JR Motorsports Subway Jalapeno 250 Race Preview

The familiar green Go Daddy Chevrolet will take on a special patriotic look this weekend at Daytona. The No. 7 car is part of the “NASCAR Unites – An American Salute” program, a six-week patriotic initiative uniting the NASCAR industry and fans this summer to celebrate America and support U.S. military families. The paint scheme features the American flag and is pre-dominately white with red and blue detailing. Visit www.nascar.com/unites for more details on the program. 

GREEN FLAG FOR NATIONWIDE’S DASH 4 CASH PROGRAM – The Dash 4 Cash program begins this weekend with the Daytona event being used as a qualifier for the four-week shootout. Dash 4 Cash is an on-track bonus program that rewards the highest finishing Nationwide Series regular in each of the next four consecutive races (New Hampshire, Chicagoland, Indianapolis and Iowa) with a $100,000 bonus. It creates the potential for a $1 million payout to a single driver should they sweep all four events. For a complete breakdown on the program and eligibility re-quirements visit www.nascar.com/dash4cash.

JRM AT DAYTONA 2011 RECAP – Patrick worked well in the tandem draft at Daytona last summer, with both the 7 and the 88 Chevrolets clear-cut contenders throughout the evening. Patrick took the lead with two laps to go with a push from the 88 car, but her chance for victory was ruined by a multi-car accident within sight of the checkered flag. As a result, the 88 and 7 machines finished ninth and 10th, respectively.

EARNHARDT JR. AND WHITT ON ESPN’S COUNTDOWN SHOW – Don’t miss an exclusive sit-down interview with JRM Co-Owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet Cole Whitt during the NNS Countdown show, airing at 7 p.m. EST on Friday, July 6, on ESPN.

PATRICK LEADS AT DAYTONA – Of Patrick’s laps led in Nationwide Series competition, 73% (16 of 22) have come at Day-tona International Speedway. It was also the site of her first NASCAR pole last spring.

WHITT’S RESTRICTOR PLATE RECORD – With only two restrictor-plate races to his credit this season, Whitt has top-five finishes in both events. He finished fourth at both Daytona and Talladega earlier this year.

WHITT TO APPEAR ON TRACKSIDE – Cole Whitt will be a guest on SPEED’s “Trackside” on Thursday, July 5, at 8 p.m. EST. Whitt will join host Krista Voda along with Kyle Petty and Rutlege Wood on SPEED’s at-track variety talk show.

COLE WHITT TO VISIT WINN DIXIE IN ORMOND BEACH – Whitt will sign autographs for race fans on behalf of the Degree MEN and Hellmann’s brands from 10-11 a.m. EST on Thursday, July 5, at the Winn Dixie (store #2309), located at 353 West Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, Fla. The event is open to the public.

AT-TRACK AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS – Whitt will sign autographs at the JR Nation merchandise hauler, located in the fan concourse area, beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST on Friday, July 6.

SECOND CHANCE TO WIN DALE JR.’S RIDE – The Dale Jr. Foundation is raffling off Dale Jr.’s 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. Raf-fle tickets are $25 and only 8,888 will be sold. The winner will be invited to JR Motorsports, where Dale Jr. will personally hand over the keys of the car to the winner. Visit www.WinDaleJrsRide.com for more information and follow the Foundation’s Twitter account @TDJF.

Cole Whitt on Daytona: “We’ve done a good job staying out of trouble during the first two restrictor-plate races so hopefully we can keep that going this weekend. More so than with other tracks, luck has a lot to do with where you finish at Daytona. You’ve got to have a good, strong car, but the wrecks can happen anywhere. I’m of the opinion that if you’re trying to position yourself to avoid the big wreck, you’re overthinking it.

“I think we just try to get to the front and stay there. Typically if you can lead laps and position your-self in the top five, the rest will take care of itself. Plus we’re going to do our best to qualify for the Dash 4 Cash program, and you’re going to have to be up front to do that. It really is a cool program and great incentive for the series regulars. It’ll be fun.”

Danica Patrick on Daytona: “I’m just glad I can go to a place like Daytona in a stock car and have it be a place where I run competitively and run well. I think for me at this point, Daytona is the first track that I’m going to have a good opportunity at. It’s pack racing. It’s very fast. You don’t lift off the throt-tle and it’s also the most like IndyCar racing. That is what IndyCar racing is like at anything bigger than one-mile.

“It’s going to be a fun weekend of racing sur-rounding the Fourth of July. We’re changing up the Go Daddy car a bit for this race and you won’t see the typical Go Daddy green. We’re going with a red, white and blue theme as part of the NASCAR Unites program. The Go Daddy car will look a lot different under the lights. It’s for a great cause and our way of saying thank you.”