Home Blog Page 734

Two Generations, One Finish Line

By
Official Release
-

Battle of the Harvicks Set for May 31 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway

Harrisburg, N.C. (February 11, 2025) – Twelve years in the making, the stage is set for Kevin and Keelan Harvick to compete against each other for the first time on May 31 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. The duo will compete in Pro Late Model competition, and it’s not just about the win, it’s for bragging rights in the Harvick household.

While competing against the younger Harvick has been on Kevin’s mind since his now 12-year-old son started racing, the stars aligned perfectly to make the first outing for the duo special.

“Racing Keelan in my hometown for the first time is a pretty cool dad moment,” Kevin Harvick said. “Bakersfield has meant so much in the progression of my racing career, and being able to tie that together with the beginning of Keelan’s racing career is pretty special.”

A native of Bakersfield, Kevin will return to his hometown to race at the track that bears his name and pilot the No. 29 Hunt Brothers® Pizza late model, a number that is significant and synonymous with the NASCAR champion’s storied career.

The younger Harvick, fresh off his first Limited Late Model win in the Icebreaker at Florence Motor Speedway this past weekend, will climb behind the wheel of the No. 62 Hunt Brothers Pizza late model, a number he has run his entire young career and one with family ties three generations deep to his grandfather John Paul Linville, DeLana Harvick’s father.

To say the weekend will be special for the Harvick family is an understatement.

“My dad has helped me so much in my short racing career,” Keelan Harvick said. “Being able to race against him for the first time is pretty cool, and it’s something we’ve talked about for a long time. I hope I come out on top, because if not, he won’t stop bragging about it.”

With a career spanning more than three decades, Kevin transitioned to not just racer, but to the role of racing dad when Keelan made his debut in 2020. Since then, Kevin has retired from full-time NASCAR competition, and Keelan has raced around the world and begun forging his own path with multiple championships from go-karts to Legend Cars. Now the duo finds itself in a position to compete against each other as Keelan begins his transition to full body stock cars, while Kevin is along to guide, mentor and show the younger Harvick how it’s done on the track. The family bond, and natural rivalry, run deep.

For the historical moment, longtime partner Hunt Brothers Pizza will join the pair as primary partner on both Harvick cars. A family-owned business, Hunt Brothers Pizza started with Kevin early in his career at Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) and watched him grow into a NASCAR champion and father. As Kevin’s career progressed and Keelan began racing, Hunt Brothers Pizza was one of the first partners to join Keelan. Remaining a staple with the Harvicks, Hunt Brothers Pizza has been a part of multiple milestones with the Harvick family, and this one will be no different.

“It’s humbling to be part of this special race, the Harvick family is an important part of the Hunt Brothers Pizza family,” said Scott Hunt, CEO Hunt Brothers Pizza. “Sponsoring Kevin over the past 16 years has been an incredible journey, and now supporting the next generation with Keelan is a lot of fun. While my grandson, Carson will be cheering for his buddy Keelan, I’m hoping for a safe and competitive race with a Hunt Brothers Pizza car in victory lane.”

The Battle of the Harvicks kicks off May 31 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, but fans will have multiple opportunities to see the duo compete against each other throughout 2025. Stay tuned to Kevin and Keelan’s social media channels as more races are announced and to see who earns the bragging rights in the Harvick household.

About Hunt Brothers Pizza:

With more than 10,000 locations across the country, Hunt Brothers® Pizza is the nation’s largest brand of made-to-order pizza in the convenience store industry. Hunt Brothers Pizza offers original and thin crust pizzas available as a grab-and-go Hunk A Pizza®, perfect for today’s on-the-go lifestyle, or as a customizable whole pizza that is an exceptional value with All Toppings No Extra Charge®. Hunt Brothers Pizza is family-owned and operated.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

Established in 2001 by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Truck Series and ARCA Series through the 2011 NASCAR season. During that time, KHI earned 10 Xfinity Series wins, 45 Truck Series wins and three Truck Series championships, including two championships with NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday, Jr. Following the 2011 season, KHI stepped away from full-time competition until its return in 2023.

Different Types of Slots | Steps to Play for Fun and Profit

By
SM
-
Photo by Darya Sannikova at pexels.com

Slots continue to be popular. It is still one of the top choices at online casinos. There is a wide range of slot games today. It is loved because of its simplicity. The slot is easy to learn and play. 

To play slots online, do the following:

  1. Choose a reputable casino platform.
  2. Provide the necessary details to sign up for an account.
  3. Select your preferred slot game.
  4. Set your bet size. Adjust the coin value and paylines.
  5. “SPIN” to start the game.
  6. Wait for the reels to stop and check for winning combinations.
  7. Collect your winnings.

Understanding the types of online slots is important. This can enhance your gaming experience. Read to learn more about the slots. 

Classic Slots

These are the simplest forms of these games. It is often designed to perform like real casino slot machines. These games usually have three reels. Pay lines are also smaller which are often just 1 to 5. Classic slot symbols can fruit the traditional icons, bars, and sevens.

Video Slots

These games are the most popular these days. This features advanced graphics, animations, and sound effects which appeal to the young generation of joker123 players. These games often have five reels. The paylines are larger which can be up to 100 or more. There are also bonus features like wilds and scatter. Some have bonus rounds to boost your winnings. 

Progressive Slots

These are video slots with bigger jackpots. It grows over time as more players bet and play the games. A small percentage of each wager adds to the jackpot pool. And when the winning combination is hit, the winner will take home the total jackpot amount. These are huge as some could reach up to millions. Progressive slots can be standalone or networked. 

3D Slots

These are enhanced versions of video slots. The graphics and animations are more advanced than other slot games. This guarantees an immersive experience. 3D slots feature three-dimensional visuals. That is why it is more appealing when played online. These games often have interesting storylines, bonus rounds, and interactive features. 

Bonus Slots

This can be video or 3D slots. The games focus more on offering multiple bonus features. Players can get free spins, multipliers, or mini-games. This gives them extra rewards. Bonus slot games have higher volatility than classic slots. This means they have better potential for winning more rewards while playing the games. Maximize your winnings by playing interactive bonus slots.

Fruit Machines

For sure you are familiar with these slot games. They are more commonly seen at brick-and-mortar casinos. It is a subgenre of classic slots which is now also popular in online casinos. It features fruit symbols and are often played like the classic slot machine. It has three reels and a few paylines. The online versions may have features like nudges, holds, and skill-based elements. 

Virtual Reality Slots

These combine traditional gaming with immersive VR technology. The games offer players a more interactive and fully immersive experience. Players play using a VR headset. They are relatively new and have a promising future in the online casino space. The advanced technology allows these games to offer enhanced graphics, interactive gameplay, and a real casino environment. 

Conclusion

Slots have evolved over the years. Now that it’s available online, players can play even more versions. Each game version is unique and offers a different level of experience. So if you want to start playing casino online, go ahead and look into the different slot games that you can try. Whether it’s a classic or a modern version, you will find them all at reputable casino platforms.

Austin Dillon to make 13th Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

At a venue that nearly claimed his life in 2015, Austin Dillon responded back at Daytona International Speedway with both redemption and pure elation three years later as he steered the iconic No. 3 Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Chevrolet entry to the biggest victory of his NASCAR Cup Series career: the 60th running of the Daytona 500.

Fast forward to the year 2025, Dillon now prepares to commence his 12th consecutive campaign as a full-time Cup competitor with an opportunity to add a second Daytona 500 victory to his resume. As he pursues this feat, he will do so while also making his 13th career start in this year’s Great American Race.

A native of Welcome, North Carolina, Dillon made his first Daytona 500 career start in 2013, where he piloted the No. 33 Chevrolet entry for RCR. Three days prior to the main event, he claimed a transfer spot for the event after he finished in third place during the second of two Duel events. Starting in eighth place, Dillon settled in 31st place after he was involved in a nine-car wreck with 63 laps remaining.

The following season, Dillon, who was coming off his first Xfinity Series championship, captured an early spotlight by winning the pole position for the 56th Daytona 500 in his first Cup qualifying trials piloting the No. 3 RCR Chevrolet entry. By then, it marked the first time the No. 3 was being sported for a Cup Series event since the late seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt lost his life amid a final-lap accident from the 2001 Daytona 500. With Dillon winning his first Cup Series pole, the North Carolina native became the first rookie candidate to claim the top-starting spot for the season-opening event since Jimmie Johnson made the previous accomplishment in 2002 and he awarded the first Daytona 500 pole for the No. 3 since Earnhardt made the previous feat in 1996. After leading the first lap during the main event in 2014, Dillon rallied from being involved in a late multi-car accident and triggering two wrecks in the closing stages to finish in ninth place.

Over his next three Daytona 500 starts, Dillon achieved a second ninth-place finish in 2016 while he ended up 14th and 19th during the 2015 and 2017 events, respectively.

Then in 2018, Dillon, who restarted in fourth place during an overtime shootout, turned Aric Almirola on the final lap and rocketed his way to win the 60th Daytona 500 for his second Cup Series career victory. As a result, Dillon, who only led the final lap, became the 39th competitor to win the Great American Race as he notched the third 500 victory for RCR, the 24th for the Chevrolet nameplate and the first for the No. 3 since Dale Earnhardt achieved his first elusive 500 victory in 1998 amid 20 previous attempts. Fittingly, Dillon’s 2018 Daytona 500 victory occurred on February 18th, the exact date to which RCR achieved its previous 500 victory with Kevin Harvick in 2007.

Following the breakthrough victory in 2018, Dillon would finish in the top 16 during his next two Daytona 500 starts before he claimed a strong third-place result in 2021 after dodging a final-lap multi-car wreck. Since then, he is coming off a three-race stretch of finishing as high as 25th place in the 500.

Through 12 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Dillon has achieved one victory, one pole, two top-five results, four top-10 results, 18 laps led and an average-finishing result of 17.4. A second victory in 2025 would make Dillon the 13th competitor overall to achieve multiple Daytona 500 victories and record the fourth Great American Race victory for RCR, which would move the organization into a tie with Joe Gibbs Racing in having the third-most 500 victories all-time. In addition, Dillon would record the 27th 500 victory for the Chevrolet nameplate and he would become the first repeat winner of the event since Denny Hamlin notched his third 500 victory in 2020.

This week, Dillon, who finished in 32nd place in the 2024 driver’s standings, will participate in a single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, and in one of two Duel events on Thursday, February 13, to determine his starting lineup for this year’s Daytona 500. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will begin airing at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

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

Schedule for 2025 Daytona Speedweeks

By
Angie Campbell
-
Photo by Mike Biskupski for SpeedwayMedia.com.

NASCAR heads to Daytona International Speedway Sunday afternoon to kick off the 2024 regular season with the 67th Daytona 500. The ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series will compete at Daytona preceding the “Great American Race.”

Chartered Cars

The 36 Chartered cars are guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500 with their starting positions determined through single-car qualifying and the Duel races. This leaves four positions available for non-chartered (Open) cars. The two fastest non-charter cars in single-car qualifying will claim a spot in the race. The final two spots will go to the highest-finishing non-Charter car in each Duel race.

Open Exemption Provisional

This year NASCAR has instituted a new Open Exemption Provisional for an invited driver which NASCAR can award on a case-by-case basis. In January they announced. that Hélio Castroneves was granted the provisional for the Daytona 500. Castroneves will be competing in the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.

Single-Car Qualifying

In single-car qualifying, each driver will run one lap. The 10 fastest drivers will advance to Round 2 to determine the pole position. The two fastest drivers will start on the front row for the Daytona 500.

Duels

The Duels will determine positions from third to 40th. The finishing order from Duel No. 1 will make up the inside rows and Duel No. 2 will make up the outside rows for the Daytona 500.

All times are Eastern.

Wednesday, Feb. 12

10:05-10:55 a.m. – Cup Series Practice 1 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
12:30 p.m.: Daytona 500 Media Day – Live Stream
8:15 p.m. – Cup Series Qualifying FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Post Cup Series Qualifying: Press Pass

Thursday, Feb. 13

4:05-4:55 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Practice – No TV
5:05-5:55 p.m.: Craftsman Truck Series Practice – FS1
7 p.m.: Cup Series Duel 1 (60 laps, 150 miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Post Duel 1 – Press Pass
8:45 p.m.: Cup Series Duel 2 (60 laps, 150 miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Post Duel 2 – Press Pass

Friday, Feb. 14

1:30 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Qualifying – No TV
3 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – FS1
4:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series Practice
5:35 p.m.: Cup Series Practice 2 – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
7:40 p.m.: Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 race – FS1/MRN/SiriusXM
Post Truck Series Race – Press Pass

 Saturday, Feb. 15

10 a.m.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – CW – Canceled due to rain
Noon: Daytona ARCA 200 race (80 laps, 200 miles) FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
3:05 p.m.: Cup Series Practice 3 – FS2/MRN/ SiriusXM
5 p.m. – Xfinity Series United Rentals 300 (120 laps, 300 miles) CW/MRN/SiriusXM


Post Xfinity Series Race: Press Pass

Sunday, Feb. 16

1:30 p.m. – Cup Series 67th Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles)
FOX/MRN/SiriusXM
Post Cup Series Race: Press Pass

Johnny Sauter rejoins ThorSport Racing for 2025 Truck opener at Daytona

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Johnny Sauter will be reuniting with ThorSport Racing for the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway.

Sauter, the 2016 Truck Series champion from Necedah, Wisconsin, will be piloting ThorSport’s No. 66 Ford F-150 entry at the World Center of Racing. In addition, Doug George, who worked with three competitors over three organizations in 2024, is listed to work as Sauter’s crew chief for this year’s season-opening event.

The announcement comes as Sauter is coming off a part-time Truck campaign in 2024, where he competed between three organizations in five-scheduled starts: ThorSport, Niece Motorsports and Hattori Racing Enterprises. During the five-race stint, the Wisconsin veteran finished a season-high 17th place at Texas Motor Speedway. Previously, he qualified on the front row for the 2024 opener at Daytona, led 24 laps and won the first stage period before he ended up in 29th place after he was eliminated in a four-truck incident in the closing laps.

Sauter, who won the 2001 American Speed Association (ASA) Series National Tour title, made his Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway with Fasscore Motorsports in 2003, where he finished 25th after starting 23rd. Between 2004 to 2006, he made a total of 10 Truck starts and notched a second-place run at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2004. Then after making a single Truck start in 2008, Sauter began campaigning in the Truck division as a full-time competitor, which began in 2009 and lasted through 2021. Through 300 full-time starts, he recorded 24 victories while competing for ThorSport and GMS Racing. In addition, he claimed his first series’ championship in 2016 while driving for GMS. He also finished in the top-10 mark in the final standings from 2009 to 2019 and made the series’ Playoffs from 2016 to 2019.

Through 325 previous starts in the Truck Series, Sauter has recorded 24 victories, nine poles, 116 top-five results, 186 top-10 results, 2,695 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.4. He has also achieved three victories through 207 Xfinity Series starts and three top-10 results through 85 Cup Series starts.

At Daytona, Sauter holds the most victories all-time in the Truck Series at three, with his first victory occurring in 2013 while competing at ThorSport before he achieved his latter two with GMS in 2016 and 2018. Currently, he is one of three competitors along with Todd Bodine and Zane Smith to achieve multiple Truck victories at Daytona. This upcoming season, Sauter strives to add a fourth season-opening trophy to his wins record.

Thorsport Racing’s plans for its No. 66 Ford entry for the remainder of the 2025 season remains to be determined.

The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is scheduled to commence this upcoming Friday, February 14, at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh From Florida 250. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

Ty Majeski returns to ThorSport Racing for Truck title defense in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Chad Wells for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ty Majeski will return as the driver of the No. 98 Ford F-150 entry for ThorSport Racing for the upcoming racing season.

The news comes as the 30-year-old Majeski from Seymour, Wisconsin, is coming off a championship-winning season, where he notched a total of three victories, six poles, 10 top-five results, 14 top-10 results, a career-high 600 laps led and an average-finishing result of 10.7.

After winning the final two regular-season events on the 2024 schedule at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park and Richmond Raceway, respectively, Majeski utilized consistency to transfer all the way to the Championship 4 round. He then led all but 18 of 150-scheduled laps during the finale at Phoenix Raceway and clinched his first series’ championship by winning the finale and outpacing title rivals Corey Heim, Christian Eckes and Grant Enfinger. As a result, Majeski became the 21st competitor overall to win a Truck Series championship and he delivered the sixth series’ title for ThorSport Racing.

Majeski, who previously claimed five titles in the ARCA Midwest Tour division and won the Snowball Derby late model event twice, finished in 11th place during his Truck Series debut at Phoenix Raceway in 2019, where he drove for Niece Motorsports. Despite campaigning through the first 15-scheduled events with Niece in 2020, he was dropped for the remaining eight events, but he returned during the following season in four events with ThorSport Racing.

Since 2022, Majeski competes in the Truck Series on a full-time basis with ThorSport. In addition to winning the 2024 championship as a ThorSport competitor, the Wisconsin native notched his first two career victories during the 2022 Playoffs and claimed a Championship 4 berth, where he settled in fourth place in the final standings. In 2023, he managed to secure a victory at Indianapolis during the Playoffs before he settled in eighth place in the standings after he fell short of returning to the final Playoff round.

Through 89 previous starts in the Truck Series, Majeski has accumulated one championship, six victories, 11 poles, 28 top-five results, 48 top-10 results, 1,390 laps led and an average-finishing result of 12.3. Entering the 2025 season, he will attempt to join teammate Matt Crafton as the only competitors to achieve back-to-back Truck Series championships. As for Majeski’s No. 98 Ford team, Soda Sense will serve as his key primary sponsor while veteran Joe Shear Jr., the reigning two-time Truck Series championship-winning crew chief, will return atop the No. 98 ThorSport pit box.

With his plans for the upcoming season set, Ty Majeski’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is scheduled to commence next Friday, February 14, at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh From Florida 250. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

AJ Allmendinger to make 12th Daytona 500 start in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by Andrew Boyd for SpeedwayMedia.com.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will mark AJ Allmendinger’s third re-entrance as a full-time competitor in the series, where he will pilot the No. 16 Chevrolet entry for Kaulig Racing. As Allmendinger prepares to launch a comeback campaign in the series, he will commence his campaign with a milestone start for this year’s 67th running of the Daytona 500. By competing in this weekend’s season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway, Allmendinger will make his 12th career start in the 500-mile opener.

A native of Los Gatos, California, Allmendinger made his first career start in the Daytona 500 in 2009, driving the No. 44 Dodge entry for Richard Petty Motorsports. Allmendinger’s first entrance to the 51st running of the Great American Race occurred in his third attempt to make the season-opening event after falling short during his previous two seasons while driving for Red Bull Racing. Four days before the 500, he finished in 10th place during the second of two Daytona Duel events and secured one of two transfer spots into the main event. In 2009 Allmendinger navigated his way up to a career-best third-place finish in the rain-shortened event.

Over his next three Daytona 500 starts, Allmendinger finished no higher than 11th, which occurred in 2011, while he was strapped with two top-30 results in 2010 and 2012. Due to being suspended and losing his full-time ride at Team Penske for failing a drug test towards the halfway mark of the latter season, the Californian was unable to secure a ride to compete in the 2013 Daytona 500 event.

In his next three Daytona 500 starts, Allmendinger never finished higher than 11th, achieving that result in 2011. He recorded two top-30 finishes in 2010 and 2012. NASCAR suspended Allmendinger after he failed a drug test midway through the 2012 season. Team Penske removed him from his full-time ride, preventing him from securing a spot in the 2013 Daytona 500.

Beginning in 2014, Allmendinger returned as a full-time Cup Series competitor as he joined forces with JTG-Daugherty Racing. After finishing no higher than 20th place during his first three 500 events from 2014 to 2016, he then tied his career-best result in the Great American Race by finishing in third place amid a late fuel-mileage battle. He finished in 10th place during the 60th running of the Daytona 500 in 2018, a season that would also mark his last with JTG-Daugherty Racing.

After being absent from the Daytona 500 from 2019 to 2022 due to primarily competing in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing, Allmendinger has since competed in the previous two Great American Race events over the previous two seasons, both of which he has finished in sixth place and occurred in Kaulig’s No. 16 Chevrolet entry.

Through 11 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Allmendinger has racked up two top-three results, five top-10 results, 30 laps led and an average-finishing result of 15.6 as he continues his pursuit for his first victory in the event. A victory by Allmendinger in 2025 would make him the 44th competitor overall to win the Great American Race and the first California native to achieve the feat since Kevin Harvick previously won in 2007. In addition, Allmendinger would award the 27th Daytona 500 victory for the Chevrolet nameplate and make Kaulig Racing the 28th organization overall to achieve a victory in the event.

This week, Allmendinger, will pilot the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet entry that finished in 28th place in the 2024 owner’s standings. He will participate in a single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 12, and in one of two Duel events on Thursday, February 13, to determine his starting lineup for this year’s Daytona 500. The qualifying session on Wednesday will begin airing at 8:15 p.m. ET on FS1 while the Duels will air at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.

FOX will broadcast the 2025 Daytona 500 live on Sunday, February 16, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.



TEAM CHEVY NASCAR RACE ADVANCE: Daytona International Speedway

By
Official Release
-

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Daytona International Speedway
2025 NASCAR Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth
February 12-16, 2025

DEFENDING THE SWEEP

It’s NASCAR’s turn to take center stage this weekend as all three national touring series will head to Daytona International Speedway to wave the green flag on the 2025 season.

The infamous Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth features five days of on-track action at the “World Center of Racing”, capped off by the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. Chevrolet is no stranger to success in the season-opening weekend at Daytona, with the Bowtie brand earning its second sweep of the sport’s season-opener one year ago. Already poised as NASCAR’s winningest manufacturer at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway, Chevrolet has the opportunity to add onto its storied history at the track again this year, where back-to-back season-opener sweeps would mark a first-time feat by a single manufacturer in NASCAR history.

MILESTONE MEMORIES

One year ago, Chevrolet added onto its already decorated history at Daytona International Speedway with yet another milestone victory. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ season-opening event, Team Chevy’s Nick Sanchez became a first-time winner in the sports’ national ranks – a victory that also delivered the Bowtie brand its 100th all-time NASCAR win at the “World Center of Racing”. Fellow Team Chevy drivers, Austin Hill and William Byron, followed suit to give Chevrolet a sweep of the season-opening weekend – making the Bowtie brand the only manufacturer in NASCAR history to sweep the wins across all three NASCAR national series in a season-opening weekend more than once.

Chevrolet’s winning ways at Daytona came early, with Bob Welborn driving his 1959 Chevrolet to the victory in NASCAR’s first appearance at the track (Feb. 1959). Over the next 66 years, the Bowtie brand has built a legacy of 102 all-time points-paying wins in the NASCAR national ranks at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway with 51 Cup Series wins and 47 Xfinity Series wins (both a series-leading feat), and four wins in the Truck Series.

 SIGHTS SET ON A STREAK

A victory in the DAYTONA 500 earns the driver a spot on one of the most iconic trophies in motorsports’ history – the Harley J. Earl trophy. Atop the trophy sits a replica of Firebird 1 – the jet age inspired, turbine-powered, single seater designed by the first head of GM Design Harley Earl. Bill France Sr., NASCAR founder and close friend of Earl, honored his contributions to the advancement of the automobile by naming the trophy for NASCAR’s most prestigious event after him. Chevrolet’s rich motorsports history at Daytona International Speedway makes winning the Harley J. Earl Trophy even more special to the manufacturer. Among Chevrolet’s 51 NASCAR Cup Series wins at Daytona International Speedway, 26 have come in the DAYTONA 500. Most recently, it was Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron that became the 19th different driver to earn a DAYTONA 500 victory with Chevrolet.

The 2025 season brings the opportunity for a Chevrolet three-peat in the “Great American Race”, with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. preceding Byron’s DAYTONA 500 title in 2023. The Bowtie brand already owns the record for the most consecutive DAYTONA 500 victories with five-straight (2003 – 2007).

Byron and Stenhouse Jr. are two of just eight former DAYTONA 500 champions entered in this year’s event, along with fellow Chevrolet driver and 2018 winner Austin Dillon.

Chevrolet’s DAYTONA 500 Winners:

Year Driver

2024 William Byron

2023 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2018 Austin Dillon

2014 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2013 Jimmie Johnson

2010 Jamie McMurray

2007 Kevin Harvick

2006 Jimmie Johnson

2005 Jeff Gordon

2004 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2003 Michael Waltrip

2001 Michael Waltrip

1999 Jeff Gordon

1998 Dale Earnhardt

1997 Jeff Gordon

1995 Sterling Marlin

1994 Sterling Marlin

1993 Dale Jarrett

1991 Ernie Irvan

1990 Derrike Cope

1989 Darrell Waltrip

1986 Geoffrey Bodine

1984 Cale Yarborough

1977 Cale Yarborough

1975 Benny Parsons

1960 Junior Johnson

BUSCH ON THE BRINK OF POTENTIAL HISTORIC CROWN

The 2025 season marks Kyle Busch’s 20th full-time campaign in the NASCAR Cup Series. One of the most accomplished drivers in NASCAR history, the 39-year-old Richard Childress Racing driver is a 63-time winner in NASCAR’s top division, including two Brickyard 400 wins (2015, 2016), and one win each in the Southern 500 (2008) and the Coca-Cola 600 (2018). The only crown jewel triumph missing from Busch’s decorated NASCAR career is the DAYTONA 500. The sport’s most prestigious event is arguably one of the hardest to conquer, with NASCAR Hall of Famer and former Richard Childress Racing driver, Dale Earnhardt Sr., sharing the same anguish until 1998 when he officially conquered the crown jewel in his 20th attempt.

Since joining the Richard Childress Racing camp in 2023, Busch has fared well on superspeedway-style circuits. In 12 events, Busch has recorded seven top-10 finishes, including a win at Talladega Superspeedway (April 2023). In his last appearance at the “World Center of Racing”, Busch came just 0.047 seconds shy of a return trip to victory lane (Aug. 2024).

 ALLGAIER, CASTRONEVES AMONG DAYTONA 500 HOPEFULS

A stout list of drivers will look to either qualify or race their way into the 40-car lineup for the 67th running of the DAYTONA 500. Among those hopefuls includes both a Chevrolet organization and a driver that will each be making their first-ever NASCAR Cup Series start.

Competing under the Chevrolet banner for nearly 20 years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, JR Motorsports is slated to make their first appearance in NASCAR’s top division – fielding the No. 40 Chevrolet entry for Justin Allgaier. JR Motorsports and Allgaier are carrying extra momentum as reigning title winners in the Xfinity Series – the fourth for the Chevrolet organization and the first for the 38-year-old Riverton, Illinois, native. This would mark Allgaier’s third start in the “Great American Race”, with his two prior appearances coming in a Chevrolet entry with team owner Harry Scott Jr. Allgaier’s most recent appearance in NASCAR’s top division came just last season when he rose to action as the substitute driver for Kyle Larson in the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 – collecting a hard-fought 13th-place finish in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet entry.

Trackhouse Racing’s PROJECT 91 program will make its return to the track with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Hélio Castroneves, behind the wheel. The Chevrolet organization debuted the PROJECT 91 entry in 2022 at Watkins Glen International with former Formula 1 World Champion, Kimi Räikkönen, tapped as the driver. Most notably, it was three-time Supercars Champion and now 2025 NASCAR Cup Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender, Shane van Gisbergen, that made NASCAR history by taking the No. 91 Chevrolet to victory lane at the Chicago Street Course in his first-ever start in NASCAR’s top division. With an already decorated career in open-wheel and sportscar racing, this will mark Castroneves first-ever start in the NASCAR national ranks.

 ROOKIE CLASS

The rookie class across all three NASCAR national series features a stout lineup of Team Chevy drivers this season.

· Already a winner in NASCAR’s top division, Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen will set his sights on his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series campaign. The three-time Supercars Champion took the NASCAR scene by storm when he piloted the PROJECT 91 Chevrolet entry to the victory at the Chicago Street Race in 2023 – marking the first time since 1963 that a driver won in his first career Cup Series start. The triumph ultimately led to a developmental role with Trackhouse Racing, including a partnership with Kaulig Racing to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2024. The 35-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native tallied three wins and a trip to the Xfinity Series playoffs, ultimately ending the season 12th in the series’ final points standings.

· Among the eight NASCAR Xfinity Series rookie candidates this season are five rising stars from the Chevrolet camp. Christian Eckes, Daniel Dye and Nick Sanchez are each coming off strong runs in the Truck Series playoffs in 2024. Eckes has joined forces with Kaulig Racing this season, with Saturday’s season-opener marking his first-ever start in the Xfinity Series. The 24-year-old Middletown, New York, native is carrying the confidence from an exceptional season behind the wheel of a McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet Silverado RST – tallying four race wins and 21-straight top-10s, including 12 podium finishes. Dye and Sanchez each have a handful of Xfinity Series starts under their belts. Dye, who will join the Kaulig Racing trio of Eckes and Josh Williams, has two top-10s in 12 career Xfinity Series starts, with a career-best seventh-place finish coming with the Chevrolet organization at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last season. Filling the seat of the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet, Sanchez is also no stranger to the organization, with six of his eight career Xfinity Series starts coming with the team. The Team Chevy driver has four top-12 results in the series, with his best finish of seventh coming at Martinsville Speedway in 2022.

· Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil signed on for their first career full-time season in the NASCAR national ranks – joining the four-car lineup for the Xfinity Series’ reigning champions JR Motorsports. At just 18-years-old, Zilisch has already been tapped as one of the sports’ next stars with a resume that includes a win in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Xfinity Series – all of which were earned in his first career start in each respective event. Zilisch made four starts in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet last season – tallying three top-five finishes, including his win at Watkins Glen International. Already a familiar face to JR Motorsports, Kvapil will make the jump up from the organization’s Late Model Stocks program to the Xfinity Series to take over the No. 1 Chevrolet. The 21-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native caught attention in his first outing with JR Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway last season – earning a fourth-place finish in his first-ever Xfinity Series start. Totaling nine starts in 2024, Kvapil tallied three top-fives and four top-10s, with his best finish of second coming at Dover Motor Speedway.

· Team Chevy will have three drivers from three different organizations represented in the Truck Series ‘Rookie of the Year’ battle. Among those includes Andres Perez de Lara, who will take over the driving duties for the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The 19-year-old Mexico City, Mexico, native has made his way up to the NASCAR national ranks after a successful tenure with Rev Racing and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program – most recently becoming the first Mexico-born driver to win the ARCA national title (2024). Perez de Lara made his first career Truck Series start with Spire Motorsports at World Wide Technology Raceway last season – driving the Chevrolet entry to a ninth-place result. McAnally-Hilgemann Racing and Niece Motorsports will also have a rookie title contender in the running, with Connor Mosack behind the wheel of the No. 81 Chevrolet and Christian Rose in the No. 44 Chevrolet.

BLAZER EV SS SET TO MAKE PACING DEBUT

Chevrolet is set to make history during the 2025 Daytona Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth with the all-new Chevrolet Blazer EV SS serving as the official pace vehicle for the 67th running of the Daytona 500 – the first-ever all-electric vehicle to lead the NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag in the “Great American Race”. While it’s the pacing debut for the Blazer EV SS, this marks the 16th time Chevrolet has led NASCAR’s premier series to the green flag in the DAYTONA 500.

“Chevrolet has a long history with racing – it’s in our DNA – and the Blazer EV SS is a testament to that,” said Scott Bell, vice president of Chevrolet. “We’re excited for customers to watch the Blazer EV SS — the quickest SS we’ve ever produced — pace such an iconic race this weekend.”

The weekend’s pace vehicle lineup will also feature the Corvette Stingray, handling the pacing duties for the Xfinity Series in Saturday’s United Rentals 300, with the Silverado RST leading the Truck Series to the green flag in Friday’s Fresh From Florida 250.

 BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field for the 2025 NASCAR season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway:

The 67th running of the DAYTONA 500: Chevrolet Blazer EV SS – the first-ever all-electric vehicle to lead the NASCAR Cup Series to the green flag in the “Great American Race”.

NASCAR Cup Series Duels at Daytona: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Chevrolet Silverado RST

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway:

William Byron – two wins (Aug. 2020 & Feb. 2024)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (July 2017 & Feb. 2023)
Austin Dillon – two wins (Feb. 2018 & Aug. 2022)
Michael McDowell – one win (Feb. 2021)
Justin Haley – one win (July 2019)
Kyle Busch – one win (July 2008)

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a DAYTONA 500 victory:

William Byron – one Daytona 500 win (2024)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – one Daytona 500 win (2023)
Michael McDowell – one Daytona 500 win (2021)
Austin Dillon – one Daytona 500 win (2018)

· In 155 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 51 wins, with 26 of those triumphs coming in the “Great American Race”.

· Chevrolet has 102 points-paying wins at Daytona International Speedway across all three NASCAR national series, making Chevrolet the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR history at Daytona International Speedway.

· Chevrolet has captured the DAYTONA 500 pole a manufacturer-leading 31 times, including a series-best streak of 11-straight (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman – 2023).

· Chevrolet has swept the DAYTONA 500 front-row 21 times in the event’s history, including 11 of the past 14 years (most recent: Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson – 2023).

· Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman is the only driver in series’ history to sit on the front-row of the DAYTONA 500 for six consecutive years (2018-2023).

· All behind the wheel of a Chevrolet-powered machine, Hendrick Motorsports has won a series-leading 16 DAYTONA 500 poles: Ken Schrader (1988, 1989, 1990), Jeff Gordon (1999, 2015), Jimmie Johnson (2002, 2008), Mark Martin (2010), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2011), Chase Elliott (2016, 2017), Alex Bowman (2018, 2021, 2023), William Byron (2019), Kyle Larson (2022).

· Since the debut of the Next Gen Cars in 2022, Chevrolet has won 11 of the 18 superspeedway-style races in the NASCAR Cup Series – recorded by seven drivers from four different Chevrolet organizations.

· In 108 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 52 victories – a winning percentage of 48.1%.

· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 866 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series
67th running of the DAYTONA 500
Sunday, February 16, 2:30 p.m. ET
FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Xfinity Series
United Rentals 300
Saturday, February 15, 5 p.m. ET
CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Fresh From Florida 250
Friday, February 14, 7:30 p.m. ET
FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

FOR THE FANS

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway, Chevrolet Injector and Chevrolet Experience Center at Daytona International Speedway.

· Fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles at each display location including:

Chevrolet Racing Display in Fan Midway: Equinox ACTIV, Corvette ZR1, Trax 2RS, Traverse RS, Colorado TB, Silverado RST, Silverado 2500 ZR2 Bison, Blazer EV SS, Equinox EV RS, Silverado EV RST, Tahoe Z71.

Chevrolet Injector: Corvette, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Z06, Corvette Stingray, Trax ACTIV, Traverse RS, Tahoe Z71, Suburban High Country, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Silverado 2500 ZR2 Bison, Equinox EV, Equinox RS, Trax ACTIV, Trailblazer ACTIV, Blazer EV RS, Silverado EV RST, Tahoe RST, Traverse Z71, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Suburban Z71, Tahoe RST.

Chevrolet Experience Center: Firebird 1, Blazer EV SS, Blazer EV.R Race Car Concept, Blazer EV Race Car Foam Model.

In addition, there will be a special showing of a collection of historic race cars including: replica of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet Camaro SS that won the 2014 Daytona 500; Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 Pennzoil Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS that won the 2007 Daytona 500; Darrell Waltrip’s No. 17 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that won the 1989 Daytona 500; and Herb Thomas’ No. 92 ’55 Chevrolet 150.

· Fans can also view Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet show car at the Chevrolet Racing Display in the Fan Midway.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

· Thursday, February 13

Tyler Ankrum & Jack Wood: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Daniel Hemric & Connor Mosack: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

· Friday, February 14

Corey Day: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Bayley Currey, Kaden Honeycutt, Matt Mills, Christian Rose: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Rajah Caruth: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Grant Enfinger: 12:45 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Lavar Scott: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

· Saturday, February 15

Matt DiBenedetto: 12 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Austin Hill: 12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m.

Justin Allgaier & Sammy Smith: 12:40 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.

Jesse Love: 1 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Connor Zilisch & Carson Kvapil: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Nick Sanchez: 1:45 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Christian Eckes: 2 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Josh Williams: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

· Sunday, February 16

Shane van Gisbergen: 10 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Ross Chastain: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Austin Dillon: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Michael McDowell: 10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Chase Elliott & William Byron: 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Kyle Larson: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

AJ Allmendinger: 11:45 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.

Kyle Busch: 11:55 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Thursday, February 13: 3 – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, February 14: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 15: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday, February 16: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What is it going to be like to have Helio as a teammate?

“I met Helio at the shop when he was there for a fitting. He sat in my cockpit and really liked it, just some minor tweaks and he happens to line up with me from a physical side. I spent some more time with him at dinner and he has a great personality and it was cool to hear his racing stories. He’s always laughing. I’m looking forward to him experiencing the Daytona 500 after everything he has done in his career.”

How does it feel to be starting a new season?

“It feels good to be getting back into the routine with meetings, working out, going to the track and everything that comes with a new season. Having Shane (Van Gisbergen) as a teammate fulltime with be great. It’s another driver to get feedback from and it has allowed us to expand our resources at the shop with personnel and things like that. When the engine fires on my Busch Light Chevy at Daytona it means the season has officially started.”

Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

“Kicking off the season in Daytona is truly one of the highlights of the year. I have complete confidence that the #7 team will deliver a competitive Chevrolet to Daytona, and that we will position ourselves for a chance at winning the Daytona 500! I am excited to work with my teammates, Carson and Michael, as we start the season off with Spire Motorsports!”

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

What are your expectations for 2025?

“I would say in 2025, you’ve got to get out there and you’ve got to win. That’s our thing. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to win in ‘24 and ended the streak of 19 seasons with a win, so getting back to victory lane is the ultimate goal. We’ve just got to get out there, score wins and get our Chevrolet where it needs to be. And that starts with being competitive each week and having shots to reach that checkered flag first.”

The importance of a spotter and communication at Daytona and a plate track, superspeedway. What is that communication like and how important is that to you?

“Communication with your spotter is the ultimate. There’s nothing else that you really use as much as your spotter on speedway racing. You can use your mirrors and look in the camera and look behind you and whatnot. But, trying to figure out a way of being able to understand the energy that’s coming rows back behind you, the only way to get that is from your spotter. When you’re in traffic and you’re three or four rows back, you’re trying to understand what the gaps are in front of you so you know how hard to push the guy in front of you to get your lane moving forward.”

What would it mean to win that race?

“Yeah, I mean, winning the Daytona 500 would be the ultimate. I’ve pretty much done everything else there is to do in our sport, you know? That’s the only thing left. I’ve won at Daytona in a summer race, but I have not won there in the Daytona 500 in February. I’m looking forward to it. One of these days, I sure hope it comes true, I want it to come true, to become a Daytona 500 champion.

It’s Groundhog Day for me. This is 21 years, it’s the start of a new season. I’m ready to go, ready to get back after it. A lot of good things have seemed to happen behind the scenes over at RCR so I’m looking forward to a strong season and getting back to victory lane.”

Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“The Daytona 500, it’s our Super Bowl, our biggest event of the year. There’s no better feeling than being on the front stretch for pre-race and the pageantry that goes on for the 500. It’s always a blessing and kind of a pinch me moment, more during the national anthem than that I’m getting to in the race again in the Daytona 500. It’s going to be our first race with Grizzly Nicotine Pouches, so we’re going to have a lot of fun to get the season kicked off and there’s no better way to start a year than with a Daytona 500 trophy and a ring, and to lock ourselves in to the playoffs at the first race of the year. We want to come out of the gates hot and have a great start to the year.”

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

“The Daytona 500 is obviously the biggest race we have during the year and one of the biggest races in motorsports. Especially with where I am at in my life and in my career, I really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of it. The last couple years, we’ve had a great shot to win it, and I feel like we will have the speed again. To be back full-time in the Cup Series and racing for points, it’s important to go out there and have a great week. As we know with this race, anything can happen, so we’ll just try to be smart, be aggressive at the right time and make the right moves. Hopefully, just like we have done the last couple years, we’ll put ourselves in position to try to win the race.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

Back in 2023, you won the Daytona 500, a feat that not every driver can say they’ve done. Relive what it meant for you and the team to win that iconic crown-jewel race.

“For me, it was like we showed up to Daytona before 2023 and you just wondered if you would ever get that feeling of winning the race and pulling into victory lane. I’ve had friends do it and I’ve gone in there to congratulate them, but you never know if you’ll get there yourself. In 2023, I was super confident that morning. I woke up and I felt like we were going to win. It’s one of those races that’s so special to win and to prove yourself in NASCAR by winning. That Daytona 500 win meant everything to our partners and our team. It’s always nice going back now because I feel like there’s way less pressure because you already have that win. Still, I feel like we can put ourselves in more positions to win more Daytona 500s now that we’ve got one. I’m looking forward to getting back there and trying to win our second.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

Talk about what it takes to pick up a second Daytona 500 and how the race has changed over the years…

“Daytona is tough. It’s hard to get to the end of a 500 mile race and with this NextGen car you have to be aggressive, you have to keep track position, which means you have to fight hard to get up there and stay up there, but it’s all calculated risk, right? You’re trying to put yourself in the best position you can, but you’re also feeling the energy in the pack and seeing where you think something’s going to come from. It’s a balance for sure of when to take that risk and when not to, when to back out and when to keep going, there’s less opportunities now to get out of the pack and recharge. So, you know, who you’re around and when you’re around other cars it is really important. Then, the fuel mileage and pit cycle stuff is super important now too. Those factors change the intensity of the race at different points, and you have to adapt to that intensity when it picks up and when it’s not, so there’s a lot of moving dynamics that have changed over the years for sure.”

You have been outspoken about wanting a win in all three series, how can you pick up your first truck win at Daytona?

“Even though I’ve been doing this a long time, I’ve only done two truck series races and those were both very last minute, kind of thrown together. So, I’m looking forward to having a proper opportunity to go do it at a high level and in some great race trucks. The goal is always the same, the goal is to win. But to be a driver that has won in all three national series is a goal of mine and something that is important and I’ll have a few shots at it this year, so hopefully we can get it done and no better place to do that than Daytona, but, if not, there’s great opportunities throughout the season and looking forward to the challenge and just learning too because like I said, I don’t have a lot of time in the truck and you know, looking forward to being a part of what they have going on.”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

How important is it start with the season on a positive note with a good run at Daytona?

“It’s going to be important to have a good run in Daytona. Starting off the season on a good note is obviously good for my confidence and for the WeatherTech team’s confidence as well. A lot can happen at Daytona. It would be nice to start the season off strong.”

As a rookie, do you think it will be difficult to have other drivers work with you in the draft?

“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. I have only run one superspeedway race before, so it is going to take a little bit of time to get up to speed.”

How challenging will it be to stay out of trouble at Daytona?

“One of the biggest things at Daytona is making it to the end of the race. 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. You have to be in the race to finish well. I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we have and starting the season off strong.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturer Championships:

Total (1949-2024): 43

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Most recent: 2024

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Driver Championships:

Total (1949-2024): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 866 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 753

Laps led to date: 252,711

Top-fives to date: 4,369

Top-10s to date: 9,007

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,200

       Chevrolet: 866

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 840                                                           

       Ford: 740

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 189

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.

Jeffrey Earnhardt returns to Sam Hunt Racing for part-time Xfinity campaign in 2025

By
Andrew Kim
-
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images.

Jeffrey Earnhardt will be returning to Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) for a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign in 2025.

Earnhardt, a fourth-generation racer from Mooresville, North Carolina, will pilot SHR’s No. 24 Toyota Supra entry, which is serving as the team’s “all-star entry, for his first-scheduled Xfinity start of this upcoming season at Talladega Superspeedway. For the event, Earnhardt will be sponsored by ForeverLawn.

The news comes as Earnhardt is coming off a six-race Xfinity campaign at SHR, which included starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February, Talladega in April, both Michigan International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway in August, Bristol Motor Speedway in September and the season-finale event at Phoenix Raceway in November. During the six-race span, Earnhardt notched a season-best eighth-place result at Atlanta.

“I’m very excited to have ForeverLawn back as a partner this year,” Earnhardt said in a released statement. “They are family to me, and I know [team owner] Sam [Hunt] and everyone on the team feels the same way. They continue to grow the company and launch incredible products in the synthetic turf world. After last season’s races with the Sam Hunt team and the speed they showed, it only made sense to run it back. I can’t express how thankful I am to be able to drive their cars. I’m grateful for the support Toyota has given SHR to grow as a team and to me to continue developing as a driver. We have several races on the calendar, and I look forward to the first race.”

Earnhardt, a former ARCA Menards Series East Most Popular Driver recipient, made his first two Xfinity career starts in 2009, where he drove the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet entry to respective finishes of 24th at Watkins Glen International and 31st and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Since then, he has made an additional 172 starts through 12 seasons, primarily part-time, in the Xfinity circuit.

Through 174 previous starts in the Xfinity Series, Earnhardt has accumulated a single pole, two top-five results, six top-10 results, 47 laps led and an average-finishing result of 26.2.

To date, Earnhardt’s best on-track result is a runner-up finish at Talladega in April 2022, which occurred in a weekend where he also claimed his first Xfinity pole and piloted the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet, once driven by his grandfather and the late seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, for Richard Childress Racing. In addition, his best points result is 18th, which he achieved in 2014 while driving on a full-time basis for JD Motorsports, and his best season with an average-finishing result occurred in 2019, where his result was a 10.1 after he had racked up three top-10 results while competing between Joe Gibbs Racing and XCI Racing.

“I couldn’t be more excited to continue our relationship with Jeffrey and the ForeverLawn family throughout 2025,” Sam Hunt added. “Jeffrey is the ultimate teammate and takes a lot of pride in the development of SHR, which means a ton to me. We also know he can deliver in our GR Supras, and will give him all the tools we can to be successful on the track. He has become like family to our staff, and everyone in the building wants to see him succeed. I’m so grateful to Dale and the entire Karmie family for recognizing our shared vision and alignment of core values between SHR and ForeverLawn. It’s going to be a fun year watching Jeffrey run up front.”

Currently, Earnhardt is the second competitor announced to pilot SHR’s No. 24 Toyota entry for the 2025 Xfinity season. Ryan Truex is scheduled to pilot the entry for this upcoming weekend’s season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. SHR’s No. 24 “all-star” entry will compete alongside the organization’s No. 26 Toyota entry that is set to be driven by rookie Dean Thompson on a full-time basis.

The rest of the scheduling details for both Earnhardt and SHR’s No. 24 driver lineup for the 2025 season remains to be determined.

Jeffrey Earnhardt’s first NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the 2025 season is scheduled to occur at Talladega Superspeedway for the Ag-Pro 300. The event is scheduled to occur on April 26 and air at 4 p.m. ET on the CW Network.

Kyle Larson to make 12th Daytona 500 start in 2025

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

Entering his 11th season as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitor and fifth in a row driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) Chevrolet entry, Kyle Larson prepares to officially commence a new season of competition pursuing the lone prestigious event missing from his race-winning resume: the Daytona 500. With this year’s 67th running of the Great American Race potentially up to grabs in his favor, Larson will pursue the feat with a milestone start for the event. In starting this Sunday’s season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway, he will make his 12th career start in the 500.

A native of Elk Grove, California, Larson’s first Daytona 500 career start occurred in 2014, the year in which he campaigned in his first full-time Cup stint in the No. 42 Chevrolet entry for Chip Ganassi Racing. Starting in 16th place, he ended up in 38th place after a tap from Austin Dillon sent the former sideways and eliminated in a multi-car wreck with 39 laps remaining. Larson would then finish in 34th place during his second season-opening event in 2015 after he was involved in another multi-car wreck, with the latest one occurring on the final lap.

In 2016, Larson nabbed his first top-10 result during the 58th Daytona 500 event after he finished in seventh place. The following season, he led 16 laps and was leading on the final lap when he ran out of fuel entering the backstretch amid a late fuel-mileage battle. Instead of a potential trip to Victory Lane, he drifted back to 12th place.

Despite finishing 19th during the 60th Daytona 500 event in 2018, Larson rallied by notching three consecutive top-10 results over his next three starts from 2019 to 2021. During his latest 10th-place finish in 2021, the Californian was driving the No. 5 HMS Chevrolet after he spent the 2020 season sidelined due to using a racial slur during an iRacing event, which also resulted from him being released from Chip Ganassi Racing.

After notching his first Cup Series championship and 10 race victories in 2021, Larson extended the momentum in the early stages of the 2022 season by winning the pole position for the 64th Daytona 500, which marked his first time leading the field to start a Great American Race from the top-starting spot. During the main event, he led a single lap and ended up in 32nd place after he triggered a multi-car wreck with 10 laps remaining. The following season, he claimed a front row starting spot for the 65th Daytona 500 and started alongside teammate/pole-sitter Alex Bowman. Despite contending for the victory amid two overtime shootouts, Larson ended up in 18th place after he got turned head-on into the Turn 1 outside wall by Travis Pastrana and was unable to limp his wrecked race car back to the finish line amid a nine-car pileup. Since then, he finished 11th during his latest 500 start in 2024.

Through 11 previous starts in the Daytona 500, Larson has recorded one pole, four top-10 results, 31 laps led and an average-finishing result of 18.0. A victory by Larson in 2025 would make him the 44th competitor overall to win the Great American Race and the first California native to do so since Kevin Harvick made the last achievement in 2007. In addition, Larson would rack up Chevrolet’s 27th victory of the event, make HMS the winningest team in the history of the Daytona 500 with 10 victories and notch the first 500 victory for HMS’ No. 5 entry since Geoff Bodine made the lone accomplishment in 1986. As an added bonus, Larson would complete his Grand Slam of NASCAR’s crown-jewel events by adding a Daytona 500 victory alongside his previous prestigious victories that include the Coca-Cola 600, Southern 500 and Brickyard 400.

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

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

1...733734735...6,753Page 734 of 6,753