All Three Childress Drivers Primed for Saturday's Bud Shootout

All three RCR cars have a great shot at winning Saturday

Richard Childress Racing
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes


Race: Budweiser Shootout
Date: February 18, 2012
Location: Daytona International Speedway

Seven Shootout Wins for RCR … RCR has earned seven checkered flags in the Budweiser Shootout (1986, 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995 with driver Dale Earnhardt and 2009 and 2010 with driver Kevin Harvick)and has had an entry in 25 of the 33 races.

Three to Get Ready … RCR will field entries for Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Paul Menard in this year’s exhibition event. This is the fourth consecutive season that the Welcome, N.C.-based organization has had multiple entries in the Budweiser Shootout’s 33-race history.

Harvick is the 8/1 favorite to win Bud Shootout (Getty)

Kevin Harvick
No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet


This Week’s Budweiser Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … The No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team will utilize Chassis No. 295 in Saturday’s Budweiser Shootout. Harvick drove this car to Victory Lane in the 2010 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and also scored a seventh-place finish with it in that year’s Daytona 500.

Shootout Details … Harvick has made seven previous starts in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. He raced his No. 29 Chevrolet to back-to-back wins in the 2009 and 2010 Budweiser Shootout races and has earned four top-five and six top-10 finishes in the event. He’s led a total of 43 laps and completed 88.8 percent of the laps run (454 of 511) in the races he competed in. Harvick’s average finish in the Budweiser Shootout is 6.6.

Grab Some Buds … On Thursday evening, Harvick, team owner Richard Childress and the No. 29 team will join Budweiser Brewmaster George Reisch and host a private Budweiser Beer School in Daytona Beach for members of the media and the NASCAR industry. Reisch, a fifth-generation brewmaster, will teach the crowd about what goes into brewing the King of Beers.

Off Season? … During the off season, Harvick enjoyed a variety of activities. He started the New Year off by serving as an honorary coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies wrestling team as they took on the University of Maryland Terrapins in Blacksburg, Va., on Jan. 8. A couple weeks later he and New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera presented Gene Monahan, former head athletic trainer for the Yankees, with the William J. Slocum-Jack Lang award for long and meritorious service at the annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner held in Manhattan on Jan. 21.

Hometown Hall of Famer … On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Harvick became the fourth driver inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif. Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Rick Mears, off-road champion Roger Mears and Indy 500 competitor George Snider are also enshrined there.

Move Over Harvick, LO’s Going to be a Superstar … Harvick and his wife, DeLana, will tape a segment for National Geographic’s “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan,” with their Chihuahua, Little One (LO), during the Budweiser Shootout weekend. The air date will be announced at a later time.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES:

After the winter off season, is it good to run in the Budweiser Shootout and knock some of the rust off?
“I think so. I think anytime you can get on the race track in a competitive environment, it gives you a better idea of what you’re going to have. I think it enables us to kind of knock some of that rust off. As fast as the cars are and as many unknowns as there are, the Budweiser Shootout is definitely something that we’re all looking forward to.”

Is the Budweiser Shootout going to be a good indicator as to what you guys can and can’t do in relation to the two-car pushing after NASCAR has made the rule changes?
“To a certain degree; obviously, there’s probably going to be a huge temperature change from when we run the Daytona 500 in the afternoon to what we do on the night of the Budweiser Shootout. Mother Nature will definitely play a huge hand in the true effect of things, but the Budweiser Shootout is the closest you’ll get up until the (Daytona) 500.”

How different was this past off season for you?
“It’s been really good. (DeLana and I) went on vacation a few times and that’s something we haven’t had the chance to do a lot before. It’s been very relaxing. I was really kind of worried about being bored, but we’ve been anything but bored. It seems like you can always find something to do. Aside from my driving duties and the responsibilities that come with that, there’s no longer an absolute deadline and there’s not a 100 questions that you have to answer every day. It’s been very relaxing and good to recharge the batteries.”

What does that do for you going into the new season when you’ve had that type of an off season for the first time?
“I think it’s one of those things where we, including myself and everyone at RCR, have made more changes this year than we ever have. I think that’s the type of aggressiveness that you’re going to have to have within the company and the teams, and the kind of mindset that you’re going to have to have to get the championship. We’ve been close the last couple of years. Nobody really did anything wrong, we just needed to get better. In order for the No. 29 to get better, the Nos. 27 and 31 have to get better, too, in order to keep driving the performance to where it needs to be. As a company, I think the attitude and the enthusiasm is good. With the Nationwide Series shop being here there’s just more information, there’s more people and there’s more stuff flowing and that was always something we had in the past when we were winning a lot of races. Right now everything is going good and we’ll just keep plugging away.”

What’s your outlook going into this year? How long do you think it’ll take to develop chemistry with your new crew chief Shane Wilson?
“From here forward the only thing that’s acceptable is to win a championship. Obviously, the goal is to go out and win races, but the championship is really what we’re after. We’ve made the changes that we think are going to be better. Sometimes they are and sometimes they aren’t, but we had to do something to make the whole organization better. Shane and I have worked together in the past and I don’t really have a timeframe in mind for the chemistry to work in. I expect it to work right off the bat. We’re going to plug along as hard as we can. We’ve got some good plans and had some well-organized tests. I expect to go to Daytona and have a chance to win.”

Jeff Burton is 20/1 to win the Bud Shootout (Getty)

Jeff Burton
No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable.This chassis, built in 2011 for RCR’s No. 29 entry with driver Kevin Harvick, competed in three superspeedway events last season including first the Daytona 500 where Harvick finished 42nd after retiring early due to engine failure. Harvick also guided this machine to a top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April (started-38th, finished-fifth) and a top-10 finish in July in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (started-31st, finished-seventh).

Career Budweiser Shootout Stats … This marks Burton’s seventh start in the annual preseason, non-points event.In six starts in the 75-lap shootout, Burton owns one top-five and three top-10 finishes and has led a total of nine times for 32 laps.His best effort in the Budweiser Shootout was a fifth-place finish in the 2001 event.

No Stranger to Victory Lane … Although he has yet to capture a victory in the season opening, no-holds barred race, the South Boston, Va., native has two Daytona race trophies on his mantle. The first is from the 2000 Coke Zero 400 and most recently from last season’s Duel 150 qualifying race.

Welcome Drew Blick … During the off season, RCR named Drew Blickensderfer as the crew chief on the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series season. Blickensderfer spent the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season as crew chief of Roush Fenway Racing’s flagship No. 6 team with driver David Ragan, winning two pole awards and bringing home the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July. The 35-year-old Decatur, Ill.-native is best known for kicking off his Sprint Cup Series crew chief career in grand fashion in 2009 winning his first outing in the Daytona 500 with Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team. The duo also won the following weekend at Auto Cub Speedway making Blickensderfer one of the only crew chiefs in history to win his first two races in NASCAR’s elite division. Blickensderfer also enjoyed success in Roush Fenway’s NASCAR Nationwide Series program with such drivers as: Carl Edwards, Danny O’Quinn and Kenseth.

Last Time Around … Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar team led the most laps and gained valuable information despite finishing eighth in the 2011 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Burton was pushed to the lead by RCR teammate Kevin Harvick, completing the initial 25-lap segment of the 75-lap event running 1-2. After a routine four-tire pit stop during the event’s 10-minute break, the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner returned to competition for the final 50 laps. Despite being separated from Harvick at the restart, he hooked up with then RCR stablemate Clint Bowyer. The new duo drafted to the lead before competitor tandems would join them, moving Burton to eighth in the closing laps where he remained when the checkered flag fell.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

How important is it to be able to run in the Budweiser Shootout and knock some of the winter rust off?
“I think it is really important. Anytime you can race, it is a good thing. Running the Bud Shootout is a good educational experience and we’ll learn a tremendous amount about what we can and can’t do with the new rules package. I think the Bud Shootout can be very valuable.”


What do you plan to learn during the Budweiser Shootout as far as two-car tandem drafting is concerned?
“We don’t know what is going to happen with the new rules package. The Bud Shootout event gives us a practice right off the bat that we otherwise wouldn’t have. We will race that Saturday night and help build an idea of what is going to happen. We’ll be that much smarter at the end of the race. I think it is a great way to learn.”

Do you feel like the Budweiser Shootout will give you a good idea of what you can do or not do in the Daytona 500?
“The only difference is that track and air temperatures at the Bud Shootout will be cooler than the Daytona 500. Temperature matters so much with running in the pack or the two-car tandem racing. The ambient temperature makes a big difference on what you can and can’t do so it’s not a complete indicator of what to expect, but it does give you a hint of what could happen.”

Menard 20/1 to win Shootout (Getty)

Paul Menard
No. 27 PEAK/Menards Chevrolet Impala
Race Notes and Quotes


The PEAK/Menards Chevrolet in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway … Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 335 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen on track at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where Menard started seventh and finished 12th.

Grab Some Buds! … On Saturday night, Menard will make his second Budweiser Shootout appearance. In July 2008, Menard earned the pole award at DIS, qualifying him for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout. He started from the pole position when he drew the top spot during Budweiser’s annual Shootout Draw Party and finished the two-segment event 12th.

New Faces on the No. 27 team … Three new faces will sport the signature neon yellow this season, joining the veteran No. 27 Peak/Menards team. Clint Almquist was a member of the No. 29 RCR team in 2011 and joins the No. 27 crew as a road mechanic. During the week, the Blythe, Calif., native is an RCR fabricator. Statesville, N.C.’s Josh Threatte joins as an engineer. When he’s not crunching numbers you can find this extreme athlete sky diving, rock climbing and mountain biking. On race day, newcomer Matt Kreuter will be fueling the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala. Kreuter joins from the No. 33 RCR team and was named NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Rear Tire Carrier Individual Champion in both 2010 and 2011.


In the Rearview Mirror: 2011 … Menard and the No. 27 Chevrolet team closed the 2011 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway enduring a series of rain showers and a persistent tight-handling condition to finish 16th. On the strength of one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes, Menard finished a career-high 17th in the NSCS driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You are qualified for the Budweiser Shootout this year by virtue of your points finish in 2011. Does participating in that race help knock off some of the competitive rust?
“It will help us for both the 150s and the Daytona 500. With the rules changes that have been made in an effort to break up the tandem draft, racing in the Budweiser Shootout will give us the chance to see what the cars are going to do with the new package. It will be a big test session. Obviously, we want to win, but we’re going to try to learn as much as possible as well.”

Were you comfortable with the two-car drafting? There’s no arguing that it increased lead changes. What did you think of it?
“We set records for lead changes and for the number of different leaders with the two-car draft. We had close finishes and I think it’s safer. Honestly, I didn’t see anything wrong with it. What’s racing when you think about it? Lead changes, different leaders, close finishes and safety – we had all that covered.”

- Richard Childress Racing

Gordon-Gustufson Looking for Big Things in Second Season Together

Jeff Gordon is 10/1 to win Bud Shootout (Getty)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2012) - The 2012 campaign consists of 36 stops from Florida to California and back. Will it end with Jeff Gordon set to serve another term as reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion?

In 2011, Gordon and new crew chief Alan Gustafson teamed up to win three times – including an 85th career victory for Gordon that moved him into third on NASCAR’s all-time wins list. Now entering their second season paired together, the duo expects to battle for this year’s title.

“If you talk to Alan, man is he fired up [going into the new season],” said the driver of the No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet. “We now have a year of working together under our belts, so our communication should be better and we should be stronger. We have a belief in one another, and that has me all fired up, too!

“If we’re not battling for this year’s championship in the final race of the season, it’ll be a disappointment.”

First up is the Daytona 500 – Gordon’s 20th time competing in “The Great American Race.” In 38 starts at the 2.5-mile track, he has six victories, three poles, 12 top-fives and 19 top-10 finishes. During a test here in January, the No. 24 was at or near the top of the timing sheets for many of the sessions.

“Our test here went very, very well,” said the 1997, 1999 and 2005 Daytona 500 champion. “And I thought NASCAR made huge gains in the effort to break up the tandem drafting that we have seen recently.

“I believe 95 percent of the [Daytona 500] will be the traditional big-pack racing. At the end, though, I believe we’ll still see the two-car drafts because it’s faster.

“It’s going to be very interesting and exciting, but we’ll know more after this Saturday’s (non-points) Budweiser Shootout.”

While this trip to Daytona will be his first Speedweeks as a 40-year old, it would be a mistake to think Gordon is “just making laps.”

“When I got into the sport, there were drivers that were racing at 40,” said the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. “I didn’t look [at racing at 40] as out of the question, although I probably looked at them and thought, ‘gosh, those guys are old!’ Now, I’m that person.

“It tests your passion, your abilities – it makes you work much harder. I’m more driven today and more excited about racing than maybe ever. I’m looking forward to the season because we have a great race team.

“One that I think can do something really special.”

- Performance PR Plus

Kyle Busch Budweiser Shootout Preview

Kyle Busch, shown here from last month's testing, is 10/1 to win Shootout

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 14, 2012) – A quick glance at the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team roster reveals that not much has changed since the curtain came down on the 2011 season with the 2012 season about to begin.

Most notably, driver Kyle Busch and crew chief Dave Rogers return for their third full season together, a combination that scored four victories, 14 top-five finishes, and 18 top-10s last season. But, beyond the M&M’s team, sweeping change has spread across the three-team JGR Sprint Cup operation.

Darian Grubb, who led Tony Stewart to the 2011 Sprint Cup championship, replaced Mike Ford atop the pit box of the No. 11 Camry driven by Denny Hamlin for JGR. And Jason Ratcliff, who led Busch to 36 wins in the Nationwide Series from 2008 to 2011, including the 2009 championship, was promoted to crew chief duties of JGR’s No. 20 entry driven by Joey Logano after former crew chief Greg Zipadelli departed during the offseason.

So, as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season warms up with the Saturday night’s non-points-paying Budweiser Shootout, continues through next week’s Gatorade Duels, and begins in earnest with the 54thrunning of the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 26, JGR will be hoping its offseason changes and accompanying new attitude will yield success at Daytona. And, the organization hopes, the momentum will continue long after Daytona Speedweeks is in the rearview mirror.

Prior to forming JGR’s latest crew chief triumvirate, Rogers, Grubb, and Ratcliff combined to win seven NASCAR championships in their respective roles with other teams in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. Rogers won the 2005 Sprint Cup title as engineer for the JGR No. 20 Sprint Cup team and the 2008 Nationwide title as the crew chief of the No. 20 JGR Nationwide Series effort. Grubb was team engineer for the 2006 and 2007 Sprint Cup championship efforts of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team and, most recently, headed Stewart’s 2011 championship run as crew chief and collaborated on five victories over the final 10 Chase for the Championship races. Ratcliff was crew chief for Busch’s 2009 Nationwide Series championship, then led the No. 18 JGR Nationwide Series effort to the 2010 owners title.

The JGR crew chief trio has wasted little time formulating a culture of hard work and, most importantly, sharing of crucial information with the thought that three teams working together will always be better than one. It’s a philosophy that Rogers and Ratcliff began to employ when they first worked together as JGR Nationwide Series crew chiefs in 2006 and as the duo went on to lead JGR’s Nationwide program to three championships from 2008 to 2010.

Busch and Rogers hope the organizational changes will be especially helpful in enhancing JGR’s chances of winning the crown jewels of the Sprint Cup Season – the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and, of course, the Daytona 500. Busch will be seeking something he badly wants to add to his resume: his first win in NASCAR’s biggest race and, in the process, bring M&M’s and Toyota their first victory in the Great American Race.

So, as Busch and Company head to Daytona to kick off this year’s Speedweeks, he is as determined as ever to take the Daytona 500’s Harley J. Earl Trophy back to his home in Mooresville, N.C. If they’re able to accomplish their goal, credit not just the M&M’s team, but the fact all three JGR teams played a part. As the saying goes, it’s all for one and one for all for JGR in 2012.

KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

Are you ready to get back to racing?
“You get an offseason and you’re not racing, so you kind of miss the bug a little bit. You spend some time relaxing and hanging out and just letting the new year come to you. For me, I’ve been ready. I think I’m pretty well versed in what we need to have happen this year and what we’d like to have happen and what we’d like to see with our M&M’s Camry.”

How did the two-car tandem draft feel with the new NASCAR rules during testing, and do you expect it to change much?
“With the new rule package we had at testing, it certainly changed it a little bit, not a whole lot. There are some different elements – the drivers really have to work hard trying to make sure to stay connected and still get air into the intake for the radiator. Other than that, it will be good just to get back in a racecar and get back to the feeling of everything.”

Car-to-car radio communication has been outlawed. What will it be like to not be able to talk with your teammates in the draft?
“It’s going to be a lot more difficult. At the test in January, they allowed us to at least talk to each other. Coming down to race time, we’re not supposed to. It’s definitely going to make it challenging. You’re going to have to go through talking to your spotter, your spotter talking to his spotter, his spotter talking to him, so there are a lot of different channels that you have to go through to get the communication going.”

Do you feel like you are capable of winning a Sprint Cup championship?
“I would certainly hope so. I feel like there are a lot of ways that people try to sidetrack you, but you have to forget about that stuff and know what’s important. What’s important first and foremost is family, with what’s at home, and then, of course, you look at your career and your business and what happens here at Joe Gibbs Racing – making the most of the effort for Toyota and M&M’s. With that, we try to look forward at making the most of this year and try to bring home a championship for JGR.”

What type of goals do you have for race wins in your career?
“I haven’t achieved any of my race win goals that I’ve wanted to achieve since I’ve come here. I’ve achieved everything else under the sun that I’ve never thought about achieving. The ones that I really want, like the (Daytona) 500, like the (Brickyard) 400, like the (Coca-Cola) 600 – a Charlotte Cup win at all – an All-Star race, the championship, all that stuff. I haven’t gotten any of that. I’m hoping one of these days I’ll have the opportunity to win those. I don’t think it’s at the point, yet, where you’re worried about it. But when you get to be probably about 35, then you’re like, ‘Man, I only have five more chances to get some of these because they only come once a year.’ Hopefully, by then, I can have some of that knocked out.”

DAVE ROGERS, Crew Chief of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

How was team owner Joe Gibbs able to bring these three crew chiefs together?
“I think, if you look back at Joe Gibbs’ career, he’s been really good at that. He says he hires good people and lets them do their job. I think he’s made a home run right now with putting Darian (Grubb, crew chief, No. 11), Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief, No. 20) and I together – I hope it does come across as magic. The people part is so big and our personalities just mesh. When you wake up in the morning and you enjoy going to work and work with the people you work with, that makes such a big difference. I think that bleeds throughout the entire company. I think right now all 400 employees at Joe Gibbs Racing see how excited Jason, Darian and I are to work with each other. Whether that’s magic, or Joe and J.D. (Gibbs, JGR president) doing their job, I’m excited to be part of it.”

Will the three JGR Sprint Cup teams be more unified this year?
“I think the best way to answer that is to look back at 2007, 2008 and 2009 on the Nationwide side. When I moved over to the Nationwide shop in 2006, there wasn’t a whole lot of win banners hanging on the wall. I’m not telling you that I went over there and hung a lot – I think the teamwork and the team chemistry between Jason (Ratcliff) and I being able to lead the group and get the entire Nationwide shop to go in one direction as one unified team – I think that’s what hung all those banners. Jason and I know that. We know that we were only a small part of it. It was really the direction that we provided and the guys back in the shop just slugging it out and making it happen. Jason and I know that, if we provide that type of leadership, we have 400 of the best employees in the business sitting at Joe Gibbs Racing. We know they will respond and provide really good racecars and our drivers are all top-notch – all three of them. I think Darian (Grubb) really respects the relationship that Jason and I had and I think he wants to be part of that. From all signs, he’s trying to be part of that. I think you’re going to see one, unified team with three racecars every Sunday.”

- True Speed Communication for Joe Gibbs Racing

Carl Edwards Budweiser Shootout Preview

Carl Edwards is 12/1 to win the Budweiser Shootout (Getty)

Carl Edwards
Team: No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Bob Osborne
Chassis: RK-799, New chassis

QUOTES


Carl Edwards on racing in the Shootout at Daytona International Speedway:
“I’m excited to get the 2012 season started. For the last year-and-a-half we’ve been strong at almost every track we’ve gone to. The Shootout is a fun race and I’m going to go win it if I can, and I’m excited to kick off the season with a fun race like that. It will be good practice to see what our cars can do before we race in the Duels the following week.”


Crew chief Bob Osborne on racing at Daytona International Speedway:
“The Shootout is a good test to help us prepare for the Duels and the 500. Generally the set-up is very close to what we run in both races. It’s also a good warm-up for the pit crew. We’ve got one new guy (rear tire carrier) going over the wall this year and one still out recovering from off-season surgery, so it gives everyone a chance to work together for the first time under race conditions. I’m hoping to pick up where we left off last season.”

FAST FACTS

* CARL EDWARDS will make his sixth start in the Budweiser Shootout Saturday night. His best finish to date is seventh in 2009. He has led 54 laps in his previous five starts.

* 2011 STATS…Last season Edwards accumulated one win, 19 top-five, 26 top-10 finishes and three poles. He led 903 laps of competition to finish second in the Sprint Cup point standings based on a tiebreaker.

* FOR THE RECORD…Edwards’ average start at Daytona International Speedway is 17.6, his average finish is 17.9. Edwards’ best finish at Daytona is second place, captured in last year’s Daytona 500 (and in July 2008).

* ON THE TRACK… The No. 99 Fastenal crew will unload RK-799 for the Shootout. This is a brand new car for 2012.

* REWIND, SHOOTOUT, 2011… It was a short night for Edwards in the season-opening Budweiser Shootout. He started third but ended up 21st after an accident on lap 28 took him out of contention.

- Roush Fenway Racing Press Release

Greg Biffle Budweiser Shootout Preview

Greg Biffle is 20/1 to win the Bud Shootout (Getty)

Greg Biffle
Team: No. 16 3M Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Matt Puccia
Chassis: Primary: RK-781 Brand new chassis; Backup: RK-689 Last ran Daytona in July – finished 18th

Biffle on racing in the Bud Shootout at Daytona:
“I’m really jacked about the Shootout. The reason why is because we have different radiators, different openings, fuel injection and all kinds of different rules for this year. This is the first time we’ll get on the race track this year, so this is a test for all of us. Everyone in the Shootout gets an opportunity to see how the car drives, see how many laps you can really push, and you just try to win the thing. No-holds-barred, no points, this is just a race for fun and we don’t have to bring that car back next week. I can’t wait, I love it and the Bud Shootout is right around the corner.”

Crew chief Matt Puccia on racing in the Bud Shootout at Daytona:
“The Shootout is a good race to knock the cobwebs off and see how the new rules NASCAR came up with for Speedways will perform. We’ve got a fresh team and it will be good to get a race under our belts before the points season begins to get everyone working together as a team. It will be our first chance to see how the fuel injection system performs in competition and also get a feel for how fuel mileage will play into a race situation.”

FAST FACTS
• Last year Biffle finished 16th in the point standings which qualified him for the Shootout.

• Be sure to “like” the 3M Racing Facebook page for a behind the scenes look at the No. 16 3M Ford getting ready for Daytona.

• On Twitter fans can follow @163MTeam and @3MRacing for the latest info on Biffle and the No. 16 Pit Bulls.

- Roush Fenway Racing Press Release

Danica Patrick Ready to Start NASCAR Cup Career at Daytona

Danica Patrick makes her Cup debut in the Daytona 500 (Getty)

KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (Feb. 14, 2012) – On March 6, 2005, Danica Patrick made her IZOD IndyCar Series debut driving for three-time IndyCar Series champion Bobby Rahal in a 300-mile event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Slightly less than seven years later, Patrick will make her NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut 296 miles to the north of Homestead when she takes part in the 54th Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

And once again, a three-time series champion – this time Tony Stewart, who captured Sprint Cup titles in 2002, 2005 and 2011 – will mentor Patrick as she adjusts to a full-time, stock-car racing schedule. Patrick is slated to compete in 10 Sprint Cup races in the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet while also participating in a full NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The road to Daytona from Homestead wasn’t simply a drive up I-95 on the east side of Florida but rather an incredible journey for Patrick, who has become widely known simply by her first name.

Since that sunny day in March 2005, the Go Daddy Girl has set numerous records and twice appeared on the cover ofSports Illustrated, making her just the fourth racecar driver (Jimmie Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., and Al Unser being the others) to grace the cover of the famous magazine two times.

In April 2008, Patrick became the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series with her win in the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Japan. Six times, she finished in the top-10 in points in the IndyCar standings, including a fifth-place result in 2009 – the best ever by a woman.

But nowhere did Patrick perform better than on the biggest IndyCar Series stage of all – the Indianapolis 500. She burst onto the scene at Indy in May 2005 when she stunned the world by leading three times for 19 laps and finishing fourth in her first “500” – becoming the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the historic race.

She set numerous records during her Indianapolis 500 debut and set the tone early when she posted the fastest lap on the opening day of practice. She went on to set the fastest practice lap five times throughout the month – more than any other driver – including Pole Day and Carburetion Day.

Patrick’s practice lap of 229.880 mph on Pole Day was the fastest of any driver during the month and the fastest turned by any woman in the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During her qualification attempt, Patrick made an impressive save as her car bobbled in turn one on her first lap, earning her rave reviews for her car control by longtime Speedway observers. She ended up qualifying fourth, the best-ever starting position for a woman in the race.

On race day, with 11 laps remaining in the 200-lap event, Patrick blew past leader Dan Wheldon and held the point until lap 194, when she was forced to slow down in order to conserve fuel to make it to the finish. Her efforts earned her Rookie of the Year honors.

Patrick scored six top-10 finishes in seven starts at Indianapolis and qualified 10th or better five times. Her third-place result in 2009 is the best finish ever for a woman in the history of the Indianapolis 500.

As the scene switches this month to the historic Daytona 500, it’s easy to notice numerous similarities to the Indy 500. Both are conducted on 2.5-mile ovals, both are 200 laps and both are 500 miles in length. Both events have more lead-up on the racetrack than any other race (Indianapolis is two weeks in duration, Daytona is 10 days) and a victory in either race can change a career.

There are differences, as well, and none bigger than the style of racing. Speeds at Indianapolis approach 220 mph in open-wheel, open-cockpit, rear-engine racecars that weigh about 1,600 pounds. Speeds at Daytona are in the 190-mph range in cars that weigh 3,400 pounds and look more like the standard street car with an enclosed driver compartment and the engine situated in front.

During the Indianapolis 500, cars tend to spread out a bit more with the majority of the passing taking place at the end of the 5/8-mile front and back straightaways. At Daytona over the years, it’s typical to see either one, long pack of cars circling the oval (restrictor-plate-style “pack” racing) or, in recent years since the repave of the facility in 2010, a two-car “tandem draft,” in which pairs of cars align themselves in a draft to make headway toward the front of the field together.

Whichever style of racing will be most prevalent at Daytona this year, it will be different than what Patrick was used to at Indianapolis. However, she has plenty of drafting experience, having competed in one Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race and three NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Daytona. Both series are feeder systems to the premier Sprint Cup Series.

In her most recent outing at Daytona in July 2011, Patrick worked with Stewart in a two-car draft during the Nationwide Series race and led 13 of 100 laps en route to an impressive 10th-place finish.

While the focus at Daytona this month will be to gain experience and continue her stock-car education, Patrick and the Go Daddy team are still focused on winning. And, why not, when one considers that Trevor Bayne, making just his second Sprint Cup Series start and his first at Daytona, shocked the racing world by winning last year’s Daytona 500?

It’s been an incredible journey for Patrick since March 2005 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and she’s hoping another exciting chapter in her career begins not too far up the road at Daytona.

DANICA PATRICK, Driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet:

What are your overall thoughts heading to Daytona?

“Well, with Daytona, it’s a big track. It’s an easy track to drive. If you have a fast car, you’re going to probably go to the front. I think my inexperience is less of an issue because the car is easy to drive. For me, at a place like Daytona, it reminds me of racing Indy cars. It reminds me of our mile-and-a-half racing, where we’d always be in a pack. There was no bump drafting in IndyCar. That took some getting used to a little bit.”

What are your thoughts on the length of the races in NASCAR compared to IndyCar?

“It is a bit of an adjustment getting used to the length of the races. Not so much the distance as it is the amount of hours that you’re in the car. When I heard the old stories of people who had snacks in the racecars, I thought it was a joke. But I don’t think it’s a joke, anymore. I really think there are snacks in the car. So maybe it will be that. Maybe it’s making sure I have the right drink in my drink bottle so it keeps me sharp. Whether it’s carbohydrates or proteins, I’ll leave that up to my trainer to figure that out. Also, focusing on hydration and rest, and making sure that, nutritionally, I’m putting the right thing into my body. As far as working out, I have a feeling the number of races will provide workouts of their own. But I’ll keep working out like I normally do.”

Can you talk about your long relationship with Go Daddy?

“I was thinking about this the other day. It’s really perfect because I am a girl so, therefore, I am a Go Daddy Girl. I enjoy getting made up, and I enjoy being feminine and girly. But then, I also enjoy being in the racecar and being tough. So I think it’s that blend of the two – Jillian (Michaels, fellow Go Daddy Girl) said it so well – that strong women can be sexy and soft and beautiful. She said that really well. It’s fun to do that. I think something people don’t know about me is how much I like being a girl when I’m outside of the racecar, and how much I like getting made up and doing photo shoots and things like that. They’re really the perfect sponsor. We have a lot of fun. We poke fun at not only ourselves, but everything, and we try to make people laugh a little.”

In IndyCar racing you never competed in more than 17 races in a season and, in 2010, you competed in 32 races between IndyCar, the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA. This year, you’re scheduled to compete in 43 races with 33 in Nationwide and 10 in Sprint Cup. Can you talk about the number of races you’ll participate in?

“Well the schedule itself was a little intimidating to me back in my early IndyCar days. I didn’t know how anybody did that many races in a year. But, as time went on, and I adjusted to the schedule of being a professional racecar driver and balancing all the other things that go with it and then introducing a dozen or so NASCAR races to my IndyCar season, all of a sudden, that took me to 30 race weekends. It’s not necessarily the amount of racing that happens in the weekend that’s so overwhelming, it’s the travel. It’s the weekends. It’s the time that you take away from home. So, going from 30 to 34, 35-ish race weekends are not that big of an adjustment. While there will be a lot more racing with 43 events or 43 races, it’s not 43 weekends, so I’m comfortable. I’m ready for it. At the end of the day, when you’re having fun with something, you want to do it. So I’m ready.”

Can you talk about Tony Stewart since you both have experience in IndyCar racing?

“We don’t talk a lot about IndyCar and NASCAR. They’re very different worlds. I think it’s nice that I know he has the reference and can understand where I’m coming from, perhaps, with some feelings and certain ways I describe the car. But we don’t speak specifically about Indy cars because of the difference in cars. So, for me, it’s nice to have a guy like Tony who is confident and will help me and give me answers and be honest and want to see me get better. And the IndyCar references are just nice from a background standpoint that he understands what I’m talking about.”

It seems as though you have set high expectations for yourself at Daytona. Talk about that.

“It is very high, but I’m kind of curious what you would say about what other people’s expectations are for Daytona because I think everyone feels they have a shot to win. As long as their car is relatively fast and there’s going to be a little bit of a difference with maybe not doing quite as much tandem running throughout the race, I’ll be curious to see how that goes. It’s so much faster when you run with somebody, so we’ll see how that plays out in the rules that NASCAR put on us to try to make that not happen. But I would imagine you get that from a lot of drivers – that there is that chance. It’s like my first time going to the Indy 500 at Indianapolis. I knew I had a fast car. When I got asked how I felt when I was in the lead at the end of the race, I said I felt like that’s where I should be all day. So here I am going to the biggest race in a year in a new series just like I was in IndyCar, and I have those expectations. Now, the rest of the season is going to have very different expectation levels. But Daytona is very unique, and there is a real chance for some great results there.”

What are your overall thoughts on the season ahead of you?

“Generally, I’m just really ready. I’m excited about the season. I’m excited about the racing. I’m a little bit nervous, too, because I want to do well. Any time you feel like you want to do well, whether it’s on the track or doing your job, you get a little nervous because you feel a little pressure to want to do it. But I’m very happy with where I am. I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity I do with two fantastic teams. That’s all you can ask for as a driver – to have good racecars and good crew chiefs.”

You announced last month that you will not compete in the Indianapolis 500 and, instead, compete in the Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Talk about that.

“I’m sure it will be a little strange. I’m sure I’ll be paying attention – I love Indy. I’m confident it will work out in the future. But I loved the three weeks of Indy, so when they cut it down to two weeks, I was disappointed. I tried to talk everyone into going back to three weeks again. But I have a feeling my plate’s going to be full, and I’ll be well-distracted with lots of NASCAR racing and flying all over the country during May and ending up in Charlotte for Memorial Day weekend. I’m excited to see how NASCAR does Memorial Day weekend. I know how it’s done in IndyCar, and how to honor the day and what it really means about people serving our country. So I’m excited to see how NASCAR does it.”

In IndyCar racing, the biggest race of the season, the Indianapolis 500, is usually the fourth or fifth race of the season. In NASCAR, the Daytona 500, the biggest race of the season, kicks off the season. Talk about that.

“I suppose I thought it was interesting the biggest race of the season is at the very beginning for NASCAR. But being involved in that and seeing what that does, at the end of the day, our sport is about sponsors and sponsors come when people watch. So, when you have the biggest race at the beginning of the year, they start watching. And, with NASCAR, you race every weekend after that and they continue to watch. I think it’s quite smart to start out the season with such media coverage, and it starts to develop storylines, and people can start to follow it because there’s a long season ahead.”


You are scheduled to compete in 10 Sprint Cup races and nine of them have been announced. Would you consider competing in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis?

“Somebody even mentioned something about the All‑Star Race (at Charlotte). I was like ‘I don’t think I’m an All‑Star.’ They’re like, ‘Well, there’s a fan vote.’ We haven’t really thought about it. We haven’t put ideas down. But, mentioning the Brickyard, that is a great idea. That might be a great place to add the 10th race. I know the IndyCar fans – there are a lot of them there, of course. It would be great to go there and do the big NASCAR race and be around. I love that track. It’s my favorite track. So that’s a great idea. I’ll talk to them about that.”

A lot of the attention has been on your relationship with Tony Stewart. Can you talk about working with Ryan Newman?

“For me, with Ryan, he’s been really kind to me over the years – especially the last couple of years in NASCAR. He’s commented a couple of times to me. Stopped and chatted about doing a good job out there and how’s it going. General curiosity. So, I get along great with Ryan. We were actually just talking about some charity stuff, too, with dogs. I know he does a lot with animals. I share the same views as Krissie (Newman), apparently. So I think I’ll probably sit down and talk with her about that. But I really like him. I think the team as a whole is going to have a lot of fun.”

Are you prepared for the difference in competition between the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series?

“I’ll learn that. That’s part of the process of what I’ve dealt with in Nationwide – getting familiar with what’s acceptable on the track. I can put my car into someone’s rear bumper as easily as they can put it into mine. It’s about learning what that line is, though. So I’ll always start from a respectful position of taking my time. I’m not going to go out there and get into everybody or any of that. It’s about learning what the limit is on what’s acceptable. Also, then, getting comfortable with the car and getting faster. I’m sure you mean a little bit of the driving aggressively and also the speed. I’m sure everybody amps up their game for the big day. So, for me, it’s going to come through experience and practice and figuring it out.”

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Matt Kenseth Bud Shootout Preview

Matt Kenseth's best Shootout finish was third in 2003 (Getty)

Matt Kenseth
Team: No. 17 Best Buy Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig
Chassis: Primary: RK-793 (Brand new chassis)

Kenseth on racing in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona:
“The Budweiser Shootout can be helpful in preparing for the Daytona 500 and this Saturday’s race will be the first race with electronic fuel injection. We’ll see how the car handles and figure out if there’s anything that we might have missed or can improve upon before the 500. It really is a great test to get ready for the rest of Speedweeks, as well and our first race with the No. 17 Best Buy Ford for the season.”

Crew chief Jimmy Fennig on racing in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona:
“We’ve got a few things that we’ll work on during practice as well as for the Shootout itself to get a better gauge on what might help us the following weekend in the Daytona 500. The Shootout settings will be different since it’s a night race versus the (Daytona) 500 which starts in the afternoon, but we can still use the extra track time to learn as much as we can about our cars before the season kicks off next week.”

FAST FACTS:

• Kenseth’s best finish at Daytona for the Shootout is third, which he accomplished in 2003 during his first Shootout race

• Kenseth has achieved one top-five and three top-10 finishes in his five career Budweiser Shootout starts

• Kenseth has completed 99.1 percent of the Shootout laps he has attempted (368 of 371 laps)

• This weekend at Daytona, Kenseth will pilot the No. 17 Best Buy Ford Fusion

- Roush Fenway Racing, Press Release

Truex Jr Bud Shootout and Daytona 500 Qualifying Preview

Truex Jr was very fast in pre-season Daytona testing

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry driver Martin Truex Jr. has come close to winning the Daytona 500 two times in the last three seasons. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver led the race with two laps to go in 2010 and last year held the top spot for 17 circuits. This weekend Truex will compete in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona on Saturday night and single-car qualifying on Sunday.

Truex plans to add to his sponsor’s legacy at NASCAR’s most prestigious track. A NAPA-sponsored car has visited Daytona’s victory lane five times. Michael Waltrip won two Daytona 500s and two qualifying races along with a victory in the July race in the familiar blue-and-yellow paint scheme.

QUOTES

TRUEX ON RUNNING IN THE SHOOTOUT: “It’s a good race for everyone to get back into the racing mode. It is a race, but it is not the Daytona 500 so the pressure isn’t there. This race is about learning a few things, drafting with new teammates and winning. With all the rule changes, we’ll get a good idea of what we need to work on for the 500.”

WHAT HE EXPECTS TO SEE ON TRACK: “I think we are going to see both the two-car draft and big-pack racing. With the amount of times that we are going to have to switch, it’s going to cause congestion. It’s going to make a big pack at some point. How long the pack will last? I don’t know until we get out there. There are a bunch of variables — driver movement, weather conditions and what the new rule package creates on track.”

ON QUALIFYING: “If we can earn a spot on the front row, it would be a huge honor for the NAPA team and Toyota. The pressure would be off in racing the Duels, but at the same time, it will be critical to keep that car intact during the Duels and final practice. It’s a unique qualifying format that’s for sure.”

ON WINNING THE DAYTONA 500: “It would mean everything to me and my sponsor NAPA. It’s the biggest race of our season and it’s interesting that we start off with our Super Bowl. We go down there for 10 days and the excitement is just over the top. So many great drivers have won that race, including my car owner two times, now it’s time for me to win this deal. I’ve been in position to win a few times and have even dreamed about it. Hopefully I’ll know what it feels like in a few days.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· NAPA KNOW HOW NUGGET: NAPA Jacksonville is challenging Truex and his team to a Cookout Challenge. The first team to get a win/hit a record sales month, gets lunch cooked by the losing team. According to Truex, “The NAPA Cookout Challenge is a neat deal and I’m excited that Joe Keppel (General Manager, NAPA Jacksonville Distribution Center) used our NASCAR program to get his team charged up for this season. Obviously, it is an exciting time for his team if they can have a record sales month and the same for us when we get our first win for NAPA. I always like a little friendly competition.”

- Michael Waltrip Racing

Waltrip to Drive No. 40 Hillman Toyota in Daytona 500

Waltrip to drive No. 40 Hillman Toyota in Daytona 500

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Hillman Racing and Aaron’s Inc. announced today that two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will drive the No. 40 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota in the 2012 Daytona 500 on Feb. 26.

The race will mark Waltrip’s 75th start at Daytona in one of NASCAR’s top three touring series (Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World trucks) – the most of any driver.

“Aaron’s really does make your dreams come true,” said Waltrip. “When I was a kid thinking about racing in Daytona I never dreamed I would start more NASCAR races there than anyone. That’s amazing.”

He said it takes many factors for success.

“You have to have a great sponsor to race and Aaron’s has been a great sponsor for a long time.” Waltrip said. “I appreciate what the folks at Hillman Racing including Joe Falk are putting together. Hopefully my experience at Daytona will help them get out of the gate strong with their new team.”

Daytona’s 2012 Speedweeks promises to be busy for Waltrip. He’ll race the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota in the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout, oversee his three Sprint Cup teams at Michael Waltrip Racing and host several top executives from corporate America attending the races with the team. Waltrip will also continue his television work serving as a commentator for SPEED-TV’s truck series broadcasts and begin his new role as an analyst for the Fox NASCAR Sunday broadcasts joining his brother and Hall of Fame member Darrell Waltrip.

Aaron’s Chief Operating Officer Ken Butler said the chance to have Waltrip drive the No. 40 and Mark Martin drive MWR’s No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machines in the Daytona 500 is too good of an opportunity to miss.

“We could not be more pleased to work out a deal to sponsor Michael for his 26th consecutive start in the Daytona 500,” said Butler. “There isn’t a better way to introduce our 2012 Dream Machine program than having both Mark Martin and Michael competing together in NASCAR’s biggest race. I look forward to watching Michael and Mark bringing our Dream Machines to the checkers side by side in the first and second spots.

Hillman Racing is making its NASCAR debut this season, but the organization is anything but new to the sport. Team owner Mike Hillman Sr. played a key role in the founding of Germain Racing and was the architect of the group’s two NASCAR championships in 2006 and 2010. Hillman acquired the championship-winning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series assets following the conclusion of the 2011 season and is set to embark as the owner and general manager of Hillman Racing for the 2012 season.

“I can’t think of a better way to start off the season than to have Michael Waltrip behind the wheel of our car at Daytona,” said Hillman, who credits longtime friend and co-owner Joe Falk for the inclusion of the Cup program under the Hillman Racing banner. “I’ve been in this sport a long time, but I’ve never been so excited to go to Daytona. To have two Daytona 500 champions at the start of the season – with Ward Burton in the truck and Michael in the Cup car – positions Hillman Racing for a strong debut and a chance to win both races.”

Waltrip made the first of his 25 consecutive Daytona 500 starts in 1987. He and Darrell are the only brother combination to win the Daytona 500. Michael’s 2001 and 2003 victories made him one of only eight drivers with multiple wins in “The Great American Race.” The 2012 Daytona 500 marks Waltrip’s 767th Sprint Cup start and 1,054th NASCAR start. Waltrip, Richard Petty and Mark Martin are the only drivers with more than 1,000 starts in the sport’s three top touring series.

Waltrip won last year’s Daytona truck race on a dramatic last-lap pass. The victory came on the 10th anniversary of his first Daytona 500 victory.

- Michael Waltrip Racing

Waltrip to Drive No.55 in Shootout, Martin to Qualify for 500 Sunday

Martin will not race in the Bud Shootout

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Mark Martin has a special seat reserved for Saturday night’s 34th-annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona that kicks off the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The 1999 race winner will sit atop Michael Waltrip’s pit box. Waltrip will drive the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine with plans to give Toyota its first victory in the 75-lap, non-points race. Martin, who is sharing the No. 55 with Waltrip in 2012, has work of his own to do this weekend as his team prepares for single-car qualifying at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Fox) for the Feb. 26 Daytona 500.

MARTIN ON BUD SHOOTOUT: “I’m going to put on my Aaron’s shirt, a radio headset and climb right up there on the pit box with (crew chief) Rodney (Childers) and watch Michael race. I’ll be rooting him on, but who knows, maybe I’ll get on the radio with him. There’s a lot we can learn from Saturday night’s race that we can apply to the Thursday qualifying races and the Daytona 500. Every little bit you learn helps.”

SINGLE-CAR QUALIFYING: “We’ll get about four hours of practice on Saturday to work on what we’ll have for Sunday. There’s not much you can do as a driver when you are out there on qualifying runs by yourself. It’s all car at that point. You want to do well Sunday, but you can’t lose sight of the bigger picture and that is getting your car ready to run in the pack when they drop the green flag for the Duels and the Daytona 500.”

NOTES

* Mark Martin will race the No. 55 in 24 races plus the All Star race in 2012. Waltrip will drive the No. 55 in the Shootout plus six races including all the remaining restrictor plate events. MWR will fill the remaining races with a driver to be named later.

* Aaron’s will begin airing a series of humorous commercials featuring “The Odd Couple” of Martin and Waltrip during SPEED-TV’s and Fox’s coverage during Speed Weeks in Daytona.

2012 Budweiser Shootout Odds & Ends

Budweiser Shootout Facts

Kurt Busch won last years Bud Shootout by the closest margin ever (Getty)

* The number of participants has ranged from a low of seven in 1981 to a high of 28 in 2009 (25 are entered for this year’s event).

* The drivers with the most Shootout appearances:
o Bill Elliott (23)
o Mark Martin (23)
o Rusty Wallace (19)
o Ken Schrader (19)
o Jeff Gordon (18)

* Mark Martin had appeared in the most consecutive Shootout races, competing in 20 consecutive events from 1989-2008. The active leader in consecutive appearances is Jeff Gordon, with 18. This year marks his 19th.

* There have been eight multiple winners in the Shootout:
o Tony Stewart has won three of the last 10 (2001, 2002 and 2007).
o Dale Earnhardt won six events, most all-time (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1995).
o Dale Jarrett won in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
o Other multiple winners: Neil Bonnett (1983-1984), Ken Schrader, (1989-1990), Jeff Gordon (1994 and 1997), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2003 and 2008) and Kevin Harvick (2009-2010).
o Bonnett, Schrader, Stewart and Harvick are the only drivers to win back-to-back races. No driver has ever won three consecutive Shootouts.

* Buddy Baker (1979), Dale Earnhardt (1980), Jeff Gordon (1994), Dale Jarrett (1996) and Denny Hamlin (2006) all won the first Shootout 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 Shootout, Daytona 500 pole and Daytona 500 from 1979-2010: Dale Jarrett (2000) and Bill Elliott (1987).

* One driver has swept the Shootout, Daytona 500 and the Coke Zero 400 from 1979-2011: Bobby Allison (1982).

* Seven drivers have won the Shootout (1979-2011) 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 Shootouts (1979-2010). 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)

By the Numbers: Shootout at Daytona
.058 –Margin of victory in seconds by Kurt Busch over Jamie McMurray in 2011, the closest margin in Shootout 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 Shootouts they won
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 Shootout wins by Dale Earnhardt, the series leader
7 – Number of fewest starters in the field for the Shootout (1981)
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
19 – Number of wins by Chevrolet in the Shootout, leads all manufacturers
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 Shootout
98 – Number of all-time laps led in the Shootout (1979-2011) held by Dale Earnhardt

- compiled by Ray M. Smith, NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications

Budweiser Shootout Preview: Kurt Busch Worth at Shot at 25-to-1

By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

Kurt Busch looks good at 25-to-1 (Getty)

You can almost smell the sweet scent of burnt Goodyear rubber and Sunoco ethanol fuel mix and faintly hear the rumble of 800 horses under the hood. For almost two months, NASCAR fans have been anticipating the start of the season so they’re able to make those senses become a reality again.

Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway will be the first competitive racing of the season for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. Although this is a non-points race that runs only 75 laps, it gives both the fans and drivers somewhat of a preview to what we’ll see next week in the Daytona 500.

But this isn’t just a mere exhibition event like we see in baseball’s spring training or pro football’s pre-season where veterans go through the motions and rookies try to impress. In this event, the winner grabs over $200,000 in winnings.

What makes it exciting, beyond being our first taste of racing in 2012, is that it’s a short race with two segments making it kind of like a mad dash Saturday night special at our local short tracks. There is an urgency for the drivers to make something happen early, unlike the 500 mile restrictor-plate races where several drivers just fall back to stay out of trouble until the final 10 laps.

And since there’s no points involved, we also get to see drivers be a little more aggressive than they might be while protecting their place in the standings. If a driver wrecks because of a move he made, so what, all it cost him was a little berating from his garage guys who have to fix the car.

Not every driver is eligible to participate, but almost every driver we want to see will be in the race. To be eligible, a driver must have finished in the top-25 in 2011 driver points, or been a past Bud Shootout winner or past Daytona points race winner. That pretty much covers everyone we want to see and keeps the hobos out of their way.

Following the 2011 season, NASCAR implemented several changes to the Sprint Cup car with most of the changes geared at stopping the two-car tandem racing we saw in all four plate races last season. During Daytona pre-season testing last month, our first glance at how the changes would run in race conditions, it looked like the changes didn’t work out as much as NASCAR hoped. The fastest way around the track was still going bumper-to-bumper with another driver. The gap in speeds between driving alone and in tandem was almost the same as last season.

In those sessions, there were several star performers beginning with new teammates Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne. Kahne takes over the No. 5 Hendrick Chevy for Mark Martin and will be paired with Kahne as his dancing partner for this week and the Daytona 500.

Clint Bowyer joined Michael Waltrip Racing and will team Martin Truex Jr for the plate races this season. In one individual session they had the fastest times paired together.

Perhaps the most improbable of drivers who fared well in the testing was Kurt Busch who was fired from Penske following the 2011 season. In the six pre-season test sessions, Busch had the fastest single lap as he was pushed by his reliable friend from last season’s plate races, Regan Smith. Busch is driving the No. 51 James Finch Chevy which has a lot of support from the Hendrick garage.

Busch is easily the best plate racer to never a points paying plate race, but he did win the Bud Shootout last season and followed that up by winning one of the Gatorade Duels. Between the equipment Busch has for this race and being given a big dose of reality that this may be his final chance at redemption as a driver after burning bridges with Penske and Roush, I think he has a great shot at winning Saturday night.

It also doesn’t hurt that he has juicy 25-to-1 odds posted on him at the LVH Super Book to make him even more enticing.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:
1) #51 Kurt Busch (25/1)
2) #24 Jeff Gordon (12/1)
3) #31 Jeff Burton (20/1)
4) #15 Clint Bowyer (25/1)
5) #5 Kasey Kahne (12/1)

LVH Super Book Odds to Win 2012 Budweiser Shootout

Dale Eanhardt Jr is 10-to-1 to win the Bud Shootout this year (Getty)

BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT
DAYTONA INT'L SPEEDWAY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012

** RACE CONSISTS OF 75 LAPS **

JIMMIE JOHNSON 12
CARL EDWARDS 12
KYLE BUSCH 10
MATT KENSETH 18
JEFF GORDON 10
KASEY KAHNE 12
TONY STEWART 12
KEVIN HARVICK 8
DENNY HAMLIN 18
GREG BIFFLE 20
BRAD KESELOWSKI 15
KURT BUSCH 25
CLINT BOWYER 25
DALE EARNHARDT JR 10
RYAN NEWMAN 25
MARTIN TRUEX JR 25
MARK MARTIN 25
JEFF BURTON 20
JOEY LOGANO 25
JUAN MONTOYA 25
JAMIE McMURRAY 18
AJ ALLMENDINGER 25
PAUL MENARD 30
FIELD 30

BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT RACE MATCHUPS

JIMMIE JOHNSON EVEN
DALE EARNHARDT JR -120

JEFF GORDON -120
KASEY KAHNE EVEN

CARL EDWARDS +105
TONY STEWART -125

BRAD KESELOWSKI -110
JEFF BURTON -110

MATT KENSETH -110
DENNY HAMLIN -110

CLINT BOWYER +105
JAMIE McMURRAY -125

JOEY LOGANO -120
MARTIN TRUEX JR EVEN

MARK MARTIN EVEN
AJ ALLMENDINGER -120

KURT BUSCH -120
JUAN MONTOYA EVEN

KYLE BUSCH +105
KEVIN HARVICK -125

Kurt Busch Signs to Drive Kyle Busch's Nationwide Car

Associated Press

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- The Busch Brothers will be teamed together for the first time in more than a decade this season as co-drivers for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Kyle Busch tabbed his older brother, Kurt, to share the No. 54 Toyota this year in the Nationwide Series. The brothers on Thursday introduced Monster Energy as their sponsor for the new team.

KBM has fielded a Truck Series team since 2010, but this will be its first year in stock-cars and in NASCAR's second-tier series. The brothers wasted no time boasting what they can accomplish this year: Kurt Busch said it's possible for them to sweep the entire 33-race schedule, while Kyle said his team will run for the Nationwide owner's championship.

"We've had a lot of talks about how this whole deal is going to work out, what we're both looking to get out of this and what a great opportunity this is to race in the Nationwide Series," Kyle Busch said. "Kurt's never done a full Nationwide deal, he's always had the itch but never really cared about it.

"Now this is something for him to get out there and win some races, help bring some banners over here."

Read More Here....

New Teammates, Gordon and Kahne, Fastest in Saturday's Pre-Season Testing

From Jayski.com

Gordon and new teammate Kasey Kahne pushed each to top times Saturday

Saturday afternoon test session:
#24-Gordon 200.562
#2-Keselowski 200.548
#22-Allmendinger 200.548
#5-Kahne 200.481
#11-Hamlin 199.973
Some Notes:
Most drivers tested in a large pack to begin the session.
#10-Patrick, #14-Stewart, #51-Busch, & #6-Stenhouse, Jr. have left and are not particiapting in this session. Stewart and Stenhouse are on their way to the Chili Bowl in Tulsa. Trevor Bayne ran a few laps in the Roush Fenway #6.
NASCAR has moved the pressure relief valve back to 25 psi (up from 20psi in the morning session).
#31-Burton & #88-Earnhardt, Jr. spun while running in the pack. Montoya appears to get into the rear of Earnhardt, sending him into Burton. Earnhardt drove to the garage. Burton's car was towed to the garage to see if it could be repaired, but the team decided to not get back on track.
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. ran a few laps in the #48 Chevy after sustaining damage to his car in the accident with Burton.

Saturday morning test session:
#5-Kahne 201.545
#24-Gordon 201.545
#51-KuBusch 199.464
#55-Martin 199.459
#88-Earnhardt, Jr 199.406
Some Notes:
Drivers are working on single and double car runs.
The teams of #13-Mears and #39-Newman left after yesterday's tests ended.
Drivers are expected to test in a large pack at the beginning of the afternoon session.

Saturday's Test Times

Kurt Busch Sets Fastest Times of Daytona Test Sessions Friday

From Jayski.com

Kurt Busch in the No. 51 fastest in Friday's Daytona test session (Getty)

Friday afternoon test session:
#51-KuBusch 206.058
#78-Smith 206.053
#18-KyBusch 205.813
#24-Gordon 205.747
#5-Kahne 205.747
Some Notes:
After the morning session, NASCAR met with the drivers to encourage them to draft in a large pack of cars at the start of the session to see how the cars react. All teams except the #48 participated.
#31-Burton made contact with the wall during the pack drafting when he cut down a tire. The team will repair the car.
28 drivers exceed 200mph.
Driver again tested in a large pack with an hour remaining in the session before returning to two car drafts.

Friday morning test session:
#56-Truex, Jr. 204.722
#15-Bowyer 204.722
#43-Almirola 203.142
#9-Ambrose 203.142
#55-Martin 201.748
Some Notes:
As a result of rules changes made by NASCAR, cars were allowed to draft during this session, but most are expected to wait until the afternoon.
#18-Busch's team changed valve springs in the engine this morning after computer data showed the engine was over-revved yesterday.

Day 2 Test Times

Kyle Busch & Logano Team for Fastest Speeds in First Day of Testing

From Jayski.com

Kyle Busch fastest in Thursday's test session at Daytona

Thursday afternoon test session (Drafting):
#18-Busch 202.402
#20-Logano 202.388
#2-Keselowski 202.224
#22-Allmendinger 202.220
#88-Earnhardt, Jr. 200.920
Some Notes:
NASCAR permitted cars to draft together during the session, but only a handful of drivers did so.
#55-Martin got into the back of #15-Bowyer while drafting and spun Bowyer out. Bowyer was able to save the car and did not hit anything, but did suffer some sheet metal damage when the car went down on the track apron.

Thursday morning test session (Single car):
#24-Gordon 192.773
#27-Menard 192.369
#51-Kurt Busch 192.361
#6-Stenhouse, Jr. 191.959
#42-Montoya 191.853
Some Notes:
#14-Stewart arrived at the track around 10:30am/et. He was returning from the Chili Bowl in Tulsa.
#39-Newman also arrived late. He has been battling the flu.
Chad Knaus is on vacation and not at the track. Steve Letarte is helping oversee the #48 team's test session.

Thursday's Testing Speeds


Testing Schedule

Friday, January 13th
7:30 AM Garage Opens
9:00 AM 12:00 PM NSCS Practice - Drafting
1:00 PM 5:00 PM NSCS Practice - Drafting
6:00 PM Garage Closes

Saturday, January 14th
7:30 AM Garage Opens
9:00 AM 12:00 PM Practice - Drafting
1:00 PM 5:00 PM Practice - Drafting
6:00 PM Garage Closes

New Rules Focus at Daytona Pre-Season Testing

By Dave Rodman

NASCAR.com

Practices: Thursday & Friday 9-12a 1-5pm (ET)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing suffered through a subpar 2011 Sprint Cup season as a group and after some major changes to EGR's structure, no one's readier for the 2012 season to begin than Jamie McMurray and his teammate, Juan Montoya.

McMurray, who won the 2010 Daytona 500 and two other plum victories later that season, struggled to finish 27th in points last season.

So with virtually a full field of Cup teams expected to test Thursday through Saturday during Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway, McMurray's anxious to gauge the impact of EGR's new team manager, Max Jones, and his own team's new car chief, Randy Cox, from the former Red Bull Racing, and a new engineer, Dave Winston, who came from Penske Racing.

Montoya, who also won a race in 2010 after qualifying for the 2009 Chase, but struggled to 21st in the points last season, is working with a new crew chief, former Hendrick Motorsports engineer Chris Heroy.

But this test is going to be everyone's first chance to work with a complete new rules package that's a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega this past October and at Daytona in November.

"While we have had other tests with these setups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars," NASCAR vice president for competition Robin Pemberton said. "This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations."

While some of the elements were tested, others are new and being seen on-track by the teams for the first time, including smaller radiators with a two-gallon capacity; a smaller cooling system overflow tank with a capacity of a half-gallon; and the radiator inlet being moved up, closer into the front-center bumper area.

Along with electronic fuel injection, which underwent multiple tests in 2011 preparing for its full implementation in ' 12, teams last year also tested a rate reduction for rear springs, making them softer to get the rear spoiler out of the air; a smaller rear spoiler; and a baseline restrictor plate of 29/32nds of an inch (1/64th-inch larger than the plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500).

NASCAR's made it no secret that their changes are designed to break up the two-car drafting formations that teams have gradually discovered is the quickest way around the biggest speedways. The teams' necessary goal is to continue that style of racing.

"You're going to work on trying to stay locked together and making that [tandem drafting] still work," McMurray said. "I personally hope that no one can do it, and that it doesn't work but I don't know that. They've changed the rules a lot so it will be really interesting to see, when we get down [to Daytona] to see if you're able to stay locked together.

"Because if you are, and those other guys can't -- it's 10 miles per hour difference in speed if you can stay locked together or not -- so yeah, I'm anxious to get down [to Daytona] and see what the cars are going to be like."

Montoya's pretty much on the same page as his teammate.

"Our goal is to figure out what we need to do to make our Target Chevrolet better before we come back down to Daytona [for Speedweeks]," Montoya said. "We've completely redone our cars so it'll be interesting to see what we have when we unload on Thursday. We want to gain as much knowledge as possible. I guess we'll have to see if the changes NASCAR made were enough to break up the tandem drafting or not."

Clint Bowyer tested with his new Michael Waltrip Racing team and crew chief Brian Pattie last month strictly for the purpose of building relationships. His new teammate, Mark Martin, is testing with new crew chief Rodney Childers on Wednesday at New Smyrna Speedway, about a half-hour south of Daytona, and said both sessions were much more important on a personnel level than a mechanical one.


"These tests aren't incredibly important from the car hardware side, it's more important for us as a new group working together to work through the areas like communication, flow, learning everyone's names, routines and things like that," Martin said. "That's really the critical part of the test. From the hardware side, we do have a number of things we want to run through at these tests, but all teams are doing those kinds of things.

"These tests are valuable because we want everything to be working like a smooth-oiled machine by the time we get to the Daytona 500. Then, by the time we get to Phoenix, we want to be acting like we've been racing together for years."

"New Smyrna will be fun because it's a handling track," Childers said of the half-mile, high-banked oval. "With Mark's short-track experience, I'm looking forward to his feedback and him pointing us in the right direction."

Martin did say the new regulations have done more than pique his curiosity. Last season, he almost uniquely worked with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon in the tandem draft but this year he's going to pay a little more attention.

"The one other thing that I am going to focus on this time at Daytona, more than I did a year ago, is working on tandem drafting," said Martin, who finished 10th and 33rd at Daytona last season. "We didn't do that last year and it's going to be even more of a challenge this year. Rodney and I want to look toward being ahead of the curve on the two-car tandem or explore areas that will give us an advantage."

"The Daytona test will be about us working on our qualifying setup for the first day and a half and drafting the rest of the time," Childers said. "The most important thing is the draft, making sure our cars can do what they need to do. We'll probably work on some cooling to see if our cars can push longer than some of the others."

Johnson Still Favored To Win 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship

Johnson favored to win title in Las Vegas

By Micah Roberts

Looks like Jimmie Johnson is still considered king in NASCAR despite not winning his sixth consecutive title. The LVH Super Book, formerly known as the Las Vegas Hilton, made Johnson the 9-to-2 favorite to win the title followed by Carl Edwards at 5-to-1.

Defending champion Tony Stewart is among six drivers listed at 8-to-1 that includes Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and new Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne. Kahne takes over the No. 5 car for Mark Martin.

Despite Las Vegan Kurt Busch being ran from the Penske stable, he's still listed at 60-to-1 while driving the heavily NASCAR impaired No. 51, a sign that Las Vegas thinks Busch's driving ability can overcome bad equipment. His replacement in the No. 22 car, A.J. Allmendinger, is listed at 75-to-1.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is given 40-to-1 odds showing that Vegas believes Junior's issues will persist in 2012 despite running a decent points season in 2011. Clint Bowyer's odds were listed lower at 30-to-1 even though he'll be driving his first season for a lesser team with Michael Waltrip Racing.

LVH SUPER BOOK Odds to Win
2012 SPRINT CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

JIMMIE JOHNSON 9-2
CARL EDWARDS 5
KYLE BUSCH 8
MATT KENSETH 8
JEFF GORDON 8
KASEY KAHNE 8
TONY STEWART 8
KEVIN HARVICK 8
DENNY HAMLIN 12
GREG BIFFLE 20
BRAD KESELOWSKI 20
CLINT BOWYER 30
DALE EARNHARDT JR 40
RYAN NEWMAN 50
KURT BUSCH 60
MARTIN TRUEX JR 75
JEFF BURTON 75
JOEY LOGANO 75
JUAN MONTOYA 75
JAMIE McMURRAY 75
AJ ALLMENDINGER 75
PAUL MENARD 100
MARCOS AMBROSE 100
FIELD 40