• In 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley claimed the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on July 7, 2019. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The Daytona 500 will be televised live on FOX Sunday, Feb. 15, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The first of 36 points-paying races on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. FOX NASCAR Raceday will take the green flag at 12:30 p.m. EST.

Daniel Suárez – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Daniel Suárez will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the 68th edition of the Daytona 500 as he launches his first NASCAR Cup Series campaign with the organization. Freeway Insurance will serve as the primary partner for Suárez and the No. 7 team, and will return for multiple races throughout the season.
• On February 26, 2017, Suárez made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500 for Joe Gibbs Racing. The 34-year-old driver has a total of 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona, recording one top-five, two top-10 and seven top-20 finishes, with a series/venue-best finish of third in 2024. His average starting position at Daytona is 20.6, with an average finishing position of 25.3. He has led 44 laps total at the famed 2.5-mile tri-oval.
• Last year at the Daytona 500, Suárez was running in the top 10 with less than 10 laps remaining before dropping back in the draft with nowhere to go during a multi-vehicle incident on the backstretch. He retired from the race with five laps remaining and was scored 13th in NASCAR’s season-opening event.
• The two-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner posted his best Daytona 500 finish in 2023, charging from 24th to seventh while avoiding late-race chaos and recovering from contact to start the season with a top-10 finish. He then delivered one of his strongest superspeedway performances in the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he finished second, just 0.031 seconds shy of the win.
• Suárez has made 43 NASCAR Cup Series starts on drafting tracks, posting one win, five top- five and 12 top-10 finishes combined at Daytona, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
• Freeway Insurance was established in 1987 and is one of the largest and fastest-growing personal lines insurance brokers in the United States, offering coverage through a “click, call, or come in” approach that connects customers nationwide. The company continually researches, grows, and diversifies its product offerings to stay responsive to the evolving insurance market. Freeway provides a wide range of options—from basic to premium coverage—in auto, truck, commercial vehicle, homeowners, renters, small business, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, fire, and flood insurance. In 2008, Freeway Insurance became part of Confie, the nation’s leading personal lines insurance distribution company. Customers can access Freeway Insurance through neighborhood offices, online at www.freeway.com, or by calling (800) 300-0227.
• Suárez, the first Mexico-born driver to earn a pole in a NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event, did so at Daytona in 2015. His standout moment came in the July 4 Subway Firecracker 250, where he captured the pole with a lap of 49.929 seconds at 180.256 mph. The race was chaotic and included a rain delay, multiple cautions, and a massive 14-car wreck late in the race that set up a green-white-checkered finish, leaving him 15th in the final rundown. That year, he competed full-time with Joe Gibbs Racing, earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year and finished fifth in points.
• Outside of the Cup Series, Suárez owns eight NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Daytona, recording one pole and two top-10 finishes. He also owns a pair of starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series highlighted by a ninth-place result in 2015.
• In 2014, Suárez kicked off a breakout season by winning the New Smyrna 150 ARCA Menards East Series’ race at New Smyrna Speedway, where he started 11th and took the lead on lap 51. He held off Cameron Hayley in a thrilling finish, winning by just 0.083 seconds. Just days later, Suárez dominated the UNOH Battle at the Beach, a special ARCA Menards Series East event contested on a temporary .25-mile asphalt short track on Daytona’s backstretch. He started sixth and quickly took the lead to claim the checkered flag.
• The 34-year-old is a veteran of 324 Cup Series starts and has notched two wins (Sonoma Raceway in 2022 and Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2024), 25 top fives and 76 top 10s in NASCAR’s premier division. Suarez has led a total of 907 laps and has earned three poles since entering the series in 2017.

Daniel Suárez Quotes
How do you feel going to Daytona and what does it mean to you if you could win the 68th running of the Daytona 500?
“Every time I get to Daytona in February and go through the tunnel, you know that you are going to get a shot to win one of the most important races of your life. For me, coming from Mexico, it will be extremely special. The chance to add my name to the list of drivers – a very short list – who have come from a different country to win this amazing race, it will be like a dream. I know I have as good of a shot as anyone else to do that.”

What have you learned in the past nine seasons of your NASCAR Cup Series career that you can bring into this season?
“I have been with several teams, and I know exactly what is required to be successful in this level of racing. I have learned that people are the main thing. You can have anything else but if you don’t have the right people, then it can be very difficult to be successful. I believe that Spire Motorsports has invested a lot in getting good people. I’m super excited for this organization and myself.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks has called 203 NASCAR Cup Series races, earning five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut atop the pit box in 2020.
• The Winston-Salem, N.C., native’s best finish at Daytona was a third-place effort in the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400. Sparks has called 11 races at Daytona, producing two top fives, five top 10s and an average finishing position of 15.0, which ranks fourth-best among all active crew chiefs.
• Sparks has led the charge in 32 races on a drafting track resulting in three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. His best superspeedway results include a third-place finish in the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona and a fourth-place finish in the 2023 Fall event at Talladega.
• Sparks brings more than a decade of experience across all three national series, highlighted by 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing and contributions to title-winning campaigns in the 2011 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and 2013 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Modo Casino Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the 68th running of the Daytona 500.
• After claiming victory in the 2021 Daytona 500, McDowell looks to become the 13th driver to earn multiple victories in the prestigious season-opener.
• Saturday, Feb. 14, will mark the five-year anniversary of the veteran’s triumph at the World Center of Racing. McDowell’s first trip to Victory Lane came 4,704 days after his 2008 NASCAR Cup Series debut at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. He led just one lap in the 2021 event, that was delayed by five-hours due to weather, to earn the title of Daytona 500 Champion.
• In last season’s Thursday night Duel at Daytona qualifying race, the father-of-five qualified ninth for the 60-lap sprint where he finished 12th after pacing the field for two laps.
• Modo Casino will make its 2026 debut with the No. 71 team on NASCAR’s largest stage during this year’s Daytona 500. McDowell’s Chevy Camaro will feature a patriotic livery for the “Great American Race” to showcase America’s premier free-to-play social+gaming platform, designed for thrill-seekers who crave gaming action anywhere, anytime.
• In 29 Cup Series starts at DIS, McDowell has earned one win, three top-five, and eight top-10 finishes. He earned a front row starting spot in 2024’s 500-mile contest and a pole during the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
• McDowell has experience beyond the oval configuration at Daytona, and has logged six starts in the Rolex 24. He owns one top-five and five top-10 finishes in one of the world’s toughest endurance races. The two-time Cup Series winner has led 69 total laps with an average start of 10.1 and an average overall finish of 13.8.
• The Glendale, Ariz. native also owns a pair of top-10 finishes on both occasions when NASCAR’s premier division competed on Daytona’s infield road course (2020-21).
• McDowell and crew chief Travis Peterson earned five pole positions at the six events contested at drafting tracks during the 2024 season. Additionally, McDowell led the field to the green flag at World Wide Technology Raceway in June, giving the potent McDowell-Peterson duo six total Busch Light Pole Awards on the season – the most of any driver/crew chief combination during that year.
• Last season, Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 team earned an average starting position of 23.0 on drafting tracks before earning their second pole of the season at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October, a significant jump in the teams’ qualifying efforts at drafting style tracks.
• During the 2021 season-opening race, McDowell became the eighth driver to score his inaugural Cup win in the “Great American Race” and the first since 2011.

Michael McDowell Quote
It’s been five years since your Daytona 500 win. How can you duplicate that feat?
“Five years is a long time. There’s nothing cooler than winning the Daytona 500, except for maybe winning it twice. That’s the goal. The goal is to have a shot, put ourselves in position to be there on the last lap, but nothing has really changed. Everybody goes down to Daytona with the same goal. It is not to score points and it’s not to run good. It’s to try to win the Daytona 500.
I felt like we had great speed last year on superspeedways and we sat on the pole at Talladega in the fall and we are going to bring the same car back for Daytona. Hopefully, with this new Chevy body, we can put it on the front row for the Daytona 500 and make for an exciting weekend.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Last season, Peterson guided McDowell to a pair of pole positions, three top-five, and six top-10 finishes.
• In the team’s last qualifying attempt at a superspeedway, the No. 71 Chevrolet put down the fastest lap of the session at Talladega to earn the duo’s second pole of the 2025 season.
• Peterson played a key role in Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s Cup Series win at Daytona in July 2015 while working as a race engineer for Hendrick Motorsports.
• Peterson is a mechanical engineering graduate of the Williams States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The West Bend, Wis., native earned his degree in 2012.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will make his third Daytona 500 start in Sunday’s “Great American Race,” behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
• Hocevar, 23, will race in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series events this weekend. In addition to his NASCAR Cup Series duties, he will also race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 IKEA/Best Buy Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 and Young’s Motorsports’ No. 42 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro in Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ United Rentals 300.
• The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year found misfortune in each of his two prior Daytona 500 starts. After starting ninth in his first attempt in 2024, Hocevar was swept up in a lap-five incident, ending his race after completing just 12.5 miles. He returned in 2025, where a late-race fuel-pump issue sidelined him a mere five laps short of the checkered flag.
• Hocevar earned a venue-best 11th-place finish at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
• In 13 Cup Series starts on drafting tracks, Hocevar has tallied one top-five, four top-10 and nine top-20 results, highlighted by his runner-up finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway last February.
• The Portage, Mich., native rounded out the 2025 campaign with one pole award, two top-five, nine top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes, including a pair of runners-up results at Atlanta in February and Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June.
• The five-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winner owns three series starts at the facility, registering two top 10s, including a fifth-place effort in 2021.
• The former late model standout will participate in the ASA Stars National Tour Clyde Hart Memorial 200 at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway Tuesday night. He will climb behind the wheel of a Wauters Motorsports-prepared super late model at the paved half-mile facility, located less than 15 miles from Daytona International Speedway.
• Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company available to 58 million homes and small to large businesses across 41 states. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100 percent U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
Describe the change in your mindset between last year’s Daytona 500 and Atlanta the very next week.
“Well, we had a fuel pump issue in the 500 last year, and never really got to race. So, when we got to Atlanta, I didn’t want to ride around for another 267 laps just to have something go wrong. We went full offense at the rest of the superspeedways, and didn’t finish outside the top 10 in any of them. I think it’s worked out pretty well, so far, and we are prepped and ready for the Daytona 500.”

Talk about the Spectrum partnership and how it is a full-circle moment for you and your family.
“I think my dad is somehow even more excited for it than I am. He feels he is a part of it. He did a trade deal with Spectrum to get my family’s coin and jewelry store some commercials, and in turn they got to be on my quarter midget and eventually, my late model. With Spectrum, it is almost like him putting his own logo on the car for the Daytona 500. I just think the coolest thing is seeing how excited he is and to get to be there to watch it.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Crew chief Luke Lambert enters his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with Carson Hocevar. The duo has logged one pole award, three top-five and 15 top-10 finishes in 80 races together.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 24 NASCAR Cup Series events at Daytona, 12 of which were in the “Great American Race,” where he’s tallied two top-five and six top-10 finishes. He earned a venue-best third-place showing in the 2020 Daytona 500 with driver Chris Buescher during his time at RFK Racing.
• In four NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races atop the box, Lambert, 43, snagged two top-five and three top-10 results, highlighted by a pair of third-place finsihes with Elliott Sadler (Feb. 2012) and Noah Gragson (Feb. 2022).

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization will also field the No. 77 410 sprint car in High Limit Racing competition.

Daytona 500 Event Info:
Date: Sunday, Feb. 15
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Format: 200 Laps, Stages: 65-130-200
TV: FOX
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Wednesday: 10 a.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Wednesday: 8:15 p.m. ET, D500 Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Thursday: 7 p.m. ET, Duels (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 5:35 p.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 3 p.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. ET, Daytona 500 (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• The 2026 NASCAR season officially kicks off this week at ‘The World Center of Racing’ for the 68th running of ‘The Great American Race.’
• Jack Roush has 12 wins all-time at Daytona across NASCAR, including eight in the Cup Series.
• Coverage from Daytona kicks off Wednesday with practice and single-car qualifying to determine the front row for the Daytona 500. The Duels Thursday night will determine the remaining starting lineup for Sunday’s 500-mile race.

6 Team Info:
Driver: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Partner: Castrol

17 Team Info:
Driver: Chris Buescher
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
Partner: Body Guard

60 Team Info:
Driver: Ryan Preece
Crew Chief: Derrick Finley
Partner: Kroger / Viva Towels

99 Team Info:

Driver: Corey LaJoie
Crew Chief: Mike Skarbowski
Partner: Trimble

RFK Historically in The Duels
Overall Wins: 3 (Matt Kenseth, 2012; Brad Keselowski, 2022; Chris Buescher, 2022)

• Three years ago, in 2022, RFK went into Daytona and swept both duel races as Keselowski won the opening duel race, and Buescher followed up with a win in the second qualifying race.
• Prior to 2022, Matt Kenseth had Jack Roush’s lone win in the Duels as he went on to win the 2012 Great American Race.
• Keselowski earned an eighth-place finish in last year’s qualifying event, while Buescher took home ninth place. Preece, in his first start for RFK Racing, finished 13th.
• Keselowski historically has 17 starts in the Duels with the one win and eight top-10s.
• Buescher will be making his 11th start in the Duels on Thursday. He’s finished top-10 in the Duels in eight-straight outings and has finished inside the top-10 in all but one Duels race that he’s been in since 2016.
• Preece has run in six Duels and has three top-10s, with a best finish of fifth back in 2021.

Keselowski at Daytona
Starts: 33 (Superspeedway Stats. Does not include Daytona road course)
Wins: 1 (July 2016)
Top-10s: 8
Poles: —

• Keselowski returns after a grueling off-season, recovering from a broken femur.
• Keselowski makes his 34th overall start at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway this weekend, and 17th start in the Daytona 500. In 16 D500 starts, Keselowski has two top-10s and a best finish of third (2014).
• Most recently, Keselowski finished 26th in the 2025 rendition of the ‘Great American Race’. Last summer, Keselowski started inside the top 10, but settled for an 18th-place result.
• Overall, Keselowski has eight top-10s at DIS, four of which were inside the top five.
• Overall Keselowski has 12 starts inside the top-10 at Daytona with four starts in third.
• Keselowski’s crew chief, Jeremy Bullins, has two career wins at Daytona, including the most recent race in August 2024 as Harrison Burton’s crew chief. He also won the Daytona 500 in 2022 with Austin Cindric.
• In Xfinity Series action, Keselowski made 15 starts at Daytona with seven top-10s and a best finish of second (twice – 2012, 2014). He also made three Truck Series starts with a seventh-place run in 2005.

Buescher at Daytona International Speedway
Starts: 20 (Superspeedway Stats. Does not include Daytona road course)
Wins: 1 (August 2023)
Top-10s: 10
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his 21st start at Daytona this weekend, and 11th in the ‘Great American Race.’
• In 20 starts he has 10 top-10s, including in three straight races, and five top fives. He won the 2023 race at Daytona as Keselowski pushed him to the win.
• His best Daytona 500 finish came four years ago when he finished third. Last season, Buescher ran 10th in the 500.
• Buescher has an 17.8 average qualifying effort, and started top-10 in three-straight races from 2022-23. He started sixth in last season’s 500.
• He also made three Xfinity Series starts at DIS with a best finish of second in the 2015 season-opening event.

Preece at Daytona International Speedway
Starts: 12 (Superspeedway Stats. Does not include Daytona road course)
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —

• Preece enters the 2026 season coming off a breakthrough 2025 campaign when he scored career highs in top-10 finishes (14) and top-5 finishes (3).
• Carries momentum after winning the Cook Out Clash 2/3/26. (non-points race).
• Preece makes his 13th overall start at DIS, and seventh in the Daytona 500. In 12 starts overall he has three top-10 finishes.
• His best Daytona 500 finish came in 2021 when he ran sixth in the No. 37 car for JTG-Daughtery Racing. In his last start in the 500, Preece finished 32nd as a result of a late-race incident.
• In 2021, Preece finished in the top-10 in both Daytona races, one of two drivers that season to do so.
• Best career finish (points race): 3rd – Talladega 4/19 & Las Vegas 3/25

Lajoie at Daytona International Speedway
Starts: 17 (Superspeedway Stats. Does not include Daytona road course)
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —

• LaJoie makes his 14th overall start at DIS, and tenth in the Daytona 500. In 13 starts overall he has five top-10, and one top-5 finish.
• His best Daytona 500 finish came in 2024 when he finished 4th in the No. 7 car for Spire Motorsports. Matched a career best finish
• In his last start in the 500 (2025), LaJoie finished 22nd.
• The Daytona 500 will be his 277th career Cup Series race
• His best career Cup Series finish: 4th – Atlanta 3/23, Talladega 10/23, Daytona 2/24

RFK Historically in the Daytona 500
Wins: 2 (Matt Kenseth, 2009 & 2012)

• NASCAR Hall of Famer Matt Kenseth was the first to drive a Jack Roush owned Ford into victory lane for the Daytona 500, earning the victory in 2009. He led just seven laps – the final seven – after starting from the 39th position en route to his first of two Daytona 500 victories over a span of four seasons.
• Jack Roush has won two poles in the Daytona 500, one coming from Greg Biffle in 2004 and the other in 2012 with Carl Edwards. Biffle earned the 2004 pole after a speed of 188.387 and went on to finish 12th. Edwards had a pole speed of 194.738 and finished eighth in the 2012 Daytona 500.

Zane Smith and the No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang Dark Horse Team
Daytona 500 Competition Notes
Daytona 500

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026
Event: Race 2 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
#of Laps: 200
Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 PM ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Zane Smith Notes

This weekend marks Zane Smith’s fourth Daytona 500 start and his third time competing in the “Great American Race” with Front Row Motorsports. In the NASCAR Cup Series, Smith has a career best finish of 13th at the Daytona International Speedway, finishing 13th in three events at the track.

Smith has seen Victory Lane at the Daytona International Speedway twice, capturing the checkered flag in 2022 and 2023 in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event at the superspeedway.

Speedy Cash will return as the primary partner of Zane Smith and the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team. This will be Speedy Cash’s second Daytona 500 as the primary partner with Smith. “Speedy Cash is ecstatic to be back with Zane and Front Row Motorsports (FRM), said Bill Baker, President, Community Choice Financial Family of Brands. “We are very proud of this partnership and believe Zane along with the other FRM drivers represent Speedy Cash with class”. Our thousands of teammates and customers are excited to ride along for what we hope is a safe and successful race season!”. For more information about Speedy Cash, visit www.speedycash.com.

“The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the year, and superspeedways have always been a strength for Front Row Motorsports,” said Smith. “Having won at Daytona with this team in the Truck Series gives me a lot of belief going into the weekend, and I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Road Crew

Driver: Zane Smith

Hometown: Huntington Beach, California

Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty

Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut

Car Chief: Will Norris

Hometown: Bells, Tennessee

Engineer: Jacob Clamme

Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana

Engineer: Chris Yerges

Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Steve Godfrey

Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut

Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler

Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Mechanic: Austin Bloom

Hometown: Lowell, Oregon

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut

Transport Co-Driver: Bryan Whitman

Hometown: Newton, North Carolina

Transport Co-Driver: Shawn Sellew

Hometown: Stafford Springs, Connecticut

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Michael Louria

Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan

Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Jackman: Nate McBride

Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia

Fueler: Ray Hernandez

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

ABOUT SPEEDY CASH

Speedy Cash is an omni-channel lender that specializes in short-term and medium-term secured and unsecured loan products. Speedy Cash is part of the Community Choice Financial Family of Brands.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit teamfrm.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Chandler Smith and the No. 36 QuickTie Ford Mustang Dark Horse Team
Daytona 500 Competition Notes
Daytona 500

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026
Event: Race 2 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
#of Laps: 200
Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 PM ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Chandler Smith Notes

After a successful first season at Front Row Motorsports (FRM), highlighted by two wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Chandler Smith will make his first attempt for the team in the Cup Series driving the No. 36 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the Daytona 500. Smith has a career best finish of 6th at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. “I’m really excited to take a shot at the Daytona 500 with the FRM Cup Series program,” said Smith. “This organization is known for its speed at superspeedways, and I am going to give it my best shot to win the Harley J. Earl Trophy or help my teammates if I am in the position to do so in the end. I greatly appreciate the opportunity and will do my part to get FRM off to a great start to the 2026 Cup season, while I pursue my primary goal this year in winning the 2026 Truck Series Championship.”

Quick Tie Products, Inc., (“QuickTie”) will join Smith as the primary partner of the No. 36 Ford. QuickTie manufactures and distributes the QuickTie™ System (a proprietary, patented hold-down system for high wind and seismic construction) and a full line of framing hardware including u-hangers, hurricane clips, straps, structural wood screws, truss connectors and foundation connectors.

Matheus Lumber will also join Smith for the event. Founded in 1932 and family owned and operated ever since, Matheus Lumber Inc. is a premier supplier of forest products and building materials serving customers nationwide. Matheus proudly operates as a mill-direct distributor for the multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial construction markets, offering full-scope construction packages that include framing lumber, sheathing, engineered wood products, engineered trusses, rough framing hardware, building envelope systems, exterior siding and trim, windows, railings, and exterior doors. In addition to its construction expertise, Matheus also supports industrial customers with materials for bridge construction, pier and marina assembly, crane mats, and concrete form applications.

“Any time you get a chance to race your way into the Daytona 500, it’s something you don’t take for granted. This No. 36 QuickTie Ford team has been working hard, and we’re ready to make the most of the opportunity,” said Smith.

Road Crew

Driver: Chandler Smith

Crew Chief: Seth Barbour

Car Chief: Tony Manzer

Engineer: Jairo Leal

Mechanic: Doug Miller

Interior Specialist: Kyle Clark

Mechanic: Tyler Blankenship

Engine Tuner: Tim Meyer

Spotter: Adam Fournier

Transport Driver: Dexter Altman

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Malcolm Van Buren

Rear Tire Changer: Bryan Backus

Tire Carrier: Brett Sanchelli

Jackman: Miller Gibbs

Fueler: Adam Lewis

ABOUT QUICKTIE

Quick Tie Products, Inc., (“QuickTie”) manufactures and distributes the QuickTie™ System (a proprietary, patented hold-down system for high wind and seismic construction) and a full line of framing hardware including u-hangers, hurricane clips, straps, structural wood screws, truss connectors and foundation connectors.

ABOUT MATHEUS LUMBER

Founded and family owned since 1932, Matheus Lumber Inc. is a premier supplier of forest products and building materials. Matheus is proud to serve as a comprehensive mill-direct distributor to Multifamily, Mixed-Use, and Commercial sectors nationwide. Our experience as a full-scope vendor allows us to provide complete construction packages to include: framing lumber, sheathing, EWP, engineered trusses, rough framing hardware, building envelope, exterior siding and trim, windows, railings, and exterior doors. In addition, Matheus also serves the Industrial consumer with materials for bridge construction, pier and marina assembly, crane mats, and concrete form.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit teamfrm.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Event: DAYTONA 500
Date/Time: Sunday, February 15, 2026, 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Layout: 2.5-Mile Oval
TV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

NASCAR racing has produced its share of dramatic moments, but few can compare to the finish of the 1976 DAYTONA 500.

That race delivered a late-race showdown between the sport’s two most accomplished drivers, each competing for one of NASCAR’s dominant teams. When the dust settled, David Pearson emerged victorious in the Wood Brothers Mercury over Richard Petty in his Petty Enterprises Dodge, even as both drivers wrecked coming to the finish line in a moment that has become etched into NASCAR history.

This year, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will pay tribute to that iconic victory with a paint scheme honoring Pearson’s win with the Wood Brothers. Sunday’s DAYTONA 500 will be contested 50 years to the day from the 1976 race, a milestone tied to what many still consider one of the greatest finishes the sport has ever seen.

Pearson’s win came down to instinct and experience. As the two leaders tangled in the closing moments, Pearson had the presence of mind to clutch the engine, allowing his battered car to continue rolling forward. He limped across the finish line to secure one of the Wood Brothers’ five DAYTONA 500 trophies. Of the NASCAR-record 63 races in which Pearson and Petty finished first and second to each other, the 1976 DAYTONA 500 remains the most remembered. Pearson won 33 of those head-to-head battles.

Pearson’s son Ricky was 20 years old at the time and watched the race from the Wood Brothers pit area. His view of the track was obstructed, and unlike today, there were no televisions in the pits to follow the action. Still, the final lap left an impression that has lasted a lifetime.

“We saw some smoke, and from the way the crowd was reacting we knew something was happening,” Pearson said. “We saw Richard come into sight, then when Daddy got moving the hollering got even louder.”

After taking the checkered flag, David Pearson completed his lap and drove down pit road, stopping near Petty’s pit stall.

“Richard stuck his head in the window, but I never knew what he said,” Ricky Pearson said. “We all climbed on the car and went to victory lane. Then when it was all over we got in the plane and flew home.”

Pearson said his father never really discussed what the win meant, but from Ricky’s perspective, few moments carried more weight.

“I was there as the child of the greatest driver who ever lived,” he said. “It was very emotional, right at the top as far as emotions.

“Hearing the reaction of the fans and all that went on make it a day I’ll never forget.”

That history is not lost on Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team. Still, once the green flag drops Feb. 15, their focus will turn to the present as they pursue a sixth Harley J. Earl Trophy for the Wood Brothers.

“Obviously, they’ve had a great history there, and it’s a race that we all as drivers put pressure on ourselves to go out and perform well and hopefully compete for the win,” Berry said. “It’s the biggest race of the year, and obviously being a part of the Wood Brothers and Team Penske, their cars have always been really strong at those races and being able to capitalize on that is something that’s obviously really important to us.

“So hopefully we can go do that and avoid all the trouble to be there at the end and give ourselves a shot at it.”

Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, led by crew chief Miles Stanley, begin their second season together with much of the group intact from 2025, a continuity Berry believes will help build momentum.

“I think it helps put us in a better spot,” Berry said. “Obviously, the last couple of years in the Cup Series have been with two different organizations, and now going back to this and having the same group, the same crew chief, the same engineers, really the same everybody, so it just kind of builds more fluidity.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re starting over and learning each other as much. It’s made the offseason maybe go a little bit longer, maybe a little bit more refreshing because you’re not doing as much random things that you have to check off in the offseason.

“I’m excited for it. I feel like Miles and I have had a really good relationship, and now Miles is going into his second year as a crew chief as well, so I know he’s only going to keep getting better.

“I feel like we’re poised to have a really strong year.”

Thursday, February 12

Eddie and Len Wood will participate in a Q&A session at the Ford Display in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone at 3:30 p.m.

Eddie and Len Wood will participate in the SiriusXM Live Show in the Daytona International Speedway Infield Fan Zone at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, February 13

Josh Berry will make an appearance at the Ford Display in the Daytona International Speedway Fan Zone at 3:15 p.m. for a Q&A session.

Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers Racing merchandise unit beginning at 3:30 p.m. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.

Josh Berry

Age: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)

Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee

Crew Chief: Miles Stanley

IG: @joshberry88

X: @joshberry

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.