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NASCAR: Late driver change confirmed for the 2025 Daytona 500

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As a gamer, I’ve been out of the Daytona 500 scene for quite some time now. MBM Motorsports last competed in the race back in 2020, and since then, we haven’t even attempted to qualify for this iconic event – the “Great American Race”. In fact, we took a break during the entire 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. But, here I am, back on track in 2024, returning on a part-time basis.

In the year 2025, they aimed to participate in the initial Daytona 500 with Mike Wallace as the driver of car number 66, but NASCAR determined that, given his age of 65, Wallace was not eligible because he hadn’t raced in the Cup Series for a decade and lacked recent participation in significant motor racing events.

Due to a departing driver and sponsor, the team that recently renamed their Cup Series operation as Garage 66 (with the Xfinity Series team still known as MBM Motorsports) now finds itself in search of both a new driver and sponsor. Failing to secure these, they risk missing out on Speedweeks once more.

Garage 66 confirm new Daytona driver

They’re definitely intending to race with the No. 66 Ford as they strive for a spot in the 200-lap competition on the Daytona Beach, Florida oval, a four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked track. Chandler Smith has been chosen to drive this vehicle, and Quick Tie, a longtime ally of Smith’s, will be the sponsor for the No. 66 Ford.

In the year 2023, Smith unfortunately didn’t make it past the qualifying round for the Daytona 500, racing with Kaulig Racing. However, this young talent from Talking Rock, Georgia, has big plans ahead! At the age of 22, he’s all set to race full-time in the Truck Series for Front Row Motorsports in 2025. After honing his skills by competing full-time in the Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing throughout the 2024 season.

Smith has been placed eighth among the unchartered (open) cars on the registration list, and there are only four available positions in the 40-car lineup because all 36 chartered entries have already secured their spots. If Trackhouse Racing’s Helio Castroneves doesn’t qualify, he would still be allowed to race due to the “exceptional driver” provisional he was given.

In the single-car qualifying round, the two quickest drivers from all the open entries will automatically secure their spots on the field. Similarly, the top performers from open entries in the two 60-lap Bluegreen Vacations Duel races will also qualify. If any driver manages to lock in twice, the next fastest competitor from the single-car session will take the remaining spot.

Here’s a more conversational way of stating the schedule for the upcoming NASCAR events:

– The single-car qualifying event will happen on Wednesday, February 12th.
– The Bluegreen Vacations Duel races are set for Thursday, February 13th (7:00 p.m. ET, airing on Fox).
– And finally, mark your calendars for the 67th annual Daytona 500, which will take place on Sunday, February 16th (2:30 p.m. ET, also on Fox).

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2025-01-24 16:02

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