Anthony Alfredo will race full-time for Young’s Motorsports in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the team announced Tuesday.
Alfredo, 25, will pilot the flagship No. 42 Chevrolet in what will be his fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, with sponsorship from Dude Wipes and Randco Industries. The Ridgefield, Connecticut, native finished 2024 15th in the driver standings as pilot of the No. 5 Our Motorsports Chevy, tallying two top fives and seven top-10 finishes, including a ninth-place Dash 4 Cash triumph at Dover Motor Speedway in April.
“I am very excited to join the Young’s Motorsports team this season. I certainly respect what Tyler and his team are building,” Alfredo said in a press release. “It’s clear they are determined to become a serious contender in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and I look forward to being a part of that. I am grateful for the opportunity and am ready to make the most of it.”
“This is huge for us,” team principal Tyler Young said in a press release. “Anthony is a wheelman. The NXS competition is stout. He absolutely has what it takes to win in this field. I am pumped we get to keep growing our Xfinity program with him this season.”
Andrew Abbott, who was crew chief for Leland Honeyman and the No. 42 in 2024, will continue to sit atop the pit box for the team in 2025. In 130 Xfinity Series races, Abbott has accumulated four top fives and 13 top 10s.
The 2025 campaign will be the second season for Young’s Motorsports in the Xfinity Series as the organization continues to grow its racing brand. The organization, which began action in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2012, collected one top five and two top 10s in its inaugural Xfinity campaign in 2024.
Alfredo will make his Young’s Motorsports debut in the Xfinity season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15 (5 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Team outlook: Certainly, the championship organization expects to see an improved 2025 campaign. Although Dillon won a race at Richmond Raceway last year, he was penalized for aggressive driving at the finish and not given NASCAR Cup Series playoff eligibility. Meanwhile, the two-time series champion Busch suffered his first winless full-time season — his first since 2004, when he only competed in six races. Dillon will team with a new crew chief in Boswell, and Busch will start his third season at RCR with the veteran Burnett. NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender Austin Hill will make several starts this season as well — with the hope he helps strengthen the team overall. Busch won three races in his first season with the RCR team in 2023 and last year scored season-best back-to-back runner-up finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway mid-summer in the weeks immediately after Dillon’s Richmond triumph. The Next Gen car is now firmly established — as opposed to a variable to solve — resulting in more parity across the grid as teams challenge the Team Penske dominance that has resulted in the last three NASCAR Cup Series titles.
Experience: 11 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series 2024 stats: 32nd in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 1 top five, 5 top 10s 2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 150-1
Outlook: The 34-year-old has five NASCAR Cup Series career wins — including trophies in the sport’s biggest races, from the Daytona 500 (2018) to the Coca-Cola 600 (2017). There is no question he knows how to win and how to raise his game. And with more than a decade at NASCAR’s elite level, the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion would like to prove himself a more consistent title threat. His 32nd-place result in the 2024 final standings is the lowest in his career. Dillon’s famous No. 3 RCR Chevrolet will have a new crew chief in 2025 in Boswell, the fifth crew chief for Dillon in just the last three years. The team is hopeful this new pairing will pay off. Boswell last worked at Stewart-Haas Racing, leading Chase Briscoe to a clutch victory in the 2024 regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway. Last season, Dillon led his most laps (36) since 2020 and scored his third win in the last five years. He’s qualified for the playoffs five times.
Experience: 20 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series 2024 stats: 20th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 5 top fives, 10 top 10s 2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 22-1
Outlook: The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2015, 2019) is absolutely ready to return to form following a frustrating 2024 season, which marked the first time in his 20-year full-time career he had not won a race. Even more puzzling, it came one year after he won three races in his 2023 debut season for the RCR team. Busch did earn a pair of season-best runner-up finishes heading into last year’s playoffs but only managed a single top 10 (7th, Atlanta) in that final 10-race championship portion of the schedule. Busch, who will turn 40 in May, would love nothing more than to push a restart button and kick off the year with a win in the only major race he hasn’t won yet — the season-opening Daytona 500, where he is a preseason favorite for victory. It’s a win he is still chasing despite already earning 63 series victories over the course of his career, ninth all-time and the highest victory total of any current full-time driver. There are high expectations for the 2025 season from Busch, his team and others. He goes into the season ranked 10th among drivers DraftKings expects to vie for the 2025 title.
BOLD PREDICTION: It’s not normally “bold” to predict Kyle Busch is in championship form, but the 39-year-old two-time champ essentially went through the most trying season of his nearly 20-career in 2024. He’s tired of answering questions about when he might retire and more eager to get his No. 8 RCR team back on track and answer questions about competing for a title. Dillon will absolutely also turn in a statistically improved 2025, and a new crew chief could be exactly what energizes the No. 3 team.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2025) — Today NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports announced that Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, has become the Official Propane of NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports through a multi-year partnership.
As the official propane of NASCAR, Suburban Propane will provide the propane for the new, propane-powered track dryers that NASCAR will add to its fleet starting this season. These dryers are used alongside NASCAR’s Air Tundras, as well as traditional jet dryers utilized for drying the racetrack. In addition, Suburban Propane becomes the official propane of Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Watkins Glen International. As part of the partnership, Suburban Propane will provide on-site services for campers at each track property during NASCAR event weekends, and propane for in-stadium concessions.
As the official propane of Speedway Motorsports, Suburban Propane becomes the official propane of Sonoma Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway. Suburban Propane will provide support services year-round to speedway operations staff and campers on-site at each track property during NASCAR event weekends.
“Uniting Suburban Propane, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports represents a strong partnership among three longstanding and well-recognizable American brands serving a broad and diverse audience,” said Nandini Sankara, Vice President, Marketing & Brand Strategy and spokesperson for Suburban Propane. “As the official propane of NASCAR, we are excited to make a meaningful contribution at the racetracks and foster a dynamic collaboration that meets the needs of NASCAR and its fans.”
The Suburban Propane-branded and powered track dryers will debut in February 2025, servicing NASCAR races across the country. In addition, a new co-branded logo involving Suburban Propane and NASCAR will be displayed on all Suburban Propane bobtails and at customer service centers across Suburban Propane’s 42-state footprint.
“We’ve had very positive business relationships between Suburban Propane and some of our speedways for many years,” said Kevin Camper, Speedway Motorsports Chief Commercial Officer. “We’re now expanding those relationships company-wide and will work with Suburban to provide convenient propane refill stations accessible to fans near our campgrounds. It’s a pleasure to add a service-oriented company like Suburban Propane to our family of Speedway Motorsports Official Partners.”
With this new partnership, Suburban Propane expands its impressive roster of professional sports, corporate, and charitable partnerships throughout its 42-state footprint.
The 2025 edition of one of the most popular and cherished events in all of dirt racing, the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink, has finally arrived.
Considered the Super Bowl of midget car racing, the Chili Bowl attracts more than 300 competitors from across the United States and the world to compete at Tulsa Expo Raceway, a temporary circuit constructed inside the SageNet Center at Tulsa’s Expo Square in Oklahoma.
This year marks the 39th running of the event, which began in 1987 and has continued to grow in prestige each year since.
A number of NASCAR stars have traveled to Tulsa to take part in the Chili Bowl through the years. Several have won the event and taken home the prestigious Golden Driller trophy.
Among them are 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, a two-time Chili Bowl winner, and Christopher Bell, a three-time Chili Bowl champion. Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has also won the Chili Bowl twice. Dave Blaney, a veteran of more than 450 NASCAR Cup Series races, won the Chili Bowl in 1993.
In 2025, seven drivers who competed in the NASCAR Cup Series last year are entered. They include Bell, who is returning to the Chili Bowl after a two-year absence. Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, will be making his Chili Bowl debut. Larson is also entered alongside Ty Gibbs, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., J.J. Yeley and Josh Bilicki.
Brent Crews, who won in ARCA Menards Series competition each of the last two years, is also entered. Corey Day, a star sprint car driver who made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series debuts one season ago, is also slated to compete.
Below is everything to know about the 2025 Chili Bowl, including the TV schedule, the entry list and the list of winners over the event’s 38-year history.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in action during the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
What TV channel is the Chili Bowl on in 2025?
The 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals from the SageNet Center will be shown live in its entirety on FloRacing, the streaming home for all NASCAR Regional action. The event will not be shown on a traditional television network.
FloRacing’s coverage begins Monday, Jan. 13 and includes all five qualifying nights as well as the championship finale on Saturday, Jan. 18.
Below is the breakdown of the TV and live streaming schedule for the 2025 Chili Bowl.
Date
Event
How to watch
Racing Start Time
Monday, Jan. 13
2nd Opinion Auto Center Qualifying Night plus the ROC; Race of Champions
Four NASCAR Cup Series winners, including two NASCAR Cup Series champions, are among the more than 350 drivers entered in the 2025 edition of the Chili Bowl Nationals.
As of Jan. 6, the entry list for the 2025 Chili Bowl had reached 371 drivers. The all-time record for Chili Bowl entries was set in 2022, when 381 competitors filed entries for the popular midget car racing event.
Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, headlines the list of NASCAR competitors entered to compete in the Chili Bowl. He is a two-time Chili Bowl champion, having captured the Golden Driller trophy in consecutive years in 2020 and 2021.
Returning after a two-year hiatus, Christopher Bell will look to become a four-time Chili Bowl Nationals champion. He scored three consecutive Chili Bowl triumphs from 2017 to 2019.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch is slated to make his Chili Bowl Nationals debut this week after previously competing in the Tulsa Shootout, the annual precursor to the Chili Bowl. Ty Gibbs, the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, will also be making his Chili Bowl debut.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a winner in NASCAR Cup Series competition last year at Talladega Superspeedway, also returns for another attempt to win the Golden Driller trophy.
Also entered are NASCAR and dirt racing veteran J.J. Yeley, Josh Bilicki and 2024 ARCA race winner Brent Crews.
The entry list features drivers from 36 states and five countries (Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands). Logan Seavey, the two-time and defending race winner, is among those entered.
Spectators cheer during the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
A-Main results
Logan Seavey joined a short list of competitors to score multiple Chili Bowl victories with his second consecutive win last year. After winning the 2022 running of the event, Seavey did it again in 2023 with a dominant performance that saw him battle Buddy Kofoid for the victory.
Legendary sprint car driver Sammy Swindell, a three-time World of Outlaws champion, holds the record with five Chili Bowl A-Main victories (1989, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2009). He is once again entered in 2024.
Swindell’s son Kevin ranks second in Chili Bowl A-Main victories with four (all in a row from 2010-14), though injuries sustained in a 2015 crash ended his driving career.
Below is the complete list of Chili Bowl winners from 1987-2024.
Year
Chili Bowl A-Main winner
1987
Rich Vogler
1988
Scott Hatton
1989
Sammy Swindell
1990
Johnny Heydenreich
1991
Lealand McSpadden
1992
Sammy Swindell
1993
Dave Blaney
1994
Andy Hillenburg
1995
Donnie Beechler
1996
Sammy Swindell
1997
Billy Boat
1998
Sammy Swindell
1999
Dan Boorse
2000
Cory Kruseman
2001
Jay Drake
2002
Tony Stewart
2003
Dan Boorse
2004
Cory Kruseman
2005
Tracy Hines
2006
Tim McCreadie
2007
Tony Stewart
2008
Damion Gardner
2009
Sammy Swindell
2010
Kevin Swindell
2011
Kevin Swindell
2012
Kevin Swindell
2013
Kevin Swindell
2014
Bryan Clauson
2015
Rico Abreu
2016
Rico Abreu
2017
Christopher Bell
2018
Christopher Bell
2019
Christopher Bell
2020
Kyle Larson
2021
Kyle Larson
2022
Tanner Thorson
2023
Logan Seavey
2024
Logan Seavey
NASCAR drivers at the 2025 Chili Bowl
NASCAR competitors have a long history of competing at the Chili Bowl, and that tradition will continue in a big way in 2025.
Kyle Larson walks up the ramp from the track during the 2022 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 15, 2022. (Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
Kyle Larson is back at the Chili Bowl Nationals for the 17th time. A two-time (2020 and 2021) Chili Bowl Nationals champion, Larson has made the championship feature 11 times during his career. He’s already taken home trophies this year inside the SageNet Center after winning the A-Class and Outlaw features during the Tulsa Shootout.
One season ago, he made a surprise return to the Chili Bowl, but a flip during his preliminary night ended his hopes of making the Saturday finale.
Kyle Busch, shown here at Lee USA Speedway in 2023, will make his Chili Bowl Nationals debut this year. (Photo: Susan Wong/NASCAR)
For the first time in his lengthy racing career, Kyle Busch will compete in the Chili Bowl Nationals. However, this isn’t Busch’s first time inside the SageNet Center. He’s competed in the Tulsa Shootout each of the last three seasons, including most recently two weeks ago.
He even scored a pair of heat race wins during his Tulsa Shootout campaign.
Christopher Bell looks over the track before the 2022 Chili Bowl Nationals finale at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 15, 2022. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
Perhaps no driver is more excited for the 2025 running of the Chili Bowl Nationals than Christopher Bell. The native of Norman, Oklahoma is returning to the SageNet Center after a two-year absence. A three-time (2017-2019) Chili Bowl champion, Bell has made the championship feature nine times in 12 previous attempts.
His most recent Chili Bowl appearance came in 2022, when he finished second to Tanner Thorson.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
Back for the 18th time during his career, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will continue his pursuit of a Golden Driller trophy during the 2025 edition of the Chili Bowl Nationals. In his 17 previous Chili Bowl appearances, Stenhouse has made the championship feature eight times. His best effort came in 2021, when he finished seventh in the Saturday night main event.
One season ago he, like Larson, made a surprise appearance at the Chili Bowl and raced his way to the C-Main on championship Saturday before being eliminated.
Ty Gibbs will make his Chili Bowl Nationals debut during the 2025 running of the event. (Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Another NASCAR star making his Chili Bowl Nationals debut this year is Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs, who honed his skills racing on dirt at North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway.
He recently made his Midget racing debut during the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at California’s Ventura Raceway and will look to turn heads during his first Chili Bowl.
J.J. Yeley during the 2024 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 13, 2024. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
A legend inside the SageNet Center, veteran NASCAR star J.J. Yeley returns to the Chili Bowl Nationals for his 29th attempt to capture the prestigious Golden Driller trophy. In his 28 previous attempts Yeley has made the championship feature eight times, including scoring a runner-up finish during the 2007 Chili Bowl.
Yeley made history during the 2004 running of the event, advancing a stunning 69 positions from his F-Main to finish third in the Chili Bowl championship race.
Josh Bilicki during the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Jan. 14, 2023. (Photo: Nick Oxford/NASCAR)
Journeyman NASCAR competitor Josh Bilicki is back at the SageNet Center for the third consecutive year to take part in the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals.
His best effort in his previous two starts came in 2023 when he made it to a J-Main on championship Saturday.
Brent Crews will seek to make his second Chili Bowl Nationals championship feature in 2025. (Photo: Nic Antaya/ARCA Racing)
A victor in ARCA Menards Series competition each of the last two seasons who is slated for a part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series effort with Tricon Garage in 2025, Brent Crews will attempt to make the Chili Bowl Nationals championship feature for the second time during his career.
The 16-year-old has made three previous attempts inside the SageNet Center, with his best effort coming in 2023 when he finished 24th in the Saturday night finale.
Corey Day finished third during the 2024 edition of the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. (Photo: Ed Zurga/ARCA Racing)
A fast rising star in the sprint car world who has also begun dabbling in NASCAR, Corey Day is back for his fourth attempt at the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2025.
In three previous attempts inside the SageNet Center, Day has made the championship feature twice. His best effort came last year, when he finished third in the Saturday night main event behind winner Logan Seavey and runner-up Buddy Kofoid.
The same dirt used for the inaugural Chili Bowl in 1987 forms the track each year.
“The Chili Bowl’s key ingredient is the clay which once covered the adjacent fairgrounds,” the event’s website reads. “Without sun or wind to harm it, the indoor garden (roughly a quarter-mile circle) is heavily saturated so that the boldest dirt track artists of our time can truly shine.”
Located outside the Tulsa Expo Center is the famous golden driller statue, a massive figure depicting an oil worker. That is why the driver who wins the Chili Bowl A-Main on championship Saturday will receive a Golden Driller trophy, one of the most sought after trophies in all of motorsports.
Format
Below is the 2025 Chili Bowl format as outlined on ChiliBowl.com. One major change for the 2025 edition of the event is the length of the championship main event on Saturday night, which will go from 55 laps to 40 laps.
Qualifying Nights (Monday-Friday)
Heat Races
Drivers draw for heat racing starting position at 2 p.m. at chalkboard each day
The driver who draws lowest number will start on the pole of Heat 1, second lowest number on the pole of Heat 2, etc.
Number of heats decided by number of cars – 7-10 cars per heat race (8 Laps)
Advancement from heat race to features is based upon passing points earned in heat race and qualifying races. Passing points are based upon car starting position when the yellow light goes out prior to the initial start of the heat or qualifying race.
C Mains/Qualifying Races/B Mains/A Main
The 40 drivers earning the most passing points advance to Four “A” Qualifying Races; drivers in passing points positions 41-68 will go to two C Main races. The two C Main races will have 16 cars 12 laps in length.
The top four cars in each C Main race will advance to the back of the B Main races, going 15 laps. (Top four from first C Main to back of first B Main, top four from second C Main to back of second B main)
The lineup of each “A” Qualifying race will include an inversion of six cars. The top 24 cars in passing points will make the inversion. (The top point driver will start on row 3 of the first qualifying race, the No. 2 driver on row 3 of the second qualifying race, etc.)
The four qualifying races will have 10 cars each with the top 16 in combined passing points from the heats and Qualifying races advancing to the A Main.
The balance of the cars (24) from the “A” qualifying races will advance to two 16 car B Mains. The top four in each B Main will advance to the A Main, going 30 laps.
There will be 24 drivers in each Preliminary Night A Feature
The top two drivers in the Preliminary A qualify for Saturday’s A Main.
Saturday Night Features
A Feature
The lineup for the top 10 cars in the A feature will be determined through the Chili Bowl Pole Dash.
The five A feature winners will draw 1-5, followed by the five drivers who finished second drawing 6-10 to seed the Pole Dash.
Pole Dash Procedure
Each of the races will have four cars and be four laps.
Preliminary Night Winners will draw for positions 1st – 5th, Runner up will draw 6th – 10th
First Race will be drivers who draw 7th – 10th, lined up in that order. Top 2 will advance.
Second Race, front row will be drivers who draw 5th & 6th, with the two drivers moving on from the first race in Row 2 (Winner inside, 2nd outside).
Third Race front row will be drivers who draw 3rd & 4th, with the two drivers moving on from the second race in Row 2 (Winner inside, 2nd outside).
Fourth Race front row will be drivers who draw 1st & 2nd, with the two drivers moving on from the third race in Row 2 (Winner inside, 2nd outside).
Winner of the fourth race will earn the pole in Saturday’s A-Feature.
(Note: All positions in races other than Saturday’s A-Main will line up upon the originoal draw of the winners prior to the pole dash. Example: If the Friday winner draws number 1, the Wednesday winner draws number 2, Tuesday winner draws number 3, Thursday winner draws number 4, and the Monday winner draws number 5, all positions in all races will be based on Friday first, Wednesday second, Tuesday third, Thursday fourth, and Monday fifth.)
Seven drivers will advance from each B main to the A for a total of 24 cars with Provisionals set aside for the defending Chili Bowl Champion and previous year’s Race of Champions Winner should they not transfer.
B Mains (20 Laps)
There will be two B mains, with 20 drivers in each B main.
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature in position 3-8 will qualify for the B mains
Five drivers will advance from each C main to the B mains (1st C to 1st B, 2nd C to 2nd B)
C Mains (15 Laps)
There will be two C Mains, with 20 drivers in each C
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature positions 9-14 will qualify for the C mains
Five drivers will advance from each D main to the C Mains
D Mains (15 Laps)
There will be two D mains, with 20 drivers in each D
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary A feature positions 15-20 will qualify for the D mains
Five drivers will advance from each E main to the D mains
E Mains (15 Laps)
There will be two E mains, with 20 drivers in each E
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night A features 21-24 and B features 5th will qualify for the E mains
Five drivers will advance from each F main to the E mains
F Mains (15 Laps)
There will be two F mains, with 20 drivers in each F
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 6-8 will qualify for the F mains
Five drivers will advance from each G main to the F mains
G Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two G mains, with 16 drivers in each G
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 9-10 will qualify for the G mains
Five drivers will advance from each H main to the G mains
H Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two H mains, with 16 drivers in each H
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 11-12 will qualify for the H mains
Six drivers will advance from each I main to the H mains
I Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two I mains, with 16 drivers in each I
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 13-14 will qualify for the I mains
Six drivers will advance from each J main to the I mains
J Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two J mains, with 16 drivers in each J
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night B features in positions 15-16 will qualify for the I mains
Six drivers will advance from each K main to the I mains
K Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two K mains, with 16 drivers in each K
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C features in positions 5-6 will qualify for the K mains
Six drivers will advance from each L main to the L mains
L Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two L Mains, with 16 drivers in each L
Drivers finishing in their Preliminary night C feature in position 7-8 will qualify for the L Mains
Six drivers will advance from each M main to the L mains
M Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two M Mains, with 16 drivers in each M
Drivers finishing in C feature positions 9-10 will qualify for the M Mains
Six drivers will advance from each N main to the M mains
N Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two N Mains, with 16 drivers in each N
Drivers finishing in C feature positions 11-12 will qualify for the N Mains
Six drivers will advance from each O main to the N mains
O Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two O Mains, with 16 drivers in each O
Drivers finishing in D feature positions 3-4 will qualify for the O Mains.
Six drivers will advance from each P Main to the O Mains
P&Q Mains (10 Laps)
There will be two P Mains and possibly two Q Mains, with the number of drivers TBA in each.
Drivers finishing in D feature positions 4 on back will qualify for these race, and lineup position will be determined by finish on qualifying night and number of cars.
Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell took charge of the opening night of the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink inside the SageNet Center on Monday evening.
Larson won the first of five preliminary features to lock himself into Saturday’s dirt midget car championship feature. Earlier in the evening, Bell raced to a dominant victory in the annual Chili Bowl Race of Champions.
The victory for Larson did not come easy. He started fourth in the 25-lap preliminary event and faded as far back as seventh in the opening laps.
Utilizing patience and timely cautions, Larson worked his way into contention late in the race.
With eight laps remaining, Larson moved to third. A caution with five laps to go allowed Larson to close the gap to leaders Shane Golobic and Cannon McIntosh.
Larson dispatched McIntosh shortly thereafter and looked to be setting up Golobic for a last-lap pass, but a caution for a flipped car in Turn 3 stopped the action and set up a green-white-checkered restart.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion made the winning move in Turns 3-4 coming to the white flag, throwing a perfect slide job that allowed him to take the lead from Golobic and score his eighth career Chili Bowl preliminary feature victory.
“The yellows definitely helped,” Larson told FloRacing. “I think it just kind of brings the pace down. People get kind of moving around, track is a litter dirtier, you get out of your rhythm. So yeah, it helped me.
“We just found a way, which was nice, but we’ve still got to get a lot better for Saturday.”
While Larson had to fight his way to Victory Lane Monday night, Bell had no such difficulty.
Starting from the pole in the Chili Bowl Race of Champions, Bell raced to an unchallenged victory in his return to Chili Bowl competition after a two-year absence.
It was his third victory in the Race of Champions, an invite-only event featuring a variety of drivers from across the dirt racing spectrum.
“I freaking love this place, man. It is the greatest,” Bell said. “I’m just glad I get to be here with all you great race fans. This is just so much fun, so much fun to come back and run these dirt cars.”
The 39th running of the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink continues Tuesday night. Action kicks off at 5 p.m. ET with complete coverage available live on FloRacing.
NASCAR competition officials confirmed Monday that driver Mike Wallace is not approved for his previously announced attempt to qualify for this year’s Daytona 500.
MBM Motorsports had announced Jan. 2 that the 65-year-old Wallace would drive the team’s No. 66 Ford in its bid for the “Great American Race” (Feb. 16, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
For each driver approval request, NASCAR considers recent racing activity and performance as primary factors for consideration.
Wallace’s most recent NASCAR Cup Series start came in the Daytona 500 in 2015, when he drove a Jay Robinson-owned entry to a 36th-place finish. He last competed in a national series event in 2020, when he drove three races for JD Motorsports in the Xfinity Series.
Because Wallace has not raced on an intermediate or larger race track since 2015, at this time he is not approved to race at the NASCAR Cup Series level.
Wallace has three career victories at Daytona International Speedway in three different series. He prevailed in an ARCA Menards Series race at the World Center of Racing in 1994, then added wins there in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2000) and Xfinity Series (2004).
A busy 2025 for Brent Crews could not have started on a more perfect note.
Facing a challenging field in the Stock Non-Wing Division of the Tulsa Shootout that featured Kyle Larson in the A-Main, Crews was tasked with maintaining a front-row starting position for 30 laps. A spirited battle for the lead with polesitter Cannon McIntosh ended with Crews taking home the event’s Golden Driller trophy for the first time.
One week later, Crews finds himself back at the Tulsa Expo Center, this time in preparation for the prestigious Chili Bowl. The strenuous week will see Crews face many of the same standout competitors from the Tulsa Shootout, yet the young prospect has never felt more optimistic in his ability to excel on one of dirt racing’s premier stages.
“I’ve had a great week at the Tulsa Expo Center already,” Crews said. “Being able to pick up a [Golden] Driller was a dream come true of mine. Doing it with a great group made it even more special. I definitely feel more confident in being able [to race] with Christopher Bell, who is really good in that building.
“Heading into my fourth year, this is probably the most excited I’ve ever been.”
The past couple years have seen Crews develop a reputation as an efficient dirt competitor, but doing so required patience and a copious amount of track time.
Asphalt tracks are where Crews perfected his craft behind the wheel. Several championships in go-karts during his formative years helped instill crucial fundamentals into Crews that have followed him as he has branched out into short-track and road-course competition.
While Crews was busy thriving in go-karts, he was also beginning to make his first appearances at dirt tracks. Competing at North Carolina’s Millbridge Speedway regularly helped Crews quickly find his rhythm in the discipline, as he became the youngest winner POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series winner at just 13.
Obtaining so much experience at dirt tracks is something Crews believes has made him more refined and composed on pavement. With versatility becoming a more important quality amongst the current generation of drivers, Crews wants to balance out his growing pavement obligations with a healthy amount of dirt events.
“Anytime I get into a dirt car, I want to be competitive” Crews said. “If I’m not going to be competitive, then I want to find a way to be. You see guys like Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell that are running anything they set foot in, and that’s what separates the best from good.
“I’m trying to run as many races as possible, but thankfully dirt racing is something I love, so it’s a bonus.”
Brent Crews’ dirt experience has carried over into stock cars, with both of his ARCA Menards Series victories coming in dominant fashion. (Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/ARCA Racing)
Committing himself to a relentless racing schedule has resulted in Crews earning several accolades on pavement such as titles in the World Series of Asphalt and the Trans Am TA2 Championship. It was only a matter of time before Crews’ natural talent translated into a marquee accomplishment on dirt.
That opportunity materialized with Crews prevailing in the Tulsa Shootout’s Stock Non-Wing Division. Perfection was essential for Crews and his team Paul May Motorsports throughout the week, as one small mistake could have placed him in the large crowd of drivers that did not qualify for the A-Main such as Bell and Busch.
The near-flawless performance in the Stock Non-Wing Division was rewarding for Crews in numerous aspects. He crossed off a bucket list item of adding a Golden Driller to his growing trophy case and found extra motivation towards replicating that showing in the Chili Bowl this week.
Approaching the Chili Bowl A-Main is similar, but different compared to Crews’ journey in the Stock Non-Wing class during the Tulsa Shootout. The midgets used in the Chili Bowl are much heavier and possess more horsepower, preventing Crews from holding his car wide open around the Tulsa Expo Center.
Despite the differences, Crews said many of the core fundamentals that apply to success in the Tulsa Shootout carry over to the Chili Bowl. That knowledge, combined with the previous experience of several long weeks in Tulsa, have made each subsequent Chili Bowl appearance for Crews far less stressful.
“There hasn’t been much [pressure], especially during these past few years,” Crews said. “My first year in full-time midget racing, it was a lot higher. Knowing I have a great team that I’ve already made the Chili Bowl with takes some of the pressure off your back. Winning a [Golden] Driller in that building helped with the confidence, too.”
When Crews made the Chili Bowl with May’s operation in 2023, he set a record as the youngest driver to qualify for the prestigious event at just 14. He took the green flag from 15th in the A-Main, but his night concluded after 33 laps due to an on-track accident, relegating him to 24th out of 24 cars.
Crews still bested many of the top dirt track racing names that evening in what was then his second Chili Bowl attempt, but two drivers he did not get to race against were Larson and Bell.
Both are entered in this year’s Chili Bowl, with Larson and Crews sharing a preliminary night Monday.
The presence of Larson and Bell alongside the usual contingent of Chili Bowl mainstays is not intimidating to Crews. He welcomes the challenge of having to prove himself against the elites, adding the most effective way to do so starts with a stellar performance in the preliminaries.
“Knowing you’re racing against two of the best in everything they do just makes you want to beat them more,” Crews said. “Racing around them helps develop your skill and your craft. You’re mainly focused on you’re prelim night [in the Chili Bowl], so if you can run well there, you can set your eyes on the final day.”
With a busy season of pavement racing ahead, Brent Crews looks to build momentum with a strong week at the Chili Bowl. (Photo: Jeff Le/ARCA Racing)
Crews is hoping for another Chili Bowl week like his 2023 run before turning his attention toward a hectic slate of pavement events.
The upcoming season for Crews will see him split the No. 18 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the ARCA Menards Series alongside William Sawalich, Gio Ruggiero and Max Reaves. Crews also will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut later in the year, as he will pilot the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage in select events.
Crews knows dirt racing prepared him for each step on the NASCAR ladder. He looks forward to seeing what he can accomplish with both Gibbs and Tricon in 2025, but he wants to notch a Chili Bowl victory beforehand.
Earning victories in each of the Tulsa Expo Center’s crown jewel events would carry more than just prestige for Crews. It would further justify the countless hours exerted toward proving he can thrive in any type of motorsports environment.
“Anything you can go win in boosts your confidence,” Crews said. “Whether it’s racing a shopping cart around Wal-Mart or being able to go win a Golden Driller, winning in any discipline is good for that.
“I don’t know if anybody has ever won the Chili Bowl or a Golden Driller in the same year from the Shootout, but if so, I’d be one of the youngest, so that would be a cool accomplishment to have.”
Nothing will come easy for Crews in Tulsa this week against a field consisting of Larson, Bell, defending Chili Bowl winner Logan Seavey and others, yet he is eager to showcase his talent again and continue what has been a strong start to his 2025 campaign.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 13, 2025) — Daytona International Speedway announced today that the 67th running of the Daytona 500 is officially sold out, with fans expected to pack the historic racing venue once again for NASCAR’s 2025 season opener.
Along with the sellout announcement, the World Center of Racing has also released the date for next year’s Daytona 500, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Year after year, the “Great American Race” reigns as one of the most anticipated events in the motorsport world, and starting today, fans can sign up for exclusive pre-sale access for infield camping and tickets to next year’s event to ensure they secure their seats in advance.
“The Daytona 500 continues to be a spectacle of elite racing and entertainment, and the consecutive sellouts just prove this event is one of a kind,” said Frank Kelleher, president of Daytona International Speedway. “You can quite literally feel the atmosphere from the moment Speedweeks begins. The crowd is buzzing with excitement and every team, from the driver to the crew chief, is eager to get their season started. It all comes to a head when that green flag drops on Sunday, Feb. 16, and I can’t wait to see what this year’s Daytona 500 has in store for us.”
After a wildly competitive 2024 season that saw 18 different race winners, three of the closest finishes in NASCAR history and crowned Joey Logano as a three-time champion, the season-opening Daytona 500 is sure to be a thriller.
Last year, William Byron came out on top after a hectic last few laps, earning his first Daytona 500 win and securing the victory for Hendrick Motorsports in their 40th anniversary year. He’ll become the latest driver to attempt back-to-back victories of the Great American Race. The last driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s was Denny Hamlin, who earned the title in 2019 and 2020.
Though grandstand tickets and camping are sold out for Sunday’s marquee event, limited upgrades and premium packages are still available. Fans can also catch plenty of the action during the multi-day racing and entertainment extravaganza that is Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth.
The competition begins on Wednesday, Feb. 12 with Daytona 500 Qualifying presented by Busch Light, setting the front row for the Great American Race. Qualifying also sets the field for a pair of head-to-head battles in the Duel At Daytona on Thursday, Feb. 13, where drivers fight for their starting position in the 67th running of the Daytona 500.
The intensity increases on Friday, Feb. 14 as the Craftsman Truck Series season-opening Fresh From Florida 250 takes the green flag under the lights of the famed track. Then on Saturday, Feb. 15, fans can enjoy a jam-packed day of on-track action with the kickoff to the ARCA Menards Series season followed by the United Rentals 300 Xfinity Series race.
Then on Sunday, after a performance filled with international chart-toppers from Mr. Worldwide himself, drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series will fire up their engines and get the 2025 season underway in this year’s Daytona 500.
With all four series kicking off their season at Daytona, each driver will be fighting to start their year with a win, putting everything on the line at one of the biggest races on the schedules. Fans can enjoy the fierce competition all week long, as well as multiple different entertainment performances, fan activations and race day festivities.
For more information on Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth or for further details on the 2026 Daytona 500, please visit www.DAYTONA500.com.
Editor’s Note: Today’s Wood Brothers Racing preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2025 Cup Series season.
Wood Brothers Racing
Manufacturer: Ford Engine: Roush Yates Engines Driver-crew chief pairings: Josh Berry-Miles Stanley
Team outlook: For being one of NASCAR’s oldest teams, there is an abundance of change surrounding the famed organization. Last season, the torch was passed to the third generation of co-owners, who aim to keep pillars of family and racing as the team’s backbone going into its 75th anniversary season while building off its playoff run in 2024. That change starts with optimism in new driver Josh Berry and first-time crew chief Miles Stanley, who transitions over from Team Penske.
Josh Berry, No. 21 Ford Experience: One full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series 2024 stats: 27th in final Cup Series standings; 2 top fives, 4 top 10s 2025 championship odds (DraftKings): 170-1
Outlook: Berry has a plethora of racing experience from late models to the Xfinity Series, which he’s no doubt relied on to crack seven top 10s in his 48 Cup starts. When it comes to flat short tracks, Berry has excelled with five of his career top 10s coming at tracks one mile or shorter. He is steadily improving at bigger tracks, but the key for him next year is to turn in more top-20 finishes consistently. Berry had a five-race stretch from the Talladega spring race to the Coca-Cola 600, where he finished 16th or better and sat 19th in points after the crown-jewel race, proving he can be a reliable hand behind the wheel at the Cup level. But his 16 finishes of 21st or worst from Gateway to Phoenix in the final 22 races also showed there’s still a lot he has to learn.
With one full season under his belt, there’s plenty of room for Berry to grow, especially at Wood Brothers. At age 35, his learning curve is arguably sharper than a prototypical sophomore-year driver, plus he comes to the No. 21 team as a driver with a solid foundation to build around for a single-charter organization.
BOLD PREDICTION: Wood Brothers will earn its 101st win this season. After waiting seven years to get win No. 100, it may not be long until the No. 21 Ford is back in Victory Lane. Given all the changes from top to bottom, there may be growing pains throughout the year. But Berry is a well known short-track ace, especially at tracks like Iowa, Richmond and New Hampshire where he’s a top-five threat. While Stanley is a rookie shot-caller atop the pit box, his experience of 11 years at Team Penske will come in handy if the perfect storm ever presents itself to steal a win.
Hélio Castroneves and Trackhouse Racing intend to utilize NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional to secure a starting spot in the 2025 Daytona 500, NASCAR confirmed Friday.
Announced Friday among numerous competition updates ahead of the 2025 season, the Open Exemption Provisional provides a guaranteed starting position “for world-class drivers who enter a NASCAR Cup Series race.” The provisional is similar to a “promoter’s choice provisional” utilized in short-track racing and dirt racing to ensure a high-caliber driver’s entry into a feature race.
Castroneves meets those qualifications as a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and three-time champion of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. Trackhouse Racing announced Castroneves’ entry to the Daytona 500 on Jan. 6 in the team’s No. 91 Chevrolet as part of its Project 91 initiative.
If Castroneves and Trackhouse opt to utilize the provisional, the starting field of the “Great American Race” will expand to 41 cars from its previous 40-vehicle limit. As part of the rules surrounding the new provisional position, if the provisional is used, neither Castroneves nor Trackhouse would earn points, prize money or any tiebreaker benefit of finishing position. If Castroneves were to win the race, the No. 91 car would receive the trophy and become eligible for the exhibition NASCAR All-Star Race, but the finish would not count toward playoff eligibility. Additionally, the second-place finisher would inherit first-place points but would not receive playoff points or playoff eligibility.
Teams must notify NASCAR of its intention to use the provisional 90 days in advance of an event. Language surrounding the OEP was established in advance of the new Charter agreement, therefore Trackhouse Racing was aware of this provision and met the deadline to request approval for Castroneves’ entry.
Castroneves will also participate in the Feb. 15 Daytona ARCA 200, piloting the No. 82 Pinnacle Racing Group Chevrolet. Castroneves participated in an ARCA Menards Series test at the 2.5-mile Daytona oval Thursday, posting the 27th-fastest speed at 179.465 mph across the two-day session.
The 67th annual Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
