This Week's Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway ... Ty Dillon will pilot chassis No. 011 from the Richard Childress Racing stable in Friday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250. Dillon earned the pole award with this RCR-prepared Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway last October and finished in the fourth position.

Sunshine State Details ... Friday night's 100-lap affair marks Dillon's second appearance at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Welcome, N.C., native earned a ninth-place finish after starting from the fourth position last season.

Back in Action ... Bass Pro Shops returns for the second-consecutive season with Dillon and the No. 3 Chevrolet team. Named one of the America's premier outdoor retailers, Bass Pro Shops serves more than 75 million sportsmen a year in 39 locations across the United States and Canada.

Meet the Driver ... Dillon is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 4:30 p.m. ET at the Team Chevy stage located in the merchandise area outside of turn four at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He will also sign autographs at the UNOH display on Friday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m.

Tune In ... The 2012 Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team will be featured on SPEED Trackside Live on Friday, Feb. 22 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tune in to see what the sophomore driver is doing before the NextEra Energy Resources 250.

Dirt Trackin' ... Dillon's 2013 Speedweeks actually started on Feb. 12 at Volusia Speedway Park, where he, his brother, Austin, and RCR teammate, Brendan Gaughan raced dirt Modifieds as part of the 42nd annual DIRTCar Nationals. The 20-year-old driver fielded the No. 41 racer for Team Dillon Racing throughout the eight-day event.

Blazin' Candles ... After this weekend's season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, Dillon will celebrate his 21st birthday on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

TY DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts about the season opener at Daytona

"I'm really excited to get back behind the wheel of the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. Marcus (Richmond, crew chief) and the guys have worked really hard over the off season. We don't have a rookie stripe on our bumper anymore, and we've learned from our mistakes last season. It's time to go racing."

South Point Hotel & Casino ... Opened in December of 2005, the South Point resort was the first megaresort located south of McCarran International Airport and the Las Vegas Strip. The facility consists of a 25 story hotel tower and 90,000 square feet convention center located on a 60 acre site along Las Vegas Boulevard in Enterprise, Nevada. South Point Hotel offers a total of 2,163 rooms and 160,000 sq. ft. meeting and convention space; the largest of any hotel in Las Vegas that is not on the Strip. For more information, visitwww.southpointcasino.com or call 1-866-796-7111.

Welcome to the Team ... Alliance Coach and JoinAPS.com have joined forces with Gaughan and the No. 62 team for the 2013 season. Alliance Coach is a full service RV dealership providing a custom paint and collision center, cabinet fabrication, upholstery shop and chassis area, with technicians that are RVIA master certified, factory trained and experienced in all types of RV service. Advanced Payment Services' [APS] is a Long Island based company in New York and a registered ISO/AGENT of HSBC Bank USA, National Association, Buffalo, N.Y. that provides Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover merchant services. With national merchant accounts, APS has developed into the premier Independent Sales Organization (ISO).

Meet the Driver ... Fans will have an opportunity to meet Gaughan and other Camping World Truck Series drivers during a NASCAR autograph session on Friday, Feb. 22 beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Time at Daytona International Speedway in the Sprint FANZONE.

BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:

What are your thoughts heading into the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the season at Daytona International Speedway?

"It's time to go racing. Richard Childress Racing started the season off on the right foot with Kevin Harvick winning the Sprint Unlimited. That win has the entire organization energized for this season, and I can't wait to get back on the track. My teammate Ty Dillon and I have been picked as favorites to do well this season and I've been reunited with my former crew chief. It's going to be a great season, and I can't wait to get it started."

RCR PR

Hillman Racing and Team 7 Motorsports today announced that they will combine efforts to field the No. 27 Chevrolet for driver Jeff Agnew for the start of the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Agnew, who competed in 11 truck series races last season and has 14 total truck series starts to his credit, will take the wheel of the No. 27 Hillman Racing Silverado this weekend at Daytona in his first visit to the famed 2.5-mile speedway. The Copper Hill, Va., native will look to build upon his two Pro Cup Series championships – where he holds numerous series record including total series starts (237) and top-10 finishes (153) – as he prepares for his first full-time season of truck series competition.

“I can’t wait to get to Daytona, get strapped into the truck and add this to the list of goals and achievements in my racing career,” Agnew said. “We’re taking the Team 7 guys that have worked with me in the past and combining forces with Hillman Racing, and I think it’s going to be a potent combination.”

The 2013 season will mark Hillman Racing’s second year of competition in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but it’s the same equipment and management team that won two truck series championships in 2006 and 2010. Agnew will utilize MHR-004 in Friday’s 100-lap NCWTS race at Daytona International Speedway. Chassis MHR-004 is a proven winner on NASCAR’s two superspeedways, visiting Victory Lane on four separate occasions: Daytona (2008 & 2009); Talladega (2007 & 2008). Doug Weddle, the long-time friend and crew chief of Agnew, will work alongside Mark Hillman as the two will call the shots this weekend.

“We started talking with Jeff back in December about providing him trucks for Daytona and it progressed into an agreement where we are going to help him at the start of the season,” said team owner Mike Hillman, Sr. “Jeff has proven himself on the short tracks winning numerous championships and I believe Hillman Racing, the assets and the knowledge that we have, can help his transition to NASCAR as he takes the next step in his career.”

Hillman Racing PR

A winter test day at Sebring International Raceway was meant to be routine, the first test of the year for IZOD IndyCar Series teams as they continue preparations for the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 24.

But having A.J. Allmendinger join the group of IZOD IndyCar Series regulars was far from standard. The last time Allmendinger ran laps in an Indy car was on Oct. 21, 2006, at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

Now a veteran of six stock car seasons, Allmendinger was sitting behind the wheel of a race car much lower to the ground, attempting not to add pressure to the session but anxiously envisioning where this day would lead.

"How do you get into this thing?" Allmendinger joked with the Team Penske crew.

"Just be careful you don't break anything," replied Penske Racing president Tim Cindric. "Remember the goal is to start here and stop here."

Team owner Roger Penske and Cindric offered Allmendinger a testing opportunity with the potential for a partial season during the 19-race IZOD IndyCar Series schedule. Cindric said the April 5-7 race at Barber Motorsports Park would be a good event to enter Allmendinger, who would benefit from a March 12-13 Open Test at the road course in Birmingham, Ala. The possibility also exists for Allmendinger to race in the Indianapolis 500.

"My heart was beating fast and the first couple of runs the car was definitely driving me," said Allmendinger, who edged Justin Wilson for Champ Car Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. "I'm looking for the best opportunity. It slowly has come back to me. Everything feels real fast. A Cup car has more horsepower, but because of its weight that sensation of speed is a lot different. When you get an IndyCar on a road course, it feels like it has 1,500 horsepower."

Allmendinger, 31, of Los Gatos, Calif., was suspended by NASCAR last summer for failing a random drug test. His "B" sample also came back positive for a banned substance and he was released by Penske Racing from his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series contract. Allmendinger completed the Road to Recovery program and was reinstated in September. He is in good standings with INDYCAR.

"Will and Helio have welcomed me into their race team with open arms and I'm definitely happy to be here," he said. "I'd love for it to lead to some races, especially Indy. I'm so grateful to the organization to give me this opportunity. To what I went through last year, to have Roger ask me to come here and drive one of his race cars happy is an understatement.

"In this process, I've learned a lot about myself and how to be a better person. All I can do is take care of myself and the things you can control. Waiting (for a call to race) doesn't matter. I'm just going to be ready physically and mentally for when they do call."

Power, who competed against Allmendinger in the '06 Champ Car season, said he's already fitting in with the team.

"He's easy to get along with. When I raced him, he was very fast. That year, had he started with Forsythe, he probably would have won the championship. I'd love him as a teammate."

TESTING NOTEBOOK:

Former competitors would welcome Allmendinger back: What stands out to Justin Wilson about the multi-dimensional AJ Allmendinger?

"He's just a really fun guy to be around, easy-going and obviously fan favorite. He's quick as well and can back up all his kidding around off the track with the speed on the track," said Wilson, who has competed against and has been a teammate of Allmendinger.

The two, who most recently teamed up to co-drive a Michael Shank Racing entry to third place in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, crossed paths again as the fog was lifting at Sebring International Raceway to start a team/manufacturer test day. Both had work to attend to - Wilson in a Honda-powered Dale Coyne Racing car and Allmendinger getting his initial laps in the No. 2 Team Penske-prepared Chevrolet entry - so catching up was limited to a few pit lane pleasantries.

Wilson and Allmendinger also were teammates in Champ Car at RuSPORT during the 2005 season, in which Wilson finished third in the championship (behind titlist Sebastien Bourdais and Oriol Servia) and Allmendinger placed fifth. The previous season, Allmendinger edged out Wilson for Rookie of the Year honors.

Wilson remained at RuSPORT for 2006 and was runner-up to Bourdais in the championship. Allmendinger competed in the first four races of the season for RuSPORT, but was replaced by 2002 CART champion Cristiano da Matta. Five days later, he joined Forsythe Championship Racing and won the next three races. He earned five victories in all and placed third in the standings.

On this particular winter day, Allmendinger was examining another career option. Surrounded by familiar faces, he got reacquainted with an Indy car.

"He'll get back up to speed quickly. It's the finer details of the car that takes time," Wilson said. "I enjoy racing him and would love to do so again. I think he would bring some interest to the series."

Bourdais, a four-time Champ Car champion, who is entering his second season with Dragon Racing agrees.

"He's a tough racer," said Bourdais, who joined new teammate Sebastian Saavedra in testing Feb. 18 at Sebring. "He's fast and the records speak for themself. We had some pretty serious battles. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Maybe he'll get back full time (in the series). (If so) he's going to be running at the front with one of the best cars."

IndyCar PR

Mexican Regional musicianLupillo Rivera will perform live at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 race at Auto Club Speedway on Sunday, March 24 at 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Lupillo is expected to perform his first single of 2013 “Yo Te Extrañare” (I Will Miss You) on the Auto Club Speedway FanZone Entertainment Stage. He recorded the single in honor of his late sister, Jenni Rivera, who passed away in December.

The Rivera family came from humble beginnings. After immigrating to the United States from Mexico, Lupillo’s father Don Pedro Rivera saved enough money picking fruits at local farms and selling souvenir buttons at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles to launch the Rivera musical dynasty. Don Pedro established his own record label and as fate would have it, when a singer of a band did not show up for the recording session, Lupillo stepped in, sang and recorded his first songs.

In 2000, his single “El Moreno” was the hit song that jump started his musical career. After the success of “El Moreno,” he recorded the album titled “Despreciado,” where he covered traditional Mexican songs. “Despreciado” went multiplatinum and garnered popularity in both the United States and Mexico. Lupillo went on to win several industry awards including a Grammy Award for Best Banda Album in 2010 for “Tu Esclavo y Amo”.

ACS PR

Regan Smith, 2011 winner of the prestigious Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, aims to claim an additional NASCAR crown jewel this weekend. Smith and Phoenix Racing will team up to tackle the high banks of Daytona International Speedway in one of NASCAR's most coveted races, the Daytona 500. Smith will pilot the No. 51 Guy Roofing Chevrolet in his sixth Daytona 500 attempt.

"Daytona is one of our most special races," Smith said. "If you win the Daytona 500, your name is forever followed by 'a former Daytona 500 winner'. It's a victory that will always be a highlight of your career. Like the Southern 500, it's one of NASCAR's most historic and coveted events. It's one that everyone wants to win and say that they reached victory lane there. I am excited about working with Phoenix Racing this weekend and our chance to make history with our Guy Roofing Chevrolet."

"This race can be an emotional roller coaster," continued Smith. "Anything can happen at Daytona. There's never a dull moment. Just when you think you're safe or expecting to get a good finish, you can run into trouble and ruin your day. At the same time, you can race from the back of the pack to the front in just a few laps, so you're never out of it. You'll experience some very highs and lows during the 500 miles, that's for sure."

Smith has 10 previous Sprint Cup Series starts at the 2.5-mile historic track. He's garnered one top-10 and six top-25s, achieving a best finish of seventh place in 2011. Leading Smith's charge will be crew chief Nick Harrison. Harrison and Smith worked together for two Sprint Cup races in 2012. The duo's best finish was at Phoenix International Raceway, which Smith started eighth and finished 24^th.

Guy Roofing will make its Sprint Cup Series debut as sponsor of Smith's No. 51 Chevrolet. Guy Roofing Inc. is a family owned and operated business with a national footprint specializing in storm related roof replacements. All of their roofing specialists are experienced and trained in the insurance claim process.

"Guy Roofing is next door to our race shop, so we better give them a good race or they know where to find us," joked Steve Barkdoll, general manager of Phoenix Racing. "In all seriousness, I'm delighted to have them as a partner. NASCAR's fan loyalty and broad fan base make our sport a terrific venue for them to share their brand and message, and I look forward to racing with them this season."

The Daytona 500 will start at 1:00 on Sunday, February 24. The event will broadcast on FOX, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio.

Phoenix Racing PR

Richard Childress Racing

This Week's PEAK/Menards Chevrolet ... Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 409 for both the Budweiser Duel and Daytona 500. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS is a new addition to the Richard Childress Racing stable this season.

Stats for "The Great American Race"... Menard has 11 starts at Daytona International Speedway. His best start of first came in July 2008 and his best finish of sixth came in last year's Daytona 500. The Wisconsin native has completed 1,933 of 1,948 laps attempted at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, leading 37 of them.

PEAK Colors Adorn the Hood of No. 27 Menards Chevrolet ...PEAK's parent company, Old World Industries, LLC, headquartered outside of Chicago in Northbrook, Ill., was founded more than 30 years ago. Today, the company conducts business in more than 52 countries around the Globe and is a symbol of growth and success. Peak Performance Products provides a variety of consumer products for automotive enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.peakauto.com.

Time to Duel ... The Budweiser Duels at Daytona feature two 150-mile races to determine the final starting grid for the Daytona 500. By virtue of qualifying 14^th in last Sunday's qualifying session, Menard will start seventh in the second of the two qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 21.

Let's Get "Sirius"... Be sure to tune in to Sirius XM Radio Channel 90 at 3:15 p.m.ET on Saturday, Feb. 23. Menard will join hosts Dave Moody and Angie Skinner atop the Fan Deck at Daytona International Speedway to chat about what to expect heading into Sunday's Daytona 500.

Don't Miss Your Chance to See Paul Menard at the Chevy Q&A ... Fans can participate in a question-and-answer session with Menard on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 12:30 p.m. ET on the Team Chevy Stage, located in the merchandise area outside of Turn 4.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

Paul Menard's Strategy for the Budweiser Duels on Thursday:

"We aren't locked into the "500", so we've got to go race. After watching the Sprint Unlimited Saturday night, the cars seemed to drive pretty well, even though it was really cold out. We are going to be racing the Duels on Thursday in the daylight. I'm not sure what the temperature is going to be, but nonetheless it's going to be a little more of a handful. We've got to keep the nose clean on our PEAK/Menards Chevrolet and just go out and race hard."

Menard's Thoughts on the Daytona 500:

"There are a lot of unknowns going into the Daytona 500. We learned a little bit about how this new Gen-6 car will handle in the draft during testing in January and practice last week. I think it's going to be a handful in the draft. We will get some drivability built into the cars between now and the "500", but it's going to be a wild race. It feels a lot like the old surface before they repaved it. It has a lot less grip and the cars slide around quite a bit, but that what makes for a fun and exciting race."

This Week's Budweiser Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway ...  Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No.407 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in both the Budweiser Duel and Daytona 500. New to the fleet, this Chevrolet SS will run its first competitive laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway during Budweiser Speedweeks. 

 The Champion Returns ... When the 2007 Daytona 500 champion takes the green flag for the 55^th running of the "Great American Race", it will mark his 24^th points-paying Sprint Cup Series appearance at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Over the years, the Bakersfield, Calif., native has collected two victories (2007 Daytona 500 and July 2010), five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Harvick is also credited with 178 laps led.

Hitching a Ride... On Wednesday, Feb 20, Harvick and wife DeLana will honor Ormond Beach, Fla., Marine veterans with a home delivery of Daytona 500 tickets via the Budweiser Clydesdale hitch. Jayson and Justin Ryter, 22-year-old twin brothers, both completed four years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps and recently returned home after being honorably discharged to pursue college degrees at Daytona State College. Media interested in attending should contact Annette Randall, director of communications for Elevation Group, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Draught-ing School... While on-track at DIS, drivers focus on drafting, but on Wednesday night Harvick will learn about draught beer as he and Budweiser's own Scott Seggi host a private Budweiser Draught School event in Daytona Beach, Fla., for local retailers.

Budweiser Clydesdales... DIS fans can get a close look at the Budweiser Clydesdales, an enduring symbol of Anheuser-Busch's heritage, tradition and commitment to quality for nearly 80 years. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be stationed in the DIS midway for the remainder of Budweiser Speedweeks. In addition, the hitch, consisting of eight Clydesdales, the famous red, white and gold beer wagon, and two drivers seated next to the hitch's signature mascot Dalmation will take part in a pre-race parade lap prior to the Budweiser Duel on Thursday, Feb. 21 and the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Dueling for a Position ... Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team posted the 25th-fastest lap in Daytona 500 qualifying, earning the team a 13th-place starting spot in the first Budweiser Duel 150 race on Thursday, Feb. 21. SPEED will provide live television coverage of the twin qualifying races starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Time.

You've Got Questions, He's Got Answers ... Harvick will participate in a fan question-and-answer session prior to the start of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 9:40 a.m. ET at the Team Chevy Stage.

2012 Race Rewind ... Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet team finished seventh in the 54th running of the Daytona 500 after being delayed one day by rain and a fire that erupted as a car made contact with a jet dryer.

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

Kevin Harvick discusses the unknowns heading into the Daytona 500.

"I think you have to keep an open mind about things. You have to be ready for anything as we go through the week. Budweiser Speedweeks is always a little bit different than every other race, because the week kind of evolves from start to finish. I've been through weeks where we've wrecked anything in sight, and I've been through weeks where you've won races and been successful through the week. You have to stay calm and not get too high on the highs or too low on the lows and be ready for Sunday."

Kevin Harvick shares what he has learned about restrictor-plate racing throughout the years.

"The biggest thing is you have to try and be around at the end. We have been successful with varying strategies as we've gone through the years, especially running in the back. I think the safest place to be, especially right now, is running up front, to be able to understand the cars and you wind up with a little more experience on when to make the move. We're going to race hard, and see where we fall in the end and hopefully miss the wrecks."

No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver Mark Martin returns to Daytona International Speedway Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s Daytona Duels that set the starting field for Sunday’s running of the 55th annual Daytona 500.

Martin will start 14th in the second Duel on Thursday. It’s been a tough Speedweeks so far for the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing team. The team wrecked in Friday practice and during Saturday’s Sprint Unlimited. Martin said despite the introduction of the new Gen-6 cars this season, there are no worries about having enough cars for this week.

PLANS FOR WEEK: “We’re going to race -- we came here to race and we’re going to race. We may not race in practice on Wednesday, but we’re going to race on Thursday and continue to try to learn. I guess I’ve got 20 laps of drafting so far out of this whole thing and two cars down. We’re still going to try to learn Thursday for the 500. I’m not so much worried about where we start.”

CAR COUNT: “I think we don’t mind tearing one more up before the (Daytona) 500. But that’s something we certainly want to avoid. We are fortunate, MWR has worked really hard to have cars ready and that’s going to pay off this week.”

DAYTONA 500: “I’m not superstitious and I don't believe in lucky charms or anything like that. In fact, I avoid all that stuff. But I have noticed this is the 55th Daytona 500 and the No. 55 is a pretty cool number, don't you think?

MWR PR