2024 daytona 500

Nick Sanchez scores first victory in wild NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck race

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

February 16, 2024

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With cars wrecking and flipping behind him in overtime, Nick Sanchez claimed the first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of his young NASCAR Cup Series career in Friday night’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

The race ended under caution on the second lap of the overtime after Rajah Caruth, running fourth, moved up the track and turned the No. 91 Chevrolet of Jack Wood in front of the field.

Sanchez and runner-up Corey Heim were clear of the chaos, and Caruth escaped with minimal damage to run third. But behind them, the Chevy of Daniel Dye launched the Toyota of Taylor Gray, which flipped in mid-air and landed upright on its tires in a gaggle of mangled cars.

All told 12 trucks were involved in the wreck, which caused the record 12th caution of the evening.

Coincidentally, Sanchez rallied from a 13-truck crash on Lap 6 to score the victory for his No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet team in his sophomore season.

“It’s huge,” Sanchez said. “We spent all of last year trying to get a win. I knew coming into this year I knew that I had to, right? What better race than to do it than Daytona? Honestly, out of every race, if I was going to do it, this would have been the last one (I expected), but happy to do it. It’s awesome.

“I just knew I had to lead at the white flag, because they were probably going to wreck. I’m glad they wrecked — if everyone is OK. I’m just happy.

“It’s huge. Obviously, we have a new technical partner in Spire (Motorsports)—our first race with them. What a better way to start a partnership. (Sponsor) Gainbridge has stuck with me. They were winless last year. They all deserve it, and they’re going to celebrate with me.”

Caruth was thankful for his third-place finish, but he rued the wreck that ended the race.

“I’m trying to play it back differently in the last laps, but thank you to everybody at Spire Motorsports, HendrickCars.com, the Hendrick Automotive Group, and Mr. H (Hendrick) for what they’ve done for me along with everybody at Spire and Chevy," Carruth said.

“Man, I felt like I got a bad push there, and you’re already getting tight off of the corner, and everybody is going for all they have on the last lap. I feel terrible to see trucks like that torn up. I hope Taylor (Gray) is all right. But a good night to start the year.”

Fifty-one of the 101 laps were run under caution, and it didn’t take long for the action to start. The first major incident KO’d a handful of drivers.

On the backstretch on Lap 6 of a scheduled 100 circuits, a shove from Christian Eckes’ Chevrolet turned the Ford of three-time series champion Matt Crafton into the Ford of Layne Riggs, igniting a 13-truck accident that eliminated Ty Dillon, Thad Moffitt and Jake Garcia.

With his team unable to effect repairs on his No. 38 Ford F-150, Riggs took his Truck to the garage under caution on Lap 17.

“Chaos, a lot of craziness — everybody was just kind of all over the place,” Dillon said after a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “I’ve never seen anything look like that from behind the wheel four laps into a race.

“With my experience, I knew something like that was going to happen. That’s why I got myself to the bottom to hopefully have a spot to bail. And sure enough, it happened. I thought I got through… I hit the grass and it knocked the tires out of my hand, and I was trying to catch it with the throttle…

“Just hate to be taken out so early and not have a chance.”

The Lap 6 incident was a harbinger of the chaos to come.

Defending series champion Ben Rhodes saw a good night turn bad when Tyler Ankrum door-slammed his Ford on Lap 68. Rhodes pitted with a flat tire a lap later, but after leaving the pits, he spun and crashed as the lead packed tried to dodge the No. 99 Ford in the center of the track.

Rhodes exited the race, and soon after, Johhny Sauter was an innocent victim of a four-truck wreck off Turn 4—after leading 24 laps, second only to Sanchez’s 26.

Bret Holmes finished fourth, followed by Spencer Boyd. Stefan Parsons, Crafton, Timmy Hill, Bryan Dauzat and Eckes completed the top 10.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race - Fresh From Florida 250

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

Friday, February 16, 2024

1. (6) Nick Sanchez, Chevrolet, 101.

2. (26) Corey Heim, Toyota, 101.

3. (20) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 101.

4. (19) Bret Holmes, Chevrolet, 101.

5. (31) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 101.

6. (27) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 101.

7. (11) Matt Crafton, Ford, 101.

8. (33) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 101.

9. (29) Bryan Dauzat, Chevrolet, 101.

10. (25) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 101.

11. (5) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 101.

12. (34) Jason White, Ford, 101.

13. (9) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, 101.

14. (17) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 101.

15. (1) Ty Majeski, Ford, 101.

16. (8) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 101.

17. (22) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 101.

18. (23) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 101.

19. (12) Taylor Gray, Toyota, Accident, 100.

20. (3) Corey LaJoie(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 100.

21. (7) Daniel Dye, Chevrolet, Accident, 100.

22. (30) Cory Roper, Chevrolet, Accident, 100.

23. (14) Codie Rohrbaugh, Chevrolet, Accident, 100.

24. (15) Dean Thompson, Toyota, Accident, 100.

25. (32) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, 100.

26. (4) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 99.

27. (13) Toni Breidinger, Toyota, 97.

28. (18) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, Accident, 93.

29. (2) Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, Accident, 79.

30. (24) Ben Rhodes, Ford, Accident, 71.

31. (36) Keith McGee, Ford, Accident, 44.

32. (35) Lawless Alan, Ford, Overheating, 27.

33. (21) Layne Riggs #, Ford, DVP, 13.

34. (16) Jake Garcia, Ford, Accident, 6.

35. (28) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 5.

36. (10) Thad Moffitt #, Chevrolet, Accident, 5.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 98.933 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 8 Secs. Margin of Victory: Under Caution Seconds.

Caution Flags: 12 for 52 laps.

Lead Changes: 24 among 12 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Sauter 1;T. Majeski 2;J. Sauter 3-13;T. Majeski 14;J. Sauter 15-22;T. Majeski 23-26;T. Ankrum 27-41;B. Holmes 42-44;T. Gray 45;B. Holmes 46-51;J. Sauter 52;B. Holmes 53-56;J. Sauter 57-58;G. Enfinger 59-60;N. Sanchez 61-63;B. Rhodes 64-68;J. Sauter 69;T. Ankrum 70;C. Purdy 71;C. Eckes 72;C. LaJoie(i) 73-77;N. Sanchez 78-90;R. Caruth 91;N. Sanchez 92-101.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Nick Sanchez 3 times for 26 laps; Johnny Sauter 6 times for 24 laps; Tyler Ankrum 2 times for 16 laps; Bret Holmes 3 times for 13 laps; Ty Majeski 3 times for 6 laps; Ben Rhodes 1 time for 5 laps; Corey LaJoie(i) 1 time for 5 laps; Grant Enfinger 1 time for 2 laps; Tanner Gray 1 time for 1 lap; Rajah Caruth 1 time for 1 lap; Chase Purdy 1 time for 1 lap; Christian Eckes 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 45,98,41,18,17,32,91,19,5,11

Stage #2 Top Ten: 18,19,88,43,99,98,7,9,2,11

Toyota drivers Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell win Duels, as Jimmie Johnson races into DAYTONA 500

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Chris Graythen/Getty Images

February 15, 2024

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With a deft move to the inside in the final corner of the first of two Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday night, 19th-place starter Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag and earned the inside second-row starting position for Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

And by the skin of his teeth, in that same Duel, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson edged J.J. Yeley for one of the final two starting spots in the Great American Race.

In the two races that set the field for the DAYTONA 500—and in which the Toyotas managed a sweep after a lackluster qualifying effort on Wednesday—Christopher Bell led only the final lap of the second Duel, holding off 2022 DAYTONA 500 winner Austin Cindric for the victory.

As Bell was securing the outside starting spot on the second row for Sunday’s race, Kaz Grala edged B.J. McLeod for the final spot in the field by. 0.067 seconds. Grala ran 12th to McLeod’s 14th in a battle that wasn’t settled until the last few yards of the final lap.

As Reddick was outfoxing three Hendrick Chevrolets at the front of the field on Lap 60 of the first Duel—clearing Chase Elliott and diving to the inside of Kyle Larson’s Camaro—Johnson was in dire peril of missing the 500 in his first competitive race in a Legacy Motor Club Toyota.

Johnson trailed Yeley by a car-length through Turn 4, but Yeley moved to the top lane, and Johnson shoved the Chevrolet of Ross Chastain through a gap in the middle lane and used the momentum to overtake Yeley as the cars approached the checkered flag.

As a result, Johnson will race on Sunday, and Yeley will not. In the scramble to the finish line, Johnson finished 12th and Yeley 16th.

“I’ve never been in a position like this before, and I have such a greater appreciation for everyone before me that’s tried to race their way in,” said Johnson, who overcame a spin with 10 laps left to edge Yeley for the available spot.

“It’s very stressful. I’m very thankful we got this Carvana Toyota into this race. I knew the first half of the race was going too easy. I knew there’d be a challenge thrown at us, and we got it just in time. Hats off to J.J. Yeley. He put up a heck of a fight in a very competitive car.”

A rueful Yeley second-guessed the closing move that didn’t work.

“Side-by-side coming to two (laps) to go, I thought we were in really good shape,” Yeley said. “Coming into Turn 3 (on the final lap), I wasn’t counting my chickens, but I was getting close. Saw there was some contact. Someone in the middle lost a lot of momentum.

“I made a split-second decision to go to the outside, carry the momentum, clear him, make the racetrack two-wide where he couldn't pass. He stayed in the middle. The 19 (Martin Truex Jr.) pushed him. The momentum carried him all the way to the checkered flag.

“It sucks. Two years ago we were close. Just couldn't get it.”

As if knowing his victory was a sidebar to the drama surrounding Johnson, Reddick kept his postrace interview to a minimum.

“Great way to start off the weekend,” said Reddick, who led only the final lap in his No. 45 23XI Toyota and beat runner-up Elliott to the finish line by 0.056 seconds. “This thing is a beast. It's a great way to kick off the brand-new (sponsor’s) product. Go out and get some Hard Tea, have a good time tonight. I know we are.”

Bell’s victory followed a massive wreck in Turn 1 on Lap 48. Defending series champion Ryan Blaney took a jarring hit after contact from Kyle Busch’s Chevrolet—with a shot to Busch’s Camaro from Brad Keselowski behind him--turned the Chevrolet of Willian Byron into Blaney’s Ford and ignited an 11-car melee.

Byron’s car had gotten loose and lost pace, stacking the field up behind him. The wreck eliminated Blaney, Busch, Riley Herbst and Noah Gragson.

“I was just getting a push from the No. 6 (Keselowski) there, and the No. 24 (Byron) I saw kind of got messed up, out of line and slowed down,” Busch explained. “I tried to lift and roll out of the gas smoothly. I was still gaining too fast, and then I got all the way out of the gas. Got bumped again from behind and just accordioned into the No. 24 and sent him spinning.

“You don’t want to hit a guy in the tri-oval. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’ve also rolled out of here in an ambulance before doing that, so I know it’s not the right thing to do, but sometimes you don’t have a choice, and I turned the No. 24 sideways and caused a wreck.”

Bell restarted fourth with eight laps left and surged into the lead on the final circuit.

“Yeah, it feels good,” Bell said. “These (superspeedway) races, man, I don't know what to think of 'em. Me and Adam Stevens, my crew chief, we have a running joke: I say these races are 100-percent luck. I know that's not true, but it seems like we've been struggling to get to the end of it. I know I've been a common denominator in a lot of the wrecks. Feels good to do everything well today.”

Grala, who failed to qualify for last year’s DAYTONA 500 in his only attempt at a Cup race in 2023, found redemption this year in the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

“Just really proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports,” Grala said. “They worked so hard the last 24 hours to get the car ready to race today. Some trouble yesterday. Really cool to be able to get it in the show for them. Real big opportunity for me. Excited to be here on Sunday again.”

By virtue of his second-place finish in the first Duel, Elliott will line up on the inside of the third row on Sunday, with the rest of the Duel 1 cars behind him in finishing order. Alex Bowman was third on Thursday, followed by Sunoco rookie Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones, who led the Toyota contingent with a 22nd-place run in Wednesday’s time trials.

The second Duel set the outside row for the 500, with three-time DAYTONA 500 winner Denny Hamlin securing the outside fourth-row starting spot with a third-place finish. John Hunter Nemechek and Harrison Burton were fourth and fifth in Duel 2.

Joey Logano won the DAYTONA 500 pole in Wednesday’s qualifying session, with Michael McDowell claiming the second starting position.

NASCAR Cup Series Race - Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at DAYTONA

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

Thursday, February 15, 2024

1. (19) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 60.

2. (3) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 60.

3. (9) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 60.

4. (20) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 60.

5. (12) Erik Jones, Toyota, 60.

6. (10) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 60.

7. (1) Joey Logano, Ford, 60.

8. (15) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 60.

9. (2) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 60.

10. (8) Chris Buescher, Ford, 60.

11. (5) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 60.

12. (18) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota, 60.

13. (7) Ryan Preece, Ford, 60.

14. (14) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 60.

15. (17) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 60.

16. (21) JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 60.

17. (6) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 60.

18. (4) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 60.

19. (11) Anthony Alfredo(i), Chevrolet, 59.

20. (16) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, DVP, 51.

21. (13) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, Accident, 49.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 167.963 mph.

Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 53 Mins, 35 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.056 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps.

Lead Changes: 15 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders: K. Larson 1-4;E. Jones 5-9;R. Stenhouse Jr. 10-17;C. LaJoie 18;R. Stenhouse Jr. 19-24;M. Truex Jr. 25;R. Stenhouse Jr. 26;M. Truex Jr. 27-39;K. Larson 40-43;T. Gilliland 44;J. Logano 45;K. Larson 46-54;D. Suarez 55-56;K. Larson 57-59;T. Reddick 60.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Larson 4 times for 20 laps; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 3 times for 15 laps; Martin Truex Jr. 2 times for 14 laps; Erik Jones 1 time for 5 laps; Daniel Suarez 1 time for 2 laps; Corey LaJoie 1 time for 1 lap; Tyler Reddick 1 time for 1 lap; Joey Logano 1 time for 1 lap; Todd Gilliland 1 time for 1 lap.

NASCAR Cup Series Race - Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at DAYTONA

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

Thursday, February 15, 2024

1. (16) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 60.

2. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 60.

3. (17) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 60.

4. (19) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 60.

5. (5) Harrison Burton, Ford, 60.

6. (18) Zane Smith #, Chevrolet, 60.

7. (12) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 60.

8. (3) William Byron, Chevrolet, 60.

9. (7) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 60.

10. (15) Justin Haley, Ford, 60.

11. (14) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 60.

12. (21) Kaz Grala #, Ford, 60.

13. (10) AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 60.

14. (20) BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 60.

15. (13) David Ragan, Ford, 60.

16. (1) Michael McDowell, Ford, 60.

17. (11) Josh Berry #, Ford, Fuel Pump, 48.

18. (9) Ryan Blaney, Ford, Accident, 47.

19. (4) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, Accident, 47.

20. (6) Riley Herbst(i), Ford, Accident, 47.

21. (8) Noah Gragson, Ford, Accident, 47.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 161.146 mph.

Time of Race: 0 Hrs, 55 Mins, 51 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.113 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 1 for 4 laps.

Lead Changes: 13 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders: M. McDowell 1-6;W. Byron 7-10;R. Herbst(i) 11;W. Byron 12;R. Herbst(i) 13-14;A. Allmendinger(i) 15-16;R. Herbst(i) 17-20;B. Wallace 21-41;M. McDowell 42;H. Burton 43;R. Blaney 44;M. McDowell 45-54;D. Hamlin 55-59;C. Bell 60.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Bubba Wallace 1 time for 21 laps; Michael McDowell 3 times for 17 laps; Riley Herbst(i) 3 times for 7 laps; William Byron 2 times for 5 laps; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 5 laps; AJ Allmendinger(i) 1 time for 2 laps; Christopher Bell 1 time for 1 lap; Harrison Burton 1 time for 1 lap; Ryan Blaney 1 time for 1 lap.

--30--

Joey Logano breaks Chevrolet streak with pole-winning run for DAYTONA 500

James Gilbert/Getty Images

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.— The new Ford Dark Horse lived up to its nomenclature in Wednesday night’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session for Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Running the fastest lap in both rounds of the time trials, Team Penske’s Joey Logano put his car on the pole for the Great American Race, as he and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell locked their Mustangs—featuring a new body style dubbed the Dark Horse—into the front row for the 500.

The Oxford dictionary defines “dark horse” as “a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.”

Logano secured his first Busch Light Pole Award at Daytona with a final-round lap in 49.465 seconds (181.947 mph), beating McDowell (181.686 mph) by 0.261 seconds. It is also the first DAYTONA 500 pole for Team Penske.

“This is all about the team,” said Logano, who scored the 29th pole of his career. “I’d like to take credit, but I can’t today. The guys have done such an amazing job working on these cars. Speedway qualifying is 100 percent the car.

“There’s only so much a driver can do, so I’m really proud of them. It’s a big win for our team… Finally, someone else wins the pole—that part feels good. I’ve never even been close to a superspeedway pole before, so my first pole on a speedway couldn’t be at a cooler event than the DAYTONA 500.”

But was his pole-winning run unexpected? Consider that Chevrolets had won the previous 11 DAYTONA 500 poles, that cars sporting Hendrick Motorsports power had won the previous nine and that Hendrick drivers had claimed the top starting spot in eight of the last nine years.

So, yes, the Fords found success in a car that was unknown and untried on a superspeedway.

Hendrick drivers Kyle Larson (181.635 mph), Chase Elliott (181.178 mph) and William Byron (181.174 mph) qualified third, fifth and sixth, respectively, with Ford driver and 2022 DAYTONA 500 winner Austin Cindric posting the fourth fastest final-round lap at 181.207 mph.

Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch were seventh and eighth fastest, followed by Ross Chastain and Harrison Burton.

But the only two drivers who know where they will start on Sunday are Logano and McDowell, both former DAYTONA 500 winners. The rest of the field will be set in Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150-mile qualifying races, with the odd-numbered qualifiers racing in Duel 1 and the even-numbered qualifiers competing in Duel 2.

Among those trying to race into the 500 is seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who failed to time into Sunday’s race in his No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota.

In fact, the Toyotas—also with a new body style this season—showed a jarring lack speed in single-car runs, with Erik Jones leading the manufacturer’s effort with a 22nd-place run. Johnson was 35th fastest.

In the race among six unchartered cars for four available spots, Kaz Grala was unable to make a qualifying run because of a mechanical failure on his No. 36 Ford, locking Anthony Alfredo (20th fastest overall) into Sunday’s race with a lap at 179.648 mph, fastest among the open cars.

“We’re in, and to not have to race in tomorrow and just remove ourselves for some of the sketchy circumstances and focus on Sunday is just an amazing, amazing feeling.”

David Ragan claimed the second guaranteed starting spot on speed among the unchartered cars when Johnson failed to better Ragan’s lap at 179.283 mph.

“I didn’t have a chance to beat Jimmie Johnson too often in my career when he and I were running week-in and week-out,” said Ragan, who hasn’t raced a Cup car since the regular-season finale of 2022 at Daytona. “So, I’ll take the small victories when I can. Yeah, that just shows you how close the competition is.”

Driving the No. 84 Toyota, third fastest of the open cars at 178.845 mph, Johnson must race his way into the DAYTONA 500 field in the first of the two Duels.

“I had higher expectations for sure, but we are lumped right there with the other Toyotas,” Johnson said. “The 43 (Erik Jones) car got a little more out of it, so I wish we had a bit more out of ours, but it is what it is. We will go out and race hard tomorrow night and try to make the 500.

“I’ve never been in this position, so I don’t know. I came down here mentally prepared to race my way in if that was required. I’m well studied. I spent a lot of time working on the environment of the Duels and the way the race will unfold. Just get out there and race hard and see how it unfolds.”

B.J. McLeod, J.J. Yeley and Grala will be competing with Johnson for the two remaining spots in the race.

DAYTONA 500 Media Day Notebook

Notebook Items:

Denny Hamlin contemplates a significant milestone—a fourth DAYTONA 500 win
Kyle Busch feels he may be destined to fill the last hole in his resume
With outstanding Daytona record, Bubba Wallace needs just slight improvement to win
New to Stewart-Haas Racing, Noah Gragson is grateful for a second chance

February 14, 2024

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

Denny Hamlin contemplates a significant milestone—a fourth DAYTONA 500 win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—As Denny Hamlin sat at the dais in the Daytona International Speedway media center, a photo recalling the history he hopes to achieve hung on the wall to his immediate left.

It was a Victory Lane shot of NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough, holding the Harley J. Earl Award the earned by winning the 1977 DAYTONA 500.

Yarborough, who died in December at age 84, won the Great American Race four times, second only to the seven victories achieved by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty.

Hamlin, one of four drivers to have won back-to-back DAYTONA 500s—the others being Yarborough, Petty and Sterling Marlin—will make his fourth attempt to match Yarborough’s win total in Sunday’s race (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The most significant hole in Hamlin’s all-but-certain Hall-of-Fame resume is the lack of a series championship, but the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota would be loath to pick between a fourth DAYTONA 500 and a title.

“By the outside views, this is the pinnacle of our sport,” Hamlin said on Wednesday during DAYTONA 500 media day. “The championship is decided in one race, just like this is decided in one race. I’m not really sure. It just depends on whose perspective it might be. But certainly, with the championship getting a smaller and smaller sample size, I view them very similarly.”

To win a fourth 500, Hamlin believes he’ll have to approach the race in a more self-centered way, rather than relying on the help of teammates or fellow Toyota drivers.

“I think it’s in my best interest in getting back to basics, and that's doing what I feel is best to win the race for myself,” Hamlin explained. “While having teammates is great, and they are certainly assets to use in certain situations to win races, I think sometimes it's those who are the most selfish, that make moves for themselves, are those who win the race.

“Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) had no teammates last year. He won the race. We've certainly had our fair share of moments when we’ve had to pick between a move with a teammate made versus a move someone else made, and I deemed the other person made the right move…

“Still, you want to help your teammates as much as you can, as you’ll need those allies throughout the race and certainly during it. But I feel I need to personally go back to the style I had a few years ago, and we’ll see what the results say.”

Kyle Busch feels he may be destined to fill the last hole in his resume

Before his breakthrough victory in the 1998 DAYTONA, the late Dale Earnhardt had won everything else there was to win at Daytona International Speedway.

Finally, in his 20th attempt, Earnhardt broke the jinx that had haunted him throughout his career and won the Great American Race.

Likewise, Kyle Busch has been to Victory Lane at Daytona on numerous occasions—just not in the race he covets most. He has won the Clash twice, triumphed three times in the Duels and claimed one trophy in the summer race at the World Center of Racing.

Busch will make his 19th DAYTONA 500 start on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It would have been his 20th, but for a 2015 injury—suffered in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race a day before the 500--that sidelined him for the first 11 events of the season.

So, if not precisely comparable, Busch is in a position like the one Earnhardt faced in 1998.

“Trust me, I'm well aware,” Busch said. “Thank you very much. I hope we can talk about some of the same storylines on Sunday. That would be nice.”

Last year’s running of the 500 still sticks in Busch’s craw. He led the race under caution at Lap 200 (500 miles) but was collected in a wreck during overtime. Taking the checkered flag under green has continued to elude him.

“I have not done that yet, although I won the Daytona 500 last year under the yellow flag, not under the checkered flag,” Busch quipped. “Those damn technicalities keep coming up and getting me.”

A Las Vegas native, Busch has sponsorship support from the BetMGM website. Asked whether he was a good bet for Sunday’s race, Busch replied in the affirmative.

“I would,” he said. “Well, from what I've heard of a lot of other people around our industry this past week, there's a lot of people that have good feelings on us this week. Maybe that's a good omen.”

With outstanding Daytona record, Bubba Wallace needs just slight improvement to win

It’s hard to argue with Bubba Wallace’s past performance at Daytona International Speedway.

In 13 starts at the 2.5-mile track, Wallace has posted an admirable average finish of 12.9 and has completed 2,303 of a possible 2,346 laps (98.2 percent). He has led 28 laps and has been in the front of the field more often than not.

In his best two DAYTONA 500 races, Wallace finished second to Austin Dillon by 0.260 seconds in 2018 and second to Austin Cindric by 0.036 seconds in 2022.

Despite the enviable statistics, Wallace isn’t satisfied with his DAYTONA 500 results.

“A little inconsistent, but we always find our way to the front and showing good pace on speedways,” he said on Wednesday. “We're still a few moves away from getting that first Daytona 500 win, but I feel the most prepared I’ve ever been, but you never know.

“You could be out leading and get turned. That’s what happened to me last year. You never know when another person in the field is going to make the wrong move, so you have to be aware.”

In last year’s race, for example, Wallace was in good position in the closing laps before disaster struck.

“I came across the line fifth or sixth taking the white flag,” he said. “(Kyle) Larson was stuck in the middle, and I could’ve went down to him, but the 10 (Aric Almirola) turned the 67 (Travis Pastrana) right into Larson, which turned me.

“Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. It’s so hard until it’s too late.”

New to Stewart-Haas Racing, Noah Gragson is grateful for a second chance

After steady progress toward the upper echelons of stock car racing, Noah Gragson made a critical mistake that altered the trajectory of his career.

Armed now with a new perspective, Gragson hopes to restart his truncated stint in the NASCAR Cup Series with a new team, Stewart-Haas Racing.

Gragson was suspended last August for “liking” a racially insensitive social media post relating to the death of George Floyd. He resigned as driver of the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 21 races into the NASCAR Cup Series season.

Gragson earned reinstatement in September and subsequently landed a ride in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Ford, replacing Aric Almirola. He’s grateful for the opportunity to prove himself.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a reboot,” said Gragson, who won eight NASCAR Xfinity Series races with JR Motorsports in 2022 and finished second in the final standings before moving up to the Cup Series with Legacy. “It’s incredible to get an opportunity like this.

“At the same time, there’s going to be challenges along the way. There’s going to be adversity. There’s going to be good runs and bad runs, but it’s how you react to it and how you keep on moving forward each and every race. It’s easy when you’re winning, and I’ve kind of learned that over the past couple of years.

“When we were in the Xfinity Series and literally could do no wrong, it might have been the best thing for me, but the worst thing of winning all those races because, I kind of lost my grounding in the sense of ‘Hey, I’ve got to keep on working at this.’ It’s not always going to come as easy as it did in my final year in Xfinity.”

The reality of that statement hit home last year even before the suspension. Gragson failed to score a top 10 and suffered DNFs in six of the 21 races.

“It was somewhat of a rude awakening in 2023,” he acknowledged. “Obviously, we didn’t unload with race-winning speed, ever, so that was a big challenge. (I’ve) done a lot of self-reflecting and soul searching over the past handful of months and trying to become the best leader possible.

“I think that’s what in 20 years, when I look back, I feel like, man, if I was the best leader for my team and the best piece of the puzzle for my team and did the best job, I’ll be satisfied with myself.”

With record motorsports purse this year, the DAYTONA 500 is clearly the race to win

February 14, 2024

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - If Michael McDowell should win a second DAYTONA 500 this year, he won’t know how much he’ll get from the record purse of $28,035,991 until the check arrives.

Suffice it to say that the winner’s share of the largest purse in motorsports history is enough to make a huge difference to McDowell and his Front Row Motorsports team.

McDowell, however, doesn’t plan to crunch the numbers before the race – he just knows it’s a lot.

“Obviously, it’s significant,” said McDowell, who scored his first NASCAR Cup Series victory in the 2021 edition of the Great American Race. “It’s the biggest race of the year for us and for the team from a payout standpoint. It does matter, especially for a team like us at Front Row. Winning the race and making the Playoffs, financially what that does for you, it sets up the next few years—not just that year.

“If you’re going to win a race, this is the one you want to win, as far as the financial part of it goes.”

With the advent of the charter system in the Cup Series, individual payouts are no longer published. In the last DAYTONA 500 where prize money was revealed, Joey Logano won $1,586,503 for his victory in 2015.

It would make sense to extrapolate a higher first-place figure from a record purse in excess of $28 million. That sort of sum can be transformational for a driver or team.

“On the money side, it takes a lot of money to make this sport go around, and this race team,” said 2023 DAYTONA 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who drives the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG-Daugherty Racing.

“My wife and I are redoing our bathroom and bedroom and now a nursery, and that would go a long way. So, it’s kind of already spent—I hope we win.”

Weekend Preview: Daytona International Speedway

February 13, 2024

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

No other season-opener like the DAYTONA 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - There is no season-opener in sports like NASCAR’s DAYTONA 500. More than 200,000 people will fill the beloved Daytona International Speedway this Sunday to watch drivers and teams compete for a life-changing trophy. After months of offseason preparation, it’s time to drop the flag on the 2024 season. It’s time for the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 (Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Interestingly, for all its esteemed and lengthy history, there is only one fulltime driver with multiple DAYTONA 500 victories. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin has three DAYTONA 500 trophies (2016, 2019 and 2020). Seven-time NASCAR Champion and recently enshrined NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jimmie Johnson will be attempting to make the race as a part-time driver this season and he has two DAYTONA 500 trophies (2006, 2013).

There are seven former winners in the field, and it's been a steady stream of new faces hoisting that Harley J. Earl trophy recently. Team Penske's Austin Cindric won in his rookie debut in 2021. Longtime competitor and fan favorite Michael McDowell scored his first career series win the next year for Front Row Motorsports. And JTG Daugherty Racing's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. added to his superspeedway record of excellence with his first DAYTONA 500 win last February.

There are plenty of longtime – even former champion – drivers that want nothing more than to join that list.

What a title defense message it would be for the series reigning champion, Ryan Blaney, if he could score a DAYTONA 500 win on Sunday. And he’s proven himself a legitimate contender for years. This weekend marks his 10th 500 start and he’s had five top-10 finishes - highlighted by heartbreaking runner-up showings in both 2017 and 2020. He dominated the race in 2018 leading 118 laps but finished seventh. He won the summer race at Daytona in 2020.

Another pair of former series champions – Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch – are also competing for their first DAYTONA 500 victory despite decades of excellence in the sport.

Keselowski, owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush-Fenway-Keselowski Racing Ford, has 14 DAYTONA 500 starts with a best showing of third place in 2014. He’s won the summer 400-miler (2016) and was runner-up in that race last year. Considering the 2012 series champ’s record at Talladega – six wins – it’s easy to consider the superspeedway expert a perpetual favorite in the DAYTONA 500 as well.

Busch, a two-time series champion and driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, has plenty of reason to feel optimistic about securing his first DAYTONA 500 trophy. This will be his 19th start in the grand race. He finished runner-up in 2019 and third place in 2016. Busch won the 2008 summer race and has another pair of second place finishes in it. And he has wins at Daytona in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2007) and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2014).

Last year Busch scored a 19th-place finish in the DAYTONA 500 after being collected in a multi-car accident - his first year driving for RCR which claims DAYTONA 500 wins with the late legend Dale Earnhardt (1998), Kevin Harvick (2007) and Austin Dillon (2018).

Of course, Hamlin must be considered a major factor in this event. Although he hasn’t had a top-10 since his fifth-place effort in 2021, he brings a victory in the Feb. 3 Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum with him to Florida - the only winner in the series to date. A fourth DAYTONA 500 win would tie him the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough and be second only to seven-time DAYTONA 500 champion Richard Petty.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers Kyle Larson, William Byron and Chase Elliott also have to be considered odds-on contenders on Sunday. Larson, the 2021 series champion, has had challenging times in the race with a best finish of seventh in 2016 and 2019 but claims he is more optimistic on the big tracks than ever before.

Byron, 26, has a victory (2020) and runner-up finish (2019) in the summer 400-mile race at Daytona. His best finish in the DAYTONA 500 is 21st in 2019.

Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, won the DAYTONA 500 pole position in his first start in 2016 and has led laps in five of his eight 500 starts. His best finish in the race is runner-up in 2021.

Qualifying to set the front row of the DAYTONA 500 grid is Wednesday and will be televised at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. The remainder of the 36 “locked in positions” for the series charter teams will be set in Thursday’s always-exciting BlueGreen Vacations Duel 150-mile races (7 p.m. ET, FS1).

Six of the “open” teams will be racing for the final four positions and that group this year includes former winner Johnson and Daytona summer race winner David Ragan in a third RFK car.

There is a DAYTONA 500 practice on Friday at 5:30 p.m. ET (FS1) and final practice Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET (FS1). Cars will grid Sunday for the 2:30 p.m. ET (FOX) DAYTONA 500.

Daytona sets the stage for the beginning the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season

Always one of the most exciting and compelling races of the season, the NASCAR Xfinity Series kicks off the year with Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 300 (5 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Daytona International Speedway.

It’s a serious season sendoff for the fulltime championship contenders, especially so, perhaps for Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, the two-time defending race winner. And as much as Hill would love a Daytona three-peat, his eyes are also on the big prize, the 2024 championship.

Hill will again be competing against reigning series champion, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer for that elite prize. In fact, three of the four championship finalists – Custer, Justin Allgaier and Sammy Smith – will be back to vie for the 2024 trophy as will JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer, who enjoyed a breakout season last year.

Smith will team with Allgaier and Mayer at the perennial championship JR Motorsports organization this season. It’s one of several high-profile moves in the series.

Josh Williams, who will steer the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet teaming fulltime with another perennial championship contender, A.J. Allmendinger, who after competing – and winning – in the NASCAR Cup Series will run a full Xfinity Series season in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Williams and Allmendinger will team with New Zealand superstar Shane van Gisbergen. The popular Kiwi will compete in his first fulltime NASCAR season driving the No. 97 Chevrolet for Kaulig and also making a handful of starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse Racing, a combo that stunned the competition and fans by winning his first race in his first try - at Chicago.

Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular Hailie Deegan will make her Xfinity Series fulltime debut in the No. 15 AM Racing Ford. Sheldon Creed moves to the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. And Chandler Smith moves to the No. 81 JGR Toyota this season.

Aric Almirola leads a list of high-profile drivers expected to run substantial parts of the 2024 schedule. He left fulltime NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of last year and will share the cockpit of the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 with last season’s most dominant Xfinity Series racer, John Hunter Nemechek. Frankie Muniz, a renowned actor who has transitioned to a fulltime racing career, is competing fulltime in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024 but will also make a handful of starts – including at Daytona – in the No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports Ford.

A lot of new talent and a lot of highly-motivated returnees are sure to make the 2024 Xfinity Series season another thrilling season with its first always-exciting chapter opening this week.

Practice for the United Rentals 300 is slated for Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET (FS1) with qualifying Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m. (FS1).

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is always a good show in Daytona

Following a dramatic 2023 championship finale and featuring a strong lineup of title favorites, new series regulars and new team combinations, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series opens the 2024 season with high expectations Friday night at Daytona International Speedway with the Fresh from Florida 250 (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Reigning series champion, ThorSport Racing's Ben Rhodes is back and ready to race for a third season trophy for his mantle with confidence he and his No. 99 ThorSport Racing team are absolutely up to the task. The competition too.

Rhodes earned that 2023 championship by a mere 1-point margin on veteran Grant Enfinger, who lines up for Friday’s season-opener with a new look and team this season. He’ll drive the No. 9 Chevrolet for CR7 Motorsports.

They will both have serious title competition again from 21-year-old Corey Heim, who posted three wins, led most of the season's statistical categories and advanced to his first Championship 4 with his No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota team. The motivation will be intense as last year’s breakout star race for the title again.

And there’s no question, a key championship challenger and last year’s Sunoco Rookie of the Year Nick Sanchez as well as another young star, Christian Eckes, will play an important part in the title run.

The 2024 season also sees a high profile addition of full-timers racing for the trophy. Former NASCAR Cup Series regular Ty Dillon returns to fulltime truck competition in No. 25 RACKLEY W.A.R. Chevrolet. Veteran Timmy Hill will be competing fulltime alongside popular young stars like Rajah Caruth, rookie Layne Riggs and Thad Moffitt. IndyCar star Marco Andretti will be spending significant time behind the wheel of the No. 04 Roper Racing Ford – planning on seven starts in the Truck Series and another 13 in the ARCA Menards Series.

Zane Smith is the two-time defending Daytona race winner. Rhodes won it three years ago and Enfinger, four years ago.

Practice is at 5 p.m. on Thursday and televised on FS1. Qualifying for the Fresh from Florida 250 is slated for 3 p.m. Friday and will air live on FS1.

Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 1 day to go

1: The anticipation could not be higher as fans, teams and drivers prepare for the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 tomorrow afternoon. Not only is The Great American Race considered No. 1 on the race calendar, the No. 1 car has won the DAYTONA 500 just once. Driver Jamie McMurray piloted the No. 1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet to the victory in 2010. Also worth noting, the No. 1 starting position has also been fortuitous in the Great American Race, producing more winners (nine) than any other position. Plus, the last three race winners – Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – all won their first Daytona 500. – Holly Cain