Joey Logano wins Clash at Daytona while Keselowski, Hamlin crash

Joey Logano paid out at 13/2 odds to win Clash.

Joey Logano took advantage of a last-lap wreck between race leader Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski to take the lead of and win the Advance Auto Parts Clash.

Logano was in third when Keselowski dove beneath Hamlin for the lead. They sideswiped each other in Turn 2, sending Hamlin spinning through the field untouched.

The slowing of the field to avoid Hamlin allowed Logano to put enough distance between him and second place, which was fought for between Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman.

Danica Patrick finished fourth.

“Kind of was in the right place at the right time,” Logano told Fox Sports 1. “Brad was going to make the move and I was just going to follow him through. When I saw (Hamlin) coming down, I immediately went to the top. The writing was written on the wall what was going to happen.”

The accident between Hamlin and and Keselowski involved the drivers who started on the front row and led the most laps in the 75-lap race.

Read More Here....NBC Sports

Clash at Daytona Results
1) #22-Joey Logano, Shell/Pennzoil Ford
2) #18-Kyle Busch, M&M's Toyota
3) #88-Alex Bowman, Nationwide Chevy
4) #10-Danica Patrick, TaxAct Ford
5) #4-Kevin Harvick, Busch Beer Ford
6) #2-Brad Keselowski, SKF Ford
7) #24-Chase Elliott, NAPA Chevy
8) #19-Daniel Suarez, ARRIS Toyota
9) #37-Chris Buescher, Kroger Click List Chevy
10) #1-Jamie McMurray, McDonald's Big Mac Chevy
11) #20-Matt Kenseth, Interstate Batteries Toyota
12) #3-Austin Dillon, Dow Chevy
13) #11-Denny Hamlin, Fedex Express Toyota, 74 laps, accident
14) #42-Kyle Larson, Credit One Chevy, 61 laps, accident
15) #78-Martin Truex Jr, 5-hour ENERGY Extra Strength Toyota, 60 laps, accident
16) #48-Jimmie Johnson, Lowe's Chevy, 48 laps, accident
17) #41-Kurt Busch, Monster Energy / Haas Automation Ford, 16 laps, accident

Average Speed of Race Winner: 143.831 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 18 Mins, 13 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.120 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 16 laps.
Lead Changes: 6 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: B. Keselowski 1-8; D. Hamlin 9; B. Keselowski 10-19; Kyle Busch 20-24; J. Logano 25-27; D. Hamlin 28-74; J. Logano 75;.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): D. Hamlin 2 times for 48 laps; B. Keselowski 2 times for 18 laps; Kyle Busch 1 time for 5 laps; J. Logano 2 times for 4 laps.

Clash at Daytona Final Notes
- Joey Logano: 1st Clash win; 3rd career win at Daytona (2015 Daytona 500, 2011 July NXS race)
- Team Penske: 3rd time winning The Clash (2011 Kurt Busch, 1998 Rusty Wallace)
- Kyle Busch: finished 2nd; 2012 winner of race
- Alex Bowman: finished 3rd; making Clash debut (does not have ride for 2016 Cup Series season)
- Danica Patrick: finished 4th; first finish better than 10th in 4th career Clash start
- Denny Hamlin: was leading on final lap (finished 13th after contact from Brad Keselowski); had won race 2 of last 3 years
- Jimmie Johnson: finished 16th; 6th straight year wrecking out of event (7th DNF in The Clash ties Jeff Gordon's record)
- First win for a Ford driver since Dale Jarrett won in 2004.

Ford strong in first Daytona 500 practice sessions

Joey Logano and Ford looked strong Saturday.

Joey Logano posted the fastest lap in Saturday’s lengthy practice session at Daytona International Speedway.

Fords went 1-2-3 in the session, which lasted 3 hours, 55 minutes.

Logano led the way with a lap of 193.116 mph. Aric Almirola piloted his Richard Petty Motorsports ride to a lap of 193.054 mph. Logano’s Team Penske teammate, Brad Keselowski, was third on the speed chart at 193.046 mph. Kyle Larson was fourth at 193.034 mph. Ryan Blaney completed the top five in his Wood Brothers Racing Ford at 192.980.

Read More Here...NBC Sports

Alex Bowman earned right to be in Clash at Daytona

Alex Bowman during Friday's Clash practice at Daytona 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – During his December test at Darlington Raceway that cleared his return to NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gathered his No. 88 team in the hauler and broke some news.

He wouldn’t be running The Clash, turning over the wheel of his Chevrolet to Alex Bowman as a reward for filling in for him last season.

Unless his team said otherwise.

“I said, ‘They could put (Bowman) in the 5 (the car of Kasey Kahne, who wasn’t eligible Saturday), and if the guys really want me to run (the No. 88), I’ll run it,” Earnhardt said Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. “But otherwise I’d just assume let Alex run it. They said, ‘Yeah, I think Alex earned his shot, and he should be able to work with guys that he knows.’ Nothing against the 5 guys, but he hadn’t worked with them any.”

Bowman and Earnhardt both were eligible to run in The Clash – the former by virtue of winning the pole position at Phoenix International Raceway, the latter as a former winner of the event.

Read More Here....NBC Sports

Joe Gibbs Racing puts on drafting show in final Clash practice

Daniel Suarez fit right in with his Gibbs teammates in practice.

After not seeing the track at a in the first practice session for the Advanced Auto Parts Clash, Joe Gibbs Racing swept the top four in the second and final session.

Denny Hamlin, who will start second in the exhibition race, was fastest at 196.528 mph. That came as all four Joe Gibbs Racing cars drafted alone for most of the 55-minute session.

Hamlin was followed by rookie Daniel Suarez, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth. Joey Logano completed the top five and Danica Patrick was sixth fastest.

Brad Keselowski, the pole-sitter for the Clash, was fastest in the first session, which was devoted to single-car runs. He was 10th fastest when working in the draft.

Read More Here....NBC Sports


Final Practice Speeds

Denny Hamlin obviously "looking forward" to Daytona return

Denny Hamlin is 8/1 to win his fourth Clash at Daytona.

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: Advance Auto Parts Clash
Date/Time: Feb. 18/8:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 75 laps/187.5 miles
Track Length: 2.5 miles
Track Shape: Tri-Oval
Banking: 31 degrees
2016 Winner: Denny Hamlin

Express Notes:
Clash at Daytona: Hamlin returns to the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway this Saturday to kick off the 2017 season as the defending winner and three-time victor of the Advance Auto Parts Clash. His 2016 win marked his second Clash victory in three years, and made him only one of six drivers to win both the Clash and Daytona 500 during the same Speedweeks. He has led 86 total laps in 11 Clash starts, setting a race-high 39 laps led in 2016. This year’s race will be 75 laps, beginning with a 50-lap segment and concluding with a 25-lap chase to the finish line.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Daytona International Speedway
Races: 11
Wins: 3 (2006, 2014, 2016)
Top-5: 5
Top-10: 6
Laps Led: 86

Hamlin Conversation – Returning to Daytona:
“Obviously, we had a great Speedweeks last year, so I’m looking forward to returning to Daytona to start the season and repeat that same success. Of course, we want to defend our Daytona 500 win, and this FedEx team has a strong restrictor plate program that puts us one step closer to accomplishing that. I’m also excited to have Wheels (Mike Wheeler) back for a second season, and I think we’ve really positioned ourselves to be competitive this year.”

Daytona Beach Station Team Along for the Ride at Daytona: The FedEx Express station team from Daytona Beach (Fla.) will be recognized for claiming the title of Southern Region FY16 Station of the Year Champions by having its “DABA” code letters appear on the b-post of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota at their home track, Daytona International Speedway, throughout SpeedWeeks.

FedEx Office – Closest to Daytona International Speedway: 2274 W International Speedway, Daytona Beach, (386) 323-7840

#11 FedEx Racing – 2016 Crew Roster
Crew Chief – Mike “Wheels” Wheeler
Car Chief – Leo Thorsen
Engineers – Justin Langdon, Sam McAuley
Shock Specialist – Drew Bible
Tire Specialist – Kerry Ferris
Mechanics – Tony Hamm, Scott Eldridge, Sean Kerlin
Spotter – Chris Lambert
Front Tire Changer: Dustin Necaise
Front Tire Carrier: Brandon Pegram
Rear Tire Changer: Mike Hicks
Rear Tire Carrier: Ben Fischbeck
Jack Man: Nate Bolling
Gas Man: Caleb Hurd
Transportation – Frank Hodel

- Weber Shandwick Worldwide for FedEx Racing

Jimmie Johnson goes for second Clash win

Jimmie Johnson is 7/1 to win Clash.

No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS / Jimmie Johnson

Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Hometown: El Cajon, California
Age: 41
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

SEVEN-TIME IS A TWO-TIME AT DAYTONA: Daytona marks the first opportunity for Jimmie Johnson to pilot his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS since winning the 2016 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to secure his record-tying seventh NASCAR Cup Series title. The seven-time champion has won the Daytona 500 on two occasions — Feb. 6, 2006, and Feb. 24, 2013. Since winning “The Great American Race” in 2013, Johnson finished fifth in the event in 2014 and 2015 and 16th in 2016.

LONE CLASH WIN: Johnson has one win in The Clash. The lone victory in the non-points event came at the start of the 2005 season when the race format was reserved for pole position winners who qualified from the previous season.

POLE WINS FOR JOHNSON: As a rookie, Johnson came on the scene in the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet with a vengeance, taking the pole position in his first attempt at “The Great American Race” with a qualifying lap of 185.831 mph. His second Daytona 500 pole came in 2008. Johnson also has earned three second-place starts for the race, which came in 2005, 2010 and 2015.

DUEL PERFORMANCE: Johnson has compiled two wins in the Duel 150-mile qualifier races, which will take place on Thursday, Feb. 23. He went to Victory Lane in 2010 after edging competitor Kevin Harvick by a mere 0.006 seconds. Johnson also won a 2015 Duel, which went into overtime and ended under a green-white-checkered flag finish.

RECENT DAYTONA FINISHES: Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus have recently racked up some spectacular statistics and laps led for the No. 48 team at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Johnson swept the season with victories in both the Daytona 500 and in the July 400-mile event in 2013. In the 2014 Daytona 500, Johnson finished fifth after leading 15 laps. In 2015, he finished fifth in the Daytona 500, leading 39 laps, and finished second in July of that year to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. after leading 35 laps. Last year’s Daytona 500 saw Johnson lead the field for 18 laps before finishing 16th.

SIXTEEN YEARS AND HOLDING: Johnson, Knaus, car chief Ron Malec and sponsor Lowe’s will celebrate their 16th full season together in 2017. Lowe’s joined forces with Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 team in 2001 and has been Johnson’s full-season primary sponsor since his 2002 rookie year, including for all seven Cup Series championships.

MOUNTAIN MAN: Johnson spent the majority of the NASCAR offseason in Aspen, Colorado, where he owns a home. In addition to growing a robust beard, Johnson skied, skinned and even participated in the Ajax Cup, a fundraising ski race that provides support to the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club. Johnson and daughter Evie also took in the Winter X Games, held in Aspen, and made a cameo on ESPN’s coverage of the games.

OFFSEASON ACCOLADES: Stemming from his record-tying seventh championship, Johnson has received recognition from many organizations. Among the highlights, Johnson was named San Diego Hall of Champions Professional Star of the Year along with NHRA drag racer and fellow San Diego native Ron Capps. Johnson also won Driver of the Year honors from the National Motorsports Press Association for the seventh time in his career.

TEAM CHEVY STAGE: Johnson will appear at the Team Chevy Stage on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 11:15 a.m. local time for a question-and-answer session.

- Hendrick Motorsports

Kevin Harvicks goes for fourth Clash at Daytona win

Kevin Harvick is +850 to win Saturday's Clash.

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (Feb. 15, 2017) – In a new season that will feature a new race format, points system and manufacturer for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and the No. 4 team at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), there is comfort in the consistency displayed by the colors adorning their new Ford Fusion for Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

While the make and model of the No. 4 may have changed as SHR collaborated with Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford Motor Company starting in 2017, the familiar black-and-red livery of Jimmy John’s will return for its second season as the primary sponsor for the Daytona 500. Jimmy John’s, based in Champaign, Illinois and famous for its freaky fast delivery, made its Daytona 500 debut in 2016, when Harvick and the No. 4 team started ninth and finished fourth to start the season in “The Great American Race.”

While Jimmy John’s is on the hood for the Daytona 500, for the second consecutive year Busch Beer returns to Harvick’s No. 4 Ford Fusion for the Advanced Auto Parts Clash at Daytona – the 75-lap, bonus-points-paying race that kicks off the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season Feb. 18. Busch is back on the hood, but the No. 4 Busch Beer Ford is updated with a fresh new look, giving a nod to new packaging the brand will debut in April.

Busch debuted its new packaging and advertising campaign featuring the return of the “BUSCHHHHH” can-crack sound with its first-ever Super Bowl commercial that aired during the FOX broadcast of the game Feb. 5.

Busch’s rich racing history began in 1978 when the brand sponsored the award presented to the pole winners of what was known then as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Busch went on to be the “Official Beer of NASCAR” from 1988 through 1997 and was the title sponsor of the stepping-stone division to the NASCAR Cup Series – currently known as the NASCAR Xfinity Series – from 1984 through 2007. The last Busch-sponsored driver prior to the company’s return in 2016 was Cale Yarborough and his iconic No. 11 car during the 1980 season.

Both Jimmy John’s and Busch have reason to be optimistic as Harvick and the No. 4 team head to Daytona.

As Harvick enters his 17th NASCAR Cup Series season and his fourth at SHR with crew chief Rodney Childers at the helm, he is looking to score his second win in the Daytona 500. He won the famed Harley J. Earl trophy in 2007, when he beat Mark Martin to the Daytona 500 finish line by .020 of a second on the final green-white-checkered restart. It was the closest Daytona 500 finish since the start of computer scoring in 2003.

Harvick also has three wins in the Clash at Daytona – 2009, 2010 and 2013 – tying him for second-most with his team owner Tony Stewart and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett.

In the 2009 Clash at Daytona, Harvick survived an incident-filled race that saw a record eight caution periods and less than half the starting field make it to the checkered flag.

The following year, he joined Neil Bonnett, Ken Schrader and Stewart as the fourth driver in event history to win consecutive races, and he did so driving a backup car he was never able to practice, passing Greg Biffle with two laps remaining in a green-white-checkered finish. NASCAR declared Harvick the winner when a multicar incident ended the race under caution.

In his 2013 win, Harvick led 40 of 75 laps, dominating the second and third segments en route to his third Clash at Daytona victory in five years.

If Harvick can add his name for a second time to the Harley J. Earl trophy Feb. 26 in the season-opening Daytona 500 at “The World Center of Racing,” he would be the 11th driver in NASCAR history to win the iconic event more than once. It would also put the No. 4 team in prime position to secure a berth in the 2017 playoffs as it attempts to win a second NASCAR Cup Series championship in four years.

KEVIN HARVICK, Driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

What does it mean to have a Harley J. Earl Trophy?
“The Daytona 500 is the biggest race that we run every year – it’s the biggest one-week prize you can grab. It is probably the most prestigious list you can probably put your name on for any one trophy. You always hear about people who say winning the Daytona 500 isn’t like winning any other race – and it’s not – it’s the Daytona 500. After you win it and you see all the things that come with it and the things you have to do, you learn very quickly that the Daytona 500 is special. It means a lot to this sport and it’s an honor to have won it and put my name on that trophy with the greats who are on it. I hope we can put it on there again before the end of my career.

Explain the new points system in simple terms to a race fan. What do you tell them?
“I would tell them to just watch the race. I think as you look at the points system and things, that doesn’t really necessarily matter until the end of the day. You tally it all up and show it on the television screen. As long as we are having good races, it’s exciting to watch and the competitors are going as hard as they can every lap to gain or hold every position. You’ll see strategy on TV from the crew chiefs knowing that a segment is coming up. There are a lot of carrots out there. The segment bonus points going toward the playoffs twice in one race. Then you have the race win at the end of the race, so there are many things to think about. There are a lot of things to watch and keep your interest. That’s really what we all needed because, in the end, as competitors we needed to be enthused about having something to go out there and grab. When you see those points up on the table – sure the point total will be higher – but it still won’t be as high as it used to be with the old points system. But I would worry less about how the points work and more about just watching the race, and you’ll naturally just get it.”

From the driver’s seat, how does the new points system change your approach to a race?
“For us, that’s the good thing. For us, Rodney (Childers, crew chief) has always been pretty pressing on going out there and trying to get everything you can out of the car in practice, qualifying and at the beginning of the race to try and position yourself for the end as early in the race as possible. That opens up a lot of windows. You know where your car is and we’ve tried to race that way for the last three years. When you go back and look at the history, the regular-season points, the segment wins and those types of things have been very good for us and hopefully that trend continues as we move forward.”

What will the new format mean for the pit crews with the new stages?
“I don’t think it will change anything. No more than what it used to be because it’s basically a live pit stop when you come down pit road at the end of a segment. You’ll change tires and try to get out first, so in the end the goal is still to be first in everything that we do, whether it’s practice, qualifying, pit stops or the race – whatever it is that’s still the No. 4 team’s goal.”

What will it mean to get points for the Duels at Daytona this year?
“There’s points in everything we do, so you need to go and try and get the most points that are possible because, basically, what you’re doing is racing every moment and every race leading up to Homestead to gather as many points as you can to start to try to build yourself a cushion for when those days happen. You hope those moments don’t happen in the playoffs. For us, they happened in the Chase last year and, luckily, our performance was good enough to be able to win. We had a phenomenal first 26 races and, if we would have had that points cushion, we would have had the ability to have some hiccups and still be able to move on. It rewards performance throughout the year where you won’t have a William Byron-type situation that we had in the Truck Series, where the kid goes out, wins seven or eight races, leads a bunch of laps, has one engine failure in the Chase, and gets eliminated from winning the championship. I like the fact that it rewards running well, running consistently, so it has the mix between traditional and new world NASCAR.”

In the past, you might have laid back at the beginning to better position yourself for the end of the race. Are those days over now with the new format?
“I think there is still balance. You still have to try to go after all the bonus points in the segments that you can in order to pile up as many points as you can if your car is capable of it. However, you still have to balance trying to put yourself in a position to win the race, finish the race and gain the big prize at the end of the day. You still want to get all the points that you can, but you still have to be smart about it as you go through the day.”

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Kenseth can take more risk in non-points Clash at Daytona

Matt Kenseth is +850 to win Clash at Daytona.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 14, 2017) – Don’t call it a comeback. We’ve been here for years.

Interstate Batteries, founding partner for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has been here for years – more than 25 years to be exact. This weekend, the brand will kick off its 26th season with JGR as part of Saturday night’s Advanced Auto Parts Clash at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. It will be the first time in 12 years that the brand will be part of the event that serves as the unofficial season opener to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

And the company is doing it in a big way, serving as the primary sponsor of the No. 20 JGR Toyota Camry entry and driver Matt Kenseth.

As the “Official Battery of JGR,” Interstate Batteries has been powering the championship-winning organization since 1992. The brand has been a sponsor on the No. 18 JGR Toyota with driver Kyle Busch for select Cup Series races during the last nine NASCAR seasons but has not made a start in the annual Clash at Daytona since 2005. Prior to that, the brand had appeared on the No. 18 JGR entry with 2000 Cup Series champ Bobby Labonte, who made 10 straight starts in the Clash from 1994 to 2005 as the driver of the Interstate Batteries car.

While Interstate Batteries is making its return to the Clash this weekend, Kenseth is aiming to improve upon an already impressive resume at the “World Center of Racing.”

The winner of the 2015 edition of the Clash, Kenseth will make his 11th start in the non-points event Saturday night when he jumps behind the wheel of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota. When the 2003 Cup Series Champ scored the victory in the Clash two years ago, he did so in fairly convincing fashion, leading 21 of the 75 laps run after starting 16th. In addition to the win, Kenseth’s stats in the Clash feature three top-five finishes and six top-10s with 53 laps led and an average finish of 9.5.

And while he only has one win in the Clash, Kenseth is no stranger to victory lane at Daytona.

He is a two-time winner of the iconic Daytona 500, winning the 2009 and 2012 editions of the Great American Race. In 34 career starts during points-paying races at the superspeedway, the Wisconsin-native has led at least one lap in 19 different races for a total of 362 laps led. In addition to the two Daytona 500 wins, Kenseth’s record at Daytona includes six top-fives and 14 top-10 finishes.

The 2017 season is Kenseth’s 18th as a full-time driver in NASCAR’s elite series. Like Interstate Batteries, he’s been here for years and his goals are the same – to score wins and be in the hunt for a Cup Series championship when the season ends in November. That effort begins in earnest this weekend at Daytona.

MATT KENSETH, Driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing:

Interstate Batteries is the founding partner for Joe Gibbs Racing but the brand hasn’t been a part of the Clash in more than 10 years. How special is it to be able to race the Interstate colors this weekend?
“Obviously, it’s an honor to have Intestate Batteries on the car this weekend. One of the things you learn when you work for Joe Gibbs Racing is how important Interstate Batteries is to the team. Coach Joe is very proud of that sponsorship, the relationship and the fact that they have been together since the very beginning. Probably one of the more interesting things about the partnership is the relationship between Coach and Norm Miller. It really goes beyond a regular business arrangement.”

This will be your 11th start in the Clash at Daytona. What does it mean to be a part of that event?
“As a kid, I always remember watching the Clash because it was the first racing thing that came on TV in Wisconsin over the winter. There was always snow on the ground up there, of course, but that was always the first race to come on the TV, and that got me excited for the race season. To me, Daytona Beach looked like it was a million miles away and I always looked forward to watching that race every year.”

How does the Clash impact the overall experience that is Speedweeks at Daytona?
“The Clash is such a fun way to kick off Speedweeks and it has been one of my favorite races to watch. The racing season always starts in such a unique way down in Daytona with the Clash, and then how we set the starting line-up for the Daytona 500. We end up getting a lot of practice in, as well as some racing scenarios, before we even get to the 500. The Clash allows teams to go out there and just fight for a win to start off the year. Since it’s a non-points race, you can typically take a bit more risk. It’s a chance to try out different lines and moves, as well as a chance to learn how our new Camrys will handle in race conditions. It’s a fun race because everyone is just racing to grab a win.

- True Speed Communication for Interstate Batteries Racing/Joe Gibbs Racing

2017 Clash at Daytona Preview: plate packages same as 2016

Saturday's Clash at Daytona will have 17 drivers participating.

Alright, let's get this 2017 NASCAR party started. It's been way too long and I need my NASCAR fix.

We've got a new series name to get used to -- Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series -- and we've got some new race format and playoff changes as well. We'll talk more about that next week for the Daytona 500, but let's discuss Saturday night's Clash at Daytona and try to kick off the season with a winner right out of the gate.

The Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona is a 75-lap non-points race featuring drivers that participated in last seasons playoffs or won a pole, won past Clashes or have been former Daytona pole winners. There are 20 eligible drivers with the field set at 17 just because Greg Biffle no longer has a ride and the retirements of Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.

NASCAR has been running some version of this race prior to the Daytona 500 since 1979. It used to be called the Busch Clash and later was changed to the Bud Shootout and for the past few seasons its been known as the Sprint Unlimited. The race will be split into two segments with a mandatory pit stop after 25-laps. With it being the first real race of the season, no points being involved, the field limited to the best drivers, and the race being so short, the action is always action packed.

This race also serves as a great Daytona 500 tune-up for crew members and drivers like Kyle Busch who has a 2012 Clash win on his resume, but his first Daytona 500 victory keeps eluding him.

"I think anytime we ever go down to Daytona, whether it’s with a new car or whether it’s with a different rules package or what have you, we always look at the Clash, as they call it now, as a race to watch to see exactly what’s going to happen and what characteristics you have in your racecar and things," Busch said.

"It’s a learning experience for everybody, whether you’re in the race or whether you’re out of the race and not in it. For us, we’re curious to see how the car is going to race and how it’s going to handle and what it’s going to react like. Things aren’t too drastically different with speedway racing this year, so there will be less to get used to."

The racing we'll see during the entire Daytona Speedweeks will be similar to what we've seen on restrictor-plate tracks the past two seasons -- the race package is the same, so it serves well to see what happened last season at the four regular season races between Daytona and Talladega as well as what happened in this exhibition race that Denny Hamlin won.

Read More Here............Top-5 Finish Prediction

Kyle Busch looking to learn from Clash for Daytona 500

Kyle Busch finished third in 2016 Daytona 500; he's 8/1 to win Clash.

HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Feb. 13, 2017) – Over the past two seasons, Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’S Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), has made significant progress on his bucket list within the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

Along with bringing home his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2015, Busch has brought home back-to-back Brickyard 400 wins in 2015 and 2016 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and a victory in the 2008 Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.

With those items checked off the list entering his 13th full-time season in NASCAR’s top series, Busch turns his attention to a race every stock car driver dreams of winning – the Daytona 500. After 11 career starts in the “Great American Race,” Busch is still searching for his first victory in NASCAR’s season-opening event and he looks to add the ultimate bucket list item to his resume.

When it comes to NASCAR, there aren’t many traditions that run deeper than kicking off each new season with Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, which this year culminates Feb. 26 with the 59th running of the Daytona 500.

Before next week’s edition of the Great American Race, the 2017 season will warm up with Saturday night’s non-points Advance Auto Parts Clash, which Busch won in 2012. It continues through next week’s Can-Am Duel qualifying races. Busch won his Duel qualifying race in 2009, 2013 and 2016. Then, the official NASCAR Cup Series season begins in earnest Feb. 26 with the Daytona 500. In addition to his three non-points race wins at Daytona, Busch captured his first and only Daytona points-paying Sprint Cup win in July 2008.

Busch will look to top his strong season from one year ago when he finished third in the Cup Series standings, qualified for his ninth career appearance in NASCAR’s playoffs, and made the Championship 4 for the second consecutive season. Busch won four races in 2016, which gave him at least one win in each of his first 12 seasons. The Las Vegas native also tied his 2008 career-high 17 top-five finishes and career-high 25 top-10s last season.

The 38-race winner in NASCAR’s Cup Series will look to continue to win races and vie for another championship, with a few other goals still left to accomplish. Along with a Daytona 500 victory and a return to the Championship 4, Busch’s goals for 2017 include crossing off two tracks where he’s never won in the Cup Series – Pocono (Pa.) Raceway and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

Also for 2017, primary backer M&M’S returns for its ninth season with Busch and the colorful M&M’S Toyota. M&M’S will have its fan pit stop experience on site during Speedweeks at Daytona at the base of the Toyota Injector. Activities there will include the M&M’S Tire Changer, prize wheel, sampling of M&M’S product and the No. 18 M&M’S show car on-site for fan photo opportunities.

So, as Busch and his No. 18 M&M’S Camry head back to Daytona for another edition of Daytona Speedweeks, his sights will be set on checking off another item on the bucket list by adding his name as the 38th driver to grace the Harley J. Earl Trophy as Daytona 500 champion.

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

Are there race wins or other things that you hope to accomplish before your racing career is over?

“The number-one, most important thing is trying to win the Daytona 500. After that, we will try to win the Coke 600 at Charlotte, or really any Cup race at Charlotte, which I haven’t been able to do, yet. Past that, to be able to win at Pocono, which is the only other place besides Charlotte where I haven’t won a Cup race. Winning at Martinsville and getting a Grandfather Clock and winning at Kansas, where I haven’t been very good in my career, were both really special last year. Beyond that, I would certainly still like to win 200 overall NASCAR races, but that may be down the line a bit. Those are some of the bucket-list things that would be cool to accomplish someday. We still have plenty to accomplish but I’m excited to head back to Daytona and get a new year started. Hard to believe it’s my ninth season with M&M’S on board with me. We have a lot of great things to come with them this year and with the launch of M&M’S Caramel in May.”

Does having a championship on your resume make you feel any different heading into another new season?
“I don’t think I’m any different than I was before winning the championship than I am today. I’m just a fierce competitor who wants to go out there and win races and compete for championships. Even though there’s one under my belt, there’s plenty more to achieve. We’ll go out there and fight hard and make sure we can do that week-in and week-out, but also year-in and year-out with this M&M’S team and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. At the same time, I feel like there was the pressure of winning a title lifted off my back. To be introduced as a Cup Series champion never gets old and will always be a huge honor for me, no doubt.”

Why is the Daytona 500 so hard to win?
“Because everybody else wants to win it and it’s on all their bucket lists and, of course, it’s a race that 40 people have a chance to go out there and win. I wouldn’t say the same for a race like Atlanta. You go to Atlanta and obviously that’s a race where probably 10, 12 guys are going to have a chance to win but, when you show up to Daytona, all 40 people will believe that they have a chance to win.”

How would you explain the feeling of starting the Daytona 500?
“It’s crazy because I felt that as a rookie, maybe my second year, but I don’t necessarily feel it that much now. I feel it’s like another race, but it is the first race of the year and you want to start it off well. Are you always really ready for the start of the season? Who knows? If the Daytona 500 was the fifth or sixth race of the year, would it be better for me or better for somebody else? Maybe, or maybe not. The only way I can explain it to people is if you ever get excited or the adrenaline starts pumping and you don’t necessarily have any feelings and it’s just excitement. It could be for people experiencing the birth of a kid or something like that, or seeing their kid go through graduation or something like that. That’s sort of the feeling that you get of getting ready to start the Daytona 500. To me, I get nervous or pumped up or excited for the start of the Super Bowl, especially being there in person this year in Houston. I’m excited and I’m jacked up for it, so I can only imagine what the players feel, and that’s sort of the feeling that you get.”

How important is the Clash exhibition race to learn the draft and get ready for the rest of Speedweeks?
“I think anytime we ever go down to Daytona, whether it’s with a new car or whether it’s with a different rules package or what have you, we always look at the Clash, as they call it now, as a race to watch to see exactly what’s going to happen and what characteristics you have in your racecar and things. It’s a learning experience for everybody, whether you’re in the race or whether you’re out of the race and not in it. For us, we’re curious to see how the car is going to race and how it’s going to handle and what it’s going to react like. Things aren’t too drastically different with speedway racing this year, so there will be less to get used to. I’ve been so busy with things this offseason with KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) and some of my businesses, I’m just looking forward to getting back to Daytona to my day job with our M&M’S Camry.”

- TrueSpeed Communications

Kurt Busch debuts SHR Ford at Daytona while going for second Clash win

Kurt Busch is 15/1 to win Clash at Daytona.

KANNAPOLIS, North Carolina (Feb. 10, 2017) – As Kurt Busch embarks on his 17th full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and his fourth with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), he has a good reason to feel right at home as the driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion, as the 2017 marks a homecoming for Busch to Ford Motor Company, the manufacturer with whom he won the 2004 Cup Series championship.

It was Busch’s first Cup Series title and Ford’s most recent. Now reunited, the goal is to once again hoist the trophy during the season-ending Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch will attempt to surpass NASCAR Hall of Famer Terry Labonte’s record for time between championships –12 seasons separated Labonte’s two titles in 1984 and 1996 – and do it with the Dearborn, Michigan-based manufacturer with whom his NASCAR Cup Series career began.

The story of Busch’s start in NASCAR is well documented. While racing in the Southwest Tour Series, his skill attracted the attention of team owner Jack Roush, who decided to host driver auditions for a team he fielded in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The auditions were informally known as “The Gong Show” and Roush invited Busch to participate. In a pivotal moment in Busch’s life, he won the audition and started competing in Ford F-150s for Roush in 2000. Since then, both Busch and Ford have gone on to experience much success. But, there’s more to be had, and to be had together.

That all starts with the 59th Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Three times a runner-up in the season-opening event, Busch is still seeking his first Harley J. Earl trophy. In fact, while he’s found victory lane at Daytona before, in 2011’s Advance Auto Parts Clash and Can-Am Duel, he’s yet to score a win in a points-paying race at either Daytona or its sister racetrack, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. While he hasn’t found victory, he’s almost always found a way to be in contention at the end. And that, in a race that is known for unpredictable racing with the high likelihood of large, multicar accidents at any moment, is an impressive feat that cannot be overlooked.

Busch has been listed as running at the end of 30 of 31 career points-paying Cup Series starts at Daytona. While he’s seemingly mastered the art of finishing Daytona races, it’s the finishing first part he’s yet to figure out. In fact, a superspeedway win is the only kind that has eluded him during his 18-year Cup Series career. With a victory in the Daytona 500, Busch would join an elite list of drivers who have won at every type of track on the circuit: superspeedway, speedway, intermediate, short track and road course.

So, as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rolls into Daytona to kick off the 2017 season, Busch hopes being reunited with Ford can help him not only to finally find his way to victory in the Daytona 500, but also to improve upon his successes of the last four seasons with SHR. While he’s made the playoffs each year with the Kannapolis, North Carolina-based team, he’s fallen short of contending for the championship late in the playoffs.

With the 16-driver Cup Series championship format, all it takes is just one win to lock a driver and team into the playoffs. Busch would like nothing more than to score that win in the 59th Daytona 500, marking his first victory in the prestigious event and placing him well on his way to reaching his season-long goal of winning his second Cup Series title.

KURT BUSCH, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

You’re the most recent Ford NASCAR Cup Series champion. How special would it be to be able to win another for the company?
“It is a special homecoming feeling to head back to work with Ford and to have them with our power and our bodies at Stewart-Haas Racing. It really feels neat to come back to a place where I’ve seen the faces before and the way that the structure has been polished up on and the way that there’s more depth with Ford Performance. Edsel (Ford) has done an incredible job over the last decade to continue to improve. Guys like Raj Nair, Dave Pericak – the whole gang is ready and willing to help in all areas and directions and the best thing that I’ve seen already come out of things with the engineering staff at Stewart-Haas. It’s like they just opened up a whole new book of things to look at and to advance our program further from where we were.”

You can’t test like you once were able to in January. So how do you, as a driver, adjust to a change like the one that has been made at Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2017 season?
“It’s because the teams have more depth. There is more simulation. The engineering staff has gone through things at a much higher level, whereas it used to be the driver and the crew chief who would go to the track and then come back with a notebook of things. Now the notebook has been gone through by the lead engineers and they’ve prepared it as best as possible before we show up. Limited track time saves money but, at the same time, you end up spending it on personnel and hiring the key guys to make the cars safer, faster, stronger, and I know we’ve done a great job to transition with Ford because I’ve seen some of the drawings and the way that Doug Yates has the engine set up. We had to change a few of our suspension settings to adapt to the way he had his engine set up, so there might be a couple bugs here or there, but I’m not too worried about it. We’ve got really good, quality people at Stewart-Haas with Yates engines.”

- True Speed Communication for Stewart-Haas Racing

Odds to win 2017 Clash at Daytona

The Clash at Daytona used to be call the Sprint Unlimited/Bud Shootout

WILLIAM HILL ODDS TO WIN
2017 CLASH AT DAYTONA
DAYTON INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 - 8 PM ET

BRAD KESELOWSKI 9 / 2
JOEY LOGANO 13 / 2
JIMMIE JOHNSON 7 / 1
KYLE BUSCH 8 / 1
DENNY HAMLIN 8 / 1
KEVIN HARVICK 17 / 2
MATT KENSETH 17 / 2
MARTIN TRUEX JR. 10 / 1
CHASE ELLIOTT 10 / 1
KYLE LARSON 15 / 1
KURT BUSCH 15 / 1
AUSTIN DILLON 18 / 1
JAMIE MCMURRAY 18 / 1
ALEX BOWMAN 20 / 1
DANIEL SUAREZ 20 / 1
DANICA PATRICK 60 / 1
CHRIS BUESCHER 75 / 1

William Hill has 108 sports books across Nevada

NASCAR spices up race and playoff format for 2017

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 23, 2017) – NASCAR, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, announced today an enhanced competition format that will be implemented in all three of its national series – the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Increasing the sense of urgency and emphasizing aggressive racing and strategy, the race format will deliver more dramatic moments over the course of an entire race and season, with playoff point incentives on the line throughout.

The enhanced format consists of the following:

· Races will now consist of three stages, with championship implications in each stage.

· The top-10 finishers of the first two stages will be awarded additional championship points.

· The winner of the first two stages of each race will receive one playoff point, and the race winner will receive five playoff points. Each playoff point will be added to his or her reset total following race No. 26, if that competitor makes the playoffs.

· All playoff points will carry through to the end of the third round of the playoffs (Round of 8), with the Championship 4 racing straight-up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the title.

· Championship points following the first two stages will be awarded on a descending scale, with the stage winner receiving 10 points, second receiving 9 points, and so on.

· The race winner following the final stage will now receive 40 points, second-place will receive 35, third-place 34, fourth-place 33, and so on.

"Simply put, this will make our great racing even better," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and CEO. "I’m proud of the unprecedented collaboration from our industry stakeholders, each of whom had a common goal – strengthening the sport for our fans. This is an enhancement fully rooted in teamwork, and the result will be an even better product every single week."

NASCAR also announced a playoff bonus structure that will see the regular season points leader honored as the regular season champion, earning 15 playoff points that will be added to the driver’s playoff reset of 2,000. In addition, the top-10 drivers in points leading into the playoffs will receive playoff points, with second place receiving 10 playoff points, third place will earn 8 points, fourth place will receive 7 points, and so on. All playoff points will carry through to the end of the Round of 8.

"These are enhancements that the NASCAR fan has long sought, and the entire industry has worked hard to develop a better racing format for our fans," said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "This format puts a premium on every victory and every in-race position over the course of the season. Each point can eventually result in winning or losing a championship."

- NASCAR

Odds to win 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship

The Westgate SuperBook routinely offers fair prices on their weekly odds to win. 

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
ODDS TO WIN
2017 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

Kevin HARVICK 6/1
Jimmie JOHNSON 7/1
Joey LOGANO 8/1
Kyle BUSCH 8/1
Martin TRUEX JR 8/1
Brad KESELOWSKI 10/1
Chase ELLIOTT 12/1
Carl EDWARDS 12/1
Matt KENSETH 12/1

Dale EARNHARDT JR 12/1

Denny HAMLIN 12/1
Kyle LARSON 20/1
Clint BOWYER 20/1
Kurt BUSCH 25/1
Erik JONES 25/1
Kasey KAHNE 30/1
Austin DILLON 40/1
Ryan BLANEY 80/1
Jamie McMURRAY 100/1
Greg BIFFLE 100/1
Ryan NEWMAN 100/1
AJ ALLMENDINGER 100/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 300/1
Ty DILLON 300/1
Trevor BAYNE 500/1
Aric ALMIROLA 500/1
Paul MENARD 500/1
Danica PATRICK 1000/1
Chris BUESCHER 1000/1
FIELD (all others) 1000/1

Odds opened for wagering November 28 and no movement has been made as of February 8, 2017

2017 Daytona 500 odds and match-ups from Westgate Las Vegas

Almost every driver has a shot to win at Daytona

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK

ODDS TO WIN 2017 DAYTONA 500
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 - 2:30 PM ET

Brad KESELOWSKI 5/1
Dale EARNHARDT JR 5/1
Joey LOGANO 7/1
Denny HAMLIN 10/1
Jimmie JOHNSON 10/1
Kevin HARVICK 12/1
Kyle BUSCH 12/1
Matt KENSETH 12/1
Martin TRUEX JR 18/1
Chase ELLIOTT 15/1
Austin DILLON 30/1
Clint BOWYER 30/1
Kurt BUSCH 25/1
Kyle LARSON 25/1
Daniel SUAREZ 50/1
Ryan BLANEY 40/1
Erik JONES 40/1
Kasey KAHNE 40/1
Jamie McMURRAY 30/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 60/1
Greg BIFFLE 100/1
Trevor BAYNE 60/1
Ryan NEWMAN 60/1
AJ ALLMENDINGER 80/1
Aric ALMIROLA 80/1
TY DILLON 100/1
Paul MENARD 80/1
Danica PATRICK 100/1
Chris BUESCHER 200/1
FIELD 30/1


DRIVER MATCH-UPS

Brad KESELOWSKI - 110
Dale EARNHARDT JR - 110

Brad KESELOWSKI - 135
Joey LOGANO +115

Brad KESELOWSKI - 135
Denny HAMLIN +115

Dale EARNHARDT JR - 135
Joey LOGANO +115

Dale EARNHARDT JR - 135
Denny HAMLIN +115

Joey LOGANO - 110
Denny HAMLIN - 110

Jimmie JOHNSON - 110
Kevin HARVICK - 110

Jimmie JOHNSON - 110
Kyle BUSCH - 110

Jimmie JOHNSON - 110
Matt KENSETH - 110

Kevin HARVICK - 110
Kyle BUSCH - 110

Kevin HARVICK - 110
Matt KENSETH - 110

Kyle BUSCH - 110
Matt KENSETH - 110

Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Chase ELLIOTT - 110

Martin TRUEX JR - 120
Clint BOWYER EVEN

Chase ELLIOTT - 120
Clint BOWYER EVEN

Austin DILLON - 110
Kurt BUSCH - 110

Kyle LARSON - 120
Ryan BLANEY EVEN

Ryan BLANEY - 120
Erik JONES EVEN

Austin DILLON - 110
Kyle LARSON - 110

Erik JONES - 125
Daniel SUAREZ +105

Larson, Earnhardt Jr, Logano fastest during Phoenix test session

Kyle Larson was fastest during one of the Phoenix test sessions.

Thirteen Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams completed an organizational test at Phoenix Raceway on Wednesday. The four sessions over two days featured the 2017 rules package, the on-track return of Dale Earnhardt Jr., a trio of Rookie of the Year candidates and Stewart-Haas Racing's debut with Ford. Earnhardt, who was sidelined with concussion-like symptoms halfway through last season, posted the fastest lap overall at 26.555 seconds (135.568 mph), coming in Wednesday's morning session. 

Earnhardt is a three-time winner at Phoenix and has finished eighth or better in six of his last seven races there. Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez and Ty Dillon made up the rookies at the test, each debuting with new teams this season. Dillon, driving the Chevrolet for Germain Racing, was second fastest (26.722 seconds) in the afternoon on the first day.

Joey Logano (26.674 seconds) topped Tuesday's opening session while Kyle Larson was quickest in the afternoon sessions both days - 26.586 and 26.667 seconds, respectively. Kevin Harvick made his debut in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing after the organization made a manufacturer switch in the off-season. Harvick was fourth fastest Wednesday morning (26.685 seconds) and second in the final session (26.698 seconds). - Jayski.com

Tuesday morning Phoenix test session:
Kyle Larson (Ganassi) — 26.586 seconds
Joey Logano (Penske) — 26.595
Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas) — 26.774
Ryan Blaney (Wood Bros.) — 26.799
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick) — 26.807
Aric Almirola (Petty) — 26.845
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway) — 26.854
Austin Dillon (Childress) — 26.876
AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty) — 26.896
Erik Jones (Furniture Row) — 26.898
Michael McDowell (Leavine Family) — 26.965
Ty Dillon (Germain) — 26.976
Alex Bowman (Chevy wheel force) — 27.027
Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) — 27.125
JJ Yeley (Toyota wheel force) — 27.186
Landon Cassill (Ford wheel force) — No time recorded

Tuesday afternoon Phoenix test session:
Joey Logano (Penske) — 26.674
Ty Dillon (Germain) — 26.722
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick) — 26.774
Kyle Larson (Ganassi) — 26.788
Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas) — 26.802
Erik Jones (Furniture Row) — 26.808
Ryan Blaney (Wood Bros.) — 26.885
Aric Almirola (Petty) — 26.965
Austin Dillon (Childress) — 26.997
AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty) — 27.043
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway) — 27.045
Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) — 27.085
Michael McDowell (Leavine Family) — 27.142
Alex Bowman (Chevy wheel force) — 27.276
JJ Yeley (Toyota wheel force) — 27.286
Landon Cassill (Ford wheel force) — 27.680

Wednesday morning Phoenix test session:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick) — 26.555
Kyle Larson (Ganassi) — 26.583
Erik Jones (Furniture Row) — 26.625
Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas) — 26.685
Joey Logano (Penske) — 26.690
Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) — 26.710
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway) — 26.713
Austin Dillon (Childress) — 26.741
Ryan Blaney (Wood Bros.) — 26.750
Aric Almirola (Petty) — 26.755
AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty) — 26.763
Ty Dillon (Germain) — 26.848
Alex Bowman (Chevy wheel force) — 27.116
Michael McDowell (Leavine Family) — 27.244
JJ Yeley (Toyota wheel force) — 27.278
Landon Cassill (Ford wheel force) — 27.622

Wednesday Phoenix afternoon session:
Kyle Larson (Ganassi) — 26.667
Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas) — 26.698
Joey Logano (Penske) — 26.703
Erik Jones (Furniture Row) — 26.726
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick) — 26.731
Ryan Blaney (Wood Bros.) — 26.766
Austin Dillon (Childress) — 26.770
Daniel Suarez (Joe Gibbs Racing) — 26.773
Michael McDowell (Leavine Family) — 26.816
AJ Allmendinger (JTG Daugherty) — 26.924
Aric Almirola (Petty) — 26.972
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway) — 27.034
Ty Dillon (Germain) — 27.082
Alex Bowman (Chevy wheel force) — 27.325
JJ Yeley (Toyota wheel force) — 27.337
Landon Cassill (Ford wheel force) — 27.437

Speeds from JeffGluck.com

Final Homestead-Miami Driver Ratings following all practice sessions

Jimmie Johnson looking good in attempt to win seventh Sprint Cup title.

Micah Roberts' Sprint Cup Driver Ratings
Ford EcoBoost 400
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Sunday, November 20, 2016 - 12:03 pm PT

RATING  DRIVER    ODDS                  PRACTICE 1             QUALIFIED         PRACTICE 2       PRACTICE 3 
  1. Jimmie Johnson (C) 7/2         5th                 14th               1st                 10th
Two-time runner-up in 15 starts; no wins, but he's never been in Chase situation where he had to.
 2. Carl Edwards (C) 7/1              9th                 10th               3rd                 2nd 
Two-time winner with 9.2 average in 12 starts; best 10-consecutive lap average in practice 2.
 3. Kevin Harvick 6/1                  15th                  1st              20th                 11th
2014 winner, Cup champion; three-time runner-up and series-best 7.2 average (15 starts).
 4. Martin Truex Jr. 8/1               2nd                  6th                7th                 1st 
2006 runner-up with 10.1 average finish in 11 starts; two 2016 wins, 883 laps led on 1.5-mile tracks.
 5. Chase Elliott 10/1                 10th                  5th               2nd                 5th
Making track debut in Cup car; fourth on last 1.5-mile track (Texas); practiced well on long runs.
 6. Joey Logano (C) 7/1               4th                 13th               6th                  8th
Career-best fourth-place last season, 17.7 average in seven starts. Momentum from Phoenix win.
 7. Kyle Busch (C) 5/1                 8th                  9th              28th                 14th
2015 winner, which gave him the championship; two 2016 wins, 7.8 average in 10 races on 1.5s .
 8. Ryan Newman 100/1              1st                   3rd               9th                   3rd
Career-best runner-up in 2014, finished second in Chase. Had his best practice sessions of season.
 9. Denny Hamlin 20/1                11th                  4th              16th                  7th 
Two-time winner (2009, 2013), 10.7 average; second-best 10-consecutive lap average in practice 2.
10. Matt Kenseth 12/1                13th                  7th              11th                  6th
2007 winner, fifth-place average past three starts; sixth-place average in past three races on 1.5s. .

Note: This is the 11th race of the 36-race season on a 1.5-mile track, but its the only track featuring a high-banked paperclip layout.

(C) denotes driver eligible to win 2016 Sprint Cup Championship.

Odds courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1994. Follow on Twitter @MicahRoberts7

Final Homestead Betting Notes - LVRJ 

Newman fastest in first Homestead practice, Logano tops among Championship 4

Joey Logano is 3/1 to win the 2016 Sprint Cup.

Ryan Newman was fastest in the first and only practice session for the Sprint Cup Series Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a lap of 175.387 mph.

Newman was the fastest of three non-Chase drivers in the top five. Martin Truex Jr. was second with a lap of 175.353 mph while Kyle Larson was third fastest at 175.256 mph.

Championship contenders Joey Logano(175.165 mph) and Jimmie Johnson(174.944 mph) rounded out the top five.

The two remaining Chase drivers, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, were eighth and ninth fastest respectively. Busch with a lap of 174.514 mph and Edwards with a lap of 174.458 mph.

Read More Here.........NBC Sports

Practice 1 Speeds

Jimmie Johnson "never had to go to Miami in the position to win it"

Jimmie Johnson is 7/2 to win at Homestead and 2/1 to win Sprint Cup. 

Jimmie Johnson on competing for his seventh championship
“I couldn’t have dreamed this big. I never even thought I could win one race or one championship, and here we are poised for a shot at a seventh title. Nothing is guaranteed in this sport and you never know when your last win will be. It’s incredible to be in this position with this No. 48 Lowe’s team and to have a shot at it. We have some serious competition, and we know what we need to do. I’ve never had to go to Miami in the position to win it. With the other formats I either knew what I needed to gain points or defend a lead. This Chase format is intense and we are focused on the goal.”

No. 48 team crew chief Chad Knaus on competing for the championship at Homestead
"We are just thrilled to have a shot at it. That's all you can hope for in this sport, is just to have a shot at it."

Jimmie Johnson will be available to the media following qualifying at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the track media center.

CHAMPIONSHIP 4 IN THE BIG APPLE: Before heading to Miami, Johnson joined his fellow competitors in New York City on Tuesday for a media tour. Stops included "The Dan Patrick Show" and "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

#SE7EN: If Johnson is able to attain a seventh championship title, he will tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. Johnson won five consecutive titles from 2006-10 and his most recent in 2013.

ONE DRIVER, ONE SPONSOR: Lowe’s has been the primary sponsor for Johnson since the No. 48 team’s inception in 2001. Since then, the home improvement retailer has been on board for all six Sprint Cup championships, 79 victories and numerous milestones, including two wins in the Daytona 500 and four in the Brickyard 400. Hendrick Motorsports’ relationship with Lowe’s is one of the longest-running driver-team-sponsor partnerships in NASCAR.

KNAUS ON TELECONFERENCE: No. 48 team crew chief Chad Knaus will be on the NASCAR teleconference on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 11:30 am ET. Knaus has been paired with Johnson since 2002 and the duo has recorded 77 wins together along with six championships. Legendary crew chief Dale Inman currently holds the record for most championships won with eight, while Knaus' six are second all-time. He holds the distinction of being the only crew chief to win more than two Sprint Cup titles in a row.

PERFORMANCE IN MIAMI: Johnson has posted four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 15 races at Homestead-Miami. He has two pole positions and two runner-up finishes as well. The runner-up results came in 2004 and 2010.

STILL SEEKING VICTORY: The South Florida track remains one of the four venues on the current Sprint Cup schedule where Johnson has yet to score a win. The others are Chicago, Kentucky and Watkins Glen.

SOLID YEAR: Heading into Sunday's race, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS has earned four wins and 10 top-five finishes in 2016. Johnson has led 734 total laps and 468 of them have been in the last nine races.

DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Johnson has the sixth-best driver rating at Homestead-Miami with a score of 96.8 during the past 10 years at the track. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

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2016 Season 2nd in standings 35 starts 4 wins 1 pole position 10 top-five finishes 15 top-10 finishes 734 laps led     Career 542 starts 79 wins 35 pole positions 217 top-five finishes 329 top-10 finishes 18,443 laps led     Track Career  15 starts 0 wins 2 pole positions 4 top-five finishes 10 top-10 finishes 99 laps led

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Odds to win 2016 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead

Jimmie Johnson has zero wins at Homestead.

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS SUPERBOOK
ODDS TO WIN FORD ECOBOOST 400
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 - 3:02 PM ET

Jimmie JOHNSON 7/2
Kyle BUSCH 5/1
Kevin HARVICK 6/1
Carl EDWARDS 7/1
Joey LOGANO 7/1
Martin TRUEX JR 8/1
Brad KESELOWSKI 10/1
Kyle LARSON 10/1
Chase ELLIOTT 10/1
Matt KENSETH 12/1
Denny HAMLIN 20/1
Kasey KAHNE 50/1
Alex BOWMAN 60/1
Kurt BUSCH 60/1
Austin DILLON 100/1
Ryan NEWMAN 100/1
Ryan BLANEY 100/1
AJ ALLMENDINGER 100/1
Jamie McMURRAY 200/1
Tony STEWART 200/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 500/1
Paul MENARD 500/1
Greg BIFFLE 500/1
Aric ALMIROLA 500/1
Trevor BAYNE 1000/1
Danica PATRICK 1000/1
Clint BOWYER 1000/1
Chris BUESCHER 1000/1
Casey MEARS 1000/1
FIELD 1000/1


WESTGATE DRIVER VS DRIVER MATCH-UPS

Jimmie JOHNSON - 135
Kyle BUSCH +115

Jimmie JOHNSON - 135
Kevin HARVICK +115

Jimmie JOHNSON - 155
Carl EDWARDS +135

Jimmie JOHNSON - 155
Joey LOGANO +135

Kyle BUSCH - 110
Kevin HARVICK - 110

Kyle BUSCH - 135
Carl EDWARDS +115

Kyle BUSCH - 135
Joey LOGANO +115

Kevin HARVICK - 135
Carl EDWARDS +115

Kevin HARVICK - 135
Joey LOGANO +115

Carl EDWARDS - 110
Joey LOGANO - 110

Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Brad KESELOWSKI - 110

Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Kyle LARSON - 110

Martin TRUEX JR - 110
Chase ELLIOTT - 110

Brad KESELOWSKI - 110
Kyle LARSON - 110

Brad KESELOWSKI - 110
Chase ELLIOTT - 110

Kyle LARSON - 110
Chase ELLIOTT - 110

Matt KENSETH - 130
Denny HAMLIN +110

Kasey KAHNE - 150
Alex BOWMAN +130

Alex BOWMAN - 135
Kurt BUSCH +115

Austin DILLON - 110
Ryan NEWMAN - 110

Kyle Busch Championship 4 Resume

Kyle Busch is 13/5 to win Sprint Cup on Sunday at Homestead.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 – Number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series titles Kyle Busch has won (2015).

1 – Number of wins Kyle Busch has posted at Homestead-Miami Speedway - 2015 (second-most among the Championship 4)

2 – Number of times Kyle Busch has made it to the Championship 4 in the new Chase format (tied with Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano for the most Championship 4 appearances).

2 – Number of top-five finishes Kyle Busch has posted at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

4 – Number of wins Kyle Busch has posted during the 2016 season; none during the Chase (Martinsville-1, Texas-1, Kansas-1 and Indianapolis).

4 – Number of top-10 finishes Kyle Busch has posted at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

7.3 – Busch’s average finish during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

11.6 – Busch’s average finish during the entire 2016 season.

17 – Number of top-five finishes Kyle Busch has posted during the 2016 season (most among the Championship 4).

21.1 – Busch’s average finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway (fourth-best among the Championship 4)

24 – Number of top-10 finishes Kyle Busch has posted this season.

95.5 – Kyle Busch’s career driver rating at Homestead-Miami Speedway (third-best among the Championship 4).

103.3 – Kyle Busch’s driver rating during the first nine races of the 2016 Chase.

278 – Total number of laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway by Kyle Busch (second-most among the Championship 4)


Back-to-Back

After winning the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in dramatic come-from-behind fashion, Kyle Busch is looking to become just the 11th driver in series history to repeat as title holder.

The most recent driver to do so? Busch’s Championship 4 foe Jimmie Johnson, who won five consecutive titles from 2006-10. Busch would join Johnson as the only drivers to go back-to-back since the Chase was implemented in 2004.

Busch would be joining prestigious company:

Jimmie Johnson (2006-10)

Jeff Gordon (1997 & 1998)

Dale Earnhardt (1986 & 1987, 1990 & 1991, 1993 & 1994)

Darrell Waltrip (1981 & 1982)

Cale Yarborough (1976-78)

Richard Petty (1971 & 1972, 1974 & 1975)

David Pearson (1968 & 1969)

Joe Weatherly (1962 & 1963)

Lee Petty (1958 & 1959)

Buck Baker (1956 & 1957)

There’s something special to note about that list. All but Jeff Gordon (completed his final full-time season in 2015) and Jimmie Johnson (active) are enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


Clutch Performance

Heading into the Championship 4 race in 2015, Kyle Busch had never won at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That all changed when he pulled away from Kevin Harvick, also contending for the title in 2015, on a late-race restart and captured the checkered flag and his first championship.

In fact, other than the storybook ending to last season, Busch has struggled in South Florida. He posts an average finish of 21.1 and in 11 races at the 1.5-mile track, Busch has two top fives and four top 10s to his credit, including the win last year.

Prior to the trip to Victory Lane, Busch’s best finish in Miami was fourth in 2012.


Déjà Vu All Over Again?

Excluding Talladega, where Kyle Busch netted a 30th place finish, he has finished ninth or better in each of the Chase races this year – posting an average finish of 7.3 through the nine races. However, Busch has yet to visit Victory Lane during the Chase while in contention for the title under the current playoff format.

He made his way into the Championship 4 in much the same way in 2015 – posting top-10 finishes at all but three tracks (New Hampshire, Charlotte and Talladega). His lone win in the 2015 Chase was the season finale.

His clutch performance in the Chase was further exhibited this fall in second place finishes in the cut-off races at Dover and Phoenix this season, which nearly mirrored the results at those tracks in 2015 (second and fourth, respectively).


Calling The Shots

The man atop the pit box for the No. 18 M&M’s Core Toyota, Adam Stevens, is chasing history alongside his driver. Stevens would be the second crew chief since the advent of the Chase in 2004 to win consecutive championships.

The other? His Championship 4 rival down pit road – Chad Knaus with Jimmie Johnson.

Overall in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history, only 10 other crew chiefs have helped their driver hoist the championship trophy in back-to-back seasons:

Chad Knaus (Jimmie Johnson, 2006-10)

Ray Evernham (Jeff Gordon, 1997 & 1998)

Andy Petree (Dale Earnhardt, 1993 & 1994)

Kirk Shelmerdine (Dale Earnhardt, 1986 & 1987, 1990 & 1991)

Herb Nab (Cale Yarborough, 1976 & 1977)

Dale Inman (Richard Petty, 1971 & 1972, 1974 & 1975)*

Jake Elder (David Pearson, 1968 & 1969)

Bud Moore (Joe Weatherly, 1962 & 1963)

Lee Petty (Lee Petty, 1958 & 1959)*

Carl Kiekhafer (Tim Flock, 1955 & Buck Baker, 1956)

* Enshrined in the NASCAR Hall of Fame


In Leagues Of His Own

How do you follow-up a hall of fame football coaching career with three championships at the highest level of your sport?

With four – and counting – championships at the highest level of motorsports.

Coach Joe Gibbs led the Washington Redskins to Super Bowl titles in 1983, ’88 and ’92. His Joe Gibbs Racing stable has won NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships with Bobby Labonte (2000), Tony Stewart (2002, 2005) and Kyle Busch (2015). Toss in a NASCAR XFINITY Series crown in 2009 with Kyle Busch, and you can state a good case that he has had a second hall-of-fame-worthy career.

Coach Gibbs has two cars in the hunt for the title in Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Additionally, JGR drivers Daniel Suárez and Erik Jones are in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship 4 racing Saturday.