Word is that NASCAR might increase the minimum age for Sprint Cup drivers soon. That could impact several drivers, most notably Joey Logano, a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing. Logano turns 18 this season and will make his Nationwide Series debut shortly after that. If he has success, he likely could make his first Cup start next year (when he's 19) or the year after. A NASCAR rule change could keep him in the Nationwide Series for three years.

Also, Sports Business Journal recently took a look at polticial contributions among sports folks.

Among those in NASCAR who have made contributions:

Rick Hendrick has given $2,000 to John Edwards. Hendrick also has given $4,600 to Rudy Giuliani, who attended about three Cup races last year. Giuliani also received $4,600 (the maximum for individuals to contribute to a political campaign) each from NASCAR Chairman Brian France, along with NASCAR executives Jim France, Mike Helton and Jim Hunter. Also contributing $4,600 was Richard Childress. Car owner Roger Penske contributed $2,300, the same of a few other NASCAR executives.

Jeff Moorad, an executive of the Arizona Diamondbacks and owner of Hall of Fame Racing, gave $2,300 to Mitt Romney and John McCain.

Of the nearly $100,000 contributed by those in NASCAR, Sports Business Journal found that 82 percent of contributions went to Republican candidates. The rest to Democrats. Sports Business Journal looked at the contributions of those in the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NHL. No other league gave as much to Republicans as NASCAR (NFL was second at 59 percent).

Also, Dodge plans to phase in its new engine during the upcoming Sprint Cup season.

ONE LAST THING: February's Daytona 500 will mark the 50th running of that storied race, a race that Richard Petty won seven times, Dale Earnhardt once. Where Derrike Cope shockingly won in 1990 and Mario Andretti beat the stock-car crowd in 1967. Of course, there was the fight in 1979. And the finish in 1976. Other endings have been as memorable from that 1959 race that wasn't determined until days later to last year's chaotic finish still debated by some on when the yellow should have come out.

There's a lot of history to tell it and I'm sure some of you have been a part of it.

I'd like to hear from fans who have attended anywhere from one to all 49 Daytona 500s and briefly hear some of the unique stories or experiences that stand out about some of those races for you.

This would be for a possible story that would run around the Daytona 500.

You can either leave your stories here or e-mail them to me at dustin_long@news-record.com or dustin.long@news-record.com.

Please include:

Your name City and state phone number and e-mail address.

Thanks for your help. If you know of someone who has been to several 500s or has several stories to tell, please alert them to this and have them contact me.

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