NASCAR Cup Series: Brendan Gaughan plans to race in 2020 Daytona 500
By Mark Kristl
After wrecking in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway, Brendan Gaughan said he plans on racing in the 2020 Daytona 500.
The first non-chartered entry for the 62nd annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway has been announced. Brendan Gaughan is slated to drive the #62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet in the opening race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Gaughan revealed the news following his wreck in this past Monday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. He was involved in a multi-car accident, which resulted in his #62 Chevrolet flipping. Speaking to the media, he affirmed that he plans on racing again next season.
During an interview with NBC Sports Network after the wreck, Gaughan said, “And yes, I will see you in the Daytona 500, sorry Mom!”
Although Gaughan affirmed he plans on racing in the season opener, he is unsure how much longer he will race in NASCAR, which he confirmed to Beyond the Flag in an exclusive interview last month.
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Earlier in the race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, he also stated the following: “I’m running the [Daytona] 500 for these guys, but they sure as hell ain’t getting 10 more years out of me. But after the [Daytona] 500 we’ll see what I want to do from there because I’m getting older.”
Gaughan is 44 years old and has been competing in at least one of the three major NASCAR series since 1997. He last competed full-time in NASCAR in 2017 in the Xfinity Series. That year, he drove the #62 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet to a 10th place finish in the championship standings with two top five finishes and eight top 10 finishes.
Overall, Gaughan has eight career Truck Series wins and two career Xfinity Series wins. His career-best season came in 2004 in the Truck Series. Driving for his family-owned team, Gaughan won six races, recorded 18 top 10 finishes and finished in fourth place in the championship standings.
In the Cup Series, he has one top five finish and six top 10 finishes in 62 career starts. His career-best Cup Series finish came in the 2004 EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway when he finished in fourth place.
This season, Gaughan competed in the four superspeedway races, two at Daytona International Speedway and two at Talladega Superspeedway. He finished in a season-high eighth in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway, leading five laps in the race too.
Because Beard Motorsports likely will not have a charter, Gaughan will have to qualify for the 2020 Daytona 500 either through the single-car qualifying session or one of the two Gander RV Duals. If he successfully qualifies for the race, it would mark his 10th career start at Daytona International Speedway.
In nine races there thus far, he has recorded one top 10 finish and an average finish of 20.3. Nonetheless, after a performance at Talladega Superspeedway that impressed people despite his crash and flip, Gaughan will be one to watch in the 2020 Daytona 500.
Gotta give huge props to @Brendan62 and that Beard Motorsports team.
— Ryan Vargas (@RyanVargas_23) October 14, 2019
They show up to every superspeedway race and are a threat for a Top-10 (even wins on occasion) every single time.
Excited to see them in Daytona.#NASCARPlayoffs
Before he attempts to qualify for the 2020 Daytona 500, Gaughan has to convince two people to let him race: his parents.
“You might have to call Michael and Paula Gaughan and ask that question, because I imagine they’re not to happy (with his flip at Talladega Superspeedway). It’s gonna take some talking to get my family to let me come back in February (for the Daytona 500), but I’ll try to do it.”
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Would you like to see Brendan Gaughan compete in the 2020 Daytona 500? Were you shocked when he flipped at Talladega Superspeedway? Although that race is in February of 2020, the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season is not yet over. The round of 12 of the four-round, 10-race playoffs concludes with the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway this Sunday, October 20. The race is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET with live TV coverage provided by NBC.