CUP: Daytona Friday Notebook (UPDATE 9)

NASCAR Camping World Trucks tangle at Daytona International Speedway...

Tom Jensen | Posted February 22, 2013 Daytona Beach, FL

The Camping World Trucks wreck At Daytona International Speedway. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Other Speedweeks 2013 Notebooks
THURSDAY, FEB. 21
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20
TUESDAY, FEB. 19
MONDAY, FEB. 18
SUNDAY, FEB. 17
SATURDAY, FEB. 16
FRIDAY, FEB. 15
THURSDAY, FEB. 14

RESULTS: Daytona NextEra Energy Resources 250

VIDEO: Sauter Wins Wild Daytona Opener

[FRIDAY 9:57 pm ET]

TOP FIVE RESULTS
Johnny Sauter wins Daytona NextEra Energy Resources 250 2)Kyle Busch 3)Hornaday 4)Lofton 5) Jeb Burton

VIDEO: Truex Creates Carnage

PHOTOS: The Big One - Daytona NextEra Energy Resources 250

VIDEO: The Big One - Daytona NextEra Energy Resources 250

RESULTS: DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series Qualifying

VIDEO: DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series-Trevor Bayne Wins Pole

[FRIDAY 5:07 pm ET]

Trevor Bayne won the pole for tomorrow’s DRIVE4COPD 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway. Bayne ran a lap of 177.162 miles per hour in his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford to win his sixth career pole in 86 Nationwide starts. Sam Hornish Jr. was second in the No. 12 Penske Ford at 176.869 mph. Parker Kligerman was third in the No. 77 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, followed by Bayne’s teammate, X-Games star Travis Pastrana. Austin Dillon completed the top five in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

[FRIDAY 4:18 pm ET]

Daytona 500 pole-winner Danica Patrick played it safe to protect her car and her starting spot during her Budweiser Duel qualifying race on Thursday, but said she is confident in her chances to capture NASCAR’s marquee event on Sunday.

“Can I win? Yeah, absolutely,” Patrick said Friday afternoon. “I believe the statistic is a 17 percent chance starting from the pole. That is what somebody told me. I feel comfortable in this kind of race situation. I feel comfortable in the draft. I feel comfortable with these speeds they are not a problem. For me it is just about finding out how to pass cars and having who I need to do it with, if I need somebody how to use them the best ways to get by. If I get shuffled back, which to be quite honest, it’s probably going to happen. … I know I’m inexperienced, I know that I’m a rookie out there. I will do the best job I can. I believe I do have a chance to win. I do believe experience would help but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have a chance to win.”

VIDEO: NextEra Energy Resources 250 Qualifying

[FRIDAY 3:55 pm ET]

RESULTS: NextEra Energy Resources 250 Qualifying

[FRIDAY 3:16 pm ET]

Tony Stewart entered the season with nine unsponsored races on his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, but he’s taken care of one-third of those already. Rush Truck Centers will be Stewart’s primary sponsor at Auto Club Speedway next month and in April at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond International Raceway. Rush Truck Centers will remain as an associate sponsor of the No. 14 during the rest of the season.

[FRIDAY 2:26 pm ET]

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, prepares to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)

Check out SPEED.com's collection of photos from Friday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practices at Daytona International Speedway.

[FRIDAY 1:30 pm ET]

There was lots of Hendrick horsepower on the top of the speed charts in Friday’s second and final round of Daytona 500 practice at Daytona International Speedway. Tony Stewart, one of the favorites to win his first 500, topped the speed charts at 197.131 miles per hour. All four of the fastest cars were Chevrolets with Hendrick power: Stewart was followed by Jeff Gordon (197.075 mph), Danica Patrick (197.010 mph) and Kasey Kahne (196.889 mph). The next fastest were the Toyotas of Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch.

All told, just 22 cars set times in the session. The only drama of the session occurred late, when Regan Smith had some type of transmission issue with the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet, and stalled on pit road.

[FRIDAY Noon ET]

Dale Earnhardt Jr. prepares to head out for practice at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)

Friday’s first of two NASCAR Sprint Cup sessions was lightly attended. Kevin Harvick, winner of the Sprint Unlimited and one of the Duel qualifying races, sat out and took his son Keelan to see the Budweiser Clydesdales. All told, only 14 drivers made it on track for the early session, with Aric Almirola fastest at 196.941 miles per hour. Jeff Burton was second, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. But, really, with the lineup already set, the speeds really don’t mean much. SPEED will televise the second round of practice live from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET.

[FRIDAY 11:16 am ET]

Charlotte Motor Speedway will outline the new format for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race during a press event that will be carried live Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on SPEED's NASCAR Race Hub. In addition, Charlotte Motor Speedway will unveil its own “unique” race car for the upcoming event.

[FRIDAY 10:33 am ET]

Tony Stewart topped the speed charts Friday afternoon at 197.131 miles per hour. (Photo: Getty Images)

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood this morning conducted the first in-depth, virtual walk through of a proposed redevelopment project at the track.

The proposed project is subject to approval by track owner International Speedway Corporation (ISC), according to a release issued by the track. “The project may also be impacted by state legislation that would include incentives for surpassing significant private investment levels,” the release stated.

The project would feature five expanded and redesigned fan entrances called “injectors” along International Speedway Boulevard.

Each injector would lead to a series of escalators that would transport fans to any of three different concourse levels, each featuring spacious and strategically placed social “neighborhoods” along the mile-long frontstretch. The 11 neighborhoods, each measuring the size of a football field, would enable fans to meet and socialize during events without ever missing any on-track action, thanks to an open-sightline design throughout each concourse and dozens of added video screens in every neighborhood.

The central neighborhood, the “World Center of Racing,” would celebrate the history of Daytona International Speedway and its many historic moments throughout more than 50 years of racing.

In addition, the redevelopment would see every seat on the speedway frontstretch replaced with new and more comfortable seating, as well as the addition of more restrooms and concession stands within easier access points for all fans.

To learn more about the potential project, fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/redevelopment. Fans can also visit RedevelopDaytona.com to learn how they may be able to get involved in helping make this potential project a reality.

[FRIDAY 7:44 am ET]

Aric Almirola led Friday's first practice at 196.941 miles per hour. (Photo: Getty Images)

Good morning, race fans. It’s another beautiful day in Daytona Beach, where the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race tonight. Here’s the SPEED on-track schedule for today.

• NASCAR Live! (SPEED, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., LIVE)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (SPEED, 11 a.m. to Noon, LIVE)
• NASCAR Live! (SPEED, Noon to 12:30 p.m., LIVE)
• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice (SPEED, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30, LIVE)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying (SPEED, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., LIVE)
• Trackside (SPEED, 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., LIVE)
• NCWTS Setup (SPEED, 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., LIVE)
• NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race (SPEED, 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., LIVE)
• SPEED Center (SPEED, 10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., LIVE)

And with the Budweiser Duel in the books, here’s the starting lineup for Sunday’s 55th Annual Daytona 500:

Row 1: Danica Patrick, No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet
Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet

Row 2: Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 18 M&M's Toyota

Row 3: Greg Biffle, No. 16 3M Ford
Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet

Row 4: Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet
Austin Dillon, No. 33 Honeynut Cheerios Chevrolet

Row 5: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet
Clint Bowyer, No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota

Row 6: Kurt Busch, No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet
Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota

Row 7: Tony Stewart, No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
Mark Martin, No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota

Row 8: Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Miller Lite Ford
Paul Menard, No. 27 Menards/Peak Chevrolet

Row 9: Casey Mears, No. 13 GEICO Ford
Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet

Row 10: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet
Jamie McMurray, No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet

Row 11: Joey Logano, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford
David Ragan, No. 34 Detail Doctor Ford

Row 12: Bobby Labonte, No. 47 Kroger Toyota
Marcos Ambrose, No. 9 Stanley Ford

Row 13: David Gilliland, No. 38 Love's Travel Stops Ford
Aric Almirola, No. 43 Smithfield Ford

Row 14: Joe Nemechek, No. 87 MaddiesPlaceRocks.com/D.A.B. Constructors
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Best Buy Ford

Row 15: Michael Waltrip, No. 26, Sandy Hook School Support Fund Toyota
Dave Blaney, No. 7 Florida Lottery Chevrolet

Row 16: Scott Speed, No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford
Josh Wise, No. 35 MDS Transport Ford

Row 17: Trevor Bayne, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
Ryan Newman, No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet

Row 18: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota
Carl Edwards, No. 99 Fastenal Ford

Row 19: Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
Michael McDowell, No. 98 K-Love/Curb Records Ford

Row 20: Terry Labonte, No. 32 C&J Energy Services Ford
Regan Smith, No. 51 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet

Row 21: JJ Yeley, No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet
David Reutimann, No. 83 Burger King Toyota

Row 22: Travis Kvapil, No. 93 Burger King Toyota

Did Not Qualify: Brian Keselowski, Mike Bliss

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

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