Note: I wrote all of this before the Truck Series race started, so some information is dated. And there are many more happenings from the track today. These are some original storylines of different teams and drivers that others are not covering. 

Stewart actually likes Cup plate racing again
Tony Stewart, love him or hate him, is often one of the most entertaining drivers in a press conference. Friday was no aberration, as the sharp-tongued veteran announced Rush Truck Centers as a new sponsor on his No. 14 Sprint Cup car. The Gene Haas-affiliated sponsor will be the primary sponsor the team for three races and carry a season-long associate sponsorship. But Stewart went straight from fielding making sponsorship quotes, to having to answer questions about Danica Patrick and, from me, about his stance on the nature of plate racing in the new Gen-6 car, in comparison to the tandem racing of recent years.
“I love it. I love that I am able to see through the car in front of me and see what’s going on and not just being crammed up the bumper of the guy in front of me, staring at their bumper trying to make sure you are in the right spot to get an opening of air. It’s a lot more fun – at least from my standpoint as a driver. I like it a lot better than the tandem style that we had. It will not ever hurt my feelings if I never have to physically push another car in the Cup Series again in my life.”
Stewart, who has won many races at Daytona, but has been eluded by the Daytona 500, was a sharp critic of tandem racing. He highlighted his criticism of the two-car shove drafts by telling me at Talladega last season, sarcastically, that NASCAR should turn the cars backwards at the halfway point of the race or turn that race into a figure-eight race. Classic Stewart.
Stewart did emphasize Cup Series in his saying he will never have to push a car that much again,. He will have to deal with tandem racing in the Nationwide Series Saturday, as he drives the No. 33 for Richard Childress Racing.

Sorenson’s new start at TMG
Reed Sorenson has had his share of NASCAR ups and downs and a "new start" piece has been written about him before. After sponsorship money dried up and mid-pack performances with mediocre teams supplanted him as a full-time Cup driver, he got a new start with Turner Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. After driving to 3rd in points, the team and he had a falling out and they fired him late in the 2011 season. 2012 saw Sorenson bounce around with several small teams in Cup and NNS and his chances at another full-time ride seemed limited. But The Motorsports Group (formerly Key Motorsports) is giving the Peachtree City driver a new chance of at life in the Nationwide Series No. 40 Chevy and sponsor E Swisher (a disposable electronic cigarette company).  
“I feel good about this opportunity this weekend and we have a new sponsor E Swisher on board, a new sponsor to NASCAR.”

Sorenson plans to run the full season with the team, but E Swisher is only on board for Daytona (they hope more races). Their involvement will determine how competitive the No. 40 team can be. 

Sorenson talks to News/Talk WSB about this opportunity, TMG’s bold idea of an in-house engine program, and getting engaged in the offseason.

Cockrum and CaptainHerb.net Toyota have great supporting cast
Conyers' Chris Cockrum and his family's company, Advanced Communications Group, get to run at least the Daytona Camping World Truck race this season. After a handful of races at Tucker's RSS Racing last season, Cockrum and his family have paired with SS/Greenlight Racing and the No. 07 Toyota for at least this race. SS/Greenlight racing has been in the NCWTS for years with many different drivers, including Ross Chastain, who impressed many last season as a rookie. Cockrum, crew chief and former driver Butch Miller, and spotter Toby Wheldon (who spots for Cup driver Travis Kvapil at BK Racing) discussed their strategy with me after qualifying 35th for the NextEra Energy 250. Cockrum's strategy will be conservative until a big wreck eliminates some other contenders. Besides veteran help in Miller and Wheldon, Cockrum has longtime Truck Series veteran David Starr (who wrecked his primary No. 81 truck in practice Thursday night in front of Cockrum) as a teammate. Starr is likely to be more aggressive that Cockrum, but he says that Starr has been extremely helpful and congenial as a teammate. And if veteran manpower isn't enough, Cockrum also is running a nearly 10-year old chassis that used to belong to former NCWTS champ - the late Bobby Hamilton. And, yes, Captain Herb Emory's website, CaptainHerb.net is on the rear tailgate again this year - this is the ultimate bump draft. And yes, you read that right...Captain Herb's name is on a Toyota. But Cockrum has been a longtime WSB supporter, so the Captain will tolerate it. By the way, rookie Brennan Newberry won the pole for the race (2nd year in a row a rookie won the Truck Series pole at Daytona, as Miguel Paludo did so last year.

Lagasse Jr. glad to be back
Scott Lagasse Jr. is back in NASCAR again. He plans on running a limited Nationwide Series schedule this season in the No. 8 Hybrid Light/Boy Scouts of America Chevy.
“Boy Scouts of America – to have them on is a huge responsibility. I really can’t be happier right now.”
We assume this means no fighting and cursing for Lagasse Jr.
The St. Augustine, FL driver has raced on and off again in NASCAR the past few seasons, but has been absent in recent years - that is until the end of last season. Late in 2012, Lagasse Jr. debuted his self-owned No. 8 Chevy in several NNS races. He talks to News/Talk WSB about his new partnership with Tommy Baldwin Racing and what his goals are for this season.

Underdog Greenfield "Saturday night racing"
Tennessee driver Clay Greenfied may just have gotten the biggest break of his NCWTS career. His No. 68 Dodge, a 1999 chassis, topped the practice charts Thursday night. That feat garnered Greenfield, who drives a part-time schedule and owns his race team, some coveted face time on SPEED channel. Many had never heard the driver's name and his flight to the top of the charts certainly has gotten him a 2nd look from press members (such as myself). Greenfield says his team only runs a handful of races each year, depending on sponsorship, with no full-time employees. In fact, his full-time job is owning his own pavement company, Seal Co.
Greenfield qualified 19th for the NCWTS race, a relief for a team not locked in via owner's points. He says that his truck is not very good by itself, but is great in the draft. And the goal - at least for this race - is checkers or wreckers.
Small race teams are not always at the track to points race and take a championship. Greenfield explains that his team is more like one a fan would see at a local track.
“We’re like a Saturday night race team that showed up at Daytona to race. We topped the practice charts with pretty much a Saturday night race team.”
Like Cockrum, Sorenson, and Lagasse Jr., if you are looking for an underdog to root for, Greenfield is not a bad bet at all. Greenfield did this interview, while trying to collect race tires from a team, answering a text about a new sponsor, and with his weenus (look it up) on his right hand bleeding after likely cutting it on his truck. He insisted on doing the interview, saying he gets passed over for so many, he never passes one up, if he can help it. Listen as he talks about the plight of his small team. 
UPDATE: Greenfield fell out of the race early, due to mechanical trouble.

Earnhardt may not run full season with Go Green Racing

Jeffrey Earnhardt has been saying for a while that his 2013 Nationwide Series campaign is meant to be a run for Rookie of the Year honors. Those plans may have changed, as Go Green officials told News/Talk WSB today that the fourth-generation racer (son of Dale Earnhardt's oldest son, Kerry) has not gotten sponsorship sold on as many races as originially thought. This could mean other drivers that bring funding with them could replace him in the newly re-numbered No. 79 Ford. Randy Hill Racing, which runs as a teammate to Go Green, is not fielding the No. 08 at Daytona, but plans to be back this season with drivers that bring sponsorship. Among them could be Smyrna's Kyle Fowler, who ran several races in the No. 08 last season. 

To come on WSB Radio Race Blog: analysis of Truck race, exclusive interview with former Falcon Terence Mathis, and more Daytona 500 coverage.