NASCAR: 2011 Speedweeks Schedule

The Superbowl closed out the 2010 football season this past weekend and that can only mean one thing. It's time for Daytona and some NASCAR racing. NASCAR released its new TV schedule for the upcoming season that begins in one week at Daytona International Speedway.

Keeping with the standardized start times implemented last year, east coast and central time zone day races will have a 1pm start time. West coast races will start at 3pm and evening races will begin at 7:30pm. Charlotte Motor Speedway's Coca Cola 600 will have an adjusted start time of 6:30 due to the length. Start times for several Chase races will vary between 2pm and 3pm with the one night race at Charlotte beginning at 7:30pm.

It's time for Daytona. The track will open for ARCA Series Practice this Thursday, February 10 at 1pm. Friday will bring ARCA qualifying at 2pm and at 8pm will be the draw for starting positions for the 2011 Budweiser Shootout. The drawing is free to the public and will be held on the SPEED stage, outside of turn four at the Speedway.

Saturday, February 12 will bring the first points paying stock car race of the season with the ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. That will be followed by the Budweiser Shootout at 8 pm. Both races will be carried live. The ARCA race will be on SPEED at 4:30pm and the Budweiser Shootout will be broadcast on FOX and will begin at 8pm.

Sunday will bring more NASCAR Sprint Cup action with qualifying for the 2011 Daytona 500. FOX will carry this live. It will be two laps for each driver for the front row. Last year Mark Martin and Dale Jr. took home the top spots for Hendrick Motor Sports.

The Gatorade Duels will run on Thursday, February 17. The two 60 lap races will begin at 2pm and will be carried on FOX. Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson took the wins last year. These two races will fill out the field for the Daytona 500. This will be part of a full day of racing that includes Camping World Trucks throughout the day. SPEED will carry final practice for the trucks at 10:15am and qualifying live at 6:05pm. Check your cable provider for your lineup. Practice for the Nationwide Series will be carried by ESPN2 at 10am.

Friday, February 18, will be the first race of the year for the Camping World Truck Series. The Nextera Energy Resources 250 will see Timothy Peters look to back up his win from 2010 when the checkered flag flies at 7:30 pm. SPEED will carry this race live and will begin their broadcast at 7pm. Sprint Cup practice will run throughout the day and will be covered live on SPEED as well. Nationwide qualifying will be carried on ESPN2 and will begin at 4pm.

Saturday, February 19 will begin the final countdown to the 2011 Daytona 500. SPEED will carry the final practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars from 10:30am until noon, and then NASCAR Nationwide Series will begin their 2011 season with the Drive4COPD 300. ESPN2 will begin their broadcast of this NASCAR Nationwide Series event at 12pm. Driver introductions are scheduled for 12:45 and the race will start at 1:15pm. Tony Stewart is the defending champion, but with the new rules NASCAR has instituted for 2011, only a Nationwide Series regular will leave the track with the points lead.

The 53^rd Daytona 500 will be carried by FOX once again this year. The festivities will begin early on Sunday, February 20. Driver introductions are schedule for 12:15pm and the race should begin at 1pm. Jamie McMurray took home an emotional win last season and is sure to be a favorite again this year.