NASCAR Cup Series

A new season. A new group of people and combinations. A new rules package. A new reason to hope for more entertaining action. We can only hope that this time they will succeed.

Roush Yates Engines announced today that it has reached a multi-year partnership extension agreement with L.S. Starrett Co.

Jimmie Johnson. Remember him? Just in case you'd forgotten about the capabilities of the two-time DAYTONA 500 champion – and seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion – he served up a reminder Sunday by making a trip to Gatorade Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

Kyle Busch (14th) was the highest-finishing Toyota driver in Sunday afternoon’s The Clash exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway.

PAUL MENARD, No. 21 Motorcraft Ford Mustang – YOU LED THE MOST LAPS EVER IN THE CLASH. WHAT HAPPENED? “I didn’t know that. That’s something for the history books, I guess. Unfortunately, we just got turned there. I didn’t really know what happened until I saw a replay. I felt like it was aggressive side-drafting. I got turned to the inside and hooked to the right and all hell broke loose.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING ABOUT THE MUSTANG OUT THERE? “We thought all along it was gonna be really competitive and I think it hasn’t missed a beat from testing to now. We’re pretty excited about it. I think it’s a pretty good upgrade.” WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR THURSDAY? “To win the race. Nothing else matters.” HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR CAR TO FEEL IN THE 500? “I think with this rules package, especially with the temperatures we’re seeing, you’re gonna probably trim for speed rather than handling. I think just fast.” DO YOU LIKE IT TO BE LOOSE OR TIGHT OR WHAT? “Generally in the 500 you want to be a little bit tighter than most of the race weekend here. It seems like the track always changes on the 500 day a little bit.”

Paul Menard will start on the pole for the Advance Auto Parts Clash Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. The pole was determined in a random draw Saturday night...

“It’s part of it. I think a couple of cars were merging right there into some other cars. Someone was probably trying to use that as an opportunity to make a move."

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Beer Car2Can Ford Mustang, and Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 6 Wyndham Rewards Ford Mustang, were involved in a multi-car accident during today’s first practice session. Neither will be required to go to a backup as damage was minimal.

This year marks the 25th Anniversary for JTG Daugherty Racing, owned by husband and wife team Tad and Jodi Geschickter, Gordon Smith and five-time NBA All-Star Brad Daugherty. The racing operation began in 1995 when Tad Geschickter and Steve Plattenberger formed a NASCAR Busch Grand National Series (NASCAR Xfinity Series) team that set up shop in a chicken house, which was essentially a garage with dirt floors and only five employees in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Today, the race team is housed in a 130,000-square-foot facility with two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series entries in Harrisburg, N.C.