NASCAR: The lone Daytona 500 car without a confirmed driver
By Asher Fair
MBM Motorsports are set to field two cars in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500, but only one has a confirmed driver on the entry list.
The entry list for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway was released earlier this afternoon, and as expected, it features 44 cars.
Of those 44 cars, 36 are chartered entries which are locked into the 40-car field for the 63rd running of the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, Florida this Sunday, February 14.
The other eight are slated to battle for the final four open starting positions in Wednesday evening’s single-car qualifying session and Thursday evening’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
However, one of the 44 cars on the entry list, the non-chartered #66 MBM Motorsports Ford, did not list a driver.
Daytona 500 entry list. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/f9k6g62fSQ
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 9, 2021
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It had been assumed that Timmy Hill would be back for a second consecutive season for MBM Motorsports to pilot the #66 Ford in the “Great American Race” after finishing in 27th place last year.
He had impressively run inside the top 10 before his involvement in a late wreck.
While the entry list does not confirm this, it is still expected, if not implied, that Hill will be back with the team for this year’s edition of the race.
The open cars (8 for 4 spots): 13-Smithley 16-Grala 33-Cindric 36-Ragan 37-Preece 62-Gragson 66-THill 96-TDillon ...four of them will be in each duel Thursday with the best finisher in each duel making 500, and then two spots from those remaining by Wednesday qualifying speed. https://t.co/BEhXfYiuoo
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 9, 2021
MBM Motorsports have also shared that Hill, who ran the full schedule last year, is set to compete for the team at some point this season, and given the fact that the #66 Ford is on the entry list, put two and two together.
The MBM Motorsports crew has worked very hard this winter to make @TimmyHillRacer a fast Mustang!! We still have the sides available for sponsorship. Reach out to @b_clodsr for more details. pic.twitter.com/5OKfCOStqc
— MBM Motorsports (@MBMMotorsports) February 6, 2021
Set to drive MBM Motorsports’ other car, the #13 Ford, is Garrett Smithley. Notably, this came about after a late change, as it was initially slated to be the #49 Ford driven by Chad Finchum. Smithley has never competed in the Daytona 500.
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Both single-car qualifying and the Bluegreen Vacations Duels are set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on their respective dates. Fox is set to broadcast the Daytona 500 live beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.