Daytona Day 2: Daytona 500 Qualifying Practice And More Danica

Mother Nature, who at times was a total witch last season, reared her ugly head again Friday at Daytona.

Eight cars didn’t even get a chance to practice in the first session, so they’ll get their own mini-practice session tomorrow morning (from 9:30-10 a.m. Saturday).

Denny Hamlin made his first lengthy public comments yesterday since blowing out his knee playing basketball and insisted he should be just fine inside the race car.

The knee is painful now, he said, but doctors have told him he should be walking without a limp by the California race (the week after the Daytona 500). He must wear a custom-made brace every day to give his knee support, but said he can only be on his feet for a couple hours before it becomes unstable.