DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Neither of Jimmie Johnson’s Daytona 500 wins came by virtue of a last-lap pass. Thursday night, facing a desperation scenario just to reach the “Great American Race” field, he converted one.
Johnson recovered from a late-race crash and placed his non-chartered No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota into the 40-car field for Monday’s Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), finishing 12th in the first Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying race and foiling J.J. Yeley’s heavy-underdog bid for one of the final starting berths. Yeley wound up 16th in his No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet, bringing a sour end to an 11th-hour partnership that materialized just days earlier.
“That was way more pressure than I ever wanted,” Johnson told his No. 84 team over radio communications on the cool-down lap. “Good job, guys. Thank you.”
Johnson was behind Yeley at the white-flag lap at Daytona International Speedway, rallying only in the final stretch after his frantic pleas for help in the aerodynamic draft were finally answered with a late push from Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota. Yeley’s car drifted up the track through the final set of corners, making an evasive move when Ross Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet slowed dramatically after a stack-up near the front.
That’s when Johnson pounced, with Truex settling in behind him to cement the results and allay his worst fears.
“I’m like, I’m not going to make it, not going to make the Daytona 500. I’m going to have to call all our partners. I’m going to have to stand in the suite during the 500 and shake hands, not drive a car,” said Johnson, now a part-timer behind the wheel and a full-timer as a minority owner of Legacy M.C. “This is running through my mind as I’m catching him. I have to figure out a way. An almost-wreck happens, leave it on the floor, hope for the best. Just went the other direction than J.J.’s car, and it worked out.”
The final spot in the Daytona 500 field went to Kaz Grala, who warded off BJ McLeod in Thursday’s second 150-mile qualifier for the final berth reserved for Open, non-chartered cars. Fellow Open drivers Anthony Alfredo and David Ragan both locked in their starting spots by virtue of their posted speeds in Wednesday night’s pole qualifying session.
The position was an unfamiliar one for the seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer, who needed to gut out a Hail Mary performance to make the first — and most important — of nine races he plans to run this year. Johnson appeared to have clear sailing early on, reaching as high as third place in the first half and keeping his distance ahead of Yeley in the running order.
After a pit-stop exchange, Johnson was mired back in the field when a jam-up involving Daniel Hemric, Austin Dillon and defending 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snared his No. 84 ride. Johnson kept rolling without significant contact, but after a pit stop, was now back behind Yeley and out of the transfer position.
His voice grew more and more frenzied as the laps ticked down, and Johnson and his team begged for teammate Erik Jones to drop back to offer a much-needed push. He rode side-by-side with Yeley, who made his best blocking efforts to keep his 500 hopes intact.
Only after his final-lap rally was Johnson able to exhale. After he dismounted from his car, he walked over to Yeley’s car parked behind his on pit road and shook his hand.
“I was blocking the best I could,” said Yeley, who indicated he was contacted Monday by NY Racing management for the No. 44 ride. “He kind of got me a little sideways down front straightaway. I mean, I’m racing for my life. Obviously, he’s just racing for another Daytona 500. So to me, it was David versus Goliath. But like I said, at the end, he just had more friends coming to the checkered and it was enough for us.”
Johnson said he woke up Thursday with a low-stress morning. Strategies had been ironed out, a Toyota game plan was in place, and optimism was high. He had never failed to qualify in any of his 689 Cup Series start attempts, but his mind rewound back to his lone career DNQ — a 2000 miss, at Daytona no less, to start off his first full Xfinity Series season. It was a flashback he hoped would not be a premonition.
“I’ve never been through anything like this,” Johnson said. ” … To fight like we did in those closing laps, I mean, I’ve only done that for a race win here. Never had that level of anxiety and fight for a Duel or anything else except for a proper win.”
Grala made his own Cinderella run in the second 150-miler. He entered the weekend as the third entry from the Front Row Motorsports stables but was the only driver who did not post a lap in Wednesday’s qualifying session, his No. 36 Ford unable to gain speed. A loose bolt had caused the shifter rod to disconnect from the transmission, and he over-revved the engine as he struggled to put the car in gear as it limped around the apron. With fixes made, Grala’s pace was just enough to keep McLeod at bay in the closing laps and seal his third Daytona 500 appearance.
“Yeah, just really proud of the Front Row Motorsports guys because the last 24 hours were pretty stressful, a lot of hard work to get the car repaired and ready for today,” said Grala, who started last and finished 12th in the 21-car field. “I felt like it had good speed in it. The driver needed to pick up on some things. Did a little learning tonight. I feel like I know a lot more going into Sunday than I did going into this one.”
McLeod’s Live Fast Motorsports outfit was also on unfamiliar ground, back at Daytona this year as a part-time team competing without a charter and the guaranteed starting spot that comes with it. His No. 78 Chevrolet was snared when multicar bedlam erupted in the 49th of 60 laps, but he continued with minimal damage, finishing just two positions behind Grala at the checkered flag.
McLeod’s streak of consecutive Daytona 500 starts ended at five straight, but he remained upbeat about his team’s showing. He said Live Fast will return to the track next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway as the team continues to focus on superspeedway-style tracks in its partial Cup Series schedule this year.
“I feel like, yeah, we missed this race but we learned so much moving toward the future for the Cup team, being an Open team and trying to come out of our little-bitty shop with no help whatsoever,” McLeod said. “My guys literally set this car up with just them. I mean, there’s no manufacturer help, there’s no nothing. We’re here on our own, and to come that close for real, it felt good. Honestly, I don’t feel at a loss, I feel happy. We got here and we raced hard and just had a fun night, right? I’m so thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, but very few of them have I been able to drive 100% to my ability and this one, I drove everything I had, wasn’t enough, but I did it and that’s what feels good.”
We’re bringing you live updates leading up to Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway — the Daytona 500 (4:00 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Bookmark this page and check back often as we chronicle the action from the 2.5-mile track down south.
The 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway hosts the 200-lap season-opener on Monday afternoon, delayed a day due to wet weather on Sunday. It’s NASCAR’s biggest race, and it kicks off the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Team Penske’s Joey Logano (No. 22 Ford) and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell (No. 34 Ford) will lead the field to green in Monday’s “Great American Race” after turning in the top two speeds in Wednesday night’s qualifying session. The remainder of the field was determined Thursday night via the pair of 60-lap Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
How big is this race? Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the defending Daytona 500 winner — and last year’s victory earned him a playoff spot for the first time since 2017, in just the first race of the season.
All times listed are Eastern.
Monday, February 19
10:40 p.m., checkered flag: Thanks for following along with our live blog! Congratulations to William Byron, 2024 Daytona 500 champion. | Unofficial results
8:52 p.m., checkered flag: Before tonight, William Byron had an average finish of 30.3 in the Daytona 500; he’d never finished better than 21st in six starts. Today was a little different.
8:08 p.m., checkered flag: Alex Bowman may have ended his streak of front-row starts at the Daytona 500 at six, but he posted a career-best second-place finish in the 500 behind his teammate.
8:07 p.m., checkered flag: William Byron led the field when the caution flew for the Ross Chastain and Austin Cindric crash that ended the race.
OFFICIAL: @WilliamByron was the leader at the time of caution.
8:01 p.m., Lap 199: Caution No. 5 as Austin Cindric and Ross Chastain go for a spin with the white flag ready to fly. Their Daytona 500 hopes have come to an end a lap short while battling for the win.
8:00 p.m., Lap 198: It’s William Byron up front with the white flag coming soon!
7:39 p.m., Lap 192: Among those involved (*inhales deeply*): Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, Todd Gilliland, Ryan Preece, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ty Gibbs, Anthony Alfredo and Daniel Suárez.
7:34 p.m., Lap 192: The red flag is out for cleanup.
7:30 p.m., Lap 192: Caution No. 4 and it’s the Big One. Like, really big. William Byron made contact with Brad Keselowski in second place and collected a bunch of cars. Whew.
7:28 p.m., Lap 189: Ross Chastain is back in the lead, battling hard with Joey Logano. This three-wide behind them can’t last forever, can it?
7:27 p.m., Lap 187: Daniel Suárez has become the 19th different leader today. Thirteen laps remain.
7:24 p.m., Lap 184: After pit stops, it’s Ross Chastain up front, leading defending winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — two highly aggressive drivers, facing off against two equally aggressive racers, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, on the outside. Buckle up!
7:22 p.m., Lap 182: The Toyotas stopped first, then the Fords, and now the bulk of the Chevrolets.
7:20 p.m., Lap 178: Ah, here come the pit stops. No mistakes here, drivers and crews. This one’s for all the money.
7:09 p.m., Lap 165: Joey Logano, David Ragan, Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe have led a charge of Fords back to the point. Remember, pit stops are coming up soon.
7:07 p.m., Lap 163: Kyle Busch has made contact with the wall after a lane change. We’ll see if it impacts the No. 8 in the closing laps.
7:05 p.m., Lap 160: Consider the fuel window open — for regulation distance, at least. One more pit stop tonight, if all goes as planned.
6:59 p.m., Lap 153: Ah, yes, there he is. Three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin has picked his way to the lead. It was only a matter of time. He’s the 17th different leader today.
6:57 p.m., Lap 150: We’ve reached the three-quarters mark of the scheduled distance. It’s been an awfully green race so far, but things are quite intense throughout the pack right now. Kyle Busch leads the bottom lane, while Corey LaJoie’s got a line of cars behind him on the outside.
6:50 p.m., Lap 140: Three-wide through the field! AJ Allmendinger has now found himself out front for the first time today, leading Corey LaJoie.
6:46 p.m., Lap 136: The green flag is out again! It’s time for the final stage of the Daytona 500. Austin Cindric and Bubba Wallace lead the field.
6:42 p.m., Lap 134: Uh oh. Kyle Busch has made an extra pit stop after the left-front tire wasn’t properly attached. The wheel stayed on the No. 8 car, but had it fallen off, it would have been a much bigger issue.
6:33 p.m., Lap 130: On the final lap of Stage 2, Ryan Blaney makes a move on his Team Penske teammate to take the lead … and the stage win.
Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR
6:27 p.m., Lap 123: 2022 Daytona 500 champion Austin Cindric now leads, becoming the 14th different leader today. Stage 2 ends in eight laps.
6:24 p.m., Lap 117: The rest of the field has pitted to complete the pit cycle with 14 laps remaining in Stage 2. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott now lead.
6:18 p.m., Lap 111: Half the field has peeled off the track for pit stops. Josh Berry went for a spin into his pit stall, and that’ll cost him a lot of time. Luckily for the rookie, the stage ends soon and he’ll get a chance to catch up to his competitors.
6:17 p.m., Lap 109: Kyle Busch is the new leader with pit stops looming. The leading Fords — Todd Gilliland, Joey Logano and Justin Haley — dropped to the bottom lane to prepare for an easier pit entry.
6:10 p.m., Lap 101: We’re halfway home! Todd Gilliland leads Joey Logano on the outside line, while Toyotas Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick control the inside.
Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR
6:05 p.m., Lap 95: As we near the halfway point of Stage 2 (and the race!), this is a good time to remind you to evaluate your Fantasy Live lineup and make any adjustments necessary. Garage the cars that are out of contention: Jimmie Johnson, Michael McDowell, Austin Dillon, Kaz Grala, Harrison Burton and Carson Hocevar.
6:02 p.m., Lap 91: Joey Logano continue to leads the outside line, but the Todd Gilliland-led inside line can’t seem to match the outside’s speed.
5:48 p.m., Lap 72: Move Joey Logano to P1 after a push from Chase Briscoe, who quickly fades back. Justin Haley follows Logano to second.
5:46 p.m., Lap 71: Green flag to start Stage 2! Kyle Larson and Josh Berry lead the field back to speed.
5:44 p.m., Lap 69: You won’t see Kyle Busch at the front of the field at the restart — the No. 8 is serving an end-of-line penalty for a safety violation. He’ll top off on fuel.
5:40 p.m., Lap 67: Well, that was a fun stage. An interesting mix of strategies have put the Chevrolets on top so far. Cars are headed to pit road once again for tires and fuel.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Studios
5:37 p.m., Lap 66: Caution No. 2 for the end of Stage 1.
5:36 p.m., Lap 65: Chase Elliott made a move past Kyle Busch and held teammate Kyle Larson at bay to claim Stage 1. The Kyles are no match for the 2020 series champ, clearly.
5:34 p.m., Lap 63: Kyle Busch cycles to the top spot, leading a pack of seven Chevrolets who’ve executed pit stops to perfection. Two laps remain in Stage 1.
5:32 p.m., Lap 61: The Gragson-led pack has hit pit road, minus David Ragan and Ryan Preece, who inherit the lead. Will they try to stretch fuel for five laps and finish out the stage? Meanwhile, Kyle Busch leads a charging train of Chevrolets approaching the pair quickly.
5:28 p.m., Lap 56: The majority of the cars are now stopping for fuel with under 10 laps to go in Stage 1, mainly split by manufacturers. An octet of Fords remain on track, led by Noah Gragson.
5:26 p.m., Lap 52: Second-place starter Michael McDowell seems to have trouble on his Ford. He’s running laps several seconds off the pace and no longer runs on the lead lap.
5:22 p.m., Lap 48: Remember when I said on Lap 9 how topping off under caution could pay dividends later? The lack of a fuel stop under caution is hurting Ryan Blaney. Though he pitted with his Team Penske teammates under green, Austin Cindric and Joey Logano had topped off under caution. That means Cindric and Logano needed far less time on pit road to reach a full tank, while Blaney had to wait longer — now he’s detached from his teammates and a lap down.
5:20 p.m., Lap 45: Rookie Josh Berry briefly made his way to the point, giving way to Chase Elliott leading a single-file line.
5:16 p.m., Lap 40: Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell and Daniel Hemric have ducked to pit road for fuel with 25 laps to go in Stage 1.
5:11 p.m., Lap 33: The pack appears to have returned to full song. Sorry, Allmendinger fans.
5:07 p.m., Lap 30: Interestingly, 35th-place AJ Allmendinger — who served a pass-through penalty on the restart — is running lap times nearly two seconds a lap faster than the pack … by himself. Clearly, most cars are in fuel-saving mode. Allmendinger is 17 seconds behind the field, and it’s conceivable he catches everybody else, at the expense of his fuel savings.
4:54 p.m., Lap 14: Austin Dillon has headed behind the wall.
4:52 p.m., Lap 12: Back to green! Christopher Bell leads the field alongside Ryan Blaney.
4:48 p.m., Lap 9: Much of the field pits to top off on fuel during the caution. It’s not quite enough to reach the end of the 65-lap Stage 1, but any bit of fuel taken now means time saved on pit road later — especially if a green-flag stop is needed.
4:44 p.m., Lap 7: Carson Hocevar, Harrison Burton and Kaz Grala are out of the race. Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson’s teams are attempting repairs on pit road, losing laps in the process.
4:39 p.m., Lap 6: Caution No. 1 for a multi-car crash. Brad Keselowski sent John Hunter Nemechek for a push, sending Nemechek’s No. 42 sliding into Harrison Burton. Carson Hocevar, Ryan Preece, Austin Dillon, Kaz Grala and Jimmie Johnson are among those collected in the aftermath.
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Studios
4:35 p.m., Lap 1: Green flag! The Daytona 500 is underway.
4:34 p.m.: Front row starters Joey Logano and Michael McDowell are both chasing their second 500.
Brittney Wilbur | NASCAR
4:25 p.m.: Cars are rolling, making pace laps.
4:20 p.m.: When The Rock tells you to fire the engines, you fire up those engines.
4:07 p.m.: The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus has just stunned with a beautiful performance of the national anthem. Getting those chills yet?
4:00 p.m.: Let’s do this! The Daytona 500 is about to begin. Follow along here on our live blog and our Race Center live leaderboard — and, of course, on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
3:31 p.m.: Almost time to get going! If you’re itching to get pumped up, tune in to our pre-race show, live right now.
11:30 a.m.: Another game to pass the time is our new season-long NASCAR survivor pool-style game, 36 for 36, where you select one of 36 full-time Cup Series cars exactly once for each of the 36 points-paying races this season. This year, the r/NASCAR subreddit is competing collectively against Jayski’s Dustin Albino, NASCAR.com’s Cameron Richardson and me. I chose Noah Gragson for Daytona, meaning I now cannot pick the No. 10 for the rest of the season.
We have a printable version of the board if you want to play along. (It’s easy. You should!) I’m not saying you should use the printer at your place of work to print out your copy, but I’m not going to stop you, either.
10:35 a.m.: Five drivers are scheduled to race 800 miles today between the Daytona 500 and the Xfinity Series season opener that follows. Anthony Alfredo, AJ Allmendinger, Riley Herbst, John Hunter Nemechek and Daniel Suárez are pulling double duty.
9:30 a.m.: Happy race day — for real this time! With your extra time today before the start of the Daytona 500 at 4:00 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), make sure you’ve finalized your Fantasy Live picks. Start the season out on the right note, you know?
Sunday, February 18
4:50 p.m.: Now, when Austin Cindric says the car’s driving like a rocket ship, it’ll really mean something.
12:20 p.m.: Chris Buescher is back in Daytona. Driver No. 17 had been back home in North Carolina for much of the weekend to welcome his new baby boy into the world. Welcome back!
Made it back to @DAYTONA just in time for some TV with @NASCARONFOX. Hope everyone at home is enjoying the coverage. Rain is for farming, not superspeedway racing! pic.twitter.com/hqnb0PdOuE
I know timing was not ideal but coming back home to our beautiful little boy was so special. You have blessed us yet again with a happy, healthy baby. To everyone else, thank you for all the kind words and well wishes for our family.… pic.twitter.com/7odL3IkEhW
10:50 a.m.: The drivers will need to pass the time somehow, right? Rookie Zane Smith has decided to peruse the Daytona campgrounds and catch up with fans.
Hey @DAYTONA@NASCAR fans, hate the rain won today but going to try to make the most out of it and meet some of you guys! Let me know your camp spot and I will try to come find you! Might be able to drag a few other drivers along too!
9:30 a.m.: It’s gonna be a ‘no’ from Mother Nature today. The Daytona 500 has been postponed until Monday at 4 p.m. ET (FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Radio), following the conclusion of the Xfinity Series season opener.
NEWS: The #DAYTONA500 has been postponed to Monday at 4 p.m. ET due to inclement weather.
10:35 a.m.: Good morning, speedy people! The final practice session scheduled for today has been canceled due to wet weather. The next time Cup cars take to the track will be tomorrow for the Daytona 500 itself.
Friday, February 16
6:30 p.m.: Cup Series cars take to the track again tomorrow for the last time before Sunday’s Daytona 500. Final practice takes place at 10:30 a.m. on FS1.
6:25 p.m.: That’ll do it for the first practice session. Denny Hamlin set the fastest single lap at 45.575 seconds, leading a train of eight Toyotas.
6:00 p.m.: David Ragan’s pulling double duty … in the same practice session. Driver No. 60 will make some laps in teammate Chris Buescher’s No. 17 while Buescher’s back home in North Carolina until Sunday to welcome another tiny Buescher into the world.
6:00 p.m.: Drafting groups have organized by manufacturers, and the line of eight Toyotas have set the fastest times so far, followed by Fords then Chevrolets.
5:35 p.m.: Who’s ready for a little practice? Follow along for the next 50 minutes on FS1 or ourleaderboard. It’ll be the first shakedown at speed for numerous backup cars after last night’s incidents in the Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
Thursday, February 15
10:30 p.m.: Next up for the Cup Series is the first of two practice sessions tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. ET, televised on FS1.
10:20 p.m.: With that, the lineup is set for the 66th Daytona 500 — short J.J. Yeley and BJ McLeod.
10:16 p.m.: It’ll be a grind for numerous teams preparing backup cars or completing repairs to their primary cars following the Duel 2 pileup.
10:05 p.m.: Despite lacking single-car qualifying speed, it appears the Toyotas sure race well in the pack, with Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell sweeping the Bluegreen Vacations Duels both in a Camry.
9:52 p.m.: It came down to the final inches of racing, but Kaz Grala finished just a car length ahead of BJ McLeod. Grala will make his third Daytona 500, while McLeod will head back to the house.
We'll see you in The Great American Race, @KazGrala!
9:51 p.m.: Final lap for Denny Hamlin, who’s making his Toyota awfully wide, blocking multiple lanes.
9:50 p.m.: Despite the crash damage, BJ McLeod is still very much in contention, battling against fellow bubble driver Kaz Grala with two laps to go. Reminiscent of Duel 1, no?
9:49 p.m.: Denny Hamlin has made his way to the front after a series of aggressive moves past Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell. Hamlin knows his way around this place.
9:45 p.m.: Michael McDowell leads the field back to green with eight laps to go.
9:31 p.m.: The red flag is out for track cleanup following the 10-car crash. Thirteen laps remain in the second duel.
9:28 p.m.: BJ McLeod’s car has damage, which could spell good fortune for Kaz Grala, who was well behind the crash when it happened.
9:25 p.m.: Caution No. 1, and it’s a big one. With a push from Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch bumped William Byron, sending Byron’s car into Ryan Blaney. Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Riley Herbst, Noah Gragson and Justin Haley were among those involved.
9:24 p.m.: It’s not looking good for Kaz Grala’s hopes of making the “Great American Race.” After mechanical woes in single-car qualifying, his struggles continue into the duels; he’s lost the draft after pit stops.
9:23 p.m.: That’s it for pit stops until Sunday. Michael McDowell and Denny Hamlin are up front.
9:20 p.m.: On Lap 41, the first batch of cars hits pit road — a mix of Chevrolets and Toyotas. The second batch — Fords, primarily — follow the next lap.
9:12 p.m.: BJ McLeod is the story of the second duel so far; he runs third at halfway. Pit stops will come soon.
9:06 p.m.: Bubba Wallace, with a push from Christopher Bell, has moved to the lead on Lap 25. And how about BJ McLeod? The underdog is hanging tough in sixth.
8:58 p.m.: Fourteen laps in, the lead has changed a few times. Riley Herbst and AJ Allmendinger run side by side up front. On the bubble watch, BJ McLeod runs 10th, while Kaz Grala is at the back of the pack.
8:47 p.m.: We’re green in the second duel! A pair of Daytona 500 champions — Michael McDowell and Austin Cindric — lead the field to the start of a 60-lap sprint. Follow along with our Live Leaderboard.
8:30 p.m.: Ready to do it again? Duel 2 will start shortly to set the outside of Sunday’s starting grid.
8:21 p.m.: Joey Logano’s pole-winning car finished Duel 1 in a single piece, so that familiar yellow Ford will pace the field Sunday.
No damage to the No. 22 @FordPerformance Dark Horse Mustang and we crossed the finish line P7 in Duel 1
8:20 p.m.: How about Carson Hocevar? The rookie crossed the finish line fourth among some Cup Series juggernauts.
8:14 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson has raced his way into the Daytona 500, taking advantage of a desperate move by J.J. Yeley that didn’t pan out in the No. 44’s favor. Yeley won’t advance to race Sunday.
8:14 p.m.: Tyler Reddick takes Duel 1 with a bold move on the last lap after starting 19th. Where did he come from?
8:13 p.m.: ⚪️ Final lap in Duel 1. Kyle Larson leads teammate Chase Elliott, while Yeley and Johnson continue to duke it out for the final transfer spot.
8:12 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson and J.J. Yeley are battling side by side at the back of the pack for a spot in the Daytona 500. Johnson’s car doesn’t seem quite as nimble as it did before the crash.
8:10 p.m.: Back to green-flag racing with six laps remaining in Duel 1. It’s Kyle Larson and Daniel Suárez up front.
8:00 pm.: Caution No. 1: A stack-up with 11 to go sends Daniel Hemric nose-first into the wall, also collecting Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson. This is a major risk to Johnson’s hopes of making the Daytona 500. Johnson’s car is still moving, but he’ll need to stay ahead of J.J. Yeley in the closing laps.
7:56 p.m.: Most of the remaining cars pit on Lap 43. Martin Truex Jr. had a slow stop, and Ross Chastain will need to serve a pass-through penalty for speeding.
7:52 p.m.: On Lap 40, a quartet of Toyotas peels off for their pit stop, leaving a pack of Chevrolets and Fords — plus Martin Truex Jr.’s Toyota — on track, still awaiting service.
7:37 p.m.: One-third of Duel 1 is in the books. Defending Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is leading.
7:32 p.m.: Polesitter Joey Logano has dropped to the end of the draft pack. He’s guaranteed to lead the field to green Sunday … as long as he keeps the car in one piece tonight. In other words, this could be a strategic decision.
7:25 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson’s wasting no time slicing through the field in his Toyota debut. He’ll need to race his way in; meanwhile, his teammate Erik Jones has moved to the lead.
7:21 p.m.: It’s time to set the field for the Daytona 500! Joey Logano leads the first 60-lap to the green. Follow along with our Live Leaderboard.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — With a deft move to the inside in the final corner of the first of two Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday night, 19th-place starter Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag and earned the inside second-row starting position for Monday’s Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
And by the skin of his teeth, in that same Duel, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson edged J.J. Yeley for one of the final two starting spots in the “Great American Race.”
In the two races that set the field for the Daytona 500 — and in which the Toyotas managed a sweep after a lackluster qualifying effort on Wednesday — Christopher Bell led only the final lap of the second Duel, holding off 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric for the victory.
As Bell secured the outside starting spot on the second row for Monday’s race, Kaz Grala edged BJ McLeod for the final spot in the field by 0.067 seconds. Grala ran 12th to McLeod’s 14th in a battle that wasn’t settled until the last few yards of the final lap.
As Reddick was outfoxing three Hendrick Chevrolets at the front of the field on Lap 60 of the first Duel — clearing Chase Elliott and diving to the inside of Kyle Larson’s Camaro — Johnson was in dire peril of missing the 500 in his first competitive race in a Legacy Motor Club Toyota.
Johnson trailed Yeley by a car length through Turn 4, but Yeley moved to the top lane, and Johnson shoved the Chevrolet of Ross Chastain through a gap in the middle lane and used the momentum to overtake Yeley as the cars approached the checkered flag.
As a result, Johnson will race in Monday’s main event, and Yeley will not. In the scramble to the finish line, Johnson finished 12th and Yeley 16th.
“I’ve never been in a position like this before, and I have such a greater appreciation for everyone before me that’s tried to race their way in,” said Johnson, who overcame a spin with 10 laps left to edge Yeley for the available spot.
“It’s very stressful. I’m very thankful we got this Carvana Toyota into this race. I knew the first half of the race was going too easy. I knew there’d be a challenge thrown at us, and we got it just in time. Hats off to J.J. Yeley. He put up a heck of a fight in a very competitive car.”
A rueful Yeley second-guessed the closing move that didn’t work.
“Side-by-side coming to two (laps) to go, I thought we were in really good shape,” Yeley said. “Coming into Turn 3 (on the final lap), I wasn’t counting my chickens, but I was getting close. Saw there was some contact. Someone in the middle lost a lot of momentum.
“I made a split-second decision to go to the outside, carry the momentum, clear him, make the racetrack two-wide where he couldn’t pass. He stayed in the middle. The 19 (Martin Truex Jr.) pushed him. The momentum carried him all the way to the checkered flag.
“It sucks. Two years ago we were close. Just couldn’t get it.”
As if knowing his victory was a sidebar to the drama surrounding Johnson, Reddick kept his post-race interview to a minimum.
“Great way to start off the weekend,” said Reddick, who led only the final lap in his No. 45 23XI Toyota and beat runner-up Elliott to the finish line by 0.056 seconds. “This thing is a beast. It’s a great way to kick off the brand-new (sponsor’s) product. Go out and get some Hard Tea, have a good time tonight. I know we are.”
Bell’s victory followed a massive wreck in Turn 1 on Lap 48. Defending series champion Ryan Blaney took a jarring hit after contact from Kyle Busch’s Chevrolet — with a shot to Busch’s Camaro from Brad Keselowski behind him — turned the Chevrolet of Willian Byron into Blaney’s Ford and ignited an 11-car melee.
Byron’s car had gotten loose and lost pace, stacking the field up behind him. The wreck eliminated Blaney, Busch, Riley Herbst and Noah Gragson.
“I was just getting a push from the No. 6 (Keselowski) there, and the No. 24 (Byron) I saw kind of got messed up, out of line and slowed down,” Busch explained. “I tried to lift and roll out of the gas smoothly. I was still gaining too fast, and then I got all the way out of the gas. Got bumped again from behind and just accordioned into the No. 24 and sent him spinning.
“You don’t want to hit a guy in the tri-oval. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’ve also rolled out of here in an ambulance before doing that, so I know it’s not the right thing to do, but sometimes you don’t have a choice, and I turned the No. 24 sideways and caused a wreck.”
Bell restarted fourth with eight laps left and surged into the lead on the final circuit.
“Yeah, it feels good,” Bell said. “These (superspeedway) races, man, I don’t know what to think of ’em. Me and Adam Stevens, my crew chief, we have a running joke: I say these races are 100-percent luck. I know that’s not true, but it seems like we’ve been struggling to get to the end of it. I know I’ve been a common denominator in a lot of the wrecks. Feels good to do everything well today.”
Grala, who failed to qualify for last year’s Daytona 500 in his only attempt at a Cup race in 2023, found redemption this year in the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford.
“Just really proud of everybody at Front Row Motorsports,” Grala said. “They worked so hard the last 24 hours to get the car ready to race today. Some trouble yesterday. Really cool to be able to get it in the show for them. Real big opportunity for me. Excited to be here on Sunday again.”
By virtue of his second-place finish in the first Duel, Elliott will line up on the inside of the third row on Monday, with the rest of the Duel 1 cars behind him in finishing order. Alex Bowman was third on Thursday, followed by Sunoco rookie Carson Hocevar and Erik Jones, who led the Toyota contingent with a 22nd-place run in Wednesday’s time trials.
The second Duel set the outside row for the 500, with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin securing the outside fourth-row starting spot with a third-place finish. John Hunter Nemechek and Harrison Burton were fourth and fifth in Duel 2.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – On Oct. 29, 2023, Bobby Jones wasn’t sure if he would ever drive a race car again.
One day earlier, Jones was competing in a 602 Modified race during the season finale at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Leighton, Pennsylvania, when a violent crash changed his outlook on racing and nearly the rest of his life.
“It was on a restart. Cars got out of shape, and one came across and caught me,” Jones explained. “That’s how it is. It just works that way sometimes. I was just the guy that was in the way.
“I climbed the other car. I think it might have been his right front I hit. It picked me up and put me up over top of him in the air and I landed in the top part of the wall and the bottom of the fence. I took that part of it out. The gentleman underneath me, he went into it as well and we just destroyed the whole fence. It was in pieces.”
The 51-year-old Jones was transported to a local hospital where it was discovered he had fractured his T12 vertebrae in two places. No surgery was needed, but the injury did require a lot of bed rest while the fractures healed.
Jones was suddenly faced with a potential reality he had not experienced since he was a child, a reality without racing.
Bobby Jones, driver of the No. 12 602 Modified, leads the field during Night 4 of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway on Feb. 12, 2024. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
“That happened and I said, ‘I’m done. No more racing. I’m done now. I don’t need to go back,’” Jones said. “Well, three months of sitting in bed and doing nothing, I thought a lot about it. Then I started working on the car when I was able, which was like my rehabilitation, which helped me a lot.
“The doctor wanted me, at a point, to start doing things. So I started doing little things during the day while I was home and I got better a lot faster I think.”
As Jones began to feel better while work progressed on repairing his damaged race car, he began to look at the schedule for the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway.
One season prior, Jones made his second trip to New Smyrna Beach, Florida, to compete in the annual stock car racing extravaganza. He ended up leaving frustrated and disappointed.
“We got here and we unloaded for first practice, and I was second on the board,” Jones said. “I felt really good about the car. We were fast. I went out for our timed practice, and we burned the motor up. We were done for the couple nights. We rebuilt the motor and put a crank and bearings in it. We raced the last two nights, but we were down on power. We wiped the cam out, but we didn’t know it at the time.
“All summer I raced, and I said we were going to come back and we were going to redeem ourselves. I planned to run that race and it was going to be that race and maybe I’d do a couple of races throughout the year to go off into the sunset and end my career.”
That was all before Jones was injured in the crash at Mahoning Valley, which put into question his plans for the World Series of Asphalt a few months later.
Roughly a week before the start of the event on Feb. 9, Jones finally made the decision to load up his race car and head to New Smyrna from his home in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.
“It was a big decision to be here. I’d say up until probably about a week ago I wasn’t 100 percent sure I was I was going to be able to,” Jones said. “I was weighing how I felt and should I or shouldn’t I. We were working on the car. We needed to keep working on the car because that car had to be fixed anyway. It wound up being ready.
“I decided that I was OK. I had full clearance from doctors. They told me straight up there ain’t nothing different than there was before I broke it. I was actually waiting for them to tell me that, oh, you’re a little bit worse off now so I would have made the decision not to race.”
Fast-forward to Monday, and Jones was starting sixth in the second 602 Modified race of the week. By the fourth circuit Jones had made his way to second and was chasing Ray Fattaruso for the lead.
Bobby Jones poses in Victory Lane following a victory in the 602 Modified class on Night 4 of the 2024 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway on February 12, 2024. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
A restart with 15 laps left gave Jones the opportunity he needed. He powered around the outside of Fattaruso to take the lead coming out of Turn 4 and survived one final restart to secure a trip to Victory Lane during the World Series of Asphalt.
It was something that only a few months prior seemed unlikely at best.
“It was a big decision to be here,” Jones said. “There was so much emotion there for me.”
After climbing from his race car and dancing on the roof of his car, Jones made a declaration: He was putting in his resignation. He won’t say he’s retiring; Jones knows better.
Instead, he’s putting in his resignation with the intent of stepping away from racing. But even he knows there is a chance that won’t stick.
“I don’t want to say retire. I want to say I’m handing in my resignation because I can get another job somewhere else,” Jones said. “I don’t know how it’s going to go to step back away from racing and not do it. It’s all I do right now. So I’m going to try. We’re going to try hard because I’d like to take a break.
“I don’t want to be that guy that says I’m retired, I’m done, and I won’t ever get in the car. I don’t know what the future is for me, whether or not I can handle not racing. I’ve done this since I was 18 years old, so I’m leaving it open because I don’t know if I can. I want to, but I’m not sure if I can.
“This is what I do, I don’t know anything else.”
If Jones never straps in a race car again after leaving New Smyrna this week, he’ll be at peace with it.
His return from injury and subsequent World Series of Asphalt victory was the storybook ending for which he was looking.
“I’m very happy actually,” Jones said. “I did what I needed to do. It’s the final checkmark.”
The Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona International Speedway are set to fire off Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with the 42 entrants into the 2024 Daytona 500 split into two separate 60-lap races to set the field for the “Great American Race.”
Team Penske’s Joey Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 champion, will start from the pole position in the first duel on Thursday, while Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell will lead the group in the second duel to the green flag. Non-chartered entrants Anthony Alfredo and David Ragan are locked in regardless of Thursday’s results, but JJ Yeley, BJ McLeod, Kaz Grala and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson will each have to fight for the remaining two spots through their respective duels.
Ford and Toyota bring new body styles into the new NASCAR Cup Series season, Ford with its Dark Horse Mustang and Toyota’s Camry XSE. Both Logano and McDowell drive Fords. Each manufacturer’s car features its own unique character lines and aerodynamic designs, bonding the track-ready stock cars closer to their street-car counterparts.
Those differences — particularly on the front and rear bumpers — will come into focus in Thursday night’s qualifiers, the first time these vehicles will be drafting together around the 2.5-mile superspeedway. With drafting often comes pushing, which could prove precarious given the unknown effect of what a bumper-to-bumper impact could look like.
“It will definitely be a learning experience for us,” said Logano, a two-time Cup champion. “Probably the biggest thing would be just making sure the bumpers line up good and how we push each other as far as the new body stuff. Obviously, it’s a learning experience no matter what. Even if it was the old (car), we’d have a learning experience on what your car has got for the 500 and what we want to work on for practice the next day. There will be a lot to learn, lots of things, but it’ll be good. It should be fine. We’ll figure it out.”
Each duel usually takes on a personality of its own — one typically calm, one decidedly more eventful, and not always in that order.
“There was that graph — you mess around and you find out? That graph, that’s what you have to figure out in the Duels,” Toyota’s Bubba Wallace said. “So for me, you push in the areas when necessary, like pushing on the straightaways and see. Because our new body, Ford’s got a new body, so you have to just be mindful of what works, what doesn’t, just to build your resume for Sunday. That’s when the pay window opens.”
Ford’s front bumper is noticeably less flat than it was a season ago, while Toyota’s is more squared off. Chase Briscoe, pilot of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, voiced his curiosity about how the Dark Horse Mustang’s new pieces will react in action.
“I know visually the Ford to me looks way more rounded than anything we’ve had in the past, especially the back bumper,” Briscoe said, “so I’ve been kind of anxious leading up to this week just knowing that. So I think the Duels will be a little timid at the beginning, but I do think there’s not near the forgiveness that we’ve had at least on the Ford side in the past, so that will be interesting when we really start pushing each other hard and see what happens. The Toyotas are different. The Chevys are gonna have to push us differently now too, so it’s all gonna change and it’ll just take some time for all of us to learn it.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the defending Daytona 500 champion, drives the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing. Chevrolet’s Camaros received no redesigns over the offseason, but their drivers will indeed need to be mindful of how their cars react to their on-track brethren.
“The good news is the other manufacturers have made theirs easier to push people, so if they’re behind you I guess you feel a little more comfortable about that,” Stenhouse said. “I’m sure they’re probably a little nervous. Everyone is so equal when it comes to getting four or five cars in line. I feel like speed-wise is already really close. To me, there’s a lot of differences made in the drivers who are driving the race cars… when to push, how to push and what your line is doing.
“I’ve got friends in different manufacturers that I’ve worked really well with over the years and a lot in the Chevy camp that I’ve worked well with. For me on the Chevy side, we’re focused on what we need to do to make our Camaros fast. I feel really good about where we’re at. I think we’ll have more speed than what we had last year, which is never a bad thing.”
The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney spotlighted the importance of balancing aggression against measure during the 60-lap shootout.
“Obviously you want to be smart in the Duels. You’re trying to win it and there are some points involved,” Blaney said, noting the points paid to the top-10 finishers in each duel. “But the last thing you want to do is wreck your 500 car making a dumb move. But at the same time, you can’t just ride around the back because this is your biggest chance to figure out what your car handles like in a pack.
“Friday, Saturday (in practice), you’re not gonna have a big pack racing like that and drafting just because it’s close to the 500, so this is the best chance to figure out what you need for Sunday. So I’ve always tried to put myself in funky spots in the Duels, spots that I would be in in the 500 – really close to someone’s back bumper exiting four with someone close to your outside. How does your car react to that? So, I think you have to be smart about everything, but also you need to figure out what you need to work on.”
For Johnson, Yeley, McLeod and Grala, the duels will be about much more than learning the intricacies of their race cars. It’ll be about simply qualifying for the Daytona 500.
Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, is driving a Toyota for the first time in his career. The Camrys struggled in Wednesday night’s single-car qualifying, putting Johnson in the precarious position of needing to race his way into the “Great American Race.”
“I’ve never been in this position, so I don’t know,” Johnson said of his Thursday approach. “I came down here mentally prepared to race my way in if that was required. I’m well-studied. I spent a lot of time working on the environment of the Duels and the way the race will unfold. Just get out there and race hard and see how it unfolds.
“Much more nervous now. I thought we were going to be in a little bit better position than this, but it is what it is. We will go to work.”
Alfredo, Johnson and Yeley will race in the first duel while Ragan, McLeod and Grala will compete in the second qualifier. Johnson will advance to the Daytona 500 by either besting Yeley’s No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet; if Alfredo beats both of them; or if Ragan tops McLeod and Grala in the second duel.
McLeod will qualify for the Daytona 500 by beating Ragan and Grala in his duel, or if either Alfredo or Johnson are the best Open car in the first duel and Ragan is the best in the second duel.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — When Ty Fredrickson climbed out of his No. 36 Super Late Model after qualifying for the Clyde Hart Memorial at New Smyrna Speedway on Tuesday, he was astounded at some of the names behind him in the running order.
His time of 17.836 was better than that of defending ARCA Menards Series East champion William Sawalich, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series veteran Ty Majeski and 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. It also secured him a starting position of sixth amidst the impressive, 32-car field.
Although the 200-lap feature did not unfold the way he wanted, Fredrickson found some satisfaction with the speed he displayed against so many talented drivers, which served as another solid chapter in his debut World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing appearance.
“I kind of impressed myself with that [qualifying run],” he said. “We fell back early, and then someone checked up in front of me, and I made contact with him, which really put us back. We battled back with some damage only to have a tire go down at the end.”
Like many drivers currently competing in NASCAR’s top ranks, Fredrickson’s love for racing started by watching his father Dan Fredrickson compete at tracks around the Midwest.
Dan emerged as one of the most consistent short-track competitors from his region during the 2000s and 2010s. On a national level, Dan found his stride with the ASA Midwest Tour with a resume that includes 15 victories and two championships in 2008 and 2013.
The catalyst that jumpstarted Dan’s career was the World Series of Asphalt in 2001. When a fellow midwestern driver had to pull out of the Limited Late Model class at the last minute, Dan ended up contacting his team about driving the car for the full week at New Smyrna.
What both sides ended up agreeing on was that Dan would drive for them full-time in the NASCAR Midwest Series that year if he won at least one race.
The deal was nearly immediately reneged when Dan was involved in a hard crash just five laps into the first Limited Late Model feature. Both sides refused to give up that early, and a long process commenced to get Dan’s car back to race-winning form.
By the end of the week, Dan had his World Series of Asphalt victory and a guaranteed ride in the NASCAR Midwest Series.
Seeing Ty in a similar-yet-different position over two decades later is a full-circle moment for Dan. Ty already has a full season lined up in the ASA Midwest Tour, but Dan said a full week at New Smyrna, competing in several types of Super Late Model races, is only going to bolster his son’s long-term development.
“I can’t really think of a better place to put [Ty] through the wringer of the grind,” Dan said. “It’s a great deal with sprint races, and then you have a 200-lapper with pit stops. With 47 of the best cars from the U.S. and Canada, Ty timed in sixth, so I’m very happy with him.”
Using the advice from his father Dan, Ty is gradually finding his comfort zone in a Super Late Model. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
Ty also had the benefit of entering the World Series of Asphalt already battle-tested. He earned a third-place finish in just his second ASA Midwest Tour appearance at 14 years old during the Oktoberfest 200 before embarking on his first All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
None of those milestones would have been possible for Ty without Dan constantly being in his ear teaching him all the fundamentals of being successful both on and off the track.
“I raced Legends cars before [Super Late Models], which are about twice the size with twice the horsepower,” Ty said. “You’re going to bigger tracks with a lot more cars, but [my dad] has been teaching me setups, along with dealing with media and how to earn respect.”
Dan particularly saw the maturity of his son following an incident with Matt Craig that ended up knocking Ty out of the Clyde Hart Memorial.
The first thing Ty did when he and Dan returned to New Smyrna the following morning was reach out to Craig and show him his in-car video of the accident. While Craig was not upset over what happened, the initiative Ty took to have a formal discussion on the manner helped him garner respect from a Super Late Model veteran at such a young age.
Staying on good terms with the competition is something Dan has repeatedly told to Ty since he started competing, but he made sure to emphasize that point ahead of a long week of racing in World Series of Asphalt.
“Don’t make any enemies,” Dan said. “That’s the biggest thing when you get [to New Smyrna]. Some of these guys are mad at each other the first night. That’s kind of like pissing off your roommate when you have to live with them for a week. It doesn’t make any sense, but [Ty] has done a great job.”
By teaching his son to be clean instead of overly aggressive, Dan believes he is setting Ty up to be a draw for potential sponsors that are needed to continue funding their Super Late Model program.
Dan has done everything possible to ensure Ty can keep thriving behind the wheel, which is why he has been impressed by the knowledge Ty is picking up on his own. If he can maintain a headstrong but composed mindset, Dan believes Ty can become a driver capable of one day racing on Sundays.
The composure and maturity of Ty Fredrickson has allowed him to enjoy a solid debut in the World Series of Asphalt. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR Roots)
Despite this, the only top 10 Ty has scored so far at New Smyrna came during the Wednesday feature, which Dan anticipated given his son’s inexperience and the quality of the fields. Dan hopes Ty can take part in the World Series of Asphalt again next year and apply the knowledge accumulated from the long week and through a busy 2024 campaign.
“[Ty] is in the hardest class, and the competition is massive,” Dan said. “You’ve got all the mega teams here, but if he could win one, it would be pretty unbelievable experience. He’s got the talent, but he’s still pretty young in his career, and I’m just happy with where he’s at.”
Ty’s first World Series of Asphalt has been every bit the obstacle he envisioned it would be. He has grinded for every position on track no matter the race length yet has stayed true to his principles by keeping his car clean and avoiding any unnecessary conflict.
Every night at New Smyrna has taught Ty so much about himself and what he needs to improve his consistency. If he gets the chance to come back in 2025, Ty knows he can use that knowledge to join so many other notable names that have a World Series of Asphalt victory.
“This week is all about making it through and learning a bunch of stuff,” he said. “Most of the Cup guys have come here in a Super Late Model at my age, younger or older. The World Series of Asphalt is just super important for a young driver’s career.”
Outqualifying the titans of Super Late Model racing in the Clyde Hart Memorial was a huge moment for Ty during the biggest week of his brief career. The next milestone on his agenda is to usurp all of them and earn his first Super Late Model victory.
It was during her maiden venture into the marquee event that the third generation competitor from Dryden, Michigan made history as the first female World Series of Asphalt Pro Late Model feature winner. Katie accomplished this in the fifth race by engaging in a tough battle with Carson Brown before passing him with 10 laps remaining.
A full year of Pro Late Model races around the southeast provided Katie plenty of confidence as she approached another grueling week at New Smyrna with the goal of further cementing herself into the World Series of Asphalt record books.
“It was really cool,” Katie said. “We didn’t even know I was the first female to win a [Pro Late Model] race until afterwards, but milestones like that are awesome. Now I want to break another record by winning a [World Series of Asphalt] championship along with some more races.”
Hettinger’s path to achieving a Pro Late Model win in the World Series of Asphalt for was dominated by adversity and a copious amount of studying.
Her only experience in a full-bodied stock car at New Smyrna prior to the 2023 World Series of Asphalt was the Red Eye 50/50 the year before. A full week at New Smyrna would present more challenges such as dynamic track conditions and a larger field consisting of drivers like Brent Crews, Conner Jones and Eddie MacDonald.
With so many unknowns entering the World Series of Asphalt, Hettinger knew she needed to utilize every resource at her disposal to be fully prepared. She regularly conversed with her car owner and veteran racer Anthony Campi on how to best approach each night at the track all while receiving input from her father Chris Hettinger.
Campi’s background with competitors like William Byron, Casey Roderick, Chandler Smith and others gave Chris some assurance about Katie’s potential for that week. Despite this, Chris still emphasized to Katie the importance of avoiding trouble and finding a comfort zone.
“The biggest thing with [the World Series of Asphalt] is consistency,” Chris said. “It’s a long week, and this is about getting strong finishes and being there at the end. You don’t want to tear everything up early in the week, but you do want to learn and get better every night.”
Unfortunately for Katie and Chris, trouble ended up finding them during the fourth Pro Late Model event.
After Katie Hettinger set the fastest lap in time trials, an invert moved her back to sixth for the 35-lap feature. Contact between Brown and Crews for third collected Katie and sent her into the outside retaining wall, ending her night on the second lap.
The crash ended any chance Hettinger had of securing the Pro Late Model championship following two consecutive podium finishes. It also further invigorated her, knowing she still had two more opportunities to leave New Smyrna with a trophy in hand.
A long night of repairs commenced to get the team’s No. 81 Chevrolet prepared for the following Pro Late Model race. Any concerns about the speed of the car were quelled with Hettinger putting together her best night at New Smyrna to earn a trip to Victory Lane.
The simultaneous jubilation and relief were evident when she climbed out of her car to celebrate her accomplishment.
Katie Hettinger earned a Pro Late Model victory in the World Series of Asphalt one night after being collected in an early crash. (Photo: Adam Fenwick/NASCAR)
“My team was talking me through everything and telling me to stay calm,” Hettinger said. “That’s what I was trying to do by taking off my laps, hitting my marks and not overthink anything. It was a good celebration, and I got a lot of comments on it.
“That win set a high for all of us.”
Hettinger used the momentum from the World Series of Asphalt victory to put together a solid season in Pro Late Model competition. She ended up securing a runner-up finish in the CARS Pro Late Model Tour standings with seven top-five finishes before concluding the year with a win at Hickory Motor Speedway.
Now with more experience on her side, Hettinger returned to New Smyrna this year determined to open 2024 on a positive note, this time in her family-owned No. 71. She said chemistry has been a strength within the program so far and hopes everyone’s hard work translates into several more victories.
Results have been mixed in her sophomore World Series of Asphalt campaign. A top-five finish in the second Pro Late Model feature was eliminated by an infraction in post-race inspection, but she has been constant at the front on each night.
Chris would love to see Katie replicate what she did in 2023 but knows that will be an arduous task with drivers like Dawson Sutton setting the pace in the Pro Late Model class. He said the goal for Katie is the same from 2023: Build consistency and keep the car in one piece.
Even if they do not procure any checkered flags this year, Chris still can not help but be proud of the progress Katie continues to make as a driver. Seeing Katie ecstatic over such a pivotal win remains one of Chris’ happiest moments in his life, and he looks forward to enjoying similar occasions long after the World Series of Asphalt concludes.
In nearly every race at the World Series of Asphalt this year, Katie Hettinger has either led laps or been a constant presence inside the Top 5. (Photo: Adam Glanzman/NASCAR)
“This is such a huge event,” Chris said. “With NASCAR being in town for Daytona, there’s a lot of people watching at home. Katie’s win last year was huge because of the following the World Series of Asphalt gets, so it definitely got a lot of attention.
“To see Katie break through that night and get the win was pretty special.”
Any plans for Katie Hettinger to return to the World Series of Asphalt next year are dependent on a myriad of factors. The possibility remains that she could advance into the Super Late Model class, where she could become the first female winner in that division since Becca Kasten in 2011.
For now, Hettinger is focused on the Pro Late Model races remaining in this year’s World Series of Asphalt. A title might no longer be a feasible goal, but she believes she’s more than capable of finding her way back to New Smyrna’s Victory Lane before the end of the week.
“I’m a lot more confident now, especially with my own team,” she said. “Everyone is working really hard. There’s some good competition, but we have a really good car and a really good shot to get things done.
“We know we got more wins coming.”
Just like her first venture, the second visit to New Smyrna for the World Series of Asphalt has produced plenty of positive memories and lessons, all of which Hettinger intends to use as motivation to further consolidate her status as a top NASCAR prospect.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Anthony Alfredo turned and dropped his jaw in pure elation. He fell into the arms of Brendan Gaughan, who ripped him into the air through joy.
With Alfredo behind the wheel, the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet was the fastest non-chartered entry in Wednesday night’s Busch Light Pole Qualifying, locking into the 66th annual Daytona 500 for Monday afternoon (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). David Ragan, piloting the No. 60 RFK Racing Ford, snagged the second guaranteed spot of the four available in the “Great American Race.”
Six non-chartered or “open” teams entered this year’s Daytona 500 alongside the 36 chartered teams, leaving 42 teams to vie for 40 positions. Alfredo and the Beard Motorsports team — an operation that has just one full-time employee, crew chief Darren Shaw — posted the 20th-fastest lap overall at 179.648 mph, relieving the No. 62 team of any worries ahead of Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels that will set the starting lineup for the Daytona 500.
“This is crazy,” Alfredo told NASCAR.com. “I mean, I was in the stands as a kid. This was my first race I came to. And to have the opportunity to race in it for a second time now is beyond a blessing. I can’t even put into words what this means to me, especially because as an open car, it’s just so much more stress on you. And there’s some really competitive cars here.
“And to know that we not only were (in) the top two but the best one — over Jimmie Johnson. I mean … I thought they were gonna be the ones to beat in qualifying.”
Indeed, seven-time Cup champion and Class of 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson is one of the four drivers who will have to fight in Thursday’s duel qualifying race for the remaining two spots in the Daytona 500, joining JJ Yeley, BJ McLeod and Kaz Grala.
Linda Beard, team owner of Beard Motorsports, quickly joined the jubilant celebration on pit road, soaking in the moment as the team her late husband Mark built qualified for its sixth Daytona 500 appearance.
“It’s a wonderful feeling. It’s the greatest feeling there possibly is,” Beard told NASCAR.com. “Sometimes when you’ve done this before, you always wonder if it’s ever gonna happen again. It has, and I’m just so happy.”
The fun-loving, always-amped Gaughan serves Beard Motorsports as its vice chairman of racing operations and was the team’s driver from its inception in 2017 through 2020, never attempting more than four races per year after years of racing full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series. The emotions poured out Wednesday night after Alfredo locked into the Daytona 500.
“I mean, this is a little-bitty team,” Gaughan told NASCAR.com. “We always talked about it being the 62. It’s got one full-time employee with Darren Shaw, and we’ve talked about that for years. But this doesn’t happen in this sport anymore. That’s what I’ve always said is that you don’t see this sort of thing really. And when you’re talking about the world of $20 million charters and $40 million charters, here’s this team with one car. …
“You never know how good it feels to you miss one, right? And we’ve missed a couple.”
They won’t be missing this one.
In the No. 60 Ford, Ragan locked himself into the “Great American Race” with a lap at 179.283 mph. Ragan has been a mainstay in Ford’s camp since the start of his NASCAR career in 2004, joining RFK when it was still known only as Roush Racing in 2006. Now a part-time racer after 13 years racing full-time at the sport’s highest level, Ragan is back in the Daytona 500, a race in which he’s finished inside the top 10 in each of his last two starts (fourth, 2020; eighth, 2022).
“Initially I thought, ‘Man, we’re cutting this way too close,’ ” Ragan said of his lap. “I felt like we’d have a really fast race car, and we do. I really wasn’t expecting that lap from Anthony. That was a great lap for him and that team. Congratulations to those guys.
“I didn’t have a chance to beat Jimmie Johnson too often in my career when he and I were running week-in, week-out. I’ll take the small victories when I can.”
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Two NASCAR Cup Series teams failed twice in Daytona 500 pre-qualifying inspection Wednesday, resulting in crew member ejections and the loss of pit-stall selection for Thursday’s 150-mile qualifying races.
The No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Alex Bowman and 23XI Racing’s No. 45 Toyota for Tyler Reddick both passed inspection, but on their third attempt. Bowman wound up 17th in Wednesday evening’s qualifying session, and Reddick was 36th on the speed chart in the first on-track action ahead of Monday’s season-opening Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Each team’s car chief was ejected for Thursday’s qualifying races:
No. 45 Toyota: Michael Hobson
No. 48 Chevrolet: Ty Sipes
Both teams will also select pit stalls last for Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM), which will help determine the 40-car starting lineup for Monday’s 500-mile classic.
Bowman’s qualifying effort snapped his streak of Daytona 500 front-row starts, which ended at a record six in a row.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The new Ford Mustang Dark Horse lived up to its nomenclature in Wednesday night’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session for Monday’s Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Running the fastest lap in both rounds of the time trials, Team Penske’s Joey Logano put his car on the pole for the “Great American Race,” as he and Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell locked into the front row for the 500.
The Oxford Dictionary defines “dark horse” as “a candidate or competitor about whom little is known but who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.”
Logano secured his first Busch Light Pole Award at Daytona with a final-round lap of 181.947 mph, beating McDowell (181.686 mph) by 0.071 seconds. It is also the first Daytona 500 pole for Team Penske.
“This is all about the team,” said Logano, who scored the 29th pole of his career. “I’d like to take credit, but I can’t today. The guys have done such an amazing job working on these cars. Speedway qualifying is 100 percent the car.
“There’s only so much a driver can do, so I’m really proud of them. It’s a big win for our team. … Finally, someone else wins the pole — that part feels good. I’ve never even been close to a superspeedway pole before, so my first pole on a speedway couldn’t be at a cooler event than the Daytona 500.”
But was his pole-winning run unexpected? Consider that Chevrolets had won the previous 11 Daytona 500 poles, that cars sporting Hendrick Motorsports power had won the previous nine and that Hendrick drivers had claimed the top starting spot in eight of the last nine years.
So, yes, the Fords found success in a car that was unknown and untried on a superspeedway.
Hendrick drivers Kyle Larson (181.635 mph), Chase Elliott (181.178 mph) and William Byron (181.174 mph) qualified third, fifth and sixth, respectively, with Ford driver and 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric posting the fourth fastest final-round lap at 181.207 mph.
Richard Childress Racing teammates Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch were seventh and eighth fastest, followed by Ross Chastain and Harrison Burton.
But the only two drivers who know where they will start on Monday are Logano and McDowell, both former Daytona 500 winners. The rest of the field will be set in Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150-mile qualifying races (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with the odd-numbered qualifiers racing in Duel 1 and the even-numbered qualifiers competing in Duel 2.
Among those trying to race into the 500 is seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who failed to time into Monday’s race in his No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota.
In fact, the Toyotas — also with a new body style this season — showed a jarring lack of speed in single-car runs, with Erik Jones leading the manufacturer’s effort with a 22nd-place run. Johnson was 35th fastest.
In the race among six unchartered cars for four available spots, Kaz Grala was unable to make a qualifying run because of a mechanical failure on his No. 36 Ford, locking Anthony Alfredo (20th fastest overall) into Monday’s race with a lap at 179.648 mph, fastest among the open cars.
“We’re in, and to not have to race in tomorrow and just remove ourselves for some of the sketchy circumstances and focus on Sunday is just an amazing, amazing feeling,” Alfredo said.
David Ragan claimed the second guaranteed starting spot on speed among the unchartered cars when Johnson failed to better Ragan’s lap at 179.283 mph.
“I didn’t have a chance to beat Jimmie Johnson too often in my career when he and I were running week-in and week-out,” said Ragan, who hasn’t raced a Cup car since the regular-season finale of 2022 at Daytona. “So, I’ll take the small victories when I can. Yeah, that just shows you how close the competition is.”
Driving the No. 84 Toyota, third fastest of the open cars at 178.845 mph, Johnson must race his way into the Daytona 500 field in the first of the two Duels.
“I had higher expectations for sure, but we are lumped right there with the other Toyotas,” Johnson said. “The 43 (Erik Jones) car got a little more out of it, so I wish we had a bit more out of ours, but it is what it is. We will go out and race hard tomorrow night and try to make the 500.
“I’ve never been in this position, so I don’t know. I came down here mentally prepared to race my way in if that was required. I’m well studied. I spent a lot of time working on the environment of the Duels and the way the race will unfold. Just get out there and race hard and see how it unfolds.”
BJ McLeod, J.J. Yeley and Grala will be competing with Johnson for the two remaining spots in the race.
