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Nascar

Daytona Time

Now that we FINALLY have survived another football season and one of the most boring Super Bowl Sundays of all-time, it is time for the most anticipated event of February: The Daytona 500.

I know many of you are looking towards March Madness, Opening Day for MLB and College Baseball, or even the NFL Draft. However, if you are a racing fan or have been considering giving NASCAR a second chance, this weekend is the time to tune back in to the best form of motorsports in the world. 

The “Super Bowl” of stock-car racing will drop the green flag on Sunday at approximately 2:30pm ET. This is the 67th running of “The Great American Race” and the 44th straight season that the NASCAR Cup Series officially started the season with the biggest event on the calendar. 

Even with all of those fun facts, why should you watch? What should you be looking forward to in the race? What are some of the special storylines for this year’s 500? Let’s answer those questions and much more. 

THE SPECIAL FACES

As we noted a few backs in our first edition of “Dirty Air,” there are a lot of new full-time faces in the Cup Series for 2025. However, there are some special one-offs or part-time drivers who will be attempting to qualify for this year’s Daytona 500. 

#01 Corey LaJoie

The man of many nicknames, most of which are not positive. Corey LaJoie returns to Rick Ware Racing in a part-time role for 2025 driving the #01 Ford, alluding to his “Stacking Pennies” podcast. He is also trying to establish the brand on the track in form of “Stacking Pennies Performance.” No matter your opinion of Corey or his 2025 plans, he has made a clear statement that he is starting the transition of moving out of the car. In addition to being a part-time driver, he will also be an analyst during Prime’s coverage of the Cup Series in the summer. 

#40 Justin Allgaier

This is a homerun for the sport. Justin Allgaier, the defending Xfinity Series Champion, will try to make the 500 in Dale Jr.’s first ever Cup entry as an owner with Chris Stapleton’s Traveler Whiskey sponsoring the car. I mean seriously, how cooler could this get? We are always talking about bringing eyeballs to the sport, and I believe this Chevrolet will do just that this weekend. 

#56 Martin Truex Jr.

Well MTJ, we hated to see you go last Phoenix, but here you are right back here in Daytona. The 2017 Cup Series Champion will be piloting the Bass Pro Shops Toyota for Tricon Garage, who just like Dale Jr., will be trying to qualify for their first Daytona 500. If you are looking for a good story to pull for this weekend, it would be Martin Truex Jr. Everyone in the garage and fanbase would love to see MTJ finally add a Harvey J. Earl to his historic trophy case, especially now that he is only part-time. 

#66 Chandler Smith

This guy should be a Cup ride, but due to funding is not. However, as we have seen too many times in recent memory, the best drivers are not always driving on Sundays. Chandler Smith, who won two Xfinity races in 2024, finished fifth in points and recorded a top five in nine of the final 10 races, returned to the Craftsman Truck Series full-time in 2025. He will be driving for Front Row Motorsports on Friday nights but will attempt to qualify for his first 500 in the #66 Ford Mustang for Garage 66. 

#84 Jimmie Johnson

“Seven-time” will attempt to qualify for his third Great American Race as a car owner. The majority owner of Legacy Motor Club will have Carvana and Shaq on his Toyota Camry. The car’s paint scheme resembles the 1990s-era Orlando Magic uniforms. Hopefully JJ will be running this beautiful ride on Sunday afternoon. 

#91 Helio Castroneves 

The four-time Indianapolis 500 Champion will be competing in his first-ever Daytona 500 and NASCAR Cup Series event for Trackhouse. Unlike the others above, Castroneves already knows he has a spot in the 500 on Sunday because of NASCAR’s new “world-class drivers” rule. This new rule gives NASCAR the ability to approve a 41st entry (if requested by 90 days before event). Trackhouse took notice of this new rule in the updated charter agreement, and NASCAR approved Castroneves. The only negative to using this provisional is that there will be no payouts or points awarded to Castroneves if he is the 41st driver. 

THE STORYLINES

  • One of the biggest storylines is the “world-class drivers” rule that applies to Castroneves. Many fans and folks in the industry are upset that this distinction was not given to Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series. Furthermore, many are upset that this rule exists. I am inclined to agree, as NASCAR is the biggest form of motorsports in America and should not be gifting starting spots in the biggest & first race of the year to part-time drivers based on their name. 
  • Ford has dominated the duels/qualifying in the next-gen car era. In 2022, RFK Racing swept the duels with Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher behind the wheel. In 2023, Joey Logano of Team Penske and Aric Almirola of the now defunct Stewart Haas Racing took home the checkered flags. Last year, Toyota swept the duels with 23XI’s Tyler Reddick and JGR’s Christopher Bell. However, Ford swept the front row in qualifying with Logano and Michael McDowell. The Fords are always powerful in qualifying and in the duels but seem to always get caught in the “big one” during the 500-mile spectacle, as Austin Cindric in 2022 is the last Ford to win the Daytona 500. 
  • Unfortunately, there is a chance of rain in Daytona on Thursday (Duels), Friday (Trucks), and Sunday (Cup). In recent years, this always seems to be a damper on the hype for leading up to Daytona. Good news, there is not a chance for rain on Monday! 
  • 20 years of trying and 20 years of frustration – Just like RCR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr., current RCR driver Kyle Busch will be attempting his 20th Daytona 500. Just like Martin Truex Jr., “Rowdy” Busch has won everything else imaginable, but not the Great American Race. Can he repeat history for Richard Childress Racing 27 years after Dale Sr. did in 1998? 

ANYTHING ELSE?

I never believe that Daytona is an indictment what the season will be, no matter if you win or finish 33rd. So, if your favorite driver wrecks on lap 35, do not get too down. More than likely, your driver will be involved in an incident at some point with the way that drafting tracks always play out. This is the biggest race of the year, and Daytona produced a great product last summer. Hopefully, we see more of the drafting product that both Atlanta races and the summer Daytona race produced in 2024. I think we will, and if NASCAR is able to get the race in on Sunday afternoon, it could be another great step in the right direction for a sport that is regaining its traction. 

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