Because the NASCAR Cup Collection prepares for its annual journey to the Sunshine State for its premier occasion, the Daytona 500 at Daytona Worldwide Speedway, there will probably be some added stress for the drivers attempting to make the sector for Sunday’s race.
The preliminary entry record for the “Nice American Race” reveals 45 vehicles, which is essentially the most since 49 drivers tried to make the race in 2015, per Dustin Long of NBC Sports.
Whereas there are 36 chartered vehicles locked into the race, together with previous Daytona 500 winners Joey Logano (2015), Denny Hamlin (2016, 2019, 2020), Austin Dillon (2018), Michael McDowell (2021), Austin Cindric (2022), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2023) and William Byron (2024), there are solely 4 spots obtainable for the 9 open groups attempting to make the race.
There are a number of notable drivers and groups that must both qualify or race their approach in by way of the Duel qualifying races on Thursday night time.
These 9 drivers embrace Corey LaJoie (No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford), 2024 Xfinity Collection champion Justin Allgaier (No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in partnership with nation music star Chris Stapleton and his Traveller Whiskey model), J.J. Yeley (No. 44 NY Racing Chevrolet), 2017 Cup Collection champion Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Tricon Storage Toyota), Anthony Alfredo (No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet), Chandler Smith (No. 66 MBM Motorsports’ Storage 66 Ford), B.J. McLeod (No. 78 Dwell Quick Motorsports Chevrolet), seven-time Cup Collection champion and NASCAR Corridor of Famer Jimmie Johnson (No. 84 Legacy Motor Membership Toyota) and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet).
If Castroneves is unable to qualify for the race on single-car pace or by way of his Duel race, he would have the ability to reap the benefits of NASCAR’s new “Open Exemption Provisional,” and inherit the Forty first-place beginning place.
Vehicles take to the excessive banks on Wednesday morning for apply earlier than single-car qualifying takes place below the lights Wednesday night time (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Following the conclusion of qualifying, the 2 quickest drivers earn entrance row beginning spots whereas the 2 quickest open drivers lock in on pace.
The opposite two spots will probably be decided within the pair of Duel qualifying races Thursday night time (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With so many drivers preventing for 4 spots, the depth is bound to be off the charts simply to get within the race.
Whereas it’s not common to have this many entries for the Daytona 500 in its cherished historical past, it has been a decade since there have been this many entries, which leaves the door open for some notable drivers to probably miss the race altogether.
Given Castroneves can fall again on the provisional if he has to, and Allgaier, Truex Jr. and Johnson ought to have the tempo to both lay down a quick sufficient lap in qualifying or race their approach in by way of the Duels, there’s a path towards all 4 of them making it in. Nevertheless, nothing is assured, particularly with pack racing at Daytona.
Every year, it appears one Duel is calm whereas the opposite presents some drama. If that continues this season, all it takes is a kind of drivers being within the incorrect place on the incorrect time to finish their hopes of creating it to Sunday.
Buckle-up for what is bound to be an exhilarating Speedweek at Daytona because the 2024 NASCAR season shifts into full gear with Sunday’s 67th working of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, Fox, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
