Tryson comes to Front Row Motorsports with more than 15 years of experience atop the pit box and race-winning credentials, earning victories with drivers Kurt Busch, Elliott Sadler and Mark Martin. He most recently worked for Michael Waltrip Racing, where he served in crew-chief and consultant roles.

“We made some pretty big changes this off-season to really take this team to the next level, and adding Pat is just one more critical piece that we’ve put in place for our 2012 season,” said team general manager Jerry Freeze. “With Jay Guy on the No. 34 car and Derrick returning full-time to the competition director role, the depth and experience of our leadership team is better than it’s ever been before.”

Tryson has worked with some of the sport’s best organizations and drivers over the years. This season will be his first time working with Gilliland, but he is ready to step in and help the team.

“I like what this team has done in the last few years, doing the right things and making the right changes to get better every season,” said Tryson. “Gilliland’s a competitive driver – he’s got the fire in his belly – and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Gilliland, who scored a season-best third in last year’s Daytona 500, is ready to hit the track next week in Daytona Beach with Tryson running the No. 38 program.

“He’s a great ‘get’ for this team,” said Gilliland. “There’s just so much that he brings to the table with all his experience. I can’t wait to get started.”

The alliance guarantees a starting spot for Patrick in her Sprint Cup debut – the 54th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

TBR’s No. 36 car, which finished the 2011 season 33rd in points, becomes the No. 10 for 2012. For the 26 races where Patrick is not scheduled to drive, David Reutimann will pilot the No. 10 car. TBR has sponsorship inventory available for these 26 races.

“Tommy Baldwin Racing has proven to be a very strong organization and it’s a good fit with Stewart-Haas Racing,” said Matt Borland, vice president of competition, SHR. “It’s a Chevrolet team led by a racer who knows every inch of a racecar. That kind of technical expertise, along with a company mindset that is similar to ours, provides the ideal environment for Danica to learn and succeed.”

TBR was formed in 2009 and has matured from a single-car team to one that in 2012 will field two Sprint Cup entries and a NASCAR Nationwide Series entry. TBR is owned by Tommy Baldwin, who as a crew chief secured five victories, including the 2002 Daytona 500 with driver Ward Burton.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve established at Tommy Baldwin Racing, and the opportunity to partner with Stewart-Haas Racing and aid in the development of Danica Patrick is a testament to all the hard work we’ve put in over the years,” Baldwin said. “Danica will have a great teammate in Dave Blaney, who has been instrumental in getting our race team to where it is today. And with David Reutimann driving the No. 10 car in the races where Danica is not, the team will remain in a strong and competitive position throughout the year.”

The agreement means TBR will also work with GoDaddy.com, the world’s largest Web hosting provider and Patrick’s longtime sponsor.

“Go Daddy is a first-rate sponsor,” Baldwin added. “Look how they’ve supported Danica over the last six years. Go Daddy is a sponsor that knows how to get things done right.”

Baldwin will maintain a hands-on presence with the No. 10 car and will work closely with Greg Zipadelli, who serves as SHR’s director of competition. Baldwin and Zipadelli have similar backgrounds, as both grew up in the Northeast – Baldwin in Bellport, N.Y., and Zipadelli in Berlin, Conn. – and made a name for themselves as successful crew chiefs within the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour before rising up the ranks as crew chiefs in the elite Sprint Cup Series.

“Working with Tommy will be like old times,” Zipadelli said. “We both grew up together and competed against each other in Modifieds and we did the same thing when we got to Sprint Cup. To finally be able to work with each other and help Danica Patrick make a successful transition from Indy cars to stock cars is a challenge we’re both looking forward to.

“Partnering with Tommy and his team provides Danica with the foundation she needs to succeed. With a guaranteed starting spot, we can go into each weekend and simply learn. It’s all about getting her comfortable in the car, and with the variety of tracks she’s running, seat time will be incredibly valuable. A guaranteed spot in the race ensures that she’ll have the opportunity to make as many laps as possible.”

Patrick’s 10-race Sprint Cup schedule is as follows:

• Feb. 26: Daytona 500

• May 12: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway

• May 27: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway

• Aug. 25: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway

• Sept. 2: Atlanta Motor Speedway

• Sept. 16: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

• Sept. 30: Dover (Del.) International Speedway

• Nov. 4: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth

• Nov. 11: Phoenix International Raceway

One more race is still to be determined, with the plan being to assess Patrick’s development as the season progresses and then choose the remaining venue based on need and competitive reasoning.

“Our goal with Danica’s schedule is to try and maximize her 10 races so that she’s as prepared as she can possibly be for a full-time Sprint Cup schedule in 2013,” said Stewart, co-owner of SHR with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest machine tool builder in the western world. “There are short tracks, intermediate 1.5-mile ovals, and some unique tracks like Darlington and Phoenix. The point is to expose her to as many challenges as possible so that she’ll know what to expect in 2013.”

“Corn farmers are excited to continue our relationship with RAB Racing and Kenny Wallace in 2012,” said Garry Niemeyer, National Corn Growers Association president. “Kenny is a fan favorite and one of the most visible drivers in the sport. He has been an outspoken supporter of ethanol and Sunoco Green E15. He comes from the Midwest, so he truly appreciates the important role corn farmers play in providing consumers with a fuel that is made in America and provides jobs here at home.”

“American Ethanol is excited to enter the racing season with Kenny Wallace behind the wheel as a spokesman for our industry,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “He has a great connection with the fans and he can help tell the story of how using ethanol in our fuel creates jobs, fosters energy security and cleans the air.”

With Wallace behind the wheel of their NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota in 2011, the No. 09 team finished seventh in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship standings, a career-best for the Concord, N.C.-based team, after posting 11 top-10 finishes.

“I find myself and our team in a position I certainly did not anticipate, announcing that we are going to attempt to make our Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2012 Daytona 500,” said Robby Benton, owner of RAB Racing with Brack Maggard. “Obviously this is where any team in NASCAR sets their goals, but for a team that’s as young as ours to have the opportunity to take the next step is very humbling, and to be doing so with Kenny Wallace makes it that much more meaningful. This will be the greatest challenge we’ve faced as a team to this point, but we’re ready for it. It’ll be interesting to see how things unfold and if we’re fortunate enough to earn a starting spot, it’ll be the culmination of a great deal of dedication and effort by everyone who has ever been a part of RAB Racing with Brack Maggard.”

Wallace will attempt to make his 11th Daytona 500 start. His last start in the Great American Race came in 2008, when he raced his way into the starting lineup via an eighth-place finish in the first Gatorade Duel.

“The Daytona 500 is the race I grew up watching every year as a kid in St. Louis. It’s a very important race to me,” said Wallace. “I take this opportunity very seriously. I want to thank everyone at RAB Racing for working so hard in preparing this American Ethanol Toyota Camry. Earning a starting spot in this year’s Daytona 500 would be a dream come true, not only for myself, but for Robby and everyone else that’s worked so hard to make this a reality. Speedweeks is my favorite time of the year, and I can’t wait to get down there in just another couple of weeks.”

The crew chief for the No. 09 American Ethanol Toyota Camry will be announced at a later date.

“We have spent most of our time in NASCAR just trying to survive,” said the affable California native. “Getting this opportunity to drive the Shell-Pennzoil Dodge for Penske Racing is truly like a double blessing. I am finally getting the stability I have needed to do my best, but I am also realizing a dream in driving for Mr. Penske. Coming from my open-wheel background, Roger Penske and his organization and race teams are just the best of the best. I am committed to representing Penske Racing, Shell-Pennzoil, Dodge and all the other great partners the best I can on and off the track.”

Unlike many short-lived, “flash-in-the-pan” careers on the ultra-competitive and demanding Sprint Cup tour, Allmendinger’s has been totally opposite. His rise to the top has been a true model of consistency.

Let “Dinger’s” career statistical information chronicle his impressive story:

In five years of competing on the Sprint Cup circuit (with three full seasons now under his belt), Allmendinger has started a total of 152 races. He has yet to visit Victory Lane, but has four top-five finishes, with all of them coming during the last three years. His top-fives are indicative of his capabilities on all kinds and sizes of race tracks. “Dinger” finished third in the 2009 Daytona 500 (2.5-mile superspeedway restrictor-plate race), fourth in the August 2010 Watkins Glen race (2.45-mile road course), fourth in November 2010 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile progressive-banked oval) and fifth in last year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval).

“Yes, we came close to winning several races and last year in particular, but the way Sprint Cup racing is now and just how competitive it is, it’s really about being consistent,” Allmendinger said. “To win one of these races, you need to consistently be there in the top five or ten at the end. You need to be ready to take the win, but you need to be consistently good enough to be right there to take the win. I feel like every year I’ve gotten better as a driver and the team around me got better at being more consistent. If you can be there every weekend, then the wins will come.”

Along the way, Allmendinger has posted 26 top-10 finishes, with 18 of them coming during the last two seasons. He recorded six top-10 finishes in 2009, eight in 2010 and 10 in 2011.

“Dinger” has recorded one career Coors Light Pole position, which came in the April 2010 race at Phoenix International Raceway. He has six career outside poles, with three of them coming last season.

Much of “Dinger’s” success so far can be traced to an impressive strengthening ability to finish races. While he had DNFs (did not finish) in five races during the 2008 season, he has become one of the most proficient competitors in the sport at being around at the finish. Last season saw Allmendinger running at the finish in 35 of the 36 races. It was an incredible feat, especially considering that only two drivers finishing ahead of him in points were running at the finish in more races. (Chase drivers Carl Edwards and Ryan Newman were running at the finish in all 36 races.) “Dinger” finished more races than seven of the 12 Chase drivers.

“It’s easy and obvious to say ‘I want to win this race’, but you really have to be there consistently in that top five pack to do it,” Allmendinger said. “So driving smarter, having patience to have the car come to you…those are things I’ve learned. Now I’m with a team that has proven they can be there when it matters. I just need to gel those two parts together.”

Along with Allmendinger’s growing ability to finish races has been significant improvement in his average starting position and average finish through the years. In his 2007 rookie season, “Dinger’s” average starting spot was 28.7 and his average finish was 31.6. Only two years later during the 2009 tour, he had improved to a 22.8 average start and 22.4 average finish. Last year’s record boasted an impressive 14.9 average start and 16.1 average finish.

The most obvious confirmation as for Allmendinger’s continuous rise to the top in NASCAR competition is reflected in his year-by-year finishing position in the final Sprint Cup point standings. In his three seasons as a full-time competitor, “Dinger” finished 24th in 2009, 19th in 2010 and was up to 15th last season. After the first 26 races had been put into the record book last year, he was 13th in the point standings, missing out on the Chase by a mere 13 points. In the final 2011 standings, he was only 34 points out of 13th and 28 out of 14th.

“This is a challenge that I welcome and look forward to,” Allmendinger said. “The two Penske teams were strong enough to both win races and make the Chase last year and we’re looking for that same level of success this season. It’ll be important to start off the season on a positive note. Testing proved to each of us that even though we haven’t had much time together, we all have the same goal and are really excited to get going. Testing also showed though, that the drafting and NASCAR making changes to try and put forth the best racing possible, makes the Daytona 500 just about anybody’s game. I think we’ve got one of the best shots out there, and definitely a team capable of winning at any of the 36 races.

“I think it is a very realistic goal to win races and make the Chase this season. I think Penske Racing proved last season that working with Dodge as only a two-car effort isn’t necessarily a bad situation. They proved that a smaller group with a strong common goal and clear way of doing things can be just as strong, maybe stronger. This is my second time around working with Dodge and I’ve seen how dedicated they are to our sport. We’re really looking forward to taking them to Victory Lane this season.

“I can honestly say this is the most excited I have been since coming to Cup,” said Allmendinger. “How can I come into the garage every day and not have a smile on my face? This is the best situation I’ve had and honestly, I just want to get going! Bring it on!”

Ragan joins Front Row after completing a 2011 season that delivered his first Cup win (Daytona International Speedway in July), two poles, and four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. The 26-year-old Unadilla, Ga., native is already a NASCAR veteran, first joining the national stock-car ranks at the age of 18 and quickly ascending to premier-level Sprint Cup racing. His No. 34 team is locked in to the starting line-up entering the 2012 season, including a guaranteed starting spot in the prestigious Daytona 500 next month.

“Front Row has made great progress in the last few years, and I look forward to helping them advance to the next level,” Ragan said. “I think the team appreciates what I can bring to the table, and I think it’s a good opportunity for both of us. I’ve also enjoyed a long relationship with Ford and I’m glad that I’ll get to keep working with them.”

Gilliland returns for his third season with Front Row and his seventh in the Cup series. The 35-year-old Riverside, Calif., native will return to the No. 38, the number he drove as a Sprint Cup rookie as well as the car he drove in his first season with Front Row. The No. 38 team is also locked in to the field entering 2012. Last season, Gilliland raced his way to a third-place finish in the Daytona 500 to start off an impressive 2011 run, in which he proved to be a force on superspeedways and road courses.

“We’ve gotten better year to year and even week to week in the time I’ve been with Front Row, so I’m excited to be back for a third year and to have David (Ragan) as a teammate,” Gilliland said. “It’s good to be back in the ’38′ car, too. It was my dad’s number, and I’ve also had some pretty good days at the racetrack with that number on the door.”

Front Row Motorsports, which is owned by restaurant and transportation entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, enters its fourth full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. The team turned in its best results in its young history in 2011, earning one top-5, two top-10, three top-15 and five top-20 finishes in 2011, including the history-best third at Daytona.

“I am committed to building a competitive race team by employing the same fundamental business principles that have worked for my other successful endeavors, and it all begins with the people,” Jenkins said. “We took some pretty big steps in our race program last year and adding David Ragan is another giant step in the right direction.

“When you look at some of the large, storied teams in NASCAR that have been running for decades, we’re still pretty young by comparison,” Jenkins continued. “But I like the upgrades we’re making and the improvements we’re seeing, and I am confident we will be able to compete with them on a consistent basis in the not-too-distant future. Ragan is a proven competitor and race winner, Gilliland had a really solid season for us last year, Roush Yates engines are the best in the sport, and Ford continues to provide invaluable support, so I feel like 2012 is really going to be our year to step up to the next level. Plus, I now have two Davids to engage Goliath, and we know how that day ended.”

Sponsorship for the Front Row Motorsports entries is being finalized and will be announced soon.

“We’ve worked hard to build an organization that can deliver compelling value propositions for our partners, and we can win immediately on that front given our size, efficiencies and cost structures,” said Jerry Freeze, Front Row Motorsports’ General Manager. “Fortunately, a few leading corporate partners have taken notice and others are conducting their due diligence. That’s very encouraging and bodes well for our future.”

For the past three days, drivers have been turning laps on the historic 2.5-mile tri-oval as well as participating in the Fan Fest activities such as autograph sessions, fan forums and chat sessions through the Speedway’s social media channels.

On track, fans witnessed drivers taking single-car runs, two-car runs and big-pack drafting sessions as NASCAR experimented with different types of rules packages in advance of Speedweeks 2012.

“I think so far we’ve had a good test and gaining a lot of information,” said Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton on Saturday afternoon in the Infield Media Center. “As everybody knows, we’ve been shrinking plates, growing plates and working on different parts of the cooling system and the goal was to see what our limits were. As you’ve seen over the three days, got big on a plate, now we think we’re honed in on where we need to come back and start Speedweeks.

“All in all, I think comments from the drivers have been pretty positive, the way the cars run in the draft, the way they can draft and do draft and what they do to get their cars running to their maximum potential.”

“If I had to guess right now and they lined us up to race, I’d say that you’d see a pack for most of the day,” said Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin when asked if there would be pack racing in February. “You’re going to see breakaways here and there but I think that for the most part the pack can run fast enough to keep up with the two-car tandem.

“The two-car tandem will get out there a little bit but I think that if you get a big enough pack with 20 or 30 cars they will eat up a tandem pretty quick.”

Fastest of the day, test: Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon turned the fastest speeds in the Saturday morning session, both posting turning identical laps of 201.545 mph. Rounding out the top five were Phoenix Racing’s Kurt Busch (199.464), Mark Martin (199.459) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (199.406).

In the afternoon session, Gordon was fastest again with a lap of 200.562 mph. Rounding out the top five in the afternoon were AJ Allmendinger (200.548), Brad Keselowski (200.548), Kahne (200.481) and Denny Hamlin (199.973).

Fastest overall for the three-day test was Busch with a lap of 206.058 mph turned in the second day.

From spoilers to drafting to beards – all were topics du jour.

A full field of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers tackled Daytona International Speedway for the first of a three-day test as teams make their final preparations for the 54th running of the Daytona 500, February 26.

“It’s important for us to test down here, not only for the teams, but for us,” said Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. “We’ve had track tests at Daytona and Talladega and we’ve been in the wind tunnel several times. We think we’re making some great strides. The test is going pretty good for us. The teams are learning about their equipment and the limits they will be under with water temperatures and things like that. We’ve seen softer springs, a smaller spoiler and a reduction in downforce. We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made so far.”

Jeff Gordon led 31 cars during the morning session of practice with a top speed of 192.773 mph. Teams practiced single and two-car runs in the morning session, but for most, the excitement of returning to Daytona and the thrill of the “The Great American Race,” only 45 days away, certainly added to the intensity of the day.

“A lot of effort goes into this race,” said Dale Earnhardt, Jr. “Winning the 500 is the biggest race of the year. It is the greatest feeling. The effort is quadruple when it comes to how much goes into the engines just for that race and the bodies of the cars. So it’s a pretty big deal when you win.”

The winning car of this year’s Daytona 500 will be the first car in the history of the sport to score a victory with a fuel injected engine.

“I feel like there is a crack in the floodgates,” said veteran driver Mark Martin. “I think there is a huge amount of electronics and adjustments and so much that can be done by those guys on the computer, instead of all those years I spent with Jack [Roush] with the carburetor apart up in the trailer.”

The afternoon drafting session belonged to the Toyotas of Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, respectively, with Busch posting a top speed of 202.402 mph.

What will tomorrow bring for these teams? More knowledge for them to get ready for one of the biggest races of the year.

“We’ll gather our information and we’ll talk with the teams,” said Pemberton in regards to practicing different forms of drafting. “That’s why we have a three-day test.”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — If NASCAR’s objective was to eliminate tandem drafting at restrictor-plate racetracks, it remains a work in progress, based on Thursday’s first Preseason Thunder test session at Daytona International Speedway.

Accordingly, in a meeting with crew chiefs at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday, NASCAR announced additional modifications to a restrictor-plate competition package that already had undergone major changes in the offseason.

Even though Kyle Busch topped the speed chart in Thursday afternoon’s session at 202.402 mph—in a tandem draft with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano—NASCAR on Friday will make the cars faster, less stable and more prone to overheating.

The sanctioning body increased the diameter of restrictor-plate openings 1/32nd of an inch, to 15/16ths inches, adding an estimated 26 horsepower to the engines.

In addition, NASCAR has lowered the pressure relief valve settings from 30 pounds per square inch to 25 psi and narrowed the grille openings of the cars, thereby decreasing airflow to the engine. Both measures are designed to decrease the number of laps one car can push another without overheating.

NASCAR officials acknowledge that most fans don’t like the two-car hookups. Chairman and CEO Brian France is on record favoring the breakup of the tandems, and during the offseason NASCAR instituted rule changes designed to promote that result.

But no sooner than the drivers began to climb into their cars after a break for lunch on Thursday, was the so-called love-bug racing back.

Earlier in the morning, the sanctioning body confirmed the imposition of another obstacle to drivers bent on maintaining the sustained two-car pushes. Henceforth, car-to-car radio communication is embargoed, and drivers won’t be allowed to talk directly to each other during competition—not even to teammates.

That prescription followed the litany of changes to the competition package that were in force for Thursday’s practice: smaller spoilers, smaller capacities for the radiator and overflow tanks, softer rear springs and repositioning of the radiator inlet opening closer to the center of the nose of the car.

Nevertheless, after a morning session restricted to single-car runs, several sets of teammates paired up in two-car drafts during the afternoon session—and went appreciably faster.

Even before the last set of changes was communicated to the teams, NASCAR officials said they were pleased with the progress of the three-day test. Increased speeds in single-car runs (which will only be enhanced by the larger plate size on Friday) bodes well for Daytona 500 qualifying, with the prospect of a pole speed in excess of 195 mph. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole for last year’s race at 186.089 mph.

For another, cars won’t be able to run as many laps hooked together without separating and changing positions.

“I think that small doses of the two-car push are OK,” NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton told reporters during the afternoon test session. “It’s a tool. It’s like anything we do. When the competitors learn something, they’ll use it when they can to their advantage, and they’re supposed to do that.

“Right now, we’re at a happy place. We’ve made some good strides, and some of the things that are coming back to us we’re pretty pleased about.”

Nonetheless, NASCAR went ahead with the rule changes later that afternoon.

Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said the ban on driver-to-driver radio chatter was a response to feedback from the drivers themselves.

“We’ve had a number of drivers kind of weigh in to us anonymously that the last few plate races—with the ability to carry as many as 20, 30 channels on their radios—that there was a point where it got so confusing to them that they actually lost focus on what they were doing and felt much better if we could back that off somewhat and get it to a standard or more common communications between driver and spotter and driver and pit crew as we’ve known it in the past,” Darby said.

“Matt Kenseth said it the best to me in the garage. He said anything that NASCAR can do to help us get back to one against 42 others, he supports.

In the restrictor-plate era, 200 mph has always been a speed that gets NASCAR’s attention, but Pemberton said that, though tweaks to the competition package are possible, the sanctioning body was comfortable with the 202-plus speed Busch posted in the afternoon.

“The 202-mile-an-hour lap—we knew that was a pretty good lap,” Pemberton said. “It’s something similar that you see at any of these places where you have two cars that are not just pushing but catching other cars.

“We saw that, too, and we watched it as it happened, and right now we’re not concerned with anything.”

Busch, who will drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing in the entire 2012 Sprint Cup season, has a personal services agreement with the eyewear company.

TAG Heuer Eyewear will be featured as the primary sponsor on the No. 51 Chevrolet for the Feb. 18 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where Busch is the defending winner. Additionally, TAG Heuer Eyewear will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 51 Chevrolet during the 54th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 and again on March 11 for the Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Busch’s hometown track.

“To enhance its strong motor racing heritage and its passion for performance, TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Eyewear is very proud to be a part of ‘The Great American Race’ and other premier NASCAR events,” said Pascal Brouard, CEO of TAG Heuer Eyewear, Chairman and CEO Groupe Logo. “Kurt joined the TAG Heuer Eyewear team of ambassadors in 2010 and we have enjoyed working with him. The sponsorship program with Kurt and Phoenix Racing will further build our brand with Kurt and is a natural extension of our ongoing relationship.”

“TAG Heuer Eyewear has been a great partner of mine and this is a big deal for them to step up and sponsor Phoenix Racing and me for a few races this year,” Busch said. “I consider myself very fortunate to be affiliated with such a great brand and to have their strong support. I’m proud to carry the colors of TAG Heuer Eyewear on the No. 51 Chevrolet starting with Budweiser Shootout. As the defending race winner, we’re going to give it all we have to get back to victory lane.”

The Budweiser Shootout, the Daytona 500 and the Kobalt Tools 400 will each air live on FOX.

The main focus of the test is for teams to work on their final preparations for 2012 Speedweeks – in particular, the 54th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26.

“This is an opportunity we are providing to the competitors to implement and test the new Daytona rules package for 2012,” said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. “It’s a chance for them to get comfortable with the cooling package, the smaller spoiler and to practice drafting for next month’s Daytona 500.”

The new rules package is a result of information gathered during recent tests at Talladega last October and at Daytona last November.

“While we have had other tests with these set-ups, this is the first opportunity for the entire field to test together and get more comfortable with this package as it relates to their cars,” Pemberton said.

The new rules package includes:

• Smaller radiators – Maximum of 2 gallon capacity
• Smaller overflow tank – Maximum capacity of ½ gallon
• Radiator inlet is moved up closer into the front center bumper area
• Rate reduction in the springs – softer springs
• Smaller rear spoiler
• Base line restrictor plate of 29/32 inch (1/64 inch larger than plate size for the 2011 Daytona 500)

“This three-day test will allow the engine tuners for these teams to be able to work with their engine packages and see how they relate and react to the new cooling regulations,” Pemberton said.

Next month’s Daytona 500 will be only the third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points event ran on the repaved Daytona International Speedway. This year’s Preseason Thunder will continue to be an opportunity for teams and drivers to test their skills on a relatively fresh surface in addition to the new rules.

Complementing the testing portion of this weekend’s festivities, the track is also offering fans an opportunity to be part of a special two-day Fan Fest event.

Fan Fest sessions are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12 and Friday, Jan. 13 and include autograph sessions, driver question and answer sessions, show cars and displays, music and a photo opportunity with the 2012 Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 trophy. In addition, fans can ride the high banks under the lights by purchasing a Richard Petty Driving Experience ride along.

Tickets for Daytona Preseason Thunder Fan Fest are $20 and available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com. Children 12 and under will receive free admission.

Daytona International Speedway will also host special driver chat sessions on the speedway’s social media channels following the end of testing Thursday and Friday evenings. Fans can submit questions for Twitter chats by using #daytonatesting, with answers, updates and testing information coming from Daytona International Speedway’s Twitter feed @DISUpdates. Fans can also submit questions on Facebook for LiveStream chats with drivers on www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway. NASCAR’s official Twitter feed @NASCAR will also provide updates throughout the three-day session.

SPEED will broadcast live coverage of testing on all three days from 1-5 p.m. ET. Additionally, SPEEDTV.com will stream testing live from 9 a.m.-noon ET each day.