NASCAR Cup Series

Trevor Bayne knows that this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) event at Daytona International Speedway is a strong opportunity to make a push toward the playoffs.

Reed took home the checkered flag in the 2017 season opener at Daytona. Reed started the race second, took two spins through the grass during the race, but in the end took the lead and held off Cup Series regulars to earn his second win at Daytona.

Trevor Bayne returns to the site of his first career NASCAR victory and one of the biggest upset wins in sports history; Daytona International Speedway. Bayne scored the historic victory in the 2011 running of the Daytona 500. Running up front for virtually the entire race, the young driver held off the field in a feverish green-white-checkered finish to earn his place in the annals of NASCAR history. Bayne capped off a dominant Speedweeks effort by becoming the youngest winner in the history of the “Great American Race” at 20 years and one day old.

Stenhouse has 10 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) with an average starting position of 21.6 and average finishing position of 19.7. Stenhouse Jr. earned his career best finish of fifth at the historic 2.5-mile track in last year’s Coke Zero 400.

It will not be a typical weekend for Martin Truex Jr. at Daytona International Speedway, site of Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Cup Series race. Thursday’s first day of practice at the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval will also be Truex’s birthday. The Furniture Row Racing driver turns 37.

Today Earnhardt Jr. announced his version of a final act – a five-month campaign called JR Nation Appreci88ion.  It will start this weekend at Daytona and carry through the end of the 2017 season, his last as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver.

Navy Band Southeast will perform the National Anthem for the 59th annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola, the Independence Day holiday weekend classic scheduled for Saturdaynight, July 1 at Daytona International Speedway (TV – NBC; Radio – MRN Radio, SiriusXM).

Gentlemen, start your engines. That is what was customarily said prior to races, but no longer. You probably thought that was due to a woman being in the field. Nope. There are just not enough gentlemen. Just ask Danica Patrick.

Ford heads back to Daytona this week having won seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, including two of the last three after Ryan Blaney (Pocono) and Kevin Harvick (Sonoma) captured their first events with the manufacturer. Daytona is the place where Kurt Busch won the season-opening Daytona 500 in the debut of Stewart-Haas Racing with Ford, and Brad Keselowski is the defending Coke Zero 400 champion.

The annual IMS Hauler Parade is back and bigger than ever this year, featuring a special "NASCAR Fan Fest" that will bring the stars of the Monster Energy Cup NASCAR Series to Speedway's Main Street for an afternoon and evening of fun and engaging activities.