NASCAR: Conor Daly could miss the Daytona 500

The Money Team Racing are back for their second NASCAR Cup Series season, but Conor Daly isn’t guaranteed a spot in the Daytona 500.

IndyCar driver Conor Daly made his NASCAR Cup Series debut last October at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, driving the No. 50 Chevrolet for The Money Team Racing.

Now he is back with the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-owned team, and he is set to compete in as many as six races throughout the 2023 season. His schedule begins with the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

However, Daly is not guaranteed to compete in this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, as the No. 50 Chevrolet is not one of the 36 chartered entries.

The 36 chartered NASCAR Cup Series entries are all locked into the Daytona 500.

Just 40 cars can be in the Daytona 500 field, and there are six non-chartered cars on the entry list. Only four will ultimately end up making it in, with two set to qualify via the single-car qualifying session on Wednesday, February 15 (Fox Sports 1, 8:15 p.m. ET) and another two set to qualify via the Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday, February 16 (Fox Sports 1, 7:00 p.m. ET).

The fastest two drivers (among the non-chartered entries) in the single-car qualifying session lock in, and the drivers (again, among the non-chartered entries) who finish highest in each Bluegreen Vacations Duel race lock in as well.

A driver can technically lock in twice, in which case the spot he earned in the single-car qualifying session would instead be awarded to the next fastest non-chartered entry, among those not yet locked in.

Aside from Daly’s No. 50 Chevrolet, the non-chartered entries include Chandler Smith’s No. 13 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Zane Smith’s No. 36 Front Row Motorsport Ford, Austin Hill’s No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet, Travis Pastrana’s No. 67 23XI Racing Toyota, and Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet.

The 65th running of the Great American Race is set to be broadcast live on Fox beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss any of the upcoming action from Daytona International Speedway!