Racing takes a break, but there’s lots to see Schedule
DAYTONA BEACH And here we go.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams will report for duty today for three practice sessions, one dedicated to the drivers in Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash.
The ARCA Lucas Oil 200 will go green late Saturday afternoon.
The racing program ramps up fast and then ends quickly because after Sunday’s Clash and Daytona 500 qualifying, the track is quiet for three consecutive days.
But there are plenty of things to look for as Speedweeks picks up where it left off with the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Here are a few things to watch.
Ride height: NASCAR eliminated ride height from the Cup Series in 2014, with the exception of Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway.
Last season, the cars had to have a ground clearance of 4.25 inches after qualifying or a race. This time around, there is no rideheight rule, which means the Cup cars will be hugging the asphalt and going much faster. NASCAR may have to slow things down after observing these cars in a practice draft.
“It’s going to change a lot of things, not only the way we race in a pack but to the way the cars handle and the way we make speed in our race cars,” driver Joey Logano said.
Pole streaks: unique situation.
The No. 24 Hendrick This is Motorsports Chevrolet has sat on the Daytona 500 pole position the last three years.
Jeff Gordon captured the top spot in his last 500 start. Chase Elliott took the wheel and nabbed the pole in 2016 and again in 2017.
Elliott and the No. 24 have gone their separate ways. Elliott is now piloting the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports car and newcomer William Byron is in the No. 24.
Only three drivers have won the pole three consecutive years, Fireball Roberts (1960-62), Bill Elliott (1985-87) and Ken Schrader (1988-90).
Danica’s last races: In the days leading up to last year’s season finale Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Danica Patrick said she would end her career with the “Danica Double.”
She will compete only in the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 this season, and then hang up her helmet.
The car she’s driving (No. 7 Chevrolet) has a charter, so she will make the race regardless of qualifying results. TODAY 10:35 a.m.: 11:05 a.m.: 3:05 p.m: 4:45 p.m.: SUNDAY 12:15 p.m.:
3 p.m.:
“I keep saying, I couldn’t have written a better story about how this would all fall into place; going with the flow is working out beautifully,” Patrick said.