Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

As NASCAR ushers in a new era for the sport, Cup Series race director Jusan Hamilton is preparing to make history of his own in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

When drivers take the green flag for The Great American Race, Hamilton will be the first Black race director in Daytona 500 history. He’ll also be just the third different Daytona 500 race director since 1988, joining David Hoots and Tim Bermann in that span.

“A very proud accomplishment for me, personally,” Hamilton told NASCAR.com. “I’ve always said as I’ve set out on this journey to work in NASCAR and contribute to the sport that I’ve had a passion for since I was a kid, that I’ve wanted to contribute in a positive way. Both in helping lead the sport forward so we’re prepared for the future and reaching new audiences as we move toward that goal of growing the sport.”

RELATED: Daytona 101: TV schedule, qualifying format, entry list and more

Hamilton’s 10-year career in NASCAR racing operations has been a series of breaking down diversity barriers. In July 2018 at Pocono Raceway, he became the first Black race director in the Cup Series. In March 2017, Hamilton took the reins of race control booth for an Xfinity Series race at Auto Club Speedway.

Surely, making history in the Daytona 500 would come with pressure, but he’s focused on using previous knowledge from other Daytona races covered in years past, communicating with his team and studying notes to ensure he’s as prepared as possible.

“As long as I feel like I’ve put in the proper work leading into it, it’s more about executing and that’s what I’m focused on right now,” Hamilton said.

When he takes to the race director’s chair at the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway in NASCAR’s most prestigious race, he hopes it showcases that a career in the sport is within reach and paths are more available for those who feel it’s not a possibility.

“For me, it’s an accomplishment that I’ve put a lot of work into and a lot of effort into growing and building as a race director,” Hamilton said. “I hope, externally, it just sets a positive example for others that have an interest in motorsports that come from a diverse background or a background that you traditionally wouldn’t necessarily lead to being in motorsports or have a passion for motorsports like I do.”

Hamilton’s passion for racing started at a young age. At 10 years old, he dreamed of competing in the Daytona 500 and having a high level of success at the premier level. He grew up racing go-karts and mini sprints and eventually graduated to weekly Sportsman Modified cars around upstate New York, winning races and competing for track championships in the process.

While the lifelong vision to compete in the NASCAR national series realm wasn’t feasible at the time, Hamilton elected to end his driving career, earning a marketing communications and sociology degree at Ithaca College. After college, Hamilton earned a public relations internship at Watkins Glen International. He later accepted a position in the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Internship Program with a focus on racing operations.

“You don’t really realize how all that experience can contribute at this level, but I’m proud to say that it has and the degrees that racing led me to in college I still feel like I use those every day,” Hamilton said. “Whether it’s managing the Drive for Diversity program, managing relationships with our broadcast partners, race tracks and competition when it comes to the event schedules and all the operations that go into that. If it wasn’t for racing, I wouldn’t be on that path. While I’m glad I found the goal and direction that I did, very thankful for the time that I had driving growing up. It really gives me the foundation that allows me to be doing what I’m doing today.”

RELATED: The man behind digital content at 23XI Racing

Now, Hamilton manages the Drive for Diversity program and has served as race director for a number of Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series events since early 2017. He credits opportunities to witness the sport from competition, business and fan angles as a large part in setting himself up for success to this day.

“There’s a lot of great people in this sport that I have the pleasure to work with and to learn from and then be able to take that experience and apply that at this level as a race director,” Hamilton said. “Making sure the product that we put out there on Sunday is a product that has the highest integrity, is well organized like we did for the Clash and the way all that was managed. That’s the important part for me, just really being able to apply all those years of experience, even before working at NASCAR, at this level.”

While executing a flawless race is high on the priority list for his first Daytona 500 as race director, Hamilton’s goal is to be a role model, thinking back to days growing up when people wondered why a kid from New York would have a desire to take this route.

“For me, my family always instilled in me that it’s not about the color of your skin, it’s not about your ethnicity or your race, it’s just about what you do and the work that you put in and the goals that you achieve,” Hamilton said. “Having said that, I understand it can be hard.

“I hope that by the example I’m setting, young girls and boys have more of a freedom to pursue their goals and have that support system around them that can look at what I’m doing, or what others are doing and say, yes, it is possible.”

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Two of NASCAR’s finest superspeedway racers today are Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. Between them, they have four Daytona 500 wins and nine wins on superspeedways.

Sunday’s 64th-running of the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) sees the two veterans as the top two favorites on the board via BetMGM’s odds with Hamlin at 8-1 and Logano at 9-1.

RELATED: Daytona 500 schedule | Odds for the 2022 Daytona 500 | Latest Daytona 500 news

How does each driver stack up for a head-to-head matchup for Sunday’s race? We’re breaking down key stats before the race to help inform potential bets as well as your Fantasy Live bonus picks. Remember, the Daytona 500 is the first full points race to utilize the Next Gen car.

Denny Hamlin Category Joey Logano
3 Daytona 500 wins 1
5 Superspeedway wins 4
15.9 Daytona avg. finish (all time) 18.1
8.3 Superspeedway avg. finish (last 8) 21.6
8 Better finish in last 10 races at Daytona 2

Verdict: The numbers favor Hamlin by quite a bit and that is largely skewed by the results of the last three years — which saw Hamlin win two of his three Daytona 500s. In that same span, Logano has had four finishes of 23rd-or-worse at Daytona, while Hamlin has had just one such finish in that stretch. I’d go Hamlin in this matchup but would also note to keep a close eye on the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races on Thursday night to see how the Fords and Toyotas perform in the draft.

Additional Cup featured matchups this week:

Chase Elliott vs. Kevin Harvick: This unexpected rivalry from last postseason pits the driver with the second-most points over the last six races at Daytona (Elliott) vs. a driver with back-to-back top fives in the Daytona 500 (Harvick). I like Elliott slightly in this one.

Michael McDowell vs. Justin Haley. McDowell is the defending race winner. Haley won the Daytona summer race in 2019. This is an intriguing matchup as both have a knack for strong superspeedway results. In a small surprise, I’m going with Haley.

Austin Dillon vs. Bubba Wallace. Both of these drivers have a superspeedway win — Dillon in the 2018 Daytona 500 and Wallace in last fall’s Talladega race. Daytona is where Dillon has his most top 10s at one track, while Wallace has three top fives here. This is a really close call as both will likely be in my fantasy lineup, but I’m leaning toward Wallace.

Don’t forget about the Xfinity Series featured matchups this week. Those involve Noah Gragson vs. Daniel Hemric, Sam Mayer vs. Landon Cassill and Myatt Snider vs. Anthony Alfredo. Gragson-Hemric is an especially intriguing one between a title contender and the 2021 champion. Gragson won this race in 2020 while Hemric posted top 10s in both Daytona races last year. I’d lean Hemric with Kaulig Racing’s superspeedway prowess being the decider for me.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The champ has spoken. Keep an eye on Tyler Reddick in 2022.

During Wednesday’s preseason Media Day at Daytona International Speedway, 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson predicted a career year for his junior competitor. Reddick drives the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet — just as a reminder of which car to follow once the season begins Sunday with the Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM).

“I feel like when I watch him, I am watching myself just because we are both really aggressive,” Larson said. “And he seems to be even a little more aggressive and kind of keep things in control better than I could back when I was running really hard in Ganassi equipment trying to run up front.

“He’s the guy that I look at this year, that I feel like is going to have the breakout season and win a lot of races.”

DAYTONA 500: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | All-time winners

Larson, now with Hendrick Motorsports, spent his first six full-time seasons at Chip Ganassi Racing. It was in his third run that he broke through to Victory Lane. Reddick is about to begin his third year, too, trending in the same direction.

Image From Ios (4)
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

So far, in 74 career starts, Reddick has notched six top-five and 26 top-10 finishes. Those stats include three runner-up showings – 2020 at Texas Motor Speedway and 2021 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval.

An already existing difference between the two drivers, though: Larson didn’t qualify for the playoffs until his third season. Reddick did in his second, by virtue of points. He was eliminated after the Round of 16 last year, ultimately finishing 13th in the standings.

“I don’t know,” Larson said. “I think Tyler Reddick is going to have an amazing season. I think he’s been the best car at all the tests. I think he showed last week at the Clash that he is really good.”

Reddick led a second-best 51 laps in the Busch Light Clash two weeks ago. His transaxle broke, however, with 97 laps remaining, leaving him 21st on the results sheet.

Before that, there were two Next Gen tests in January – one at Daytona, another at Phoenix Raceway. Reddick recorded the second-fastest speed Day 1 at Phoenix, falling short to Larson himself by 0.145 seconds. He was then 16th-fastest Day 2 at Daytona. His 50.218-second lap then can’t compare to his 48.788-second and 48.401-second runs Tuesday during the opening two Daytona 500 practices.

SPEEDWEEKS: Entry lists, qualifying procedure and more | Tuesday’s practice recap

“Well, unfortunately, I didn’t get to do any drafting while we were (testing) here,” Reddick said. “So, it’s really kind of opposite and I really want to learn what the car is capable of. I had Randall (Burnett, crew chief) all pissed off last night because I was dragging the brake and paying back into (Kevin) Harvick so he could push me around the race track. So, I am already being a little more aggressive than I should be, but what’s new?”

Nothing, if asking Larson.

Reddick did win back-to-back Xfinity Series championships between 2018-19 before he moved up to the Cup Series level. After he left, the Xfinity title went to Austin Cindric, who is once again a competitor as he joins the Cup ranks as a rookie this year. He, too, expects a checkered-flag breakthrough – and soon.

“Like, he’s been doing awesome, by the way,” Cindric said. “I say that because he’s my friend. But I’ve been waiting for the Tyler Reddick Cup win for a long time.”

Posted on by Steve Luvender

It’s fun to see who’s right and who’s wrong.

In what’s now become a NASCAR-Twitter tradition reaching its fifth season, we’ve again prompted you, the fans, to boldly and blindly tweet your Championship 4 picks before the season begins — only for us to file them away and unearth them during November’s Championship Weekend.

Last year, out of the whole darn internet, only one person, @RadiKyleOpinion, correctly guessed the 2021 Championship 4: Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott.

Hundreds of you have already tweeted your predictions for what the 2022 championship picture will look like — even before the green flag drops in the season-opening Daytona 500. Never mind the fact that this year the Cup Series races with the brand-new Next Gen car, there’s been no shortage of driver and team changes over the winter, and the 2022 schedule received a bit of a shakeup.

The NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 is, in a word, unpredictable. Yet, here you are, posting your predictions with nothing to gain and everything to lose.

https://twitter.com/ClutchandCoast/status/1493283297664905222

The theme from this year’s picks? A whole lot of defending champ Kyle Larson, and plenty of Kyle Busch, too. Fan faves Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney were among your most popular picks as well, but several people seem to think Tyler Reddick might have something to say. And who knows?

And, as is tradition on Twitter, some of you wisecrackers and smart alecks chimed in and made a mockery of our totally serious game. Sigh.

Oh, and we’ve got some NASCAR.com team members participating. You’re encouraged to taunt them if they blow it; they’re the experts, after all. They’re supposed to know everything, including what happens in the future.

 

Fair warning: we’re not afraid to shame you if you’re wrong. Each year, we do a whole Hall of Shame and everything. It’s fun (for us, at least).

For those who put their necks — and egos — on the line by making public guesses with no points-paying races for the Next Gen race car yet in the books, we applaud you.

And if you don’t participate in our little game, well … you’re probably pretty smart. It’s going to be a season unlike any other. Making predictions nine months in advance is a dangerous game.

We’ll check in with everybody in November. Feel free to join in and hit that reply button with your 2022 Championship 4 picks before the Daytona 500, too.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — When it comes to racing in the Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin is in elite company.

He’s the only active NASCAR Cup Series driver with more than one victory in The Great American Race. In fact, in the last six years, Hamlin has triumphed three times in the season-opening points event.

Historically, only two drivers have more victories in the 500 than Hamlin — Richard Petty with an unassailable seven and Cale Yarborough with four. All three of the other drivers with three wins already have earned admission into the NASCAR Hall of Fame — Bobby Allison, Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon.

RELATED: Every Daytona 500 winner | Full schedule for Daytona events

Though Hamlin doesn’t consider the Daytona 500 a wild-card race per se, he does acknowledge that superspeedway racing increases the pool of possible winners.

So how has the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota managed to win the race three times in his last six starts, and will his prowess carry over with the advent of NASCAR’s new Next Gen race car?

“In general, I just think I have a good understanding of the air here and how it moves around the walls,” Hamlin said Wednesday during Daytona 500 Media Day interviews. “Talladega is different. If you look at our results, we haven’t won as much at Talladega, but we’ve been pretty good. 

“Here, there is just something about, whatever it is, the banking or the width of the track, height of the walls or something that I just kind of know where those little pockets of air are, it seems like, that are a little bit better. 

“We have a new car now, and it’s going to move around a little bit different, and we will probably be learning just like everyone else will be this weekend. I don’t know that the advantage really will be as big as what it was in the past.”

Posted on by Tadd Haislop

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The annual John Blewett III Memorial 76 as part of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing is special in part because of the silence that grips Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway prior to the race as competitors and fans alike pause to remember Blewett and other fallen heroes of modified racing.

But there was nothing quiet about the race itself once 38 Tour-Type Modifieds roared to life Wednesday night at the half-mile paved oval.

Matt Hirschman, who won Saturday night’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season-opener Saturday at New Smyrna, found himself in Victory Lane once again Wednesday after winning the John Blewett III Memorial 76 in convincing fashion.

FloRacing: Highlights from John Blewett III Memorial 76

The triumph marked Hirschman’s 200th career modified win. His mind after the race, though, was in the same place many were on an emotional night in central Florida.

“This race is special, because I raced with John,” Hirschman said of Blewett, who was killed at age 33 in a 2007 accident at Connecticut’s Thompson International Speedway. “I was in the race the night John was killed. It would be fitting for Jimmy (Blewett, John’s brother) to win this race, but we were the class of the field. We had a little more late and were able to pull away.

“The Blewett family — I’m thinking of them. I wouldn’t be at 200 wins if John would have raced longer. We were on paths to battle for a lot of wins. When I won my first North-South Shootout win, I’ll never forget him coming and congratulating me. I think he really appreciated a young driver like myself that owned their own car, set up their own car and did the stuff he did.

Jimmy Blewett finished second in the event, which runs 76 laps in honor of his late brother’s car number.

“Obviously wanted to win this one more than anything,” Blewett said. “Like I say every year, I finished second in one of my brother’s memorial races. We’ll keep coming back and trying.”

Jimmy Blewett was involved in the accident that killed his brother almost 15 years ago. At the time of his death, John Blewett III had been racing on the NASCAR circuit for 12 years. He won 10 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races, including three in 11 starts in 2006. He finished third in series points in both 2001 and 2003.

The annual Tour-Type Modified feature as part of the World Series of Asphalt at New Smyrna is named in his honor, and it’s among the biggest races during the event’s nine-night span.

Wednesday night’s action featured a loaded field in front of a packed grandstand, much to the satisfaction of the late modified driver’s brother.

“I’m very thankful — and I know I’m speaking on my family’s behalf and everybody back home — that they’re continuing to keep my brother’s legacy alive,” Jimmy Blewett said. “My brother lived a short life. He was only 33 years old when he lost his life.

“To see the turnout, the people and the car count that comes year in and year out, to show the support not only to my family, but to our motorsports family as well, I just want to thank everybody back home who tuned in to watch the race. We’ll never forget John.”

Hirschman’s win marked his third victory in the John Blewett III Memorial 76; he also won in 2018 and 2019. He is now the first three-time winner of the event.

Craig Lutz, Joey Coulter and Patrick Emerling rounded out the top five Wednesday night. Spencer Davis, Tyler Rypkema, Andrew Krause, Teddy Hodgdon and J.R. Bertuccio completed the top 10.

Posted on by Zack Albert

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two drivers for non-chartered teams can breathe with a measure of relief after locking in their Daytona 500 berths with Wednesday’s Busch Light Pole Qualifying. And what a contrast for those two.

Give one starting spot to Noah Gragson, the plucky 23-year-old Xfinity Series regular who pushed the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet into the field with the fastest lap – 33rd overall – among the open teams. The other guaranteed berth went to Team Hezeberg’s Jacques Villeneuve, the 50-year-old Canadian who has a Formula 1 title and Indianapolis 500 win in his trophy case.

RELATED: Qualifying results | Daytona weekend schedule

Both will race in Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) for the first time. The other four non-chartered drivers – Kaz Grala, Greg Biffle, JJ Yeley and Timmy Hill – will await their fate after Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM).

Gragson’s effort will mark his Cup Series debut. His bid to make The Great American Race with the Beard Motorsports group last year ended in heartbreak after a crash in the second Duel.

“It’s really emotional to be able to make the race after last year coming so close and went through adversity during qualifying last year and not being able to take time,” said Gragson, who has more part-time Cup Series duty on his 2022 schedule with Kaulig Racing. “Before the Duel last year, Ms. Beard said to just go out there and drive the piss out of it. So she told me that tonight before qualifying, too. Last year, not being able to make the race, it’s almost that much sweeter and you appreciate it that much more. ”

This year, Gragson celebrated with the family-run team, sharing hugs with owner Linda Beard on pit road after his lap. Beard and her children have continued the team’s legacy after the death of founder Mark Beard Sr. just two weeks before last year’s 500.

“Well, just being right here is a thrill,” Linda Beard said. “Because being a small team, and having this happen to us, which has happened before, we’ve made this race before, but not being here last year and having the tragedy of losing my husband makes this just so much more emotional for all of us and so much bittersweet for all of us. So it’s a thrill, and we are extremely grateful.”

2022 Feb16 Jacques Villeneuve Main Image
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

Villeneuve is scheduled for just his fifth Cup Series start and his first since 2013. He failed to qualify in his only other Daytona 500 bid, also driving a No. 27 entry for team owner Bill Davis in 2008. He’ll give Team Hezeberg, a part-time team with European roots, its first Cup Series appearance on the sport’s grandest stage.

Villeneuve was also all smiles after time trials, saying Thursday’s feat stood out on the list of his career accomplishments.

“Obviously, it’s not a win. It’s not like winning the Indy 500 or the F1 championship. But at this point in my career, the last time I tried to qualify here was 14 years ago, just to make the show is incredible,” Villeneuve said. “Because we’re a small team, we didn’t link up with a big team to to get the car ready, and it’s highly unexpected to be able to make it on time. So it ranks right after these big wins.”

The rest of the 40-car field will be sorted after Thursday’s 60-lap, 150-mile Duel races. Grala and Biffle were the fastest among the four drivers not already clinched, and both could rely on qualifying speeds to make the main event.

Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has started 2022 off the way he ended 2021 – out front. The 29-year-old Hendrick Motorsports driver won the pole position for Sunday’s Daytona 500 season-opener with a lap of 181.159 mph in the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Wednesday night at Daytona International Speedway.

And for a record fifth consecutive year, Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman has also earned a front-row starting position in the Daytona 500. He’ll start the No. 48 Chevrolet second.

RELATED: Qualifying speeds | Duel lineups

All four of the Hendrick Motorsports cars advanced to the final round with 10 drivers and ultimately were among the five fastest qualifiers. Only the front row was set Wednesday night with the remaining Daytona 500 field finalized in Thursday’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150 qualifying races (7 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

“It’s unbelievable,” Bowman said of the record. “It just says so much about Hendrick Motorsports and these guys. It’s cool to have the record but I feel like Greg Ives and the race team should get the credit. The driver doesn’t do much.”

“Hopefully we can figure out how to win it,” Bowman added with a smile.

This is the seventh Daytona 500 pole position in eight years for the team. And it’s Larson’s career-best starting position.

“It’s really neat,” Larson said. “I mean anytime you are really proud of your team to get a pole here ‘cause this is the littlest it has to do with us drivers, qualifying at superspeedways.

“Everybody’s who’s had a part in touching these vehicles, whether it be on the computer, engineering or just hands-on. It’s really neat, just awesome the speed in our Hendricks.com Chevy. Hopefully this is the beginning of a really good season.

“Almost feels like my proudest pole,” he continued, “because you’re proud of everybody who had an impact in doing it.”

RELATED: Every Daytona 500 pole winner

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One world champion and 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner, qualified for his career first Daytona 500 Wednesday night by virtue of earning one of two “Open’ positions available in pole qualifying – recording the 36th fastest speed in the No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford.

Noah Gragson, a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender, also earned an automatic bid into the Daytona 500 with a 33rd best qualifying lap. Sunday will mark his NASCAR Cup Series debut.

Two other Open cars – representing teams without NASCAR Charters – will be able to make the 40-car grid based upon their finish in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 150s, which set the final starting order of the Daytona 500 grid.

This will mark Villeneuve’s fifth career NASCAR Cup Series start and first ever in stock car racing’s crown jewel. The last time he raced in the series was 2013 when he recorded a 41st-place finish in Sonoma, Calif. His best previous series finish was 21st – at Talladega in his first career NASCAR Cup Series start.

“Just to make the show is incredible,” Villeneuve said, adding, “To be able to make such a big race at such a high level is amazing. When I’m in a race car I don’t realize I’m 50 years old, which is good. As long as it carries on like this, I can’t imagine myself stopping racing.”

RELATED: Gragson, Villeneuve jubilant to make field

Gragson’s showing in the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet was equally as dramatic. His team owner Linda Beard – along with her children – is fielding the family-owned team in honor of her late husband Mark. It is only planning on running the superspeedway races and Gragson’s work Wednesday marks the team’s fifth start in the Daytona 500.

“It’s really emotional being able to make the race after not making it last year,” Gragson said, adding, “Last year not making the race, makes this year that much more special. … I really hope to make the Beard family proud this weekend.”

Judging by the smile and emotion she showed on pit road following the qualifying session, Gragson indeed made her proud.

“People that don’t race have no idea how much this means. .. when you are a team like us, we love it,” Linda Beard said. “To do this means so much to us, not only emotionally but just the thrill of it.”

Posted on by Holly Cain

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson addressed the media Wednesday afternoon, taking questions on a wide variety of topics from his chances in Sunday’s Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), to his pick as to who would turn in the “next” breakout season, to his expectations for a back-to-back title trophy hoist.

Larson’s best Daytona 500 finish in eight starts is seventh-place – twice – in 2016 and 2019. He’s led 17 laps total at the track – 16 in the 2017 race and one lap last year en route to a 10th-place showing.

RELATED: Full Daytona schedule | Every Daytona winner ever

“It’s the biggest race in our sport so I want to win it and I get excited to come down here, spend the week, get to go to Disney, run sprint cars and compete in the biggest race of our year,” said Larson, who drives the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 15: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives through in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) | Getty Images
James Gilbert | Getty Images

“I haven’t had much success here so that part of it doesn’t get me too excited. I was close to winning in 2017. I crossed the line coming to the white as the leader then ran out of fuel. That was really cool. I just remember the emotions of that, I was like, ‘wow,’ I could win the Daytona 500. And not winning it fuels me to want to win it in my future. Before that race and every race since I have been not even close. I would love to do it.

“For me,” Larson continued. “I’ve chased races more than championships, so the priority of winning big races hasn’t changed at all because it’s more in front of you than the championship is really.”

Larson seems confident that one of his main challengers for a second title will come from fellow Californian, Tyler Reddick – driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Reddick, a two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion (2018-19), is still looking for his first win in the premier NASCAR Cup Series level, but has three runner-up finishes – at Texas (2020), Homestead-Miami (2021) and the Charlotte ROVAL (2021).

RELATED: Cup championship odds | 2022 schedule

Both Larson and Reddick raced sprint cars and midgets on their way up to NASCAR’s major league and there is great respect between the two.

“I think Tyler Reddick is going to have an amazing season,” Larson said. “I think he’s been the best car at all the tests. I think he showed last week at the Clash he’s really good. I feel like when I watch him, I’m watching myself just because we’re both really aggressive and he seems to be even a little more aggressive and keep things in control better than I could back when I was running really hard in Ganassi equipment trying to run up front.

“I feel like he’s the guy I look at this year that’s going to have the breakout season and winning a lot of races.”

That’s obviously a theme for Larson, whose 10-race haul in 2021 was the most in a single season since former Hendrick driver, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson won 10 races in 2007.