[AssinHT]

It's almost here, racefans! I suspect that no one else here is nearly as excited as I am, but I'm pretty f*ckin stoked.

There's a lot of changes to just about everything this year, from the points shakeup to the Chase qualification shakeup, and then of course Daytona International Speedway itself getting a complete makeover. I'm really excited for some racing.

Here's the Daytona Schedule for the next couple weeks:

Friday, Feb 11:
2:00pm - ARCA Qualifying
5:00pm - Cup Budweiser Shootout Practice
6:30pm - Cup Budweiser Shootout Final Practice

Saturday, Feb 12:
10:00am - ARCA Final Practice
11:00am - Cup Practice
2:00pm - Cup Practice
4:30pm - ARCA Race
7:50pm - Cup Series Bud Shootout Driver Intros
8:10pm - Cup Series Budweiser Shootout

Sunday, Feb 13:
1:05pm - Cup Series DAYTONA 500 Qualifying

Wednesday, Feb 16:
9:00am - NNS Practice
10:40am - NSCS Practice
12:10pm - NNS Practice
1:30pm - Cup Series Practice (Final Practice Before Gatorade Duel)
3:00pm - NNS Practice
4:40pm - NCWTS Practice

Thursday, Feb 17:
9:00am - NNS Practice
10:15am - NNS Final Practice
12:10pm - NCWTS Practice
1:40pm - NSCS Gatorade Duel Driver Introductions
2:00pm - NSCS Gatorade Duel 150-Mile Qualifying Races (60 Laps – 150 Miles Each Race)
6:05pm - NCWTS Qualifying

Friday, Feb 18:
11:00am - NSCS Practice
12:30pm - NSCS Practice
4:00pm - NCWTS Autograph Session
4:10pm - NNS Drive4COPD Qualifying (Two Laps, All Positions)
7:00pm - NCWTS NextEra Energy Resources 250 Driver Introductions
7:30pm - NCWTS NextEra Energy Resources 250 (100 Laps, 250 Miles)

Saturday, Feb 19:
10:30am - NSCS Final Practice For The Daytona 500
12:45pm - NNS Drive4COPD 300 Driver Introductions
1:15pm - NNS Drive4COPD 300 (120 Laps, 300 Miles)

Sunday, Feb 20:
1:00pm - NSCS DAYTONA 500

[bobibnoxx]

Certainly going to be one of the most watched "practices" in awhile w/ the new track surface.

[flanna.kersting]

So no one else gives a hoot about the Daytona 500, huh?

Suit yourselves.

[Faungarne]

Didn't even know this thread existed, settle down Nancy.

I'm ready.

[krasniyluch]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Paul Menard, Trevor Bayne, Steve Wallace and Grand-Am driver Andy Lally are guaranteed spots in the Feb. 20 Daytona 500 after offseason point swaps with top-35 teams from the 2010 Sprint Cup season.

Menard will drive the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing entry with 35th-place points earned by the No. 71 at TRG Motorsports last season. Thomas Pumpelly, who was a partner with TRG, divested himself from that organization and took points associated with the 71 with him to become an equity partner at RCR.

Offseason points swaps are allowed by NASCAR if someone from the ownership group of an organization moves into ownership with another team.

TRG will enter Lally in the No. 71 with points earned by Menard in the No. 98 at Richard Petty Motorsports last season. This was made possible because TRG owner Kevin Buckler has joined RPM on the business side.

Menard was unable to transfer the 23rd-place points he accumulated at RPM last season because that technically would have made Richard Petty an owner at RCR, putting RCR over the four-car limit with its four cars and Petty's two.

Bayne will drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers II, LLC, entry with 28th-place points earned by Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 last season at RPM. Richard Petty will be listed as a partial owner.

RPM went from a four-car to a two-car operation during the offseason, eliminating the 98 and 19. Wallace will drive a No. 77 Toyota fielded by Rusty Wallace Racing with 30th-place points accumulated by Sam Hornish Jr. in the Penske Racking No. 77 Dodge last season.
Roger Penske formed a partnership with Wallace to make this possible after Penske was unable to acquire sponsorship for Hornish this season.



http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar...ory?id=6098361

[Rndouglas]

So no one else gives a hoot about the Daytona 500, huh?

Suit yourselves.

hoot hoot.

I'll give two. Two hoots don't amount to a post, though. Hope that helps.

[DEMassteers]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Paul Menard, Trevor Bayne, Steve Wallace and Grand-Am driver Andy Lally are guaranteed spots in the Feb. 20 Daytona 500 after offseason point swaps with top-35 teams from the 2010 Sprint Cup season.

Menard will drive the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing entry with 35th-place points earned by the No. 71 at TRG Motorsports last season. Thomas Pumpelly, who was a partner with TRG, divested himself from that organization and took points associated with the 71 with him to become an equity partner at RCR.

Offseason points swaps are allowed by NASCAR if someone from the ownership group of an organization moves into ownership with another team.

TRG will enter Lally in the No. 71 with points earned by Menard in the No. 98 at Richard Petty Motorsports last season. This was made possible because TRG owner Kevin Buckler has joined RPM on the business side.

Menard was unable to transfer the 23rd-place points he accumulated at RPM last season because that technically would have made Richard Petty an owner at RCR, putting RCR over the four-car limit with its four cars and Petty's two.

Bayne will drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers II, LLC, entry with 28th-place points earned by Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 last season at RPM. Richard Petty will be listed as a partial owner.

RPM went from a four-car to a two-car operation during the offseason, eliminating the 98 and 19. Wallace will drive a No. 77 Toyota fielded by Rusty Wallace Racing with 30th-place points accumulated by Sam Hornish Jr. in the Penske Racking No. 77 Dodge last season.
Roger Penske formed a partnership with Wallace to make this possible after Penske was unable to acquire sponsorship for Hornish this season.



http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar...ory?id=6098361

So does this mean they do not have to qualify for the race? Would they be in the back of the field if they do not bother to try to move up? This confuses me,

[LoohornePharp]

Didn't even know this thread existed, settle down Nancy.

I'm ready.

HAHA.... This.

[Irrampbroow]

So does this mean they do not have to qualify for the race? Would they be in the back of the field if they do not bother to try to move up? This confuses me,

It means they're in the show, regardless. They'll still qualify to determine their position in the starting field, but they're in regardless. They could go out and wreck on the first lap of qualifying and still race the 500.

[entaifsfets]

andy lally?

sounds like a ¿¿¿¿

[texbrease]

Budweiser Shootout tomorrow at 8pm EST! I'm pumped.

And if you're REALLY bored, or just REALLY in need of some NASCAR, the Shootout practices are tonight at 5pm and 6:30pm, on SPEED I think.

[DurryVony]

YOM went Favre on us huh?

[hotelhyatt]

Budweiser Shootout tomorrow at 8pm EST! I'm pumped.

And if you're REALLY bored, or just REALLY in need of some NASCAR, the Shootout practices are tonight at 5pm and 6:30pm, on SPEED I think.

I like the shootout - despite the name This will be a good test of the new track.. I hope the guys/gals all brought lots of spare cars and parts.

[KatoabamyHant]

1st Practice is halfway done.

Hendrick drivers Dale Jr. and Mark Martin leading the way with speeds around 199.850 MPH. That's not a bad pace for opening practice. New surface = FAST.