NASCAR Cup Series

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.

JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET SS, met with the media and discussed baseline testing and other topics. NASCAR TOLD US THEY SUGGESTED TO THE DRIVERS THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO GET A BASELINE IMPACT TEST, WHICH COULD BE MANDATORY IN 2014. ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING THAT? “I haven’t done it yet. I’m investigating it and getting all the information that I feel like I need to get. "

Officials from Statesville, North Carolina-based Bebida Beverage Company (BeBevCo.) confirmed today that they have reunited with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) veteran Jennifer Jo Cobb for next Friday night’s running of the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 BUDWEISER CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed the off-season, racing at Daytona, what the Budweiser sponsorship means to him, some of his favorite trophies, high school wrestling, and more.