(NewsUSA) - Every year, NASCAR fans patiently wait for the Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Fla. to see gutsy drivers and unpredictable racing. This year's 55th anniversary will prove even more surprising with the debut of the Sprint Cup Series Generation-6 race car, replacing the boxy model that's been racing since 2007, and ignite new, fierce competition from veterans and rookies alike.
Receiving heavy attention is Daytona's defending champion, Matt Kenseth, who will be driving the new Dollar General No. 20 Toyota Camry as part of the Joe Gibbs Racing team. NASCAR fans are also excited to see traditional favorites, including Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tony Stewart as excitement builds over newer stars, like Danica Patrick, who posted some of the fastest speeds during preseason test runs.
kAm{:<6 z6?D6E9VD A66CD[ 96VD :? 7@C D@>6 F?46CE2:?EJ] %96 v6?\e :D DFAA@D65 E@ 92G6 6?92?465 D276EJ 762EFC6D 27E6C EH@ J62CD @7 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 96=A 7C@> }p$p] r=@D6=J C6D6>3=:?8 2 DEC66E42C[ :E 762EFC6D 5C:G6CDV =2DE ?2>6D @? E96 7C@?E H:?5D9:6=5[ 3FE DA64F=2E:@? D2JD E96 72DE6C 42C >2J =625 E@ F?AC65:4E23=6 C24:?8 H9:=6 5C:G6CD 25;FDE E@ E96 ?6H 92?5=:?8 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am
kAmx? 2? 62C=J AC65:4E:@? @7 s2JE@?2VD @FE4@>6[ q=62496C #6A@CE 72G@CD G6ED =:<6 z6?D6E9[ v@C5@?[ t2C?92C5E yC] @C $E6H2CE[ 2DDF>:?8 E96J 25;FDE H6== E@ E96 v6?\e 42C]k^Am
kAm#682C5=6DD @7 E96 H:??6C[ s@==2C v6?6C2= 6IA64ED E96 s2JE@?2 d__ E@ 3@@DE :?E6C6DE :? }p$rp# 2?5 :?G:8@C2E6 72?D[ H9:49 :D C67=64E:G6 @7 :ED :?4C62D65 DA@?D@CD9:A :? E96 a_`b $AC:?E rFA $6C:6D] %96 4@F?ECJVD =2C86DE D>2==\3@I C6E2:=6C H:== 2=D@ 4@?E:?F6 :ED 7F==\D62D@? DA@?D@CD9:A @7 qC:2? ':4<6CD :? E96 }2E:@?H:56 $6C:6D] q6EH66? E96 25G2?E286D @7 D@4:2= >65:2 2?5 E96 2?E:4:A2E65 AC6>:6C6[ 3@E9 2EE6?52?46 2?5 G:6H6CD9:A >2J D@2C] %9:D >62?D @?=J 8@@5 E9:?8D 7@C DA@?D@CD =:<6 s@==2C v6?6C2=]k^Am
kAm%9:D J62C[ s@==2C v6?6C2= :D 2=D@ 8@:?8 E96 6IEC2 >:=6 E@ 96=A 4FDE@>6CD 2?5 G:6H6CD] (96? E96 s@==2C v6?6C2= 42C H:?D H:E9 6:E96C z6?D6E9 @C ':4<6CD 2E E96 H966=[ 4FDE@>6CD H9@ D9@A @?=:?6 H:E9 s@==2C v6?6C2= H:== C646:G6 2? 255:E:@?2= a_ A6C46?E @77 E96:C 6G6CJ52J =@H AC:46[ @C[ :7 E96 s@==2C v6?6C2= 42CD 92G6 2 E@A\`_ 7:?:D9[ 4FDE@>6CD H:== 6?;@J `_ A6C46?E D2G:?8D @?=:?6] s:D4@F?ED 2C6 @?=J 2G2:=23=6 E96 |@?52J 27E6C E96 C246[ @?=J 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]5@==2C86?6C2=]4@>QmHHH]5@==2C86?6C2=]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAm!=FD[ s@==2C v6?6C2= :D 2 G6C:E23=6 @?6\DE@A D9@A 7@C 2== C24:?8 ?665D] uC@> D?24<D 2?5 A=2E6D[ E@ 366C 2?5 H:?6[ sv H:== 4@>A=6E6 J@FC s2JE@?2 6IA6C:6?46[ 2?5 H:E9 @G6C `_[___ 4@?G6?:6?E =@42E:@?D[ E96C6VD DFC6 E@ 36 @?6 4=@D6]k^Am