Movin' on up
February 16, 2006Daytona's FanZone has become a three-ring circus inside a 2 1/2-mile oval, and Ryan McGee says NASCAR infields will continue to evolve from backwater campgrounds into high-class resorts.
Mark Martin captures Bud Pole for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series GM FlexFuel 250
February 16, 2006
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Daytona 250 starting lineup
February 16, 2006NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesGM FlexFuel 250Starting Lineup by RowDaytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, Fla. Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services - Thursday, February 16, 2006 @ 09:09 PM Eastern Driver Date Time Speed Track Race Record Robert Pressley 2/15/02 01:47:03 140.121 Pos Trk Driver Team Time Speed Row 1 1 6 Mark Martin Scotts Ford 50.384 178.628 2 22 Bill Lester Checkers/Rally's Toyota 50.557 178.017 Row 2 3 21 Stacy Compton Edy's Ice Cream/State Fair Corn Dogs Ford 50.643 177.715 4 20 Jon Wood U.S. Air Force Ford 50.710 177.480 Row 3 5 5 Mike Skinner Toyota Tundra Toyota 50.712 177.473 6 11 David Starr Red Horse Racing Toyota 50.718 177.452 Row 4 7 60 Jack Sprague Con-Way Toyota 50.783 177.225 8 30 Todd Bodine iRacing.com Motorsports Simulation Toyota 50.911 176.779 Row 5 9 12 Joey Miller # Curb Records Toyota 51.030 176.367 10 23 Johnny Benson Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota 51.045 176.315 Row 6 11 47 Kraig Kinser # Centrix Auto Finance Chevrolet 51.052 176.291 12 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Racing Ford 51.128 176.029 Row 7 13 17 David Reutimann Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Toyota 51.191 175.812 14 29 Brad Keselowski M-Select by Melling Engine Parts Ford 51.206 175.761 Row 8 15 99 Erik Darnell # Woolrich Ford 51.211 175.743 16 59 Mike Wallace Melling Eng. Parts/M-Select/Harris Tru Do 51.228 175.685 Row 9 17 9 Ted Musgrave ASE/Germain Motors Toyota 51.240 175.644 18 08 Bobby Hamilton Jr. TECH-NET Law Enforcement Torch Run Dodge 51.262 175.569 Row 10 19 16 Mike Bliss Xpress Motorsports Chevrolet 51.286 175.486 20 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 51.362 175.227 Row 11 21 13 Kerry Earnhardt # ThorSport Chevrolet 51.362 175.227 22 88 Matt Crafton Menards/Energizer Chevrolet 51.420 175.029 Row 12 23 15 Kyle Krisiloff # ditech.com/Natl Land Lqdtrs/Krud Kutter C 51.444 174.948 24 98 Erin Crocker # Cheerios Betty Crocker Dodge 51.451 174.924 Row 13 25 85 Dennis Setzer Flex Fuel 85 Silverado Chevrolet 51.476 174.839 26 18 Bobby Hamilton Fastenal Dodge 51.537 174.632 Row 14 27 25 Boston Reid # Woodard & Sharp Racing Dodge 51.604 174.405 28 4 Timothy Peters Dodge Motorsports Dodge 51.616 174.365 Row 15 29 04 Kevin Hamlin Dodge Hemi Dodge 51.624 174.338 30 07 Sean Murphy # Garden Fresh Gourmet Salsa & Chips Chevro 51.688 174.122 Row 16 31 10 Terry Cook Ford PowerStroke Diesel by Int'l Ford 51.692 174.108 32 77 Brendan Gaughan Orleans Casino Dodge 51.738 173.953 Row 17 33 75 Aric Almirola # Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet 34 8 Chase Montgomery Curry Racing Dodge Row 18 35 1 Robert Richardson # winyourmortgage.com Dodge 36 02 Kelly Sutton Team Copaxone Chevrolet 51.310 175.404 Did Not Qualify: Chad McCumbee #; Chad Chaffin; J.R. Patton #; Carl Long; Wayne Edwards; Norm Benning.
Truck champ Musgrave starts over with new team
February 16, 2006Ted Musgrave isn't exactly defending his NASCAR truck series championship. The 50-year-old driver won his first title last year, then watched his team fold two months later. No warning. No apology. No good reason either, at least as far as Musgrave was concerned. "I just got blind-sided," Musgrave said. "That was the biggest thing. Nobody really had an inclination of it shutting down. Everything looked to be in order. The timing was wrong and the way it was handled was wrong.
Daytona 500 starting lineup
February 16, 2006NASCAR NEXTEL Cup SeriesDaytona 500Starting Line-Up by RowDaytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, Fla. Provided by NASCAR Statistical Services - Thursday, February 16, 2006 @ 7:47 PM Eastern Driver Date Time Speed Track Race Record Buddy Baker 2/17/80 02:48:55 177.602 Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed Row 1 1 31 Jeff Burton Cingular Wireless Chevrolet 47.581 189.151 2 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevrolet 47.650 188.877 Row 2 3 38 Elliott Sadler M&M's Ford 1st in Duel #1 4 5 Kyle Busch Kellogg's Chevrolet 2nd in Duel #2 Row 3 5 99 Carl Edwards Office Depot Ford 2nd in Duel #1 6 26 Jamie McMurray Crown Royal Ford 3rd in Duel #2 Row 4 7 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Budweiser Chevrolet 3rd in Duel #1 8 43 Bobby Labonte Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge 4th in Duel #2 Row 5 9 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe's Chevrolet 4th in Duel #1 10 6 Mark Martin AAA Ford 5th in Duel #2 Row 6 11 17 Matt Kenseth DeWalt Power Tools Ford 5th in Duel #1 12 45 Kyle Petty Wells Fargo Financial Dodge 6th in Duel #2 Row 7 13 2 Kurt Busch Miller Lite Dodge 6th in Duel #1 14 42 Casey Mears Texaco/Havoline Dodge 7th in Duel #2 Row 8 15 20 Tony Stewart The Home Depot Chevrolet 8th in Duel #1 16 16 Greg Biffle National Guard Ford 8th in Duel #2 Row 9 17 11 Denny Hamlin # FedEx Express Chevrolet 9th in Duel #1 18 12 Ryan Newman Alltel Dodge 9th in Duel #2 Row 10 19 1 Martin Truex Jr. # Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Chevrolet 10th in Duel #1 20 7 Robby Gordon Jim Beam Chevrolet Transfer 1; Duel #2 Row 11 21 66 Jeff Green Best Buy Chevrolet 11th in Duel #1 22 41 Reed Sorenson # Target Dodge 11th in Duel #2 Row 12 23 21 Ken Schrader Little Debbie/Motorcraft/USAF Ford 12th in Duel #1 24 09 Mike Wallace Miccosukee Resort Dodge Transfer 2; Duel #2 Row 13 25 88 Dale Jarrett UPS Ford 13th in Duel #1 26 19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 15th in Duel #2 Row 14 27 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 14th in Duel #1 28 29 Kevin Harvick GM Goodwrench Chevrolet 16th in Duel #2 Row 15 29 49 Brent Sherman # Serta Dodge 15th in Duel #1 30 55 Michael Waltrip NAPA Dodge 19th in Duel #2 Row 16 31 61 Kevin Lepage AMP Energy Drink Ford Transfer 2; Duel #1 32 40 David Stremme # Lonestar Steakhouse Dodge 20th in Duel #2 Row 17 33 36 Bill Elliott Ginn Clubs & Resorts Chevrolet Transfer 2; Duel #1 34 22 Dave Blaney Caterpillar Dodge 23rd in Duel #2 Row 18 35 25 Brian Vickers GMAC Chevrolet 20th in Duel #1 36 18 J.J. Yeley # Interstate Batteries Chevrolet 24th in Duel #2 Row 19 37 07 Clint Bowyer # Jack Daniel's Chevrolet 21st in Duel #1 38 01 Joe Nemechek U.S. Army Chevrolet 29th in Duel #2 Row 20 39 14 Sterling Marlin Waste Management Chevrolet 26th in Duel #1 40 32 Travis Kvapil Tide Chevrolet 48.101 187.106 Row 21 41 00 Hermie Sadler Aaron's Dream Machine Ford 48.122 187.025 42 27 Kirk Shelmerdine Apex Electric Chevrolet 48.554 185.361 Row 22 43 96 Terry Labonte DLP® HDTV/Tweeter Chevrolet Past Champion Did Not Qualify: Scott Riggs; Kenny Wallace; Scott Wimmer; Mike Skinner; Derrike Cope; Larry Gunselman; Chad Blount; Larry Foyt; Andy Belmont; Randy LaJoie; Morgan Shepherd; Chad Chaffin; Carl Long; Paul Menard; Stanton Barrett.
Jacked up: Problems keep Riggs out of Daytona 500
February 16, 2006Scott Riggs experienced just enough problems to keep him from making the Daytona 500. The third-year Cup driver had a gear failure in his pole run last weekend, then had trouble during a pit stop in the second of two qualifying races Thursday. He finished 13th in the 60-lap race, one position behind Mike Wallace for the final spot in the starting field. With that, Riggs was done for Daytona.
Robby Gordon optimistic after making Daytona field
February 16, 2006Sure, making the Daytona 500 field was a relief for Robby Gordon. But that doesn't mean Gordon will be satisfied with simply being in the show this season. After a rough first year as a driver-owner running his own Nextel Cup team, Gordon says he'll be racing to win this year. "Just happy with the whole organization - where we've been, where we're going," Gordon said. "To make it into the 500 will definitely get the ball rolling.
Calm day in qualifying races eases tension
February 16, 2006NASCAR officials never had to pull the yellow hankies out of their back pockets Thursday. There were no penalties called and the only bent sheet metal at Daytona International Speedway during the twin 150-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 was from exploding tires, a few bad decisions and some minor mishaps. After being warned by NASCAR president Mike Helton to refrain from aggressive driving or face severe consequences, the competitors were on their best behavior.
Race Trax: Gatorade Duel 150 Race 2
February 16, 2006Elliott Sadler won the first Duel 150 race, and Bill Elliott and Kevin Lepage clinched spots in the Daytona 500. Elliott's success was good fortune for Robby Gordon, who clinched a spot in the 500 on time. Jeff Gordon leads the field to green in the second Duel 150.
Sadler wins qualifying race for Daytona 500
February 16, 2006Elliott Sadler added his name to the list of drivers to beat in the Daytona 500 with a dominating victory in one of Thursday's qualifying races. Sadler's Ford has been stout since he arrived in Daytona last week, and he narrowly missed winning the pole for Sunday's season-opener when he posted the fourth-fastest speed during time trials. He took the lead after a round of pit stops, then ran away from the field in the 150-mile race. "It feels pretty good," he said.
Race 1 in-race results
February 16, 2006
Helton addresses aggressive driving before Duel 150's
February 16, 2006NASCAR president Mike Helton discussed NASCAR's decision to police aggressive driving in the Duel 150 prerace meeting on Thursday.
Button needs maiden win - Mansell
February 16, 2006Nigel Mansell says Jenson Button must win his first Grand Prix this season if he is to fulfil his potential.
Alonso unimpressed by Rossi tests
February 16, 2006Fernando Alonso says he is not worried about Valentino Rossi testing for Ferrari's Formula One team.
Race Trax: Gatorade Duel 150 Race 1
February 16, 2006Two cars from each of the Gatorade Duel 150 races will fill out the Daytona 500 starting grid. Get in-race updates when Jeff Burton leads the field to green at 2:10 p.m. ET.
"The way Honda are looking in testing I think Jenson Button could finally win this season" - KL
February 16, 2006Have your say about motorsport on the Five Live message board.
Gordon aims to bounce back with fifth championship
February 16, 2006Jeff Gordon walked along pit road at Daytona International Speedway with crew chief Steve Letarte, oblivious to the fans around him. People clapped and yelled to the four-time NASCAR champion, but Gordon kept talking to Letarte. "I was just telling Steve that I think we're going in the right direction here," Gordon said, grinning. "I just reminded him not to let any of the outside stuff bother him.
Media picks Jeff Gordon as title favorite
February 16, 2006Jeff Gordon has already beaten Tony Stewart in one race this season - but not on the track. Four-time champ Gordon has been picked by the motorsports media to add another NASCAR Nextel Cup title in 2006, beating out reigning and two-time champion Stewart by 51 points. A total of 247 votes were cast on nascarmedia.com between Jan. 18-Feb. 13, with Gordon receiving 57 first-place votes and 1,748 points. Stewart was next with 48 first-place votes and 1,697 points.
Teammates Biffle, Edwards eye Cup title
February 16, 2006Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have little room for improvement. Biffle won five of the first 15 races last year, added another victory at the season finale in Homestead and finished second in the Nextel Cup championship. Edwards picked up four wins, capping each of them with trademark backflips, and was third in the points.
Speed Mail
February 16, 2006
Truck school: Next step in Crocker's NASCAR education
February 16, 2006The next step in the racing education of promising driver Erin Crocker will start Friday night in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Daytona International Speedway.