Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflects on his Speedweeks so far

   Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn't found Victory Lane yet during Speedweeks and already suffered one blown engine, but he continues to have a positive outlook heading into Sunday's Daytona 500.

 

   Earnhardt talked about his Speedweeks so far following his ninth-place finish in Thursday's first Gatorade Duel.

 

   Q: What did you learn out there?

   "We've got to work on our handling. Our car was really really tight. At the first, we were on the splitter pretty bad; we worked on it yesterday and went a little too far. Got a little too aggressive with that. But put a packer in on that pit stop, and it was still real tight. I was having to lift in the center of three and four, just to get off the corner. I had to lift real big getting into one on the first lap where Juan (Pablo Montoya) got into the fence behind us. We hadn't been around any packs. I didn't anticipate really the balance being a big deal because the car does have a good downforce package; we thought the balance would be pretty close. Figured we would be fighting loose a little big. We have to work on it. We will; we'll fix it."

 

   Q: Anything you learn going to help you for the 500?

   "We've got a good car. I was able to do some things. I did learn a few things about when those guys get up top. I found some ways to make gains; make passes one car at a time. If you get greedy and try to get a couple, you end up getting trained to the back. Learned a lot of things out there. Just how this car is working with this package that will help us on Sunday."

 

   Q: How indicative is that of what we'll see on Sunday?

    "I think it is exactly what you are going to see. You'll see a lot of racing. It'll be single file around the bottom some. It will be single file around the top some. Then all of a sudden everybody will start racing for no apparent reason. Then it'll go back to running single file for awhile. We don't really dictate that as driver. Not the field. The field really is at the mercy of the guys of front. If those guys up front chose to race a certain way, the filed sort of has to follow suit just to be able to maintain the draft. I think it will be a good race. It's a long race, you know. We can't run three-wide every lap as much as everybody would like to see that. I think its good racing."

 

   Q: Can you win?

   "Anybody can win, but we've got a good piece. We've got a real good car. We get that balance right, and get the thing to turning good, we'll have a great shot."

In 2014, the Duel at Daytona will debut at night

   The Budweiser Duel, the 150-mile qualifying races that determine the starting lineup for the Daytona 500, will move under the lights in 2014, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III announced.

    The Budweiser Duel At Daytona, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, will start under the lights and will be televised by Fox Media Group, which may mean Fox Sports One.

   “To earn a coveted starting spot in the Daytona 500, the stars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will have to perform under the lights and in front of a primetime audience in the Budweiser Duel,” Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III said. “Moving the Budweiser Duel under the lights will add another dimension to Budweiser Speedweeks.”

   The Budweiser Duel joins The Sprint Unlimited and the NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race as the three nighttime races held during Budweiser Speedweeks.

Charlotte Motor Speedway implements smoke-free policy for 2013

   Charlotte Motor Speedway has implemented a smoke-free policy for all three of its track this season.

    The following information is posted on the CMS Web site:

    For the health and comfort of our guests, grandstands and concourses at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track are smoke-free. This policy also applies to terrace boxes, kids’ play zones, bathhouses and restrooms.

    In conjunction with this policy, smoking lounges with flat-screen televisions and high-top tables will be conveniently located at each of our three venues. Smoking is also allowed in open-air campgrounds, parking lots, hospitality and souvenir display areas.

    It is our goal to reduce the risk of secondhand smoke exposure to our fans, while still allowing the freedom of choice with convenient smoking locations during our events.

    Enforcement -- Ushers will direct those found smoking in the grandstands to the nearest smoking lounge, and repeat offenders will be asked to leave.

   To see pictures of available smoking lounges at the tracks, click here.

Sprint Unlimited not a hit on TV

   The 2013 NASCAR season got off to a rough start last weekend, at least when it came to TV ratings.

   The Sprint Unlimited, formerly Budweiser Shootout, earned a 3.3 overnight rating on Fox Saturday night, down 18 percent from last year (4.0) and down 15 percent from 2011 (3.9). It was by far the network's lowest overnight rating ever for the event.

   The Sprint Unlimited finished well behind TNT’s NBA All-Star Saturday Night in the metered markets (4.3), though the final number may improve that somewhat.

   The race was promoted as the first featuring the 2013 model Sprint Cup series cars which feature much more manufacturer identity. It also featured several options for fans to vote their preference on how the race's format would unfold throughout the night.

   Kevin Harvick won the race.


 

Earnhardt’s legendary No. 3 subject of new ESPN NASCAR spot

  
  ESPN will debut a new promotional spot paying homage to the legendary No. 3 of the late NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt in a new promotional spot that will begin airing in the telecast of Saturday’s season-opening Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Hayley claims NASCAR K&N Pro Series event; Park wins modified race

   Cameron Hayley came from behind during a green-white-checkered finish to win the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach NASCAR K&N Pro Series race Tuesday night at Daytona International Speedway.

    It was only fitting that the third and final race of the two-day event concluded with cars trading paint, given that the first two races ended with last-lap contact and late lead changes.

    Hayley took advantage when the race leaders tangled in Turn 2 to drive to the victory.

    Fifteen-year-old Gray Gaulding finished second in the Krispy Kreme Toyota, while Puerto Rican Bryan Ortiz took the third spot in the Putinka Vodka Toyota.

   “It was a tough race overall,” said Hayley. “When I was sitting there on that last restart, I was thinking they were going to wreck in front of me. There’s going to be something happening in front of me. My crew chief and my spotter coming over the radio telling me to be patient and when you see a hole - go.”

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   Steve​ Park raced to the finish line to capture the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Race, the first of two races Tuesday night at the UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway.

    Park, a Daytona Beach resident, overtook Eric Goodale coming out of Turn 2 after making contact with Mike Stefanik’s back bumper on the white flag lap. Eric Goodale finished second in the RBS Showroom Chevrolet, while Ted Christopher took third place driving the Cape Cod Copper/Silver Dollar Construction Chevrolet. Stefanik claimed 13th place in his Robert B. Our Co./Canto & Sons Paving Chevrolet.

   “You can win races all over this country but you are not going to have a Daytona trophy like we have here,” said Park, who had previously raced in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. “I’ve had the opportunity to race here 14 or 15 times and I never had a Daytona trophy but now I do. It’s a big deal for me.

Larson wrecks Falk to take Battle at Beach win

   Kyle Larson wrecked C.E. Falk III coming out of Turn 4 on the final lap to win the NASCAR Whelen All-American race, the inaugural event in the UNOH Battle At The Beach at Daytona International Speedway on Monday night.

    Larson hit the back of Falk’s car once on the white flag lap which got Falk loose but he continued to lead. Larson then punted him out of the way to grab the race win. Ben Rhodes took second place while Falk wound up third.

   “This is a pretty big race and I wanted to be the first to win it,” Larson said.

    Falk, who attended UNC Charlotte, and Larson battled during the later stages of the race with Larson overtaking Falk in Turn 3 on lap 141. Falk regained the top spot on Lap 142 and held it until the rush for the checkered flag when the two cars made contact.

   “I think I got monster trucked at the end,” Falk said.

    The 150-lap race, which featured 29 drivers from 12 different U.S. states, saw nine caution flags.