Tommy Barrett of Millis will be looking for a strong finish in the Battle of the Beach at Daytona. (Credit: Tommy Barrett photo)

By Lou Modestino

Last year’s 2013 UNOH Battle At The Beach may have been the most talked about short-track event of the season. There was plenty of action and drama as Daytona International Speedway hosted the inaugural event on its backstretch.

The UNOH Battle At The Beach is back at “The World Center of Racing” on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and again will air live on television and radio. FOX Sports 2 will broadcast live beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Motor Racing Network (MRN) will go on the air at 6:45 p.m. with its pre-show, and the broadcast will be streamed live at MRN.com and simulcast by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Unfortunately, not many Modified racing fans get Fox Sports 2 and they’ll have to stay up to get the same day delay airing on Fox Sports 1. When I inquired from my cable company (Comcast) about getting Fox Sports 2 and MAV-TV at my local office all I got was a shrugging of the shoulders and this quote. “We have no idea when those channels will be available.”

The evening kicks off with the special non-points combination event for the NASCAR Whelen Modified and Whelen Southern Modified Tours. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points race follows at approximately 8:45 p.m. Both races will be 150 laps on the .37-mile oval.

Last year, popular veteran Steve Park used a little “chrome horn” to pass nine-time champion Mike Stefanik for the modified victory, while Cameron Hayley picked up his first NASCAR win in the K&N Pro Series race. That’s an understatement as the Modified event was a disaster. The only to pass on that temporary track was to put the driver ahead of you out of the way. If it’s the same situation this year then NASCAR and Daytona should “fold the tent” on the Battle at the Beach.

In addition to the live broadcast, the Whelen Modified race re-airs the same day, at 11 p.m., on FOX Sports 1. The K&N Pro Series East race re-airs on FOX Sports 1 on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m., following live NASCAR Sprint Cup practice from Daytona (4-5:30 p.m.) and leading into live NASCAR Sprint Cup practice beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season starts the season Sunday, Feb. 16 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. FOX Sports 1 airs the race in a one-hour format on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m., leading into Daytona 500 Final Practice at 10 a.m.

Hayley, Ben Rhodes and Gray Gaulding were all involved in a wild scramble off Turn 4 of the final lap of the 2013 UNOH Battle At The Beach, with Hayley emerging with the K&N Pro Series victory. All three will be back as the race will be the second championship East points event of the season.

The field also includes Daniel Suàrez, who closed last season with six top three finishes in the last eight races, leading Rev Racing’s four-car team in its pursuit of its second title in three years; Cole Custer, who became the youngest race winner in series history last year; Kenzie Ruston, the highest finishing female in series history; and two-time defending NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion Lee Pulliam, who is making his move up the NASCAR ladder.

Young star power will be in abundance in the Modified Tour race, led by Ryan Preece, who became the youngest champion in NASCAR Whelen Modified history last season. Rising stock car star Kyle Benjamin will jump in the No. 7NY Modified piloted last year at Daytona by Kyle Larson. They’ll be joined by young talent such as Tommy Barrett Jr., Timmy Solomito and Jimmy Zacharias.

In addition, past NASCAR Modified champions Doug Coby, Donny Lia, Burt Myers and Ron Silk are also entered in that race.