1:39 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and his six fellow Toyota drivers skipped the final practice for The Great American Race. Even action sports star Travis Pastrana, who has little experience at Daytona International Speedway, sat out the 50-minute session Saturday. He is driving a third

8:08 AM ET Alyssa RoenigkESPN Close Alyssa Roenigk is a senior writer for ESPN whose assignments have taken her to six continents and caused her to commit countless acts of recklessness. (Follow @alyroe on Twitter). Action sports icon Travis Pastrana is talking with a reporter at the Daytona International Speedway media center on Wednesday afternoon

7:57 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Seven-time is officially back. Jimmie Johnson, making his return to stock car racing after a two-year dalliance in IndyCar, topped the first practice session for the Daytona 500 on Friday. The two-time Daytona 500 winner and seven-time Cup Series champion reached a top speed of 194.25

10:16 AM ET With qualifying and the Duels in the books, the NASCAR world is counting down to Sunday’s Daytona 500. Sean Gardner/Getty Images DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It is time for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, NASCAR‘s biggest event on its biggest stage, kicking off what many believe could be one of the

9:13 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — IndyCar driver Conor Daly raced Floyd Mayweather Jr. into the Daytona 500 for a second consecutive year by bobbing and weaving his way through myriad issues for the ill-prepared team. Daly’s attempt to make his first Daytona 500 was announced only last week as part of

5:38 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ross Chastain signed a long-term contract extension Thursday as Trackhouse Racing officially shored up its lineup deep into the future. The deal with Chastain is long enough that “his beard will be gray” at the end of the extension, Trackhouse president Ty Norris quipped. Chastain, who

10:26 PM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Alex Bowman won his third career Daytona 500 pole and will be joined by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson on the front row for NASCAR’s season opener this weekend. The Hendrick dominance is no surprise. Bowman, who missed five races late last season because of a

9:45 AM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daniel Suarez has signed a second extension in six months with Trackhouse Racing, getting a multiyear deal done after landing a one-year contract last August. The team announced Suarez’s latest extension Wednesday as NASCAR kicked off Speedweeks with Daytona 500 media day and pole qualifying. The

8:12 AM ET Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Alex Bowman has a new contract as he chases his first Daytona 500 victory. Bowman received a three-year extension from Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday that will keep the driver – who missed five races last season with a concussion – with the team through the 2026

2:50 PM ET Dale Earnhardt, top, and Dale Jarrett contested one of NASCAR’s all-time-great Daytona 500s in 1993. Bill Frakes /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images The 1993 Daytona 500, run 30 years ago today, is first and foremost a love story. Yes, it was the Dale and Dale Show. Yes, it was the victory that sparked