NASCAR Cup Series

No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry driver Martin Truex Jr. has come close to winning the Daytona 500 two times in the last three seasons. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver led the race with two laps to go in 2010 and last year held the top spot for 17 circuits.

Hillman Racing and Aaron’s Inc. announced today that two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will drive the No. 40 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota in the 2012 Daytona 500 on Feb. 26.

PGA Pro Bubba Watson will drive The General Lee from Dukes of Hazard fame during a ceremonial parade lap as part of his duties as Honorary Race Official at the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™, March 4 at Phoenix International Raceway. The announcement was made today by PIR President Bryan R. Sperber.

NASCAR fans are looking forward to watching Tony Stewart defend his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship this season, beginning with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 (FOX, 1 p.m. ET).

Daytona International Speedway plans to make Speedweeks and the 54th Daytona 500 a memorable event in many ways, starting with the largest and most expansive social media effort in NASCAR to further engage fans at the “World Center of Racing” and at home.

The Slick 50® brand has been protecting engines for over 34 years, just as long as legendary NASCAR crew chief and FOX Sports broadcaster Larry McReynolds has been tuning and caring for performance and race cars.

Mark Martin has a special seat reserved for Saturday night’s 34th-annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona that kicks off the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The 1999 race winner will sit atop Michael Waltrip’s pit box.

Coming off one of the strongest outings in the organization’s ‘25 Winning Years,’ Roush Fenway Racing will look to build on the performance that saw the team place five different drivers in victory lane in 2012, while collecting 17 wins and a team-record 20 poles.

It’s here. At last. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season ramps up this week with a bevy of traditional events leading up to the 54tn annual Daytona 500.