NASCAR driver to miss the Daytona 500 after latest announcement

The Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller-owned JR Motorsports team have finally decided to make the jump to the NASCAR Cup Series, confirming that reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier is set to drive the No. 40 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway next month.

The No. 40 Chevrolet is a non-chartered (open) entry, so it is not locked into the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval. The 36 chartered cars are locked into the "Great American Race", leaving four open spots.

There could technically be 41 cars in this year's Daytona 500, since Trackhouse Racing's Helio Castroneves has been given a "world-class driver" provisional.

This means that even if he isn't one of the two drivers who secures one of the open spots on speed in the single-car qualifying session or one of the two drivers who locks into the race via the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races, a 41st spot would be added. Of course, he could still qualify himself, in which case the field would remain capped at 40 cars.

Either way, somebody is poised to miss the race, now that there are 43 cars on the entry list.

The other open entries include the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet for J.J. Yeley, the No. 56 Tricon Garage Toyota for Martin Truex Jr., the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet for Anthony Alfredo, the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet for B.J. McLeod, and the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota for Jimmie Johnson.

The Garage 66 (formerly known as MBM Motorsports) Ford had been on the entry list before NASCAR ruled that Mike Wallace cannot drive it. They could still find a new driver, but even if they don't, the entry list is poised to feature at least 43 cars.

The No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford is also expected to be added, and both the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and the No. 50 Team AmeriVet Chevrolet remain possibilities.

All things considered, there could be more than 10 drivers going for four open spots.

Single-car qualifying for the Daytona 500 is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 12. The two Bluegreen Vacations Duel races are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 13 (7:00 p.m. ET on Fox), and the main event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 16 (2:30 p.m. ET on Fox).