Official Release

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his final Daytona International Speedway start in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition on July 1, in the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola. No matter the result, Earnhardt has already created a high-banked legacy certain to endure, with a career total of 17 victories at the “World Center of Racing.”

Erik Jones will be looking for redemption this weekend when he makes his second-career NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 behind the wheel of the No. 77 Sport Clips Toyota Camry. In his first race at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, Jones started the 2017 Daytona 500 from the 34th position and finished 39th after getting caught up in a multicar crash just past the halfway point.

On the heels of three very strong finishes for B.J. McLeod Motorsports (BJMM) last weekend at Iowa Speedway, the sophomore NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) team hopes the momentum propels them forward to another string of solid finishes in Friday night’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team hope to improve one position from their second-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 when they take the green flag for Saturday night’s Coko Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Richard Childress Racing's Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series history at Daytona International Speedway ... Dating back to 1976, Richard Childress Racing has won 11 poles and collected five points-paying victories at the most-storied race track on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series circuit. RCR owns two Daytona 500 wins (Dale Earnhardt - 1998, Kevin Harvick - 2007), three Coke Zero 400 trophies (Earnhardt - 1990, 1993 and Harvick - 2010) and 14 qualifying races, including 10-consecutive victories with Earnhardt (1990 - 1999). In addition, RCR has earned the Advance Auto Parts Clash trophy a total of eight times, with drivers Harvick (2009, 2010, 2013) and Earnhardt (1986, '88, '91, '93, and '95).

“This race under the lights is always exciting for the fans. I’m excited Lowe’s opted for the patriotic scheme to highlight our nation’s military for the July 4th holiday weekend. We’ve had no luck the past two times out at Daytona, so our goal is to go out there and finish. Our speedway program is incredible, so I’m sure the guys and gals back at the shop will give me a great Chevy.” Jimmie Johnson on racing at Daytona

Chastain finished fourth in last week’s Xfinity race at Iowa Speedway, marking the best run of his young career in NASCAR’s No. 2 series. He hopes the momentum will carry over as the series moves from a short track to one of its biggest for Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250.

Harrison Rhodes has a fun history at Daytona International Speedway, site of Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 Xfinity Series race. In three appearances at the World Center of Racing, Rhodes has two top-10 finishes – a ninth in 2015 and a 10th in this year’s season-opener.

In February, in the Xfinity Series season-opener, Smithley recorded what has been his best finish of the season – an eighth place. He roared along in the tight draft at the finish of the race and scored one of the top finishes of his NASCAR career.

Hendrick Motorsports and driver Chase Elliott have agreed to a four-year contract extension that will keep the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year with the No. 24 Chevrolet SS team through the end of the 2022 racing season.