Birthday Boy, Defending Champ Secures Spot
FEB. 19, 2012
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The youngest Daytona 500 champion ever became a man – at least in some contexts – Sunday.
Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, was a surprise winner of the 500 last season. He took the checkered flag first in the 2011 edition of the race only one day after his 20th birthday.
NASCAR celebrated Bayne’s 21st birthday Sunday by presenting the driver a cake fashioned from the numbers 2 and 1 in the Daytona media center.
Bayne spent much of his birthday preparing for qualifying and running time trials for the 500. Although he won the race last year, he entered Sunday without a guaranteed starting spot for next weekend’s race. He had the day’s ninth fastest speed and thus assured himself of a place on the 500 grid.
Shootout Eligibility Rules Change – NASCAR announced Sunday morning, a few hours after the end of a spectacular Budweiser Shootout, that the eligibility rules for the 2013 version of the race will change.
Pole winners from the 2012 season and past Shootout winners will make up the eligibility list for the 2013 Shootout, traditionally the opening race of the NASCAR season.
There were 33 drivers eligible for Saturday night’s Shootout, and 25 participated. Saturday’s eligibility list included the top 25 in the 2011 point standings and previous Daytona race winners.
The Shootout began in 1979 as the Busch Clash. The race was conceived as an event featuring pole winners from the previous season, but the race eligibility and format have changed numerous times over the years.
Taking A Big Break – After they turned qualifying laps Sunday afternoon, most of the 49 Sprint Cup drivers entered in the Daytona 500 hopped planes to head home.
The speedway will be “dark” Monday and Tuesday. No NASCAR activities are scheduled.
The drivers (and many of the traveling crew members) will return to the speedway area Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Two sessions of Sprint Cup practice are scheduled Wednesday afternoon.
Ambrose Speeds Into Fourth – Marcos Ambrose, seeking to build on a 2011 season that included his first Sprint Cup victory, gave Ford another strong shot Sunday by running the fourth fastest speed of the qualifying session.
Ambrose was clocked at 193.999 mph in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 9 Ford.
“It was a fast car, and we’re going to qualify well,” Ambrose said. “It’s the best superspeedway car I’ve had down here in my three or four years in Cup. I’m excited for Sunday. I’m excited for the duels. I think we have a real shot to win it.”
Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, was a surprise winner of the 500 last season. He took the checkered flag first in the 2011 edition of the race only one day after his 20th birthday.
NASCAR celebrated Bayne’s 21st birthday Sunday by presenting the driver a cake fashioned from the numbers 2 and 1 in the Daytona media center.
Bayne spent much of his birthday preparing for qualifying and running time trials for the 500. Although he won the race last year, he entered Sunday without a guaranteed starting spot for next weekend’s race. He had the day’s ninth fastest speed and thus assured himself of a place on the 500 grid.
Shootout Eligibility Rules Change – NASCAR announced Sunday morning, a few hours after the end of a spectacular Budweiser Shootout, that the eligibility rules for the 2013 version of the race will change.
Pole winners from the 2012 season and past Shootout winners will make up the eligibility list for the 2013 Shootout, traditionally the opening race of the NASCAR season.
There were 33 drivers eligible for Saturday night’s Shootout, and 25 participated. Saturday’s eligibility list included the top 25 in the 2011 point standings and previous Daytona race winners.
The Shootout began in 1979 as the Busch Clash. The race was conceived as an event featuring pole winners from the previous season, but the race eligibility and format have changed numerous times over the years.
Taking A Big Break – After they turned qualifying laps Sunday afternoon, most of the 49 Sprint Cup drivers entered in the Daytona 500 hopped planes to head home.
The speedway will be “dark” Monday and Tuesday. No NASCAR activities are scheduled.
The drivers (and many of the traveling crew members) will return to the speedway area Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Two sessions of Sprint Cup practice are scheduled Wednesday afternoon.
Ambrose Speeds Into Fourth – Marcos Ambrose, seeking to build on a 2011 season that included his first Sprint Cup victory, gave Ford another strong shot Sunday by running the fourth fastest speed of the qualifying session.
Ambrose was clocked at 193.999 mph in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 9 Ford.
“It was a fast car, and we’re going to qualify well,” Ambrose said. “It’s the best superspeedway car I’ve had down here in my three or four years in Cup. I’m excited for Sunday. I’m excited for the duels. I think we have a real shot to win it.”
