The February 21st Budweiser Duels qualifying races gave us considerably more to talk about than just setting the final line up for the Daytona 500. The 150 mile twin events gave us a detailed look at the performance capabilities of NASCAR’s new Generation-Six race cars under very stringent competitive levels. We also enjoyed the drama that comes with qualifying for one of the most prestigious races in the world that pays approximately $250,000 for finishing last.

HOORAH. Kevin Harvick has displayed a lot of strength during the Speedweeks preliminary activities and proved it again by winning the first Budweiser Duel. That win followed his strong performance from the previous weekend when he won the Sprint Unlimited invitational race. It appears that all of this so called “lame duck driver” talk can now be officially retired for good.

HOORAH. It appears that Kevin Harvick has a very special good luck charm for the 2013 season. It’s his adorable and handsome seven month old son Keelan. Prior to the start of the Sprint Unlimited, Dad placed his son in the seat of his Budweiser Chevrolet and then later that night won the race. He repeated the process prior to winning the first Budweiser Duel. Do you think plans were made to place the baby in the car prior to the Daytona 500? Bet the last dollar in your wallet on it.

WAZZUP. With only eight laps remaining in the first Budweiser Duel, a four car crash brought out a yellow flag. Denny Hamlin’s Toyota got loose and turned into Carl Edwards’ Ford. Edwards spun around and went hard into the wall nose first. Cars driven by Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith were also caught up in the accident.

WAZZUP. In what has been horrible racing luck for Carl Edwards, and his #99 Roush Fenway Racing team, this incident marked the fourth time he has been involved in an accident since Speedweeks began. Right after the race, his crew began the busy process of repairing and prepping the car Edwards drove in the Sprint Unlimited which will be pressed into service for the Daytona 500.

WAZZUP. Some unexpected bad luck presented itself during the final lap of the first Budweiser Due for Martin Truex Jr, the driver of the Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. The hard plastic window, on the passenger’s side of the car, blew off resulting in a black flag. Truex came across the finish line in sixth but was later dropped to 19th. However, his previously posted qualifying speed allowed him to make the Daytona 500 line up.

HOORAH. The beneficiary from Truex’s bad racing luck turned out to be driver Scott Speed. With Truex being dropped in the final finish order, Speed’s final finish in the race was elevated one position. That move elevated Speed to the, you guessed it, final transfer spot and earned him a berth in the Daytona 500.

HOORAH. Kyle Busch also displayed some strength, in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, and won the second Budweiser Duel after fending off a late race challenge from runner up Kasey Kahne.

WAZZUP. Jeff Gordon appeared to have the car to beat during this race but it all unraveled during a green flag pit stop. With 20 laps remaining Gordon came in for gas and two tires only to be informed that he had to serve a penalty for speeding on pit road. During that same pit sequence, drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Terry Labonte were penalized for being too fast while exiting the pits.

WAZZUP. The real heartbreak of this race was experienced by NASCAR veteran Mike Bliss whose window safety net mysteriously became unhooked resulting in a mandatory appearance on pit road. Bliss lost a lot of time on pit road during the repair process and finished 22nd in the race. Unfortunately that finish, combined with his previous posted qualifying speed, simply was not good enough for the team to earn a starting berth in the Daytona 500.

HOORAH. NASCAR’s new Generation-Six race car really looked good on the track during the course of the twin Budweiser Duel’s 300 miles of racing. It’s apparent that the drivers have made quick work of adjusting to the nuances that often comes with a new car. It’s also apparent that the Gen-Six car is going to provide the fans some very good racing in 2013.

For at least a couple hours, Michael Waltrip feels confident he made those in Newtown, Connecticut smile.

Waltrip finished 14th in the first Budweiser Duel race at Daytona, which earns him a spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Driving his Swan Racing Toyota in a one-race deal, Waltrip put the single car team in the biggest event of the year.

“It’s just an honor to be able to race this car. We went to Newtown a couple weeks ago and met with the town, couldn’t wait to give them something to smile about,” said Waltrip after the 60 lap race.

“It’s been obviously a tough couple of months. All the fans are texting Newtown 80888, rebuilding the town, whatever they need that money for, we’re glad we can help out. Secondarily, we know we’re going to give them something to cheer about in the 500. There’s no many race fans in the northeast, it’s an honor to race it.”

Everything on Waltrip’s car is a reminder of the tragedy in the small CT town on December 14. From the green and white paint scheme, which are the school colors, to the number on the door, 26. The Swan Racing car traditionally runs the No. 30 but was changed to honor the 26 victims of the school shooting, 20 adults and six children.

Decals on the car provide viewers with a number in order to donate to the Sandy Hook School Support fund. The quarter panels read NEWTOWN 80888 which donates $10 on behalf of anyone who texts the number.

Before the deal was announced at NASCAR Media Day earlier this month, Waltrip and other members of the racing community traveled to Newtown to reveal the plans for the car. The reaction was exactly what Waltrip had hoped, those of thankfulness and appreciation. NASCAR chairman Brian France, who traveled with Waltrip, donated $50,000 to the fund, which NASCAR matched.

Now, the team sets their sights on Sunday’s race. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 but feels he’s racing for a more important reason.

“It’s always something. It seems like every time I was carrying a lot of hopes and dreams, people that I wanted to cheer up on my car,” noted Waltrip on having to race into the 500 once again. “So it meant a lot to us to put it in. Two cars are going to miss it [the Daytona 500]. If I get wrecked in that crash, I could have been one of the two.”

The team Waltrip drives for, Swan Racing, is co-owned by fellow driver David Stremme. The crew chief is Tony Eury Jr., whom Waltrip worked with back when he drove for Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the early 2000s. Both Waltrip and Eury Jr. know what success at Daytona feels like, each with their own wins.

Stremme will field the car the remainder of the year, but called upon his friend to assist the team in not only making the race, but to give them a chance to win the event. Waltrip will start 29th on the 43 car grid when the green flag falls on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m happy. Tony Jr. is so much fun to work with. Brandon Davis and those folks at Swan Racing, I think it’s a great story,” said Waltrip. “They said, ‘We’re going to come in and race, figure this out.’ David Stremme has been to every auction, shop, bought parts from Roush [Fenway Racing], from us [Michael Waltrip Racing], all over, just putting this team together.

“Stremme is a great story. No one is working any harder, cares more, wants to be part of this deal any worse than David. I’m glad we got him in the race. That’s a big deal for the team, for the sponsor, for the community. It’s really rewarding to be able to accomplish that.”