Bill Elliott
Denny Hamlin wins the second stage ahead of Kevin Harvick during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Hamlin finishes 5th in bid for 3rd straight Daytona 500 win

By Dan Gelston Feb. 15, 2021 01:46 AM EST

Austin Dillon, left, talks with car owner Richard Childress on pit road before the start of the second of two qualifying NASCAR auto races for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Denny Hamlin seeks historic 3rd straight Daytona 500 victory

By Jenna Fryer Feb. 12, 2021 05:26 PM EST

Austin Dillon (3) takes the checkered flag to win the second NASCAR Daytona 500 duel qualifying auto race Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Drivers competing in the 2021 Daytona 500

By The Associated Press Feb. 12, 2021 01:38 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2001, file photo, Dale Earnhardt waves to fans during race introduction before the start of the Daytona 500 auto race at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Earnhardt, the greatest stock car star of his era, was killed in a crash on the last turn of the last lap of the race that day as he tried to protect Michael Waltrip's victory (AP Photo/Russell Williams, File)
AP Was There: Earnhardt killed in 2001 Daytona 500 crash

By The Associated Press Feb. 11, 2021 04:31 PM EST

Chase Elliott, right, talks with a crew member in his garage during a NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race practice session at Daytona International Speedway, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Chasing a repeat: Elliott out for 2nd straight NASCAR title

By Jenna Fryer Feb. 10, 2021 03:25 PM EST

FILE - Derrike Cope looks over pit road before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C., in this Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018, file photo. Cope is best known for winning the 1990 Daytona 500. At 62, Cope is back to give the Daytona 500 another try. ( AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Age-old question: Can 62-year-old Cope win again at Daytona?

By Dan Gelston Feb. 09, 2021 01:46 PM EST

From left to right, Chase Elliot, Pipo Derani, Mike Conway and Felipe Nasr celebrate in Victory Lane after winning a qualifying race for the Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in Daytona Beach, Fla. The No. 31 Wheelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi will have the pole position for the Rolex 24 hour race. (AP Photo/David Graham)
Column: Elliott and Johnson seek depth by dabbling at Rolex

By Jenna Fryer Jan. 25, 2021 06:14 PM EST

Jimmie Johnson (48) pulls up next to Chase Elliott (9) in Turn 4 following Elliott's season championship victory in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Column: NASCAR closes stabilized, and energized by Elliott

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 09, 2020 01:45 PM EST

Chase Elliott celebrates at the finish line after winning the season championship and a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Elliott drives from back of the field to first NASCAR title

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 08, 2020 03:36 PM EST

FILE- In this June 30, 2016, file photo, Brad Keselowski, left, and Joey Logano talk in their garage during NASCAR Sprint Cup auto racing practice at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Denny Hamlin will be racing for the Cup against Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, as well as Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Denny Hamlin faces tough field for elusive 1st NASCAR title

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 07, 2020 01:47 PM EST

Grant Enfinger makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix

Nov. 06, 2020 09:05 PM EST

Chase Elliott (9) drives during final laps during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Nov.1, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.)
Elliott races into NASCAR championship; Harvick eliminated

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 01, 2020 06:21 PM EST

Bubba Wallace (43) and Chase Elliott (9) drive during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Hamlin wins in 3rd overtime of Talladega's longest race

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 04, 2020 07:46 PM EDT

A plane pulls a Confederate battle flag over Bristol Motor Speedway before the NASCAR All-Star auto race in Bristol, Tenn, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Elliott joins his father as winner of NASCAR's All-Star race

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 15, 2020 08:19 PM EDT

FILE - In this April 5, 2006, file photo, NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, left, Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning, center, and Harold Brasington Jr. look out over Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. Brasington Jr.'s father was the track builder. The 70-year-old raceway will host the return of NASCAR Cup Series racing, among the biggest events so far as sports makes a halting comeback from a global shutdown forced by the coronavirus pandemic. (John D. Russell/The Morning News via AP, File)
NASCAR's return latest chapter in Darlington's rich legacy

By Pete Iacobelli May. 15, 2020 02:02 PM EDT

AP Sportlight

By The Associated Press May. 14, 2020 11:18 AM EDT
May 20 1900 — The second modern Olympic Games open in Paris. 1919 — Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox wins a game on the...

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2009, file photo, former NASCAR driver and owner Junior Johnson smiles as he speaks to media about being named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame during a news conference at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Johnson, who won 50 NASCAR Cup Series races as a driver and 132 as an owner and was part of the inaugural class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010, has died at 88. (AP Photo/Bob Jordan, File)
Junior Johnson, "The Last American Hero," dies at 88

Jenna Fryer Dec. 20, 2019 07:04 PM EST

NASCAR driver Chase Elliott, left, is interviewed after being named the most popular driver at the NASCAR Cup Series Awards Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Chase Elliott gets 2nd most popular NASCAR driver award

Jenna Fryer Dec. 05, 2019 08:28 PM EST

Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
NASCAR’s final 4 in fun mode ahead of championship race

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 14, 2019 03:54 PM EST

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Jimmie Johnson's long, hard road to keep playoff run alive

By Pete Iacobelli Aug. 31, 2019 03:59 PM EDT