Daytona 500 Tag

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Restrictor plate success has come naturally to Brad Keselowski throughout his career, but when it comes to the Daytona 500, there seems to be a ceiling that he just can’t break through, falling short time and again. When asked about his thoughts on trying to win the season opening spectacle, the Team Penske drive didn’t mince words on the rollercoaster the Great American Race can be. “This track is frustrating as hell,” Keselowski said. “There is no way around it. It isRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The start of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is officially here and with it comes the biggest race of the season, the Daytona 500. For 61 years, drivers have been making the pilgrimage to the Daytona high banks to win the sport’s most prestigious race and write themselves into the record book as Daytona 500 champion. Many have attempted it, but only a select few have been able to hoist the Harley J. Earl trophy in victory lane at theRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – During Daytona 500 Media Day on Wednesday, Brendan Gaughan noted that he was having the most fun he’s had in his NASCAR career driving part-time for Beard Motorsports. A day later, Gaughan is set to have even more fun with the No. 62 team after racing his way into a starting spot in Sunday’s race with a 15th place finish in Thursday’s Gander RV Duels at Daytona. Though the end result was transferring into the Daytona 500, Gaughan said he was asRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Watching Speedweeks from home a year ago, Parker Kligerman said he never thought he’d be back in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car, let alone starting Sunday’s Daytona 500 again. Now, the 28-year old has a date with the Great American Race after racing his way into the field with his finish in the first of the two 60-lap Gander RV Duel qualifying events, marking his second start in the race and first since 2014. “Here’s the crazy thing, a yearRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Straight-line speed in qualifying is one thing. Speed and drivability in the draft is something quite different, as the Ford camp proved decisively in Thursday night’s Gander RV Duel at Daytona 150-mile qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway. Kevin Harvick led the last 44 laps on Thursday night to win the first Duel and secure the third starting spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion JoeyRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It was a Valentine’s Day heartbreak for Ryan Truex and the entire Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 71 Chevrolet team, as they failed to beat Parker Kligerman in the first Gander RV Duel Race Thursday, which would’ve been Truex’s first Daytona 500, and was one of two cars that failed to make the race. “I mentally prepared to not make it, just so the letdown wasn’t so big,” Truex on how handling missing the show. “I’ve missed this race before, so I know howRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip found success at tracks of all shapes and sizes throughout his illustrious career, but one race eluded him for years on end – the Daytona 500. Coming into the 1989 running of the Great American Race, Waltrip was entering his third season with Hendrick Motorsports and had found moderate success, winning three races in the two seasons prior with the organization. Still, a marquee win at Daytona was missing from his resume and it would takeRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s quite the journey both Richard Childress Racing drivers Daniel Hemric and reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick has had. From both running Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 19 Ford F-150 in the Gander Outdoor Truck Series at some point to now making their Daytona 500 debuts Sunday. Each have their own tale on how they’re approaching this race, but their goal are the same. That is going out to join a slim list of rookies that have won the biggest raceRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For 51 out of the first 56 laps in last Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash, it was all Paul Menard, but as everyone knows, that dominant race evaporated after Jimmie Johnson ran into the back of his No. 21 Ford Mustang, causing a 17-car pileup that led to a win for the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Menard wasn’t pleased with Johnson’s actions, but during Daytona 500 Media Day Wednesday, he reflected more on what happened after spending the previous day withRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Halfway through last season, Matt DiBenedetto made the choice to bet on himself if he was going to have any future in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The Grass Valley, Calif. native announced he was leaving Go Fas Racing, the team he had been with for the two seasons prior, without a place to land for the 2019 season. That gamble could pay off in spades if this season goes to plan. Not long after he made the decision to lookRead More