NASCAR: One notable omission from the Daytona entry list

As a gamer who has lived through countless virtual races and NASCAR seasons, I must admit, the unpredictability of real-life racing is both exhilarating and frustrating in equal measure. MBM Motorsports’ absence from this weekend’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway feels like a much-anticipated DLC that got delayed to an unknown release date.

Initially, MBM Motorsports, who participated in a total of seven races during the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season after taking a break for the entirety of the 2023 season, had intended to join this coming Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

The No. 66 Ford is absent from the participant list for the upcoming 160-lap race at the four-corner, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Daytona Beach, Florida oval, which happens to be the second last event of the 26-race regular season schedule.

If the Ford numbered 66 had made it onto the initial roster as intended, it would’ve created a situation where five non-permanent entries were competing for just four available positions within the 40-competitor lineup. Consequently, one of those entries would not have been able to qualify.

MBM Motorsports not on Daytona entry list

Since the running of the Daytona 500 at the start of the season, which had six entries, no race has featured more than four non-chartered cars on the roster. Consequently, someone has missed qualifying for each event.

MBM Motorsports missed their second unanticipated race of the season, which was also supposed to be at Iowa Speedway in June. The No. 66 Ford had even been listed for that event, with David Starr as the driver. However, a last-minute decision led to the car being pulled from the competition.

The team did recently make an unplanned appearance at Richmond Raceway, when Parker Retzlaff made his Cup Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 66 Ford.

Having spent years racing in various circuits, I can attest to the importance of building a solid foundation for success in NASCAR. As someone who started out on smaller tracks and gradually worked my way up, I understand the value of gaining experience and adapting to different track conditions before taking on the challenges of superspeedway races. Retzlaff is making smart moves by competing for Beard Motorsports in a non-superspeedway race this weekend. This will provide him with valuable experience that he can apply when he eventually competes in a superspeedway event. It’s all part of the learning process, and I wish him luck as he continues to climb the ranks in NASCAR.

Six individuals, among them Retzlaff, have driven the No. 66 Ford this year. Additionally, Starr, B.J. McLeod (who has made multiple points race appearances for the team in 2024), Timmy Hill, Chad Finchum, and Josh Bilicki are also part of that group.

At the moment, MBM Motorsports intends to participate in five playoff races, yet they have not disclosed the drivers for any of these events. Their upcoming appearances will be at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 21st (Saturday), Kansas Speedway on September 29th (Sunday), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on October 13th (Sunday), Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 20th (Sunday), and Phoenix Raceway on November 10th (Sunday).

Tune in for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway this Saturday, August 24th, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET! The event will be broadcast live on NBC. To catch all the action of the NASCAR Cup Series’ second-to-last race in the regular season, consider signing up for a free trial with FuboTV now!

2024-08-23 14:32