Sunday, February 16, 2020

'Great American Race’ Fan Facts

’Great American Race’ Fan Facts

President Trump to Serve as Grand Marshall for the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing

NASCAR Cup Series

  • Next Race: Daytona 500
  • The Place: Daytona International Speedway
  • The Date: Sunday, February 16
  • The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX, 2 p.m. ET
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
  • Distance: 500 miles (200 laps);
    • Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 65),
    • Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 130),
    • Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
  • 2019 Race Winner: Denny Hamlin

The crew of Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Peak Ford
pushes the car during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series
62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Do it again, Denny!

Last year’s emotional win of the NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 was the start of an exciting and noteworthy season. Denny Hamlin, who won the historic race once before in 2016, did it again – but this time in honor of team owner Joe Gibbs’ late son J.D. Gibbs. J.D. was a big part of Hamlin’s life and career but lost his battle with a neurological illness the month in January of 2019.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year class outlook

This season marks one of the most highly anticipated Sunoco Rookie of the Year classes.

Tyler Reddick, two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, made the jump to the Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing and will pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet.



Cole Custer, two-time runner-up in the Xfinity Series championship standings, will compete for Stewart-Haas Racing in the No. 41.

Christopher Bell,  one of the winningest drivers in the Xfinity Series in recent years, will be behind the wheel of the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota in 2020.

John Hunter Nemechek  took over the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford for Matt Tifft at the end of the 2019 season after he suffered health issues and then ended up signing with the team fulltime for 2020.

Quin Houff  will be making his rookie debut in the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet.

Brennan Poole will pilot the No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet in 2020 and will make his Cup Series debut at Daytona.

Who gets it done first?


Aside from the rookies this season in the NASCAR Cup Series, there are still some drivers that have yet to get their first career win.

William Byron, #24 Axalta
William Byron driver of the #24 Axalta 'Color of the Year' Chevrolet, has come close multiple times but hasn’t been able to get it done. Byron started on the pole in the 2019 Daytona 500 and got his career-best finish at the track in the July race in second. And he’s had a great 2020 Speedweeks – winning the second BlueGreen Vacation Duel on Thursday night – his first trip to Victory Lane with legendary crew chief Chad Knaus.

Matt DiBendetto  has a lot of momentum on his side, too. DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing parted ways after the 2019 season and DiBenedetto signed with the famous Wood Brothers Racing team to pilot the No. 21 Ford. He’s come close to a win multiple times, too, and has shown his talent week in and week out. A first win for him isn’t too far off, either.

Bubba Wallace is another driver looking for his first career win and Daytona is a very good place for the driver of the famed No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. In 2018, Wallace finished runner-up in the Daytona 500 – one of his most memorable career moments to date.



FYI: Stats to know for the Daytona 500

  • · Dale Earnhardt leads the list of all-time Duel winners with 12. Of active drivers, Denny Hamlin leads the list with three.
  • · Kyle Busch has the best driver rating (91.2) at Daytona but has never won the 500.
  • · A total of 554 different drivers have competed in at least one Daytona 500 and 334 have competed in more than one.
  • · Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series in average starting position in the Daytona 500 at 6.0 and he became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner at the age of 20 in 2016.
  • · The Daytona 500 race record is held by Buddy Baker from 1980 (177.602 mph, 02:48:55).
  • · The Wood Brothers have won 15 races at Daytona, more than any other organizations.
  • · A total of 65 different drivers have won at Daytona International Speedway.

🏁 🏆 Last Five Posts 🏆 🏁

  1. Daytona Sets Xfinity Stage For Season Opener
  2. Quotes from The NASCAR Duel Winners (Logano & Byron)
  3. Get Ready to #Win a Busch Sports Car (#Pit4Busch #Sweepstakes)
  4. Busch Beer - Title Sponsor for The Clash
  5. Snocross Makes its Debut at The Flat Track to Kick Off 2020

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