Sport 55 days to Daytona: Johnson, Danica and the 55th running

© Pierre Ducharme/Reuters NASCAR driver Danica Patrick waits to get into her car before the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 race at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida February 24, 2013.

We’re down to 55 days until the 58th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 on FOX. As we count down the days until a new NASCAR season starts, let’s rewind a few years to the 2013 edition of the 500.

It was a historic day at the 55th running of the Daytona 500 as rookie Danica Patrick won the pole in one of the most hyped debuts in NASCAR history. She became the first female to win a pole for the 500 and eventually the first to lead a lap in the race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says wedding 'is Daytona 500 and I know I'm going to win it'

<p>To say Dale Earnhardt Jr. is pumped about his New Year's Eve wedding is an understatement.</p>The winner of NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award the last 14 years in a row took to Twitter and said he told his bride-to-be, the lovely Amy Reimann, that the best way he can describe how he feels about marrying her is that this "Saturday is the Daytona 500 and I know already I'm going to win it. #FinallyHappy.

Jimmie Johnson roared to his second Daytona 500 win Sunday, but the 55 th Great American Race might well be remembered as the Danica 500. She impressed the heck out of me all day long." Much like she did when running the Indianapolis 500, Patrick produced when the spotlight was at its

Danica Patrick finished eighth. — Jimmie Johnson , who crashed on the first lap of last year’s Daytona 500, made it all the way to the finish of the 55 th running of the Great American Race Sunday to win the second Daytona 500 of his career in his 400th career NASCAR Sprint Cup start.

In impressive fashion, Patrick stayed near the front of the field all race and was third when the white flag waved. She fell back to eighth on the final lap after Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a strong move to the inside with help from Mark Martin.

Patrick’s finish still stands as the highest by a woman in the event’s history.

While Patrick was the leading storyline, Jimmie Johnson held off the late charge by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate and won the race, his second 500 win.

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Arizona's most important player was carted off the field Sunday.Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told reporters that Johnson – who racked up 1,239 rushing yards and 879 receiving yards this season before going down against the Rams – has an MCL sprain only and will not require surgery.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A big first for Danica Patrick, but an even bigger second for Jimmie Johnson . It made the 55 th running of the Daytona 500 relatively uneventful. "We have a hard time finishing these races. Boy, to run 1-2, man, what a day ," Hendrick said.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - - A big first for Danica Patrick, but an even bigger second for Jimmie Johnson . It made the 55 th running of the Daytona 500 relatively uneventful. Boy, to run 1-2, man, what a day ," said Rick Hendrick, team owner for both Johnson and Earnhardt.

This started Johnson on his journey for his sixth Cup Series championship that he won by 19 points over Matt Kenseth.

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