Sports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- County music star Martina NcBride will sing the National Anthem for today's 53rd running of the Daytona 500. She'll also return to Daytona International Speedway to perform a 60-minute pre-race concert prior to the 53rd annual Coke Zero 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday night, July 2, DIS officials announced this morning.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Just hours before the start of today's Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III announced that the 2012 race will be held a week later on Sunday, Feb. 26.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR / Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. spin in the grass after an incident during Daytona 500 practice Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Dale Earnhardt Jr, wrecked his car in practice today at Daytona International Speedway, and in doing so, knocked himself off the pole for Sunday's Daytona 500.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Courtesy photo / "Junior" has the pole ahead of 23 other drivers tonight for the Bud Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Perhaps the getting the pole for tonight's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway in a blind draw is an omen of good things to come for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Courtesy photo / Saturday night's Bud Shootout goes Hollywood with Actress Amber Heard serving as grand marshal.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Hollywood actress Amber Heard will serve as the grand marshal for the 33rd annual Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night -- the star-studded non-points NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event that kicks off the stock car portion of Speedweeks 2011 at Daytona International Speedway.

NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net

Courtesy photo / Scott Pruett and fellow Daytona Prototype champion Memo Rojas joined team newcomers Joey Hand and Graham Rahal in the No. 01 TELMEX/Target BMW/Riley, to take the checkered flag Sunday in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

DAYTONA BEACH -- It may be two trips around the clock, but it took as last-lap sprint for Scott Pruett to take theckered flag to win the Rolex 24 today at Daytona International Speedway.

VolusiaNews.net and NSBNEWS.net provide 24/7 online-media coverage for a 21st-century world

Photo courtesy of Grand-Am Road Racing / The 02 of Chip Ganassi Racing was chasing down the 01 sister car with less than two hours to go this afternoon in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The 2011 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Cask No. 16 is winding down this afternoon with 01 BMW Riley of Chip Ganassi Racing out front with the sister 02 car right behind with two hours to go.

For the first time since 2004, the race was delayed for 2 hours and 47 minutes this morning because of thick fog over the track.

VolusiaNews.net and NSBNEWS.net provide 24/7 online-media coverage for a 21st-century world

Photos by Jerry Markland/Getty Images /  NASCAR President Mike Helton speaks to the media Friday about the upcoming NASCAR seaon at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. During the Preseason Thunder Test on Friday at Daytona teammates Kasey Kahne (No. 4) and Brian Vickers (No. 83) and Jimmie Johnson (No. 48) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88) practice drafting.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Momentum is gaining in NASCAR for established Sprint Cup drivers like Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart who double up on the Nationide circuit to choose one or the other to challenge for a championship, but not both.

It was a hot topic at the track Friday, even hotter han the morning jet driers beating back moisture from overnight storms. Testing was still the order of the day Friday, especially in the afternoon, the second of three days in preparation for next month's Daytona 500.

NSBNEWS.net and VolusiaNews.net provide 24/7 online-media coverage for a 21st-century world

YouTube video of the crash-marred final lap of the 2010 Bud Shootout at Daytona won by Kevin Harvick.

DAYTONA BEACH -- The field for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona will feature former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions, the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field, a host of former outstanding rookies and a collection of previous winners at the "World Center of Racing." Adding to the drama of the 33rd annual season-opening event, this field of drivers will compete for the first time on Daytona's new asphalt.