NASCAR Cup Series

Interesting things can happen after the first race of the season. Some names usually near the front find themselves as also-rans as the schedule continues on to Atlanta. No Junior. No Biffle, No Bowyer. No Patrick. Okay, I’ve gone too far, I know.

Kicking off his 2016 debut, Jeffrey Earnhardt will be driving the Can-Am sponsored No. 32 for Go Fas Racing in the 57th Annual Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sun. February 28th. This will be the first major primary sponsorship race of the season with Can-Am.

Michael Annett and the No. 46 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet team travel to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second race of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. This is the series' only stop at the 1.54-mile track in Hampton, Ga. this year.

Earlier today, Ford Performance announced that Stewart-Haas Racing will join the manufacturer for the 2017 NASCAR season. Here is a transcript of today’s teleconference:

Denny’s Daytona: Denny Hamlin made a thrilling last lap charge from fourth to first to win Sunday’s Daytona 500 in the #11 FedEx Express Toyota in the closest finish in the iconic race’s 58-year history, beating Martin Truex Jr. to the line by just 0.01 seconds to capture his first career win in the “Great American Race.”

Ford Performance announced today Stewart-Haas Racing will switch to Ford as its auto manufacturer partner starting with the 2017 NASCAR season.

Stewart-Haas Racing, winners of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships and 30 point-paying races, will campaign Ford Fusions beginning in 2017. The four-car team will compete with Ford engines prepared by Roush Yates Engines.

“Last time I was there with Brian Pattie I won, I’m hoping that’s the case again this weekend. I’m really anxious to get our intermediate cars on the track and see how fast we are. Daytona was a huge boost for our team with how fast all our cars were.”

The 20 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2017 and five nominees for the third Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR will be unveiled live on NBCSN’s NASCAR America.

Stewart-Haas Racing confirmed that Ty Dillon will be the interim replacement driver for Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.