Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is Ready to Shakes Things up in the Daytona 500

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the driver of the #17 Fastenal Ford, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. simply wanted to make something happen.

But the driver of the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford was shocked at how quickly the rear end of William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet snapped around when Stenhouse poked the nose of his Fusion to the inside Byron’s car in the first 150-mile qualifying race in Thursday night’s Can-Am Duel.

The Hendrick Motorsports rookie was a victim of aerodynamics, and when Stenhouse took the air off his car, Byron nosed into the outside wall, forcing him to a backup car for Sunday’s Daytona 500. He’ll join teammate and seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, a casualty of an earlier incident in the same race, at the rear of the field for the Great American Race. Continue reading

Best Friends Blaney and Wallace Proving to be Contenders at Daytona

Photo – Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Leading into this season-opening Daytona 500 race week, Ryan Blaney’s competitors noted what a good restrictor plate racer the 24-year had already shown himself to be. Continue reading

Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott Triumph in Can-Am Duel at Daytona

2018 Duel at Daytona Winners Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott Photos – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Ryan Blaney held off Team Penske teammate Joey Logano to win Thursday night’s first 150-mile qualifying race in the Can-Am Duel at Daytona International Speedway, but the story of the race was the list of prominent cars that did not survive until the checkered flag. Continue reading

Rapid Runs in the Clash may be a Good Omen for the Daytona 500

Beer Ford, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, race during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo – Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – What fans saw in Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway should constitute a promising look ahead to the Daytona 500 a week later. Continue reading

Brad Keselowski Claims Dominant Victory in Advance Auto Parts Clash

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 11: Brad Keselowski, the driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 2018, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For once, as he put it, Brad Keselowski didn’t “choke away” a chance at victory during Speedweeks at Daytona.

Just the opposite. Taking the lead on Lap 39 of the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway, Keselowski held it the rest of the way to win the exhibition kick-off race to the 2018 season, leading Team Penske to a 1-2-4 finish. Continue reading