The Boys Are Back in Town

Cup cars hit the new pavement at Daytona for the first time Wednesday.

For the first time since Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero 400 on July 3, race cars were back on track at Daytona International Speedway.

Eighteen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers kicked off the first day of a two-day Goodyear tire test on the new racing surface in advance of the 53rd annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The test was the first time race cars turned laps on the new asphalt of Daytona, which was repaved for only the second time in its history.

Among the drivers in attendance included:

· Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Mark Martin

· Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch

· Roush Fenway’s Matt Kenseth and David Ragan

· Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton and Paul Menard

·  Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya

· JTG Daugherty Racing’s Bobby Labonte

“It’s amazing the job that they did here,” said Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 champion. “It’s really smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. I think we learned a tremendous amount by being here. Not only did we get a chance to really see what we’re going to be dealing with here in February for the Daytona 500, but it gets us prepared for the test coming up in January.”

“They smoothed out all the bumps,” said Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500 champion. “The track is real smooth. It’s got a lot of grip. The track reminds me a lot like Talladega was like when they first finished it.

“The racing during the drafting was exciting and I think it is going to be a good show, a more exciting show for the fans because the cars are going to stay real tight on each other throughout entire runs.”

The Goodyear tire test will wrap up Thursday and is open to the public with free access to the Oldfield Grandstands through the lobby of the Daytona International Speedway ticket office.

The Eleventh NASCAR Day of Christmas: 11 Car-a-Spinnin'



The team works on the No. 11 car before the start
of the Ford 400 at Homestead.



In addition to "Jimmie Johnson Wins Fifth Consecutive Title," the headline following Homestead could well have been "The Mighty Denny Has Spun Out."

And though Denny's misstep made for a more dramatic race, it wasn't the cause of his failure to win the Chase crown.

His run for the championship started to sputter the week before Homestead.

Riding high and talking trash, Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford entered the Kobalt Tools 500 with trophy expectations and a car that dominated most of the race.

But as events played out, it became clear that fuel mileage - not a sweet car - would be the key to a strong finish.

Unfortunately for Hamlin, Ford failed to tell his driver to save fuel. And while Hamlin ran wide open, fellow championship rivals Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick conserved enough Sunoco to make it 'til the end.

Result? Hamlin had to pit, while Johnson and Harvick had the staying power to finish - cutting Hamlin's points lead to just 15.

Hamlin was visibly discouraged after the checkers.

"It's pretty disappointing. We were in a good position going into next week," Hamlin said. "Good cars and all that, we had that today. It's tough to say what we've got to do. We had everything today. We had bad strategy at the end and it let those guys back in there."

So instead of a confident, swaggering Chase leader rolling into Homestead, Hamlin entered the Miami track a bundle of nerves.

His poor qualifying run didn't help - and the team couldn't get their mojo back all day long.

So while Hamlin's little spin didn't help his championship hopes - it wasn't the cause of the Fed Ex team's troubles.

Those can be blamed on a failure to communicate at Phoenix.

The Twelfth NASCAR Day of Christmas: 12 Chasers Chasing

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One of the best things about the 2010 season, was that the Sprint Cup Chase was the closest in Chase history. 

Twelve drivers didn't just make the Chase, they made the Chase exciting.

There were flying fists, fingers and fines.  There was high drama and low blows. And, to top it off, there was a reigning champ who came from behind to score his fifth championship in a row - a feat unparalleled in NASCAR history.

Clint Bowyer started the Chase with a win in New Hampshire  - only to be fined and penalized days later when his car failed post-race inspection.  The judgment punted the No. 33 from second to twelfth in the points.  And Bowyer's response to the penalty made "The Wrecker Defense" a motorsports byword.

Bowyer ended the year in 10th spot.

Then there was Kyle Busch.  Although Rowdy failed to produce a "W" during the Chase, he did make for some good TV with his flying one-finger salute on national television.  Busch finished the year in eighth place.

Kevin "Happy" Harvick brought the goods all year long. The regular season champ, he stayed in contention 'til the very end.  And though he finished in third, his message was heard throughout the NASCAR world - Richard Childress Racing is back.

Second-place finisher Denny Hamlin added a heap of racing drama to the Chase.  He started the Chase in the top seed after a win at Richmond.  He then lost the Chase lead, but stole it back from the No. 48 team with a win at Texas. 

And then the mind games and the verbal potshots began as Hamlin and crew chief Mike Ford called Johnson and Chad Knaus the weaker team, vowing to beat the Lowe's dynasty. 

But words can come back to haunt you, and at Homestead, Johnson and company showed their strength while Denny spun out, ending his quest to win his first championship. 

Moral of the story? You better check yourself, before you wreck yourself.