NASCAR: 5 teams that could be added to the Daytona 500
By Asher Fair
Possible Daytona 500 additions: No. 4 – MBM Motorsports
MBM Motorsports’ plans are unknown for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season following a two-year run of heartbreak at Daytona International Speedway. In both 2021 and 2022, the team fielded two entries, but both failed to qualify for the Great American Race in both years.
Their most recent appearance in the Daytona 500 came in 2020 when Timmy Hill successfully qualified the No. 66 Ford. Unfortunately, Hill was one of the team’s drivers who failed to qualify for the race in both 2021 and 2022. Joining him in 2021 was Garrett Smithley, and joining him in 2022 was J.J. Yeley.
Unfortunately for MBM Motorsports, Hill’s Daytona 500 qualifying effort in 2020 is the only one of seven that has been a success in the last four years. In 2019, Joey Gase failed to qualify for the race, and while Hill did manage to qualify in 2020, teammate Chad Finchum did not.
Will the Carl Long-owned team, which only ended up appearing in two races (and none since April) throughout the 36-race 2022 season, return to Daytona International Speedway in 2023?
Considering the fact that this team is traditionally considered a backmarker and there are already five non-chartered entries on the entry list, thus making qualifying a tall task yet again, it’s more likely than not that we won’t see them, but you never know.