NASCAR America: Chase Elliott close to winning amid Hendrick woes

The NASCAR America analysts discuss how Hendrick Motorsports, including Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr., performed at Daytona and how the team will do going forward.

Celebrating Daytona win with his daughter made it a special night for Brad Keselowski

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It was a first place finish of firsts — one involving fatherhood — for Brad Keselowski.

The Team Penske’s win in the Coke Zero 400 was his breakthrough at Daytona International Speedway. But just as special was the company he kept in victory lane while enjoying his 20th career triumph in NASCAR’s premier series.

For the first time, Keselowski’s 13-month -old daughter, Scarlett, joined her dad and mother Paige White for the postrace celebration of a Sprint Cup victory.

“That was really cool,” the 2012 series champion told NBC Sports. “She’s been in victory lane once with the Xfinity car last year in Kentucky, but every time we win in Cup it seems like she’s asleep, or we didn’t bring her that weekend or something happens.

“So I was beginning to think it was maybe a bit of a curse.”

Instead, it was a blessing to watch her absorb the scene just a few weeks after she began taking her first steps. Keselowski said Scarlett seemed to grasp the significance “a little bit. I think she was really mesmerized.”

NASCAR America: Austin Dillon now the leader of RCR

The NASCAR America analysts talk about Richard Childress Racing and how the team fared at Daytona.

Watch LIVE: NASCAR America at 6 p.m. ET: Aric Almirola, Roush report and more

Today’s episode of NASCAR America airs from 6 – 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN and features guest host Aric Almirola, who one last weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona.

Dave Briggs hosts with Parker Kligerman and Kyle Petty from Stamford, Connecticut. Steve Letarte and Almirola join them from Burton’s Garage.

Included in today’s show:

Further review of the Coke Zero 400, which marked the beginning of the second half of the NASCAR season.
A report from the shop of Roush Fenway Racing.
This Day in NASCAR.
A look at the safety features put in place by NASCAR in the one year since Austin Dillon‘s horrific crash at Daytona.
If you’re not near a TV, you can watch online or on the NBC Sports app via at the NASCAR stream on NBC Sports.

If you plan to stream the show on your laptop or portable device, be sure to have your username and password from your cable/satellite/telco provider handy so your subscription can be verified.

Once you enter that information, you’ll have access to the stream.

Click here at 6 p.m. ET to watch live via the stream.

Brett Moffitt making first NASCAR start of year subbing for Matt Tifft in Truck race

Brett Moffitt, the 2015 Sprint Cup rookie of the year, will drive Red Horse Racing’s No. 11 truck for Matt Tifft in Thursday night’s Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

Tifft is out indefinitely as he recovers from brain surgery July 1 to remove a low-grade tumor. Moffitt, who hasn’t competed in a NASCAR race since the 2015 Sprint Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, will be driving in his third Truck race but his first since 2013.

“Obviously, we’re thinking of Matt and can’t wait for him to return, so we’re sending him our best wishes and we hope to see him back at the track soon,” said Moffitt in a press release. “I hate that it’s under these circumstances, but I’m really grateful for this opportunity with Red Horse Racing and I hope it can lead to more.”

Tifft was replaced by German Quiroga two weeks ago at Iowa Speedway.

Moffitt, 23, earned the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honor last season after making 31 starts for Michael Waltrip Racing and Front Row Motorsports as a substitute driver for Brian Vickers and David Ragan.

Moffitt’s best finish in those 31 races was eighth at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The native of Grimes, Iowa, made the first of his two 2013 Truck starts at Kentucky Speedway driving for ThorSport Racing. He started 34th and finished 14th.

Entry list for the Sprint Cup Series’ Quaker State 400 at Kentucky

There are 40 cars on the entry list for the Sprint Cup Series’ Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Ty Dillon will start in the No. 95 Chevrolet for Circle Sport-Leavine Family. It’s Dillon’s first Sprint Cup start since the Michigan race.

The defending winner of the race is Kyle Busch, who led 163 laps on the way to his second win of 2015.

Kentucky just completed a repave of the track surface and reconfiguring Turns 1 and 2 from 14 to 17 degrees.

Entry List

NASCAR AMERICA: SCAN ALL: DAYTONA

A look at the sight and sounds of Daytona, including Brad Keselowski's tight finish to get him the victory.