• In 25 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged one win, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NCS victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley earned 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 ZL1s in the NCS with Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• This weekend, Spire Motorsports will be participating in the Martin Truex, Jr., Foundation and NASCAR Foundation’s Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign. The names of cancer survivors will be aboard all three Spire-prepared Chevrolet ZL1s. Michele Broadley will ride along with Carson Hocevar and the No. 77 on Saturday, while Tabatha Guaglianone and Mary Rogers will be on Justin Haley’s No. 7 machine and Jeanann Orna and Adam Brookhart will be featured on the No. 71 driven by Michael McDowell.
• The Coke Zero Sugar 400 will be televised live on NBC Saturday, Aug. 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
• The names of two cancer heroes will be featured on Haley’s No. 7 Chevy this weekend as part of the Martin Truex, Jr., Foundation and NASCAR Foundation’s Honor A Cancer Hero campaign. Tabatha Guaglianone and Mary Rogers will ride on the driver’s- and passenger’s-side name rails, respectively.
• Tabatha Guaglianone was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in May 2021. She had a double mastectomy and went through 16 weeks of chemotherapy. She rang the bell in November 2021 and has been cancer free since. Her family is incredibly proud of her fight and the battle she won. “Tab” and her family are Justin Haley fans and travel to many NASCAR races across the country.
• Mary Rogers was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer in early 2025. She underwent surgery to have it removed in March, but during the routine procedure, doctors realized the cancer was more extensive than initially believed. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation to target the remaining cancer that wasn’t removed during the surgery and ensure it doesn’t spread. She is a mother of three: Gina, Ron, and Bryan; Grandmother to eight; and Great Grandmother to 10. She has been married to her husband, Dewey, for 66 years. There is nothing that she loves more than spending time with family. Her daughter-in-law, Tammy Rogers, is also battling cancer and is riding aboard Riley Herbst’s No. 35 car on Saturday.
• Haley secured his lone Cup Series win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the “World Center of Racing.” He picked up both his and the team’s first win – an upset of practically unprecedented proportions – behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet. In 10 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at the “World Center of Racing,” Haley has notched one win, one top-10 and four top-20 finishes.
• Haley will pull double duty this weekend, also driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Wawa 250. In 10 previous Xfinity Series starts at the famed Daytona Beach-venue, the 26-year-old driver has notched two wins, three top fives and six top 10s. He’s logged a 14.1 average start, a 11.9 average finish and paced the field for 30 laps.
• Last Saturday at Richmond Raceway, Haley raced inside the top 20 before a Lap 197 incident ended his night early, leaving him 37th in the final rundown.
• Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
• Haley has a pair of CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, including a runner-up effort in 2018 and a fifth-place result in Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in this year’s season opener.
• The veteran racer has earned one Cup Series victory, four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned victories across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
• The Winamac, Ind., native is a veteran of 169 Cup Series starts and has notched one win, five top fives, 16 top 10s and led 103 laps in NASCAR’s premier division. In total, Haley has made 69 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, including his first start in NASCAR’s premier division at Talladega Superspeedway on his 20th birthday.

Justin Haley Quote
What are your thoughts on pulling double duty at Daytona?
“Daytona is one of my favorite tracks. I’m excited to get back to superspeedway racing this weekend and make a final push for the playoffs with our No. 7 Gainbridge Chevy. Hopefully, we can learn a couple things Friday night in the Xfinity Series car so we can be there at the end and race for a win both nights.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley. He was first paired with Haley at Bristol Motor Speedway in September 2024.
• The Winston Salem, N.C., native has called 191 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.
• In total, Sparks has called 12 previous Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway where he’s led his drivers to one top-five and four top-10 finishes. The veteran crew chief recorded a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Daytona 500 with driver Corey LaJoie.

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

• Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Fly Alliance Chevrolet ZL1 in Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
• McDowell has made 28 starts in the NACAR Cup Series at the “World Center of Racing,” including a trip to Victory Lane in the 2021 Daytona 500. Additionally, the veteran racer has logged three top-five and eight top-10 finishes at the 2.5-mile Daytona Beach oval.
• In 28 starts in NASCAR’s premier division at Daytona, the Glendale, Ariz. native has earned one pole position and led 62 laps. Despite winning the 2021 edition of the Great American Race, McDowell only led one lap that day – the final one – enroute to his first career victory.
• It took 358 starts or 13 years, 10 months, and 15 days (5,069 days) between his series debut in 2008 and his 2021 Daytona 500 victory.
• Fly Alliance is a global private aviation company offering a comprehensive suite of services including on-demand charter, jet card programs, fractional aircraft ownership, parts sales, maintenance, and full-service aircraft management. Headquartered at Orlando Executive Airport, Fly Alliance operates a fleet of over 30 aircraft with a growing international footprint that includes operations across North America, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Known for its deep expertise and concierge-level service, Fly Alliance serves a diverse clientele of high-net-worth individuals, corporate executives, and professional sports teams.
• The No. 71 entry will support both the Martin Truex, Jr., Foundation and NASCAR Foundation by sporting the names of two cancer heroes on the name rails. Jeanann Orna and Adam Brookhart will ride along on the driver’s- and passenger’s-side doors, respectively, at Daytona International Speedway, replacing the traditional Michael McDowell insignia for the weekend.
• Jeanann Orna was a nurse who helped countless patients through her profession during her lifetime. While helping those in need, she was battling cancer, herself. She defeated breast cancer in 2006, but was diagnosed with stage-four ovarian cancer in June of 2020 and lost her battle in November of 2022. Even through life’s toughest moments, being a mother remained her primary focus. She helped her kids (Kali and Sean) through high school, college and other major life experiences, all while battling the most vicious form of cancer. Jeanann was a true Cancer Hero and an inspiration for all.
• Adam Brookhart was diagnosed with stage-three colon cancer in January 2025. He’s been through 12 rounds of chemotherapy and hopes to be wrapped up by the end of August. Even while fighting the disease, he has taken on every treatment session with a positive attitude. His life motto is “when life gives you a cactus, it doesn’t mean you have to sit on it.”
• McDowell has experience beyond the oval configuration at Daytona, holding six attempts in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. McDowell owns one top-five and four top-10 finishes at one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races. He has led 69 laps with an average start of 10.1 and an average overall finish of 13.8. He also boasts a pair of top-10 finishes in both NASCAR Cup Series events on the road-course configuration of Daytona International Speedway in 2020-2021.
• In five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the famed superspeedway, the 40-year-old earned a series-best 13th-place result in the 2009 Subway Jalapeno 250.
• The father-of-five raced Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 Go Bowling Chevrolet Silverado in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season-opening Fresh from Florida 250, where he was ultimately saddled with a 26th-place finish after sustaining damage late in the race.
• Over the first 25 races of the season, McDowell has tallied two top-five, three top-10 and 13 top-20 finishes. He’s earned an average starting position of 14.5 heading into the final race of the regular season.
• McDowell has claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards this season, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, Phoenix Raceway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The team is one of just three in the series to tally three or more bonus points via the program.
• The No. 71 team secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. The 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap recorded in NASCAR’s seventh-generation Cup Series car (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval. The team also earned Spire Motorsports’ first stage win during the Grant Park 165 on the streets of downtown Chicago.
• McDowell’s team earned a $100,000 payday and a trip to Victory Lane after winning the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge during May’s NASCAR All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. The crew’s blazing 12.587-second stop topped all entries for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race, earning the title of the fastest team on pit road.
• Jeff Ambrose, driver of the team’s race transporter, calls Central Florida home. The Altamonte Springs native has spent nearly three years as McDowell’s hauler driver. Prior to his time with Spire Motorsports, Ambrose was part of Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s. Daytona 500-winning team.
• Heading into the final race of the regular season, McDowell and Co. sit 206 points below the playoff cut line and are in a must-win situation to advance to the NASCAR Playoffs.

Michael McDowell Quote
Talk about your perspective heading into the final race of the 2025 regular season.
“It’s our last chance – the last race before the playoffs start. We all know what we’re trying to do, and we’re definitely going to try to get one of our Spire Motorsports cars in. It’s a great opportunity for us and a new partner onboard with Fly Alliance. Justin (Haley) has won there, and I’ve won there. We’ve had strong speedway cars this year and the time has come. Unfortunately, we put ourselves in this predicament where it comes down to the last race to get into the playoffs, but we know what we’ve got to do.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Travis Peterson serves as the crew chief for driver Michael McDowell and Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• The potent Peterson/McDowell combination have five starts together at the historic track totaling one pole – a front row start in the 2024 Daytona 500 – and 36 laps led.
• Peterson helped Dale Earnhardt, Jr., to Victory Lane in the 2015 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the 2.5-mile superspeedway while serving as a race engineer for Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 team. “Junebug” qualified on the pole and led 96 laps en route to the win.

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

• Carson Hocevar will pilot the No. 77 MODO Casino Chevrolet ZL1 in Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The 26th points-paying race on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule marks the end of the regular season, when the 16-driver playoff field will be set ahead of the final 10 races.
• In the 2024 edition of the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Hocevar’s second NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.5-mile oval, he drove to an 11th-place finish.
• The Modo Casino livery will be showcased aboard the No. 77 Chevy for the first of four races beginning with the Coke Zero Sugar 400. America’s fastest-growing social casino from ARB Interactive will return to Hocevar’s Chevrolet at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Modo Casino is proudly built in the U.S. and offers players the thrill of casino-style gaming online. This free-to-play platform features hundreds of popular slot titles, live dealer experiences, and classic table games like Blackjack and Roulette. Players use free coins to compete and can redeem winnings for real-world prizes and experiences, creating a fun, accessible and low stress way to play. Through partnerships with major sports properties, Modo Casino delivers exclusive content, unique fan experiences, and culturally relevant entertainment for millions of players nationwide. Modo Casino follows the International Social Games Association’s and the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance’s best practice principles, as well as all relevant consumer protection, competition, advertising and privacy regulations.
• Joining the No. 77 team at Daytona as an associate partner is Welcome to Rockville, North America’s largest rock festival. Fans can enter a sweepstakes to win a VIP experience to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 and four-day VIP passes to Welcome to Rockville 2026. Welcome To Rockville returns for its 15th year and sixth at Daytona International Speedway May 7-10 2026. North America’s Largest Rock Festival broke its own records in 2025 with 230,000 music fans joining together for the four-day destination event that included back-to-back record-setting crowds. The festival is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP), one of the world’s premier independent live event producers.
• The No. 77 team will honor Michele Broadley at Daytona as part of the Martin Truex, Jr., Foundation’s Honor a Cancer Hero initiative in conjunction with the NASCAR Foundation and Advent Health. Michele is a forever 24-year-old cancer warrior who loved to live life. She loved all animals, especially her cat Dusty, and she loved traveling. Michele fought a three-and-a-half-year battle with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). During her fight, she attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with honors with a B.A. in Psychology and minored in Women’s Studies. She began graduate school for her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University to prove that “yes, I have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me.” Michele passed away on September 28, 2016 and continues to be an inspiration to those closest to her. Additional information can be found on the #TeamM Facebook page.
• Hocevar finished seventh at Talladega in April, his best Cup Series finish on a traditional superspeedway, and owns three top-15 finishes at Daytona and Talladega combined.
• The Portage, Mich., native earned a career-best runner-up finish at the superspeedway-like Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 23 and returned in June to add a 10th-place effort to his résumé.
• Hocevar owns three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the “World Center of Racing,” resulting in two top 10s and a best finish of fifth in 2021.

Carson Hocevar Quote
We’ve seen a shift in your approach to superspeedway racing since this year’s Daytona 500. Will you continue on that path as we head back to Florida?
“Yeah, I always felt like it was easier or safer to just stay out of trouble and be there at the end, but that didn’t really work for us in February and I showed up at Atlanta kind of wanting to prove a point that if I ran hard, I’d get caught up in something early. That didn’t happen and we were fighting for a win at the checkered flag, so I guess I did prove a point, but more to myself. Superspeedway racing is tough. Everything happens so quickly and it comes down to trusting the crew chief and spotter to put you in the right position to make it to those last few laps. I think we’ve done a good a job of that this year since Daytona.”

Is the goal for this weekend to make the playoffs?
“I think everyone goes into Daytona knowing that anything can happen and you could leave with a spot in the playoff field. For us, we’re going to run the best race we can. You always hope that means you’re in Victory Lane at the end, but more importantly we need to keep working on putting together all of the pieces to have good races week after week. Playoffs is the goal. Wins are also a goal, but working together to be successful is what is going to help us find success consistently.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Luke Lambert has called 47 superspeedway races, including 23 at Daytona, resulting in six top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. In 2023, Lambert led driver Chris Buescher to a third-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
• In four Xfinity Series races atop the pit box at Daytona, Lambert collected third-place results with Elliott Sadler (2012) and Noah Gragson (2022).
• Lambert and Hocevar will make their 70th start as a driver/crew chief combination in Saturday night’s race. Together they’ve earned 24 finishes inside the top 15.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports 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 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and an ARCA Menards Series Chevrolet in select events.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Coke Zero Sugar 400
DATE: August 23, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 26 of 36
TRACK: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | 2.5-Mile Oval

CLUB MINUTES:
JJ AT DAYTONA: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has 41 Cup Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. In these starts, Johnson has collected a total of three wins, 13 top-fives, and 17 top-10s as well as 302 laps led at the 2.5-mile oval. His first victory came in the February 2006 Daytona 500 where Johnson started ninth and led 24 laps after starting ninth. He won under caution where he was ahead of Casey Mears. 2013 proved to be a year of success for Johnson at Daytona. In February’s Daytona 500, Johnson started ninth once again and found himself crossing the finish line .129 of a second ahead of runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr. for his second win at Daytona. When the series returned in July, Johnson started eighth and finished .107 of a second ahead of Tony Stewart to win his third race at the superspeedway.

KENSETH DAYTONA STATS: LEGACY MC competition advisor Matt Kenseth owns 37 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona. He found victory lane twice in his career and earned six top-fives and 14 top-10s. In total, he’s led 383 laps at Daytona. Kenseth’s first win at Daytona came in the February 2009 Daytona 500 where he started 39th and only led seven laps to claim the victory under caution ahead of Kevin Harvick. He earned himself another Daytona 500 victory in February 2012 when he started fourth and bested Dale Earnhardt Jr. by .210 of a second.

THE KING REIGNS AT DAYTONA: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and LEGACY MC ambassador Richard Petty owns 74 Cup Series starts at Daytona. During his career, he amounted a total of 10 wins, 28 top-fives, and37 top-10s at Daytona. In total, he led 1,278 laps at the 2.5-mile oval. His first victory came in the February 1964 Daytona 500 after starting second. His final win came in the July 1985 Firecracker 400 where he won under caution after starting 13th and leading 53 laps.

YOUNGEST DAYTONA 500 WINNER: LEGACY MC ambassador Trevor Bayne is also a winner at Daytona. He found himself in victory lane at the end of the February 2011 Daytona 500 after starting 32nd in his first career start at the 2.5-mile oval. He led six laps and found himself crossing the finish line .118 of a second ahead of Carl Edwards. Bayne became the youngest winner of the Daytona 500 at the age of 20 years and one day – an achievement that still stands to this day.

HONORING CANCER HEROS: This weekend at Daytona, LEGACY MC will join a majority of the field in honoring a cancer hero nominated by a race fan who won the auction bidding for the NASCAR Foundation and Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. The “Honor a Cancer Hero” program has been around since 2020 and has allowed industry members, fans, and sponsors alike to bid for their chance to put a cancer hero’s name above the driver side and passenger side doors. In total, the auction has raised more then $500,000 in total since 2020.

This year, John Hunter Nemechek will honor two heroes on his car. On the driver side will be Tom Goddard, a cancer hero and father. He will also carry seven-year-old Noelle Franklin, who fought Osteosarcoma, on the passenger side. After a valiant year-long battle against the disease, Noelle passed away on May 12, 2025. She participated in the 2024 Martin Truex Jr Foundation’s Catwalk for a Cause at which Nemechek was in attendance.

Erik Jones will honor Corinne Graczewski on his car this weekend. A patient of AdventHealth in Daytona Beach, Corinne faced three distinct caner diagnoses at once. After going into remission, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer once again earlier this year. After undergoing treatment, she has now gone through focused radiation treatment and is moving forward with immunotherapy. She is not only a survivor but a symbol of hope for the community.

NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Jimmie Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. The podcast airs live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts. This week’s guest is Andy Roddick, former professional tennis player and International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT DAYTONA: John Hunter Nemechek has five starts at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. He earned his highest finish of fifth in this year’s Daytona 500. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he accumulated six starts at the track during his career, earning three top-10 finishes and a best finish of second in February 2023. Nemechek also has five starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a highest finish of fourth in February 2017.

T-MACK DAYTONA STATS: Saturday’s race under the lights will be crew chief Travis Mack’s 11th NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona. His first outing came in February 2018 with Kasey Kahne. After a short gap, Mack was back at Daytona in February 2021 with Daniel Suárez, where the duo competed for six total races between 2021 and 2023, with their highest finish being seventh. He returned in the February 2024 Daytona 500 with AJ Allmendinger, where the pair finished sixth. Mack followed that up in August 2024 with Shane Van Gisbergen, who finished 35th. His highest finish came with Nemechek in February of this year when the duo finished fifth after starting 18th. In the NASCAR Xfinity series, Mack has four starts at Daytona with Michael Annett, where the duo took home the race win in their first start together in February 2019 after starting third.

PYE-BARKER GOES “ALL IN”: On the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE at Daytona this weekend, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety will reveal a new scheme, emblazoned with the seal “Powered by Employee Ownership.” This all-new paint scheme celebrates this week’s announcement that Pye-Barker has launched its Achieving Lasting Legacy Incentive “ALL In” ownership program, making it the largest company in the fire and life safety industry to be powered by employee ownership.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“I’m excited to get back down to Daytona; it’s one last shot to win our way into the playoffs. There’s definitely a lot of confidence for me going into this weekend after our fifth-place finish in the Daytona 500 earlier this year. Our LEGACY MOTOR CLUB superspeedway package has shown success, so I’m feeling ready for Saturday under the lights.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“We’re ready to get to Daytona. John Hunter (Nemechek, driver of the No. 42 Toyota) is a smart superspeedway racer, and we’ve put a lot of effort into our superspeedway package. We were really fast there in February, so I’m excited to see what we can do Saturday night to lock in our playoff spot.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES DAYTONA STATS: Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 will mark Erik Jones’ 18th NASCAR Cup Series start at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. In his 17 previous starts, Jones has won once, earned two top-fives and four top-10s, and led 61 total laps at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. In a track that is known for its unpredictability, Jones has been one of the ones to watch as he consistently runs up front at Daytona despite being caught up in some wrecks along the way. He also owns one win in the NASCAR Clash at Daytona from February 2020, where he survived a wreck that caused damage to his car to cross the finish line in the pre-season event. Jones has an additional seven starts outside of the Cup Series – six in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He earned two top-10s in the Xfinity Series with a best finish of eighth in July 2015 after starting fifth. In his lone Truck Series start, Jones started seventh and earned an impressive second-place result just .173 of a second behind race winner Tyler Reddick.

FIRST CUP SERIES VICTORY: In July 2018, a 22-year-old Jones rolled into Daytona in his second fulltime season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He had just moved over to the No. 20 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing after a very successful 2016 Xfinity Series campaign for the team. He qualified 29th but showed that it not only doesn’t matter where you start at Daytona, but also it doesn’t matter how many laps you lead as long as you’re leading the last one. He worked his way up to be in contention on the final lap and beat Martin Truex Jr. to the line by .125 of a second. The only lap he led all race was the final on Lap 160. This marked Jones’ first career NASCAR Cup Series victory and clinched his spot in the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs field.

BESHORE AT DAYTONA: Crew chief Ben Beshore has been on top of the box for seven NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona. He’s led a total of 40 laps with his drivers and earned three top-10 finishes. He only has one finish outside of the top-15 at Daytona with these drivers as well. Kyle Busch earned him his best finish of sixth in February 2022. Beshore has an additional six races under his belt in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Jeffrey Earnhardt, Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, and John Hunter Nemechek. He earned a best finish of second twice – in February 2020 with Burton and again in February 2023 with Nemechek. His driver finished in the top-20 for five of those six starts.

#READWITHERIK IN DAYTONA: On Friday morning, Jones will spread his joy of reading to the local Daytona community with the help of AdventHealth. Prior to heading to the track for qualifying, Jones will visit the students at Rymfire Elementary School in Palm Coast, FL. Not only will he read “Goodnight Racetrack” by Andy Amendola and Ashley Newgarden, but he will also assist AdventHealth in donating a book vending machine to the school for the children. Jones previously donated a book vending machine to Chisholm Elementary School in New Smyrna Beach, FL in February.

EJ LATE MODEL RACING: Jones will finish up a busy month of Late Model Racing in Wednesday night’s ASA Stars National Tour Race at Owosso Speedway in Michigan. In his first race at Wisconsin International Raceway on August 5, Jones finished 14th after battling handling issues and an air box issue early on in the day. Then in last Wednesday’s battle at Berlin Raceway, Jones faced an issue early on in the race that forced him to retire early and finish 30th. He’ll try to rebound this weekend in his final late model race of the month in the Michigan 300 at a track located less than 30 miles from his hometown of Byron, MI.

ERIK JONES QUOTE
“Daytona’s a wild card. No one can really predict what’s going to happen there, but I’ve also had some good luck there. If luck is on your side, you’ll have a fast car in the draft, avoid chaos, and find yourself in a position to make a move at the end of the race. Sometimes you don’t have luck on your side though. The team has to be quick in their strategy change and thinking because anything can happen. Hopefully, we can do everything right and have a little luck on our side to find ourselves up front on the last lap.”

BEN BESHORE QUOTE
“We’re really looking forward to Daytona. I think the No. 43 team ran really well in the Daytona 500. We’ll take a similar package there and try to learn off the stuff we picked up on at Talladega also. It’s all on the line. We’re going to try to give him the best bullet that we can with one last shot going into the playoffs. Hopefully, we’ll come home with a checkered flag there.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
On Saturday, Aug. 23, Nemechek will be at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Experience for a Q&A session at 3:10 p.m. local time, before then heading to the NASCAR Classics trackside merchandise rig to sign for fans at 3:30 p.m. local time.

Jones will be at the AdventHealth fan zone stage for a Q&A session on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 3 p.m. local time.

TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Saturday, August 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

Daytona II Event Info:
Date: Saturday, Aug. 23
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Series: NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Format: 160 Laps, 400 Miles, Stages: 35-90-160
TV: NBC
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)

Weekend Schedule:
Friday: 3 p.m. ET, Xfinity Qualifying (CW App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 5:05 p.m. ET, Cup Qualifying (TruTV, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Friday: 7:30 p.m. ET, Xfinity Race (CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)
Saturday: 7:30 p.m. ET, Cup Race (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Pace Laps:

• NASCAR heads to Daytona International Speedway this weekend for the annual summer event, and the last regular-season Cup Series race before the start of the playoffs.
• Sam Mayer (9.5) is tied with Connor Zilisch (9.5) for the best average finish among full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers this season.
• Mayer has finished inside the top two in each of his previous three races at Indianapolis (2nd), Iowa (1st) and Watkins Glen (2nd).
• He has started inside the top 10 in nine of his last 10 starts dating back to Nashville Superspeedway in May, including his lone pole of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three weeks ago.
• Mayer (799) sits third in the regular-season points standings behind Justin Allgaier (816) and Zilisch (823) with just three races remaining before the start of the playoffs.

Cole Custer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Haas/Bonanza

Sheldon Creed Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Ollie’s

Sam Mayer Team Info:
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Audibel

Custer at Daytona (Cup)
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: —
Poles: —

• Custer makes his eighth Cup start at Daytona this weekend, where he has a best finish of 11th and led a lap in 2021. Earlier this season, he was leading on the final lap before an incident resulted in a 21st-place finish.
• His best start came in 2020 (12th), and he boasts a 22.3 average starting position.
• Custer has two top-10 results in 10 Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, while also making one Truck start in 2016.

Creed at Daytona (Xfinity)
Starts: 8
Wins: —
Top-10s: 5
Poles: —

• Creed is set to make his ninth Xfinity start at Daytona on Saturday, where he is coming off a third-place finish earlier this year. In his last four starts, he has led 30 laps and finished inside the top-10 in each race.
• He has started inside the top 10 in seven of his eight starts and carries a 6.6 average starting position into the weekend.
• Creed also has a pair of top-10 results in three career Truck Series starts.

Mayer at Daytona (Xfinity)
Starts: 8
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —

• Mayer is in line for his ninth Xfinity start at Daytona this weekend, coming off a runner-up finish in the first race of the season. He has led 28 total laps across eight career starts and has an average finish of 21.6.
• His best start was on fourth in 2022, and he holds an average starting position of 18.6.

Where They Stand
Cup Points Standings (41: 34th): Custer is 34th in the Cup Series points standings with 307 points heading into Daytona this Saturday.

Xfinity Points Standings (41: 4th, 00: 10th): Mayer sits fourth in the Xfinity points standings with 799 total points on the season, behind the three multi-winners, while Creed is in 10th place with 625 points.

Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Team
Daytona International Speedway Competition Notes
Coke Zero Sugar 400

Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025
Event: Race 28 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
#of Laps: 160
Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 PM ET on NBC/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Todd Gilliland Notes

Todd Gilliland and the No. 34 team return to the Daytona International Speedway, facing a must-win situation in order to make the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. In last year’s event at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, Gilliland started second next to pole sitter and teammate, Michael McDowell. On superspeedways, Gilliland has proven that he has what it takes to be a trusted drafting partner with impressive performances at Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega.

Grillo’s Pickles will partner with Gilliland and the No. 34 team for the 160-lap event in the iconic pickle company’s third race of the season. Grillo’s Pickles will hit the high banks of the Daytona International Speedway with a twist on their classic scheme, adding “Speed Pickles” hidden across Gilliland’s Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Fans can shop for all Grillo’s Pickles products and merch by going to www.Grillos.com.

While off the track this weekend, Gilliland will trade in his racecar for a fishing rod, partnering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s TrophyCatch program. An avid fisherman, Gilliland invites anglers of all skill levels to join the citizen-science initiative, which rewards fishermen for documenting largemouth bass weighing eight pounds or more. Since its launch, TrophyCatch has logged thousands of trophy bass across the state, giving scientists valuable insight into Florida’s bass population while giving anglers the chance to win prizes, from top-tier fishing gear to a Phoenix Bass Boat. “TrophyCatch is all about celebrating the thrill of a big catch while protecting our fisheries for future generations,” said Gilliland. “It’s like racing—big skill, big passion, and all about the thrill.” Anglers can sign up for free at TrophyCatch.com, grab a fishing license, and submit photo or video evidence of their catches for even more chances to win.

“We’re proud to partner with NASCAR and bring Florida’s conservation story to one of the largest audiences in American sports,” said Roger Young, Executive Director, FWC. “This collaboration is an exciting opportunity to connect with outdoor enthusiasts and highlight the importance of protecting our state’s world-class fisheries and wildlife.”

“Our season hasn’t gone the way we hoped,” said Gilliland. “We know what’s at stake, and I believe this team has everything it takes to win—it’s just about executing from start to finish and making the most of our potential. I always feel confident going into the superspeedways; we just need to run a clean race and be in position at the end.”

Road Crew

Driver: Todd Gilliland

Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Chris Lawson

Hometown: Medway, Ohio

Car Chief: Joe Marra

Hometown: Somers, New York

Engineer: Marc Rullo

Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey

Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Spotter: Brit Andersen

Hometown: Branford, Connecticut

Underneath Mechanic: Michael Brookes

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Interior Mechanic: Chance Burke

Hometown: Siler City, North Carolina

Tire Specialist: Billy John

Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey

Engine Tuner: Tim Meyer

Hometown: Beatrice, Nebraska

Transporter Driver: Christian Boller

Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy

Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky

Rear Tire Changer: Justin Fox

Hometown: Concord, North Carolina

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Hometown: Wichita, Kansas

Jackman: Landon Honeycutt

Hometown: Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Fueler: Zeke Nance

Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia

ABOUT GRILLO’S PICKLES

For people who want freshness, Grillo’s is the pickle company that is changing the game. That’s because Grillo’s uses only clean, garden-fresh ingredients to make deliciously simple foods that deliver all the crunchy, tangy, satisfying flavor you’ve been searching for, with none of the junk. How do we do it? Our products are made cold, shipped cold, and consumed cold. You get an incredible crunch, and we never have to mess with artificial preservatives. In fact, the only thing traditional about us is our 100-year-old family recipe. The rest? It’s fresh. Grillo’s offers mouthwatering bites nationwide with their selection of spears, chips, wholes and Pickle de Gallo. For more information, visit GrillosPickles.com or contact grillos@autumncommunications.com.

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. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

DAYTONA 2

Saturday, August 22 – NASCAR Xfinity Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (CW)
Sunday, August 23 – NASCAR Cup Series, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

Four Ford NASCAR Cup Series drivers have clinched spots in the playoffs, but can a fifth join them this weekend in the final regular season event at Daytona International Speedway? The remaining drivers on the roster need a win on Saturday night in order to make the field, something Harrison Burton did a year ago when he captured the 100th all-time win for Wood Brothers Racing.

WOOD BROTHERS GOING FOR REPEAT

A year ago, Harrison Burton stunned the NASCAR world when he survived an overtime restart to win his first Cup Series race and the 100th for Wood Brothers Racing. Burton led only one lap on the night, but it was the one that counted as he outlasted Kyle Busch to the finish line by 0.47 seconds. The race featured 40 lead changes, but Ford drivers were a fixture at the front as 10 different drivers combined to lead 131 of the 164 laps. That capped a weekend in which Ford swept the top eight spots in qualifying, including an all-Front Row Motorsports front row with Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland.

ON THE BUBBLE

Even though there is a bubble for the final playoff berth this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, the eight Ford drivers currently below the cutline all need a win in order to make the field. RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher is 60 points below the cut line after Saturday night’s race at Richmond Raceway. Currently, all three Team Penske drivers have qualified (defending champion Joey Logan, Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric), along with Josh Berry of Wood Brothers Racing.

BLANEY RUNS TOP 10 STREAK TO FIVE

Speaking of Blaney, his third place run on Saturday in Richmond marked his fifth straight Top-5 finish, a streak that began when he ran eighth at Dover last month. Since then, he’s racked up a seventh at Indianapolis, fourth at Iowa, and a pole to go with his sixth place effort at Watkins Glen. Blaney won this event in 2021, but has crashed out of three of the last four races at Daytona International Speedway. That wasn’t the case earlier this year when he ran seventh in the Daytona 500.

AUSTIN CINDRIC: WHY HAVE YOU DONE SO WELL ON THE SUPERSPEEDWAYS DURING YOUR CAREER? “Fast cars, man. I’d like to say it’s that simple and in a lot of ways it really is. Obviously, I feel like anybody who is driving a Ford Mustang has a great advantage when we go to these drafting style racetracks. Roush Yates and everybody does an awesome job at providing us a complete package for those races. Past that, it’s just study and observe and apply. I give a lot of credit to my team as well as my spotter on the roof, Doug Campbell. We’ve been able to do a good job at executing those races and putting ourselves in position. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been crashed a multitude of times out of the lead, but that wouldn’t make me any special because there’s been a lot of people who have had that, too. I’m proud of the performance there, but it’s never a guaranteed result, that’s for sure.”

RYAN BLANEY: WHAT HAS BEEN THE KEY TO THIS RECENT STREAK OF TOP 10 FINISHES? “I think we’ve been executing really well and haven’t been making mistakes anywhere, and our cars have just been where they need to be. I’ve been really happy with the consistent finishes. I’m finishing in the area where I feel like we should. We haven’t really had that a lot this year. We’ve had a lot of unfortunate things happening, but we just waited it out and kept doing our job and this is definitely where this team should be and where they deserve. We’ll just try to keep it going and try to build momentum before we get to Darlington.”

RFK TEAMWORK LEADS BUESCHER TO VICTORY LANE

In 2023, Chris Buescher won for the third time as teammate Brad Keselowski pushed him to victory in the regular season finale at Daytona International Speedway. The win was Ford’s fourth in the last five races overall and came on a night that saw eight Blue Oval drivers lead a combined 110-of-163 laps. For Buescher, he only led the final two laps as the race went into overtime. Keselowski finished second and Aric Almirola, who needed a win in order to make the postseason, was third. Ford also swept the top three spots in qualifying as Chase Briscoe captured the pole and led a race-high 67 laps.

BLANEY WINS IN WILD FINISH

Ryan Blaney endured a chaotic end to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2021 at Daytona as he swiftly escaped a multi-car pile-up exiting the third turn with four laps remaining. Blaney, who was running fifth in the middle row of three-wide competition, moved up the track to evade the spinning cars seen from his windshield and inherited the lead. In overtime, Blaney managed to stay out front, fending off Kevin Harvick and Chris Buescher in the final laps before the race’s eighth caution, subsequently giving Blaney his third win of the season.

MAYER PEAKING

One driver who likely didn’t welcome the off week was Sam Mayer, who has finished first or second in each of the last three NASCAR Xfinity Series events. The hot streak started in Indianapolis, where he sat on the pole and finished second. That was followed by his first victory of the season and first for the Haas Factory Team when he took control on a late-race restart and won for the second straight year at Iowa Speedway. A runner-up effort two weeks ago at Watkins Glen sends him into this weekend’s event at Daytona International Speedway third in the point standings, 24 points behind leader Connor Zilisch.

THREE RACES REMAINING

While the NASCAR Cup Series concludes its regular season this weekend, the NASCAR Xfinity Series still has three races remaining before beginning its postseason. Sam Mayer has clinched a spot in the 12-driver field after his Iowa victory while Sheldon Creed finds himself 77 points above the cutline in 10th position. Harrison Burton is currently the last driver in as he holds a 30-point lead over his cousin, Jeb. That would all change if there is a new winner on Friday night. The series playoffs begin Sept. 12 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

FORD’S NASCAR CUP SERIES

SUMMER RACE WINNERS AT DAYTONA

1963 – Fireball Roberts

1965 – A.J. Foyt

1967 – Cale Yarborough

1969 – LeeRoy Yarbrough

1970 – Donnie Allison

1983 – Buddy Baker

1988 – Bill Elliott

1989 – Davey Allison

1991 – Bill Elliott

1994 – Jimmy Spencer

1997 – John Andretti

1999 – Dale Jarrett

2000 – Jeff Burton

2003 – Greg Biffle

2007 – Jaime McMurray

2011 – David Ragan

2014 – Aric Almirola

2016 – Brad Keselowski

2017 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2021 – Ryan Blaney

2023 – Chris Buescher

2024 – Harrison Burton

FORD’S NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

WINNERS AT DAYTONA

1995 – Chad Little (1)

2004 – Mike Wallace (2)

2015 – Ryan Reed (1)

2016 – Aric Almirola (2)

2017 – Ryan Reed (1)

2021 – Austin Cindric (1)

The Ford Mustang, celebrating its 61st anniversary in 2025, is the world’s best selling sports car. It is also one of the planet’s most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Australian Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 42 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines. Learn more at FordPerformance.com.