Joey Logano won the Daytona 500 yesterday, marking the "biggest win for one of NASCAR's most promising drivers who has long been billed as a future star of the sport." Winning the race is "another signal that Logano is well on his way to becoming a household name" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/23). Coca-Cola is running a full-page ad in USA Today congratulating Logano for winning the race: “Proudly Fueling The Champion.” Coca-Cola Racing yesterday after the race also put out a promoted tweet (THE DAILY).

NASCAR "was thrilled to see the focus return to racing" yesterday. The "feel-good stories that NASCAR hoped would dominate attention during its season-opening week" had been "overshadowed by the ugly suspension of Kurt Busch and a gruesome injury to Kyle Busch on Saturday" (N.Y. TIMES, 2/23). With the "relentless negative news around NASCAR lately, it's sometimes hard to remember this is supposed to be enjoyable to watch" (USA TODAY, 2/23). Sunday's racing and end result was a "public-relations triumph in a controversy-marred week" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/23).

The final 20 laps of the 500 were "packed with some of the closest tightrope-like racing in the recent history" of Daytona Int'l Speedway (USATODAY.com, 2/22). The closing laps "featured an astonishing display of high-speed stock car racing" (L.A. TIMES, 2/23).

The Chargers have tapped Jeffrey Pollack as a special advisor to team President Dean Spanos to consult on the team's influx of stadium options and on future revenue growth. He has been in his role since Jan. 1, but it has not been publicly disclosed before this morning. Pollack, who founded THE DAILY in '94, is also a former NBA and NASCAR exec. Since '13, he has run his own consultancy, Sports Business Associates.

Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani will remain deeply involved, guiding strategy on the stadium effort, as he has for over a decade. Pollack's role is to supplement. For example, he helped identify and hire the architect for the proposed Carson development, Manica. The Chargers are currently negotiating with the city of San Diego over a replacement to Qualcomm Stadium, but also last week proposed a stadium in Carson that would be shared with the Raiders. The team has said it is moving on parallel tracks. Once the team makes a choice, Pollack would remain in his role with the Chargers, advising on revenue and brand growth.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Chargers President Dean Spanos met privately yesterday to "discuss the increasingly complex and controversial issue of building a new stadium to keep the team from moving" to L.A. The meeting took place "at a neutral site: the Padres office at Petco Park." The two men "met alone, without staff members." Each then released a statement "supporting the move by the mayor's stadium committee to present its analysis within 90 days, not by fall as originally planned" (LATIMES.com, 2/22).

The Triple-A Int'l League Pawtucket Red Sox "have agreed to be sold to a group of investors" led by Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino in a deal expected to be announced today. The new ownership group is as yet unnamed. The "sale price has not been disclosed, but the transaction will not include McCoy Stadium." Neither the new ownership group nor the PawSox would respond to inquiries about the imminent sale. The club has been owned by the Mondor family since '77 (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 2/23).

Crowds of more than 40,000 attended the two-day Air + Style snow sports event at the Rose Bowl this weekend, with 12,000 on hand yesterday as skier Gus Kenworthy won the "rain-shortened $34,000 first-place prize." This marked the first time the event added skiers to its snowboard Big Air program. Due to weather, the "second round and the finals were canceled" (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE, 2/23). The event "hit its unfortunate climax" on Saturday, when a musical component headlined by rapper Kendrick Lamar ended his set "with frustration halfway through after repeated failed attempts to increase the notably low volume" (L.A. TIMES, 2/23).

The ice rink at Levi's Stadium "will remain in use" for the rest of the week following Saturday's Kings-Sharks Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game. The Sharks "have scheduled private skates for sponsors, suite-holders and fans with season tickets." The 49ers are "renting ice time to youth hockey and adult programs." Once that comes to an end, the NHL "will begin dismantling the rink" in a two-day process (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/23).

At least 4,000 fans attended an open house yesterday at the Twins' renovated Spring Training home at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Ft. Myers, Fla. Upgrades include "Hammond Stadium's new grand entrance" (Ft. Myers NEWS-PRESS, 2/23).

Meanwhile, around 25,000 fans attended the D-Backs' Subway Fan Fest at Chase Field, "now in its 11th year." D-Backs players "made their way from a morning workout at Salt River Fields to downtown Phoenix to join them" (MLB.com, 2/22).

The lines for Marlins tickets were “longer than the past two mid-February Winter Warmup events (previously known as FanFest).” The team has already “surpassed last year’s season-ticket sales count of 5,000” (MIAMI HERALD, 2/22).

The heads of Europe’s leading soccer clubs and leagues, including EPL CEO Richard Scudamore, “will make a last-ditch stand this week to prevent” the ’22 FIFA World Cup from moving to November and December, “causing untold damage to the global calendar and potentially throwing television scheduling into chaos” (INDEPENDENT.co.uk, 2/21).

The AHL team relocating to San Diego from Norfolk, Va., will take on the Gulls name, “paying tribute to the longstanding tradition of area hockey teams being given that moniker” (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 2/22).

SNY today plans to name Steve Gelbs the successor to Kevin Burkhardt, who “left for a full-time job at Fox after eight seasons as the Mets reporter” (NEWSDAY, 2/22).

“This is game-changing for us. It puts us on par with a lot of our colleagues. Any increase in revenues as we’ve said in the past will go directly towards our (team) so it will help our product on the field” – D-Backs President & CEO Derrick Hall, on the team’s local TV deal with FS Arizona (MLB.com, 2/21).

“I don’t know how long some of these issues are going to take. If they were going to take 10 years, then I would not be taking them. They have to be things that can be done relatively soon” – Interim Michigan AD Jim Hackett, on his to-do list for his tenure (MLIVE.com, 2/22).

"Even when I was signing hats after the round, I asked some guy, 'Hey, is there a playoff? Like, what's going on?' He's like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey and some other guy.' I was like, 'Yeah? OK, cool. Here's your hat'" – Golfer James Hahn, who defeated Johnson and Casey in a playoff to win the PGA Tour Northern Trust Open (AP, 2/23).

The N.Y. TIMES notes the World Surf League's "successful web-first broadcast strategy is at the leading edge of a gradual transformation taking hold in sports television."

The ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER goes with the header, "Is Snowboarding Melting In Popularity?" In recent months, "sales of snowboarding gear are in steep decline, and many resorts say loyalty on the slopes has shifted back to skiing."

Also:

• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum "morphing into a national treasure."
• Financial guarantee is most politically dicey part of an Olympic bid.
• MLB Giants use social media to connect with fans, tame the trolls.
• Daytona Rising is most ambitious renovation in NASCAR history.
• Bill Walton discusses his broadcasting style in long-form Q&A.

Reports of $89.95 (SD) and $99.95 (HD) for the Pacquiao/Mayweather PPV when it does happen. I don't think it matters. People will buy.

— Greg Brady (@bradyfan590) February 23, 2015

Thank you to my great partner @adidas @adidasGolf for giving me some clothes for the next couple days.

— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) February 23, 2015

Shoutout to all the fans that came to the Daytona 500. Your presence is felt and gets us wound up to put on a show like no other!!! 👏🍻

— Clint Bowyer (@ClintBowyer) February 23, 2015

Proud to be my boy's best man today! An honor! #marryingmcelroy pic.twitter.com/Ds2BZFXjNX

— Greg McElroy Sr. (@gmc1st) February 21, 2015

Dish Network today announced that Joseph Clayton will “retire from his role as president and CEO, effective March 31.” Chair Charlie Ergen will “take on the roles as of March 31.” The company also reported that it ended ’14 with 13.978 million pay TV subscribers, down 79,000 from ’13 (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 2/23).

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Word Origins.”

“Describing anything very showy, in architecture it refers to a style using curves like tongues of fire.”

CBS’ David Letterman: “Down in Florida, baseball teams' Spring Training just around the corner. Alex Rodriguez will be back in the line-up with the New York Yankees after being suspended for a season. He'll be back. He wrote the fans of the New York Yankees. It was a handwritten letter of apology. We're still waiting on one from the Knicks” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/20).

Friday night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Vanilla Ice Excuses.” Letterman said, “Vanilla Ice was arrested in Florida. It’s like one of those Justin Bieber things: The kids go crazy or something” (“Late Show,” CBS, 2/20).

10) “It’s been years since I publicly humiliated myself.”
9) “Tired of stealing bass lines from Queen and David Bowie.”
8) “Hoped to grab attention of Lifetime Achievement Grammy voters.”
7) “Desperate after failure of comeback single, ‘ISIS Baby.’”
6) “Temporary insanity triggered by conversation with Chad from Albany.”
5) “My savings account melted.”
4) “Just trying to get back my memorabilia.”
3) “Uh…it’s Hammer Time.”
2) “Gotta have something to put in the fan club newsletter.”
1) “You’ve got the wrong Vanilla Ice.”

“What is flamboyant?”