NASCAR

EL CAJON, Calif. (AP) -- Ready to thrill a few hundred school kids, Jimmie Johnson hopped into a replica of his No. 48 car to fire up the engine.

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Daytona International Speedway will have shrunk by 46,000 seats and eliminated the backstretch grandstands when it completes a three-year, $370 million to $400 million renovation set to begin after the July 6 Sprint Cup race in Daytona Beach, Fla.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- After months of excitedly showing off artist renderings and offering architectural explanations, Daytona International Speedway announced Tuesday it's ready to break ground on the track's historical redevelopment project.

As the only driver pulling double duty across half the country this weekend, Brian Vickers is well aware of the special challenges ahead. Still, he's more aware of some challenges than others.

Greg Biffle’s win of the Quicken Loans 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., on Sunday not only marked the driver’s first win of the season and the 13th Cup-level victory at MIS for Roush Fenway Racing, it was the 1,000 victory for Ford across the three national levels of NASCAR — Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck. “Here we are in the summer of 2013 celebrating Henry Ford’s 150th birthday, and in the same year, we’re celebrating our 1,000th win in NASCAR,” Ford Racing Director Jamie Allison said. “We all know how Ford Motor Company started, and I think reaching this milestone really honors the spirit of what Henry Ford started.” Trevor Bayne claimed NASCAR win 999 just a week prior in the Pioneer 250 Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. Bayne’s Iowa win also marked the 200th win for Ford, specifically, in the Nationwide Series. The win total includes 100 from Lincoln-Mercury and 900 from various Ford models including the current model, Fusion, and others like Taurus and Thunderbird. A Lincoln took the the checkered flag in the first NASCAR-sanctioned top-tier NASCAR race in June 19, 1949, in Charlotte, N.C. It was driven by Jim Roper. The first victory for the Ford brand came in 1950, courtesy of Jimmy Florian at Dayton (Ohio) Speedway. In addition to 1,000 race wins, Ford has also recorded 20 manufacturer’s championships and 13 driver’s championships across the three national divisions. Of the 1,000 victories, 715 were claimed at the Sprint Cup level, 200 in the Nationwide Series and another 85 in the Camping World Truck Series. In all, 124 drivers have won NASCAR national events from behind the wheels of Ford Motor Compnay entries. That driver list includes such names as Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Ned Jarrett and David Pearson. Mark Martin has claimed the most race wins for Ford with 89, including 35 at the Cup level, 47 in the Nationwide Series and seven in the Truck Series. Second on the list is David Pearson with 73, all comping at the Cup level. “I’m sure if my great-grandfather was alive today, he would be extremely proud of our racing program’s accomplishments,” Edsel Ford said. “We’ve come a long way since 1901 and still have more to achieve, but winning 1,000 races at NASCAR’s highest level is something we can all take great pride in.” – Photo courtesy of Ford Racing Follow Stock Car Spin on Twitter @SCSblog or like Stock Car Spin on Facebook. Amanda’s also on Twitter @NASCARexaminer and has a fan/like page on Facebook: NASCAR Examiner

If the same situation arose again, Greg Biffle would handle it the same way he did Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. In his view, there's simply no other alternative.

NASCAR driver Mike Harmon answered arrest warrants Monday, turning himself in to authorities in Shelby, N.C.

Greg Biffle didn't read too much into Carl Edwards saying "he ain't our teammate" during Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Michigan.

For most of us, the only seat we care about is the one we bought to sit in at the race track, watching NASCAR's stars and cars on a Sunday afternoon -- or Saturday night, now that it's summertime.