Daytona 500: Fresh starts and a sombre anniversary

The NASCAR Cup series kicks off Sunday with the Super Bowl of stock car racing: the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Fla. (2:30 p.m., TSN4/Fox). Here are a few storylines and tidbits:

8-1

Vegas odds on Daytona 500 favourite Denny Hamlin, chasing an unprecedented third straight victory

20

Years since the tragic death of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt after a crash at Daytona

$400,000

Cost per week (U.S. dollars) to run a NASCAR operation, according to Jacksonville.com

$50,000

Per week for parts

$32,000

Per week for tires and travel

$100,000

Approximate cost to replace a NASCAR engine

23XI

The name of the new racing team co-owned by Hamlin and NBA great Michael Jordan

112

Career NASCAR Cup Series starts for Bubba Wallace, who will chase his first win in the No. 23 car with the Jordan-Hamlin entry. Wallace is the only Black racer at NASCAR’s top level and gained a national platform last season for his outspokenness on social justice issues.

6

Days of racing at Daytona including the main event, down from two weeks prepandemic

23 million

Monthly listeners on Spotify for rapper Pitbull, a.k.a. Mr. Worldwide, co-owner of the new Trackhouse Racing team with Mexican-born driver Daniel Suarez. Pitbull is also the grand marshal this weekend

101,000

Grandstand capacity at Daytona International Speedway

30,000

Fans expected on Sunday

141.11

Average speed of last year’s race in miles per hour, with 24 lead changes

62

Age of Sunday’s oldest driver: Derrike Cope, who won the Great American Race in 1990