Engine Rule at Daytona: the engine rule is a little different at Daytona 500 [just like qualifying] then the other 35 races, teams must run the same engine from Saturday's first practice session (Feb. 6th) through the Gatorade Duel 150 mile qualifying races (Feb. 12). If a team makes a change before the Duel, then it must start at the rear of the Duel 150 field. After the Duel 150 races, teams can make an engine change before the Happy Hour practice session. After that, if an engine change is made, the driver will start at the rear of the Daytona 500.(2-11-2009)

Double Yellow Line at Daytona = do not pass: In order to emphasize the yellow-line rule at Daytona International Speedway where passes are not permitted, NASCAR has made the single yellow line into a double-yellow line. The second yellow line was painted on the inside of the existing yellow line.(SceneDaily)(2-8-2009)

Harley J. Earl trophy, who was Earl? If there's one trophy a driver dreams of putting his hands on, it's the Harley J. Earl trophy. Awarded to the winner of the Daytona 500, the Harley J. Earl trophy is one of the most prized possessions in motorsports. Named after Harley J. Earl, a famous General Motors designer and friend of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., the Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy rests year round inside The Daytona 500 Experience , "The Official Motorsports Attraction of NASCAR," and bears the name of every Daytona 500 champion.
Each year, the Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy makes a trip outside the attraction to the hallowed grounds of Gatorade Victory Lane at the "World Center of Racing" for a meeting with the Daytona 500 champion.
While the Daytona 500 champion doesn't take home the Harley J. Earl trophy, the winner of the "Great American Race" is awarded a replica Harley J. Earl trophy, which has a black base with a scaled-down replica of the Firebird One that Earl created in 1954 at the peak of his career with General Motors.
For the 50th running of the Daytona 500, the trophy was painted gold. The Harley J. Earl trophy is just one of three trophies awarded on the day of the Daytona 500.
The winning crew chief of the Daytona 500 champion is awarded the Cannonball Baker trophy, which is named after the famous coast-to-coast racer who was elected the first national commissioner of NASCAR in 1948 while the owner of the winning Daytona 500 champion is awarded the Governor's Cup.(DIS PR)
Richard Earl, a former Wall Street broker, makes his living selling Harley Earl-designed cars. " 'Motoramic masterpieces' is how I like to refer to them," he said. He maintains the official Harley Earl Web site, carofthecentury.com, and is working on a biography of his grandfather.(3-24-2009)

51 races, 4 rain outs: four Daytona 500's out of the 51 run have been shortened by rain:
1965 won by Fred Lorenzen, ran 129 laps for 322.5 miles
1966 won by Richard Petty, ran 198 laps for 495 miles
2003 won by Michael Waltrip, ran 109 laps for 272.5 miles
2009 won by Matt Kenseth, ran 152 laps for 380 miles.(2-16-2009)

Daytona 500 and Championship in same year: only eight times by five drivers has the Daytona 500 and the Sprint Cup Championship been won in the same season:
1959: Lee Petty
1964, 1971, 1974, 1979: Richard Petty
1977: Cale Yarborough
1997: Jeff Gordon
2006: Jimmie Johnson

First Career Sprint Cup win in the Daytona 500: Six drivers have gotten their first career Sprint Cup win in the Daytona 500:
Tiny Lund, 1963 [5 total wins]
Mario Andretti, 1967 [1]
Pete Hamilton, 1970 [4]
Derrike Cope, 1990 [2]
Sterling Marlin, 1994 [10], won the Daytona 500 twice, also in 1995
Michael Waltrip, 2001 [4], won the Daytona 500 twice, also in 2003

Four Current Race Tracks Mark Martin has never won race at: There are four current race tracks the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series runs on that #5-Mark Martin has not won at [a Sprint Cup race], plus Martin ran five races at Nashville and four races at Riverside and didn't win:
Pocono: 0 for 45 with six finishes of 2nd, last in 8/2004
Daytona: 0 for 48 with a best finish of 2nd in 2/2007
Indianapolis: 0 for 16 with a best finish of 2nd in 8/1998 and 7/2009
Homestead: 0 for 10 with a best finish of 2nd in 11/2005.(11-22-2009)

Junior Johnson Named Grand Marshal For Daytona 500: To mark the 50th anniversary of his 1960 Daytona 500 triumph, NASCAR legend Junior Johnson will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 52nd running of NASCAR’s most prestigious race – the Daytona 500 – on Sunday Feb. 14. As Grand Marshal, Johnson will deliver the four most famous words in motorsports – “Gentlemen, start your engines.” Johnson, who was the first driver to use drafting on the superspeedways, was recently selected in 2009 as one of the five inductees for the inaugural class for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990 and named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998, Johnson claimed his only Daytona 500 win in 1960 driving for crew chief Ray Fox and owner John Masoni in a last-minute deal. Retiring from driving in 1966, Johnson moved into ownership earning 139 victories and six championships. Tickets for all of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks events, including the Daytona 500, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(2-9-2010)

Harry Connick Jr. To Sing National Anthem For Daytona 500: Singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. will sing the National Anthem for the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 14, NASCAR biggest and most prestigious race of the season. Three-time Grammy Award winner Connick recently released his 24th album titled ‘YOUR SONGS,’ which consists of Connick singing classic songs with a full orchestra, and, as with nearly all of Connick’s previous albums, he arranged and orchestrated all of the songs himself. Connick has performed in front of the NASCAR family before singing at the season-ending awards ceremony back in 2003. Tickets for all of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks events, including the Daytona 500, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(2-9-2010)

Two Daytona 500-Winning Cars To Be Honored: The past and present will converge in the pace laps prior to the green flag for the 52nd annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 14 at Daytona International Speedway. To mark the 50th anniversary of Junior Johnson’s victory in the “The Great American Race”, a replica Daytona 500-winning #27 Chevrolet as well as the 2009 Daytona 500-winning car of #17-Matt Kenseth will take to the high banks and participate in the pace laps prior to the green flag of the Daytona 500. Johnson claimed his only Daytona 500 win in 1960 driving for crew chief Ray Fox and owner John Masoni. The ride came together in a last-minute deal and Fox only had seven days to build the Daytona 500-winning race car. On lap 191, Johnson was drafting Bobby Johns when, coming off of Turn 2, Johns’ car was hit with a gust of win. The air pressure popped out the rear window and put Johns in a spin. Johnson would claim the Daytona 500 by a margin of 23 seconds. Alongside the #27 Chevy during the Daytona 500 pace laps will be the winning car from the 2009 Daytona 500 – Matt Kenseth’s #17 DeWalt Ford from Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth, who earned Roush his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2003, was able to deliver Roush his first Daytona 500 victory – a feat that has eluded the multi-team owner for over 20 years. The #17 was inducted into “The Official Attraction of NASCAR” – Daytona 500 Experience – after its victory in 2009 and will be returned to Roush Fenway Racing on Sunday morning, Feb. 14 prior to the start of the Daytona 500. Tickets for all of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks events, including the Daytona 500, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(2-9-2010)

Daytona gets new flagstand: The checkered flag, the sight every driver dreams of seeing first when they cross the start/finish line at Daytona International Speedway, has a new state-of-the-art home. Race fans attending Hershey's Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks 2010 events will see the debut of the newly installed flagstand complete with a full-color LED display that will overlook the legendary tri-oval of the "World Center of Racing." The flagstand, made of structural steel and standing 22 feet tall from the race track, will see its first racing action beginning with this weekend's Rolex 24 At Daytona GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race and the Fresh From Florida 200 Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. Other interesting statistics behind the one-of-a-kind flagstand include:
oApproximately 60 square feet space at the top of flagstand for the starter
oEighteen steps to climb to the top of flagstand
oThe high resolution LED display is capable of showing race information, live video and replays as well as graphics and animations in 4.4 trillion colors.
oImpressive 49,920 pixel LED display that measures nearly four-feet tall and 22.5-feet wide.
oTwo new light tubes featuring super-bright green, red and amber LEDs above the display will flash the flag colors and provide fans and drivers greater visibility of the racing conditions.(Daytona PR)(1-30-2010)

Zac Brown Band To Perform Concerts, Anthem at Budweiser Shootout: Zac Brown Band, the GRAMMY nominees for Best New Artist whose platinum debut album 'The Foundation' (Atlantic Records) produced the No. 1 hit "Chicken Fried," will perform at the 32nd annual Budweiser Shootout on Saturday, Feb. 6 at Daytona International Speedway. The Atlanta-based group will perform a pre- and post-race concert, in addition to the National Anthem. Zac Brown Band - which consists of bandleader Zac Brown, bassist John Hopkins, violinist Jimmy De Martini, guitarist/organist Coy Bowles, drummer Chris Fryar and multi-instrumentalist and song writer Clay Cook - will perform three songs prior to the Budweiser Shootout on the Pre-Race Stage as well as the National Anthem, all of which will be carried live on FOX Sports. After the checkered flag waves, Zac Brown Band will perform a 60-minute post-race concert from the Sprint FANZONE Entertainment Stage.(Daytona PR)(1-28-2010)

‘Women In The Winner’s Circle’ Traveling Exhibit Now Open At Daytona 500 Experience: ‘Women In The Winner’s Circle,’ a traveling exhibit on the history of women in racing, is now open at the Daytona 500 Experience. Daytona 500 Experience is the first venue to host this unique exhibit that recognizes the past history, the growing achievements and the future growth of women in racing and will be on display through March. Racing legend Lyn St. James, founder of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, joined forces with The Henry Ford of Dearborn, MI, to create the exhibit. Featured in the exhibit are informational panels, photographs, three race cars and personal artifacts that illustrate the history of women in motorsports, which dates as far back as 1903. Accomplishments of women drivers from five different eras are recognized in the exhibit, which has three cars on display – a replica of Louise Smith’s #94 Coupe, the 1989 Ford Thunderbird that St. James drove to set closed course speed records at Talladega Superspeedway with a speed of 212.577 mph, and Kara Hendrick’s TQ Midget which was restored by her brother, NASCAR driver Kenny Hendrick. Artifacts include Jutta Kleinschmidt’s helmet, shoes and gloves from her win in the 2001 Paris Dakar Rally, sports car and open wheel legend Desire Wilson’s helmet, shoes, and trophy, and a race suit worn by Sarah Fisher in the IZOD IndyCar Series. An interactive kiosk is setup so that visitors to the exhibit can read in depth biographies and see additional photos of the drivers, along with a glossary of racing terms, a list of driving schools and sanctioning bodies. More info at daytona500experience.com.(DIS)(1-26-2010)

Mayor of Speedweeks announced: The votes have been tallied and Ormond Beach resident Gordon Goodman has been declared Mayor of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks 2010. Goodman’s 100-word essay on “Why I Should Be Mayor” was selected by Facebook users as the winner of the annual contest held by Daytona International Speedway. "I’ve wanted to be Mayor for a long time,” said Goodman. “I’m so happy and proud. If you want an ambassador for Daytona, you got the right person.” Goodman, an avid NASCAR fan who calls local radio stations to give race reports often, has NASCAR memorabilia in every room of his house. Unique aspects of Goodman’s home include a rendering of the tri-oval at Daytona International Speedway on one wall. “In 1967, as a little kid, we had (ABC’s) ‘Wild World of Sports’ (on the television) and I happened to be walking through the living room of the house and they had a little bit of the Daytona 500 going on,” said Goodman. “I just stopped and started watching. I’ve been infatuated every since.” Goodman will wave the flag at the Rolex 24 At Daytona practice session to officially get Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks 2010 underway as his first duty as Mayor. Other Mayor of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks perks for Goodman include Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access for the Daytona 500, two tickets to the Daytona 500 Experience, an invitation to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver’s Meeting and a chance to be part of the Gatorade Victory Lane celebration at NASCAR’s most prestigious race – the 52nd running of the Daytona 500. Tickets for all of Hershey’s Milk & Milkshakes Speedweeks events, including the Daytona 500, are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(1-19-2010)

Ford Mustang to pace the Daytona 500: Pacing the field for the 2010 Daytona 500 on February 14th will be a specially prepared one-of-a-kind 2011 Mustang GT powered by the all-new 5.0-liter V-8 engine producing 412 horsepower. This will mark the first time in 40 years a Ford Motor Company product has paced the field at the Daytona 500. The last Ford product to be a pace car at the Daytona 500 was the 1970 Torino GT convertible. The 2011 Mustang GT pace car will receive a special Daytona 500 Race Red paint scheme with Blue/White Lemans stripes, Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace, mufflers, unique painted wheels and special interior treatment including lighted sill plates. This Mustang will be an actual production car with an early VIN and will be among the first 2011 models available to the public. Also this Mustang (Lot # 1295.1) will be offered for auction at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction on Saturday January 23rd. All Proceeds over MSRP will go to help cure childhood diabetes through a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. One lucky bidder will have the opportunity to own the actual pace car prior to the race and will get to see their car pacing the field on February 14th.(Mustang Heaven)(1-17-2010)

Palin to make VIP appearance at Daytona 500: Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be a VIP guest at next month's Daytona 500. Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig says Palin will make her first appearance at NASCAR's most storied track the day before she serves as guest speaker at the city's annual chamber of commerce dinner. Palin won't have any official role in the Daytona 500, but the former Alaska governor will be introduced at the pre-race drivers meeting along with other celebrities. Braig says track officials checked with NASCAR's political advisers before signing off on Palin's visit. Braig says the reaction was to "showcase her just as much as we would our mayor, our governor or our senators."(Associated Press)(1-17-2010)

McGraw to lead Daytona 500 Pre-Race: Grammy-winning country star Tim McGraw will be revving his vocal engine on the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show. McGraw will perform three songs at the pre-race extravaganza leading up to the start of the 52nd annual Daytona 500. "Tim McGraw is one of the most popular entertainers in the world and we're thrilled to have him perform the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show," Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said.(ET Online)(1-15-2010)

Special tix deal for Daytona 500 in honor of Waltrip: On Sunday, Feb. 14, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will begin his 25th year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the sport’s biggest race – the Daytona 500. And to mark that special occasion, Daytona International Speedway and Waltrip, who captured the Daytona 500 in 2001 and 2003, are joining forces with a special Michael Waltrip Daytona 500 Celebration Offer.
The package, available for $129, includes:
· A ticket to the 52nd annual Daytona 500
· Question and answer session with Waltrip on the morning of the Daytona 500
· Celebration party with Waltrip, featuring cakes, beverages and other giveaway items
· Autographed commemorative event ticket
· And each race fan that purchases a Michael Waltrip Daytona 500 Celebration Offer ticket will be entered to win a chance to become an honorary pit crew member during the 2010 Daytona 500.
Waltrip said he hopes it’s a special day for all of the fans as well as his NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. “The Daytona 500 is the greatest race in the world, my favorite race, and the race that defines my career,” Waltrip said. “I’m humbled that the speedway is honoring my 25th season with a commemorative ticket package. I very much look forward to meeting the fans race morning and then going after my third 500 win that afternoon.” Track officials said the offer will give fans a chance at a rare opportunity to talk with a two-time race winner the morning of the race. “Michael Waltrip is part of an exclusive club of Daytona 500 champions,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “Beginning his 25th year with NASCAR’s biggest race is certainly going to be a special moment and this ticket package is going to deliver a unique and memorable experience to race fans.” The Michael Waltrip Daytona 500 Celebration Offer is available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/mwr or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(1-4-2010)

2010 Daytona 500 Artwork and Program Unveiled: Commissioned by Daytona International Speedway, internationally known artist Jay Koka has completed designing the artwork and event program cover for Speedweeks 2010 and the 52nd annual Daytona 500. Koka’s artwork depicts the 2009 Daytona 500-winning car – Matt Kenseth’s #17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford – and runner-up finisher Kevin Harvick’s #29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet racing side-by-side through around historic Daytona International Speedway. Koka has been a featured artist and poster artist for many international automotive events including the famed Pebble Beach and Meadow Brook Concours, Bloomington Gold, Reading Ferrari Concours, Eyes on Design, Ferrari Club of America Annual Meets and the Cavallino Ferrari Classic of Palm Beach. Koka is a 22-year member and serves on the Board of the Automotive Fine Arts Society. He enjoyed a successful corporate career in marketing prior to the formation of his studio in 1985, which is located near Toronto. Tickets for all Speedweeks 2010 events are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(12-31-2009)

Daytona's dirt track opens: The new dirt track at Daytona International Speedway opened for business Monday and competitors said it had the same feel of the old oval at Municipal Stadium. "It is a quarter-mile lime-rock course," Speedway spokesman Andrew Booth said. "It's the same dirt they had over there. They pulled it out of the stadium and brought it over here." The flat track was built in less than three months outside Turns 1 and 2 of the Speedway tri-oval course. The World Karting Association held a day of practice Monday at the new racetrack before two days of racing. Booth said the area would be used for motor home parking for Speed Weeks. The DIS operations department will have about two weeks to put the track back together for flat-track motorcycle races in March.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(12-30-2009)

NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests return to Daytona: The top NASCAR stars will gather at historic Daytona International Speedway on Jan. 15-16 for the annual NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests, which give race fans a sneak preview on the new NASCAR racing season as well as Speedweeks 2010 and the 52nd annual Daytona 500.
On those dates, race fans will be able to get their “racing fix” prior to Speedweeks 2010 and the 52nd annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 14 with numerous activities with their favorite drivers from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series in the Sprint FANZONE located in the heart of the “World Center of Racing.”
Among the activities planned for both days include:
* Interactive fan forums
* Autograph sessions
* Show cars, displays, music
* Online auction
* Blood drive
* Richard Petty Driving Experience
* SPEED Channel personalities on site broadcasting all of the festivities
Ticket information, driver appearance schedules and more details about the NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fests will be released in the coming months. For ticket information for all Speedweeks 2010 events, call 1-800-PITSHOP or go online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(DIS)(12-5-2009)

Daytona Enhancing The Superstretch Experience: As part of its ongoing effort to continue improving the race-day experience at the “World Center of Racing,” Daytona International Speedway will add a new interactive fan area adjacent to the Superstretch grandstands outside Turn 3. Construction on the enhancements has already started and will be completed in time for the 52nd annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 14. Included in the 136,000-square foot interactive fan area will be amenities such as a go-kart track, kids play area, Ferris Wheel, show cars and a fan hospitality area called the SPEED Trackside Tavern, among other attractions. The enhancements will necessitate the removal of grandstand seats on the Superstretch, which will be utilized at other International Speedway Corporation facilities in the future. Also for the 2010 DAYTONA 500, ticket options on the Superstretch have been made even more affordable for race fans, with the popular $55 seating area expanded to include additional rows. Single-day DAYTONA 500 admission and new lower prices have been implemented on all other Superstretch seats. The Superstretch enhancement comes on the heels of two other fan-friendly initiatives recently announced. Already under construction is phase one of the frontstretch renovation on the old dog track property behind the Keech and Lockhart Grandstands that will deliver amenities such as:
* Two additional gate entrances
* Relocation of the Turn 1 tram stop closer to the center of the frontstretch grandstands
* New exterior pedestrian boulevard that will eventually stretch from Turn 1 to Turn 4
* New and improved directional signage, landscaping and lighting
Additionally, a new start time has been announced for the 2010 Daytona 500. In response to the race fans’ desire for an earlier start time for NASCAR’s signature event, “The Great American Race” is scheduled for a 1:00 pm/et start –2 ½ hours earlier than 2009 and the earliest start for the Daytona 500 since 2003. Tickets for the 52nd annual Daytona 500, which start at $55, as well as other Speedweeks 2010 events, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(11-27-2009)

Daytona offering exclusive ticket deals during after-Thanksgiving sale: The days following the Thanksgiving holiday are known around the country as the best time of the year for shoppers to find bargains. For race fans, there will be two exclusive deals to choose from in Daytona International Speedway’s After-Thanksgiving Sale on Friday, Nov. 27 and Monday, Nov. 30. On those days only, Daytona International Speedway is offering a pair of exclusive $45 ticket packages for the Gatorade Duel on Thursday, Feb. 11 and the Budweiser Shootout, which is part of a racing tripleheader on Saturday, Feb. 6.
The Budweiser Shootout package includes a ticket to the tripleheader day of racing that includes the electric All-Star race, the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA event and Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger as well as admission to the Pre-Race Party featuring an appearance by Kasey Kahne, Hooters wings and beverages (savings of over 35%). The Gatorade Duel package includes a ticket to the 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500 and a Pre-Race/Sprint FANZONE access pass (a savings of over 45%).
For race fans that strike early and purchase either package on Friday, Nov. 27 between 9 a.m. and noon, they will also receive free shipping (a savings of $14).
Other great deals currently being offered by DIS that can make for great stocking stuffers include:
* Tickets for the wild and unpredictable NextEra Energy Resources 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night, Feb. 12 start at $39, a reduction from $50 from the 2009 event
* SPEED Trackside Tavern, available for $99 per ticket, is located in the new interactive fan area in the Superstretch and includes a ticket to the 52nd annual Daytona 500, all-you-can-eat hamburgers and hot dogs, unlimited Coca-Cola products and Dasani water and appearances by SPEED Channel personalities.
* Children 12 and under are free in Sprint FANZONE during Speedweeks 2010 and free in the general admission areas at the Budweiser Shootout, Gatorade Duel At Daytona and NextEra Energy Resources 250. To purchase tickets to any of the Daytona International Speedway’s events, call 1-800-PITSHOP or visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(DIS)(11-26-2009)

Coke Zero Tickets on sale: On Saturday, Nov. 7, race fans will have their first opportunity to purchase tickets for Daytona International Speedway’s racing doubleheader on July 3, 2010 – the 52nd annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Rolex Series 250 Grand-Am sports car race. Single-day Sprint Tower seats are available starting at $150 and ticket prices for frontstretch grandstand seats start at $40. Also available beginning on Saturday, Nov. 7 will be tickets to the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Friday night, July 2, where the new NASCAR Nationwide Series car will make its race debut. To buy tickets or more info, go to www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(11-7-2009)

Construction begins on Daytona Frontstretch Renovation: Construction on phase one of Daytona International Speedway’s frontstretch renovation will begin this week. Phase one of the frontstretch renovation will be focused on the old dog track property located behind the Keech and Lockhart Grandstands and will include new fan amenities such as:
* Two additional gate entrances
* Relocation of the Turn 1 tram stop closer to the center of the frontstretch grandstands
* New exterior pedestrian boulevard that will eventually stretch from Turn 1 to Turn 4
* New and improved directional signage, landscaping and lighting
Construction is expected to be completed for Speedweeks 2010 and the 52nd annual Daytona 500. Tickets for the 52nd annual Daytona 500, which start at $55, as well as other Speedweeks 2010 events, are available at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.(DIS)(11-2-2009)

Daytona catchfences get taller: Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway are raising the height of their catch fences from 14 feet to 22 feet after analyzing their safety barriers following the accident that sent Carl Edwards flying into the Talladega fence in April. Talladega will get the frontstretch portion of its fence completed before its Oct. 30-Nov. 1 race weekend and will do the backstretch during the offseason. Daytona, which has no more NASCAR races this year, will complete its new fence on both the frontstretch and backstretch by mid-January. Other enhancements have been made to the fences at other tracks owned by International Speedway Corp., the parent company of both Talladega and Daytona, but neither [Talladega Superspeedway President Rick] Humphrey nor DIS President Robin Braig would go into more details.(SceneDaily)(10-6-2009)

Terrorist threat did not exist at DIS: A state trooper was named Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month for July 2008, cited for "excellent training, experience, investigative techniques, and self-motivation," that led to the arrests of four "potential terrorists who may have been targeting the Daytona International Speedway." But the FBI said Friday that while Trooper William Cain did the right thing when he reported the men to the FBI and a Florida Department of Law Enforcement Joint Terrorism Task Force, the men were not arrested and did not pose a threat. "Several individuals were interviewed and, after it was determined that no immediate terrorist threat existed, those individuals were released," said Special Agent Jeff Westcott of the FBI's Jacksonville office. It all started with Cain's observations of the men photographing the speedway three days before the Coke Zero 400 and escalated when Cain rain the tag on their minivan and the registration matched a name on a terrorism watch list. FHP spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Montes said the incident is an open investigation and any information about the traffic stop is not public record.(Orlando Sentinel)(9-12-2009)

Daytona 500 Qualifying moved to Saturday: Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, which secures the prestigious front row for the 52nd annual Daytona 500, will be part of a tripleheader day of racing on Saturday, Feb. 6, joining the 32nd annual Budweiser Shootout and Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 during Speedweeks 2010. Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger, which is traditionally scheduled on the Sunday prior to the Daytona 500, will kick off activities on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1:05 p.m. on FOX, followed by the season-opening Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 for the ARCA Series at 4:30 p.m. on SPEED, and the Budweiser Shootout at 8:10 p.m. on FOX.(Daytona PR)(8-28-2009)

Qualifying Procedure for the Gatorade Duels/Daytona 500: