NASCAR Cup Series

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed her success in the Daytona 500 in February, if she has a plan for the last lap of this weekend’s 400-mile race and other topics.

MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Home Depot Husky Tools Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - How has your season been so far heading into Saturday night's race at Daytona? "The season has obviously been really great for us."

In recent weeks I have run across articles by some scribes offering up alternative vocations for Kyle Petty, other than his present announcing gig. I ask those folks one simple question, "Are you nuts?" Where are those same brains when it comes to Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett, who will soon be blessing us with their verbal skills later this month?

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion, comes into this weekend’s Coke Zero 400 having posted six straight finishes of 11th or better and has moved from 19th to 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings. Logano, along with crew chief Todd Gordon, spoke about what has been the key to the team’s recent success and what it’s going to take to qualify for the Chase.

Jeff Burton not only has a new sponsor this year in Kwikset, a major manufacturer and supplier of residential locks, but he is also all atwitter over their sweepstakes “I Heart the Mayor.”

With a surprising Sunday afternoon race thanks to Mother Nature on Saturday night, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 3rd Annual Quaker State 400 presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway.

Kenseth’s gamble to take no tires during pits stops on the final caution paid off handsomely, as he collected his fourth win of the year with a win at Kentucky. He is now fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 82 behind Jimmie Johnson.

The story of NASCAR dates back to over 60 years. Sixty plus years of history, miracles, and magical moments. There were some elements of NASCAR that were lost as it grew. Elements of its beginning and the people, places, and things that built this sport.

This past weekend at Kentucky, crew chief Jason Ratcliff made the call to take two tires which put Matt Kenseth out front for a late race restart. Their call put Jimmie Johnson who had dominated the race up to that point in a vulnerable position starting on the inside which ended with him spinning out and losing all of his track position.

The 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion also scored two pole awards in 1998 along with capturing his best finish of second-place in both February and October events at the track that year.