CHASE BRISCOE
Pole Qualifying | Duel | Daytona 500
No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

Wednesday, Feb. 15: Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 8 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Thursday, Feb. 16: Bluegreen Vacations Duel (twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500)

● Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio 

Sunday, Feb. 19: 64th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2021)

● Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

● Sunday’s 65th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway marks Chase Briscoe’s third start in the prestigious NASCAR Cup Series event. In last year’s race, Briscoe drove his No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to a third-place finish, his best at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. His Daytona 500 debut in 2021 resulted in a 19th-place finish.

● Briscoe begins his third fulltime points-paying season in the Cup Series with the same team but with new stability as the 28-year-old was signed to a multi-year contract extension during the offseason. He and the Mahindra Tractors team also began 2023 at the non-points Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum two weekends ago with a performance reminiscent of their 2022 outing in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Briscoe was consistently fastest in his practice group and in the top-five overall throughout Saturday’s two-hour practice session on the tight, quarter-mile paved oval. Damage sustained late in practice hindered the No. 14 team’s qualifying effort, but Briscoe still turned the 11th-quickest lap and went on to finish second in his heat race Sunday to earn a seventh-place starting position for the 150-lap feature. Unlike last year’s feature, when Briscoe retired early with a mechanical issue, he completed every lap this year and was strongest on the long run. However, a string of cautions in the latter stages of the race slowed his ability to advance higher than 15th.

● On-track action at Daytona begins with single-lap qualifying Wednesday night, when the front row for the Daytona 500 will be set. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel – twin 150-mile qualifying races that set the 40-car field for Sunday’s race follows on Thursday. Drivers in odd-numbered qualifying positions compete in the first Duel and those in even-numbered qualifying positions battle in the second Duel to fill out the rest of the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

● In his two August outings at Daytona, which marks the end of the Cup Series regular season, Briscoe finished 21st in 2021 and was scored 31st last year after getting caught up in an accident on lap 124.

● Briscoe made six previous starts at Daytona prior to joining the Cup Series – four in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one apiece in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and in the ARCA Racing Series. He started inside the top-10 for five of those races, with his best being a third-place qualifying effort in the 2016 ARCA season opener. His best finish was third, earned twice – August 2020 in the Xfinity Series and February 2017 in the Truck Series.

● Mahindra Tractors adorns the No. 14 Ford Mustang for The Great American Race for the second straight year. Houston-based Mahindra Ag North America joined SHR prior to the 2022 season with Mahindra Tractors as the anchor sponsor for Briscoe and the No. 14 team. Following a successful year that included a top-three in last year’s Daytona 500, a career-first win at Phoenix Raceway and a tenacious run through the playoffs, the No. 14 team’s cheering section in Daytona will include an international contingent as executives from Mahindra Tractors will host Mahindra Group leadership from India and other U.S. Mahindra companies and their customers.

Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

We’re going into the second season with the NextGen car and the No. 14 team did a lot of experimenting with the setups in the middle of the 2022 season. Do you feel like you are in a better place to start this season in terms of knowing what to expect and how to prepare?

“I think so. Some things have changed but, overall, it’s still the car we ran last year. I feel like we’re always learning. If we aren’t learning, we’re going backwards. So, there are still some things that we’ve got to figure out that take time but, yeah, we’re definitely starting off with more than we knew last year and we’ll just keep learning.”

You’ve had two very different Daytona 500 experiences. Does this race set the tone for how you approach the season?

“Not necessarily. The Daytona 500 is such a unique race. You never know how the race will play out. No one is really thinking about points, you’re so focused on being in the right position at the right time, so the intensity of the race is a little more than what we see at some other places. Everybody is just trying to get to the end and you see a lot of different strategies. You definitely want to start the season off on a strong note, but at the same time it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a great run at Daytona. I’ve been on both sides of it. One where we didn’t finish great and then last year finishing up front. It’s definitely a lot nicer when you can have that good points finish to start the year off and kind of build that momentum early. So we’ll see what we can do.”

The schedule for this year looks different than it has in the past. Is it more important now to qualify well?

“Unless you’re good enough to get on the front row, qualifying still doesn’t really matter. You’re not getting any idea of how your car performs in the race, so the Duel is going to be the focus. It’s always been important, but with no practice before, it almost gets treated as a practice session to make sure we’ve got everything close to where it needs to be. But, you also need to do what you can to finish well or you’re already starting off on the wrong foot for the 500. We’re all in the same position going in so it’ll be interesting to see how everyone races the Duel and whether it’s a race with a lot of excitement or everyone just taking it easy to make it to Sunday.”

No. 14 Mahindra Tractors Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Chase Briscoe
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana

Crew Chief: John Klausmeier
Hometown: Perry Hall, Maryland

Car Chief: J.D. Frey
Hometown: Ferndale, California

Engineer: Mike Cook
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland

Spotter: Joey Campbell
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shayne Pipala
Hometown: Frankfort Square, Illinois

Rear Tire Changer: Dakota Ratcliff
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Tire Carrier: Jon Bernal
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Jack Man: Dylan Moser

Hometown: Monroe, North Carolina

Fuel Man: Corey Coppola
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Road Crew Members

Underneath Mechanic: Stephen Gonzalez
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Interior Mechanic: Trevor Adams
Hometown: Naples, Florida

Tire Specialist: Keith Eads
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia

Engine Tuner: Jon Phillips
Hometown: Jefferson City, Missouri

Transporter Co-Driver: Todd Cable
Hometown: Shelby, North Carolina

Transporter Co-Driver: Rob Fink
Hometown: Mocksville, North Carolina

TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Love’s Travel Stops returns as the primary sponsor for Michael McDowell and the No. 34 Ford Mustang team. The company is an American family-owned chain of over 500 truck stops and convenience stores across 41 states. Love’s partnership with Front Row Motorsports (FRM) spans over a decade making them a staple in the NASCAR community.

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 will take place Wednesday, February 15 at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1.

The Duels will air Thursday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET on FS1.

The 65th running of the Daytona 500 will take place Sunday, February 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

COMPETITION NOTES:

Looking to capture his second Daytona 500, McDowell has been anxiously waiting to get back to Daytona International Speedway. Just two years ago, McDowell saw the checkered flag wave as he wrote his name down in history as a Daytona 500 winner. Going into his 15th season in the NASCAR Cup Series, McDowell starts his season with new crew chief Travis Peterson by his side.

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

“Michael and I have been working hard to get to know each other better and to make sure we are communicating clearly leading up to this week. All the guys on our No.34 team have put in so much time and effort getting the Love’s Ford Mustang ready for the 500, and our new pit crew is looking great in practice. I am excited to get there and confident that everyone’s hard work will pay off as we look to start off the season with a strong performance.”

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

“Going into the 2023, I am confident that this team can put together a successful season. Everyone here at Front Row Motorsports has been working hard to get the car ready for Daytona. There were changes to the car, the safety updates, and we were all working hard once we got the chassis back for The Clash and now the Daytona 500.

“I think Travis, our engineers, and mechanics have put all their effort into giving us a good piece for Daytona. Now, it’s simply time to go execute.”

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

STATESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 13, 2023) — LEGACY MOTOR CLUB President, Business Operations Bruce Mosley today announced a partnership featuring a fast-food restaurant chain with a legacy of their own – Wendy’s®. Beginning this weekend at the 2023 DAYTONA 500, the iconic, square Wendy’s hamburger will be the primary race scheme on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Noah Gragson. Gragson officially began his partnership with Wendy’s in 2020, and the two launched their first primary partnership last year during the GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway.

“This is a great partnership for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Wendy’s, Noah Gragson, and fans of NASCAR,” said Mosley. “The DAYTONA 500 is the sport’s biggest stage so it’s a perfect place to show off the best in beef. I’m excited to see what Noah does on the track and what we, at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and Wendy’s, can do off the track through our partnership.”

In 1984, Wendy’s posed an unforgettable question that has reverberated throughout generations: Where’s the Beef®? Thirty-nine years later, Wendy’s is reminding fans that when they want the freshest, hottest and juiciest hamburger, all they need to do is look for the square at their local Wendy’s restaurant.

While one might think of circular racetracks when they think of the DAYTONA 500, this weekend, it’s all about the square. The square makes it easy to find the best in the field whether it’s on a hamburger bun or on the track, with Gragson’s No. 42 Wendy’s car, nicknamed “The BEEF.” Adorned with the Wendy’s square hamburger that started it all, Gragson’s car pays homage to the high-quality, fresh, never frozen* square patties that have been a Wendy’s staple since the restaurant’s beginnings in 1969.

“At Wendy’s, we’re focused on making great tasting hamburgers. To get to the best, it all starts with the best beef and we have a proven track record of delivering for our customers time and time again,” said Carl Loredo, U.S. Chief Marketing Officer for The Wendy’s Company. “Partnering with Noah Gragson and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a no-brainer — they both know a thing or two about a good beef and about being the best in their field. When NASCAR fans see the No. 42, they know a champion is behind the wheel. Similarly, when Wendy’s fans see the square, they know they’re getting the very best hamburger. We can’t wait to celebrate alongside NASCAR fans and give them an all-access pass to the best in beef all weekend long at Daytona.”

Throughout race weekend, fans should look for the square when they’re looking for the best in the field – both on and off the track.

Wendy’s Winner Square: For those on-site, fans can find the beef at the Wendy’s Winner’s Square located in the Daytona International Speedway infield. Look for the giant 22-foot-tall Square Hamburger Patty to find Wendy’s celebrating its first-place square hamburgers with FREE Dave’s Single® hamburgers, Hot & Crispy Fries and Gragson’s favorite Frosty® hack — blue raspberry, topped with NERDS® candies.

At the Wendy’s Winner’s Square, fans will also get an up-close-and-personal look at Noah Gragson’s No. 42 BEEF car and will have the chance to take home exclusive Team Wendy’s swag items, including limited edition t-shirts, hats and Frosty Key Tags, which can be redeemed for FREE Frosty treats for a year. Talk about a winning (and delicious) deal.

Where’s The Beef? Square QR Codes**: But that’s not all – fans, both on-site and at home, should keep their eyes peeled for QR codes asking ‘Where’s the Beef?’ all weekend long. Spot it, scan it and find the best Beef in the game and the chance to win exciting prizes, like free Wendy’s Dave’s Single® hamburgers for a year, Wendy’s app offers, exclusive Daytona swag kits or even a custom video message from Gragson.

“Welcoming Wendy’s on my No. 42 Chevy in the NASCAR Cup Series is just perfect. I love their food and I’m not afraid of a little beef,” said Gragson. “The partnership matches my personality, and we (me and the fans) are going to have fun with it. For my first Daytona with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and the No. 42 team, I can’t wait to get on the track and give it our all.”

The NASCAR Cup Series 2023 season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 19th, with the 65th running of the DAYTONA 500. Tune-in to FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET as LEGACY MOTOR CLUB makes its highly anticipated official on-track debut kicking off the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

ABOUT WENDY’S :

Wendy’s was founded in 1969 by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio. Dave built his business on the premise, “Quality is our Recipe®,” which remains the guidepost of the Wendy’s system. Wendy’s is best known for its made-to-order square hamburgers, using fresh, never frozen beef*, freshly-prepared salads, and other signature items like chili, baked potatoes and the Frosty® dessert. The Wendy’s Company (Nasdaq: WEN) is committed to doing the right thing and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is most visible through the Company’s support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption® and its signature Wendy’s Wonderful Kids® program, which seeks to dramatically increase the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Today, Wendy’s and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across approximately 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world’s most thriving and beloved restaurant brand. For details on franchising, connect with us at www.wendys.com/franchising. Visit www.wendys.com and www.squaredealblog.com for more information and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram using @wendys, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wendys.

*Fresh beef available in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Canada.

** NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. OPEN TO U.S. LEGAL RESIDENTS (excluding CA, VA, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories), AGE 18+. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes starts 2/16/23 at 9:00 am ET and ends 2/20/23 at 11:59 pm ET. One entry per person, per day. Wendy’s Account required for certain prizes. For Rules and complete details, visit https://wendys.actv8me.com/?sl=34x1zw

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, owned by Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson. LEGACY M.C. operates two full-time entries, the No. 42 Chevrolet of Noah Gragson and the No. 43 Chevrolet of Erik Jones. The team also fields a third part-time entry, the No. 84 Chevrolet, for Johnson’s limited racing schedule.

For the last 75 years, the iconic Petty family name has been synonymous in NASCAR, spanning four generations. Over the course of his driving career, Team Ambassador Richard Petty forever enshrined himself as “The King”, earning 200 wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships alongside NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Dale Inman. GMS Racing entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021, later acquiring Richard Petty Motorsports to form Petty GMS.

The team was rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in 2023 with the addition of Johnson, another seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, to the ownership structure. As a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for the automobile racing enthusiast, fostering a team environment that will breed success for years to come. LEGACY M.C.’s vision is to honor the rich history of its past and acknowledge the future of the sport with some of today’s most iconic drivers.

LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing, which fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS Racing in 2012, Gallagher, along with one of the NASCAR garage’s most accomplished figures, Team President, Mike Beam, built a victorious organization, capturing the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

A co-primary paint scheme will adorn Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 47 Camaro later this year.

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (February 13, 2022) – Sugarlands Distilling Company today announced a partnership with JTG Daugherty Racing and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the No. 47 Camaro ZL1. As part of the partnership, which runs throughout the entire 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, Sugarlands becomes the Official Spirits Partner of JTG Daugherty Racing and will receive a co-primary sponsorship of the No. 47 for one Cup Series race, which will be revealed at a later date

The season-long partnership with Sugarlands and JTG Daugherty also includes Sugarlands branding on Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s firesuit and the JTG Daugherty transporter, as well as onsite activation and hosting opportunities throughout 2023. Last August, Sugarlands served as the co-primary sponsor on the hood of Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 47 Camaro at Watkins Glen International for the Go Bowling at the Glen 90-lap road course event.

“We have a deep connection to motorsports and its fans, from local short tracks up to the highest level of racing, the NASCAR Cup Series,” says Patrick Sullivan, Sugarlands Chief Revenue Officer. “We’re excited and grateful to partner with JTG Daugherty Racing in an expanded capacity in 2023, which will offer a great complement to our marketing efforts around grassroots racing.”

While this is its first full-season NASCAR Cup Series team partnership, Sugarlands Distilling Co has a long history and deep affiliation with the sport. Since launching in 2014, Sugarlands has collaborated with the racing industry several times, including releasing limited-edition products to commemorate Bristol Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. In 2022, Sugarlands launched High Rock, a premium, handcrafted vodka, produced in partnership with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Amy Earnhardt. Additional NASCAR-focused products are expected later this year.

“We’ve elevated our partnership with Sugarlands for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season,” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said. “They will be activating throughout the year with us starting at Daytona (International Speedway), and they will have nice visibility with the team. We look forward to promoting Sugarlands’ brands and continuing to grow our relationship.”

About Sugarlands Distilling Co.

Sugarlands Distilling Company is a craft distillery located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Producers of award-winning moonshine, rum, cream liqueurs, vodka and rye whiskey, Sugarland spirits are distributed in over 45 states and made available for home delivery via Reserve Bar. Sugarlands hand-crafted cocktails can be sipped in restaurants, bars, and festivals across the country, as well as on the Back Porch located at the downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee distillery.

The Sugarlands distillery welcomes more than one million guests each year and is rated as TripAdvisor’s number 1 thing to do in Gatlinburg as well as the world’s top-rated distillery experience. A proud supporter of the community, Sugarlands Distilling Company has donated nearly $1 million to nonprofits across the country through their giveback program, MoonShare.

For more information, please visit www.sugarlands.com and follow Sugarlands on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SugarlandsShine.

RYAN PREECE
Daytona Speedweek
Pole Qualifying | Duels | Daytona 500
No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing

Event Overview

• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Daytona 500 qualifying (single-lap qualifying to determine pole for the Daytona 500) – Time/TV/Radio: 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Thursday, Feb. 16: Bluegreen Vacations Duels (two 150-mile qualifying races that set the field for the Daytona 500) – Time/TV/Radio: 7 p.m. ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
• Sunday, Feb. 19: 65th annual Daytona 500 (first of 36 points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023) – Time/TV/Radio: 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Notes of Interest

• Riding along with Ryan Preece on his No. 41 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) is HaasTooling.com, the cutting tool division of Haas Automation led by team co-owner Gene Haas. HaasTooling.com was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers, rotaries and indexers, and automation solutions.“I’m really excited about representing HaasTooling.com because Gene Haas and Tony Stewart, they’re both innovators, they’re racers,” Preece said. “Tony’s a racecar driver, and just look at everything Gene Haas has built; this empire that he has created. It’s a great opportunity that I have to race for this team and organization in partnership with HaasTooling.com. Hopefully we’ve done a good job preparing and we can go out and have an extremely successful career with them on board.”
• The 65th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway will be Preece’s fourth career start in The Great American Race. His first Daytona 500 was in February 2019. He started 21st and finished eighth in a race that had 12 cautions for 47 laps.
• This will be Preece’s seventh overall start on the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Most recently, his best finish at the track of fourth came in August 2021. He started 24th and finished fourth, tallying his first top-five finish at the track.
• Perseverance has paid off for Preece. The 32-year-old racer from Berlin, Connecticut, was promoted by SHR to his role as fulltime driver of the No. 41 Mustang in the Cup Series after serving as a reserve driver with the organization in 2022. He spent last season performing simulator work while running a mix of races across each of NASCAR’s top three national touring series – two in the Cup Series, three in the Xfinity Series, and 10 in the Truck Series. His season was punctuated by a Truck Series win from the pole on June 24 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, his second straight win at the 1.333-mile oval east of Music City.
• In the first of his three Cup Series outings last year with Rick Ware Racing, Preece punched his ticket into the main event of the non-points Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum to kick off the season. He had to race his way in and did so in one of the Last Chance Qualifier races after working closely with the team to wrench on the car himself. He also ran at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway, where he finished 25th, and at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where he finished 37th.
• In his three Xfinity Series starts last season, Preece had a best finish of fifth at Charlotte.
• In addition to his Truck Series victory at Nashville last June, Preece collected six top-fives and eight top-10s in his nine other starts. He led 125 laps in all last year.
• Preece made a name for himself on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour – NASCAR’s oldest division and the only open-wheel series sanctioned by NASCAR. Preece won the Tour championship in 2013 and worked hard to leverage that title into additional opportunities in the Xfinity Series – NASCAR’s stepping-stone division to the elite Cup Series. After spending all of 2016 in a scrappy effort with an underfunded team that delivered a best finish of 10th, Preece mortgaged his house to secure two races with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in 2017. In equipment finally befitting his talent, Preece finished second in his JGR debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, then won in his second start at Iowa Speedway in Newton. In his next five Xfinity Series starts, Preece never finished outside the top-10, a run capped with his April 2018 victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

Ryan Preece, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

Some might consider this a comeback year for you now that you’re back to fulltime racing in the Cup Series. What does this moment feel like after all the hard work you’ve put in?

“I mean, it’s a dream come true and it’s honestly the perfect matchup. Getting this opportunity at Stewart-Haas Racing is exactly the opportunity I need to succeed. I know what I can do in a racecar and there’s nobody who’s harder on me than I am on myself. I’m going to make the best of every opportunity I get and that’s what I’ve always done. I feel like being in the position I am now with this organization and this team – it can’t get any better. I’m ready to go out there and win races. That is always my goal, every single weekend. Having Chad Johnston as my crew chief this season, too, is just another motivator. We’ve worked together before and we’re very similar. I think we work really well together. We have the same goals for this 41 team. It is a great feeling to be back fulltime in Cup. Sometimes I don’t think I let myself enjoy those moments. They are special and I’m very thankful. I’m just ready to get out there and race.”

This will be your fourth Daytona 500. You ran your first one in 2019. What was that experience like, and how will this year be different?

“To be honest with you, in 2023, I just feel like there’s going to be a lot of different challenges. I’m very optimistic going into the race because we’ve had some really strong runs previously at Daytona or even other superspeedways. But I think this will be one, at least for myself, of learning how to prepare better for these types of situations. Those last five laps, things get hectic and you’re just trying to position yourself in the right spot. That way, once you take the white flag, it’s not necessarily one lap to go there, it’s one lap going into turn three. Trying to understand that and put myself in the best situation to give myself the best opportunity to win.”

Strategy is always something talked about when NASCAR heads to superspeedways, but the Daytona 500 schedule is so unique with qualifying, the Duels, practices and the race. Do you have a specific strategy, or does it depend on the event?

“The strategy constantly changes. As far as positioning goes and where I think I need to be to give myself the best chance, it’s always changing. I’d say, in a perfect world, I know exactly where I want to be but it’s all in different circumstances.”

What is the No. 41 team’s mindset heading into the Daytona 500?

“Well, our mindset is to win. I think most teams will say that’s what their mindset is. It’s true, though, you don’t put in all this work that we do in the offseason and during the week for anything less. It’s important for our team to work closely with each other, get to know each other and then execute on the weekends. I have no doubt that we will.”

You have some experience in the NextGen car, but you didn’t get to run it every weekend last season like other drivers. What do you think that’s going to be like?

“I spent a lot of time in the simulator last season. I was really focused on learning that car and getting as much experience as I could. I think that time in the simulator definitely helped me, and I did get some seat time in a car throughout last year. Everyone was sort of learning the new car last season, so I don’t know that I’m very far off from them. It was a growing year for everyone in the series. Now it’s time to take all of that and go out and perform.”

What are your expectations for this season?

“It starts with, we need to make the Playoffs, and that’s going to be by winning. At the end of the day, that’s what it took to get in last year. From there on out, just consistency. We want consistently fast racecars. We want to continue to build consistently fast Ford Mustangs. If we do that, we can go out and perform the way we should.”

No. 41 HaasTooling.com Team Roster

Primary Team Members

Driver: Ryan Preece
Hometown: Berlin, Connecticut

Crew Chief: Chad Johnston
Hometown: Cayuga, Indiana

Car Chief: Tony Cardamone
Hometown: Bristol, Virginia

Engineer: Lee Deese
Hometown: Rockingham, North Carolina

Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia

Spotter: Andy Houston
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina

Over-The-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Devin Lester
Hometown: Bluefield, West Virginia

Rear Tire Changer: Kevin Teaf
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida

Tire Carrier: Chad Emmons
Hometown: Tyler, Texas

Jack Man: Kapil Fletcher
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Fuel Man: Dwayne Moore
Hometown: Griffin, Georgia

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Joe Zanolini
Hometown: Sybertsville, Pennsylvania

Shock Specialist: Aaron Kuehn
Hometown: Kensington, Connecticut

Tire Specialist: Matt Ridgway
Hometown: Carrollton, Georgia

Engine Tuner: Jimmy Fife
Hometown: Orange County, California

Transporter Co-Driver: David Rodrigues
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California

Transporter Co-Driver: Charlie Schleyer
Hometown: Youngsville, Pennsylvania

Daytona 500 Event Info:
Date: Sunday, February 19
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Event: 65th Daytona 500
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Format: 200 laps, Stages: 65-65-70
TV: FOX
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Weekend Schedule:
Wednesday: 8:15 p.m. ET, Qualifying (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Thursday: 7 p.m. ET, Duel 1 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Thursday: 8:45 p.m. ET, Duel 2 (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 5:30 p.m. ET, Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 10:30 a.m. ET, Final Practice (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. ET, Race (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

6 Team Info:
Partner: NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe)
Crew Chief: Matt McCall

17 Team Info:
Partner: Fastenal
Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Pace Laps:

• The 2023 NASCAR season officially kicks off this week at ‘The World Center of Racing’ as Daytona International Speedway hosts five-straight days of on-track activity.
• Jack Roush has 11 wins all-time at Daytona across NASCAR’s three major touring series (Cup, Xfinity, Trucks), including seven alone in the Cup Series.
• The schedule for Daytona is vastly different this week with no on-track activity prior to single-car qualifying on Wednesday, and the Duels on Thursday. The first practice session comes Friday afternoon with a final practice set for Saturday morning.

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

• 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.
• Last season, 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.
• Keselowski historically has 14 starts in the Duels with the one win and five top-10s.
• Buescher will be making his eighth start in the Duels on Thursday. He’s finished top-10 in the Duels in four-straight outings and has finished inside the top-10 in all but one Duels race that he’s been in since 2016.

Keselowski at Daytona International Speedway
Starts: 27
Wins: 1 (2016)
Top-10s: 6
Poles: —

• Keselowski makes his 28th overall start on the oval at Daytona this weekend, and 14th start in the Daytona 500. In 13 Daytona 500 starts all-time, Keselowski has two top-10s and a best finish of third (2014). A year prior he crossed the line fourth.
• Most recently, Keselowski finished ninth in the 2022 Daytona 500, and ran 13th a year prior. His lone win at ‘The World Center of Racing’ came in the 2016 summer race. Overall he has six top-10s at DIS.
• Overall Keselowski has 10 starts inside the top-10 at Daytona with four starts in third.
• 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: 14
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —

• Buescher makes his 15th start on the oval at DIS this weekend, and eighth in the Great American Race.
• In 14 starts Buescher has five top-10s with three inside the top five. His best Daytona 500 finish came three years ago when he finished third. He also finished fifth in the 500 back in 2018.
• Buescher has two-straight top-10 starts at Daytona including a fourth-place grid position in last year’s 500 after a win in his Duel race.
• He also made three Xfinity Series starts at DIS with a best finish of second in the 2015 season-opening event.

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.

By the Numbers at Daytona International Speedway

Race      Win       T5           T10         Pole       Laps       Led        AvSt      AvFn     Miles

222         7              42           80           5              36080    910         19.3        18.1        90200

96           2              22           45           2              9805       303         14.5        16.4        24512.5

21           2              5              9              3              1751       191         14.0        15.4        4377.5

339         11           69           134         10           47636    1404       17.8        17.3        119090