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Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart caught up in wrecks

Photo for Headline Surfer® / Denny Hamlin celebrates his win in Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited, kicking off Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway, which will be capped by the Daytona 500 a week from Sunday.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Denny Hamlin managed to avoid the carnage that collected some of NASCAR's big name drivers -- Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Tony Stewart -- to take the checkered flag for the Sprint Unlimited tonight under the lights at Daytona International Speedway.

NASCAR video / Headline Surfer® /

DAYTONA BEACH -- Without a doubt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. remains the most popular driver in NASCAR, and why not?

The son of racing legend Dale Earnhardt has finished second in the last two Daytona 500 races, along with a win in the big race in 2004, and he's among the drivers expected to be there when the while flag is drop to signify one lap to go a week from Sunday.

Could this be the breakout season for Earnhardt to finally get that first Spring Cup championship? Junior, of course, is always optimistic ands his chances are as good as any, especially as one of the drivers for Hendrick Motorsports.

Earnhardt is one of the drivers in tonights Sprint Unlimited race under the lights at Daytona.

Earnhardt will be among the drivers Headline Surfer® will feature during Speedweeks leading up to the Great American Race -- the Daytona 500.

DAYTONA BEACH -- In advance of the Sprint Unlimited race tonight from Daytona International Speedway, Headliner Surfer® has uploaded the 2013 race from YouTube for your viewing pleasure.

This was the first race featuring the Gen-6 cars.

Photo for Hreadline Surfer® / Recording artist loe Blacc will sing the national anthem before the gree flag is dropped for the Daytona 500.

DAYTONA BEACH – Singer, songwriter Aloe Blacc will perform the National Anthem prior to the 56th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23.

Incumbent silent on growing advertising authority controversy and her role in it

Photos for Headline Surfer® / David Machuga is shown  in front of the historic Volusia County Courthouse where he filed paperwork to run for the dis. 3 seat on the County Council against incumbent Deborah Denys in the 2014 elections. 

DAYTONA BEACH -- Citing Abraham Lincoln's "government of the people, by the people and for the people," David Machuga of New Smyrna Beach announced his candidacy today for the district 3 seat on the Volusia County Council against first-term incumbent Deborah Denys who finds herself in the midst of a media firestorm over her handling of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority.

Headline Surfer® photo by Henry Frederick /

A Port Orange cop car is shown at 6:30 p.m. near the intersectioon of Nova Road and Spruce Creek Boulevard in Port Orange as a rainstorm pelted the area.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Heavy rain pelted Central Florida with wing gusts reported as high as 50 mph plus lightning strikes, from Kissimmee in Osceola County and heading to the coastal communities.

The storm started during the evvening commute over Central Florida moving eastward over Orange, Lake and Marion counties and into Brevard, Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns Counties just before 7 p.m.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Headline Surfer® is unable to access Yahoo mail, the first time this has happened in the internet newspaper's 5 1/2 years.

The lack of accessibility began shortly after 2:30 p.m. Headline Surfer alerted its contacts on Twitter and Facebook and is doing so here as well.

Other major News in Works: NSB mayor to announce statehouse run, but ethics issues continue to dog him; latest on Waverly Media 

Headline Surfer photos / Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority Chairman Tom Clapsaddle, shown here at left, continues to make news since the politically-motivated ouster of his predecessor, Palmer Wilson, in October.

DAYTONA BEACH -- "Who's the rat?" was the mantra of Gene Sheldon, a member of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority during the holidays in asking who the source was behind leaking the free lunch credit card scandal to the media.