Daytona Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday, February 19. Race: DRIVE4COPD 300. Site: Daytona International Speedway. Track: 2.5-mile tri-oval. Start time: 1:15 p.m. (et). Laps: 120. Miles: 300. 2010 winner: Tony Stewart. Television: ESPN 2. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio

Tony Stewart's only scheduled Nationwide Series race this season is the one he's favored to win. Stewart has won the series' season-opener at Daytona International Speedway five times in the past six years.

Kevin Harvick, the owner of Stewart's Nationwide car, won the 300-mile race at Daytona in 2007.

"It's always a bonus when you can win on Saturday before going into the biggest race of the year on Sunday," Stewart said. "To get a Nationwide win there, that's how you like to go to bed the night before the Daytona 500, knowing that you've got that trophy sitting out there on your desk from what you did Saturday afternoon."

Dale Earnhardt holds the series record with five consecutive victories in the season-opening race at Daytona. Earnhardt's wins came from 1990-94. His son, Dale Jr., won the February race here consecutively from 2002-04.

This will be Stewart's first event in the new Nationwide car. Last year, the series ran the car in four races -- Daytona (July), Michigan (August), Richmond (September) and Charlotte (October).

The car will be used full-time this season.

When the car made its debut at Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in the No.3 Wrangler Chevrolet, a car number and paint scheme made famous by his late father.

Earnhardt Jr. and Stewart are among the nine Sprint Cup Series regulars competing in the Nationwide race at Daytona. Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards and Joe Nemechek are also entered in this event.

JR Motorsports, co-owned by Earnhardt Jr., will field three entries at Daytona. Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No.5 car.

"I feel good about the contingent of cars and teams JR Motorsports is taking to Daytona this year," Earnhardt Jr. said.

Danica Patrick will kick off her 12-race schedule driving the No.7 car for JRM. Patrick is also slated to compete at Phoenix (February 26), Las Vegas (March 5) and Bristol, TN (March 19) before her full-time duties in the IZOD IndyCar Series begin at St. Petersburg, FL (Mar. 27).

"Daytona is exciting because it's the first race of the year and everybody is geared up and ready to go," Patrick said. "I'm looking forward to going back to some of these tracks for a second time with the GoDaddy car."

Aric Almirola will run a full schedule in JRM's No.88 car this year. Almirola was a full-time competitor in the Camping World Truck Series in 2010, finishing second in points.

Forty-five teams are on the entry list for Saturday's DRIVE4COPD 300. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday.