NASCAR: Multiple lineup changes before Daytona
By Asher Fair
Two drivers included in the initial starting lineup will not compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway road course.
The first starting lineup to be determined by a formula during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season was released on Wednesday morning.
NASCAR’s formula places a 35% weight on each driver’s position in the championship standings, a 25% weight on each driver’s most recent finish, a 25% weight on each car’s most recent finish and a 15% weight on the rank of each driver’s fastest lap in the most recent race.
This starting lineup is for this Sunday’s race, the second race of the 36-race season, at the Daytona International Speedway road course, and Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott is set to start from the pole position behind the wheel of his #9 Chevrolet.
A total of 40 drivers are slated to compete in this 70-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 around the 14-turn, 3.61-mile (5.810-kilometer) road course in Daytona Beach, Florida.
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However, two changes have been made to the lineup since it was initially released. Live Fast Motorsports’ B.J. McLeod was to have started the race in 19th place behind the wheel of the #78 Honda. But he is set to be replaced by Scott Heckert, and Heckert is set to start in 28th.
Rick Ware Racing’s Joey Gase was to have started the race in 20th place behind the wheel of the #53 Ford. But he is set to be replaced by Garrett Smithley, and Smithley is set to start in 25th.
As a result of these changes, here is the updated starting lineup for Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 253.
Starting Lineup
1st – Chase Elliott
2nd – Michael McDowell
3rd – Austin Dillon
4th – Denny Hamlin
5th – Kevin Harvick
6th – Ryan Preece
7th – Corey LaJoie
8th – Kyle Larson
9th – Ross Chastain
10th – Bubba Wallace
11th – Joey Logano
12th – Christopher Bell
13th – Cole Custer
14th – Kyle Busch
15th – Brad Keselowski
16th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
17th – Kurt Busch
18th – Chase Briscoe
19th – Martin Truex Jr.
20th – Justin Haley
21st – Cody Ware
22nd – William Byron
23rd – Josh Bilicki
24th – Tyler Reddick
25th – Garrett Smithley
26th – Aric Almirola
27th – Ryan Blaney
28th – Scott Heckert
29th – Quin Houff
30th – Chris Buescher
31st – Anthony Alfredo
32nd – Matt DiBenedetto
33rd – Ryan Newman
34th – A.J. Allmendinger
35th – Daniel Suarez
36th – Alex Bowman
37th – Erik Jones
38th – Ty Dillon
39th – James Davison
40th – Timmy Hill
Note that Erik Jones is set to drop to the rear after an engine change in his #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet prior to the season-opening Daytona 500 this past Sunday.
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Fox is set to broadcast Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 live from the Daytona International Speedway road course beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET.