Daytona Media Day

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Thursday was Media Day at Daytona International Speedway, where drivers spend large parts of their respective days getting photographed, recorded on video, interviewed by TV, radio, print and Internet media, and in general make themselves available to we in the press.

No blockbusters today, but some good stuff nonetheless:

• Tony Stewart refused to shake my hand today, and for that I am eternally grateful. “Smoke,” like my others in frigid Daytona, is suffering from a bad head cold, but should be good to go for the Budweiser Shootout on Saturday night. “I’ve never looked forward to driving a car more so I can quit talking about it,” he told me.

• Aaron’s will sponsor David Reutimann for the full season, not half the year as it had previously agreed to. The collapse of the Arena Football League, where Aaron’s was a sponsor, freed up a few extra bucks.

• Mark Martin’s hiring might be the smartest personnel move Rick Hendrick has made in years. Martin told me he’s riding herd on the team to be in as good a shape as he is, and that’s saying a lot. That means Martin’s pushing Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon to be more fit.

• Clint Bowyer, Marcos Ambrose and Sam Hornish are locked into the top 35 in NASCAR Sprint Cup owners points and therefore guaranteed the first six races of 2009.

• Even though he’s just 18 years old, Joey Logano seems to have a good head on his shoulders. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Logano said of his promotion to the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota. “I don’t think anyone would ever turn down a ride like this. No, I didn’t expect it. But, when I heard Tony (Stewart) was going to leave and my name got thrown in a hat — yeah I was going to go for it and this is where we’re at.”

• Carl Edwards bought a 425-acre farm in Central Missouri, but doesn’t yet know what he’s going to do with it.

• Daytona International Speedway is slashing concession prices and offering more and better food. About time, if you ask me.

Check back here tomorrow and I’ll have a whole lot more from Daytona.