Notes and Quotes From Daytona: Friday

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Here are a few rumblings from Friday, the calm before the storm at Daytona.

DIS: Tournament Fishing Venue - Friday morning, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and the Spediatrics unit at Daytona Beach's Halifax Hospital got a nice boost thanks to a nice use of Lake Lloyd -- the six-acre infield lake dug out to produce DIS's high-banked corners.

Featuring drivers like Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman and others, the Hot Rods & Reels NASCAR Drivers Charity Fishing Tournament -- sponsored by Miccosukee Resort & Gaming -- saw NASCAR's wheelmen take to the water in an armada of bass fishing boats.

Within the first 20 minutes of the contest, Edwards' boat had landed three largemouth bass -- a great start in the 90-minute competition.

Award for the best casting ability? Naturally, it has to go to Martin Truex Jr., who drives the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevy.

Tom Cruise returns to Daytona
Friday morning, officials at Daytona confirmed that actor Tom Cruise will drive the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro pace car before Sunday's Daytona 500.

Cruise, who acted in the NASCAR-themed Days of Thunder from 1990 with Nicole Kidman, attended last year's spring event at Auto Club Speedway and the Champion's Banquet in New York City as a guest of Rick Hendrick.

Mark Martin a "bad dream," Biffle says
"It's like a bad dream," said Greg Biffle when asked if former teammate Mark Martin's ranting and raving about how good his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car and team is.

A broken record, if you will.

But for Biffle, he isn't offended by what could be viewed as a knock against the Roush Fenway organization. Those comments are just who Mark is, he says.

"He's being positive and that's Mark Martin -- being positive," said Biffle. "When he went over to DEI it was the chance of a lifetime and they were the best cars in the garage. I don't know. I think it's the same thing now, but I would have to say that Hendrick probably has the best stuff in the garage with Jimmie [Johnson] winning the championship three years in-a-row."

Cup, Truck veteran Brenden Gaughn introduced as Nationwide rookie
Las Vegas, Nev. native Brendan Gaughn has raced full-time in both the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series. But in 2009, Gaughn will campaign for the first time in the Nationwide Series with Rusty Wallace Racing.

And so, the 33-year-old will compete with six other drivers for the title of Raybestos Rookie of the Year. The average age of the seven drivers? 24.5 -- higher thanks to Gaughn.

"The gray in my beard isn't going to match the beard that some of these guys can't grow," joked Gaughn.