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AT DAYTONA: In 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has recorded five wins, seven top-five finishes, eight top-10s and one pole position. Most recently, Earnhardt won at Daytona in June 2006 after leading 88 of the 103 laps. He has led a total of 467 laps there. His average start is 13.4, and his average finish is 11.2.
RECENT STATS: Earnhardt has high marks during the last three years at Daytona in Nationwide Series events. He ranks first in laps led (167 of 789 laps), first in fastest laps run (50) and first as the fastest driver late in a run with a speed of 182.117 mph. He also ranks fifth in driver rating (105.7).
IN THE TOP 15: Since 2005 (seven races), Earnhardt has spent more than 75 percent of all laps in Nationwide Series events at Daytona running in the top 15 for a total of 593 of 789 laps run. During the February Nationwide Series race, Earnhardt took third and spent 99 of the 120 laps (82.5 percent) in the top 15.
IN THE NATIONWIDE SERIES: In 103 career starts in the Nationwide Series, Earnhardt has won 22 times and recorded 48 top-five finishes, 66 top-10s and nine pole positions. He claimed the series championship in 1998 and 1999 and has raced in at least one event in 12 of the past 13 Nationwide Series seasons (none in 2000).
THIS SEASON: Earnhardt, who will run a total of eight races this season in the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, has two top-five finishes and five top-10s in six 2008 Nationwide Series events. Earnhardt has competed five times in the No. 5 Chevy and once in the No. 83 Chevy this season. His average start is 10.7, and his average finish is seventh. This weekend’s race at Daytona marks Earnhardt’s second event this season in the Delphi-sponsored No. 5 Chevrolet.
CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew chief Chad Walter has chosen Chassis No. 451 for Friday’s race at Daytona. Earnhardt drove the car in February in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona, starting 19th and finishing third.
LOCAL CONNECTION: Jay Nolan, 24, grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., just 93 miles from Daytona Beach. Nolan, a graduate of the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C., has worked for Hendrick Motorsports for four years and served on the 2006 crew for the No. 5 Nationwide Series car. This season, he returns to the No. 5 Chevrolet as the engine tuner. Hendrick Motorsports provides engines to the team.
UP NEXT: Rookie Landon Cassill, 18, will run his ninth race of the season for JR Motorsports on July 11, when he will pilot the No. 5 National Guard/108th Sustainment Brigade Chevrolet at Chicagoland Speedway. On July 19, Cassill will be behind the wheel again at Gateway International Raceway.
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