena waving the green flag at 1:29 P.M.
TV and radio: The race can be seen on FOX, with pre-race coverage beginning at 12:00 noon EST. The race can be heard on the radio on local Motor Racing Network (MRN) affiliates. Here is the list of stations where you can listen (you can also listen online for free).
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
There were two races yesterday to Daytona to help determine the field and Matt Kenseth won the second race, securing a spot in the second row for the running of the Daytona 500 this Sunday. Kenseth discussed the move that won him the race, via Michael Vega of the Boston Globe.
"We just had a big run there,'' Kenseth said. "Jimmie Johnson gave me a huge push there and that really worked nice for me the whole race there. Without that push it would have never gotten done. Greg lost his drafting partner and we were able to separate him and [Regan Smith] and we had such a huge run that Greg was kind of a sitting duck.''
Kenseth joins Tony Stewart as qualifying race winners who will start on the second row of the race this Sunday.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
Danica Patrick was having a decent day in her Gatorade Duel race at Daytona on Thursday until the final lap of the race. With drivers jockeying for position and some of them fighting just to get into the Daytona 500 field, Patrick was contacted by another driver and sent towards the infield wall. She hit the wall hard as her car bounced up into the air and got torn up quite a bit. On the replay, it's pretty obvious that this crash wasn't her fault.
The driver that moved down the track into Patrick was No. 43 Aric Amirola, who probably won't be too pleased with himself. Tony Stewart went on to win the Gatorade Duel race. Qualifying for the Daytona 500 with their finishes in the race were Robby Gordon and Michael McDowell.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
Tony Stewart won the first of the 2012 Gatorade Duels at Daytona Motor Speedway Thursday afternoon and will start third in Sunday's race. The race ended under a caution when Danica Patrick crashed hard on the backstretch after contact with Aric Almirola.
RESULTS
1 Tony Stewart
2 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3 Marcos Ambrose
4 Carl Edwards
5 Jeff Burton
6 Michael McDowell
7 Kevin Harvick
8 AJ Allmendinger
9 Robby Gordon
10 Jamie McMurray
11 Ricky Stenhouse Jr
12 Trevor Bayne
13 Brad Keselowski
14 David Ragan
15 Aric Almirola
16 Danica Patrick
17 Denny Hamlin
18 Michael Waltrip
19 David Stremme
20 Mike Wallace
21 Terry Labonte
22 David Gilliland
23 Juan Pablo Montoya
24 Paul Menard
25 Landon Cassill
The second of the duels is underway right now, while race one decided who would start in the inside lane for the 500, the second race decides who will start on the outside lane for Sunday's race.
NASCAR is about to enjoy their biggest weekend of the year in Daytona over the next few days and the biggest name in the field, at least among the fans, tends to always be Dale Earnhardt Jr. After some tough times over the past couple of years in NASCAR, Dale Jr. is more confident about the Daytona 500 this time around, according to CBS News.
"I do feel like I have a better shot at winning in this current style of racing," Earnhardt said Wednesday. "I do feel more confident than I did coming down here and tandem drafting. I never felt really great about that. It is a completely different style of racing and it's not what I enjoyed. I definitely feel better about this."
Dale Jr. is still the face of NASCAR in a lot of ways, and it is great for the sport when he is winning. So if he can have a good showing at Daytona this weekend, it would set the sport up for a very successful 2012 season moving forward.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
In the first of the two Gatorade Duels at Daytona to determine the rest of the field for Sunday's Daytona 500, defending Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart won when caution was thrown on the final lap when Danica Patrick was involved in a big crash along the backstretch after Eric Almirola made contact with her. Danica was placed at sixteenth and will start from the rear of the field in the Daytona 500.
That victory marks the seventeenth career victory for Tony Stewart at Daytona, however the defending Nextel Cup champion has never won the actual Daytona 500.
Both Robby Gordon and Michael McDowell made the Daytona 500 field after their finishes in the first race. The second duel race is set to start soon with the front row of that race consisting of Greg Biffle and Casey Mears. The race also includes drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Joey Lagano.
Trevor Bayne came out of nowhere last year to win the Daytona 500, and in this current World we live in, a come-out-of-nowhere guy can't go a day without being compared to Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks. According to Randy Covitz of the Kansas City Star, Bayne welcomes the comparison because he knows that he and Lin share one specific attribute.
"All of our stories are all about opportunity and new guys and young guys just coming in and trying to make a difference," Bayne said. "I feel like it’s kind of cool because we all have that same competitive nature. It’s not just our faith or anything like that. Tim Tebow wants to be a winner. Jeremy Lin wants to be a winner, and I do, too, so I think it’s a good story."
The one thing that Jeremy Lin knows that I'm sure Bayne knows as well is that you have to enjoy maintained success to really be a phenom. Bayne will be going for a second straight Daytona win this Sunday which would effectively end his flash in the pan status.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
The Daytona 500 will have a slightly different feel than races in the past, according to Geoffrey Miller of Yahoo Sports. NASCAR has issued some new regulations for the cars that should change the style of the race. That style could lead to more crashes in theory, but the experience of the drivers should help alleviate some of those problems.
Plug all these variables together — plus the fact that many race teams are on edge about practicing full-race conditions — and the recipe for what we saw Saturday night in Daytona seems about right. Fortunately, these drivers have light years more time of practice to get properly acclimated to the conditions ahead of the bright lights of Sunday's race.
These new rules should prevent cars from trying to race one-on-one and using drafting until the very end of the race. It will promote more pack racing, the way that NASCAR races used to be run.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
The Daytona Beach-News Journal is reporting that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be attending this year's race as a VIP.
This will be the second consecutive year that Romney will make a stop at Daytona International Speedway, as he met with both drivers and NASCAR officials at the pre-race drivers' meeting last year.
Romney was scheduled to have a fundraiser Friday night hosted by International Speedway Corp. CEO Lesa France Kennedy, but cancelled in order to campaign more in the state of Michigan.
According to SB Nation Reporter Jeff Gluck, Romney is far from the first Republican politician to attend the Daytona 500. Sarah Palin attended in 2010, while George W. Bush kicked off his re-election campaign by being Grand Marshal of the 2004 race.
It certainly makes sense for Romney to do this, as NASCAR is a sport that is very popular in the south, which also happens to be a predominantly Republican part of the country.
For more coverage leading up to the race, check out SB Nation Tampa Bay.
Trevor Bayne came out of no where to win the Daytona 500 last year, and despite that victory, he was not assured of a spot in the field this year. A number of drivers were given the opportunity to qualify for the last three spots in the race on Sunday, and Bayne finished first among those drivers. According to SB Nation, despite making his way into the race, Bayne was a little disappointed he didn't qualify for the front row.
"It's just the wind was against us. Going through (Turns) 3 and 4, I could feel it kind of gusting onto the nose of our car, so at that point, there's not much you can do. I held it wide open, and they gave me a great race car, so I think it's going to race really good, and that's all that really matters."
Bayne finished in the top ten on Sunday, but he will still have to do some driving this week to figure out where he will be starting from on Sunday.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
The rest of the field won't be sorted out for a few days but the top two qualifiers were determined on Sunday and they will be Carl Edwards and teammate Greg Biffle. Here is a little bit more information from SB Nation.
Edwards will start from the top spot for the 2012 Daytona 500 alongside Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle. Last year's Chase runner-up turned a lap of 194.738 mph, just ahead of Biffle's 194.087. That amounts to one tenth of a second. "This is amazing," Edwards said. "... Coming down here, I didn't really consider the pole as something that was a possibility, so this is huge."
The pole position might not mean a lot for Edwards, considering he finished second in the race last year despite starting from the No. 22 spot in last year's race. But it will be nice for him to kind of relax over the next few days and not worry about trying to get a good starting position.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
The qualifying order for the Daytona 500 is set, and it is the only race in which the order is set by random draw rather than practice speeds. The luck of the draw will see Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray first out to qualify for NASCAR's Super Bowl. Details via SB Nation:
Here's the order of how they'll roll off the grid today for Daytona 500 qualifying:
Paul Menard
Jamie McMurray
Kurt Busch
Casey Mears
Carl Edwards
Joey Logano
Denny Hamlin
Ryan Newman
Greg Biffle
Marcos Ambrose
Tony Stewart
Danica Patrick
Brad Keselowski
Aric Almirola
Bobby Labonte
Jeff Gordon
Jeff Burton
Kevin Harvick
Juan Pablo Montoya
AJ Allmendinger
Elliott Sadler
Kyle Busch
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Jimmie Johnson
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Landon Cassill
Martin Truex Jr.
Matt Kenseth
Regan Smith
Mark Martin
Kasey Kahne
Clint Bowyer
David Reutimann
David Ragan
David Gilliland
Now comes the even more interesting portion of the qualifying Sunday - the drivers who do not have a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500:
Then come the drivers who aren't into the top 35 and therefore don't have a guaranteed spot for the Daytona 500. Remember: Three of these drivers will make the field today, plus either Terry Labonte or Bill Elliott (past champions):
Joe Nemechek
Trevor Bayne
Michael Waltrip
Kenny Wallace
Dave Blaney
Tony Raines
Mike Wallace
Terry Labonte
Robert Richardson Jr.
JJ Yeley
Robby Gordon
David Stremme
Michael McDowell
Qualifying begins at 1:05 P.M. from Daytona International Speedway and can be seen on FOX.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
Qualifying for NASCAR's Super Bowl will take place Sunday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, with drivers trying to earn the pole position and a week's worth of publicity that comes with the honor. In Sunday's qualifying session, each driver simply gets two laps apiece to try to put the pedal to the metal and earn the pole.
SB Nation's Jeff Gluck offers a bit of perspective on what today's qualifying actually means:
What happens today? Officially, the Daytona 500 qualifying session only locks in two spots: The pole position and the outside pole position. But it will also allow several go-or-go-home drivers to clinch a spot in the race based on their speed. The rest of the go-or-go-home drivers will have to rely on Thursday's Gatorade Duels to try and make the field. The Duels set the starting order for the Daytona 500, except for the two top spots decided today.
Here is what you need to know for today's qualifying session:
Date/time: Sunday February 19, 1:05 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
TV: FOX
Weather: 40 percent change of rain during qualifying hours.
For more on the Great American Race, check out SB Nation NASCAR's Daytona 500 stream, as well as NASCAR Ranting & Raving.
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2012 Daytona 500: Race Garners Impressive Ratings Despite Delays
It took a while to happen, but the Daytona 500 ended up being a pretty entertaining race, and I'm not just talking about the explosion and fire that involved Juan Pablo Montoya. Here are the ratings figures in as of this morning.
But if you were wondering what part of the race had the biggest draw, I think you might have some idea what it was.
The fire had the biggest draw, but it seems like those who turned in just because they got a text from their friends ended up sticking around and watching the race. Those ratings are pretty impressive considering that the race had to happen on a Monday night.
For updates on the Daytona 500 today, keep it locked to the official SB Nation StoryStream. For updates on the go, follow SB Nation Motorsports Editor Jeff Gluck on Twitter. For all things NASCAR, head over to the SB Nation NASCAR hub page.
Feb 28 12:01p by Jordan Ruby