NASCAR: Daytona 500 announcement puts five drivers at risk

Kaz Grala recently announced a part-time schedule for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season with Rick Ware Racing behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ford. Now Front Row Motorsports have confirmed that they have added a car for him to their lineup for the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Grala is set to drive the No. 36 Ford at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, but because this is one of the non-charter cars on the entry list, it is not locked into the race.

The 36 charter entries are all locked into the "Great American Race", and four non-charter entries also get in, as the field size is capped at 40 cars.

The No. 36 Ford is one of five non-charter cars on the entry list, meaning that somebody will have failed to qualify by the time the single-car qualifying session (Wednesday, February 14) and the Bluegreen Vacations Duels (Thursday, February 15) wrap up.

Who could miss the Daytona 500?

In single-car qualifying, the fastest two non-charter entries lock in. Then in the Duels, the highest finishing non-charter car in each of the two races locks in. Should a car effectively lock in twice, the next fastest non-charter car(s) from the single-car qualifying session takes the remaining spot(s).

The two cars that end up locking in on speed occupy the 20th and final row on the Daytona 500 starting grid in 39th and 40th place. The rest of the starting lineup, aside from the front row (fastest two overall drivers in single-car qualifying), is determined by the results of the Duels.

In addition to Grala, four other drivers are set to pilot non-charter cars thus far. David Ragan is set to drive the No. 60 Ford for RFK Racing, Anthony Alfredo is set to drive the No. 62 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, B.J. McLeod is set to drive the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, and Jimmie Johnson is set to drive the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.

There is no guaranteed that four of these five drivers will get into the race, as more non-charter cars could still be added to the entry list between now and single-car qualifying. But there is a guarantee that at least one won't get in, as now there are effectively five drivers going for four spots.

The 66th annual Daytona 500 is set to be broadcast live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET this Sunday, February 18. If you have yet to begin a free trial of FuboTV, do so now!