NCAA Tournament Bracket 2011: Who Are NASCAR Drivers Rooting For?

As two of NASCAR's three top national touring series (Sprint Cup and Nationwide) had their first off weekend of the season, those not competing or attending the Camping World Truck Series race at Darlington had a prime opportunity to take in one of the most thrilling weekends in sports: college basketball's Championship Week.

Drivers like Denny Hamlin (pictured enjoying a Magic-Bobcats playoff game last year) and Jeff Burton are known for being huge basketball buffs; in Hamlin's case, he parlayed it into a friendship with Michael Jordan.

Here's who some NASCAR drivers will be rooting for (or hoped to root for) during the NCAA men's basketball tournament throughout the month of March.

Jeff Burton: Duke

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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 04: Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, waits on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 4, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jerry Markl

In an interview published in the February 2009 issue of Stock Car Racing magazine, Burton's fanaticism for coach Mike Krzyzewski's team was examined.

"Duke basketball, in my eyes, is in a league of their own," Burton, driver of the No. 31 Chevy, told Lisa Cox. "I don't necessarily mean on the court. I mean as far as respect and admiration. There are kids all across the world who would love to play for Coach K at Duke."

The Blue Devils, top seed in the West Region, will play No. 16 seed Hampton in Charlotte Friday.

Kelly Bires: North Carolina

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 16: Kelly Bires, driver of the #25 RaceDaySponsor.com Ford, poses during the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Portraits at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2011 in Daytona Beach, (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Ima

Bires, a Nationwide Series regular driving the No. 25 Ford for Team Rensi, appeared to show allegiance for the Tar Heels this past weekend.

"Same here! Go UNC! RT @ColemanPressley @KellyBires unc man!," Bires posted on his Twitter account prior to the ACC tournament final Sunday afternoon.

North Carolina received the No. 2 seed in the East Region and will play Long Island Friday in Charlotte.

Brendan Gaughan: Georgetown

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 16: Brendan Gaughan, driver of the #62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota, poses during the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Portraits at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (P

Gaughan, a Sprint Cup and Nationwide veteran now driving the No. 62 Toyota for Germain Racing in the Camping World Truck Series, was a walk-on for the Hoyas during his college days, teammates with future NBA great Allen Iverson.

Georgetown received the No. 6 seed in the Southwest Region and will play the winner of Tuesday's UAB-VCU matchup Friday in Chicago.

Eric McClure: Virginia

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Eric McClure, driver of the #14 Hefty 'Black Out' Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (P

McClure, driver of the No. 14 Ford for TriStar Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, expressed disappointment over Virginia blowing an 11-point lead to Miami in the first round of the ACC tournament Thursday.

"Uva blew an 11 pt lead in the final minute. Only my teams are capable of that...," McClure wrote on his Twitter account, @ericmcclure.

The Cavaliers will not play in any of the four postseason tournaments.

Michael Waltrip: Kentucky

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, signs an autograph on the grid prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 20, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

While there is little evidence of Michael Waltrip speaking about his college basketball rooting interests, he does count Kentucky head coach John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) among those he follows on Twitter (@mw55).

The Wildcats drew the No. 4 seed in the East Region and will play No. 13 seed Princeton Thursday in Tampa.

Regan Smith: Syracuse

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Regan Smith, driver of the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 13, 2011 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Ph

Smith, driver of the No. 78 Chevy for Furniture Row Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, expressed excitement Thursday when Syracuse defeated St. John's in the quarterfinals of the American Eagle Outfitters Big East Tournament. 

"absolutely loving the Cuse being on tv on a thurs afternoon ... gotta love tourney time," Smith tweeted during the game. 

Syracuse drew the No. 3 seed in the East Region and will play No. 14 seed Indiana State Friday in Cleveland.

Elliott Sadler: Duke/North Carolina

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DARLINGTON, SC - MARCH 12: Elliott Sadler, driver of the #2 Armour Vienna Sausages Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the Too Tough to Tame 200 at Darlington Raceway on March 12, 2011 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Geoff Burke

Even though Sadler is a noted fan of ACC hoops and the Tar Heels, he's choosing North Carolina's hated rival to take the national championship.

"If Duke plays this good in tourney..they are my pick to win National title," Sadler wrote on Twitter (@Elliott_Sadler).

David Ragan: Georgia Tech

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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: David Ragan, driver of the #6 UPS Ford, stands on the grid prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NAS

Even though David Ragan never gave any indication of his disappointment over Georgia Tech's first-round defeat in the ACC tournament, he is a fan of the Yellow Jackets on Twitter.

Georgia Tech finished 13-18 (5-11 in the ACC) and will not play in the postseason.

Thoughts? Comment below.

Ryan Papaserge is a junior journalism/mass communication student at St. Bonaventure University and a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.