DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Daytona 500 media day included lots of talk – talk about puppy love, wedding rings and a growing mullet – and a lot of conversation about four-time champion Jeff Gordon and what could be his final ride in NASCAR’S most prestigious race.
NASCAR’s biggest stars took center stage for the annual event held inside Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. Defending Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick welcomed the challenge of trying to repeat. Embattled driver Kurt Busch insisted he would be in the car all season despite a lingering court case involving a former girlfriend. And 2012 champion Brad Keselowski said he was one of the series’ three best drivers after a fiery 2014 season that included fisticuffs and bruised feelings.
Those were just some of the highlights. Here are the others:
EARNHART’S PHOBIA: NASCAR’s biggest star has a little phobia. Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that he wants nothing to do with jewelry. Necklaces, rings, bracelets, no way.
“It’s creepy to me,” said the two-time and defending Daytona 500 champion. “I can be in the same room with it. It doesn’t bother me on other people.”