NASCAR might add a 41st car for the Daytona 500, but not necessarily

It has been officially announced that Helio Castroneves will be the driver for Trackhouse Racing’s PROJECT91 team in the Daytona 500, which marks the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season at Daytona International Speedway.

In my gaming world, I’m not tied to the race in the No. 91 Chevrolet under regular conditions. That’s because it’s not a chartered entry, which means it’s not automatically enrolled in the 200-lap dash around that 4.023-kilometer, high-banked Daytona Beach oval with its four turns. But remember, this is just a simulation – I could always find a loophole or a secret shortcut!

However, the team co-owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull had a superior understanding of the rules compared to others, and Helio Castroneves was already eligible for the 67th running of the “Great American Race.” This eligibility stemmed from a specific provision included in the recently signed charter agreement.

In simple terms, NASCAR can guarantee that an elite racer driving an unchartered vehicle doesn’t skip a race, and as a four-time Indy 500 champion and IndyCar icon, Helio Castroneves absolutely fits the bill.

But this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Daytona 500 starting lineup will feature 41 cars instead of 40.

36 vehicles with charters have been secured for the race, which leaves 4 unclaimed spots within the 40-car lineup. The quickest two unassigned cars from the one-on-one qualifying round will make it into the race. Additionally, the highest placing cars among the open entries in both Bluegreen Vacations Duel races will also secure their spots.

If I manage to secure one of those remaining four positions, the racing field for the Daytona 500 will still include 40 cars. However, if another four drivers claim those spots before me, unfortunately, I would find myself as the 41st driver. Since 2015, no Daytona 500 has featured more than 40 cars, a limit that was imposed when the field size was capped at 43.

Currently, there are five unregistered vehicles on the initial roster, with a potential 10 contenders vying for those available positions.

Among the verified open race cars are:

1. The No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet, likely driven by J.J. Yeley.
2. The No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet for Anthony Alfredo.
3. The No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford for Mike Wallace.
4. The No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet for B.J. McLeod.

These cars are set to participate in the race, but the exact drivers have been confirmed.

It’s been speculated that changes may involve Martin Truex Jr. getting a Toyota from Tricon Garage, Rick Ware Racing providing him with a Ford (No. 15), Richard Childress Racing offering a Chevrolet (No. 33), Team AmeriVet giving a Chevrolet (No. 50), and the No. 84 Toyota going to Jimmie Johnson’s team co-owner.

The qualifying round for the single car in the Daytona 500 event is set for Wednesday, February 12. The Bluegreen Vacations Duel races will occur on Thursday, February 13, starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcasted on Fox. Lastly, the main event, the 67th annual “Great American Race,” is scheduled for Sunday, February 16, airing on Fox at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

2025-01-11 15:02

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