NASCAR Cup Series

More to Daytona 500 than just Bayne

Published Feb. 22, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

We all know who won at Daytona, but there are still plenty of stories to tell before we move on to Phoenix International Raceway for this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tilt:

McMurray forced to settle

Jamie McMurray looked like he might start the 2011 season exactly the way he started the year in 2010 — celebrating a Daytona 500 win in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

He and his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team were strong throughout the Daytona activities, and McMurray seemed to adjust quickly to the two-car tandems now needed to make up ground racing at Daytona. He worked well with teammate Juan Pablo Montoya throughout the season-opening Sprint Cup Series race and appeared to be working on making his car better and challenging for the win.

But late in the race, he found himself battling an engine issue and falling off his hot pace.

With eight laps to go, he fell back a lap from the leaders, and he had to settle for an 18th-place finish after leading three times for 11 laps.

Elliott still packs a punch

Bill Elliott had an unusual Daytona 500.

The 55-year-old driver debuted with Phoenix Racing, the team he’ll compete with on a part-time schedule with this season, and watched his former team go out and win the Daytona 500 with 20-year-old rookie Trevor Bayne.

Elliott looked to be in old form at Daytona, though, working with various drivers in the two-car tandems now needed as drivers try to contend on the restrictor-plate track. He surged into the top 10 late in the race, then settled for 11th after a pair of green-white-checkered attempts for the win.

That’s his best finish since June 17, 2007, when he also finished 11th at Michigan International Speedway.

Menard to keep 'chipping along'

Paul Menard joined Richard Childress Racing this season and was optimistic that his Sprint Cup career would take a step in the right direction.

In the season-opener, things looked good for him and his Richard “Slugger” Labbe team. Menard finished ninth at Daytona International Speedway for his ninth career top-10 finish.

Prior to his run, Menard talked about the importance of a strong start to the season — and just what a solid Daytona outing could mean for the team.

“If we run good here, it just starts the season much better,” he said. “We’re here for two weeks, so by the time you get to the race, it is a relief.

“Obviously, you have to start the season strong. Daytona pays as much points as Phoenix does next week and Vegas, so we will just keep chipping along.”

Menard is eighth in the series standings (race winner Trevor Bayne is chasing the Nationwide Series title and, therefore, not in the Cup standings) heading into the year’s second race.

Gilliland steps up his game

David Gilliland finished the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season 32rd in the standings after spending the year battling for a berth in the top 35 in owners points.

He started the 2011 season with a third-place finish in the Daytona 500.

For his Front Row Motorsports team, this was quite a climb.

Gilliland’s top Cup finish last year was 19th, which he earned at Martinsville Speedway and Infineon Raceway. He has four career top-10 finishes to his credit, two of them top fives. His career-best finish is second at Infineon Raceway in 2008.

After the race, he was obviously pleased with the run and the solid start to the new year.

“I don't think I finished the last three or four restrictor-plate races we've ran just running good,” Gilliland said. “Knew we needed to be there at the end. Everybody at Front Row Motorsports did a good job of giving us a good race car, and we knew that. Had to preserve it to the end.”

Gilliland ranked this performance high on his list of personal moments. The 34-year-old won in his seventh career Nationwide Series start while driving for the part-time Clay Andrews-owned effort in 2006. He related the two performances.

“It's right up there,” he said. “Without the first win, I wouldn't be here to win third. Real excited. I finished second at Infineon. I think this tops that. It's Daytona. Just really proud of our team. In the media day . . . I told a bunch of the people you can look for Front Row Motorsports to be the most improved team from last year.

“We stepped up our motor program to run the (new Ford) FR-9 motor. (Team owner) Bob Jenkins bought a bunch of motors from RPM. It's taken us 10 steps ahead on the competition side. I'm proud to have weathered the storm last year and now have a top-three finish at Daytona for not only myself, but Bob Jenkins. He does this deal out of his pockets. To come and do that and be here with the success is something to be proud of.”