NASCAR: Fernando Alonso competing in 2019 Daytona 500 not too far-fetched

While the idea of two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso joining the NASCAR Cup Series to compete in the Daytona 500 originally seemed far-fetched, it does not seem nearly as far-fetched now.

NASCAR invited two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso to compete in the main event of the Cup Series season, the Daytona 500, in 2019 shortly after he announced his impending retirement from Formula 1 back in mid-August.

The 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Daytona International Speedway oval in Daytona Beach, Florida is scheduled to open up the 2019 Cup Series season on Sunday, February 17, 2019.

Here is what NASCAR wrote to Alonso after he announced his impending retirement.

https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1029416372856672258

Here is how Alonso responded.

Here is how NASCAR responded to Alonso’s response.

At first, the idea of Alonso competing in the 2019 Daytona 500 seemed a little bit far-fetched, especially considering the fact that he has never competed in a stock car race before, much less a restrictor plate race. Now, however, while it certainly isn’t a likelihood, it seems a lot less far-fetched.

It has been speculated for several months that the 37-year-old Spaniard would make the switch to IndyCar and that McLaren, the team for which he has driven in Formula 1 since the 2015 season, would be the team for which he drives in the series.

Alonso made his IndyCar debut in last year’s Indianapolis 500, and his performance was impressive to say the very least. He led 27 of the race’s first 179 laps around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana after qualifying in fifth place, but an engine failure with 21 laps remaining prevented him from finishing the race and thus took him out of contention for the victory. He was officially scored in 24th.

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However, McLaren confirmed Friday that they will not be returning to IndyCar on a full-time basis next year, thus meaning Alonso will not be joining the series on a full-time basis either.

McLaren did not rule out fielding an entry for Alonso in the 2019 Indy 500, which makes sense considering the fact that he earned his first career 24 Hour of Le Mans victory this June, meaning that because of the fact that he is a two-time winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, he is just one Indy 500 victory away from becoming just the second driver to win all three races of the Triple Crown of Motorsport at least once. Only Graham Hill has ever pulled off that feat.

But even if Alonso does return to the Indy 500 for the second time in three years next year, his commitment to IndyCar would not compare to what it would be as a full-time driver. He could certainly afford to compete in the Daytona 500 as well and debut in his second major American racing series in the last three years. After all, Danica Patrick competed in both this year.

Alonso also competes full-time for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), but this would also not interfere with a potential entry in the Daytona 500, just as it would not interfere with a potential entry in the Indy 500 and just as it has not interfered with his full-time entry in Formula 1 this year.

Let’s also not forget the fact that Alonso and seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson released a video on Twitter last month teasing about racing on each other’s side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Here is how Alonso responded to Johnson posting this video.

Here is how NASCAR responded.

https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/1039878032792739842

While Alonso would certainly not drive for McLaren in the Daytona 500, it is not inconceivable that he could be offered a ride in this race next year by one of the sport’s top-tier teams, and it is not inconceivable that he could accept this offer given his apparent interest in competing in the race, especially considering the fact that he stated in his retirement announcement that “new exciting challenges are around the corner” and that he needs to “go on exploring new adventures”.

Will Fernando Alonso make his NASCAR Cup Series debut by competing in the 2019 Daytona 500? With him not slated to become a full-time IndyCar driver next year like many people expected he would, anything is possible at this point.