NASCAR Cup Series

The first practice for the Sprint Unlimited is in the books and Kevin Harvick topped the speed chart while Matt Kenseth triggered a four-car wreck.

Carl Edwards was part of a multi-car incident in the opening practice for Saturday nights Sprint Unlimited just nine minutes into the opening session. Edwards spoke about the damage to his race car.

Trevor Bayne, David Ragan and David Gilliland were part of NASCR Media Day festivities yesterday. The trio have had recent success at Daytona, and spoke about that among many other topics.

After more than two years of development, including extensive work by the Ford Design Center and Ford aerodynamic experts, the 2013 NASCAR Fusion will take to the race track as practice opens for the 54th running of the Daytona 500.

2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion driver Bobby Labonte seeks to capture his first-ever Daytona 500 victory at Daytona International Speedway. The 21-time winner's career-best finish at the 2.5-mile tri-oval is second, which occurred twice in 1998 from pole position in the Daytona 500 and in the race later that season in October.

CASEY MEARS, No. 13 GEICO Ford Fusion – YOU GREW UP IN RACING. WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU AS A KID? WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF RACING? “I remember going to the off-road races with my dad and they used to give me little jobs like when the truck would come in to scrub the mud off the tires and stuff when I was like four or five-years old they would let me do stuff like that. I have a ton of memories of being at the race track and my dad racing and me being there. A lot of really good old memories from being at the track.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing- How important was your NSCS win in 2007 to your career to date? "It was huge -- '07, I remember that day like it was yesterday."

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed the new race cars, why the Daytona 500 is so tough to win, bump-drafting, and more.

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., No. 17 Best Buy Fusion – HAVE THINGS CHANGED FOR YOU OUT IN PUBLIC SINCE YOU AND DANICA ACKNOWLEDGED YOUR RELATIONSHIP? “No, it hasn’t really changed. Not many people notice me out there. It has been fine. I have been spending most of my time in the shop though. I don’t go out a ton. Everything has been good. Everything is great.”

KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media and discussed competing in triathlon’s, last year’s Daytona 500 and other topics.