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Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: DAYTONA 500

By
Official Release
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Daytona International Speedway
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025
2.5-Mile Tri-Oval
2:30 PM ET
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
TV: Fox
Event: NASCAR Cup Series (1 of 36)
RADIO: SiriusXM

5 KYLE LARSON
Age: 32 (July 31, 1992)
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Last Week: 17th (Clash at Bowman Gray)
Crew Chief: Cliff Daniel
Standings: N/A

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet

2024Cup CareerDaytona 
Races3536621
Wins6290
Poles5211
Top 5151190
Top 10181825
Laps Led1,7009,25636
Stage Wins12620
Average Finish12.914.122.0
  • In 2017, Kyle Larson led the field in the DAYTONA 500 at the white flag before running out of fuel on the final lap.
  • Larson won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway in July 2018. The Elk Grove, California, native led a race-high 40 laps en route to victory.
  • The 32-year-old’s best finish on a drafting track in the Cup Series is fourth (twice), most recently at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2024.
  • Larson is tied for second in consecutive DAYTONA 500’s led with four.
  • The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion led all drivers last year in wins (6), top twos (8), stage wins (12), laps led (1,700) and races led (25).
  • Larson has 23 wins since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, most of all drivers in that timeframe by 11.
  • New this season is an additional championship point for posting the fastest lap in a race. Larson had the fastest lap in five of the 36 races in 2024, the most of all drivers.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT
Age: 29 (Nov. 28, 1995)
Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia
Last week: 1st (Clash at Bowman Gray)
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
Standings: N/A

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet

2024Cup CareerDaytona
Races3632218
Wins1190
Poles0123
Top 5111043
Top 10191715
Laps Led4315,526172
Stage Wins2382
Average Finish11.712.921.3
  • Chase Elliott kicked off 2025 with a victory in the NASCAR Cup Series Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, leading 171 of 200 laps. It was his first Clash victory.
  • While Elliott doesn’t have a DAYTONA 500 win under his belt yet, he’s come close to visiting victory lane before in the prestigious event, finishing runner-up to Michael McDowell in 2021 and running out of gas as the leader on lap 198 of 200 in 2017.
  • The Dawsonville, Georgia, native is the youngest DAYTONA 500 pole winner, earning the top qualifying position in 2016 at 20 years, 2 months and 17 days. He followed that up with a second pole award the next year.
  • Elliott has three wins on drafting tracks, capturing the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway in 2019 and 2022 as well as Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2022.
  • The 29-year-old driver has a chance to join his father in winning the Clash and the DAYTONA 500 in the same year with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott emerging victorious in both races in 1987.
  • Ormond Beach, Florida, native Alan Gustafson is tied with Leonard Wood and Waddell Wilson for the most DAYTONA 500 poles for a crew chief with four.

24 WILLIAM BYRON
Age: 27 (Nov. 29, 1997)
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Last Week: 18th (Clash at Bowman Gray)
Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle
Standings: N/A

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet

2024Cup CareerDaytona
Races3625214
Wins3132
Poles1131
Top 513543
Top 10211044
Laps Led3572,978100
Stage Wins2230
Average Finish12.915.223.1
  • In an event postponed to Monday in 2024, William Byron captured his first DAYTONA 500 win, becoming the fifth-youngest winner of the Great American Race at 26 years, 2 months and 21 days.
  • With the victory, Byron joined five other NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have won the prestigious race for Hendrick Motorsports – Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Darrell Waltrip, and Geoff Bodine. He’s the only active driver for the organization with a DAYTONA 500 win.
  • Last year’s DAYTONA 500 victory was his second at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. He previously won at Daytona in August 2020, his first career Cup Series win. In total, Byron has two wins, one pole, three top-five finishes and four top 10s with 100 laps led at Daytona.
  • In 34 starts on drafting tracks, Byron has four wins – tied for fourth with those who have multiple wins on that style of track.
  • Two of those victories came in the last 10 drafting races making the 27-year-old driver the only repeat winner. In those same 10 starts, Byron has eight top-10 finishes which leads all drivers.
  • Rudy Fugle returns for his fifth year with the No. 24 team. Fugle and Byron have 140 Cup Series starts together making them the fourth-most-tenured driver and crew chief pairing.

48 ALEX BOWMAN
 Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Last Week: 19th (Clash at Bowman Gray)
Crew Chief: Blake Harris
Standings: N/A

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet

2024Cup CareerDaytona
Races3632517
Wins180
Poles153
Top 58402
Top 1017966
Laps Led671,36842
Stage Wins170
Average Finish14.819.415.2
  • Alex Bowman returns to race for the No. 48 Ally Racing team for the fifth consecutive year, marking his eighth season with Hendrick Motorsports and his 11th year in the NASCAR Cup Series.
  • Blake Harris enters his third year as the team’s crew chief. Under Harris’ leadership, Bowman has one victory (Chicago Street Course, 2024), 12 top fives, 27 top 10s and three poles. The win at Chicago secured the team’s spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, the first for Harris as crew chief.
  • Bowman has earned three DAYTONA 500 poles (2018, 2021 and 2023), and is one away from tying the all-time record currently held by Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough and Bill Elliott, (four). Bowman started on the front row for the Great American Race a record six consecutive times from 2018-2023.
  • His best finish on a drafting track is second (twice), both times to teammates (William Byron in the 2024 DAYTONA 500, Chase Elliott at Talladega in April 2019).
  • The 2025 season marks the fifth year Ally and Bowman have teamed up to try to #SaveThemAll, donating $4,800 each week to benefit both Best Friends and a partner animal shelter in each race market. If Bowman wins, Ally will up their portion of the donation to $10,000. Since 2021, Ally and Bowman have helped raise over $725,000 and hope to reach $1 million by 2026. This weekend their donation will go to Halifax Humane Society in Daytona Beach, Florida.
  • Ally and HENDRICKCARS.COM are teaming up to give fans the chance to win prizes with this year’s “Open Road Sweepstakes.” Fans can win VIP experiences at various races throughout the season and one lucky winner will hit the road in a Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss with an Airstream camper. Fans can stop by the Ally Fan Zone to enter the sweepstakes in-person and check out the camper. Fans can also enter at ally.com/sweepstakes/nascar.

Hendrick Motorsports

DaytonaAll-TimeDAYTONA 500
Races821,38041
Wins16**312*9**
Poles23*253*16*
Top 563*1,277*32*
Top 10112*2,184*53*
Laps Led2,308*82,272*1,344
Stage Wins31152


*Most all time
**Tied for most all time

  • Hendrick Motorsports enters 2025 with at least one points-paying NASCAR Cup Series win in each of the last 39 seasons. It’s the longest streak by any team in the sport’s history.
  • The 14-time Cup Series champions come into the 2025 DAYTONA 500 tied with Petty Enterprises for the all-time lead in Great American Race victories with nine.
  • After William Byron’s performance in 2024, Hendrick Motorsports became the only organization to win the DAYTONA 500 in five different decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s). Last year’s victory also gave the organization its fourth 1-2 finish in the event, the most all time.
  • With 16 DAYTONA 500 pole awards, Hendrick Motorsports has 10 more than any other team in history. It has earned eight of the last 10 pole positions for the race.
  • A record six different drivers have won the DAYTONA 500 for Hendrick Motorsports.
  • Byron’s victory in 2024 gave Hendrick Motorsports 33 victories on drafting tracks, 12 more than any other organization.
  • Hendrick Motorsports has led 3,360 miles in the DAYTONA 500, enough to drive from Key West, Florida, to Alaska.

QUOTABLE
 
Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet, on racing on superspeedways and Daytona: “(Crew chief) Cliff (Daniels) and the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM crew have always given me fast cars at Daytona and the superspeedways. We’ve run up front and battled for the win but seem to be caught up in something. We utilize good strategy with great pit stops to be in contention. We just need to see the checkered flag.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet, on trying to win the DAYTONA 500: “I think any driver wants to win all the big races on the schedule and Daytona’s one of them and probably one of the hardest ones to win just because it’s the one that you have the least amount of control over. And I think that it has eluded some greats over the years because of that, and I think it’s just such a unique thing and it’s really hard to explain to people. Just it being such a massive race, but a lot of people can win. I think for me it’s just kind of included in the bunch of crown jewel events on our schedule that I would love to have all of them, at least have a couple of them before I get done. Just to say you won those races would be really, really special, I think when you look back on it.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, on returning to the DAYTONA 500 after winning last year: “I’m excited to get back to Daytona (International Speedway). It took a while for last year’s win to really sink in, but I think it’ll definitely set in this week especially when we get the car back. It’s cool to know that we’re in a position this week to go back-to-back which only a few drivers have done. Hopefully we can kick the season off in that way.”

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet, on trying to win the DAYTONA 500: “It’d be super cool, obviously, to win. The (DAYTONA) 500 is really special and important. So, hopefully we can make it happen. It’s a tough race to win. We’ve, been close now a couple times, so, the last two years we’ve been really good there in the race and excited to get back there.”

Martin Truex Jr. to attempt 21st Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The 2025 Daytona 500 is the event in which Martin Truex Jr. will attempt to stretch his consecutive streak of competing in at least one NASCAR Cup Series event to 22 consecutive seasons. Despite retiring as a full-time Cup competitor following the 2024 season’s conclusion, he will strive for another opportunity to achieve his first elusive victory in the Great American Race at Daytona International Speedway. Should Truex earn a starting spot for this year’s season-opening event, it would mark his 21st consecutive start in the Daytona 500.

A native of Mayetta, New Jersey, Truex achieved his first starting spot for the 47th Daytona 500 in 2005, where he was driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo entry for Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI). Three days prior to the event, he finished in fourth place in the second of two Daytona Duel events and was one of two competitors, including Kevin Lepage, to secure starting spots for the season-opening event in entries that were not guaranteed spots for the event due to not being above the top-35 cutline in owner’s standings from the previous season. Despite starting in 10th place for the main event, Truex ended up in 34th place in his first 500 event due to retiring late amid an engine failure.

The following season, Truex, who was coming off his second consecutive Xfinity Series championship and had been promoted to a full-time Cup ride in DEI’s No. 1 Chevrolet entry, finished 16th in his second Daytona 500 start. Beginning in 2007 through 2015, the New Jersey native accumulated two top-10 runs in the Great American Race and finish as high as sixth, which occurred in 2010 and in his first start driving the No. 56 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. Amid the on-track results, Truex notched his first and only Daytona 500 pole to date in 2009. During the 2009 event, which was shortened due to rain, he led the opening lap and ended up in 11th place.

Then came the 2016 Daytona 500, where Truex was entering his third season driving the No. 78 entry for Furniture Row Racing (FRR). By then, FRR had switched manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota and had formed a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. After being involved in two last-lap accidents throughout Daytona Speedweeks, from the Clash to the first Duel event, Truex was racing in second place behind Matt Kenseth on the final lap of the 58th running of the Daytona 500. By then, both were racing in a draft that included Toyota teammates Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards. As Hamlin broke away from the draft involving his Toyota teammates to gain a strong drafting push from Kevin Harvick to move closer to the lead, Kenseth steered to the right to block Hamlin. This allowed Truex to muscle ahead on the inside lane while Hamlin pulled a bold crossover move to get Kenseth loose and shove him out of the draft, all while remaining dead even with Truex entering the frontstretch. Then as both Truex and Hamlin dueled for the lead, the former held a slight advantage entering the tri-oval until the latter side-drafted Truex and managed to muscle ahead to win by 0.010 seconds, which marks the closest-recorded finish in the history of the Daytona 500. Amid the disappointment of missing his first Daytona 500 victory by a nose, Truex achieved his first top-five result in the Great American Race.

Following his near-miss opportunity to win in 2016, Truex had a second opportunity to win his first Daytona 500 in 2017, where he assumed the lead from the pole-sitter Chase Elliott with three laps remaining amid a late fuel-mileage battle to the victory. Truex, however, would be overtaken by Kyle Larson for the lead during the following lap and he would slowly run out of fuel over the final two laps, which shuffled him back to 13th place in the final running order. Amid a second near-miss opportunity to claim his first Daytona 500 title, Truex would proceed to record a career-high eight victories and win his first Cup Series championship.

After finishing 18th during the 60th Daytona 500 in 2018, which marked his last driving for the Furniture Row organization as the team ceased operations at the season’s conclusion, Truex would spend the following six seasons, including 2024, driving the No. 19 Toyota entry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Throughout the six-year span, his best Daytona 500 result was in 2022, where he finished 13th. Nonetheless, he managed to finish 15th during his recent two starts in 2023 and 2024. The previous two seasons would also mark his final two as a full-time competitor as Truex retired from full-time competition.

Despite retiring from full-time competition, Truex was revealed to have joined forces with TRICON Garage, a Craftsman Truck Series race-winning team, to bid for a starting spot for this year’s 67th running of the Great American Race towards the middle of January. Should Truex achieve a starting spot for the main event, TRICON Garage would also achieve its first berth to an event in NASCAR’s premier series. A victory by Truex would also make TRICON the 28th organization overall to achieve a Daytona 500 victory.

Through 20 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Truex has achieved one pole, one top-five result, three top-10 results, 74 laps led and an average-finishing result of 19.5. Currently, he holds the second-most starts in the Daytona 500 at 20 among a list of 45 competitors entered to bid for starting spots for the 2025 season-opening event. Amid his attempt to make his 21st consecutive start in this year’s 500-mile opener, a victory would also make Truex the 44th competitor overall to win the Great American Race. It would also mark the fourth Daytona 500 victory for the Toyota nameplate and make Truex the first New Jersey native to win the event.

Since Truex is competing in a non-chartered entry with TRICON, he will have to earn a starting spot for this year’s Daytona 500 either through the Cup Series’ single-car pole qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, or through one of two Daytona Duels on Thursday, February 13, while also outpacing additional non-chartered competitors. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will begin airing at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled to occur on February 16 with a starting broadcast time of 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Science Behind Automotive Paints: What Makes a Car Shine?

By
SM
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A shiny, perfect car finish isn’t just a sign of good upkeep. It’s proof that automobile paints have serious science behind them. Each gleaming sheen is due to smart chemical blends, careful engineering, and spot-on application methods—all working together for a sturdy shine.

It starts with the base coat and then moves up to the clear one on top; each layer makes cars look great while defending against weather and other harsh conditions. When they understand what goes into auto paintwork, those who own vehicles will truly prize their glossy glow.

The Role of Base Coats and Pigments

The base coat gives cars their color. Yet, there’s more science to it than just looks! The paint gets its distinct shade from pigments—fine particles that either absorb or reflect light.

These bits remain suspended in a sticky resin mix, helping them spread evenly over the vehicle’s surface. Some of these initial layers have metallic specks or pearly extras, creating depth and a shiny effect by reflecting light at varying angles.

Without this important first layer done right, even top-notch buffing tricks won’t give car lovers that deep, sparkly finish they’re after.

The Importance of Clear Coats in Shine and Protection

The glow of a car isn’t all about the color. It’s also due to the clear coat! This transparent layer enhances brightness and delivers an even, slick surface atop the base coat.

It does more than just add shine; it shields paint from sun rays, oxidation, grime, and slight scratches. Quality clear coats have UV blockers built in to prevent sunlight from fading those beautiful pigments underneath—ensuring longer-lasting radiance.

Also worth noting—its smoothness helps light bounce off evenly, giving well-cared-for cars their eye-catching gleam under harsh daylight.

The Impact of Paint Chemistry on Durability

The chemistry behind automotive paint significantly affects how well it maintains its shine over time, making car paint protection nz a smart choice for preserving that glossy finish.

Today’s car paints rely on high-tech polymers. They stick better, bend without breaking, and resist weather damage. More people are using water-based paints these days due to eco-friendly regulations. These types of colors use special ingredients that last longer while creating fewer pollutants. These chemicals ensure the coat adheres well to a vehicle’s exterior, preventing it from flaking or chipping off easily.

If there isn’t enough binder or the solvent balance is incorrect in the mixing process, then be cautious. The beautiful, shiny finish could fade quickly, leaving a drab and uneven appearance.

How Specialized Additives Enhance Shine

Car paint is more than just color and clear coats. It’s got special ingredients that optimize shine and performance. They help the paint spread smoothly on a car’s surface and dry faster for an even coat.

Polyvinyl alcohol resins sometimes come in handy to improve coating uniformity, ensuring a glossy finish. Some other additives prevent streaks by maintaining the consistency of the whole mixing process so as not to introduce irregularities into the mixture.

These carefully considered factors work together to give your ride a shiny look, loved dearly by automobile admirers everywhere.

Conclusion

The brilliance of automotive paint doesn’t just come from buffing and waxing—it’s a science affair! Each layer, from the base coat to the clear one on top, plays a role in preserving shine and protection. 

The secret lies within modern car paints that use cutting-edge polymers and special added ingredients, allowing vehicles to maintain their off-the-lot look for extended periods.

Kyle Busch to make 20th Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by David Myers for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Coming off his most difficult racing season to date, Kyle Busch enters the 2025 NASCAR season striving for redemption in the forms of both return to Victory Lane and the Playoffs that would enable him to contend for a third Cup Series championship. As a new season looms from officially commencing at Daytona International Speedway, the 2025 campaign also presents another opportunity for Busch to claim the lone prestigious event that is missing from his trophy case and has eluded him for nearly two decades: the Daytona 500.

With Busch primed for a first victory in the season-opening event, he will pursue his goal while achieving a significant milestone start in the event. By competing in this year’s 67th running of the 500, the driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Chevrolet will make his 20th start in the Great American Race.

A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Busch’s first Daytona 500 start occurred in 2005, the year where he campaigned in the Cup Series on a full-time basis. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet entry for Hendrick Motorsports, he started 19th and finished 38th after he was involved in a five-car wreck just past the Lap 25 mark. He improved his result to 23rd place during the 48th Daytona 500 in 2006.

The following three seasons each presented opportunities for Busch to achieve his first Daytona 500 victory. In 2007, Busch, who was initially racing behind Mark Martin in second place before he got overtaken by Kevin Harvick through the backstretch, was battling Matt Kenseth for third place when they both got sideways entering the frontstretch and were involved in an accident that dropped Busch to 24th place in the final running order. The following season, Busch, who was piloting the No. 18 Toyota entry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), led a race-high 86 laps and finished in fourth place. Then in 2009, he led a race-high 88 laps until he was involved in a multi-car accident on the backstretch with 72 laps remaining and ended up in 41st place.

From 2010 to 2014, Busch started as high as fourth place, which occurred in 2013, and finished as high as eighth, which occurred in 2011 in a year where he rallied from spinning amid contact with Michael Waltrip on the fourth lap and pitting prior to the final two-lap shootout. Busch was then absent from competing in the 2015 Daytona 500 due to being diagnosed with a compound fracture in his lower right leg and a small fracture in his left foot. The injuries were due to Busch being involved in a late vicious accident during the Xfinity Series’ season-opening event at Daytona, where he hit the inside concrete wall head-on that was equipped with no SAFER barriers and required medical assistance as he was then transported to Halifax Medical Center for further evaluation. Despite the injuries, Busch would recover to return to competition in May and proceed to claim his first Cup Series championship.

Entering the 2016 Cup Series season as the reigning driver’s champion, Busch kickstarted his title defense season by winning the second Duel event. He then finished in third place during the 58th Daytona 500 behind JGR teammate Denny Hamlin and Toyota teammate Martin Truex Jr. The following season, he led 18 laps and won the first stage period before a flat-rear tire during the second stage period sent Busch sideways and wrecked against the Turn 3 outside wall along with Toyota teammates Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ty Dillon also being involved. Relegated to a 38th-place finish during the 2017 season, Busch then settled in 25th place during the 60th Daytona 500 after he blew a tire, spun, was hit by DJ Kennington and finished seven laps behind the leaders.

In 2019, Busch achieved his career-best result in the Daytona 500 by finishing in second place behind teammate Denny Hamlin despite leading 37 laps and being part of a historic 1-2-3 finish for JGR that also included Erik Jones. The following season, he led 14 laps and was in contention for the victory until he got shoved out of the draft by Joey Logano with 19 laps remaining. Not long after, his engine expired and he retired in 34th place. After being involved in a vicious final-lap accident that strapped him with a 14th-place finish during the 2021 Daytona 500, he rallied from being involved in an early multi-car wreck in 2022 by finishing in sixth place, the latter of which would mark his final 500 start with JGR.

Beginning in 2023, Busch transitioned to Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet entry. Despite scraping the wall in the early stages of the 65th Daytona 500, he received a draft from teammate Austin Dillon to overtake the drafting duo of Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher to assume the lead with four laps remaining. He then retained the lead over the next two laps before a late caution for Daniel Suarez spinning sent the event into overtime. After losing teammate Dillon to a 13-car wreck during the first overtime attempt, Busch was then involved in a nine-car wreck on the final lap during the second and final overtime attempt as he ended up in 19th place. He has since recorded a 12th-place result during his latest Daytona 500 start in 2024.

Through 19 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Busch has recorded three top-five results, five top-10 results, 342 laps led and an average-finishing result of 19.7. A victory in 2025 would make Busch the 44th competitor overall to win the Great American Race, a list that includes his older brother Kurt, and he would deliver the first Daytona 500 victory for RCR since teammate Austin Dillon made the last accomplishment in 2018. A Daytona 500 victory would also allow Busch to achieve a Grand Slam in NASCAR’s crown-jewel events as he previously won the Southern 500, Brickyard 400 and Coca-Cola 600.

Ironically, Busch, who enters the 2025 Daytona 500 making his 20th attempt to win the event, will strive to become the first competitor to win the Great American Race in a 20th attempt since the late seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt made the last accomplishment in 1998.

This week, Busch, who finished in 20th place in the 2024 driver’s standings, will participate in a single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, and in one of two Duel events on Thursday, February 13, to determine his starting lineup for this year’s Daytona 500. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will begin airing at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled to occur this upcoming Sunday, February 16, with a starting broadcast time of 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Interstate Batteries® Launches National TV Ad Ahead of Daytona 500

By
Official Release
-

NASCAR Cup Series Driver Christopher Bells Helps Introduce ‘Mr. Dependable’

DALLAS (Feb. 11, 2025) – Interstate Batteries, a leading battery brand in the United States, has launched a new national television campaign in lockstep with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 this Sunday at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

For Interstate Batteries, the Daytona 500 is an enormous stage, as the company was on board for Joe Gibbs Racing’s 1993 Daytona 500 victory. It was the first win for the pairing and, today, the Interstate Batteries/Joe Gibbs Racing combination is the longest tenured team partnership in all of NASCAR, further bolstering Interstate Batteries’ status of being “Outrageously Dependable.”

In 2025, Interstate Batteries is bringing this mantra to life by introducing Mr. Dependable, who embodies the essence of Interstate Batteries through a larger-than-life, comedic brand character. Whether you’re stuck in traffic or facing life’s everyday challenges, Mr. Dependable will be there for you, just like Interstate Batteries.

The ad that launched this week is called “Traffic Jam,” and it includes an appearance by perennial NASCAR Cup Series championship contender Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. Watch Mr. Dependable in action in “Traffic Jam” by visiting Interstate Batteries’ YouTube page.

The Sasha Group developed the ad campaign. Production was handled by Eva Nosidam Productions and DiamondView, and it was directed by former Saturday Night Live editors Sean and Ryan McIlraith. The campaign is currently live on social media, online video and OTT, where the ads can be seen on such platforms as Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+, Warner Bros. Discovery, Tubi, and more.

About Interstate Batteries:

For more than 70 years, Interstate Batteries® has powered people down roads, trails and waterways and businesses to succeed. Best known for its starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries, this product has been under car hoods since 1952, each one backed by the company’s service, quality and value. Interstate All Battery Center® provides portable power in both retail and commercial markets. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Interstate Batteries is an industry leader in recycling efforts, as well as a global leader in safe lead handling practices. Guided by a set of common values, the company’s purpose is to glorify God and enrich lives while delivering the most trustworthy source of power to the world. For more information, visit www.InterstateBatteries.com.

Denny Hamlin to make 20th Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Denny Hamlin will officially commence his 20th consecutive season as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitor this upcoming Sunday, February 16, at Daytona International Speedway with an opportunity to achieve a fourth triumph in the Great American Race: the Daytona 500. Prior to pursuing another victory, he will first check off a milestone start of his own for the event. By taking the green flag in this year’s 67th running of the Daytona 500, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Toyota Camry XSE entry will make his 20th consecutive start in NASCAR’s season-opening event.

A native of Chesterfield, Virginia, Hamlin made his first Daytona 500 career start in 2006, the year in which he competed as a full-time Cup Series competitor for the first time. Driving the No. 11 Chevrolet entry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), he started 17th and finished 30th after he was involved in a three-car incident with four laps remaining. He would then finish 28th during his second Daytona 500 start in 2007 after he was involved in a five-car accident with 27 laps remaining.

When JGR switched manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota for the 2008 Cup Series season, Hamlin achieved a Daytona Duel victory that enabled him to line up in fourth place for the 50th Daytona 500. Despite leading 32 laps, he sustained damage to his No. 11 Toyota amid two late-race incidents and fell back to 17th place. The following season, he led 85 of 152-shortened laps and was in contention for the victory until he was involved in a 10-car backstretch pileup with 77 laps remaining.

After finishing 17th and 21st during his next two Daytona 500 starts in 2010 and 2011, Hamlin notched his first top-five result in the Great American Race by finishing in fourth place in 2012. The result occurred after he had led a race-high 57 laps. Etching a 14th-place run in 2013, Hamlin nearly pulled off a historic Daytona Speedweeks triple sweep as he commenced the festivities by winning the Clash exhibition event and the second Duel event. While trying to add a first Daytona 500 victory to complete the sweep, he settled in second place behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. despite leading 16 of 200-scheduled laps.

Then after finishing in fourth place during the 2015 Daytona 500, Hamlin notched his first victory in his 11th attempt at the Great American Race in 2016. During the event, Hamlin, who was racing in a draft with his JGR teammates Matt Keneth, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards along with Toyota teammate Martin Truex Jr., was racing in fourth place when he broke away from the draft and transitioned to the outside lane to receive a strong drafting help from Kevin Harvick. The draft enabled Hamlin to muscle towards the front, starting from the backstretch to Turn 3 as he gained a run on the leader Kenseth. When Kenseth tried to block Hamlin, the latter pulled a crossover move beneath the former and got him loose, which caused Kenseth to lose the draft as Hamlin was then left to duel with Truex for both the lead and victory. Entering the tri-oval, Hamlin managed to side-draft Truex to muscle ahead and beat him by 0.010 seconds. With the victory, Hamlin, who led a race-high 95 of 200-scheduled laps, became the 37th competitor to win the Great American Race as he delivered the first 500 victory for JGR since Dale Jarrett made the previous accomplishment in 1995. As an added bonus, the Virginian achieved the first 500 victory for the Toyota nameplate and he won in his first event with his new full-time crew chief Mike Wheeler. To date, Hamlin’s margin of victory over Truex remains the closest-recorded finish in the history of the Daytona 500.

Three years later, Hamlin fended off teammate Kyle Busch and Joey Logano amid an overtime shootout to score his second Daytona 500 career victory in an event where he led 30 of 207 over-scheduled laps. As a result, Hamlin, who led a historic 1-2-3 finish for JGR with teammate Erik Jones finishing third, became the 12th competitor overall to achieve multiple victories in the Great American Race as he etched the third 500 victory for JGR and the second for Toyota. Ironically, Hamlin’s victory occurred in an event where he snapped a 47-race winless drought after going winless for the first time in 2018 and in his first event with his new full-time crew chief Chris Gabehart. Amid the celebrations, Hamlin dedicated the victory to J.D. Gibbs, co-owner of JGR, who died a month earlier due to complications amid a degenerative neurological disease battle.

Another year later, Hamlin, who led a race-high 79 laps and lost the lead to Ryan Newman and Ryan Blaney on the final lap amid an overtime shootout, was racing in third place entering the tri-oval when Blaney bumped and sent Newman for a harrowing rollover accident. After barely dodging Newman’s car, Hamlin then managed to squeeze ahead of Blaney and edged him by a nose to win his second consecutive Daytona 500 event and third overall. With the victory, Hamlin became the sixth competitor overall to reach three victories in the Great American Race and he joined Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Sterling Marlin as the only competitors to do so in back-to-back seasons. Overall, Hamlin’s margin of victory over Blaney was 0.014 seconds, which marks the second-closest finish in the history of the Daytona 500.

Compared to his two previous seasons, Hamlin fell short in becoming the first competitor to win three consecutive Daytona 500 events in 2021 despite settling in fifth place and leading a race-high 98 laps. Since then, his best result in the 500 over his latest three starts (2022-24) is 17th, which occurred in 2023 despite the driver being involved in a final-lap multi-car pileup.

Through 19 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Hamlin has achieved three victories, eight top-five results, 490 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.9. Currently, he holds the most Daytona 500 victories among active competitors entered for this year’s 67th running of the Great American Race with three. A fourth victory in 2025 would tie him with the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for the second-most 500 victories and leave him three shy of Richard Petty’s record number of 500 victories at seven. In addition, Hamlin would tie Joe Gibbs Racing with Wood Brothers Racing for the second-most victories in the Great American Race at five and he would record the fourth victory of the event for the Toyota nameplate.

This week, Hamlin, who finished in eighth place in the 2024 driver’s standings, will participate in a single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, and in one of two Duel events on Thursday, February 13, to determine his starting lineup for this year’s Daytona 500. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will begin airing at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled to occur this upcoming Sunday, February 16, with a starting broadcast time of 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Spire Motorsports Fresh From Florida 250 Race Advance

By
Official Release
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  • In five NASCAR CRAFSMAN Truck Series starts at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Spire Motorsports has collected one top-five, two top-15 and three top-20 finishes. Rajah Caruth, driver of the team’s No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado, finished third in the 2024 season opener. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The No. 07 and 7 entries will see a rotating roster of all-star caliber drivers throughout the season, while Caruth and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Andres Perez de Lara pilot the No. 71 and 77, respectively, for the full slate of races.
  • The Fresh from Florida 250 will be televised live on FS1 Friday, Feb. 14 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The 2025 season-opening race will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 Go Bowling Chevrolet Silverado in Friday evening’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
  • The Arizona-native has two previous CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts to his credit. His most recent start came in 2009 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where he earned a career/series-best 14th-place finish with ThorSport Racing.
  • The 2021 Daytona 500 champion will pull double duty this weekend, driving the No. 71 Go Bowling Chevrolet ZL1 in the 57th running of the Daytona 500, his 13th attempt at “The Great American Race.”
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  • Go Bowling joins Spire Motorsports as the primary partner on board McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet ZL1 and his No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado for a combined 750 miles on NASCAR’s opening weekend at Daytona. Go Bowling will return to the primary position for the August 10 Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
  • In 27 Cup Series events at the “World Center of Racing,” McDowell has earned one win, three top-five, and eight top-10 finishes. He earned a front row starting spot in last year’s 500-mile contest and a start from the pole position in the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
  • The Go Bowling colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-051. The truck was most recently on track last February at Daytona with Chase Purdy behind the wheel. The appearance will mark the chassis’ fifth at Daytona after earning pole position with Christian Eckes in the 2019 season opener.

Michael McDowell Quotes
You have been outspoken about wanting a win in all three series, how can you pick up your first truck win at Daytona?
“Even though I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve only done two CRAFTSMAN Truck series races and those were both very last minute, kind of thrown together. I’m looking forward to having a proper opportunity to go do it at a high level and in some great Chevy Silverados. The goal is always the same, to win. But to be a driver that has won in all three national series is a goal of mine and something that is important to me. I’ll have a few shots at it this year, so hopefully we can get it done, and no better place to do it than Daytona. If not, there’s great opportunities throughout the season and I’m looking forward to the challenge of learning. Like I said, I don’t have a lot of time in a truck so I’m really looking forward to being a part of what Spire Motorsports has going on and I’m grateful to Go Bowling for the opportunity.”

Atop the No. 07 Box – Crew Chief Allen Hart

  • Allen Hart will call the shots for the No. 07 team, an entry that will see a rotating roster of drivers throughout the 2025 campaign.
  • As an engineer, Hart helped Nick Sanchez to victory in last year’s season opener at Daytona. Sanchez, a Florida native, led a race-high 26 circuits and tallied the fourth-highest average running position in the field (9.08).
  • Hart claimed his first victory at “World Center of Racing” in 2014 as a lead engineer for Regan Smith in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. During his time at JR Motorsports, he worked closely with crew chief Greg Ives.
  • Prior to arriving at Spire Motorsports, Hart spent two seasons calling the shots for Sam Hunt Racing’s No. 26 entry. Before Sam Hunt Racing he was a lead race engineer with JR Motorsports’ No. 7 team for eight seasons.
  • Hart is a mechanical engineering graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, earning his degree in 2005. While studying at SVSU, he contributed to the school’s Formula SAE program.

Allen Hart Quote
How will it be working with Michael McDowell this weekend given his success on drafting tracks?
“I’m excited to work with Michael this weekend. He is a really nice guy and have worked well together so far. His resume speaks for itself at that place. We have a good group and I think we have as good a shot as anyone on Friday night.”

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

  • Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
  • The Winamac, Ind., native made his only CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at the “World Center of Racing” in the 2018 event. He started 12th and went on to lead nine laps en route to a runner-up finish.
  • Haley will also compete in Sunday’s Daytona 500 – his fifth start in the Great American Race – where he will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chili’s ‘Ride the ‘Dente’ Chevrolet ZL1.
  • Haley secured his first Cup Series win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He picked up both his and the newly formed organization’s first win behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet.
  • In total, the 25-year-old has nine NASCAR Cup Series starts under his belt at Daytona, where he’s tallied one win, one top five and two top 10s.
  • In 10 appearances in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at the World Center of Racing, Haley has tallied six top 10s to accompany his three top five-finishes at the historic venue. Haley collected back-to-back wins (2020-2021) in the division’s annual summer visit to DIS. He missed the threepeat by a scant 0.109 seconds when he crossed the finish line second at the 2019 contest.
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  • Haley has collected 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 wins across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
  • Last September, Haley made his return to Spire Motorsports after beginning the 2024 season with Rick Ware Racing. The three-time NASCAR Xfinity Series race winner participated in the final seven events of the year aboard the team’s No. 7 Chevrolet, earning a season-best finish of seventh at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • Haley will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-040 Friday night. Last season at Daytona, Corey LaJoie started third in the truck and was running in fifth until a last-lap incident ended his night half-a-lap from the finish. The chassis saw action most recently at Talladega last October with Connor Zilisch behind the wheel.

Justin Haley Quotes
What are your thoughts heading into Friday night?
“I’m super excited to get back in the truck. It has been a few years. I’ve always run well at the superspeedways. We were super close to the win in 2018, and I’m looking forward to getting some redemption. I enjoy this kind of racing and it will be fun to try and find the front with Rajah (Caruth), Andres (Perez de Lara) and Michael (McDowell).”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Brian Pattie

  • Brian Pattie returns to the top of the No. 7 pit box, an entry that will see a plethora of all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season.
  • He is quite familiar with Victory Lane at the “World Center of Racing,” helping Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. to victory in the 2017 Coke Zero 400.
  • Pattie has called two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Daytona International Speedway. In last season’s appearance at Daytona Beach, Corey LaJoie started third and was running in the fifth position until a last-lap incident ended his night half a lap from the finish. LaJoie recorded the race’s highest average running position (7.83), third-most quality passes (101), fourth-most green flag passes (129) and ran more laps in the top 15 than anyone in the field (86 of 101).
  • Pattie guided Joe Nemechek to three consecutive pole awards (Feb. 2001 – July 2002) in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, capped off with a dominant victory in the 2002 July event, leading 78 of the 100 contested laps.
  • In his first season at Spire Motorsports in 2024, Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events of the season, both with Kyle Busch (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The duo also won twice across five races in 2023 with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
  • Pattie is a 24-year veteran of the sport, 14 of which came in the NASCAR Cup Series. As a crew chief, he has earned six wins in Cup Series competition and 11 in the Xfinity Series.

Brian Pattie Quote
Your team picked up a pair of wins and a berth in the owner’s playoffs last season. What is the goal for this year?
“I think the obvious goal is claiming an owner’s championship. When you have multiple drivers in and out of the seat, especially with the caliber of guys we have been fortunate to have in the No. 7, your mindset each weekend is to win. We showed a lot of speed across our four Silverados last year, and we look to replicate that all season long.”

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday evening’s Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
  • Caruth has made two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances at the “World Center of Racing,” highlighted by a third-place finish in the 2024 event.
  • The 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Most Popular Driver has collected two top fives, three top 10s, and four top 15s in six CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events on drafting tracks.
  • HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop more than 30,000 thousand new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
  • The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University graduate owns one ARCA Menards Series appearance at the high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, an 11th-place performance in 2022. He made his second and final ARCA start on a superspeedway later that year, crossing the finish line sixth at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
  • The 2024 season marked a career year for Caruth. He tallied one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which were the first of his young career. The 12 top-10 finishes on the season tripled Caruth’s total of four in 2023, while his average starting position of 10.7 was four positions higher than 2023 and his 11.6 average finish was an impressive seven positions higher.
  • Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in 2024, the first such appearance for the Washington, D.C. native. Despite reaching the Round of 8, a mechanical malady stalled his championship bid in the season’s penultimate event at Martinsville Speedway.
  • With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win and pole position last season, Caruth became the third African-American driver, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
  • Caruth will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-064. The truck visited Victory Lane in the 2024 season opener with Nick Sanchez, and earned the pole position at Daytona with Riley Herbst (2020) and Nick Sanchez (2023). The chassis was last on track at Talladega Superspeedway in October.

Rajah Caruth Quotes
You finished third at Daytona last season. What do you need to do in order to finish two spots better?
“I have a pretty similar mentality to last year. You want to contend for a win at Daytona and Atlanta, but you have to be there at the end to finish the race, and therefore earn points. If you aren’t careful, you can go into Las Vegas 80 points outside of the playoffs. I am preparing as much as I can with Eddie (D’Hondt), my spotter, and ironing out all the little things, all of which I do any given week. We will keep the aggression level tempered, so we don’t eliminate ourselves from a chance at a top five by a dumb mistake. Stage wins and the fastest lap are big deals, but they aren’t worth getting into a big points hole.”

Your team swapped crew chiefs over the offseason. What will it be like working with a crew chief with as much experience as Bono (Kevin Manion)?
“Bono was with me for my first four truck races in 2022 with Spire in the No. 7, so working together is definitely familiar. I can already tell by our interactions at the simulator, walking around the shop and at the Rockingham test that we are on the same page. I have definitely grown a lot since we last worked together, both on and off the track. My engineer Aaron (Volf) is staying with me, so we can continue to build the bond we built last year. At the end of the day, it is business as usual and we know the task at hand.”

What are your goals this season?
“Make it to Phoenix. I think that’s what is most important. It is hard to set goals for race wins, laps lead and other stats like that. A lot of the time, that is out of your control. If we execute as we should and end up in Phoenix with a shot at the championship, the numbers will take care of themselves.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion

  • Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion will call the shots for Rajah Caruth and the No. 71 team in 2025.
  • Last season, Manion led Nick Sanchez to victory after rolling off sixth in the season opening Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The win marked Sanchez’s first in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
  • Manion has one Daytona 500 win on his resume, coming in the 52nd edition of the event with Jamie McMurray at Earnhardt Chip Ganassi Racing.
  • The Boylston, Mass., native owns a trio or Xfinity Series triumphs at the “World Center of Racing,” all of which came in his time with Chance 2 Motorsports. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2004, February; 2006, July), and Martin Truex, Jr. (2005, July) piloted the No. 8 Chevrolet to victory lane.

Kevin “Bono” Manion Quote

What is it about the end of a superspeedway race for someone like Rajah who has to know what position to be in, the correct moves to make and who to draft with to capitalize.

“Setting yourself up for the finish is the most important thing. With Justin (Haley) and Michael (McDowell) serving as teammates for us this weekend, it adds to the strong help we will have. They are both accredited drafters with a lot of experience and success on the sport’s biggest stage. I think the Spire Chevrolet Silverados will be tough to beat with those two and Andres (Perez de Lara) by our side.”

Andres Perez de Lara – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

  • Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in the Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
  • Perez de Lara captured the 2024 ARCA Menards Series Championship. He became the first Mexican-born champion in the ARCA’s 72 year history. Perez de Lara secured 10 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes, in addition to a pair of General Tire pole awards en route to the 2024 title.
  • The 19-year-old has one previous appearance at Daytona, collecting a 12th-place finish despite sustaining damage in a late-race incident in the 2024 ARCA event.
  • Telcel is Mexico’s leading telecommunications company, providing nationwide coverage, cutting-edge mobile connectivity, and high-speed internet services to millions of users. With over 30 years of experience, Telcel continues to innovate in digital communication, offering solutions that keep people connected anytime, anywhere.
  • Beyond technology, Telcel is committed to supporting excellence in sports, particularly in motorsports. As a proud and long time sponsor of Pérez de Lara, Telcel fuels the passion for speed, precision and performance, driving success both on and off the track. Telcel will be a season-long associate with Perez de Lara and the No. 77 team.
  • In four ARCA starts on Superspeedways, Perez De Lara has picked up one top five and two top 10s. He boasts a career-best fourth-place finish at Talladega (2023) and a 6.3 average starting position.
  • Perez de Lara will chase Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. The talented teenager made his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut with Spire Motorsports in June at World Wide Technology Raceway. After qualifying his No. 7 Silverado 16th, Perez de Lara secured a top-10 finish in his first appearance, via a ninth-place result.
  • The 2024 ARCA champion juggled his full-time duties while competing full time in the NASCAR Mexico Series. In 2023, he earned the Rookie of the Year award while finishing fourth in the division’s points and reaching the series’ version of the NASCAR playoffs. He returned one year later to secure his first checkered flag in the series, visiting victory lane at Ovalo Aguascalientes Mexico.
  • The blue and white Telcel colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-027. Rajah Caruth secured back-to-back top fives in the truck’s last two starts with a third-place finish at Daytona in February and a fourth-place finish at Talladega last October.

Andres Perez de Lara Quotes
How does it feel to make your first Truck Series start at Daytona?
“Daytona is such a great place to start the season, knowing what it means to race there and the history involved is really special. It is a great place to get the season started. It will be a difficult and complicated race, but our team knows what we are capable of. We just have to go out there and be smart knowing we are racing a full season.”

With your limited experience on Superspeedways, what is your game plan for this weekend?
“It is going to be a different weekend for sure. I don’t have much drafting experience in general, but especially not in a truck. With only one practice session, we will have to make the most of it. I’ll have to be smart throughout the race so I don’t put myself in bad spots. It’s key to be patient and take what the race gives you until you are reaching the end.”

How does it feel to have Telcel on your truck for Daytona?
“Having support from Mexican sponsors means so much to me. They have supported me since I started. The No. 77 Telcel Silverado looks nice and we are going to do our best to get the blue and white Telcel colors to the front.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Chad Walter

  • Crew chief Chad Walter will be atop the box for Andres Perez de Lara and the No. 77 team in 2025.
  • In the 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season opener at Daytona, Walter called Rajah Caruth to a third-place finish.
  • In Xfinity Series competition on the Daytona Beach high banks, the 53-year-old owns three top fives with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (3rd, 2008 Feb.; 3rd, 2008 July) and Justin Allgaier (4th, 2010 Feb.).
  • Walter, a veteran race engineer of 20-plus years, picked up a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) while on the crew for Michael Waltrip during his time at Dale Earnhardt Inc.
  • Walter guided Caruth to his first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory on March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
  • The Albion, N.Y., native earned a mechanical engineering degree from the Cornell University College of Engineering. During his studies, he played defensive end for the Big Red football team.

Chad Walter Quote
How does it feel working with rookie driver Andres Perez de Lara?
“Spire has once again hit a home run in finding the right driver to fill the seat. Not only is he fast and talented, but he has the right personality and work ethic to carry the Spire name. I enjoy the opportunity to work with young drivers and help them find the next step in their career. A lot of the learning curve is simple communication and conveying what Andres needs to go faster. I am looking forward to working on that process. Rookie of the Year is certainly the goal for the season.”

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 win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team will also field the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

Toyota GAZOO Racing Weekly Preview 2.11.25

By
Official Release
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This Week in Motorsports: February 10 – 16, 2025

  • NCS/NXS/NCTS/ARCA: Daytona International Speedway – Feb. 12-16

PLANO, Texas (Feb. 11, 2025) – The 2025 NASCAR season officially kicks off this weekend at Daytona International Speedway with the three NASCAR national series, plus the ARCA Menards Series, taking on the ‘World Center of Racing.’ The weekend culminates with the 67th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NXS/NCTS

GAZOO Racing officially makes full NASCAR debut … The season opening weekend in Daytona officially kicks off Toyota GAZOO Racing (TGR)’s tenure in NASCAR with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA)’s motorsports division now competing under the global TGR banner. In this change, Toyota’s NASCAR Cup Series entries will continue to carry the Camry XSE nameplate and its NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Toyota Tundras with the TRD Pro badge, while its Xfinity Series entries continue in GR Supras this season.

Hamlin seeks history this Sunday … Three-time Daytona 500 winner, Denny Hamlin, seeks his fourth victory at the ‘Great American Race’ on Sunday which would make history. Should Hamlin cross the start/finish line first after 500 miles, a fourth Daytona 500 victory would tie him with Cale Yarborough for second in all-time Daytona 500 victories, trailing only Richard Petty who has seven wins. Sunday also marks Hamlin’s 20th Daytona 500 start.

Johnson, Truex must qualify to make Daytona 500 field … Jimmie Johnson is back in the No. 84 Camry XSE with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, seeking to qualify for the Daytona 500 as an open entry once again. The seven-time Cup Series champ aims to make his 22nd Daytona 500, and his third career win in the ‘Great American Race’ to join his 2006 and 2013 victories. Also looking to qualify in an open entry is Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 56 TRICON Garage Camry XSE entry. Truex, who retired from full-time racing after last season, goes for his 21st Daytona 500 appearance and first career win.

Full-time GR Supra lineup for 2025 debuts … Toyota’s full-time 2025 Xfinity Series lineup will debut in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. For Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), Toyota Development drivers William Sawalich and Taylor Gray will pilot the No. 18 and No. 54 GR Supras this season. Sawalich, the two-time defending ARCA Menards Series East champion, makes his full-time debut in the Xfinity Series after three starts last season and a pole at Phoenix Raceway. Gray, who made 13 starts in 2024 with JGR, also makes his full-time debut. Brandon Jones is back with JGR and Team Toyota, piloting the No. 20 GR Supra this season. Jones last raced a GR Supra in 2022 and has five career victories with JGR and Team Toyota from 2018-2022. For Sam Hunt Racing, Dean Thompson steps into the No. 26 GR Supra in 2025. Thompson, who raced the last two seasons with TRICON Garage in the Truck Series, made two Xfinity Series starts with the team last year and now moves into the full-time role.

Truex returns to the Xfinity Series … Xfinity Series veteran Ryan Truex will also take on this Saturday’s race with Sam Hunt Racing in the No. 24 GR Supra. Truex returns to Daytona International Speedway after his victory in the summer race last August, his third career win.

Bonsignore back in a GR Supra … The first of a nine-race schedule this season, Justin Bonsignore will pilot the No. 19 GR Supra for JGR this weekend in Daytona. The three-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion made one start with JGR last season in the Xfinity Series at New Hampshire.

Breidinger, Ruggiero make jump to Trucks … Team Toyota will have some new full-time faces in its Truck Series lineup this season with Toni Breidinger and Gio Ruggiero at TRICON Garage. Breidinger, who has made four previous career Truck Series starts, moves up from the ARCA Menards Series and will pilot the No. 5 Tundra TRD Pro this season. She also makes her second career Trucks start at Daytona International Speedway. Ruggiero, a Toyota Development Driver, also makes the jump from ARCA and will wheel the No. 17 Tundra TRD Pro in 2025. The 18-year-old makes his Truck Series debut on the high banks of Daytona.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA Menards Series

Robusto, Sawalich aim for ARCA win to begin 2025 … Toyota Development drivers Sawalich and Isabella Robusto will take on the ARCA Menards Series season opener in Daytona this weekend looking to begin the 2025 racing season with a victory. Sawalich is doing double duty on Saturday piloting the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the 80-lap ARCA race Saturday afternoon, followed by his Xfinity Series duties that evening for JGR. He will also run Friday’s Truck Series race for TRICON Garage in a Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. For Robusto, she makes her debut at Daytona International Speedway in her first full-time season in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 55 Camry for Venturini Motorsports.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 31 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: Daytona 500 Race Preview

By
Official Release
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Shaquille O'Neal and Jimmie Johnson unveiled the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE last weekend. (Photo credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)

DAYTONA 500 RACE PREVIEW

EVENT: DAYTONA 500
DATE: February 16, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series / Race 1 of 36
TRACK: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida / 2.5-mile Superspeedway

CLUB MINUTES

LEGACIES AT DAYTONA: Many members of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB are NASCAR Hall of Famers and also have impressive records at Daytona. Richard Petty, “The King” has the most DAYTONA 500 victories with seven (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, and1981) and Dale Inman is undoubtedly the most successful crew chief in the history of NASCAR, with a record eight Cup Series championships and seven DAYTONA 500 victories with Petty. LEGACY MC co-owner Jimmie Johnson has scored two victories in The Great American Race in 2006 and 2013. Competition Advisor Matt Kenseth has two DAYTONA 500 wins in 2009 and 2012. CLUB Ambassador Trevor Bayne won the 2011 DAYTONA 500 at the age of 20 years and one day and is still the youngest driver ever to win the race to date.

NEW LOOK: As a result of a year-long study with branding agency Pivot, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB re-designed its brand marks and added gold design elements to its cars and marketing efforts. See HERE for more information.

WELCOME, KNIGHTHEAD: LEGACY MC announced a new ownership structure on Jan. 27, welcoming Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. The partnership allows Johnson to become the majority co-owner. To read more, visit HERE

2024 DAYTONA RECAP: The CLUB made a strong impression at the 2024 DAYTONA 500, with Nemechek coming home in seventh, marking his first of four top-10 finishes for the season. Just behind him in eighth was Jones, securing one of his two top 10s of the year. Although Johnson finished the race, he crossed the line in 28th.

ANOTHER INMAN HALL OF FAME: Dale Inman was named as an inductee into yet another Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into the 2025 class of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Inman is an inductee in several halls include: The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2000 Golden Wrench Award); NASCAR Hall of Fame (2012); International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2013); and Randleman High School Hall of Fame (2016).

DAYTONA PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: The partner line-up for the DAYTONA 500 is as follows: Dollar Tree will be back on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE; AdventHealth makes its first appearance this year on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE; and Carvana also makes their debut at the Florida track supporting Johnson on the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE.

NO. 42 NOTES AND QUOTES
NEMECHEK AT DAYTONA: The 27-year-old Nemechek has several starts at the famed Daytona International Speedway during his NASCAR career. As he climbed up through the lower ranks of NASCAR Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, he collectively scored five top 10 finishes and two top-fives. In the NASCAR Cup Series, he has finished seventh and 15th so far at Daytona. He was also fourth in his Daytona Duel qualifier race last year. In 2020, Nemechek finished 11th in both Daytona Cup races as well.

PYE-BARKER ON THE CAR: As it was recently announced, Pye-Barker Fire and Safety will adorn the No. 42 Toyota Camry for 14 races, making its debut this weekend in Daytona with a newly designed white, green and blue paint scheme.

JH x X-GAMES x SUPER CROSS-OVERS: Nemechek has been busy over the last two weekends visiting other major national sports events. In late January, Nemechek traveled to Aspen, Colo., for ESPN’s X Games to take in all the action on the snow. This past weekend, he traveled to Tampa, Fla., for AMA Supercross where he did a jersey/firesuit swap with Motorcross superstar Ken Roczen (LINK) He was also featured on the NBC Peacock broadcast (LINK)

John Hunter Nemechek at AMA Supercross Tampa this past weekend. (Photo credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)
LOCAL TIES: Chris Shuman, rear tire changer on the No. 42, grew up in St. Augustine, Fla., and traveled to Daytona often with his family. Shuman is a second-generation pit crew member, as his dad is Steve Shuman, a former tire carrier for Jimmy Spencer Jr. in the Hooters Pro Cup Series. The Shuman family went on a trip to see the race shops in North Carolina when Chris was a child. One of the race museums they visited had a flyer advertising the Pit Crew University in Mooresville, N.C., where elder Shuman applied and enrolled beginning his pit crew journey there.

Additionally, Matt Schlytter, the jackman on the No. 42 hails from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., approximately 90 miles north of Daytona.

No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB rear tire changer, Chris Shuman in action. (Photo credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)
KNOW WHEN TO HOLD ‘EM: On Tuesday, Feb. 11, driver Nemechek will be participating in the Betty Jane France Memorial High-Speed Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament will be hosted in the Rolex Lounge at Daytona International Speedway benefitting The NASCAR Foundation. For more information contact Colby Gorniewicz.

NEW TO THE 42: There are many fresh faces on the No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team this season. Ryan “Dex” Dextraze will serve as the car chief. Peter Shephard and Josh Horton join returning member Ricky “Carl” Garcia as mechanics. Sydney Prince is the lead engineer and Kyler Mashburn is the secondary engineer, while Hayden Reeves will be the eyes in the sky as Nemechek’s new spotter.

T- MACK AT TRACK Crew chief Travis Mack who is in his first season with LEGACY MC has a winning record at Daytona International Speedway. Mack has two top10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series with Daniel Suarez (2023) and A.J. Allmendinger (2024). He also found victory lane in 2019 with JR. Motorsports driver Michael Annett, as well as two top 10s on the Xfinity Series side

QUOTING NEMECHEK: “I am looking forward to going back to the [DAYTONA] 500; my second year with LEGACY MC and my third 500. A lot of work and preparation has gone in during the off-season. I am looking forward to getting the points races started for the 2025 season and am excited to see what we can put together for the season.”

“At the Clash, showing up and having speed right off the bat in practice was definitely a positive sign, I feel like the whole No. 42 LEGACY MC team is clicking, which it’s a brand new team with only one returning member from last season so I feel like everyone is meshing already and I look forward to continuing those relationships, build and grow them.”

“Studying the 500 is key for us and figuring out strategy – trying to make things jive that we want it to be. Daytona is one place that you would love to qualify on the pole for the 500 or qualifying on the front row and get locked in but starting in the front or starting in the back, it doesn’t really make that big of a difference when the race is 500 miles.”

QUOTING MACK: “Finishing the race for one thing, good communication, a strong car, just overall good weekend. Similar to what we had at the Clash, I know we didn’t make the race, but the team worked really well together, and we showed good speed. While it didn’t work out in the end to make the main race, but just having another weekend like the Clash would mean a lot.”

“A win at the Daytona 500 would meet the goals that we set for ourselves for the entire season in the first race. it would be huge to win for our team, and our organization and lock into the playoffs – it would be pretty impressive.”

NO. 43 NOTES AND QUOTES

JONES AT DAYTONA: Erik Jones has a solid track record at Daytona, with two top five and four top 10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The driver of the coveted No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE has also visited victory lane and earned the checkered flag during the summer Daytona race in 2018, for his first Cup Series victory. He won that race by a mere .125 seconds, passing reigning Cup Series champion, Martin Truex, Jr., on the backstretch of the last lap. In 2020, Jones won his first Busch Light Clash at Daytona International Speedway and had a best finish of third during The Great American Race. This Sunday will be Jones’ ninth start in the DAYTONA 500.

BESHORE AT DAYTONA: Crew chief Ben Beshore who is in his second year at LEGACY MC has three starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series for the Daytona 500 and has six total starts at Daytona International Speedway. In that time, Beshore has notched three top10 finishes with driver Kyle Busch (twice in 2022) and John Hunter Nemechek (2024). He also has two impressive Xfinity Series finishes as Harrison Burton logged a runner-up finish in 2020, and Nemechek finished second in 2023.

ADVENTHEALTH AT DAYTONA: Florida-based AdventHealth will adorn the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE this weekend at Daytona. With various activations around the speedway such as health screenings, sunscreen stations and a partnership with the Infield Medical Center, AdventHealth believes in focusing on the care and well-being of the mind, body and spirit. The new paint scheme was recently unveiled via social media. Click HERE to view.

QUOTING JONES: “Daytona’s tough. I feel like now you have to be aggressive the whole race. You have to run the front, you have to be able to control the race, you have to be able to save fuel and be in control of your destiny. The name of the game has been fuel saving and be able to go and put yourself in a situation to go race but have the track position to put yourself upfront or have an opportunity to challenge for a win.”

“I think it’s pretty fun to start the year off with the biggest race. We all look forward to the DAYTONA 500 as drivers. We’re all excited to run it every year. Just to have the opportunity to run in the race and the opportunity to win is a lot of fun.”

QUOTING BESHORE: “Daytona is a balance of drivability and pure straight-line speed. We try to make it drive as good as possible without sacrificing the ride heights that will add drag. We may prioritize more speed for the Duels and then try to make it handle a little better for a 500-mile race on Sunday.”

“When determining when to be aggressive and when to play it safe in the early stages, typically you want to be either all the way at the front or all the way at the back to be safe, but trouble can find you anywhere on the track. I tend to let the driver feel how aggressive everyone is being. If people are banging fenders at Lap five, then we will just to the back, save fuel and ride to save our stuff for the end.”

NO. 84 NOTES AND QUOTES

SEVEN-TIME IS A TWO-TIME: Jimmie Johnson knows how to win at Daytona. He has two wins in the Great American Race (2006 and 2013) as well as a win in the 400-mile summer event (2013). Johnson has a pair of wins in the Clash at Daytona (2005, 2019) and in the Duel races (2010, 2015). In Johnson’s rookie year (2002) he won the pole for the event and finished 15th, sparking a career for the ages. This weekend will be his 22nd attempt at The Great American Race.

JOHNSON AT DAYTONA: Johnson has 40 starts at Daytona throughout his Cup Series career. He has three wins, 12 top-fives, and 16 top 10s, leading 302 laps around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

JOHNSTON TEAMS UP WITH JOHNSON: Chad Johnston, LEGACY MC’s Manager of Race Engineering will climb the pit box for Johnson this weekend. He is a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series race-winning crew chief most recently working for Stewart Haas Racing with driver Ryan Preece. The Cayuga, Ind. native has 22 starts at Daytona with a multitude of drivers and has four top 10 finishes.

PRESSURE COOKER: Johnson is one of nine of the ‘Open” cars vying for four spots to make the field in the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. Last season, he was in a similar boat and raced his way into the 500 via a nail-biting last-lap effort in the Duel qualifier race. Showing strong throughout the race, unfortunately, Johnson was caught in a wreck during the final laps of the race, finishing 28th.

JOHNSON V. SHAQ: CLUB partner Carvana always pulls out all the stops when it comes to creative car design. For this DAYTONA 500, the Phoenix-based car company and Johnson joined forces with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. Johnson and Shaq engaged in a friendly free throw contest with car design rights on the line. Shaq won, and designed the scheme that will attempt the DAYTONA 500 this weekend. The design was unveiled at Shaq’s Fun House in New Orleans on February 7. LINK

NEVER SETTLE: Johnson and longtime pal Marty Smith from ESPN announced a podcast venture together, called Never Settle. The podcast drops Feb. 12 on Sirius XM Ch 90 and may be downloaded on the Sirius XM app, or wherever fans source podcasts. Click HERE for more information.

QUOTING JOHNSON: “It’s the DAYTONA 500 – anything can happen. We need to dig in hard when we get there so that first practice will be very important before qualifying. Then the game plan is to be smart and careful and make the race. Once we make the race, it’s game on.”

“We have done a great job with the promotion with Shaq – Carvana is such an amazing partner and its been an absolute blast creating this media campaign to unveil the car in New Orleans at Shaq’s Fun House. More work to do (to make the race) but we are ready for the challenge.”

QUOTING JOHNSTON: “We are going to Daytona with the mindset of making the race on time. There are multiple cars we need to worry about, so hopefully we will make it on time on Wednesday during qualifying. That will take off some pressure off for Thursday, as so many things about racing at Daytona are out of your control. The entire shop at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has been working so hard all off-season, I’m really proud of the entire group.”

CLUB APPEARANCES

During this year’s Speedweek at Daytona, the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will be making several appearances. See below for listings.

SHERRY STRONG CLINIC OPENING: On Friday, Feb. 14 at 9:30 am AdventHealth will be unveiling the Sherry Strong Integrative Wellness Center at the AdventHealth Daytona Beach Cancer Institute. The new holistic sanctuary, made possible by a groundbreaking partnership with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, will address the physical, emotional, spiritual, and environmental needs of cancer patients – regardless of their ability to pay. Johnson, Jones, and Nemechek will be in attendance at the grand opening. For media opportunities contact CLUB PR.

JOHN HUNTER APPEARANCES: On race day, Nemechek will be signing autographs for fans at the NASCAR Merchandise Hauler. he will head over to the NASCAR Experience Stage in the Fan Zone for an exclusive Q&A session at 10:30 a.m.

ERIK APPEARANCE: On race day, Jones will be participating in a NASCAR Q&A session located at the Grizzly Stage/Infield Fan Zone at 10:40 a.m. This appearance is open to the public.

JONES BOOK VENDING MACHINE DONATION: For the second year, AdventHealth and the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) have teamed up to create a book vending machine for a local elementary school. One pillar of the EJF is child literacy and encouraging reading in youth. Jones will make an appearance Friday morning at the school for a Q&A session and to promote a few of his favorite books available to kids in the vending machine. This marks the sixth vending machine the EJF has donated in the last three years. This appearance is not open to the public, but for media inquiries please contact Lauren Belk.

JIMMIE APPEARANCES: Prior to the Duel qualifier races on Feb. 13, Johnson will participate in a live broadcast for fans on SIRIUS XM at 4:30 p.m. ET in the Infield Fan Zone. He will also make an appearance on Saturday, Feb. 15 for a Q&A at the AdventHealth midway fan activation at 1:30 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH
QUALIFYING: On Wednesday, Feb. 12, qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series will air on Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET.

DUELS: On Thursday, Feb. 13, coverage of the Duel qualifier races at Daytona will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, Motor Racing Network, and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Ch. 90.

DAYTONA 500: On Sunday, Feb. 16, coverage of the 67th Running of the DAYTONA 500 will be broadcast on FOX, Motor Racing Network, and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Ch. 90 at 2:30 p.m. ET

NASCAR DRIVER CAM: This year streaming service MAX will offer the “NASCAR Driver Cam” experience offering fans the ultimate all-access pass to every driver for every race throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. In-car cameras for LEGACY MC drivers in Daytona include the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE of Jones.

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. 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.

Joey Logano to make 17th Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Ron Olds for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Coming off a third NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning season in 2024, Joey Logano enters the 2025 season with the main spotlight shining on him as he strives to elevate his racing status to another height by becoming the fifth competitor overall to reach four titles within NASCAR’s premier series. Before the season-long road to re-emerge as a champion commences, this weekend’s 67th running of the Daytona 500 presents another opportunity for Logano to etch himself in another elite list, a list of 12 competitors who have notched multiple victories in the Great American Race. As he pursues this mark, he will also make his 17th consecutive start in the 500.

A native of Middletown, Connecticut, Logano’s first Daytona 500 start occurred in 2009, the year in which he campaigned on a full-time basis in the Cup Series for the first time. Driving the No. 20 Toyota entry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), he started ninth and finished at the rear of the field in 43rd place after he made contact with Greg Biffle, spun and hit the inside wall head-on towards the pit road entrance.

Over his next three Daytona 500 starts while driving for JGR, Logano notched his first top-10 career result during his latter start in 2012 by finishing in ninth place. Once he transitioned to Team Penske to pilot the No. 22 Ford entry, beginning in 2013, the Connecticut native would finish 19th and 11th during the 2013 and 2014 events, respectively.

Then in 2015, Logano led six times for 31 of 203 over-scheduled laps, including the final 13, and fended off the field through a two-lap shootout to win the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career. The victory, which occurred in Logano’s seventh 500 start, made the Connecticut native the 36th competitor to win the Great American Race as he delivered the second Daytona 500 victory for Team Penske and the 14th for the Ford nameplate. To date, Logano is the third-youngest winner of NASCAR’s season-opening event at Daytona at age 24 years of age.

Since winning his first and only Daytona 500 to date, Logano proceeded to finish in the top six over his next four starts between 2016 to 2019. After finishing as high as 12th between 2020 to 2022, he notched a runner-up result in 2023 after he was edged by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the moment of caution. Despite claiming his first Daytona 500 pole position this past season, he ended up in 32nd place after he was involved in a 23-car wreck with nine laps remaining.

Through 16 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Logano has achieved one victory, one pole, four top-four results, seven top-10 results, 158 laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.9. A second victory in 2025 would make Logano become the 13th competitor overall to achieve multiple Daytona 500 victories as he would record the 18th 500 victory for the Ford nameplate and the fourth for Team Penske. In addition, he would become the first competitor to repeat as a Daytona 500 champion since Denny Hamlin made the previous accomplishment in 2020 and the first reigning championship-winning competitor to win the Daytona 500 since Dale Jarrett made the last accomplishment between 1999 and 2000.

This week, Logano will participate in a single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, and in one of two Duel events on Thursday, February 13, to determine his starting lineup for this year’s Daytona 500. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will begin airing at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled to occur this upcoming Sunday, February 16, with a starting broadcast time of 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

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