DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The Latest on Daytona 500 media day (all times local):

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10:30 a.m.

Brendan Gaughan is talking 'bout Allen Iverson.

Gaughan received a shoutout in Iverson's basketball Hall of Fame induction speech last fall. Before Gaughan started a lengthy NASCAR career and Iverson became of the NBA's greats with the Philadelphia 76ers, they were teammates at Georgetown. Gaughan was a role player with the Hoyas in the 1990s, and had one big assignment — roughing up Iverson in practice.

"Ask him if he wants to play a game with me guarding him," Gaughan said. "It was a lot of fun. You know the old joke where they say he'll cross you so hard, he'll break your ankles? Actually, he crossed me so hard I did break my ankles. It was black-and-blue two years guarding him. Chipped a bone and tore some ligaments."

Gaughan, a regular in the Truck and Xfinity Series, is set to make his 51st career Cup start in the Daytona 500. The 41-year-old driver raced his way in for Beard Motorsports.

He's still trying to entice Iverson to attend a NASCAR race.

"We have a great relationship, still," Gaughan said.

— Dan Gelston

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10:15 a.m.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has always been overshadowed by veterans at Roush Fenway Racing.

Now that the team has scaled down to two full-time cars, he's the new leader of an organization desperately searching for improvement.

Roush once fielded a NASCAR-high five cars and boasted a lineup that featured Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Greg Biffle. But those drivers are long gone, and Biffle at the end of last season said he was parting ways with Roush.

That leaves Stenhouse and Trevor Bayne as the two full-time Roush entries. Stenhouse turns 30 this year and is entering his fifth full Cup season with the organization.

He noted that he and Bayne are both more engaged this season, and Stenhouse has made a point to attend as many team meetings as possible. He's also been active on the simulator, which was a task he typically dreaded.

But Stenhouse knows Roush has a long road ahead.

"Wins for us are going to be starting off running solidly in the top-15 and finishing in the top-15," Stenhouse said. "Once we can do that, we can go after top-10s, then top-5s, and then wins. But it's just about getting top-15 cars right now."

— Jenna Fryer

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10 a.m.

Danica Patrick says she has not been distracted by her ongoing legal wrangling with former sponsor Nature's Bakery.

Stewart-Haas Racing has filed a $31 million lawsuit against Nature's Bakery, saying the food company concocted false claims to dump the remaining two years on its deal to sponsor Patrick.

Patrick says she thought she had a solid relationship with Nature's Bakery and insists she never promoted any rival products.

"We had a great yoga event here at Daytona last year at this time," she said. "When there was something to do, we did it really, really well. My focus is on those who are still around and those who are stepping up."

The severing of the contract left Stewart-Haas Racing in a funding lurch weeks before the season. Patrick had at least 20 unsponsored races without Nature's Bakery, but Aspen Dental this week broadened its role with her. Aspen Dental will be Patrick's primary sponsor for double-digit races, debuting with the Daytona 500.

"It's a perfect opportunity for them to step up and I appreciate that very much," she said. "But also to really expand their brand and continue to grow."

— Dan Gelston

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9:45 a.m.

After 14 years, 488 races and one victory, Casey Mears might be done in the Cup Series.

Mears signed on to drive in 12 Xfinity Series races for Biagi-DenBeste Racing.

"I knew we were going to have something, but until it's locked down you're always wondering what's going on," said Mears, who made every Cup race in 13 of the last 14 years. "It was great to get it locked down and know what we're doing and have a path to pursue."

Mears won't be in the car for the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona. But he will be at the track getting accustomed to his new team. He signed up to work with Fox Sports while he's not behind the wheel, but returning to the Cup Series seems like a long shot.

"I'm a very reality-based guy," Mears said. "I've had some very good opportunities in Cup. Unfortunately, it's probably been mediocre at best."

Mears started his career at Chip Ganassi Racing (2003-06) and then moved up to powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports (2007-08). He landed at Richard Childress Racing in 2009 and then bounced around in 2010 before spending the last six years at Germain Racing.

"I'm not jumping out of my seat to do something mediocre again," he said. "It's a long, grueling season. I'm open to being very dedicated to doing a full season again at some point. But to do it in the fashion where you just absolutely know you can't be competitive is kind of heartbreaking. ... And it wears on you."

— Mark Long

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9:15 a.m.

Seven-time and defensive NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson says Hendrick Motorsports is hard at work trying to figure out why he spun twice in Turn 4 during last weekend's exhibition race at Daytona International Speedway.

Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott also had in an issue during practice in the same turn, and Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had similar incidents in last year's Daytona 500 that led to crashes.

Johnson says Hendrick has been "very aggressive" in trying to find additional speed in the car. Despite the apparent problems it has caused, Johnson noted that Kasey Kahne and Alex Bowman had no issues in that turn.

"We can't sit still," he said in vowing to keep pushing limits.

— Jenna Fryer

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9 a.m.

Rick Ware Racing has landed a primary sponsor for its longshot effort to make the Daytona 500.

Timmy Hill is driving the Chevrolet for the team and will attempt to earn one of the two remaining slots in the Daytona 500 field in qualifying races Thursday.

To support the effort, the team signed Spoonful of Music as its primary sponsor. Spoonful of Music is a nonprofit organization that uses music to improve the lives of adolescents with chronic or incurable diseases.

Rick Ware Racing said last month it will field a full-time car in the Monster Energy Cup Series with a variety of drivers, including Hill.

— Jenna Fryer

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8:30 a.m.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip has a lofty goal for his final NASCAR race.

Waltrip wants to "figure out a way to get to the front, run up front and finish in the top 10." If that happens, the 53-year-old driver would "walk away proud."

One problem? He was 35th in pole qualifying Sunday, hardly the kind of speed needed at one of NASCAR's fastest tracks.

"Unless our strategy is, 'We've got them right where we want them; they don't even know we're here,' then we might be in a little bit of trouble on this one," Waltrip said. "But I'm looking forward to trying."

Waltrip announced last month that his 30th Daytona 500 would be the final driving stint of his NASCAR career.

— Mark Long

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