GRAY, THOMPSON START THE SEASON WITH SOLID RUNS AT DAYTONA Dean Thompson earns first top-10 finish in just his third Xfinity Series start
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2025) – Toyota rookie drivers Taylor Gray (fifth) and Dean Thompson (eighth) kicked off the season with strong top-10 finishes in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
Gray drove the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota GR Supra to his third career top-five finish, while Thompson earned his first top-10 finish in his third start in the series. He also matched Sam Hunt Racing’s best ever finish in Daytona with his eighth-place run.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) Daytona International Speedway Race 1 of 33 – 300 miles, 120 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Jesse Love* 2nd, Sam Mayer* 3rd, Sheldon Creed* 4th, Carson Kvapil* 5th, TAYLOR GRAY 8th, DEAN THOMPSON 17th, RYAN TRUEX 25th, JUSTIN BONSIGNORE 28th, WILLIAM SAWALICH 37th, BRANDON JONES *non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
Can you walk us through your lane choice on the final restart?
“I just feel like the restart lanes kind of have a lot of diversity in terms of which one works, and which one didn’t. I felt like the top lane was the way to be at the time just with the 2 (Jesse Love) up there. I felt like he was the best car. Honestly, launched really well and gave him a good push. I just pushed him too far out there for him to be able to get clear of the bottom and kind of got myself in a little bit of a trap. Then, I was able to pick up some good help behind me in search for it there. I can’t thank all my Joe Gibbs Racing guys enough. They brought me a really fast Operation 300 GR Supra. I’d say it was probably as fast as Xfinity Mobile. Just got to keep going, keep working, building momentum. It’s a long year.”
DEAN THOMPSON, No. 26 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
What does it mean to finish with a clean race car and a top-10 finish to start your season?
“It means a lot. I’ve never finished Daytona before in three years of trucks. It’s always a really big emphasis for me for this race to start the year off right. You can really dig yourself in a hole wrecking early and then you’ve got to claw your way back. I’m glad we finished, got good points with our Thompson Pipe Group Toyota and finished in the top-10. It was a good effort by everyone at Sam Hunt Racing.”
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Swiffer Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 37th
What happened out there?
“Yeah, it is unfortunate. It is way too early to be out of this race. There’s a lot of cars in line there and I had two teammates in front of me – and so I thought we were in a pretty good situation. The momentum kind of got choked up there in the bottom lane, and I avoided getting into our teammates, I was trying to pull that lane back a little bit. That’s not the place to get pushed, coming off of the corner – so I don’t know. I’ll go back. I’ll look at it. Always try to figure out how to get better at this craft, at this type of racing. But it looks to me right now there is nothing I could have done. That’s not how we wanted to begin our quest to go get a championship. I’ll get my guys rallied back around. I’m happy to be back at Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 20, and have Menards and Swiffer on our race car this weekend. It was a big deal for me. There were a lot of people from Menards here, so pretty, pretty mad to be taken out here.”
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.
Brenden “Butterbean” Queen (No. 28 bestrepair.net Chevrolet) won the Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, leading the final ten laps to score his first career ARCA Menards Series victory in his second career series start. His only other previous ARCA Menards Series start was in the 2019 race at Daytona; he finished 29th due to a crash after 49 laps.
Queen’s victory is the seventh ARCA Menards Series victory for team owner Mark Webb’s Pinnacle Racing Group team. The organization has scored wins with Luke Fenhaus in 2023 and with Connor Mosack and Connor Zilisch in 2024.
Two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich (No. 18 Starkey Toyota) finished second in his first ARCA Menards Series start on a superspeedway. Sawalich led twice for 29 laps, the most of any driver in the race.
Jason Kitzmiller (No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet) finished third, his career best ARCA Menards Series finish.
Lavar Scott (No. 6 Max Siegel Inc. Chevrolet) finished fourth, the second time in three starts at Daytona International Speedway that he has finished in the fourth position.
Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (No. 82 Wendy’s Chevrolet) finished fifth in his first ARCA Menards Series start. Castroneves, in a team car to race winner Brenden Queen, rallied from involvement in two separate on-track incidents to battle for the lead late in the race before setting for fifth.
Kole Raz (No. 76 Cyclum Renewable Truck Stops Ford) finished sixth in his first career ARCA Menards Series start. Raz won the ARCA Menards Series West race at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway last April.
A.J. Moyer (No. 88 River’s Edge Cottages & RV Park Chevrolet) earned his best career series finish in seventh. Moyer is the son of 1981 ARCA Menards Series champion Larry Moyer.
Andy Jankowiak (No. 73 KLAS Motorsports Ford) rallied from involvement in the first incident of the race to finish eighth. Jankowiak was able to race up into the top five late in the race despite damage to nearly every side of his racecar.
Ryan Roulette (No. 67 VFW Ford) earned his second career top-ten finish with his ninth-place finish. Roulette, who is an active member of the United States Air Force, recovered from mechanical issues that forced him to miss the drop of the green flag and left him a lap down by lap two. He received the free pass on the first caution at lap three.
Bryce Haugeberg (No. 06 North Dakota State University Toyota) finished tenth, his first top-ten finish since he finished tenth at Salem Speedway in 2022. All three of Haugeberg’s top-ten results are tenth-place finishes.
Queen unofficially leads the ARCA Menards Series championship point standings by three points over Sawalich and by six points over Kitzmiller and Scott who are tied for third.
There were seven caution flags for 33 laps, holding the average speed to 96.450 miles per hour.
There were six lead changes among six drivers; Sawalich led 29 laps, Lawless Alan (No. 20 AUTOParkit Toyota) led 26, Scott and Queen 10 each; Haugeberg 4, and Scott Melton (No. 68 Melton-McFadden Insurance Agency Ford) 1.
Queen’s margin of victory was 0.094 seconds.
The next race for the ARCA Menards Series is at Phoenix Raceway on Friday, March 7, a combination race with the ARCA Menards Series West. The race will be televised live on FS1 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. The race will also be broadcast live on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide. Live timing and scoring data for all on-track activity is available at ARCARacing.com and up-to-the-minute updates are available by follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly known as Twitter).
About ARCA
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit www.arcaracing.com, or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).
About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
Menards has what you need to complete your outdoor projects and keep your yard in tip-top shape including mowers, trimmers, blowers, pressure washers and more, plus a beautiful garden center stocked with plants, shrubs, trees, landscaping tools, grass seed, fertilizer options, outdoor décor and patio furniture. Menards also has everyday essentials like health & beauty products, housewares, pet and wildlife supplies, automotive items and even groceries. And at Christmas, an Enchanted Forest display area with impressive trees, lighting, decorations, ornaments, inflatables and more.
Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.
Brenden “Butterbean” Queen etched his name as a first-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series division by winning a crash-filled, Ride the ‘Dente 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15.
Queen, the reigning CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour champion from Chesapeake, Virginia, led the final 10 of 80-scheduled laps in an event that was mired with seven caution periods as a majority of the field were swept up in on-track carnages. After he drafted Lavar Scott to a brief lead over William Sawalich through the backstretch with 10 laps remaining, Queen would then make his move on Scott and receive a draft from teammate Helio Castroneves to shoot himself into the lead through the frontstretch. With the lead in his possession, Queen would maintain the top spot for the remainder of the event and fend off a final-lap charge from Sawalich to commence his first full-time ARCA campaign by winning at the World Center of Racing.
The starting lineup for the event was determined by the 2024 ARCA Menards Series’ owner’s standings per the series’ rulebook. This was due to the event’s scheduled practice session for this past Thursday being canceled due to inclement weather.
Based on the rulebook, William Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry entry that finished in first place in the 2024 ARCA owner’s standings, was awarded the pole position. He shared the front row with Lawless Alan, driver of the No. 20 Venturini Motorsports Toyota Camry entry that finished in second place in the 2024 ARCA owner’s standings.
When the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season commenced under green, Sawalich and Alan dueled for the lead in front of two-packed lanes through the first two turns. Through the backstretch, Alan received a draft from teammate Isabella Robusto to gain a slight advantage from the outside lane entering Turns 3 and 4. With the field cycling back to the start/finish line, Alan led the first lap as both he and Robusto transitioned in front of Sawalich to the inside lane.
Over the next two laps, Alan led a four-car breakaway from the rest of the field from the lead. With teammate Robusto, Sawalich and Kole Raz following Alan in a single-line formation, Lavar Scott led the rest of the field from fifth place while Jake Finch and Brenden “Butterbean” Queen were trying to gain ground of Scott for position.
Then on the third lap, the event’s first caution flew when Cody Dennison, who was racing behind Scott and Jake Finch on the outside lane and inside the top-10 mark, got loose off of Turn 4 and pounded the outside wall hard. Dennison’s incident triggered a multi-car wreck that involved numerous names, among which included Thad Moffitt, Corey Day, Dale Quarterley, Sean Corr, Caleb Costner, Eric Caudell, Michael Maples, Andy Jankowiak, Willie Mullins, Ed Pompa, Tim Richmond, Katherine Legge, Nolan Wilson, Amber Balcaen and Helio Castroneves. The carnage was enough for the event to be placed in red flag period for more than six minutes.
When the red flag lifted and the field proceeded under green flag conditions on the ninth lap, Alan, who restarted from the outside lane, quickly darted to the inside lane to regain a draft from teammate Robusto entering the first two turns. With Alan having drafting help from both Robusto and Sawalich through the first two turns, Raz received a draft from Queen from the backstretch to draw even with Alan and challenge for the lead. Amid the side-by-side battle, Alan surged ahead from the inside lane to lead the Lap 10 mark. He along with Robusto and Sawalich would surge ahead of the pack by the next lap while Scott challenged Raz for fourth place.
On Lap 11, the event’s second caution flew when Amber Balcaen, who was battling for a top-10 spot, slipped up the track in Turn 4 and clipped Garrett Mitchell (a.k.a: Cleetus McFarland). The contact sent both spinning as Kyle Steckly, who got sideways to avoid the carnage, spun to the bottom of the track and pounded the inside wall hard. Amid the carnage, AJ Moyer and Scott Melton weaved their way and escaped without sustaining any significant damage to their respective entries.
The start of the next restart period on Lap 17 featured Alan transitioning from the outside to the inside lane for a second time, where he regained the draft from teammate Robusto through the frontstretch. Both Alan and Robusto would then muscle away from the field through the first two turns and maintain their momentum through the backstretch. Behind, Sawalich lined up in third place while Raz and Scott dueled in front of two-packed lanes for fourth place.
During the following lap, the caution would quickly return as a vicious multi-car wreck ensued in Turn 2. The carnage started when Balcaen, who was racing towards the rear of the field and trying to rally from her previous incident, got sideways through the first two turns and spun as she had smoke coming out of the left side of her entry. During her spin, she was clipped by Mitchell, the latter of whom collided with Takuma Koga against the outside wall, before she was hit by an oncoming Becca Monopoli, who in turn was hit by Craig Bracken.
Amid the carnage, Bracken took a vicious hit into the inside wall on the driver’s left side before his damaged car shot back to the right and collided into the damaged car of Monopoli. In the process, Bracken proceeded to hit the inside SAFER barriers head-on before he came to a rest. Amid the carnage, all competitors, including Bracken and Monopoli, emerged from their wrecked race cars, though Bracken would be transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
The start of the ensuing restart on Lap 24 did not last long due to an incident that involved Brayton Laster entering the first turn. During the caution period, a majority of the field led by Alan pitted for service while the rest led by Bryce Haugeberg remained on the track.
As the field restarted under green on Lap 30, Haugeberg and Queen dueled for the lead as the field fanned out to three-packed lanes through the first two turns. Through the backstretch, Queen began to surge ahead with drafting help from the middle lane and Haugeberg remained on the inside lane while Sawalich was trying to charge from the outside lane. Queen then got shoved out of the lead and the middle lane by Scott Melton as the latter dueled with Sawalich entering Turn 3. With Alan surging his way back towards the front and drafting Melton, the latter led the next lap ahead of Sawalich. Melton and Sawalich would continue to duel for the lead in front of Alan, Robusto and two-stacked lanes during the following lap before Sawalich surged ahead from the outside lane.
On Lap 34, the event’s fifth caution flew when Melton, who earlier lost the lead and was mired as the third car in line on the inside lane, got sideways while being drafted by Alan in Turn 1. As the lead group scattered to avoid Melton, the latter, who was trying to straighten his car through the degree banking turn, clipped Castroneves and sent him up towards the outside wall and back down to the apron hard.
With the field restarting under green for a one-lap dash before the event’s halfway period on Lap 40, Sawalich briefly rocketed ahead of Scott and the field exiting the frontstretch before he navigated his way through the first two turns. Sawalich would then receive drafting help from Raz through the backstretch to remain in the lead as Scott tried to mount a charge entering Turns 3 and 4. As the field fanned out entering the frontstretch, Scott, who was racing from the outside lane, used the momentum and a draft from Robusto to lead the event’s halfway mark on Lap 40 over Sawalich.
Scott would proceed to transition from the outside lane to the inside lane during the following lap as he had Sawalich drafting him. By then, Robusto was the lead competitor from the outside lane as she was in line ahead of Jeff Scofield, Alan and Jake Finch while Scott, who remained on the inside lane, led the next lap.
Then with 36 laps remaining, the caution returned when Robusto, who was racing in the top five and leading the outside lane, received a bump from Scofield that sent her No. 55 Venturini Motorsports Toyota entry into the backstretch’s outside wall. She then veered back across the track and collided into both Scofield and Corey Day while Scofield veered back to the right and was hit by Alan, which left the pole winner with significant damage to his No. 20 Venturini Motorsports Toyota entry and knocked him out of contention.
Down to the final 30 laps, the field restarted under green. At the start, Sawalich transitioned from the outside to the inside lane to lead Scott, Finch and the field through the first two turns. Sawalich continued to lead a long line of competitors racing in the inside lane from the backstretch and back to the frontstretch. With Sawalich leading the next lap, Scott and Finch continued to occupy the top-three spots while Tim Richmond and Queen were in the top five.
With 25 laps remaining, the top-10 competitors racing in the lead group were lined up in single-line formation as Sawalich maintained the lead ahead of Scott, Finch, Richmond and Queen. Behind, Jason Kitzmiller occupied sixth place as he was pursued by Bryce Haugeberg, Castroneves, Andy Jankowiak and Ryan Roulette. Sawalich would continue to lead with 20 laps remaining as the top-10 competitors were separated within one second of one another.
Shortly after, the field started to fan out to two-packed lanes as Raz and Moyer joined the lead pack. With names that included Castroneves, Richmond and Raz migrating to gain a run from the outside lane, Sawalich maintained the lead from the inside lane while Finch, Scott, Queen and Kitzmiller were in the top five. Richmond, who was slipping towards the back of the lead group, would then draw a late caution with 17 laps remaining when he got loose in Turn 4 and spun towards the infield. At the same time, Finch, who was in second place, got sideways off the front nose of Scott as the former spun and backed his No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota entry into the inside wall.
Down to the final 12 laps, the field led by Sawalich and Scott restarted under green. During the start, Sawalich rocketed ahead with the lead as Scott transitioned to the inside lane behind Sawalich entering the first two turns. The latter would maintain the lead in front of Scott and Queen while Castroneves made his way into fourth place in front of Jankowiak and Kitzmiller. Moyer would also carve his way towards the top-six mark and Castroneves would settle behind Queen while Sawalich led Scott with 10 laps remaining.
Then through the backstretch, Scott made a move to the outside lane and received a draft from Chevrolet teammates Queen and Castroneves to rocket past Sawalich with the lead. After Scott led through Turns 3 and 4, Queen would then duel with Scott and lead the following lap as he was drafted by teammate Castroneves. Queen would proceed to muscle his No. 28 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet entry ahead of the field as Castroneves and Scott led a side-by-side charge in front of the stacked field through the backstretch.
With five laps remaining, Queen maintained the lead in front of Castroneves, Scott, Jankowiak and Sawalich as Kitzmiller, AJ Moyer, Raz, Haugeberg and Ryan Roulette, all of whom were racing within one second of one another, trailed in the top 10 and amid two stacks of pack racing. Jankowiak then tried to mount a charge from the outside lane, but he could not gain enough draft to get close to Queen and Castroneves. Jankowiak would then get shoved out of the draft amid a three-wide action over the next lap as Kitzmiller and Raz tried to overtake him. Amid the action, Queen and Castroneves maintained the top-two spots ahead of Scott, Sawalich and Moyer.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Queen remained in the lead ahead of Castroneves, Sawalich, Kitzmiller, Scott and Moyer. Through the first two turns, Sawalich received drafting help from Kitzmiller to rocket past Castroneves. With Castroneves losing ground, Sawalich drove right to Queen’s rear bumper as Scott tried to mount a charge with drafting help from Raz. With Sawalich and the rest of the competitors in the lead group unable to gain a last-corner momentum through Turns 3 and 4, Queen maintained the top spot entering the frontstretch and claimed the checkered flag for the victory.
With the victory, Queen, who is driving the No. 28 Chevrolet entry for Pinnacle Racing Group on a full-time basis and for the series’ championship, notched his first ARCA career win in his second series start. His lone previous start in the ARCA division occurred at Daytona in 2019, where he finished in 29th place while driving for Vizion Motorsports. As a result, Queen, who competed in three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events with TRICON Garage in 2024, joined Corey Heim and Greg Van Alst as competitors to claim a first career ARCA victory at Daytona over the previous five seasons.
As added bonuses, Queen recorded the 21st ARCA victory at Daytona for the Chevrolet nameplate and the first Daytona victory for Pinnacle Racing Group, a team that achieved six ARCA victories between Connor Zilisch and Connor Mosack in 2024.
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“Oh my Lord! Bean nation, baby!” Queen, who celebrated with the American flag on the frontstretch, said on FOX. “We brought the mullet to the ARCA Series, baby. I’m just a late model guy that worked hard to get this shot. I didn’t think [Daytona] would be where the first win came, but we’re going to take it. This [Pinnacle Racing] group right here, they deserve this, baby. I knew I had tough shoes to fill taking over from [Connor] Zilisch, but I hope this makes [the team] happy that they signed me and I hope that this is the first of many. We’re going to the Waffle House and we’re going to party it up with some chocolate milk.”
William Sawalich, the reigning two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion who led a race-high 29 laps from pole position, settled in second place to commence his part-time campaign in the ARCA division this season. Sawalich is scheduled to compete as a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor for Joe Gibbs Racing this season.
“I definitely didn’t anticipate [the event] being that long,” Sawalich said. “That was a pretty long time in the car. I just wish we had a little bit more there. [I’m] Just learning all I could.”
Jason Kitzmiller and Lavar Scott finished third and fourth, respectively. Meanwhile, Castroneves ended up in fifth place in his ARCA debut and just before he was involved in a post-race wreck with sixth-place finisher Kole Raz.
AJ Moyer, Jankowiak, Roulette and Bryce Haugeberg completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were seven lead changes for six different leaders. The event featured seven cautions for 33 laps. Overall, only 13 of 40 starters finished on the lead lap.
Results:
1. Brenden Queen
2. William Sawalich
3. Jason Kitzmiller
4. Lavar Scott
5. Helio Castroneves
6. Kole Raz
7. AJ Moyer
8. Andy Jankowiak
9. Ryan Roulette
10. Bryce Haugeberg
11. Hunter Deshautelle
12. Jason White
13. Ed Pompa
14. Jeff Scofield, three laps down
15. Jake Finch, five laps down
16. Alex Cubb, six laps down
17. Tim Richmond – OUT, Mechanical
18. Lawless Alan, 28 laps down
19. Tim Viens, 29 laps down
20. Bryan Dauzat – OUT, Mechanical
21. Isabella Robusto – OUT, Mechanical
22. Corey Day – OUT, Accident
23. Scott Melton – OUT, Mechanical
24. Brayton Laster – OUT, Accident
25. Takuma Koga – OUT, Accident
26. Becca Monopoli – OUT, Accident
27. Craig Bracken – OUT, Accident
28. Nolan Wilson – OUT, Mechanical
29. Amber Balcaen – OUT, Accident
30. Garrett Mitchell – OUT, Accident
31. Michael Maples – OUT, Accident
32. Kyle Steckly – OUT, Accident
33. Dale Quarterley – OUT, Accident
34. Cody Dennison – OUT, Accident
35. Willie Mullins – OUT, Accident
36. Sean Corr – OUT, Accident
37. Thad Moffitt – OUT, Accident
38. Caleb Costner – OUT, Accident
39. Katherine Legge – OUT, Accident
40. Eric Caudell – OUT, Accident
With the 2025 ARCA Menards Series season underway, the next event on the schedule is Phoenix Raceway for the General Tire 150. The event is scheduled to occur on March 7 and air at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.
Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith Daytona International Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report Fresh From Florida 250 Overview Date: February 14th, 2025 Event: Race 1 of 25 Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles) Length of Race: 100 Laps over two hours, nine minutes, seven seconds
FRM Finish:
● Layne Riggs (Started 27th, Finished 13th / Running, completed 100 of 100 laps) ● Chandler Smith (Started 6th, Finished 6th / Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Layne Riggs Key Takeaways
Layne Riggs made his return to the Daytona International Speedway on Friday night, this time in the newly minted No. 34 Ford F-150.
Riggs finished 11th in Stage One and 14th in Stage Two. Riggs earned the fastest lap with a speed of 190.630 and a lap time of 47.212.
Riggs struggled with pit road penalties, having to go to the tail of the field twice for a crew member over the wall too soon and speeding on pit road. Riggs drafted his way back to the front, working with his teammate, Chandler Smith, to control the race.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAST LAP? “I don’t quite know. I need to watch the replay, but me and the 15, which he was about I’d say two or three in front of me, we went down into three and right when we went down into three and loaded into the corner and both spun just out of nowhere. I don’t know if someone was pushing me and then he had a flat tire, or if it was ironic or what, but this is my first speedway race I’ve finished. I got wrecked coming to the checkered, but it was a great day for Front Row Motorsports, Love’s RV STOPS, Ford Performance. Me and Chandler Smith worked really well together and a lot of the ThorSport guys did a really good job of doing a great speedway strategy and sticking together as a team. I’m excited to come back. That was a lot of fun.”
CHANDLER GOT DAMAGE AND YOU WERE PUSHING HIM. DID THAT RUIN YOUR PLAN DOWN THE STRETCH? “Yeah, it really did. His nose was pretty caved in and I was pushing him for all I was worth and we were just getting freight trained on the top. I finally had to kind of shuck him to the bottom. I hated to do that. I wished he was good enough, but luckily he got back in line and ended up having a pretty solid finish. I’ve never really been a fan of speedway races, but I was smiling behind the helmet all night.”
Chandler Smith’s Key Takeaways
Chandler Smith qualified 6th in his Front Row Motorsports (FRM) debut on Friday night at the Daytona International Speedway.
Smith finished fourth in both Stage One & Two, earning valuable stage points. Smith led a total of 34 laps in the event, drafting with other Fords and his teammate to get to the front of the field.
Smith was credited with a sixth-place finish after a post-race inspection disqualification of a fellow competitor. This is Smith’s first top-10 finish with FRM and 36th Top-10 finish of his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career.
“Overall, it was a really solid day. Our No. 38 Long John Silver Ford F-150 was super fast. I worked with Layne (Riggs) really well and felt like FRM, for the most part, controlled the entire race just in the two-car operation which says a lot about what we got going on in our organization right now. Looking forward to the next few superspeedway races and working with my teammate and also looking forward to getting to a mile-and-a-half and see where we’re at.”
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.
For Sunday’s Daytona 500, two generations and the current leadership group of Wood Brothers Racing will serve as Honorary Starters. Brothers Eddie and Len, second-generation members of the team and Jon, Keven and Jordan Wood, the third generation and the other half of the team’s leadership were all given the honor of being named Honorary Starters. Eddie was chosen to be the one to wave the green flag for the 67thrunning of the Daytona 500, a race the team has won five times.
The team’s current entry, the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang has shown great speed in this year’s preliminary events with new driver Josh Berry behind the wheel, has the team’s fans optimistic about the team’s chances for Sunday’s race.
Much of the attention surrounding the 75-year festivities naturally will turn to the team’s past successes. Many of the stories from the past are interesting tales, but they also illustrate how the fundamentals of the sport haven’t changed as much as it might seem.
Take the Woods’ first Daytona 500 win in 1963, with Tiny Lund driving the No. 21 Ford in place of Marvin Panch, who was burned in a sports car crash before the 500. Lund received a Carnegie Hero Medal for his bravery in helping pull Panch from the burning Maserati.
Many casual observers of the sport look at that win as a triumph due to a successful fuel mileage strategy as the Woods made just four stops in that race compared to five for most of their competitors, but that doesn’t tell the whole story, as Lund was the frontrunner for most of the day. Not unlike most races presently, quick work by the pit crew played a role in the victory. When it came to the “money stop” in ’63, the Woods crushed their main competitors. According to the time-keeper on the ABC broadcast of the race, the Woods bested Ned Jarrett’s crew by nine seconds and Fred Lorenzen’s by eleven. In their post-race summary, the ABC analysts credited the Woods with orchestrating a “perfectly planned race.”
While that win did get – and still gets – lots of attention, the rest of the story of that 1963 race-winning car is not as well known. That car, a replica of which is on display at Daytona International Speedway this week, went on to have a strong season. Lund drove it five more times, scoring four top-five finishes, the best being a 2nd at Martinsville Speedway. Panch was back behind the wheel for twelve races, with a win at North Wilkesboro, runner-up finishes at Darlington and Martinsville, and 3rd place finishes at Atlanta, Daytona in July, Bridgehampton, Charlotte and Riverside. All of his finishes were 9th place or better, with nine of them in the top-five.
Team founder Glenn Wood drove it three times, with a win and a 3rd place finish at Bowman Gray Stadium, and a 15th at Randleman after blowing an engine. Dave MacDonald added a runner-up at Riverside. When the season was over, the Woods had earned a trophy that many casual race observers don’t know about – the car owner’s championship for the 1963 season.
Other Daytona 500 wins by the No. 21 team also bear similarities to today’s races. David Pearson’s 1976 win over Richard Petty as the leaders wrecked heading to the checkered flag, something that is no longer considered unique.The Woods’ most recent 500 win, with Trevor Bayne in 2011, saw the rookie Bayne, like Lund decades before, quickly master the technique of tandem drafting on the track’s freshly laid asphalt. He was able to convince veterans, most notably Jeff Gordon, to work with him in the draft, and the rest is history, a big part of 75 years’ worth for the Wood Brothers.
About Motorcraft® Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”
About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
About Ford Performance Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.
About Wood Brothers Racing Founded in 1950 by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood in Stuart, Virginia, Wood Brothers Racing holds a special place in NASCAR history as the sport’s longest-running team. Over eight decades, the team has earned 100 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with 120 poles, and remains proud of its longstanding relationship with Ford Motor Company, fielding only Ford products since its inception. Glenn’s brother, Leonard Wood, played a key role in shaping modern racing by developing the techniques behind today’s pit stops. With a rich legacy rooted in innovation and tradition, Wood Brothers Racing continues to honor its heritage while adapting for the future as it competes in NASCAR’s premier series with Josh Berry.
The reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier was awarded the pole for the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 15.
The event’s qualifying format was originally scheduled to consist of two rounds. Each round would be comprised of a single-lap session for each of the 41 entered competitors. After the first qualifying round, the top 10 fastest qualifiers would transfer to the final single-lap round and contend for the pole position.
Due to inclement weather, however, the event’s qualifying session which was initially reduced to a single round, was canceled. As a result, the event’s starting lineup was determined based on the owner points ranking of each entry.
This format awarded Allgaier the pole position as he piloted the No. 7 JR Motorsports (JRM) Chevrolet entry to both the 2024 Xfinity driver’s and owner’s championships.
The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to mark Allgaier’s 15th campaign in the series as a full-time competitor and 10th driving for JRM. Having recorded one championship and 25 victories through 471 current starts in the Xfinity circuit, the Riverton, Illinois, veteran notched his first elusive victory at Daytona in August 2023. Through 14 previous starts in the Daytona opener, however, Allgaier’s best result is a runner-up finish in 2019 as he strives to commence a new Xfinity season by winning the opener for the first time in his illustrious career.
Saturday’s Xfinity event at Daytona will mark the first of two NASCAR national touring series events for Allgaier. He is scheduled to compete in Sunday’s 67th running of the Daytona 500 with JR Motorsports as the team competes in a Cup Series event for the first time.
With Allgaier starting in the pole position, Taylor Gray, an incoming rookie candidate for this year’s Xfinity Series season, will start in second place and on the front row. Gray, a 19-year-old native of Artesia New Mexico, will pilot the No. 54 Toyota Supra entry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR). The entry that is racing with owner points transferred from JGR’s No. 20 team that finished in second place in the 2024 owner’s standings. He was the fastest competitor for the event’s lone practice session that occurred on Friday, February 14.
This past season, Gray campaigned in the Craftsman Truck Series on a full-time basis with TRICON Garage, where he made the Playoffs and finished sixth in the final standings. He also made his first 13 Xfinity starts with JGR this past season as he strives to make his presence well-known throughout this season.
Christian Eckes, another incoming Xfinity rookie competitor for Kaulig Racing, will start in third place and he will share the second row with Austin Hill, the reigning three-time consecutive Daytona opener winner and driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet entry for Richard Childress Racing. For this season, Hill will attempt to become the first competitor to win the Xfinity opener at Daytona for a fourth consecutive time since Tony Stewart made the last accomplishment from 2008 to 2011.
Rookie William Sawalich, who is piloting the No. 18 JGR Toyota Supra entry for his first full-time Xfinity campaign, will line up in fifth place next to Sheldon Creed, who will be driving for the Haas Factory Team, on the third row. Brandon Jones, Sam Mayer, Jesse Love and rookie Carson Kvapil will occupy the remaining top-10 starting spots.
Notably, the following names that include Nick Sanchez, Daniel Dye, Sammy Smith, Ryan Sieg and Justin Bonsignore will start in the top 15, respectively. In addition, rookie Connor Zilisch, Josh Williams, Jeb Burton, Jeremy Clements, Anthony Alfredo, Matt DiBenedetto, Harrison Burton and Ryan Truex will start 20th, 21st, 22nd, 25th, 27th, 30th, 32nd and 33rd, respectively. Lastly, Jordan Anderson will round out the starting grid in 38th place.
With 41 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, CJ McLaughlin, Carson Ware and JJ Yeley were the three competitors who failed to qualify.
Starting lineup:
1. Justin Allgaier
2. Taylor Gray
3. Christian Eckes
4. Austin Hill
5. William Sawalich
6. Sheldon Creed
7. Brandon Jones
8. Sam Mayer
9. Jesse Love
10. Carson Kvapil
11. Nick Sanchez
12. Daniel Dye
13. Sammy Smith
14. Ryan Sieg
15. Justin Bonsignore
16. Greg Van Alst
17. Kris Wright
18. Brennan Poole
19. Dean Thompson
20. Connor Zilisch
21. Josh Williams
22. Jeb Burton
23. Kyle Sieg
24. Ryan Ellis
25. Jeremy Clements
26. Blaine Perkins
27. Anthony Alfredo
28. Parker Retzlaff
29. Josh Bilicki
30. Matt DiBenedetto
31. Garrett Smithley
32. Harrison Burton
33. Ryan Truex
34. Leland Honeyman
35. Patrick Emerling
36. Caesar Bacarella
37. Joey Gase
38. Jordan Anderson
The 2025 United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway is set to occur on Saturday, February 15, and commence a new season of Xfinity Series competition. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to commence at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 14: Matt Mills, driver of the #42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
NIECE MOTORSPORTS NCTS RACE RECAP: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY Event: Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps / 250 miles) Round: 1 of 25 (Regular Season Opener) Track: Daytona International Speedway Location: Daytona Beach, Florida Date & Time: Friday, February 14th | 7:30 PM ET
No. 42 J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Matt Mills | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Key Takeaway: Matt Mills and the No. 42 J.F. Electric team were hindered by a tire rub on the right rear of the truck. After starting 24th, Mills’ bided his time early, hoping to avoid any on-track incidents. Midway through stage two, the tire came apart, forcing a green flag pit stop which placed him two laps behind the leaders. The crew continued to work on the truck throughout the race, but were shown in 29th-place at the checkered.
Matt Mills’ Post-Race Thoughts: “I hate how tonight ended up for our guys. They had been working their tails off on this truck all winter long, and to have our race basically over before halfway is a shame. I’m not sure what was causing our issues on the right rear, but we’ll take a close look at it once it gets back to the shop. We had a large group of supporters from J.F. Electric join us at the race tonight, and I was really hoping to have a great run for them. We’ll move forward and head to Atlanta with another shot at opening our year on a high note.”
About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.
Key Takeaway: Bayley Currey and the No. 44 team had a shot at winning Daytona, but ultimately would have their hopes dashed late in the race. Currey played it smart early on in the race, hovering around the middle of the pack and staying out of trouble. When the laps wound down, however, the truck came to life. Currey appeared to make a race-winning move as he took the lead with three laps to go, but was shuffled out of line and collected in a last lap crash.
Bayley Currey’s Post-Race Thoughts: “[This is] a great way to start off the season. Just got out front a little too far there. I’ve been in a handful of these speedway races and have never led one of them, so I’ll just chalk that up to inexperience. I left the bottom open and got stuck in the middle, and got ran to the back there. I really appreciate everyone on this Niece Motorsports No. 44 Chevrolet. The Masked Owl Technologies, Detroit Quality Staffing, Precision Vehicle Logistics, AutoVentive Silverado was really good tonight. We bided our time and rode around in the back there in the beginning and just wanted to be there in the end. That’s what we did, but it didn’t go our way tonight.”
About Masked Owl Technologies: Masked Owl Technologies (MOT) is an industrial solutions integrator specializing in developing customized automation and controls processes. They take a consulting-based approach to identify the root cause of system challenges and incorporate tested, emerging technology into industrial solutions that mitigate risk and solve complex problems, the first time.
About DQS Solutions & Staffing: Guided by a mission to achieve excellence and adaptability, DQS partners with clients to create custom solutions that address unique business challenges. Recognized as Michigan’s fastest-growing company and #22 in the nation on the Inc. 5000 list, DQS drives industry growth while giving back through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
No. 45 AutoVentive / Precision Vehicle Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Kaden Honeycutt | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Key Takeaway: What appeared to be a strong first outing in Daytona proved to be a disappointing end to Kaden Honeycutt’s night. After qualifying eighth, Honeycutt powered his No. 45 Silverado to the front of the pack at the start of the race. On lap three, Honeycutt took the lead of the race, but spun in turn four, resulting in hard contact with the inside wall. Honeycutt was credited with a 35th-place finish.
Kaden Honeycutt’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Well, obviously, I turned myself sideways and crashed. I had seen the replay, and I don’t know. I was on the bottom and sort of drifted up, but it snapped. It felt like I got turned, but at the same time, I don’t think I did. I don’t know, it’s just a combination of everything – me being so inexperienced at this. I’ve never ran Daytona, and just never felt that before. I just absolutely hate it. I hate it for everyone at Niece, Precision, AutoVentive, Venture Foods, DQS; everyone that supports us. It’s not great, obviously, but we have 24 races to go that are not like this, and we’ll make our own destiny and try to come back from this deficit. It definitely sucks, but we can do it. I know we can. Just hate it for everyone that works so hard.” About AutoVentive: AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.
About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, the team celebrates its 10th consecutive season competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) where it fields the Nos. 41, 42, 44 and 45. Since its founding in 2016, Niece Motorsports has garnered nine wins, 50+ top-fives, 100+ top-10s, 190+ top-15 finishes and made five playoff appearances. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a trusted build shop for the Chevrolet Silverados of multiple NCTS teams as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.
Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).
HEIM, RUGGIERO DELIVER IN SEASON-OPENING TRUCK SERIES RACE AT DAYTONA Ruggiero led late, earns third-place finish in Truck Series debut
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2025) – Corey Heim (second) and Gio Ruggiero (third) began the new NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season with strong finishes in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday evening. The duo, both Toyota Development Drivers, ran up front for most of the final stage with their TRICON Garage teammates Tanner Gray and William Sawalich before a last lap incident ended the battle for the win just short of the finish line.
For Heim, it is his second straight runner-up finish at Daytona, while Ruggiero delivered with a third-place run in his series debut. Sawalich finished 10th in his first Daytona race. The fellow Toyota Development Driver will compete in both the ARCA and Xfinity Series races on Saturday as well.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Daytona International Speedway Race 1 of 23 – 250 Miles, 100 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Parker Kligerman* 2nd, COREY HEIM 3rd, GIO RUGGERIO 4th, Ty Majeski* 5th, Grant Enfinger* 10th, WILLIAM SAWALICH 12th, TIMMY HILL 23rd, TANNER GRAY 24th, STEWART FRIESEN 29th, TONI BREIDINGER *non-Toyota driver
Corey Heim was declared the race winner after the 75 failed tech.
Can you talk about the interesting nature of this victory?
“Well, it is my first time having this kind of scenario happening either way, so certainly glad to be on the right side of it. It sucks for Parker (Kligerman) and those guys. It seemed like they put themselves in a position at the right time to win the race, but obviously, there is another level to it after the race. Grateful to be in the spot to take advantage of that. Huge props to everyone at TRICON Garage, Toyota, Safelite – first win under the Toyota GAZOO Racing banner, so that is cool. We will move to Atlanta and try to get another one.”
What more could you have done there?
“I think just being a little farther up, position wise. I think I was fifth, probably, second in line in the middle when that wreck unfolded on the backstretch and I kind of weaseled my way through there and had a shot at it, and that is really all that you can ask for. But I think Parker (Kligerman) was the leader before all of that happened – and of course that is going to put you in a good position. Hats off to him – he did a great job all night. Huge thank you to TRICON Garage, Toyota – our Safelite Tundra TRD Pro was great all night, and came home with another second-place finish, second year in a row. I can’t complain. It is better than being wrecked, so we will move forward.”
Can you describe the chaos and what kind of decision making goes on in those last couple of laps?
“Yeah, for the most part, I was just trying to hang on to it. I feel like on the older tires our Tundra was free there at the end. I really had no rear tire left. The pushes felt more dramatic. I feel like the 17 (Gio Ruggiero) did a great job there at the end to kind of put ourselves in position. Middle of three-wide, old tires – and you are just hanging on there for dear life, so I didn’t feel like I could maximize our gap out there in front and push the lane, just because I was holding on the whole time. Huge props to all of my teammates at TRICON Garage – the organization itself. Everyone did a great job. Thank you also to Toyota and Safelite for all of their support – they are the reason that I am here. Looking forward to Atlanta, another speedway – hopefully we can be one better.”
You’ve been giving so much praise to Gio Ruggiero tonight and how well he did out there. I know you were bummed over the radio after this race, but your team reminded you it was a great points day, and the future is ahead. How would you summarize it?
“Yeah, no doubt. Nothing short of crazy there the last 20 laps. Honestly, pretty impressed with everyone that we kept it straight for as long as we did. They piled it up a little bit on the last lap. Compared to last year, it was such a big upgrade as far as the quality of racing. I was definitely out of control there at the end, being three-wide middle and old tires, being free. Hats off to Gio (Ruggiero) and Tanner (Gray). William (Sawalich) was up there with us at the end, and everybody did a really good job at TRICON Garage. Toyota as well, our Tundra TRD Pro was good all night. I feel like we put ourselves in good position. Scott Zipadelli (crew chief) did a great job on the box. We will take the Safelite Tundra to Atlanta and try to get one better.”
How does it feel to get a top-5 in your first Truck Series start at Daytona?
“It feels good. Was looking for more there. But it’s Daytona and everybody is trying to win. I had a blast tonight. These TRICON Garage Tundras are so fast. The whole team performed really well. Everything is pretty new for me doing live pit stops and all but I’m looking forward to the season and looking forward to Atlanta.”
What did you learn tonight?
“This is my first time on a superspeedway in anything, so it was a lot of stuff for me to take in tonight. Drafting in the pack, side drafting and leading the pack as well so I definitely learned a lot for Atlanta.”
Can you describe the last few laps?
“Stuff happens quick here. I was leading that pack for a couple laps, and I think five or six to go is when I lost the lead there. I knew it was coming, and I knew they were going to have lines forming up and that it was going to get crazy. I’m just glad we could hang on and have a strong finish and a good truck there for the end.”
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.
Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Overview- Daytona International Speedway; February 15, 2025
Track: Daytona International Speedway – Superspeedway (2.5-Miles) Race: United Rentals 300; 120 Laps –30/30/60; 300 Miles Date/Broadcast: Saturday; February 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET TV: CW Network Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)- Check Local Listings for affiliate, and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90 Social Media: Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport; Facebook, Instagram, and X
Jeb Burton – No. 27 Golden Corral Chevrolet Preview- Daytona International Speedway
News and Notes:
Practice; After the completion of the first NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) practice session of 2025, NXS veteran driver Jeb Burton entering in his third full-season with Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport (JARBA) would record a fast lap of 48.964 at 183.809 mph on Lap-12 of his 14-lap session putting the No. 27 Golden Corral Chevrolet 13th of the 41 cars entered for the NXS season opening United Rentals 300 at the Daytona International Speedway (DIS).
– Starting Position; Qualifying for the United Rentals 300 will take place Saturday morning at 10:00 AM ET to set the 36-car starting field. NXS qualifying for superspeedways will be determined by the fastest competitor in two rounds of single-lap qualifying. The fastest ten in Round 1 will move on to Round 2 where the fastest competitor in Round 2 will be the United Rentals 300 pole starter. The lineup up will then be set by the fastest 33 competitors on speed and five provisional starters. Three cars will fail to make the starting field. Burton is scheduled to roll off 16th in the order for the first round. Weather pending qualifying is set to begin at 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, February 15 and will be shown LIVE on the CW Sports App.
– Daytona International Speedway Stats; Saturday afternoons NXS United Rentals 300 will mark Burton’s 12th NXS start at DIS. In eleven previous starts, Burton holds an average finish of 15.1 with an 98.8% lap completion rate finishing 1246 laps of the possible 1261. Collecting three Top-5 finishes, with 42 laps led, Burton’s best finish of 4th would come three times separate times in July of 2017, and both races of 2021. Last August Burton would finish the WaWa 250 in the 17th position after starting in 21st.
Featured Partner
Golden Corral; Founded in 1973 and based in Raleigh, N.C., Golden Corral is the nation’s largest grill-buffet restaurant chain. Golden Corral strives to make pleasurable dining affordable for all families. While its commitment begins each day with preparing delicious food, Golden Corral also believes in providing outstanding hospitality and giving back. Service to others is a hallmark of the Golden Corral brand. In 2023, Golden Corral was recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 “Most Loved Brands” by Yelp. They were also recognized for valuing their customers and providing excellent customer service by Newsweek, “America’s Best Customer Service 2024.” Golden Corral restaurants nationwide have long been strong supporters of the U.S. Military and DAV (Disabled American Veterans). Golden Corral is also the founding sponsor of Camp Corral, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation, which provides free, one-of-a-kind summer camp experiences for children of wounded, injured, ill, or fallen service members. For more information, visit GoldenCorral.com and follow Golden Corral on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Blaine Perkins – No. 31 Werner Chevrolet Preview- Daytona International Speedway
Practice; Entering his first season with JARBA, Southern California driver Blaine Perkins driving the No. 31 Werner Chevrolet would record a fast lap of 48.988 at 183.718 mph on Lap-13 of his 15-Lap session ranking the 24-year-old 14th quick of the 41 cars entered for Saturday’s NXS United Rentals 300.
– Starting Position; Qualifying for the United Rentals 300 will take place Saturday morning at 10:00 AM ET to set the 36-car starting field. NXS Qualifying for superspeedways will be determined by the fastest competitor in two rounds of single-lap qualifying. The fastest ten in Round 1 will move on to Round 2 where the fastest competitor in Round 2 will be the United Rentals 300 pole starter. The lineup up will then be set by the fastest 33 competitors on speed and five provisional starters. Three cars will fail to make the starting field. Perkins will roll up to the line 15th to make his first-round qualification lap. Weather pending qualifying is set to begin at 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, February 15 and will be shown LIVE on the CW Sports App.
.- Daytona International Speedway Stats; Entering his third full-time NXS season, the United Rentals 300 will mark Perkins’s 7th NXS start at DIS. In six previous starts, Perkins holds an average finish of 27.0 with an 83.7% lap completion rate finishing 565 of the possible 675 laps. In both races at DIS in 2024, Perkins would collect back-to-back Top-15 finishes claiming 14th in both events.
Featured Partner
WERNER; Werner Enterprises, Inc. delivers superior truckload transportation and logistics services to customers across the United States, Mexico and Canada. With 2023 revenues of $3.3 billion, an industry-leading modern truck and trailer fleet, over 13,000 talented associates and our innovative Werner EDGE® technology, we are an essential solutions provider for customers who value the integrity of their supply chain and require safe and exceptional on-time service. Werner® provides Dedicated and One-Way Truckload services as well as Logistics services that include truckload brokerage, freight management, intermodal and final mile. Werner embraces inclusion as a core value and manages key risks and opportunities through a balanced sustainability strategy. Find more information on Werner Enterprises online at Werner.com.
Jordan Anderson – No. 32 Volpi Foods Chevrolet Preview- Daytona International Speedway
News and Notes:
Practice; Getting back behind the wheel of his No. 32 Volpi Foods Chevrolet for the first time since Talladega Superspeedway last October, JARBA owner/driver Jordan Anderson would complete the NXS 50-minute practice session the fastest of the three JARBA cars recording a fast lap of 48.873 at 184.151 mph on Lap-8 of his 10-lap session putting Anderson tenth quickest of the 41 cars entered for the NXS United Rentals 300.
– Starting Position; Qualifying for the United Rentals 300 will take place Saturday morning at 10:00 AM ET to set the 36-car starting field. NXS Qualifying for superspeedways will be determined by the fastest competitor in two rounds of single-lap qualifying. The fastest ten in Round 1 will move on to Round 2 where the fastest competitor in Round 2 will be the United Rentals 300 pole starter. The lineup up will then be set by the fastest 33 competitors on speed and five provisional starters. Three cars will fail to make the starting field. Scheduled to be the first of the JARBA cars on track, Anderson will be the fifth car in the order to make his qualifying lap. Weather pending qualifying is set to begin at 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, February 15 and will be shown LIVE on the CW Sports App.
– Daytona International Speedway Stats; Making his 5th NXS start at DIS. Anderson a successful superspeedway racer holds an average finish of 11.8 completing all 432 laps attempted. In his third start of the 2024 season last August, Anderson would add to his accomplishments on the ultra-fast strategic speedways claiming a hard-earned 6th place finish racing thru the field and avoiding trouble after starting in the 25th position.
Featured Partner
Volpi Foods; Founded in St. Louis in 1902, is Volpi Foods a fourth-generation, family-owned producer of award-winning charcuterie available in retailers nationwide. Slow-cured in small batches, non-GMO, gluten-free and never frozen, every product is free from nitrates, nitrites, or growth hormones. Volpi Foods is proud to preserve the ancient tradition of dry curing meat by hand, partners only with local farmers to source meat that is Raised Responsibly™ and still operates the oldest salumeria in America. To learn more, visit VolpiFoods.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter.
About Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito Autosport
Jordan Anderson Racing Bommarito AutoSport is a NASCAR team, owned by owner/driver Jordan Anderson and Bommarito Automotive Group President, John Bommarito. Established in 2017 the organization is fueled by an incredible, close-knit team of employees, fans, and sponsors with a focus on integrity in the pursuit of excellence. Our goal is to embrace the journey we’re on and to never give up – whether on the track, in the pits, or in life. Every single team partner, and fan of ours, is what keeps our race cars running strong and our team performing at the highest level.
Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 | Friday, February 14, 2025
FORD UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:
4th – Ty Majeski 7th – Chandler Smith 9th – Jason White 11th – Frankie Muniz 13th – Jake Garcia 17th – Johnny Sauter 18th – Layne Riggs 20th – Josh Reaume 21st – Ben Rhodes 28th – Matt Crafton
BEN RHODES, No. 99 Clark’s/SantaHill Ranch/ToyonRanch Ford F-150 – “Clark’s, SantaHill Ranch, ToyonRanch all came on board to support this race. We had an excellent run for them. It seemed like we could take our Ford F-150 anywhere. It was just super stout. ThorSport gave me an absolute missile. I could do whatever I needed with it. It all came down to the last 20 seconds of the race. Going into turn three, on the backstretch, I was just getting pushed extremely hard. I don’t know, I haven’t seen a replay. I don’t want to make any judgements, but you can only hang on to so much. It’s just physics. The truck gets unloaded and there is only so much you can do with the steering wheel. I spun out but that’s part of Daytona, right? We’ve led a lot of these things coming to the white flag. I never really get excited until the checkered flag drops because I have lost them in turn two leading. I’ve lost them in turn three leading and I’ve lost them across the start-finish line leading so it is just how this goes. One of these days we will get this figured out and bring this home like we should be doing.”
LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Love’s RV Stop Ford F-150 – WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LAST LAP? “I don’t quite know. I need to watch the replay, but me and the 15, which he was about I’d say two or three in front of me, we went down into three and right when we went down into three and loaded into the corner and both spun just out of nowhere. I don’t know if someone was pushing me and then he had a flat tire, or if it was ironic or what, but this is my first speedway race I’ve finished. I got wrecked coming to the checkered, but it was a great day for Front Row Motorsports, Love’s, Ford Performance. Me and Chandler Smith worked really well together and a lot of the ThorSport guys did a really good job of doing a great speedway strategy and sticking together as a team. I’m excited to come back. That was a lot of fun.”
CHANDLER GOT DAMAGE AND YOU WERE PUSHING HIM. DID THAT RUIN YOUR PLAN DOWN THE STRETCH? “Yeah, it really did. His nose was pretty caved in and I was pushing him for all I was worth and we were just getting freight trained on the top. I finally had to kind of shuck him to the bottom. I hated to do that. I wished he was good enough, but luckily he got back in line and ended up having a pretty solid finish. I’ve never really been a fan of speedway races, but I was smiling behind the helmet all night.”
CHANDLER SMITH, No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford F-150 – “That last restart, I worked well with my teammate, but just running through those motions of teammate restarts and stuff like that and we just didn’t execute it great. The Toyotas got lined up and were able to clear us pretty quickly and we came back with a big run down the backstretch. The 15 threw a really bad block and about wrecked the entire field. If it was somebody else, the whole field would have probably wrecked there, but we got really bad front damage from that. That damaged the speed on our truck after that and unfortunately that was about all she wrote. I’m super proud of the effort. I loved working with Layne. That’s what I was most excited about going into the season on these superspeedways is that Layne doesn’t have any bad relationships with teammates in the past because he doesn’t have any. That’s the biggest thing. I told him, ‘You stick with me, I’ll make sure you’re clear and we’ll go to the front every time.’ Just building that trust and Front Row definitely controlled a majority of this race, so I’m proud of everybody. I appreciate Long John Silver’s, our No. 38 F-150 was fast tonight. I think we led the most laps. I’m definitely very, very proud.”
HOW DO YOU FEEL AFTER LAST NIGHT’S WRECK? “I’m sore. I’m beat and ready to go home.”
TY MAJESKI, No. 98 Soda Sense/Curb Records Ford F-150 – “We made a lot of leaps today as a team. This has been a type of racing that has been outside of my comfort zone, so it was good to put some good stages together. We went from the back to the front multiple times, so something that we’ve not been able to do in the past. I’m excited about that and I had fun out there for the first time in a speedway race. It’s a good way to start defending the championship and a good start to our 2025 season.”
FRANKIE MUNIZ, No. 33 The Electric State Ford F-150 – “It was intense. When I caught them, you saw everyone moving around but I was still half throttle. I went to the top; I was trying to push the top but then I went to the middle and then the bottom had a run so I went there. And thankfully I did because it helped us get through. The thing about Daytona, I’m not calling it luck, but you don’t know what the right move is. I’m just so happy especially after the year we had last year, when it felt like getting punched in the gut, it is positive after the race. I feel really good. I am just so ready for next week.”
