Optimism high at Daytona for NASCAR’s top teams

Plenty of storylines have emerged after opening weekend

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Optimism abounds after the opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway, especially for NASCAR’s top teams.

Teamwork at Joe Gibbs Racing appears as solid as ever despite adding rookie Daniel Suarez to the mix, evidenced by Denny Hamlin, Suarez, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch running 1-2-3-4 for much of the Clash at Daytona.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski look as if they could continue their recent dominance at restrictor-plate races, and with Stewart-Haas Racing switching from Chevrolet to Ford in the offseason, they now have a few extra friends — Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer — to help around NASCAR’s most famous track. Hendrick Motorsports has the Daytona 500 pole again as well as another front-row sweep. And the usual suspects — Hamlin, Logano and Keselowski — seem to be up front at every turn. Combine all those notable nuggets, and the 59th running of “The Great American Race” on Sunday is setting up to be another unpredictable showcase event. Some other things we learned from the opening of Speedweeks:

HENDRICK HORSEPOWER

Hendrick Motorsports has the Daytona 500 pole-sitter for the third consecutive season and swept the front row for the fourth time in the last eight years. It’s a clear indication Hendrick has the

ASSOCIATED PRESS DALE EARNHARDT JR. (LEFT) AND CHASE ELLIOTT display their front row trophies after qualifying for the top two positions in the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race Sunday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.