DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Danica Patrick turned the fastest lap in Saturday's practice sessions a week ahead of NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500, and said she's eyeing the top starting spot in “The Great American Race.” The front row for the Feb. 24 season opener Daytona 500 will be set in Sunday's time trials. The rest of the field is set next Thursday after a pair of qualifying races. Patrick was nearly a second faster than the other drivers Saturday. Second fastest in the afternoon session was three-time champion Tony Stewart, her teammate and car co-owner in his Chevrolet. Kyle Busch was third in a Toyota, and he was followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jamie McMurray as Chevrolet took four of the top five spots. Trevor Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner, was the fastest Ford in sixth. Joey Logano paced the morning practice in his Penske Racing Ford. He was followed by Austin Dillon for Richard Childress Racing and then Patrick. She came to Daytona with a different car than the one her SHR team tested with in January. That car was fast and had the team encouraged, but crew chief Tony Gibson settled on a different Chevy based on wind tunnel data. — Agencies
