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Daytona 500 race info, stats and trivia

By
SM Staff
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Photo by Mike Biskupski for SpeedwayMedia.com

We head into this weekend’s race at Daytona International Speedway, better known as the “World Center of Racing,” for the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. The racing action begins with the DAYTONA 500 Qualifying Presented by Busch Light on Wednesday, February 12th. This will set the field for the Duel At DAYTONA, which will be on Thursday, February 13th, with the drivers battling it out for a spot in the DAYTONA 500.

This will also mark the season opening for all three of NASCAR’s national series and the ARCA Menards Series. The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 will be on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 p.m. ET. On Saturday, February 15th, a double-header with the ARCA race will be followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

On Sunday, February 16th, we will feature “The Great American Race,” the DAYTONA 500, at 2:30 p.m. ET. It will feature GRAMMY® Award Winning Artist Pitbull’s pre-race show with the USAF Thunderbirds flyover. Anthony Mackie has been named the grand marshal for the race. Mackie portrays Captain America in Marvel Studios’ new film Captain America: Brave New World, releasing February 14th in theaters.

For more information, please visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com.

Race Information and Stats

Race No. 1 of 36 – Daytona 500 – 500 miles (200 laps) on February 16, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. ET
You can also view our schedule for 2025 Daytona Speedweeks here.

  • Purse: $30,331,250
  • Track Size: 2.5 miles
  • Banking/Corners: 31 degrees
  • Banking/Straights: 3 degrees
  • Banking/Tri-Oval: 18 degrees
  • The 2024 pole winner was Joey Logano (181.947 mph, 49.465 secs., 02-14-2024), driving a Ford Mustang for Team Penske.
  • The 2024 race winner was William Byron (157.178 mph, 03:10:52, 02-19-2024), driving a Chevrolet Camaro for Hendrick Motorsports.

The Stages

  • Stage 1 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps)
  • Stage 2 Length: 162.5 miles (65 laps, Ends on Lap 130)
  • Final Stage Length: 175 miles (70 laps, Ends on Lap 200)

Can Byron repeat?

William Byron and Hendrick Motorsports delivered the final ultimatum that sent them to Victory Lane in the rain-postponed 66th annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Monday, February 19th, 2024. The 26-year-old Byron from Charlotte, North Carolina, led the final four of 200-scheduled laps in an event where he started 18th and was consistent amongst a bevy of competitors running in tight two and three-stacked lanes from start to finish. Byron cycled to the front and made his presence at the front known for the first time during the final restart. With four laps remaining, he fended off late challenges from Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric to emerge as the winner of the Great American Race for the first time in his career.

Amber Balcaen, ICON & Gambit Technologies Unveil Game-Changing AI Sponsorship at Daytona 500

By
Official Release
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ICON and Gambit Technologies Unveil Game-Changing Sponsorship with Amber Balcaen for the Daytona 500

Winkler, MB – ICON, a leader in premium RV parts, and Gambit Technologies, a trailblazer in AI-driven sponsorship innovation, are thrilled to announce an innovative partnership with ARCA driver Amber Balcaen for the week of the 2025 Daytona 500. This partnership introduces the groundbreaking “Ask Amber” AI tool—a first-of-its-kind platform that blends cutting-edge technology with the excitement of motorsports, setting a new standard for fan engagement and customer interaction.

Innovation on Motorsport’s Biggest Stage

Launching on February 12th during Amber’s scheduled practice, AskAmber.io will debut as part of the excitement surrounding the iconic Daytona 500 weekend. Amber Balcaen will compete in the Daytona Hard Rock Bet 200 ARCA race on February 15th, giving fans an exciting new way to connect with her story while introducing a transformative AI-powered sponsorship experience. By integrating Amber Balcaen’s AI-powered personality into the fan experience, ICON and Gambit Technologies are breaking barriers in how brands connect with audiences.

“AskAmber.io isn’t just a tool—it’s a way to bring fans closer to the action and create meaningful interactions with RV owners, RV Dealers, and Race Fans,” said John Loewen, ICON Founder & CEO. “We’re thrilled to debut this innovation at such a meaningful event.”

Race Day Launch of the AskAmber.io RV Parts Tool

On February 12th, fans will gain access to Amber Balcaen through the “Ask Amber” tool, available at AskAmber.io. This unique platform allows users to:

  • Access a personalized shopping experience on ICONdirect.com, where RV owners, dealers, and repair professionals can easily find and purchase premium RV parts.
  • Ask Amber questions about her racing career, journey to NASCAR, and experiences at the Daytona 500.
  • Engage in real-time interactions, creating a deeper connection with their favorite driver and brand.
  • This campaign redefines the sponsorship model by showcasing how AI personalities can deliver entertainment, value, and a seamless customer experience.

Groundbreaking Fan Interaction, Meaningful business tool

“Ask-Amber is intended for more than fan interaction, it’s meant to be a reputable, useful tool for RV Parts customers, notably RV Dealers,” said John Loewen, ICON Founder & CEO. “The digital representation of Amber has been trained on all of our part details, making it easy for someone like an RV Parts professional to find the correct part for their application.”

Quotes from Key Partners

Amber Balcaen shared her enthusiasm about the initiative:
“I’m so excited to partner with ICON and Gambit Technologies to bring something groundbreaking to the Daytona 500. Fans will finally get a chance to connect with me in real time while also discovering a whole new way to shop for RV parts. This is the future of fan interaction!”

Pat Belliveau, Co-Founder of Gambit Technologies, said:
“At Gambit, we build AI personalities people actually want to talk to. Launching AskAmber at the Daytona 500 marks the beginning of a new era for sponsorships—where engagement, personalization, and innovation come together to deliver incredible value to fans and brands.”

About ICON

ICON is a leading manufacturer of premium RV parts, specializing in high-quality plastic components for RV owners, dealers, and manufacturers. ICON’s dedication to innovation and excellence has earned it a reputation as a trusted name in the RV industry.

About Gambit Technologies

Gambit Technologies specializes in creating AI solutions that connect technology with human interaction. By building AI personalities people love to engage with, Gambit transforms customer conversations and humanizes digital experiences.

As creators of AskEllyn, the world’s first AI companion for breast cancer support, Gambit has a proven track record of innovation. Their expertise spans caregiving, legal access, research, health support, media optimization, and customer engagement, creating tools that revolutionize how users interact with brands. Learn more at Gambitco.io.

About Amber Balcaen

Amber Balcaen is a professional race car driver and rising star in motorsports. She made history as the first Canadian woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race in the United States and achieved a career-best 6th-place finish in the 2024 ARCA season.

For more information, visit ICONdirect.com/racing or AskAmber.io.

START YOUR ENTRIES! Win $1 million at NASCAR Championship Weekend

By
Official Release
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NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ returns for third edition alongside 2025 NASCAR® season

JOHNSTON, Iowa (Feb. 12, 2025) – The highly anticipated NASCAR Powerball Playoff™ is back for its third edition, offering lottery players a chance to win an exclusive trip to 2025 NASCAR Championship Weekend™ and cash prizes up to $1 MILLION!

Powerball® and NASCAR® announced the return of the national promotion today, which will run alongside the 2025 NASCAR season. The promotion will culminate with four lottery players winning a VIP trip for two to 2025 NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway®, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2. In addition, the four lottery players will have the chance to win $1 million in a special drawing televised live on NBC before the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™.

“This promotion offers our players the ultimate motorsport experience, combining the excitement of NASCAR Championship Weekend with the chance of a lifetime to win $1 million,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO. “The four finalists and their guests will be flown to Phoenix to be immersed in the action, including pace car rides, access to exclusive areas, and front-row seats to some of the biggest NASCAR races.”

“This promotion has been such a great avenue to further engage NASCAR fans all across the country over the past two seasons,” said Michelle Byron, NASCAR Executive Vice President, Chief Partnership and Licensing Officer. “The synergies the Powerball Playoff has with the different stages of the NASCAR Playoffs allows for increased excitement and anticipation throughout the year, culminating with someone winning $1 million right before we crown a champion in Phoenix.”

Lottery players can enter the national Powerball® promotion through a participating state lottery. Lotteries will hold in-state contests and second-chance drawings throughout the 2025 NASCAR regular season to form a national pool of entrants. Entry periods and method of entry will vary by lottery. At the end of the NASCAR regular season, 16 semi-finalists will be drawn from the national pool to advance to the Powerball Playoff drawings, with no more than one semi-finalist per lottery advancing.

The Powerball Playoff drawings are a series of elimination drawings that mirror the elimination rounds of the NASCAR Playoffs™. As the 2025 playoff field of drivers is reduced, Powerball will reduce its playoff field of semi-finalists eligible to win the $1 million grand prize. Through a series of drawings, the field of semi-finalists will be reduced from 16 to 12 to 8 to 4 – with the remaining four finalists winning a VIP trip for two to the NASCAR Championship Weekend™ at Phoenix Raceway and entry into the $1 million drawing.

The results of each Powerball Playoff drawing will be revealed during select race broadcasts, beginning with the Round of 16 announcement on Aug. 23 at the NASCAR regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway. Cash prizes will be awarded to all 16 national semi-finalists based on their elimination position, ranging from $2,500 to the $1 million top prize:

PowerballPlayoff DrawingsDateRace AnnouncementNotes
Round of 16Aug. 23Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona Intl Speedway, Daytona, FL16 semi-finalists advance
Round of 12Sept. 13Bass Pro Shops Night Race, Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN12 semi-finalists advance4 eliminated win $2,500
Round of 8Oct. 5Bank of America ROVAL™ 400, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC8 semi-finalists advance4 eliminated win $5,000
Championship 4Oct 26NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race, Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, VA4 finalists advance & win VIP trip4 eliminated win $7,500
$1 Million ChampionshipNov. 2NASCAR Cup Series Championship, Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, AZ(1) $1 million winner(3) $10,000 winners

The VIP trip includes roundtrip airfare for two to Phoenix, three nights hotel accommodations – double occupancy, two Ally Curve Hospitality Club passes for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race on Nov. 1 and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race on Nov. 2, two passes for VIP experiences at Phoenix Raceway during the NASCAR Championship Weekend including NASCAR Cup Series™ VIP access, NASCAR team hauler tour, MRN radio booth tour, pace car rides, Victory Lane access,  all meals, and ground transportation to scheduled events and activities.

Players should stay tuned to their local lotteries for more information on how to enter. Participating lotteries include Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana (Hoosier), Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Additional lotteries may join the Powerball promotion at a later time.

Players can also follow the NASCAR Powerball Playoff on Facebook, Instagram, and online at Powerball.com.

Last year, Louisiana Lottery player Meagan Lewis, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was declared the NASCAR Powerball Playoff Champion and $1 million winner in a special drawing broadcast live from Phoenix Raceway before the start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race™.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season officially begins this Sunday with live action of the DAYTONA 500 from Daytona International Speedway. The race will air live at 2:30 p.m. EST on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Powerball

Powerball® holds the current world record for largest national lottery jackpot at $2.04 billion. Since its first drawing in 1992, the game has helped generate more than $32 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.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. 

JR Motorsports — NCS & NXS Daytona International Speedway Preview

By
Official Release
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JR Motorsports Cup Team Preview

TRACK – Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile superspeedway)
NCS RACE – Daytona 500 (200 laps / 500 miles)
TUNE IN – FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 2:30 p.m. (ET)

Justin Allgaier

No. 40 – Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet

Justin NCS Career Stats

Starts: 82

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 0

Top 10s: 1

Laps Led: 17

Avg. Finish: 27.4

Points: N/A

JR Motorsports, along with 10-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton, have come together to field the inaugural entry for JRM in the NASCAR Cup Series in the 2025 running of the DAYTONA 500. In partnership with Buffalo Trace Distillery, the World’s Most Award-Winning Distillery, JRM will field the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet, inspired by the Blend No. 40 utilized in every bottle of Traveller Whiskey, for their maiden voyage in “The Great American Race” with the reigning and defending NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Justin Allgaier behind the wheel.

Allgaier has experience in the DAYTONA 500 having made two starts in the hallowed event during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, respectively.

Allgaier most recently competed at the Cup level during the 2024 season in substitution for 2021 Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking the checkered flag in the 13th position.

JRM’s quest for the DAYTONA 500 marks the first time that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt-Miller have entered a race in the Cup Series as team owners. Under their leadership in the NXS, JRM has been a pillar of success, earning 88 wins and four championships with drivers Chase Elliott, William Byron, Tyler Reddick and most recently with Allgaier.

Justin Allgaier

“This weekend at Daytona is going to be extremely special. To be able to have the opportunity to be driving JR Motorsports’ first entry into the Cup Series is something that I will forever cherish. I know that we are going to have extremely fast Chevrolets in both series this weekend, and I can’t wait to get our Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet locked in. Once we accomplish that, I see no reason why we won’t be up front fighting for the win on both Saturday with our BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet, and on Sunday. I can’t say thank you enough to Traveller Whiskey, Dale (Earnhardt Jr.), Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller), Chris Stapleton, Rick Brandt, and everyone at JR Motorsports for all of their hard work throughout this offseason in order to make this weekend happen. JRM has always built unbelievably strong speedway cars, and I can’t wait to see what we can do when we get down there this weekend.”

JR Motorsports Xfinity Team Preview

TRACK – Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile superspeedway)
NXS RACE – United Rentals 300 (120 laps / 300 miles)
TUNE IN – CW, MRN, SiriusXM Channel 90 at 5:00 p.m. (ET)

Carson Kvapil

No. 1 – Bass Pro Shops / Clarience Technologies Chevrolet

Kvapil 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 9

Wins: 0

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 4

Laps Led: 63

Avg. Finish: 13.2

Points: N/A

Carson Kvapil will make his full time NXS debut this weekend at Daytona after making nine starts for JRM during the 2024 season.

Across his nine previous NXS starts, Kvapil has recorded three top fives and four top 10s, with a best finish of second coming at Dover Motor Speedway last spring.

Kvapil is a two-time zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car champion for JRM, winning the crown in both 2022 and 2023. In his career, the 21-year-old driver made 47 starts, earned 12 victories and eight poles, notching 36 top-five and 40 top-10 finishes in one of the premier short-track series in the country.

Bass Pro Shops and Clarience Technologies will continue their support of Kvapil for the first of 23 primary paint schemes at the season opener this weekend.

Carson Kvapil

“I am really looking forward to getting to Daytona this weekend and getting the season started. We have been putting in a lot of work during the offseason at the sim and I know Andrew (Overstreet, crew chief) and the rest of this No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Clarience Technologies team is going to set me up for success. I can’t thank Johnny Morris and everyone at Bass Pro Shops and Clarience Technologies enough for their support and I hope we can get some great finishes for them. I know we have a lot to learn, but we’re going to take it one race at a time and try not to have too many bad days along the way.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet

Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 33

Wins: 2

Top 5s: 10

Top 10s: 20

Laps Led: 709

Avg. Finish: 13.5

Points: 1st

Allgaier kicks off his NXS title defense at “The World Center of Racing” with cornerstone partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture onboard his No. 7 Chevrolet.

In 28 career NXS starts at Daytona, the reigning, defending, undisputed NXS Champion has scored one win, eight top fives and 14 top 10s.

Allgaier’s lone victory at the famed superspeedway came in dramatic fashion, as the JRM driver captured the checkered flag in a photo finish during the summer event in 2023.

The Illinois native comes into the new year fresh off a 2024 championship campaign that saw Allgaier earn two wins, 10 top fives and 20 top 10s.

Sammy Smith

No. 8 TMC Chevrolet

Smith 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 33

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 7

Top 10s: 16

Laps Led: 65

Avg. Finish: 15.2

Points: 11th

Sammy Smith returns for his second year with JRM and his first full season with crew chief, Phillip Bell after the pair came together for the final 10 races of 2024.

Smith will run a familiar looking No. 8 in 2025 as the new season marks the return of the iconic stylized No. 8 previously driven by team owner Earnhardt Jr,

Smith is the most recent winner in the NXS on a drafting track, having gone to Victory Lane last fall at Talladega Speedway.

TMC Transportation, based out of Des Moines, IA, will be kicking off the season with Smith with the first of six primary races for their hometown driver.

Sammy Smith

“I’m really proud of the work Phillip (Bell, crew chief) and this entire No. 8 team has done the past few months to start the season off strong. We came together for the final 10 races of last year and I think we learned a lot in a short amount of time that we can apply to this 2025 season. We know that these superspeedways aren’t always a good reflection of all the hard work we put in because anything can happen and it happens fast. Our win at Talladega last year proves that we have what it takes though and we expect to go out and do the same this weekend in Daytona with TMC.”

Connor Zilisch

No. 88 WeatherTech Chevrolet

Zilisch 2024 NXS Stats

Starts: 4

Wins: 1

Top 5s: 3

Top 10s: 3

Laps Led: 45

Avg. Finish: 5.3

Points: N/A

Connor Zilisch is set to begin his first full-time NXS season in the United Rentals 300 at Daytona on Saturday afternoon.

Zilisch enters the 2025 season on the heels of a successful debut with JRM in 2024 when he won in his first-ever NXS start at Watkins Glen International. Zilisch started on the pole and led the most laps (45 of 90) on the way to scoring the victory. He also led all drivers with an average running position of 4.39 during the 200-mile event.

This will be Zilisch’s first NASCAR race on the 2.5-mile oval at Daytona. He has previously competed in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Talladega this past October, giving him familiarity to the drafting style of racing.

Zilisch is no stranger to success at the World Center of Racing. He won the 2024 Rolex 24 IMSA race in the LMP2 class with ERA Motorsports.

Connor Zilisch

“It’s going to be really important to have a good run in Daytona. Starting off the season on a positive note is obviously good for my confidence and for the WeatherTech team’s confidence as well. There are definitely some challenges going to a superspeedway race with not a lot of experience. Those tracks are a lot different than what I’m used to. One of the biggest things at Daytona is making it to the end of the race. A lot can happen at Daytona. We’re going to do everything we can with my spotter and team to keep us out of trouble and keep us in the race.”

JRM Team Updates

JR Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Daytona International Speedway, the organization’s winningest track, a combined 116 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 2.5-mile superspeedway, the organization has recorded eight wins, 29 top-fives and 46 top-10s. The average finish is 16.1.

Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Carson Kvapil, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Connor Zilisch will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.

William Byron chasing second consecutive Daytona 500 victory in eighth start

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

William Byron’s status as a NASCAR competitor was elevated to the ultimate height as he etched his name in the record books as a first-time Daytona 500 champion a year ago. Now entering the 2025 season as the reigning winner of the Great American Race, a potential feat is on the line for Byron and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) Chevrolet team. With the driver poised to make his eighth 500 career start, he will also attempt to become the fifth competitor overall to win the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway in back-to-back seasons.

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Byron made his Daytona 500 debut in 2018, in his first full season in the Cup Series. After winning the Xfinity Series championship with JR Motorsports, he was assigned to pilot HMS’ iconic No. 24 entry. Starting in 33rd place, Byron finished in 23rd place after he was scored four laps behind the leaders after he was involved in two separate incidents. The first was due to a nine-car accident on the final lap of the first stage period and a single spin after he cut a right-rear tire with 11 laps remaining.

The following season, Byron commenced his sophomore Cup campaign by winning the pole position for the 61st running of the Daytona 500 and his first career pole in NASCAR’s premier series. In doing so, the Charlotte native notched the 700th Cup pole for the Chevrolet nameplate and became the 42nd competitor to claim a pole award for the Great American Race. In addition, he also became the third competitor overall to steer the No. 24 HMS Chevrolet entry to a Daytona 500 pole alongside Jeff Gordon and Chase Elliott.

Byron led 44 laps and was racing towards the front in the closing laps when he was involved in an eight-car wreck during a two-lap shootout. He was unable to finish and was relegated to 21st place in the final running order.

Byron’s late accident in 2019 would mark the first of five consecutive DNFs in the Daytona 500 for the driver of the No. 24 HMS Chevrolet team. In 2020, he won the second Duel event that awarded him the fourth-starting spot for the 62nd Daytona 500. But while racing in a draft with his HMS teammates Ricky Stenhouse Jr. made contact with him on Lap 58 sending Byron spinning towards the backstretch’s infield.

He made head-on contact with the inside wall, which relegated him to a finish at the rear of the field in 40th place. Byron finished 26th and 38th, respectively, during his next two Daytona 500 starts when he was eliminated early amid multi-car wrecks. He then sustained a fifth consecutive DNF in the 65th running of the Great American Race in 2023 after he was collected in a 13-car pileup exiting the backstretch.

Then in 2024, Byron struck gold in his seventh attempt at winning the Daytona 500 after he emerged ahead of teammate Alex Bowman at the moment of caution on the final lap after both Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric spun and wrecked through the frontstretch. Byron also narrowly avoided a 23-car pileup with nine laps remaining after he got loose while being bump-drafted by Bowman. He then clipped Brad Keselowski sending Keselowski spinning exiting the backstretch and clipping pole-sitter Joey Logano as the pileup ensued.

With the victory, Byron, who only led the final four laps, became the 43rd competitor overall to win the Great American Race as he recorded the 26th 500 victory for the Chevrolet nameplate. It was also the first for the No. 24 HMS team since Jeff Gordon made the previous accomplishment in 2005. In addition, Byron’s season-opening victory at Daytona International Speedway allowed HMS to tie Petty Enterprises for the most Daytona 500 victories recorded by an organization at nine.

Through seven previous starts in the Daytona 500, Byron has achieved one victory, one pole, 49 laps led and an average finishing result of 26.1. A second victory in 2025 would make the Charlotte native the 13th competitor overall to achieve multiple Daytona 500 victories and he would make HMS the winningest organization of the Daytona 500 at 10. In addition, he would join Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin and Denny Hamlin as the only competitors to win back-to-back Daytona 500 events.

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

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

Front Row Motorsports: Daytona NCTS Race Advance (Layne Riggs / Chandler Smith)

By
Official Release
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Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith

Daytona International Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Advance
Fresh From Florida 250
Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
Event: Race 1 of 25
Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-miles)
#of Laps: 100
Time/TV/Radio: 7:30 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90

Layne Riggs Notes

Layne Riggs will make his return to the Daytona International Speedway to start his sophomore season. After a successful rookie season in the No. 38 Ford F-150 which was highlighted with back-to-back wins at the Milwaukee Mile and the Bristol Motor Speedway, as well as Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, Riggs will get behind the wheel of the newly minted No. 34 Ford F-150.

Love’s RV STOP will kick their season off with Riggs this Friday night. Last season, Love’s RV STOP helped fuel Riggs Rookie of the Year campaign, partnering with the driver in multiple races during the 2024 season and even visiting Victory Lane at the Bristol Motor Speedway.

“I’m ready for Daytona this season,” said Riggs. “While I don’t have many laps on the track itself, my experience at Talladega has given me a better feel for superspeedway racing. We got off to a slow start last season, but things started clicking as the year went on. Hopefully, we can carry some momentum from 2024 into 2025 and start strong. If we minimize mistakes and put ourselves in a good position, there’s no reason we can’t win Daytona.”

Road Crew

Driver: Layne Riggs

Crew Chief: Dylan Cappello

Truck Chief: Alex Lacognata

Engineer: Jonathan Coates

Mechanic: Clark Houston

Mechanic: Brandon Selph

Tire / Interior Specialist: Robert Benzenhafer

Spotter: Josh Williams

Transport Driver: John Franceskino

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Blake Hickman

Rear Tire Changer: Steven Chereek

Tire Carrier: Alvin Wilson

Jackman: Landon Honeycutt

Fueler: Dan Mrak

Chandler Smith’s Notes

Chandler Smith makes his Front Row Motorsports debut this Friday night. Long John Silver’s will partner with Smith in his debut, bringing the fan-favorite blue and yellow “Fish Yeah” scheme to the 100-lap event.

In his debut, Smith will get behind the wheel of the No. 38 Ford F-150. The No. 38 has a rich history at the historic superspeedway, capturing back-to-back wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Series event in 2022 and 2023.

Statistically, the Daytona International Speedway has been a good track for Smith, averaging a 10.3 finishing position at the venue.

“I’m excited for this new chapter in my career with Front Row Motorsports,” said Smith. “I have a talented team around me, all who have the same motivation as me. While there may be some growing pains since we’re a new group, I’m confident that things will come together quickly, and we’ll be competing for wins.”

Road Crew

Driver: Chandler Smith

Crew Chief: Jon Leonard

Truck Chief: Ron Schutte

Engineer: Caleb Williams

Mechanic: Bradley Zilich

Mechanic: Alex Campbell

Tire / Interior Specialist: Kyle Clark

Spotter: Ryan Blanchard

Transport Driver: Mark Hadley

Pit Crew

Front Tire Changer: Garrett Wager

Rear Tire Changer: Jacob Ray

Tire Carrier: Paul Steele

Jackman: Ryan Selig

Fueler: Chris Webb

ABOUT LOVE’S

Love’s has been fueling customers’ journeys since 1964. Innovation and perseverance continue to lead the way for the family-owned and -operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City with nearly 40,000 team members in North America and Europe. The company’s core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 651 locations in 42 states. Love’s continues its commitment to offer products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, four-wheel customers, RVers, alternative fuel and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities Love’s serves and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace are hallmarks of the company’s award-winning culture.

ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S

Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

Jimmie Johnson to attempt 22nd Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to mark Jimmie Johnson’s 23rd year competing in at least one start in the series and third as an owner/driver of his team, Legacy Motor Club. With both the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on his radar for this upcoming season, Johnson’s quest to a milestone 700 starts in NASCAR’s premier series is en route. Before the quest for 700 further develops in late spring this year, he enters this week’s Daytona Speedweeks festivities at Daytona International Speedway with a unique milestone in place. Should Johnson achieve a starting spot for this year’s 67th running of the Daytona 500, it would mark his 22nd career start in the Great America Race.

A native of El Cajon, California, Johnson’s first Daytona 500 start occurred in 2002, where he was driving the No. 48 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Hendrick Motorsports (HMS). For the event, he started on pole position, which marked his first pole of his Cup Series career and he became the first rookie competitor to win the pole for the Great American Race since Mike Skinner made the previous accomplishment in 1997. During the main event, Johnson was involved in two late-race incidents, including an 18-car pileup with 50 laps remaining, and settled in 15th place while being the first competitor a lap down. Over his next three Daytona 500 starts, Johnson finished in the top five. Within the span, he finished as high as third in 2003 while he finished fifth in his next two starts.

Then came the 2006 season, where Johnson and the No. 48 HMS Chevrolet team commenced a new year of racing under scrutiny due to crew chief Chad Knaus being suspended for the majority of the Daytona Speedweeks festivities, including the 48th running of the Daytona 500. Knaus was suspended for making illegal modifications to the rear window of Johnson’s car during the pole position qualifying trials. As a result, engineer Darian Grubb replaced the suspended Knaus for the Great American Race. During the 2006 Daytona 500, Johnson proceeded to lead 24 of 203 over-scheduled laps and fended off the field during a two-lap shootout, including late challenges from Ryan Newman and Casey Mears, to win in his fifth start in the season-opening event. With the victory, he became the 30th competitor to win the Great American Race as he also recorded the sixth 500 victory for Hendrick Motorsports and the 19th for the Chevrolet nameplate. The 2006 Daytona 500 win would mark the first of five season victories for Johnson, who would also win the non-points All-Star Race and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before he achieved his first Cup Series championship.

Following his first victory in 2006, Johnson would then endure a difficult stretch over his next six Daytona 500 starts. Despite winning his second Daytona 500 pole in 2008, he averaged a finishing result of 33.5 and finished no higher than 27th twice, both of which occurred in 2008 and 2011. Within the stretch, he did not finish in three Daytona 500s: two in 2007 and 2012 due to accidents and one in 2010 due to a rear axle issue. In addition, he was involved in on-track incidents in all but the 2010 event. Amid the low Daytona 500 results, Johnson rallied to win the overall Cup Series’ championship from 2007 to 2010.

Then in 2013, Johnson rose back to the occasion and notched his second Daytona 500 victory in an event where he led 17 of 200 laps, including the final 10, and fended off a last-lap charge from teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. As a result, the five-time Cup champion became the 10th competitor to win the Great American Race multiple times as he delivered the seventh 500 victory for HMS and the 22nd for the Chevrolet nameplate. He also delivered the first Daytona 500 triumph for his five-time championship-winning crew chief Chad Knaus. Ironically, Johnson, who was making his 12th 500 start, won in his 400th career start in NASCAR’s premier series, where he joined Lee Petty, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dave Marcis and Dale Earnhardt as competitors who have also achieved the similar feat. Similar to the 2006 season, Johnson would proceed to win the 2013 overall championship with Knaus, which marked the sixth of the duo’s illustrious career.

Since winning his second victory in 2013, Johnson would finish in the top nine three times over his next seven Daytona 500 starts. Within the span, he finished as high as fifth twice in back-to-back seasons during 2014 and 2015. Amid the results, he was strapped with three DNFs over his final four Daytona 500 starts as a full-time competitor, including his final one during 2020 campaign. By then, he had achieved his record-tying seventh Cup Series championship in 2016 and was preparing to transition into the NTT IndyCar Series division with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Beginning in 2023, Johnson returned to NASCAR competition, where he purchased an ownership stake in Legacy Motor Club (LMC), an organization that had been rebranded from Petty GMS Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports. As part of his ownership, Johnson would also compete in select Cup events in the No. 84 LMC Chevrolet entry, which included the Daytona 500. During Johnson’s first qualifying trials in the No. 84 entry, he qualified for the 65th running of the Daytona 500, which marked his 20th entrance into the Great American Race. Despite racing in the top-10 mark in the closing stages, he was involved in an overtime accident and settled in 31st place.

This past season, where LMC changed manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota, Johnson did not guarantee himself a spot for the 66th running of the Daytona 500 based on his qualifying speed, but he managed to overtake veteran J.J. Yeley on the final lap to claim a transfer spot from the first Daytona Duel. During the main event, however, Johnson was involved in a multi-car wreck on the fifth lap and could climb his way no higher than 28th in the final running order.

Through 21 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Johnson has achieved two victories, two poles, seven top-five results, eight top-10 results, 151 laps led and an average-finishing result of 20.6. Currently, he holds the most career starts in the season-opening event among the 45 competitors entered to compete in 2025. In addition to notching a starting berth for the 500 for a 22nd time, a victory in 2025 would move him into a five-way tie for the third-most Daytona 500 victories in history alongside Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Dale Jarrett. It would also mark the fourth overall victory for the Toyota nameplate in the Great American Race and the first for Legacy Motor Club under its new branded name as Johnson holds major ownership of the organization. As an added bonus, Johnson would become the first competitor to repeat as a Daytona 500 champion since Denny Hamlin made the previous accomplishment in 2020.

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

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

Hendrick Motorsports Media Advance: DAYTONA 500

By
Official Release
-

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

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

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet

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

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

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet

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

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

No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet

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

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

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet

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

Hendrick Motorsports

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


*Most all time
**Tied for most all time

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Role of Base Coats and Pigments

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

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

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

The Importance of Clear Coats in Shine and Protection

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

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

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

The Impact of Paint Chemistry on Durability

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

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

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

How Specialized Additives Enhance Shine

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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