NASCAR News

Contrary to some of the sponsors and marketing agencies that scaled back their activities at the Daytona 500, Ask.com showed up with its CEO, president and a team of close to 25 for its first race as NASCAR's official search engine.

Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports, has paid tribute to Larry H. Miller, the celebrated founder of Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and the Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup racing series.

The handshake was only just beginning to cool after Yates Racing and David Gilliland announced that they were amicably terminating their relationship, when the driver popped in a lap good enough to qualify the #71 TRG Chevrolet for Sunday's Auto Club 500.

The pressure hasn't lifted completely from AJ Allmendinger's shoulders - he still must qualify on speed for the first five events of the Sprint Cup season - but after a third-place finish in last Sunday's Daytona 500, you can sense the relief in his voice.

With the Daytona 500 now out of the way, Marcos Ambrose will turn his focus to remaining inside the top 35 in owner points as the NASCAR Sprint Cup heads to Fontana this weekend for the Auto Club 500.

Ryan Newman has backed the #39 Stewart Haas Racing crew to emerge as a strong team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup following the way they bounced back from the problematic week of action at Daytona.

Yates Racing has announced that Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, will sponsor Travis Kvapil and the #28 Ford Fusion in this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Fontana, California.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr was quick to hit out at Brian Vickers for his part in the ten-car wreck that hit the Daytona 500, there was little surprise to see Vickers take an alternative view on the most controversial incident on the NASCAR Sprint Cup opener.

While delighted with his third place in the Daytona 500, AJ Allmendinger admitted that it could have been an even better result for the Richard Petty Motorsports team.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing owner/managing partner Chip Ganassi is fed up with media criticism of Teresa Earnhardt, co-owner of the team and widow of seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Kyle Busch led the final five laps of the Gatorade Duel qualifying race to score his first win of 2009 in dramatic fashion, holding off the challenge of Mark Martin on the run to the line at Daytona.

Elliott Sadler knows how to take one for the team - even if it's the same team that tried to oust him in November - as he played his part in ensuring that AJ Allmendinger made the Daytona 500 field for the first time in three attempts.

Boris Said saw his hopes of racing into the Daytona 500 come to an end in the Gatorade Duel when he was forced to retire from the second the second qualifying race.

Rick Clark and Boris Said have announced a merger between Rick Clark Motorsports and No Fear Racing for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup campaign.

Robby Gordon says he is excited by the prospect of making his first race start in his new Toyota in the Gatorade Duels at Daytona. Gordon switches to the Toyota for 2009 after making his final start at the wheel of his Dodge during the Budweiser Shootout.

Atlanta Motorsport Speedway has revealed that its Racing Roulette ticket offer will return for fans purchasing tickets for the Kobalt Tools 500 in March.

David Reutimann and Boris Said both received boosts to their Daytona 500 bids on the eve of qualifying at the Florida superspeedway, with Aaron's agreeing to become the primary sponsor of Michael Waltrip Racing's #00 for the whole of 2009, and US Chrome joining Said's roster of backers.

Martin Truex Jr and Mark Martin are the two men who know where they'll start next Sunday's Daytona 500, having snared the top two times in qualifying for the blue riband event.

Earlier this week, a list of favourites for the Daytona 500 pole probably wouldn't have included Bill Elliott, but that perception changed dramatically during Saturday's two NASCAR Sprint Cup practice sessions.

Robby Gordon's NASCAR season begins this weekend, and the American all-rounder is hoping that he can go some way to keeping up the run of success with which he has started the year.

Tissot, the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR, will sponsor a Sprint Cup Series in-race contingency award to acknowledge the work of the unsung heroes behind the wall this season.

Richard Petty Motorsports began the build-up to this weekend's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway by unveiling a paint scheme with historical significance for the #44 Valvoline Dodge.

Red Bull Racing will hope to make the most of a double entry into the annual Budweiser Shootout at Daytona ahead of the opening round of the NASCAR Sprint Cup - the Daytona 500 - a week later.

Ryan Newman says he is confident that everything is in place for him to try and become the first repeat winner of the Daytona 500 for more than ten years.