Dylan Kwasniewski: A Future Sprint Cup Series Champion

Already a K&N Pro Series West & East Champion, Dylan Kwasniewski is looking for more.  Photo - Getty Images

Already a K&N Pro Series West & East Champion, Dylan Kwasniewski is looking for more.
Photo – Getty Images

18-year-old Dylan Kwasniewski will run full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) with Turner Scott Motorsports this season.

He already has an impressive résumé, becoming the first driver to win back-to-back championships in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and East (2012 & 2013). Continue reading

#2 Best Duel Moment – Welcome Back, Ernie Irvan

1996 Twin 125 finish

Photo – Something About Everything Racin’

The 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Season was Ernie Irvan’s return to full-time racing.

The Robert Yates Racing driver nearly lost his life in a practice crash at Michigan in August 1994. At one point doctors only gave him a ten percent chance to live, but Irvan kept fighting, all the way to accept the True Value Hard Charger Award at the Awards banquet in New York City that December. He made his Cup return at North Wilkesboro in October 1995, finishing a respectable sixth. Continue reading

#3 Best Duel Moment – Brian Keselowski Makes the 2011 Daytona 500

Brian Keselowski's car awaits the start of the 2011 Daytona 500 Photo - Kyle Magda

Brian Keselowski’s car awaits the start of the 2011 Daytona 500
Photo – Kyle Magda

Brian Keselowski was a long shot to make it into the 2011 Daytona 500.

He and his No. 92 team posted the slowest qualifying speed on pole day and the team had a lot of work ahead of them. Keselowski started 24th in the second Gatorade Duel, the last position in the field.  His brother Brad was competing in the same duel.

Brian ran in the back for most of the race.

A popular way of racing during 2011 Speedweeks was the new tandem draft, when two cars would hook up and push each other around the track.

With 21 laps remaining, Brad got a bump from Todd Bodine and sent the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge spinning. This forced Brad to come to pit road to fix some damage and start in the back on the ensuing restart. He happened to find his brother and the two stormed their way to the front.

With Brad’s help, Brian made the Daytona 500 by securing the second transfer spot with a fifth-place finish. After failing to make a race in three tries in 2010, Brian Keselowski finally made his Sprint Cup Series début in the 2011 Daytona 500.

A few days after the Duels, Brian received funding from Discount Tire, who came on as a sponsor for the No. 92 Dodge.

Brian started 12th in the Daytona 500, but the “Big One” took him out on lap 28, relegating him to a 41st place finish.

2011 Gatorade Duel #2 Top Ten

#31 Jeff Burton (won by. 005 seconds)

#33 Clint Bowyer

#15 Michael Waltrip (got first transfer spot)

#18 Kyle Busch

#92 Brian Keselowski (grabbed second transfer spot)

#1 Jamie McMurray

#2 Brad Keselowski (helped his brother make the Daytona 500)

#11 Denny Hamlin

#56 Martin Truex Jr.

#99 Carl Edwards (finished second in the 2011 Daytona 500)

#4 Best Duel Moment – Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne Win by a Nose

Photo - Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Photo – Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Speedweeks 2010 was the last racing with the wing on the Sprint Cup cars at Daytona. Although a new spoilers didn’t happen until March, NASCAR decided to part ways with the old wing in hopes of better racing with the Car of Tomorrow. Continue reading

#5 Best Duel Moment – Dale Jarrett with a Little Help from My Friends

Photo - Jason Smith/Getty Images

Photo – Jason Smith/Getty Images

2008 was the last Cup season for 1999 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Dale Jarrett. He planned to run the first five races and the All-Star Race and later head to the NASCAR on ESPN broadcast booth. Continue reading