The nine open entries battling for a spot in the 2025 Daytona 500

The race to make the 2025 Daytona 500 could also be simply as thrilling as the five hundred itself with the biggest discipline of ‘open’ entries in a decade. Among the many entrants are two former Cup champions and a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Finally, 9 drivers will probably be preventing for the ultimate 4 spots on the grid (probably 5 spots however we’ll clarify {that a} bit afterward). First, let’s meet the drivers and groups who will probably be racing for an opportunity to be a part of the 67th operating of ‘The Nice American Race.’

Corey LaJoie – No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing, Mighty Fireplace Breaker Ford Mustang

Picture 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 pressured to vary groups mid-season, it was unclear if we’d even see him on the observe this 12 months. It’s not a full-time trip, however he has secured a partial schedule with Rick Ware Racing, driving a quantity that hasn’t been seen on the Cup stage in 17 years (and pays tribute to his ‘Stacking Pennies’ mantra). He’s a wonderfully succesful superspeedway racer with a fourth-place end in final 12 months’s Daytona 500, but when he needs 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

Picture by: NASCAR Media

The Earnhardt-owned group is lastly going Cup racing. With assist from the mighty Hendrick Motorsports and sponsorship from nation music legend Chris Stapleton, they’ve put collectively a staff for this 12 months’s 500. Defending Xfinity Collection 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 Workforce Chevrolet

J.J. Yeley, Rick Ware Racing, Nabor Drive Ford Mustang

Picture 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 did not make the present on 4 events. His final begin got here ten years in the past regardless of three makes an attempt with three completely different groups over the previous couple of years, which at all times resulted in a DNQ. Final season was particularly merciless as he one way or the other 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 remaining nook opened the door for Johnson and denied Yeley a spot within the massive race. And past the 2 Cup champions on this listing, Yeley is by far essentially the most skilled driver making an attempt to race their method into the present. 

Martin Truex Jr. – No. 56 TRICON Storage Toyota

Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Outlets Toyota Camry

Picture 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 12 months, however he’s nonetheless looking for that elusive Daytona 500 victory. He will probably be in unfamiliar territory as an open entry, however he may have sturdy assist from Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing (his former staff). The group he’ll formally be driving for is TRICON Storage, a Truck Collection operation hoping to make its first begin within the Cup Collection. Truex has 20 earlier appearances within the 500, however zero victories. Of word, he will probably be reuniting together with his former crew chief Cole Pearn, who guided Truex to the Cup title in 2017. We’ll see if he can even information him into the Daytona 500 towards a stacked discipline of rivals. 

Anthony Alfredo – No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet

Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports, Fortify Constructing Options Chevrolet Camaro

Picture by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs

Beard Motorsports is a part-time staff that completely runs superspeedways as of late. Partly as a result of their shut relationship with RCR, they’ve had some spectacular showings through the years, together with a top-five end. It will mark the ninth consecutive 12 months 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 12 months in the past.

Chandler Smith – No. 66 (previously MBM Motorsports) Storage 66 Ford

Chandler Smith, Kaulig Racing, Fast Tie Inc. Chevrolet Camaro

Picture by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs

The story of this entry is a tumultuous one with Storage 66 – which was often called 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 staff made a public plea for any drivers with funding who can be all for driving the automobile as Wallace’s alternative, all whereas concurrently going by way of its ‘Storage 66’ rebrand. Ultimately, they secured younger racer Chandler Smith, who has received on the Xfinity and Truck ranges. Smith was uncertain if he’d even be racing this 12 months after dropping his full-time Xfinity trip, however he’s since discovered a touchdown spot within the Truck Collection. This will probably be his second Daytona 500 try, having did not make the present two years in the past.

B.J. McLeod – No. 78 Stay Quick Motorsports Chevrolet

B.J. McLeod, Stay Quick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Picture by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Photographs

Driver/proprietor B.J McLeod earned an enormous 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, displaying up for occasions right here and there as he pleases. He has 5 begins within the 500, however did not make the race in his first 12 months as an open entry in 2024. Whereas the chances are towards him, he has loads of buddies within the storage and that’s one thing you at all times want at a drafting observe like Daytona.

Jimmie Johnson – No. 84 Legacy Motor Membership Toyota 

Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Carvana Toyota Camry

Picture by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Collection champion is again once more, driving the automobile he co-owns in hopes of constructing his twenty second begin within the 500. Johnson has received this race twice however even together with his in depth expertise behind the wheel, he narrowly averted lacking the present one 12 months in the past. It was a nail-biting end with Johnson making the required cross within the remaining seconds of his Duel race. This 12 months, 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 Workforce Chevrolet

Helio Castroneves, Workforce Penske

Picture by: Alexander Trienitz

Solely two drivers in historical past have received 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 Challenge 91 program. This automobile has featured each Kimi Raikkonen and Shane van Gisbergen previously, 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 novel place as an open entry as a result of he’s not feeling the strain of the eight others on this listing. He’s eligible for the newly-created ‘Open Exemption Provisional,’ which NASCAR says will probably be made obtainable to “world-class drivers” and ensures them a spot within the discipline. If Helio fails to make the race on advantage, a fifth open spot will probably be added to the grid, bringing the automobile rely 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 lots of effort into qualifying day, the place they’ll management their future a bit greater than the dash races to comply with. Single-car qualifying units the grid for the 2 Duel qualifying races, however extra importantly, the 2 quickest open entries will mechanically lock themselves into the sphere. Allgaier with the Hendrick energy beneath the hood seemingly has the very best shot of taking that route, however it’s no assure. For the six drivers who don’t finish their worries in qualifying, their destiny will probably be determined over the course of dual 150-mile warmth races.

Within the Duel races, teammate and producer alliances will probably 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, resembling Truex and Johnson whereas the likes of Yeley and Smith will in all probability be fending for themselves. The open entries will probably be evenly cut 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 by way of qualifying pace 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 discipline in qualifying and the races, then the third and fourth quickest open entries from qualifying will be part of them within the 67th operating of the Daytona 500. Once more, the significance of qualifying can’t be understated.

That is the largest open entry discipline 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 very best of any when he raced his method into the sphere for the 2021 Daytona 500 and went on to complete sixth. With the caliber of drivers and groups entered this 12 months, that would definitely change and the Duel races are certain to be crammed with 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 discipline of starters is confirmed for the 67th operating of NASCAR’s crown jewel occasion.

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