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Dustin Long

From Daytona to California, Dustin Long covers the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Read all of his stories on PilotOnline.com's Auto Racing channel. He also writes a regular column for SportsIllustrated.com. Follow him on Twitter.

It's finally here! NASCAR season about to start

For those who are aching for the season to get started, just know you're not far away. Heck, you could start counting down the time until cars are on the track in hours not days.

 

So, for all those excited about the upcoming season, here's the Daytona International Speedway schedule to get you fired up and so you can plan your upcoming days accordingly. I've also added TV networks covering on-track activities.

 

Of course, to keep up with things at the track, by checking back to this blog and catching me on twitter. I'll be down in Daytona for all of it.

 

TUESDAY, Feb. 2

ARCA haulers arrive (no on-track activity)

 

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3

ARCA inspection (no on-track activity)

 

THURSDAY, Feb. 4

Media Day

9:30 a.m. -- Cup haulers enter garage

10:30 a.m. -- ARCA Rookie meeting (Danica and company)

11 a.m. -- Cup garage opens (inspection begins for Budweiser Shootout cars)

Noon - 4:50 p.m. -- ARCA PRACTICE

5-5:45 p.m. -- CUP: BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT PRACTICE 1 (SPEED CHANNEL)

6:30-7:30 p.m. -- CUP: FINAL BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT PRACTICE (SPEED CHANNEL)

9 p.m. -- CUP: Budweiser Shootout Selection show -- starting lineup determined (SPEED CHANNEL)

 

FRIDAY, Feb. 5

6 a.m. -- ARCA and Cup garges open (inspection begins for Daytona 500 cars)

11 a.m. -- ARCA Qualifying

1 p.m. -- Cup rookie meeting

2:10 - 3:30 p.m. -- CUP PRACTICE 1 (SPEED CHANNEL)

4 - 5:30 p.m. -- CUP PRACTICE 2 (SPEED CHANNEL)

 

SATURDAY, Feb. 6

7 a.m. -- Cup garage opens

10 a.m. -- ARCA garage opens

1:05 p.m. -- CUP QUALIFYING FOR DAYTONA 500 (sets front row for 500 only and field for qualifying races later in week) (FOX)

2:30 p.m. -- ARCA driver meeting

4:30 p.m. -- ARCA race (SPEED CHANNEL)

6:30 p.m. -- Cup driver  meeting for Budweiser Shootout

7:50 p.m. -- Cup Budweiser Shootout driver introductions

8:10 p.m. -- CUP: BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT (FOX)

 

SUNDAY, Feb. 7

No track activity

 

MONDAY, Feb. 8

No track activity

 

TUESDAY, Feb. 9

3 p.m. -- Truck series haulers enter garage (no on-track activity)

5 p.m. -- Nationwide series haulers enter garge (no on-track activity)

 

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10

6 a.m. -- Nationwide garage opens

7 a.m. -- Truck garage opens

8 a.m. -- CUP garage opens

Noon - 1:30 p.m. -- CUP PRACTICE SESSION (SPEED CHANNEL)

2 - 2:50 p.m. -- CUP PRACTICE (final practice before Gatorade 150 qualifying races) (SPEED CHANNEL)

3 - 5 p.m. -- Nationwide practice (ESPN2)

6 - 7:30 p.m. -- Truck series practice (SPEED CHANNEL)

 

THURSDAY, Feb. 11

7 a.m. -- Cup garage opens

7:30 a.m. -- Truck series garage opens

9 - 11 a.m. -- Truck series final practice

10 a.m. -- Nationwide garage opens

11:15 a.m. -- CUP driver/crew chief meeting

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- Nationwide practice (ESPN2)

1:40 p.m. -- CUP driver intros for Gatorade 150 qualifying races

2 p.m. -- CUP: First of 2 Gatorade 150-mile qualfying races (sets rest of the field behind Row 1 for Daytona 500) (SPEED CHANNEL)

6:10 p.m. -- Truck series qualifying (SPEED CHANNEL)

 

FRIDAY, Feb. 12

7:30 a.m. -- Nationwide garage opens

8 a.m. -- Cup garage opens

1:40 - 2:40 p.m. -- CUP PRACTICE (SPEED CHANNEL)

3:10 p.m.. -- Nationwide qualifying (ESPN2)

3:30 p.m. -- Truck series garage opens

8 p.m. -- Truck series race (SPEED CHANNEL)

 

SATURDAY, Feb. 13

8:30 a.m. -- Nationwide garage opens

9 a.m. -- CUP garage opens

10 a.m. -- Nationwide driver/crew chief meeting

10:30 - 11:55 a.m. -- CUP: Final practice before Daytona 500 (SPEED CHANNEL)

12:45 p.m. -- Nationwide driver introductions

1:15 p.m. -- Nationwide race (ESPN2)

 

SUNDAY, Feb. 14

7 a.m. -- Cup garage opens

11 a.m. -- Cup driver/crew chief meeting

12:15 p.m. -- Cup driver intorductions

1 p.m. -- THE WAIT IS OVER -- THE DAYTONA 500 (FOX)

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TV Coverage

I'm looking forward to this year's NASCAR events, but hope the TV crews do a little better job than last year. I also watch the 16 hours of coverage this past weekend (I actually only had it on about 12 hours) and noticed something. It may just be me, but I thought the telecast was better than the recent Cup telecasts. It seemed more like the old days on ESPN, which I think are better than their currect productions. Perhaps it's because they didn't have as much color commentary, or maybe it's because they didn't try to dumb it down as much as our current TV broadcasts do. Not once did I see a "cut-away" car! For a 24 hour race with often long stretches of no action, I think they did a very good job.

nice!

Wow! Awesome! Thanks, Dustin. I bookmarked the page to my toolbar. Yes indeed. It will not be long now and, I am so ready, lol! Yesterday, I was watching some sport cars race at Daytona out of desperation. Egads! Can't wait!!! My Aunt Eunice in KY will be very happy too. She is a huge NASCAR fan.

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