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Corey Heim awarded Truck victory at Daytona amid Parker Kligerman’s disqualification

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Corey Heim was awarded the victory in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 14, after Parker Kligerman, the event’s initial winner, was disqualified due to his race-winning entry failing the post-race inspection process.

Earlier, the 34-year-old Kligerman from Westport, Connecticut, muscled ahead of pole-sitter Ben Rhodes and the field on the final lap. Kligerman’s launch to the front was made after he received a strong push from Johnny Sauter through the backstretch during a 12-lap shootout to the finish. Then as a multi-truck wreck ensued exiting the backstretch, Kligerman maintained the lead ahead of Corey Heim just as the event concluded under caution and was left celebrating the biggest victory of his career on the frontstretch.

Following the post-race inspection process, however, Kligerman’s race-winning Henderson Motorsports entry was found to be too low in the rear heights. As a result, Heim, a 22-year-old, Truck Series star from Marietta, Georgia, was promoted to first place and ruled the official winner of the 2025 Truck Series’ season-opening event at Daytona.

With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Ben Rhodes claimed the first Truck Series pole position of the 2025 season after he posted a pole-winning lap at 176.488 mph in 50.995 seconds. Joining Rhodes on the front row was teammate Ty Majeski, who posted his best qualifying lap at 176.439 mph in 51.009 seconds.

Prior to the event, rookies Connor Mosack and Giovanni Ruggiero dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments to their respective entries. Mosack, however, would have his McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet entry taken to the garage due to gearing issues. Jake Garcia also started at the rear of the field due to an unapproved tire change to his entry.

When the 2025 Truck season commenced under green, Ben Rhodes rocketed ahead of the field from the outside lane as he quickly transitioned back to the inside lane in front of teammate Ty Majeski through the first two turns. Rhodes would then transition back to the outside lane and have Grant Enfinger draft him through the backstretch. As the field returned to the frontstretch in two-wide formation, Rhodes led the first lap.

The following lap, Clay Greenfield, who was racing just outside of the top-10 mark, got bumped by Matt Crafton and nearly got sideways just past the frontstretch before he darted his No. 95 Backyard Blues Pools Chevrolet Silverado RST entry off the track and plummeted below the leaderboard entering the first turn. With Greenfield proceeding without drawing a caution, Rhodes retained the lead ahead of Zane Smith as Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt, Majeski and Johnny Sauter followed suit.

Then on the third lap, the event’s first caution flew when Honeycutt, who made a move beneath Rhodes in his bid for the lead exiting the backstretch, got loose and slid in front of Smith entering Turn 4. Honeycutt then spun his No. 45 AutoVentive/Precision Chevrolet Silverado RST entry towards the bottom of the track and hit the frontstretch’s inside wall head-on, which eliminated him from further contention. During the event’s first caution period, some led by Justin Haley pitted while the rest led by Rhodes remained on the track. Amid the pit services, Matt Crafton spent extra time in his pit stall as he had the hood of his No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 entry lifted up.

When the event restarted under green on the ninth lap, Rhodes and Tanner Gray dueled for the lead in front of two-stacked lanes through the first two turns and the backstretch. Rhodes then received a strong push from teammate Johnny Sauter’s No. 66 TSport Ford F-150 entry through the backstretch to muscle ahead of Gray and have both lanes to his control through Turns 3 and 4. Despite Gray fighting back from the inside lane entering the frontstretch, Rhodes managed to lead the Lap 10 mark.

Over the next four laps, Rhodes dueled and fended off Tanner Gray with drafting help from teammate Sauter to muscle ahead, primarily through the straightaways. As Rhodes kept Sauter drafting him from the outside lane, Enfinger would then challenge Rhodes for the top spot from the inside lane prior to Lap 14. Enfinger would receive drafting help from Gray to briefly muscle ahead before Rhodes fought back through the backstretch.

On Lap 14 and amid the battle for the lead, the event’s second caution flew when rookie Toni Breidinger, who was racing within the top-15 mark, briefly got loose underneath Jake Garcia entering Turn 4 and slipped sideways in front of teammate Giovanni Ruggiero. As a result, Breidinger spun below the track and made contact with the frontstretch’s inside wall on the driver’s left side. Amid the contact and flat-spotting her tires, she managed to limp her No. 5 Raising Cane’s Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry back to her pit stall. During the caution period, some including Parker Kligerman, Michael McDowell and Crafton pitted their respective entries while the rest led by Rhodes remained on the track.

With a single lap remaining in the first stage period, the event restarted under green. During the restart, Enfinger received a strong push from Gray entering the first turn to muscle ahead from the inside lane. Enfinger, however, quickly lost the lead to Rhodes as the latter had teammate Sauter drafting him from the outside lane through the backstretch while Enfinger had no drafting help from Gray. As the field fanned out entering the frontstretch, Rhodes and Sauter would transition to the inside lane and fend off late challenges from Enfinger, Chandler Smith and Corey Heim to the start/finish line.

At the first stage’s conclusion on Lap 20, Rhodes captured the first Truck stage victory of the 2025 season. Teammate Sauter settled in second ahead of Enfinger, Smith and Heim while Tanner Gray, Majeski, Daniel Hemric, rookie Andres Perez de Lara and Giovanni Ruggiero were scored in the top 10.

Under the stage break, a majority of the field led by Rhodes pitted while the rest led by Hemric and including Haley and Jack Wood remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, Enfinger exited pit road first as he was followed by Rhodes, Smith, Layne Riggs, Rajah Caruth, Heim, Sauter, Perez de Lara, Majeski and Gray, respectively. Not long after, Rhodes pitted for a second time and had the hood of his No. 99 Clark’s/SantaHillRanch/ToyonRanch Ford F-150 entry raised up. Despite having his front engine diagnosed, Rhodes’ No. 99 crew encountered a hood pin issue, which would result with Rhodes cycling back to his pit stall.

The second stage period started on Lap 25 as Hemric and Haley occupied the front row. At the start, the latter two dueled for the lead entering the first two turns before Haley muscled his No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead from the inside lane. With Garcia drafting Haley on the inside lane, Hemric had teammates Jack Wood and Tyler Ankrum drafting him from the outside lane. Haley would proceed to lead the following lap before he was drawn with Hemric in a side-by-side battle for the lead in front of two stacked lanes.

By Lap 27, the field fanned out to three tight lanes as Parker Kligerman, who led a third lane towards the outside wall, rocketed his No. 75 Spiked Coolers Chevrolet Silverado RST entry to the front through the backstretch with drafting help from Enfinger, Crafton and Riggs. After taking the lead from Haley entering the frontstretch and leading the following lap, Kligerman quickly transitioned from the outside to the inside lane as he moved in front of Haley. Enfinger would then navigate his way past Kligerman for the lead and he proceeded to lead the Lap 30 mark. Meanwhile, Rhodes, who restarted at the rear of the field after having his hood raised up, rocketed his way back towards the front.

By Lap 35, Crafton, who was drafted into the lead a few laps earlier, was out in front of the field as he was followed by teammates Rhodes and Majeski while Riggs tried to ignite a charge from the inside lane. Another two laps later, a majority of the field migrated towards the outside lane and in a long drafted line behind the leader Crafton as Rhodes, Majeski, Smith, Jack Wood, Hemric, Stewart Friesen, Heim, Kligerman and William Sawalich were scored in the top 10.

Then on Lap 38, Friesen broke out of the long formation and tried to ignite a charge from the inside lane with drafting help from Toyota teammates Heim and Sawalich. The following lap, Smith moved in front of Friesen as he tried to ignite a charge while Crafton retained the lead from the outside lane. Entering the frontstretch, however, Crafton and Rhodes switched to the inside lane to stall Smith’s charge. This allowed Crafton to claim the second stage victory on Lap 40. By then, Crafton’s teammates Rhodes and Majeski settled in the top three while Smith, Wood, Friesen, Hemric, Heim, Kligerman and Caruth were scored in the top 10.

During the stage break, a majority of the field led by Smith pitted while the rest led by the top-three ThorSport competitors of Crafton, Rhodes and Majeski remained on the track. Amid the pit stops, Heim exited pit road first as he was followed by Hemric, Enfinger, Sawalich and Tyler Ankrum. Not long after, Crafton and Majeski would be among eight competitors to pit their respective entries, which handed the lead to Heim.

With 55 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Heim and Hemric occupied the front row. At the start, the latter two dueled for the lead until Hemric received a draft from Enfinger on the outside lane to boost ahead entering the backstretch. Heim, however, would receive drafting help from teammate Sawalich exiting the backstretch to challenge Hemric for the lead entering Turns 3 and 4, but the latter received another push from Enfinger entering the frontstretch to lead the following lap.

Through the backstretch, the field fanned out to three tight lanes as Hemric retained the lead in front of Enfinger and the rest of the field. Meanwhile, the ThorSport trio of Crafton, Majeski and Rhodes trailed in 24th through 26th, respectively.

Then on Lap 48, the caution returned when Tyler Ankrum, who was racing in 17th place, quickly dropped off the pace and had smoke coming out of his No. 18 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado RST entry entering the first turn. Amid Ankrum’s issues, where he was spilling oil on the track, Dawson Sutton, who was racing behind Ankrum, slipped sideways behind Ankrum’s smoked truck and spun his No. 26 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet Silverado RST entry below the apron while Ankrum managed to keep his truck racing straight. At the moment of caution, Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs were racing in the top-two spots ahead of Hemric, Heim and Enfinger.

During the caution period, some led by Riggs and including Heim, Sawalich, Friesen, Caruth, Perez de Lara and Tanner Gray pitted while the rest led by Smith remained on the track.

With 45 laps remaining, the event restarted under green. At the start, Smith and Hemric had Kligerman and Enfinger drafting them respectively through the first two turns. Smith would muscle his No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford F-150 entry ahead along with Kligerman from the outside lane through the backstretch before Hemric fought back into the runner-up spot as he zipped by Kligerman. Smith would proceed to lead the following lap as both Kligerman and Hemric dueled for second in front of Enfinger, Haley, Timmy Hill and Jack Wood.

Down to the final 40 laps of the event, Smith, who had dueled with Hemric over the last two of three laps, retained the lead in front of two stacked lanes while Hemric was trying to fend off Timmy Hill, Enfinger and Kligerman with the runner-up spot. Smith would be placed in defensive mode over the next five laps as he transitioned through all lanes to fend off challenges from Enfinger and Hemric through both the outside and inside lane.

Then with 35 laps remaining, a wave of Chevrolet competitors that included Hemric, Kligerman, Caruth, Perez de Lara, Wood, Haley, Bayley Currey and Enfinger pitted their respective entries. In the process, Enfinger got hit in the right rear and was sideways, but he managed to keep his No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet Silverado RST entry racing straight without drawing a caution. Enfinger, however, would be assessed a drive-through penalty for speeding on pit road.

Another lap later, a wave of Toyota competitors pitted while a group of six Ford competitors led by Smith remained on the track. Smith’s lead pack included Rhodes, Michael McDowell, Riggs, Sauter and Garcia while Crafton, Majeski and Greenfield were trying to gain ground on the top-six leaders.

Then with 31 laps remaining, the caution flew when Greenfield, who was racing in ninth place behind Crafton and Majeski, snapped sideways below the track entering Turn 4, spun at the bottom of the track and hit the frontstretch’s inside wall head-on. The latest caution period resulted with a majority of the field, including the Ford competitors led by Smith, pitting. Following the pit stops, Ruggiero cycled into the lead.

The start of the ensuing restart with 25 laps remaining featured Ruggiero and Caruth occupying the front row in front of Tanner Gray, Perez de Lara, Heim and Currey. At the start, Ruggiero launched his No. 17 JBL Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry ahead from the outside lane as he was followed by his three TRICON Garage teammates of Gray, Heim and Sawalich while Caruth was trying to fight back to the front with drafting help from teammate Perez de Lara. As the field fanned out to three-stacked lanes entering the frontstretch, Ruggiero led the following lap as Smith launched a charge to the front with drafting help from teammate Riggs and Hemric towards the outside wall. Smith would then receive a huge push from Riggs’ No. 34 Love’s Ford F-150 entry through the frontstretch to reassume the lead by the following lap.

With 22 laps remaining, Ruggiero tried to duel with Smith from the inside lane, but the momentum remained with Smith from the outside lane as the latter retained the lead. By then, Smith was followed by teammate Riggs, Hemric and Wood in single-line formation. Meanwhile, Ruggiero was leading the inside lane and trying to muscle back to the front with his TRICON teammates with 20 laps remaining.

Shortly after, a tight four-wide action ensued as Ruggiero was pushed below the double yellow line zone by Riggs. With Hemric and Gray navigating their way to the front, Ruggiero was pinned in another four-wide action with teammate Heim, Crafton and Wood within the top-five mark. The field continued to fan out to four-tight lanes as Smith led a four-truck breakaway that included teammate Riggs, Gray and Ruggiero.

Then with 18 laps remaining, the caution flew as a multi-car truck wreck ensued in the backstretch. The wreck occurred when Jack Wood, who was racing outside the top-10 mark, got bumped by the drafting duo of Rhodes and Majeski amid a stack-up with Heim and Kligerman that occurred in front of Wood. As a result, Wood hit the outside wall and Rhodes clipped McDowell as Crafton, Breidinger, Caruth and Nathan Byrd were swept up in the carnage. Within the wreck, McDowell hit the outside wall while Caruth slid his No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry down the track and pounded the outside wall.

Down to the final 12 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Smith briefly launched ahead from the outside lane before Tanner Gray received a push from teammates Ruggiero, Sawalich and Heim to boost ahead from the inside lane through the first two turns. Gray then got loose amid a bump by Ruggiero entering the backstretch, which allowed the latter to assume a lead while also fending off Gray. Ruggiero proceeded to lead the following lap in front of three-stacked lanes and he would be placed on defensive mode to fend off Smith, Gray and Sawalich through the backstretch.

With 10 laps remaining, Heim, who was racing in the top five, made a save from going sideways between the first two turns as he continued to race towards the front. By then, the field continued to fan out to three-stacked lanes as Ruggiero retained the lead over teammate Gray. Shortly after, Ruggiero, the leader, led a long line of competitors racing towards the outside wall while Smith, who had front nose damage, was slowly losing ground of the lead despite being drafted by Riggs. Riggs would then overtake teammate Smith through the backstretch with eight laps remaining and try to mount his own charge to the front in the draft as Ruggiero continued to lead ahead of Gray, Heim, Hemric and Currey with seven laps remaining.

Down to the final five laps of the event, a majority of the field continued to race in single-line formation towards the outside wall as Ruggiero was leading in front of teammates Gray and Heim along with Hemric and Currey. Currey then broke away from the single-line formation and made his move to the inside lane. With a strong draft from Rhodes, Enfinger, Kligerman and Riggs, Currey was drafted into the lead exiting the backstretch. Ruggiero was then shoved out of the draft by teammate Gray and Hemric through Turns 3 and 4, which dropped Ruggiero to within the top-10 mark, as both Currey and Enfinger dueled for the lead through the frontstretch.

The following lap, Enfinger was shoved out of the draft by Gray through the backstretch as Rhodes zipped by Currey to return to the lead with drafting help from Kligerman. With Currey getting shoved out of the draft entering Turn 3, Riggs followed suit in third place while Smith and Gray tried to gain ground on the lead. As the field continued to scramble and fan out towards the front, Rhodes led with three laps remaining.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Rhodes and Kligerman, both of whom began dueled for the lead a lap earlier, were engaged in a side-by-side battle for the lead and in front of three stacked lanes through the frontstretch. Through the first two turns, Sauter mounted a charge from a third drafting lane towards the outside wall, but Kligerman moved up to pick up Sauter’s momentum. As a result, Kligerman boosted himself ahead of Rhodes and the field through the backstretch while Sauter, Majeski and Enfinger tried to follow suit.

Then exiting the backstretch, Rhodes, who was being pushed hard by Riggs and Smith, got loose, veered right and bumped into Gray and Sauter before he proceeded to spin below the track. Soon after, both Gray and Riggs got sideways while trying to straighten their trucks above the apron entering Turn 3. In the ensuing chaos, Riggs lost control and was hit while spinning across Turns 3 and 4 before he collided with Jake Garcia against the wall. Among other competitors who sustained damage from Riggs’ incident included Haley, Hemric, Currey and Smith.

Amid the carnage, the event concluded under caution. By then, Kligerman was ahead of Heim and Ruggiero with the lead and was ruled the winner on the track.

Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Following the celebrations both on the frontstretch and in Victory Lane, Kligerman’s victory was stripped due to his No. 75 Spiked Coolers/Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST entry being deemed too low in the rear heights during the post-race inspection process. With Kligerman demoted to the rear of the field in 36th place, Corey Heim was promoted from the runner-up spot to first place as he was awarded the victory.

As a result, Heim, who finished in the runner-up spot at Daytona a year ago, claimed his 12th Truck Series career victory, his first in the series ever at Daytona and his first series victory since he won at Kansas Speedway during the Round of 10 in the 2024 Playoffs. Heim also became the first full-time series regular to claim an early guaranteed spot towards the 2025 Playoffs with his awarded victory at Daytona.

“It’s certainly not as thrilling as winning the race on the racetrack,” Heim said in the media center. “I’ve been on the wrong side of it several times in my late model career. It’s cool to get a big win like that, I guess. I recall several instances where we think we win the race and then you start seeing everyone huddle up in tech and you’re like, ‘Oh boy,’ and next thing you know, we’re tossed out. It’s cool, especially at Daytona. We’ll take [wins] anyway we can get them. Good start to the year for our TRICON boys. Everyone worked together really well, teammate-wise, to get ourselves in position. I’m glad we could execute on the aftermath.”

Giovanni Ruggiero, Heim’s teammate at TRICON Garage and a Truck Series newcomer, was awarded a strong runner-up finish in his debut while Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger and Justin Haley finished in the top five. Meanwhile, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Jason White, William Sawalich and rookie Frankie Muniz completed the top 10 in the final running order.

Notably, Jake Garcia, Layne Riggs and rookie Andres Perez de Lara, all of whom wrecked on the final lap, ended up 12th to 14th, respectively, while Rhodes, who slid on the final lap, fell back to 20th place. In addition, Sauter ended up in 17th place behind Norm Benning, Tanner Gray fell back to 22nd place, Matt Crafton settled in 27th place in between Michael McDowell and rookie Toni Breidinger.

There were 30 lead changes for different leaders. The race featured eight cautions for 33 laps. In addition, 23 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the first event of the 2025 Craftsman Truck Series season, Corey Heim leads the regular-season standings by three points over Ty Majeski, four over Chandler Smith, eight over Grant Enfinger, 12 over Daniel Hemric and 13 over rookie Giovanni Ruggiero and Ben Rhodes.

Results:

1. Corey Heim, two laps led

2. Giovanni Ruggiero, 11 laps led

3. Ty Majeski

4. Grant Enfinger, seven laps led

5. Justin Haley, two laps led

6. Chandler Smith, 34 laps led

7. Daniel Hemric, seven laps led

8. Jason White

9. William Sawalich

10. Frankie Muniz

11. Timmy Hill

12. Jake Garcia

13. Layne Riggs

14. Andres Perez de Lara

15. Mason Maggio

16. Norm Benning

17. Johnny Sauter

18. Josh Reaume, one lap led

19. Spencer Boyd

20. Ben Rhodes, 22 laps led, Stage 1 winner

21. Bayley Currey

22. Tanner Gray, two laps led

23. Stewart Friesen, one lap down

24. Jack Wood, one lap down

25. Dawson Sutton, two laps down

26. Michael McDowell, two laps down, one lap led

27. Matt Crafton, two laps down, nine laps led, Stage 2 winner

28. Toni Breidinger, four laps down

29. Matt Mills, five laps down

30. Rajah Caruth – OUT, Accident

31. Nathan Byrd – OUT, Accident

32. Connor Mosack, 21 laps down

33. Clay Greenfield – OUT, Accident

34. Tyler Ankrum – OUT, Engine

35. Kaden Honeycutt – OUT, Accident

 36. Parker Kligerman – Disqualified, two laps led

With the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season underway, the next event on the schedule is Atlanta Motor Speedway for the FR8 208. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, February 22, and air at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Ben Rhodes claims first Truck pole of 2025 at Daytona

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Ben Rhodes claimed the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series pole position of the 2025 season for the season-opening Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 14.

Format:

The event’s qualifying format was determined through two rounds. Each round was comprised of a single-lap session for each of the 47 entered competitors. After the first qualifying round, the top 10 fastest qualifiers transferred to the final single-lap round. In the final round, the remaining 10 qualifiers contended for the pole position.

Rhodes, who is campaigning in his 10th consecutive full-time season in the Truck Series, posted the fastest-qualifying lap at 176.232 mph in 51.069 seconds. He was one of 10 competitors to transfer to the event’s final qualifying round.

Final Round:

Rhodes posted a pole-winning lap at 176.488 mph in 50.995 seconds in the final round and claimed the top-starting spot over teammate Ty Majeski. It was his sixth career pole and his first at Daytona.

Rhodes, a two-time Truck Series champion from Louisville, Kentucky, will attempt to join teammate Johnny Sauter, Todd Bodine and Zane Smith as the only competitors to achieve multiple Truck victories at Daytona.

Ty Majeski, Rhodes’ teammate at ThorSport Racing and the reigning series champion, will start on the front row after he posted his best qualifying lap at 176.439 mph in 51.009 seconds. This is the fourth consecutive year that Majeske has started on the front row for the season-opening event at Daytona.

Top 10:

Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger and Jake Garcia will join Rhodes and Majeski in the top five as Chandler Smith, rookie Dawson Sutton, Kaden Honeycutt, Clay Greenfield and Sauter round out the top 10.

Highlights:

Matt Crafton, Tanner Gray, Rajah Caruth, rookie Frankie Muniz, Daniel Hemric, Justin Haley, rookie Andres Perez de Lara, Parker Kligerman, William Sawalich, Layne Riggs, rookie Toni Breidinger, Michael McDowell and rookie Giovanni Ruggiero qualified 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, 26th, 27th, 28th, 31st and 34th, respectively.

Stewart Friesen and Tyler Ankrum will round out the 36-truck field for this year’s season-opening event at Daytona.

Starting Lineup:

With 38-entered competitors vying for 36 starting spots, Justin Carroll and Bryan Dauzat were the two competitors who failed to qualify.

Qualifying position, best speed, best time:

1. Ben Rhodes, 176.488 mph, 50.995 seconds

2. Ty Majeski, 176.439 mph, 51.009 seconds

3. Corey Heim, 175.802 mph, 51.194 seconds

4. Grant Enfinger, 175.476 mph, 51.289 seconds

5. Jake Garcia, 175.292 mph, 51.343 seconds

6. Chandler Smith, 175.247 mph, 51.356 seconds

7. Dawson Sutton, 175.019 mph, 51.423 seconds

8. Kaden Honeycutt, 174.978 mph, 51.435 seconds

9. Clay Greenfield, 174.125 mph, 51.687 seconds

10. Johnny Sauter, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

11. Matt Crafton, 174.927 mph, 51.450 seconds

12. Tanner Gray, 174.903 mph, 51.457 seconds

13. Rajah Caruth, 174.900 mph, 51.458 seconds

14. Frankie Muniz, 174.893 mph, 51.460 seconds

15. Daniel Hemric, 174.849 mph, 51.473 seconds

16. Spencer Boyd, 174.784 mph, 51.492 seconds

17. Justin Haley, 174.679 mph, 51.523 seconds

18. Andres Perez de Lara, 174.652 mph, 51.531 seconds

19. Bayley Currey, 174.507 mph, 51.574 seconds

20. Mason Maggio, 174.473 mph, 51.584 seconds

21. Jack Wood, 174.415 mph, 51.601 seconds

22. Norm Benning, 174.358 mph, 51.618 seconds

23. Parker Kligerman, 174.304 mph, 51.634 seconds

24. Matt Mills, 174.277 mph, 51.642 seconds

25. Nathan Byrd, 174.101 mph, 51.694 seconds

26. William Sawalich, 174.078 mph, 51.701 seconds

27. Layne Riggs, 174.071 mph, 51.703 seconds

28. Toni Breidinger, 174.007 mph, 51.722 seconds

29. Jason White, 173.658 mph, 51.826 seconds

30. Connor Mosack, 173.594 mph, 51.845 seconds

31. Michael McDowell, 173.568 mph, 51.853 seconds

32. Josh Reaume, 173.554 mph, 51.857 seconds

33. Timmy Hill, 172.457 mph, 52.187 seconds

34. Givanni Ruggiero, 167.355 mph, 53.778 seconds

35. Stewart Friesen, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

36. Tyler Ankrum, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds

The 2025 Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway is set to occur on Friday, February 14, and commence a new season of Craftsman Truck Series competition. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

CHEVROLET NCS AT DAYTONA 500: William Byron Post-Practice Quotes

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 – SECOND PRACTICE
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 14, 2025

 In a rain-shortened second practice for the NASCAR Cup Series, defending DAYTONA 500 champion, William Byron, topped the speed chart – clocking in a fastest lap of 46.172 seconds, at 194.923 mph, in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Byron met with the media following the practice session to discuss the team’s week thus far.

Media Availability Quotes:

At the end of the Duel, you said that you were worried about your car maybe overheating. It sounds like they made a lot of changes and you might go out on low fuel just to see if you had any issues. I’m curious if you did and if you had any issues..

“Yeah, we didn’t have any issues. But yeah, it was just a weird sort of fuel pressure situation going on, so we just had to — I think the No. 84 (Jimmie Johnson) had the same thing. So just trying to figure that out and I feel like we got it resolved. I feel good about that. We were able to run just some single laps by ourselves the last eight or 10 laps, and we had no issues or signs of it. So hopefully, fingers-crossed, that doesn’t show up on Sunday. Definitely did a lot of systems checks and kind of went through everything; changed some things on the car to make sure it didn’t happen.”

Knowing now, particularly with the start time moving up a little bit, that the conditions you guys just experienced will probably be closer to what the end of the race will bring Sunday. How much were you able to learn in that Chevy draft pack you guys had there in practice, as far as moves you could make and things you might want to put in the back of your mind come Sunday afternoon?

“Yeah, I mean that’s what’s tough about practice nowadays. Nobody really practices super hard, so it’s really just having a couple of pushes – I got a few pushes from Chase (Elliott) and we were able to kind of set a gap and get some fast pushes. We were making some fast laps, so the pace was up. That was great to see because if you’re out there a second off the pace, it’s not really super indicative. It did feel like a lot of the changes we made to our car were directionally great. The car was a bit of a handful in the Duel obviously and a lot of that was just because of what we did to qualify. I feel like we kind of got back to our race setup and our normal stuff, and everything felt great. Just optimistic, really. I think this is a lot better car than I had here last year, just being our primary and having some speed on our side, hopefully. I’m excited. But yeah, practice is not really a full routine, per say. You don’t get a full judge of what your car can do.”

Are there any parallels between the feel that you had in last year’s car that you won with and the car that you have here this weekend?

“Well, yeah.. I mean last year, we just kind of made the best with the backup car situation. I feel like the backup cars have come a long way since then. We didn’t really have the most speed, but we were in just good positions and we handled well through the race. I feel like this car has a lot more speed. I’m just excited and optimistic for that because I think that’s going to help us a lot in the race.”

You still have a career ahead of you, but how important was it to get the DAYTONA 500 victory out of the way early?

“Well yeah.. I mean, I hope so, right? I hope I do this for years. I feel like I’m just starting to kind of get a rhythm and a routine. Everything has really fallen into place. It’s nice to get a win like that for sure, but there’s still a lot of things we want to accomplish; try to win a lot more races and everything like that. It just starts with your process and I feel like this week’s been a good process. We’ve done everything we need to do to get to this point. It’s just one more practice and then the race is super long, so just have to get through the stages and get to the end of the race. But yeah, last year was great and it gives you confidence. It makes things a little bit easier, for sure.”

Because of the pace of the NASCAR schedule, does winning the DAYTONA 500 really change your life like a lot of people would think it would?

“Yeah, it does. Like when people refer to that, you know friends of yours or just people you meet, it does. It was a really unique win in that sense. But for me personally, no.. I mean I was the same person, I feel like, and just getting through the rest of the season. There’s still a lot of races left to win and compete. It is tough as a competitor because you have a lot more to go do, but off the track, I think it’s very different for sure.”

It seems like you feel really good about things for Sunday. Do you feel more optimistic, more confident maybe, this year going into it than you have in past years?

“Yeah, I think the week has been a lot less chaotic. I mean, I would say a lot of times I’ve been down here, I’ve crashed in the Duel or had something happen during the week that is not ideal. We’re starting closer to the front, which hopefully makes the beginning of the race easier. My car feels faster and more comfortable than I’ve probably ever had here. That’s just teamwork – working on the things we need to have a good handling car and fast car. That’s just been years in the making, really. So far, so good. We’re kind of checking all the boxes that we’ve tried to check coming here. It feels great. You never know how the race is going to play out, but yeah I have really good vibes for Sunday, for sure.”

Did you see the Gibbs cars on pit road and the little iPad? What did you think about that?

“Yeah, I saw the clip and I sent it to be crew chief (laughs). It looked nifty by them, for sure.. pretty crafty. I’m surprised, I guess. Just never thought about that one. But yeah, it looks really cool. So, you know, it’s a copycat sport, right? I’m sure you’ll see more of it, if it works well. Right now for us, I think we’ve got a good system, but who knows, right? If we figured that out, it might be better. But so far, it’s not looking like a huge advantage or anything. It’s just more accurate, probably.”

How could it be better for the system that you have?

“Just taking the human error out of it, right? Like right now, you’re just up there with a stopwatch and it’s radio comms. So taking the whatever – there might be a delay of him telling me to go versus seeing a light. It’s just taking human error out of it, but it’s also just faster because you’re seeing it in front of you instead of hearing it.”

I’m sure you guys discuss every single possibility. The DVP policy and being toed back.. obviously the Talladega race in the playoffs, there were 23 cars in a wreck. This race last year had 23 cars. What kind of discussions have you had with your guys on what could be done in a situation like that, or how do you address if you have to be in something like that and trying to get a tow truck back?

“Yeah, that’s one of those details that I’ll just have to go over with Rudy (Fugle). I don’t know a whole lot about it. All I know right now is if you’re towed back, you can go behind the wheel into that designated area and work on the car. Hopefully for us, we won’t have that anytime soon. I guess the good thing is that at another race track where you feel like you could have kept going in the race, like you can keep making laps and maybe learn something. These cars are really tough, so if you can change the rear suspension or something and go back out, you could finish the race. That’s all I really know right now.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Zane Smith Posts Fastest Ford Lap in Friday’s Daytona Cup Practice

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Daytona 500 Practice | Friday, February 14, 2025

Zane Smith, driver of the No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports, had the fastest single lap speed for Ford in today’s only NASCAR Cup Series practice session at Daytona International Speedway. He met with members of the media to discuss that and how his team has recovered from Thursday’s Duel accident.

ZANE SMITH, No. 38 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang Dark Horse – HOW IS YOUR CAR AFTER THE DAMAGE FROM LAST NIGHT? ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR? “In qualifying and I guess our little practice we had to start the weekend I immediately had speed. Unfortunately, last night we blew a right-front. I must have run something over. I know we were the first cars on track with the storms that came through, so that was a major bummer because I guess the two or three laps I had before that I was pretty happy with my car and then it just came out of nowhere, and then unfortunately had too much damage to continue. That was probably a blessing in disguise with just how crazy it got, but when we were first diagnosing the car it sounded like a backup just with the amount of things that were bent. Then we were having conversations about where our backup would have been our Atlanta primary and how crazy Sunday is gonna get and you don’t want to dig yourself too big of a hole to start the year, so we kind of dug in deeper looking at our car and realized it was definitely fixable. We went out with probably a group of, I guess all of Penske, the FRM teammates and had some Chevys tag along and it drove fine. No issues at all. I was a little worried. I was hoping to kind of do a single car run, one or two laps by myself in case something was gonna fall off, but I was put right in the middle of 12 or so, hence probably the lap time we put down, but everything was good. I’m happy about that and excited for Sunday.”

HOW BENEFICIAL IS IT TO GET THAT SAME CAR INTO THAT SITUATION IMMEDIATELY TO SEE WHAT OR DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT TO YOU RIGHT OFF THE BAT? “We’ve joked around since we’ve been here. I think I’ve had like a grand total of six to eight laps, so it was good to get out there and see what it’s actually gonna feel like in a pack kind of being pushed and just in a group of cars. I also have a new spotter this year, so just learning each other’s language, and then the little things of just practicing your lights on pit road, trying to execute a braking marker for a green flag stop, whatever you can do in the amount of time in practice that we get. It was great to have our Speedy Cash Ford back to where it was and ready to go.”

IS THERE CONCERN FOR YOU AT ALL ABOUT MAYBE SOME UNKNOWNS AS FAR AS WHAT YOU NEED IN A BIGGER DRAFT COME SUNDAY? “No, I’m ready to go. I wish we were racing tonight, but I feel good about it. Like I said, I kind of got a little taste of it to knock the rust off from the offseason to start the Duel, but the FRM cars on superspeedways are fast and Ryan brings a great Ford, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”

IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE ONE MANUFACTURER IS DOMINATING THIS WEEK. IS THERE ONE YOU FEEL YOU HAVE TO BEAT THIS YEAR? “It’s gonna be crazy, obviously, so it’s anybody’s race, but from a manufacturer side I’m excited to be back working with Fords. They have a lot of success on the superspeedways and I think it just shows from how well they work together, and I think their bumpers line up pretty well. They can give a good push, take a good push and that’s what’s important.”

DO YOU WANT TO PRACTICE TOMORROW? “I hope so. I’m bored to death. I would love to get a few more laps. I think I’m now at a total of 20 laps or so that I’ve had here, so it’s been a long Speedweeks. I would assume so, maybe just a single car run or something, but I’m good with whatever.”

Toyota GAZOO Racing – NCS Daytona Quotes – John Hunter Nemechek – 02.14.25

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Toyota GAZOO Racing – John Hunter Nemechek
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2025) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver John Hunter Nemechek was made available to the media on Friday after practice for the Daytona 500.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Did you feel like your car was as good as your teammates?

“I didn’t like the way, necessarily, that our car drove last night to be completely honest with you. We made a lot of changes. We were able to look at the 43’s (Erik Jones) set-up and kind of go more that direction of what he had. He was probably the best car out of our group last night in the Duels. Definitely fought some things handling wise on my end, but after practice today, you are only with six or seven cars there – what we were drafting with. It is a little different than a full pack setting, but I feel better today after the adjustments that we made, so hopefully that is a good thing for condition wise where we are going to racing with on Sunday.”

Can you talk about your thoughts on what the Joe Gibbs Racing teams did on pit road last night?

“The first time I saw it was on broadcast – they were showing it right before practice today. I was like dang, that is pretty neat. That is pretty cool. A moment of that situation – you are coming down for fuel, the crew chief and the fueler kind of know how much time that he needs to be plugged in and how much fuel is going to dump in the race car – and let’s say four seconds of fuel. As a driver, if you know that information, you are kind of anticipating it once you stop – and you are kind of counting in your head – one, two, three, four – and getting ready for the launch, and then waiting for the crew chief to say go, go, go, go or whatever it may be terminology wise. Sometimes it feels way longer than four seconds – sometimes it doesn’t. I think the process and the procedure is really neat. It is just a matter of I guess timing that out from when he actually plugs in and getting enough fuel in the car. It is a really neat idea in my opinion, but it is risk versus reward as well. I don’t know. I think it is going to see almost every team look into now that it is out there. Who does it on Sunday, or who tries again on Sunday? I’m not sure, but it’s not bulletproof yet, I would say.”

So, are you looking back at the fueler on a fuel only stop?

“Yeah. For sure. You are looking in the left side mirror or in your rear view camera – waiting for him to kind of shake his head and get back to the gas and go.”

Have you discussed the new DVP policy?

“I definitely think it’s something that teams discuss internally on if it’s going to be faster to try and make it back to pit road or if it’s going to be faster to go straight to the garage and try and fix it. You’re going to have to be very descriptive of what is damaged in my opinion and what you feel in the race car to be able to – you can’t see it, right? Especially sitting on the back stretch here. Like if you wreck back there and you’re down low the spotter can’t see it. The only thing you’re really going to see is what’s being broadcasted through the TV. There’s not going to be a lot there. So, a driver is definitely going to have to describe what he’s feeling and what he feels like is broken or damaged. Then it’s going to be up to the crew chief and the team to figure out where they want to go whether that’s pit road or the garage.”

Is their one manufacturer that you feel like you have to beat?

“I don’t necessarily think so. Both Chevy and Ford and in my case, relatively the Toyota’s haven’t qualified very well in the past superspeedway races, but the 19 (Chase Briscoe) is super fast and the 20 (Christopher Bell) and 11 (Denny Hamlin) seem like they have good speed as well. I feel like all of our Toyota teammates are pretty good in the draft as well with Bubba (Wallace) winning last night and Erik (Jones) coming really close. I feel like the Toyotas are strong, but come Sunday it’s going to be a mix I feel like among manufacturers for sure. Fords are good, Chevys are good. I feel like this year the playing field is relatively equal.”

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.

New NASCAR Xfinity Series Journey for Greg Van Alst Begins at Daytona International Speedway

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: The offseason is officially over, and former ARCA | CRA Series champion Greg Van Alst is ready to get down to business and have a successful NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Sat., Feb. 15, 2025.

The United Rentals 300 is the debut of Van Alst at Daytona in NASCAR competition. Still, two years ago, in 2023, the likable driver from Anderson, Ind., delivered the ultimate underdog story, taking a nearly all-volunteer group to Victory Lane in the ARCA Menards Series season-opener outdueling some of the sport’s powerhouse entries and superspeedway masters at the iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway.

With his ARCA Menards Series team handed off to a new owner during the offseason, Van Alst has spent the nearly three-month break getting mentally and physically active ahead of an aggressive 18-race schedule with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team.

Knowing the components of what it takes to deliver under the pressure of the “World Center of Racing,” Van Alst believes his team can be competitive and contend for a strong finish.

“The competition is great in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, so I’m preparing myself for every situation possible on Saturday afternoon,” said Van Alst. “I know what it takes to be successful at Daytona, and I’ve certainly endured and embraced the positives and negatives, but I believe that our No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen team can show up and surprise some people.

“Having good track position for the start of the race will allow us to shine, but no matter where we start on Saturday afternoon, I believe that our car will be strong enough to stay in the lead draft and execute moves that will keep us a contender.

“Joey (Gase, co-team owner) showcased what the team was capable of last spring at Talladega, even though he ended up sideways coming to the checkered flag. He was running inside the top five, and then aggression took over, and Joey ended up on the wrong side of it. Our team has the confidence knowing they’ve been to the front before, and we can get back there again.”

Van Alst looks forward to working with his co-owner Gase, who will pilot a second Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen entry.

“I’m looking forward to working with Joey throughout the race,” Van Alst explained. “We both know the importance of the draft and when we need to execute a plan to get us to the finish. I hope we can stay close together and use our experience to carry our team to a strong start.”

Beginning at Daytona and throughout the 2025 Xfinity season, Van Alst’s No. 35 Chevrolet will carry continued support from Anderson, Ind.-based CB Fabricating.

Headquartered in Anderson, Ind., CB Fabricating offers a complete list of fabricating from design, laser cutting, CNC punching, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly.

Nestled in Van Alst’s hometown, CB Fabricating’s partnership will continue for a fifth consecutive season.

“Chris is always fond of coming to Daytona,” added Van Alst. “This year, it’s on a larger pedestal, and he’s been smiling for weeks, ready to get back on track and see what we can accomplish with our new team.

“I’m excited to have his support and ready to deliver him results.”

In addition to CB Fabricating, Van Alst and his No. 35 team welcome Access Pro, CBT (Car Boat Truck) Detail, East Coast Diesel & Marine, Florida Quick Steel LLC., Mid-Florida Aluminum & Rescreens, Phil’s Heating and Cooling, Top Choice Fence and Vern’s Concrete as associate marketing partners for the first of two NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona this season.

“It’s great and even overwhelming to have so much support from the state of Florida,” thanked Van Alst.

“I’ve been fortunate to welcome new support while continuing to embrace our returning partnerships. I owe to them to go out there on Saturday and leave nothing on the table.”

In Friday afternoon’s lone NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, Van Alst delivered the 39th fastest lap.

Since 2002, Van Alst has 53 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, one win, five top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.

For more on Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen, please like them on Facebook (Joey Gase Motorsports) and follow them on Instagram (@joeygasemotorsports) and X | Twitter (@J_G_Motorsports).

For more on Greg Van Alst and Greg Van Alst Motorsports, please visit GregVanAlst.com, like them on Facebook (Van Alst Motorsports) and follow him on X | Twitter (@GregVanAlst35).

The United Rentals 300 (120 laps | 300 miles) is the first of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 5:00 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Lone Star Racing Looks Ahead to Final Four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Rounds After Competitive Rolex 24 and Productive Sebring Test

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  • No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Team and Co-Drivers Dan Knox, Scott Andrews and Eric Filgueiras Participate in Official IMSA Testing This Week at Sebring International Raceway in Preparation for Next Month’s 12 Hours of Sebring
  • Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) SPARK Interns Live and Learn with Lone Star Racing for 24 Hours and More at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (February 14, 2025) – A competitive Rolex 24 At Daytona and productive two-day Official IMSA Test this week at Sebring International Raceway have bolstered the positive outlook the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 team and co-drivers Dan Knox, Scott Andrews and Eric Filgueiras have heading into the final four rounds of this year’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) GT Daytona (GTD) Championship.

The team and its driver trio put in two full days and one night of testing Tuesday and Wednesday in the IMSA test at Sebring International Raceway in preparation for the next round of both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMEC GTD at the 73rd running of the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 12 – 15.

January’s Rolex 24 opener came to an unfortunate end after the No. 80 team and drivers battled at the front of the GTD pack for more than half the race, but the overall competitive and race-leading run at Daytona – combined with the gains from the Sebring work this week – give Lone Star plenty to build on ahead of its second 12 Hours of Sebring.

“We’ve got a great start here,” said Knox, Lone Star Racing team owner and driver. “It’s a good building block to start the season. We’ve still got some work to do to be where we want to be. We’re still not quite there but we’ll get there. We’ve always managed to get to the top with one of the fastest cars. We’re close. We’ve just got a few more things to work out. For me, a lot of it is just getting used to the car again. It’s been over a year since I’ve driven a GT3. I’ve been driving GT2 and GT4 Mercedes-AMGs the last couple of years, and just how much more grip and downforce the GT3 is something to relearn, but I’m getting there and am excited about it.”

Lone Star is contesting the IMEC GTD Championship – which awards the top performers in the year’s five endurance races – for the second straight year with first time IMSA endurance race drivers Knox and Filgueiras joining returning team pro Andrews in the No. 80 Mercedes-AMG GT3. The trio was joined by Mercedes-AMG driver Ralf Aron for the Daytona opener.

Shaking off some procedural and competition related penalties early in the Rolex 24 on Saturday, solid stints at the wheel by all four drivers put the No. 80 back on the lead lap and soon battling for the GTD lead as Midnight approached. Andrews and Filgueiras each stepped up to lead race laps early Sunday morning as the No. 80 stayed in GTD contention throughout the night.

Andrews and Aron traded off driving stints at Daytona while running in the GTD top three as Sunday dawned, but disaster hit during a crowded restart just past 8 a.m. EST as the field raced into Turn 1. Andrews got caught up in a multi-car incident and limped the damaged No. 80 back to the pits. The Lone Star Racing team repaired the right rear suspension on the No. 80 to get the car back in the race several laps down but voluntarily withdrew later on Sunday morning with no realistic chance of gaining any significant finishing positions in the GTD field. The final results listed the No. 80 in 14th place in GTD running order.

Lone Star Racing is run by longtime Team Manager and Technical Director AJ Petersen.

“We’re just working hard,” Petersen said. “In Daytona, we had a fast car. We had some hiccups in the race but we battled through them. Running at the front legitimized what we did last year. It wasn’t a fluke. We’re just continuing to build on everything. We have a really nice, tight small team and we’re all driven to reach the same goal. As cliche as all that stuff is, that’s what we’re doing and you can feel it. We’re all excited about this year. Dan’s driving great. Scott and Eric are good teammates, and it was great to have Ralf join us at Daytona to help us get off to the competitive start. They work well together and complement each other, there’s nothing but optimism here.”

Professional driver Andrews has been a fixture at Lone Star Racing in both GT3 and GT4 competition in recent IMSA seasons. He is the only returning driver from last year’s Rolex 24 and IMEC GTD debuting team that co-drove to a respectable eighth-place showing for Lone Star at Daytona . Andrews also won his and Lone Star’s first IMSA pole position in the No. 80 in 2024’s season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

“The Daytona pace was really, really good, and we worked well as a unit,” Andrews said. “Racing stuff happens, so just put it behind us and move onto the next race. The two days at Sebring this week were really positive here. We learned a lot with the car. We can take what we learned into March and fight for a podium in the 12 Hour. All of the teams are doing well, and we’re all relatively close to each other. It’s really going come down to who leads going into the last 40 minutes and who doesn’t make any mistakes throughout the race. The new torque sensors take a lot of work but have brought the racing a little bit closer. It’s definitely evens out the playing field a little bit. The Lone Star team is able to adapt, which we’ve been able to do, and it helps really, really well.”

Florida-native Filgueiras co-drove with Steven McAleer to the 2023 GT World Challenge GT3 Pro Championship and now made his IMSA WeatherTech debut at the “World Center of Racing” with Lone Star. He has even more experience on the legendary 3.74-mile Sebring circuit where he has won in both GT3 and GT4 competition, including a GT4 America sweep last year.

“From a performance standpoint, Daytona checked all the boxes for us,” Filgueiras said. “It was everything we would have wanted. Even though it wasn’t the result we would have hoped for, it left us with a really promising idea of how we can come to the 12 Hours of Sebring. I consider Sebring more of my home track from a driving standpoint than Daytona because we don’t get to Daytona very often. I’ve spent a ton of time at Sebring, not only coaching but also racing in the past in in GT3 and GT4 and have won in those categories. That gives me a lot of confidence coming into it, as well the fact I love the track. It’s a challenge, and the 12 Hours of Sebring is just a classic staple of endurance racing. It’s the fan turnout, it’s everything that makes the 12 Hours of Sebring what it is and the Sebring track what it is. I’m just so excited about it.”

Estonian Aron joined Knox and Filgueiras in making his Rolex 24 debut at Daytona. He has been part of the Mercedes-AMG junior driver roster since 2023.

“The Daytona result was very, very bittersweet, but I know everybody’s happy that we got to prove what we could do,” Aron said. “But to be honest, the first time I sat in the car in December, I came out smiling because I knew what we could do. Lone Star Racing has done a great job, the car is mega, and also a big thanks to Mercedes-AMG as well. Definitely, we were the manufacturer that needed to catch up on the new torque sensors and the guys basically pulled a miracle because we were super competitive in the race and had cars fighting for the wins to the end. I was just really happy to be there and super happy I got the opportunity. I mean, we were flying on track. We were in the lead pack in the fight for the win, which is all I wanted. Sometimes things go like this and unfortunate events happen. I guess we just move on and hopefully I get invited back here. I am looking forward to watching what our Lone Star Racing teammates are going to accomplish this season in the remainder of the endurance cup.”

Next up for Lone Star Racing in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition is the 73rd running of the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 12 – 15, at Sebring International Raceway.

Noteworthy

  • For the second-straight year, Lone Star Racing called on the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America’s SPARK program for both some needed manpower and to give something back to the motorsports community while competing in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. SPARK stands for “Students Preserving American Racing Knowledge” and is the Hall’s student education program that guides high school, trade school and college-age aspirants to careers in motorsports. After SPARK student Parker Rossman, then a Senior at North Florida University in Jacksonville, embedded with Lone Star at last year’s Rolex 24, the team doubled up on SPARK interns this year. A pair of 18-year-olds from Tampa, Michael Mitchell – a Senior at H.B. Plant High School – and Tyson Boyd – a Senior attending Robinson High School – worked with the Lone Star Racing from early Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. The students were primarily assigned to assist the team’s tire specialist put in well over 24 straight hours of paddock and pitside work on race day.

“It was fun running the tires all over the place,” said Mitchell, who aspires to be an aerospace engineer but has an eye on the aerodynamics of cars. “Taking the old tires over to Michelin and having the new tires put on and then taking them back. It’s like following the entire life span of the tire. That was really cool. It was pretty demanding. I got about five minutes of sleep on some tires and 10 minutes in a chair as we were really up for close to 36 hours. SPARK is just an amazing program, this has been one of the most amazing opportunities I’ve ever been given, and it’s been a blast. It’s been great.”

Both SPARK students helped the Lone Star crew get the No. 80 back on track after Sunday morning’s incident.

“They put this special duct tape called Bear Bond on the car and patched it right up,” said Boyd, who wants a career in motorsports engineering but would also like to drive in competition someday. “They had heat guns covering up the side pod. There was a huge crack in the side of the door, there was a hole in our radiator and a chunk out of the front wing. We just took that tape, patched it up, cleaned the car and sent him back out there. I would love to be a race car driver on this track one day and become an engineer in aerodynamics or any way of modeling parts to take a different approach and philosophy in how to sculpt a car to be the most efficient at cutting through the air.”

  • Knox took his first laps at Sebring this week since his only previous experience on the track over a decade ago in the Viper Racing League. “Not much has changed in 13 years,” Knox said. “It’s still very rough. Bumpy. In 13 years, I’ve done a lot, so getting back and remembering the track was a little mixed. Some of it I remembered, some of it I didn’t, but I got up to speed really quick and I’m ready to go.” About Lone Star Racing: Based at Motorsport Ranch within the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area in Cresson, Texas, Lone Star Racing is competing in the No. 80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the 2025 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Lone Star Racing and its team members have won races across North America spanning sprint and endurance racing formats. The crew has worked together on many different teams and various types of cars, developing a strong bond and proven capability that gives them a competitive and winning advantage. Lone Star Racing competes with the support of primary partner ACS Manufacturing, Inc. (www.ACSManufacturing.com). Look for Lone Star Racing and team owner/driver Dan Knox on Facebook and follow the team on YouTube at Lone Star Racing, on Twitter and Instagram at @LSRTeam and on the official team web site at www.LoneStarRacingTeam.com.

NASCAR Moves Up Start of DAYTONA 500

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Official Release
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Start of 67th running of The Great American Race moved up one hour to 1:30 p.m. ET

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2025) – Due to potential weather forecasted for the Daytona Beach area late Sunday, NASCAR today announced the DAYTONA 500 will move up one hour from its originally scheduled time to now begin at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Gates and hospitality will now open at 9 a.m. ET, and the Hard Rock Bet Fanzone will open at 8:30 a.m. ET. Parking lots will open at 6 a.m. ET.

Due to increased security measures, Daytona International Speedway encourages all attendees to arrive early for the event. Please be aware that traffic may be unpredictable, so allow extra time for potential delays. Additionally, expect longer lines at the entry gates because of enhanced screening processes.

Fans in attendance will still get to enjoy the pre-race performance by Pitbull and the pageantry of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performing the flyover at the conclusion of the National Anthem.

Fans can find additional schedule details for pre-race festivities in the fan guide at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

The original broadcast networks remain unchanged. The DAYTONA 500 will be live on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Suburban Propane and NASCAR Unveil Propane-Powered Track Dryer at the DAYTONA 500

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2025) – Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, today joined forces with NASCAR to unveil a propane-powered track dryer at the iconic DAYTONA 500. This innovative solution will complement NASCAR’s current track drying efforts and help get race cars back on the track as quickly as possible.

The utilization of propane in this dryer is more fuel efficient than diesel or gasoline, and results in less overall pollutants. This aligns with NASCAR’s work towards optimizing its operations and building a healthier race track environment.

“The partnership between NASCAR and Suburban Propane will enhance the fan experience by providing reliable, convenient propane services at our tracks,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR Executive Vice President, Chief Partnership and Licensing Officer. “Whether it’s fueling the campgrounds or helping get race cars back on the track, Suburban Propane helps ensure NASCAR fans stay powered up through the race weekend.”

Suburban Propane’s role extends beyond the track dryer. As the Official Propane of NASCAR, the company powers concession stands, ensuring fans enjoy their favorite foods and beverages with seamless, reliable, and cleaner energy. Additionally, Suburban Propane supports the energy needs of campgrounds, providing NASCAR’s dedicated fan base with the propane they need to cook, heat, and celebrate race weekend in comfort.

“Our partnership with NASCAR is a natural fit,” says Nandini Sankara, Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy, and Spokesperson, Suburban Propane. “Propane is a quiet, yet dependable contributor to race day, providing consistent, versatile, and clean energy solutions that touch nearly every aspect of the event. From drying the track to fueling the fan experience, we’re proud to power the passion that makes the NASCAR experience a truly extraordinary event.”

The DAYTONA 500 serves as the perfect stage to showcase this innovation. As the season opener and the biggest event in motorsports, the race brings together millions of fans to celebrate the speed, skill, and strategy that define the sport.

About Suburban Propane:

Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (“Suburban Propane”) is a publicly traded master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, Suburban Propane has been in the customer service business since 1928 and is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas (“RNG”), fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and producer of and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, servicing the energy needs of approximately 1 million residential, commercial, governmental, industrial and agricultural customers through approximately 700 locations across 42 state.

Suburban Propane is supported by three core pillars: (1) Suburban Commitment – showcasing Suburban Propane’s almost 100-year legacy, an ongoing commitment to the highest standards for dependability, flexibility, and reliability that underscores Suburban Propane’s commitment to excellence in customer service; (2) SuburbanCares – highlighting continued dedication to giving back to local communities across Suburban Propane’s national footprint; and (3) Go Green with Suburban Propane – promoting the clean burning and versatile nature of propane and renewable propane as a bridge to a green energy future and investing in the next generation of innovative, renewable energy alternatives.

For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit www.suburbanpropane.com.

About NASCAR:

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 14 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR sanctions races in three national series (NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series™), four international series (NASCAR Brasil Series, NASCAR Canada Series, NASCAR Euro Series, NASCAR Mexico Series), four regional series (ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East & West and the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour) and a local grassroots series (NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in five cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races annually in 11 countries and more than 30 U.S. states.For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.

Young’s Motorsports Daytona International Speedway February Team Preview

By
Official Release
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Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series
Daytona International Speedway | Fresh From Florida 250

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Nathan Byrd

Primary Partner(s): Sonesta International Hotels

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

2025 Driver Points Position: N/A

2024 Owner Points Position: 33rd

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

● Welcome Back: The 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season is here and Young’s Motorsports is proud to welcome back Nathan Byrd to command the team’s flagship No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Friday night’s Fresh From Florida 250.

The season-opening race will mark Byrd’s inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series track debut at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

● About Nathan: Byrd, 24, began racing go-karts in 2018, just after graduating High School, and he entered his first car race in February 2020.

Since then, the Goodyear, Ariz. native has raced over 30 types of cars in 348 total races at 67 different race tracks, effectively becoming one of the most diverse and interesting race car drivers in the world.

Completing more than 300 races in the first four years of his career, Byrd is no stranger to piloting race cars.

In 2024, the Indianapolis, Ind. resident turned his attention to NASCAR. He successfully made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Portland International Raceway and delivered a respectable 21st-place finish for DGM Racing.

In September, Byrd made his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series debut at Kansas Speedway, earning a respectable 19th-place finish after starting 32nd.

● All-Aboard!: For the first of 25 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, Sonesta International Hotels will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST for the 100-lap race on Friday night.

Sonesta International Hotels is an American hotel company with an ever-growing portfolio of hotel brands in eight countries and three continents.

As the eighth largest hotel company in the world with 1100+ properties, they have a room or suite perfect for every individual and occasion.

● Nathan Byrd Truck Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Friday night’s Fresh From Florida 250 will mark Byrd’s first career Truck Series start at the iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway nestled in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Fresh From Florida 250 officially kicks off the 2025 NASCAR season with the first points-paying race of the season. It also serves as part of a tripleheader weekend with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series.

The Truck Series set the tone for a massive weekend of racing in the Sunshine State with 100 laps under the lights, eyeing one of the biggest trophies of the race season at the “World Center of Racing.”

The next afternoon, the Xfinity Series will have their opportunity for a nail-biting 120 laps to determine the first driver and team eligible for the 2025 Playoffs with the United Rentals 300.

On Sunday, February 16, the NASCAR Cup Series will have its shot at commencing its 2025 season with the 67th annual running of the Daytona 500.

Daytona International Speedway marks the first of an expanded 2025 Truck Series schedule, which increases its season by two races from the 2024 calendar.

● Nathan Byrd Truck Series Career Stats: Entering Daytona, Byrd, since 2024, has three career Truck Series starts with an average finish of 24.7.

The popular driver made his Truck Series debut for the family-owned team at Kansas Speedway in September, finishing an impressive 19th. He returned to the team in October at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway before drawing the curtain on the 2024 season by participating in the year’s final race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 21st NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of fourth with Truck Series veteran Spencer Boyd at the wheel in the 2019 NextEra Energy Resources 250 on February 15, 2019.

Since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 20.9 and an average finish of 16.7 in 20 Daytona International Speedway starts overall.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., – based organization has logged 509 starts from 70 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.2 and an average finishing position of 22.2.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Nathan Byrd, please visit byrdracing.com, like him on Facebook (Nathan Byrd), and follow him on Instagram (@nathanjbyrd) and X |Twitter (@nathanjbyrd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Nathan Byrd Pre-Race Quote:

On Daytona International Speedway: “I’m excited to be racing my very first superspeedway race this Friday night at Daytona! There will be a lot of firsts, and I’m excited to learn the craft of superspeedway racing as quickly as possible.

“I’m a little nervous because of all the unknowns, but I’m doing my best to prepare for it all and can’t thank all of our partners and the Young’s Motorsports team enough for the opportunity.”

On Goals for Daytona International Speedway: “My primary goal for Friday is to finish the race first, which I think will be huge. I also want to continue improving on pit lane and progress on that front because that will translate to the rest of my races this year.

“My final goal will be just to continue to learn as much as I can and quickly build my trust with the truck and with my spotter and team, who will be guiding me throughout the race.”

Race Information:

The Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps | 250 miles) is the first of 25 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races on the 2025 schedule. Qualifying is set for race day, Friday, Feb. 14, starting at 3:00 p.m. The 36-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series

Daytona International Speedway | United Rentals 300

Fast Facts

No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Anthony Alfredo

Primary Partner(s): DUDE Wipes

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2025 Driver Points Position: N/A

2024 Owner Points Position: 27th

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Notes of Interest:

● New Faces, New Places: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced that NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran driver Anthony Alfredo would join the team full-time for its sophomore season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race season beginning with Saturday afternoon’s United Rentals 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

● About Anthony: A popular driver, Alfredo, a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, joins Young’s Motorsports with an array of Motorsports experience, including starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, respectively.

The 2025 season will mark Alfredo’s fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, and he joins the Mooresville, N.C.-based team after spending the 2024 season with Our Motorsports.

The 25-year-old finished the 2024 Xfinity season 15th in the championship driver standings, collecting an Xfinity Dash 4 Cash win at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway and adding two more top-fives and seven top-10s to his impressive statistics in 118 career Xfinity Series starts.

● All-Aboard!: For the first of 33 NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, DUDE Wipes will serve as the primary marketing partner on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 120-lap race on Saturday afternoon.

DUDE Wipes is the flagship product of DUDE Products, a men’s hygiene company that was founded in 2012 by lifelong friends in Chicago.

The U.S.-based company introduced DUDE Wipes as the first flushable wipe for adults, marketed as a better hygiene solution to dry toilet paper.

The brand is available online and in 20,000 stores nationwide, including Walmart, Target and Amazon.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Daytona International Speedway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s season-opener will mark Alfredo’s eighth career start at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Alfredo earned a track-best seventh after starting 16th in the 2022 edition of the Beef. It’s. What’s. For. Dinner. 300 for Our Motorsports.

The green flag officially waves this weekend on the 2025 season for all three NASCAR national series.

Alfredo and the Young’s Motorsports team look to punch their ticket towards the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs with a stunning victory in the first of 33 races this season.

In addition to the United Rentals 300, Young’s Motorsports will participate in Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250.

On Sunday, February 16, the NASCAR Cup Series will have its shot at commencing its 2025 season with the 67th annual running of the Daytona 500.

The Xfinity Series veteran driver will look to improve his overall Daytona speedway average Xfinity finish of 20.3.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Daytona, Alfredo has 118 career NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best third-place finish twice, most recently at Talladega Superspeedway after starting 11th in the 2024 edition of the Ag-Pro 300 for Our Motorsports.

Since 2020, he has earned one pole, five top-five, and 22 top-10 finishes and has an average finish of 19.3.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Alfredo as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott.

On Saturday, he will be crew chief in his 131st NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 130 races, he has four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.

The season’s first race will be his 12th tango at Daytona as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ third NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Daytona International Speedway.

Last February, the team successfully made their NASCAR Xfinity Series debut by qualifying, but a late-race accident spoiled a solid performance.

The team rebounded in August and finished in ninth place after starting 20th, one of two top-10 finishes during the team’s inaugural season of competition.

While the family-owned team has just two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Daytona, since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 20.9 and an average finish of 16.7 in 20 Daytona International Speedway Truck Series starts overall.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of fourth with Truck Series veteran Spencer Boyd at the wheel in the 2019 NextEra Energy Resources 250 on February 15, 2019.

● Young’s Motorsports’ NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 33 starts and maintains an average starting position of 27.3 and an average finish of 23.5.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Anthony Alfredo, please visit AnthonyAlfredo.com, like him on Facebook (Anthony Alfredo Racing), follow him on Instagram (@anthonyalfredo) and X | Twitter (@anthonyalfredo).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Anthony Alfredo Pre-Race Quote:

On Daytona International Speedway: “I am itching to get back behind the wheel this season, and there is no place better than Daytona. I have put a lot of work in as a driver to become a regular at the front of the field at superspeedways, so I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in these races and carrying momentum from last year into the season opener.

“It’s a dream of mine to win at Daytona, and there is no place I’d rather stand on Saturday night than in victory lane there with my Young’s Motorsports team.”

On The 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season: “My goal this year with Young’s Motorsports is simple: to win a regular-season race and make the Playoffs.

“It’s certainly a tall order, but we can make it happen. We will build this program from the ground up and make that goal a reality.”

Race Information:

The United Rentals 300 (120 laps | 300 miles) is the first of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. Practice will take place on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, from 4:35 p.m. to 5:25 p.m., and the qualifying session begins on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 10:00 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 5:00 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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