As the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for its annual trip to the Sunshine State for its premier event, the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, there will be some added pressure for the drivers trying to make the field for Sunday’s race.
The initial entry list for the “Great American Race” shows 45 cars, which is the most since 49 drivers attempted to make the race in 2015, per Dustin Long of NBC Sports.
While there are 36 chartered cars locked into the race, including past 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 only four spots available for the nine open teams trying to make the race.
There are several notable drivers and teams that will have to either qualify or race their way in through the Duel qualifying races on Thursday night.
Those nine drivers include Corey LaJoie (No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford), 2024 Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier (No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in partnership with country music star Chris Stapleton and his Traveller Whiskey brand), J.J. Yeley (No. 44 NY Racing Chevrolet), 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 Tricon Garage Toyota), Anthony Alfredo (No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet), Chandler Smith (No. 66 MBM Motorsports’ Garage 66 Ford), B.J. McLeod (No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet), seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson (No. 84 Legacy Motor Club 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 speed or through his Duel race, he would be able to take advantage of NASCAR’s new “Open Exemption Provisional,” and inherit the 41st-place starting position.
Cars take to the high banks on Wednesday morning for practice before single-car qualifying takes place under the lights Wednesday night (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Following the conclusion of qualifying, the two fastest drivers earn front row starting spots while the two fastest open drivers lock in on speed.
The other two spots will be determined in the pair of Duel qualifying races Thursday night (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). With so many drivers fighting for four spots, the intensity is sure to be off the charts just to get in the race.
While it is not usual to have this many entries for the Daytona 500 in its cherished history, it has been a decade since there were this many entries, which leaves the door open for some notable drivers to potentially miss the race altogether.
Given Castroneves can fall back on the provisional if he has to, and Allgaier, Truex Jr. and Johnson should have the pace to either lay down a fast enough lap in qualifying or race their way in through the Duels, there is a path toward all four of them making it in. However, nothing is guaranteed, especially with pack racing at Daytona.
Each year, it seems one Duel is calm while the other presents some drama. If that continues this season, all it takes is one of those drivers being in the wrong place at the wrong time to end their hopes of making it to Sunday.
Buckle-up for what is sure to be a thrilling Speedweek at Daytona as the 2024 NASCAR season shifts into full gear with Sunday’s 67th running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, Fox, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
