The race to make the 2025 Daytona 500 could also be simply as thrilling as the five hundred itself with the biggest subject of ‘open’ entries in a decade. Among the many entrants are two former Cup champions and a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. In the end, 9 drivers might be preventing for the ultimate 4 spots on the grid (doubtlessly 5 spots however we’ll clarify {that a} bit in a while). First, let’s meet the drivers and groups who might be battling to be a part of the 67th working of ‘The Nice American Race.’
Corey LaJoie – No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing, Mighty Hearth Breaker Ford Mustang
Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Corey LaJoie is at a crossroads in his Cup profession. After a troublesome 2024 the place he struggled for outcomes and was compelled to alter groups mid-season, it was unclear if we’d even see him on the monitor this yr. It’s not a full-time experience, however he has secured a partial schedule with Rick Ware Racing, driving a quantity that hasn’t been seen on the Cup degree in 17 years (and pays tribute to his ‘Stacking Pennies’ mantra). He’s a superbly succesful superspeedway racer with a fourth-place end in final yr’s Daytona 500, but when he desires to make a ninth consecutive begin on this crown jewel occasion, he should beat some actually spectacular names.
Justin Allgaier – No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
Champion Champion Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports, BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: NASCAR Media
The Earnhardt-owned group is lastly going Cup racing. With help from the mighty Hendrick Motorsports and sponsorship from nation music legend Chris Stapleton, they’ve put collectively a group for this yr’s 500. Defending Xfinity Sequence champion Justin Allgaier will pilot the No. 40 Chevy and whereas he’s an skilled Cup racer, he hasn’t participated on this occasion since 2015.
J.J. Yeley – No. 44 NY Racing Group Chevrolet
J.J. Yeley, Rick Ware Racing, Nabor Power Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
A real underdog story. Yeley is a veteran journeyman racer with practically 400 Cup begins over the past 20 years. In his ten Daytona 500 makes an attempt, he has didn’t make the present on 4 events. His final begin got here ten years in the past regardless of three makes an attempt with three totally different groups over the previous couple of years, which at all times led to a DNQ. Final season was particularly merciless as he in some way discovered himself in a switch spot, moments away from beating seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in a shock upset. Sadly, a stack-up within the last nook opened the door for Johnson and denied Yeley a spot within the huge race. And past the 2 Cup champions on this checklist, Yeley is by far probably the most skilled driver making an attempt to race their approach into the present.
Martin Truex Jr. – No. 56 TRICON Storage Toyota
Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Retailers Toyota Camry
Photograph by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
That is an intriguing one. The 2017 NASCAR Cup champion retired from full-time competitors on the finish of final yr, however he’s nonetheless trying to find that elusive Daytona 500 victory. He might be in unfamiliar territory as an open entry, however he may have robust help from Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing (his former group). The group he’ll formally be driving for is TRICON Storage, a Truck Sequence operation hoping to make its first begin within the Cup Sequence. Truex has 20 earlier appearances within the 500, however zero victories. Of notice, he might be reuniting together with his former crew chief Cole Pearn, who guided Truex to the Cup title in 2017. We’ll see if he may also information him into the Daytona 500 towards a stacked subject of rivals.
Anthony Alfredo – No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports, Fortify Constructing Options Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Beard Motorsports is a part-time group that completely runs superspeedways lately. Partly resulting from their shut relationship with RCR, they’ve had some spectacular showings through the years, together with a top-five end. This can mark the ninth consecutive yr they’ve tried the five hundred, solely lacking it twice. Historical past does favor them as this duo of Anthony Alfredo and Beard Motorsports already made the five hundred collectively one yr in the past.
Chandler Smith – No. 66 (previously MBM Motorsports) Storage 66 Ford
Chandler Smith, Kaulig Racing, Fast Tie Inc. Chevrolet Camaro
Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
The story of this entry is a tumultuous one with Storage 66 – which was generally known as MBM Motorsports till very lately – having to scramble to discover a driver after NASCAR threw a wrench into their authentic plans. Veteran driver Mike Wallace was set to pilot the entry, however this was introduced earlier than the 65-year-old gained official approval from NASCAR. With no superspeedway begins in over a decade, NASCAR determined towards permitting Wallace to aim the five hundred, leaving him lower than happy. The group made a public plea for any drivers with funding who can be taken with driving the automobile as Wallace’s alternative, all whereas concurrently going by means of its ‘Storage 66’ rebrand. Ultimately, they secured younger racer Chandler Smith, who has gained on the Xfinity and Truck ranges. Smith was uncertain if he’d even be racing this yr after dropping his full-time Xfinity experience, however he’s since discovered a touchdown spot within the Truck Sequence. This might be his second Daytona 500 try, having didn’t make the present two years in the past.
B.J. McLeod – No. 78 Reside Quick Motorsports Chevrolet
B.J. McLeod, Reside Quick Motorsports, Chevrolet
Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Driver/proprietor B.J McLeod earned a giant payday when he bought his constitution for upwards of $40 million two years in the past and has since turn out to be a part-time driver, exhibiting up for occasions right here and there as he pleases. He has 5 begins within the 500, however didn’t make the race in his first yr as an open entry in 2024. Whereas the chances are towards him, he has loads of mates within the storage and that’s one thing you at all times want at a drafting monitor like Daytona.
Jimmie Johnson – No. 84 Legacy Motor Membership Toyota
Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Carvana Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
The seven-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion is again once more, driving the automobile he co-owns in hopes of constructing his twenty second begin within the 500. Johnson has gained this race twice however even together with his intensive expertise behind the wheel, he narrowly prevented lacking the present one yr in the past. It was a nail-biting end with Johnson making the required cross within the last seconds of his Duel race. This yr, he’ll as soon as once more drive a 3rd entry for his personal group as a teammate to John-Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones. Johnson can be partnering with basketball legend Shaq for his 500 effort.
Helio Castroneves – No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Group Chevrolet
Helio Castroneves, Group Penske
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Solely two drivers in historical past have gained each the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 and they’re the legendary Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt. Helio is aiming to turn out to be the third, teaming up with Trackhouse’s Undertaking 91 program. This automobile has featured each Kimi Raikkonen and Shane van Gisbergen up to now, taking a shock victory within the 2023 Chicago Road Course race that served as a launching pad for SVG’s NASCAR profession. Helio is in a singular place as an open entry as a result of he’s not feeling the strain of the eight others on this checklist. He’s eligible for the newly-created ‘Open Exemption Provisional,’ which NASCAR says might be made out there to “world-class drivers” and ensures them a spot within the subject. If Helio fails to make the race on advantage, a fifth open spot might be added to the grid, bringing the automobile depend to 41 for Sunday’s race.
The race to make the race
Excluding Helio, who can fall again on the OEP if wanted, the remaining eight groups will put a whole lot of effort into qualifying day, the place they’ll management their future a bit greater than the dash races to observe. Single-car qualifying units the grid for the 2 Duel qualifying races, however extra importantly, the 2 quickest open entries will routinely lock themselves into the sector. Allgaier with the Hendrick energy beneath the hood possible has the perfect shot of taking that route, but it surely’s no assure. For the six drivers who don’t finish their worries in qualifying, their destiny might be determined over the course of dual 150-mile warmth races.
Within the Duel races, teammate and producer alliances might be paramount on the 2.5-mile superspeedway the place the draft is all the pieces. Some drivers are extra lucky on this space than others, equivalent to Truex and Johnson whereas the likes of Yeley and Smith will most likely be fending for themselves. The open entries might be evenly break up between the 2 Duel races, and the highest-finishing open entry from every Duel race will take the ultimate two spots on the grid. Now, if a kind of two drivers who locked in through qualifying velocity additionally beats the opposite open entries of their respective Duel race, issues get a bit extra difficult. Ought to certainly one of them pull off such a feat, the third quickest open entry from qualifying turns into locked into the present. If each of them handle to greatest the remainder of the open subject in qualifying and the races, then the third and fourth quickest open entries from qualifying will be part of them within the 67th working of the Daytona 500. Once more, the significance of qualifying can’t be understated.
That is the most important open entry subject for the reason that system was launched in 2016, and an open entry has by no means gone on to win the Daytona 500. Ryan Preece did the perfect of any when he raced his approach into the sector for the 2021 Daytona 500 and went on to complete sixth. With the caliber of drivers and groups entered this yr, that might actually change and the Duel races are certain to be full of each excessive feelings and gripping drama. When the smoke clears on Thursday the thirteenth, 4 to 5 drivers may have their 500 hopes dashed as the complete subject of starters is confirmed for the 67th working of NASCAR’s crown jewel occasion.
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Helio Castroneves
Jimmie Johnson
JJ Yeley
Martin Truex Jr
Justin Allgaier
BJ McLeod
Corey Lajoie
Anthony Alfredo
Chandler Smith
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