Qualifying: Park on pole
Steve Park claimed his second pole of the season in one of NASCAR's biggest races, beating team-mate Kevin Harvick in qualifying for this weekend's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway
The Richard Childress Racing driver was only 18th fastest in practice, but found speed when it counted, lapping the 2.5-mile super speedway in 48.714s. It is Park's first pole since he joined RCR, following his sacking from Dale Earnhardt Inc earlier this year.
Behind the RCR duo, Jeff Gordon was third fastest, ahead of Sterling Marlin. The DEI duo of Dale Earnhardt Jr and Michael Waltrip, regarded by most as the favourites for the race, were fifth and sixth quickest. The team has won eight of the past 10 races to be held at Daytona and Talledega, the two tracks at which NASCAR mandates restrictor plates.
Whilst Chevrolet drivers dominated the front of the grid, Ford continued to struggle with the restrictor plates fitted. Elliott Sadler was the fastest of the marque's cars in ninth, with Dale Jarrett its second-best representative in 16th. The Roush Racing squad struggled badly, with its best car in 30th place. Championship leader Matt Kenseth was forced to use a provisional, and will start 37th.
Compton seals McClure drive for Daytona
Pepsi 400: Biffle scores shock victory
Rockenfeller to make NASCAR debut at Watkins Glen
2010 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Mike Rockenfeller will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut this season at Watkins Glen.
NASCAR Cup Michigan: Harvick ends 65-race winless streak
A timely caution during a pitstop sequence helped Kevin Harvick snap a 65-race winless streak in the NASCAR Cup Series in Michigan.
Marco Andretti to make NASCAR debut at Charlotte Roval
Marco Andretti will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL in October.
NASCAR Cup Indianapolis: Reddick survives chaotic overtime to win
Tyler Reddick survived a wild, wreck-filled two-lap overtime to win Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his team-mate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson’s journey to the 2021 NASCAR Cup title comes straight from the Hollywood blockbuster scripts. While Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines for both the right and the wrong reasons
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup Series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes