The latest from ESPN.com - NASCAR:

• Newton: The Danica Factor
  Danica Patrick is a full-time NASCAR driver, but let's face it: We all know her day job isn't why she is one of the most sought-after celebrities come Super Bowl time.

• Smith: Junior getting his swagger back
  Rick Hendrick raised a lot of eyebrows when he paired Dale Earnhardt Jr. with crew chief Steve Letarte. The result? The move just may have saved Junior's career.

• Casino over Turn 2 opens at Kansas Speedway
  The ownership of Kansas Speedway is gambling on a new casino overlooking Turn 2 to generate interest, drive ticket sales and increase revenue during a sluggish time for motorsports.

• Danica will have starting spot in Daytona 500
  Stewart Haas Racing has finalized an alliance with Tommy Baldwin Racing that guarantees Danica Patrick a starting spot in the Sprint Cup opener and keeps her No. 10 car on the track for the entire Cup schedule.

• JGR has another fire within year; no staff hurt
  Joe Gibbs Racing says no employees were injured when a fire broke out in its machine shop.

• Four-time Indy 500 winner Foyt hospitalized
  A.J. Foyt has been hospitalized in Houston for complications from knee surgery and will skip the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

• NASCAR to implement minor tweaks for 2012
  NASCAR officials say they aren't planning any radical changes for the 2012 season after one of its most exciting seasons ever.

• Wal-Mart to sponsor Elliott for race on July 7
  Former Cup champion Bill Elliott will drive a special Wal-Mart-sponsored Chevrolet in a one-race deal for the Coke Zero 400 Sprint Cup event on July 7 at Daytona, Wal-Mart officials announced Thursday.

• Pocono founder, chairman Mattioli dies at 86
  NASCAR officials say that Pocono Raceway founder and chairman Dr. Joseph Mattioli has died. He was at 86.

• Sources: Keselowski extension is for two years
  Brad Keselowski's extension with Penske Racing is for two years, with an organization option for a third year in 2015, team officials confirmed Thursday.

• RPM creates Nationwide team for driver Annett
  Richard Petty Motorsports has formed a Nationwide Series team for Michael Annett. His car will be sponsored by Pilot Flying J and will run for the Nationwide championship.

• Ward Burton to enter Trucks race at Daytona
  Former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton is getting back behind the wheel in NASCAR. He's bringing his son along, too.

• Kentucky Speedway smooths over traffic woes
  The chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc. says he's spent more than $10 million over the last six months on major improvements to alleviate the enormous traffic problems most fans experienced at the inaugural Sprint Cup race last July.

• No secrets: NASCAR will make all fines public
  NASCAR will no longer fine its teams and drivers without making the fines public, the governing body announced Wednesday.

• Childress to enter No. 33 in first 5 races of 2012
  Richard Childress Racing will enter the No. 33 Chevrolet in the first five Sprint Cup races of the season, starting with Elliott Sadler driving the car in the Daytona 500.

• Bayne discloses Lyme disease sidelined him
  Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne says there are no aftereffects from Lyme disease, which sidelined him for two months last season.

• Patrick to race Coca-Cola 600, skip Indy 500
  Danica Patrick has added the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to her 2012 Sprint Cup schedule, eliminating any possibility she will run in the Indianapolis 500.