FEBRUARY 24, 2016

(Photo by John Harrelson/LAT Photo ©2016, courtesy of Toyota Racing))
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx Express Toyota Camry) edges Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Tracker Boats/Furniture Row Toyota Camry) for the win in the Daytona 500 on Sunday. Hamlin streaked toward the front on the high side while Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Dollar General Toyota Camry) who was leading, tried to block him. After going sideways and almost taking out the front of the field, Kenseth gathered it up but it was too late. It was a photo finish between Hamlin and Truex Jr., with Hamlin getting the biggest win of his career. "I had no anticipations of winning this race on the white flag lap," Hamlin told the press after the race. "I didn't know we had won. I knew it was close. I saw the pylon change and blink at the last second with the 11. I heard people on the radio crazy and excited and assumed we won at that point. If not, I was going to be pissed," he added smiling. Carl Edwards (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Arris Toyota Camry) finished third and Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS), who had the fastest car at the end, came in fourth. Editor-In-Chief's Note: Yes, it was a great finish, but it didn't mask the fact that restrictor-plate racing is total bullshit, a stupid game of Russian Roulette played out at 200 mph. Disagree? Why don't you ask Chris Buescher how he feels today? The photo finish is great and all everyone is talking about, but the reality is that NASCAR dodged another bullet yet again with its pack racing stupidity. -PMD You can watch a NASCAR video here.

(Photo by John Harrelson/LAT Photo USA ©2016, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Denny Hamlin celebrates his victory in the Daytona 500 - the biggest win of his career by far - in Victory Lane. 

(Photo by Logan Whitton/LAT Photo USA ©2016, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Carl Edwards (No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Arris Toyota Camry), Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Hendrick Motorsports Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS) and Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Miller Lite Ford Fusion) go at it on the high banks of Daytona.

 (Photo by Logan Whitton/LAT Photo USA ©2016, courtesy of Toyota Racing)
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing FedEx Express Toyota Camry), Martin Truex Jr. (No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota Camry), Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion), Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing M&M's 75 Toyota Camry) and Kurt Busch (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS) during the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Toyota. Editor-In-Chief's Note: Well, well, well, it seems that Toyota has the upper hand in NASCAR. Joe Gibbs Racing was the class of the field at the end of the 2015 season, with Kyle Busch winning the Sprint Cup title, and now JGR has picked up right where it left off, winning the season opening Daytona 500. The Chevys were fast in qualifying but got swarmed by the Toyotas during the race, and the Fords just simply weren't fast enough to be a factor. How long before the Chevy and Ford camps start whining to NASCAR? We'll see what happens at Atlanta but this being NASCAR and all, I'm betting about five minutes from now. -PMD




David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development. Editor-In-Chief's Note: In the giddiness of Victory Lane after his brand won the Daytona 500, Wilson understandably praised Toyota's victory in "the single biggest race in our company's history." He should have stopped there. Instead he went on to say that, “This is the greatest race in America. For our company to have won it makes it that special.” Really? The greatest race in America? Please. I don't care if they run the Daytona 500 another 100 times, it will never be "the greatest race in America." That distinction is owned by the Indianapolis 500 lock, stock and barrel. It isn't even close, in fact. Coincidentally enough, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is celebrating the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 this coming May. The Indianapolis 500 is simply the greatest single motor race in the world and that includes America, the last time I checked. People do strange things when a microphone is shoved in their face, but Wilson's comment was inexcusable. -PMD

Stewart-Haas Racing. SHR is switching to Ford beginning with the 2017 NASCAR season. What does it mean? It means that Ford - with Penske Racing, the Wood Brothers and now SHR - is moving forward - and away - from Roush Fenway Racing. Jack Roush's star is clearly fading in NASCAR.

(Audi Sport)
With the season opener at Hockenheim on May 7th, Audi (above) and BMW are two of the manufacturers in pre-season testing for the annual slug-fest called the DTM championship. BMW factory driver Marco Wittmann is shown with his Red Bull BMW M4 DTM (below).

(BMW Motorsport)

(Harold Hinson Photography)
To coincide with the 100^th running of the Indianapolis 500, Pennzoil celebrated Team Penske’s 50^th anniversary of racing history with the opening of the “Team Penske 50^th Anniversary Exhibit” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The museum display opened February 19th marking the 100-day countdown to the 100^th running of the Indianapolis 500, taking place Sunday, May 29^th. “We are thrilled to be part of such a historic milestone for Roger Penske and all of Team Penske. It’s humbling for Pennzoil to witness winning traditions half a century in the making,” said Rusty Barron, Vice President of Marketing, Shell Lubricants Americas. The Team Penske Exhibit will put a spotlight on 50 years of racing history, tradition and heritage with an amazing 22-car collection at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The exhibit will feature an extensive lineup of Indy cars, stock cars, Formula 1 and sports cars accompanied by an array of memorabilia and trophies. The collection of Indianapolis 500 winning cars starts with Mark Donohue’s 1972 car along with winning cars from legends such as Rick Mears, Bobby Unser, Danny Sullivan, Al Unser, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr., Helio Castroneves, Gil de Ferran and Sam Hornish Jr. "It’s truly an honor for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and Pennzoil to showcase all of the hard work, dedication and winning momentum from everyone at Team Penske from over the past 50 years,” said Roger Penske. "The museum is a true testament to the heritage this team embodies and we’re most excited to be able to share this with our racing fans.”
(IMS Photo)
Former Team Penske great Rick Mears was on hand to help Helio Castroneves unveil his paint scheme for the 100^th running of the Indy 500. The No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet will be sporting the iconic Pennzoil Yellow Submarine paint scheme, the same graphic treatment that Rick Mears so memorably drove to victory at the Indy 500 in 1984 and again in 1988.
(IMS Photo)

Editor's Note: Watch the latest episodes of AutoextremistTV on YouTube here (note that this week's episode is in two parts #12 & #13) -WG