The nine open entries battling for a spot in the 2...

The race to make the 2025 Daytona 500 could also be simply as thrilling as the five hundred itself with the biggest subject of ‘open’ entries in a decade. Among the many entrants are two former Cup champions and a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. In the end, 9 drivers will likely be combating for the ultimate 4 spots on the grid (probably 5 spots however we’ll clarify {that a} bit in a while). First, let’s meet the drivers and groups who will likely be racing for an opportunity to be a part of the 67th working of ‘The Nice American Race.’

Corey LaJoie – No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Corey LaJoie is at a crossroads in his Cup profession. After a tough 2024 the place he struggled for outcomes and was pressured to alter groups mid-season, it was unclear if we’d even see him on the monitor this 12 months. It’s not a full-time journey, however he has secured a partial schedule with Rick Ware Racing, driving a quantity that hasn’t been seen on the Cup degree in 17 years (and pays tribute to his ‘Stacking Pennies’ mantra). He’s a wonderfully succesful superspeedway racer with a fourth-place end in final 12 months’s Daytona 500, but when he needs to make a ninth consecutive begin on this crown jewel occasion, he must beat some actually spectacular names.

Justin Allgaier – No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet

Champion Champion Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports, BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro

Photograph by: NASCAR Media

The Earnhardt-owned group is lastly going Cup racing. With help from the mighty Hendrick Motorsports and sponsorship from nation music legend Chris Stapleton, they’ve put collectively a group for this 12 months’s 500. Defending Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier will pilot the No. 40 Chevy and whereas he’s an skilled Cup racer, he hasn’t participated on this occasion since 2015.

J.J. Yeley – No. 44 NY Racing Workforce Chevrolet

J.J. Yeley, Rick Ware Racing, Nabor Power Ford Mustang

Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

A real underdog story. Yeley is a veteran journeyman racer with practically 400 Cup begins during the last twenty years. In his ten Daytona 500 makes an attempt, he has did not make the present on 4 events. His final begin got here ten years in the past regardless of three makes an attempt with three totally different groups over the previous couple of years, which all the time led to a DNQ. Final season was particularly merciless as he by some means discovered himself in a switch spot, moments away from beating seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson in a shock upset. Sadly, a stack-up within the closing nook opened the door for Johnson and denied Yeley a spot within the massive race. And past the 2 Cup champions on this listing, Yeley is by far essentially the most skilled driver trying to race their means into the present. 

Martin Truex Jr. – No. 56 TRICON Storage Toyota

Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Bass Professional Outlets Toyota Camry

Photograph by: David Rosenblum / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

That is an intriguing one. The 2017 NASCAR Cup champion retired from full-time competitors on the finish of final 12 months, however he’s still searching for that elusive Daytona 500 victory. He will likely be in unfamiliar territory as an open entry, however he may have sturdy help from Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing (his former group). The group he’ll formally be driving for is TRICON Storage, a Truck Sequence operation hoping to make its first begin within the Cup Sequence. Truex has 20 earlier appearances within the 500, however zero victories. Of observe, he will likely be reuniting along with his former crew chief Cole Pearn, who guided Truex to the Cup title in 2017. We’ll see if he may information him into the Daytona 500 in opposition to a stacked subject of rivals. 

Anthony Alfredo – No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet

Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports, Fortify Constructing Options Chevrolet Camaro

Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

Beard Motorsports is a part-time group that completely runs superspeedways nowadays. Partly attributable to their shut relationship with RCR, they’ve had some spectacular showings through the years, together with a top-five end. This may mark the ninth consecutive 12 months they’ve tried the five hundred, solely lacking it twice. Historical past does favor them as this duo of Anthony Alfredo and Beard Motorsports already made the five hundred collectively one 12 months in the past.

Chandler Smith – No. 66 (previously MBM Motorsports) Storage 66 Ford

Chandler Smith, Kaulig Racing, Fast Tie Inc. Chevrolet Camaro

Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

The story of this entry is a tumultuous one with Storage 66 – which was often known as MBM Motorsports till very just lately – having to scramble to discover a driver after NASCAR threw a wrench into their authentic plans. Veteran driver Mike Wallace was set to pilot the entry, however this was introduced earlier than the 65-year-old gained official approval from NASCAR. With no superspeedway begins in over a decade, NASCAR decided against allowing Wallace to attempt the 500, leaving him less than pleased. The group made a public plea for any drivers with funding who could be keen on driving the automotive as Wallace’s substitute, all whereas concurrently going by means of its ‘Storage 66’ rebrand. Finally, they secured younger racer Chandler Smith, who has received on the Xfinity and Truck ranges. Smith was uncertain if he’d even be racing this 12 months after shedding his full-time Xfinity journey, however he’s since discovered a touchdown spot within the Truck Sequence. This will likely be his second Daytona 500 try, having did not make the present two years in the past.

B.J. McLeod – No. 78 Stay Quick Motorsports Chevrolet

B.J. McLeod, Stay Quick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Photograph by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

Driver/proprietor B.J McLeod earned an enormous payday when he bought his constitution for upwards of $40 million two years in the past and has since develop into a part-time driver, displaying up for occasions right here and there as he pleases. He has 5 begins within the 500, however did not make the race in his first 12 months as an open entry in 2024. Whereas the chances are in opposition to him, he has loads of buddies within the storage and that’s one thing you all the time want at a drafting monitor like Daytona.

Jimmie Johnson – No. 84 Legacy Motor Membership Toyota 

Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Carvana Toyota Camry

Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Pictures

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Sequence champion is again once more, driving the automotive he co-owns in hopes of creating his twenty second begin within the 500. Johnson has received this race twice however even along with his in depth expertise behind the wheel, he narrowly averted lacking the present one 12 months in the past. It was a nail-biting end with Johnson making the required go within the closing seconds of his Duel race. This 12 months, he’ll as soon as once more drive a 3rd entry for his personal group as a teammate to John-Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones. Johnson can be partnering with basketball legend Shaq for his 500 effort.

Helio Castroneves – No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Workforce Chevrolet

Helio Castroneves, Workforce Penske

Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz

Solely two drivers in historical past have received each the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 and they’re the legendary Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt. Helio is aiming to develop into the third, teaming up with Trackhouse’s Project 91 program. This automotive has featured each Kimi Raikkonen and Shane van Gisbergen previously, taking a shock victory within the 2023 Chicago Road Course race that served as a launching pad for SVG’s NASCAR profession. Helio is in a novel place as an open entry as a result of he’s not feeling the stress of the eight others on this listing. He’s eligible for the newly-created ‘Open Exemption Provisional,’ which NASCAR says will likely be made out there to “world-class drivers” and ensures them a spot within the subject. If Helio fails to make the race on benefit, a fifth open spot will likely be added to the grid, bringing the automotive depend to 41 for Sunday’s race.

The race to make the race

Excluding Helio, who can fall again on the OEP if wanted, the remaining eight groups will put a variety of effort into qualifying day, the place they’ll management their future a bit greater than the dash races to comply with. Single-car qualifying units the grid for the 2 Duel qualifying races, however extra importantly, the 2 quickest open entries will robotically lock themselves into the sphere. Allgaier with the Hendrick energy beneath the hood probably has one of the best shot of taking that route, nevertheless it’s no assure. For the six drivers who don’t finish their worries in qualifying, their destiny will likely be determined over the course of dual 150-mile warmth races.

Within the Duel races, teammate and producer alliances will likely be paramount on the 2.5-mile superspeedway the place the draft is all the pieces. Some drivers are extra lucky on this space than others, corresponding to Truex and Johnson whereas the likes of Yeley and Smith will in all probability be fending for themselves. The open entries will likely be evenly break up between the 2 Duel races, and the highest-finishing open entry from every Duel race will take the ultimate two spots on the grid. Now, if a type of two drivers who locked in through qualifying velocity additionally beats the opposite open entries of their respective Duel race, issues get a bit extra difficult. Ought to one in all them pull off such a feat, the third quickest open entry from qualifying turns into locked into the present. If each of them handle to greatest the remainder of the open subject in qualifying and the races, then the third and fourth quickest open entries from qualifying will be a part of them within the 67th working of the Daytona 500. Once more, the significance of qualifying can’t be understated.

That is the most important open entry subject because the system was launched in 2016, and an open entry has by no means gone on to win the Daytona 500. Ryan Preece did one of the best of any when he raced his means into the sphere for the 2021 Daytona 500 and went on to complete sixth. With the caliber of drivers and groups entered this 12 months, that might actually change and the Duel races are certain to be crammed with each excessive feelings and gripping drama. When the smoke clears on Thursday the thirteenth, 4 to 5 drivers may have their 500 hopes dashed as the total subject of starters is confirmed for the 67th working of NASCAR’s crown jewel occasion.