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Smoke Screen
Tony Stewart’s only scheduled NASCAR Nationwide Series race this year is one he’ll be favored to win. And why not? The two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has won five of the last six NASCAR Nationwide Series season-openers, including the last three. Dale Earnhardt holds the series record with five consecutive victories at Daytona to open the year. This will, however, be Stewart’s first race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series new car.

Stewart will be joined by seven other NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars in this race, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Brad Keselowski.

Danica’s Back At Daytona
After running in 13 NASCAR Nationwide Series races last year – her first competition in a stock car – open-wheel star Danica Patrick is back for more this year. She’ll run 12 races in 2011 for JR Motorsports, starting with the first four of the season.

Patrick made strides last year, particularly at season’s end when she was able to compete in the last five races. She had arguably her best run in the fall race at Auto Club Speedway before getting caught up in an accident. At Homestead-Miami Speedway, she started fifth and finished 19th – both her career bests in NASCAR national series competition.

For The ‘Record’: Budweiser Shootout A Sign Of Things To Come?
Last Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout ratcheted up anticipation for Sunday’s Daytona 500, big time. There were a race-record 28 lead changes in the 75-lap event. The overall record for lead changes at Daytona is 60 lead changes, a number that could conceivably be reached if the Shootout’s trend continues.