NASCAR returns to the World Center of Speed this weekend for Saturday's running of the Coke Zero 400. The traditional July 4th weekend race, while lacking the prestige of February's Daytona 500, is one of NASCAR's biggest events. Any win at the Daytona International Speedway is special, and one of 43 drivers who start Saturday's race will celebrate one of the biggest triumphs, if not the biggest, of their career yet when they climb from their race car at the conclusion of Saturday's 400-miler. Last year, Kevin Harvick held off Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon in a furious finish to record his second points-paying victory at Daytona, after his 2007 Daytona 500 triumph.
There are 46 teams attempting to make the Coke Zero 400, including 11 go-or-go-home teams. For the entire entry list, visit Jayski.com.
This is one of a handful of "impound" races, where the cars are held after qualifying with no adjustments allowed until the race starts. As such, all practice sessions are held Thursday, drivers will take two qualifying laps Friday, and the next time the cars will be on track is for the parade and pace laps prior to the green flag Saturday.
To know how your favorite driver is doing and where he will start's Saturday's race, make sure you check out all the on-track action. SB Nation Atlanta has you covered with times and days for each session.
Practice:
Thursday, 4 p.m. - SPEED
Thursday, 6:30 p.m. - SPEED
Qualifying:
Friday, 4 p.m. - SPEED
Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola:
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. - TNT (Pre-race at 6:30)
Don't forget, this weekend marks TNT's fifth-annual "Wide Open Coverage" of the Coke Zero 400. The race features very few commercial breaks, with a variety of companies and entities having on-screen advertisements during the race while the cameras stay on the action.