NASCAR: Possible Daytona 500 entry ruled out?

Despite the fact that Helio Castroneves won’t compete in the Daytona 500, The Money Team Racing haven’t ruled out competing in the NASCAR Cup Series season opener.

Four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves confirmed that he won’t be attempting to qualify for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, despite speculation that he might drive for The Money Team Racing.

Castroneves had a deal with SRX CEO Don Hawk that Hawk would get him a NASCAR ride in 2023 if he managed to win an SRX race, and he won the 2022 season opener at Five Flags Speedway.

The 47-year-old Brazilian IndyCar driver would still like to make his Cup Series debut in 2023, though it hasn’t been confirmed where and with which team.

Despite the fact that Castroneves won’t be behind the wheel of the No. 50 Chevrolet, The Money Team Racing haven’t ruled out fielding the entry for the second straight year.

The Floyd Mayweather Jr.-owned team made their NASCAR Cup Series debut in last year’s Daytona 500.

Kaz Grala found a way to qualify with a clutch last-lap pass in his Bluegreen Vacations Duel race after failing to qualify via his speed in the single-car qualifying session.

Grala is set to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series for Toyota organization Sam Hunt Racing, so he probably isn’t a serious option, despite the fact that he competed in three of the four races in which The Money Team Racing entered the No. 50 Chevrolet during their first season last year.

Rumored as a possibility is Conor Daly, who, like Castroneves, is a full-time IndyCar driver. Daly made his Cup Series debut with the team at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval last year, and he is the only driver whom the team have named as far as a possible 2023 schedule goes.

Their goals are to increase their commitment from four to six races this year and to build around the 31-year-old Noblesville, Indiana native.