NASCAR: Way-too-early 2024 Daytona 500 entry list (plus two likely additions)

This week marks the halfway point between the end of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season and the start of the 2024 season -- the 66th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

Thus far, three non-chartered entries have been confirmed for this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval. All but one of the 36 chartered entries have confirmed drivers, with the lone exception behind the second Rick Ware Racing Ford alongside Justin Haley's car.

Field sizes are capped at 40 cars in the NASCAR Cup Series, meaning that if there end up being more than four non-chartered entries, somebody will ultimately fail to qualify for the race once the single-car qualifying session and Bluegreen Vacations Duels are in the books.

Let's have a look at the 39 confirmed Daytona 500 entries so far, plus two more that are likely on the way.

NOTE: * = non-chartered car

Beard Motorsports, Chevrolet
No. 62* - Anthony Alfredo

Front Row Motorsports, Ford
No. 34 - Michael McDowell
No. 38 - Todd Gilliland

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet
No. 5 - Kyle Larson
No. 9 - Chase Elliott
No. 24 - William Byron
No. 48 - Alex Bowman

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota
No. 11 - Denny Hamlin
No. 19 - Martin Truex Jr.
No. 20 - Christopher Bell
No. 54 - Ty Gibbs

JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet
No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet
No. 16 - A.J. Allmendinger
No. 31 - Daniel Hemric

Legacy Motor Club, Toyota
No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek
No. 43 - Erik Jones

Live Fast Motorsports, Chevrolet
No. 78* - B.J. McLeod

RFK Racing, Ford
No. 6 - Brad Keselowski
No. 17 - Chris Buescher
No. 60* - David Ragan

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet
No. 3 - Austin Dillon
No. 8 - Kyle Busch

Rick Ware Racing, Ford
No. 15/51 - Justin Haley
No. 15/51 - TBD

Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet
No. 7 - Corey LaJoie
No. 71 - Zane Smith (R)
No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (R)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford
No. 4 - Josh Berry (R)
No. 10 - Noah Gragson
No. 14 - Chase Briscoe
No. 41 - Ryan Preece

Team Penske, Ford
No. 2 - Austin Cindric
No. 12 - Ryan Blaney
No. 22 - Joey Logano

Trackhouse Racing Team, Chevrolet
No. 1 - Ross Chastain
No. 99 - Daniel Suarez

23XI Racing, Toyota
No. 23 - Bubba Wallace
No. 45 - Tyler Reddick

Wood Brothers Racing, Ford
No. 21 - Harrison Burton

Possible Daytona 500 entry list additions

The Money Team Racing, Chevrolet
No. 50 - Driver TBD

The Money Team Racing are known to be working on putting together a program to return to the Cup Series for a third straight year, beginning with the Daytona 500.

The Floyd Mayweather Jr.-owned team manage to qualify for the race in both 2022 and 2023, thanks to late surges in the Duels after missing out in the single-car qualifying session. The No. 50 Chevrolet was driven by Kaz Grala in 2022 and Conor Daly in 2023.

Legacy Motor Club, Toyota
No. 84 - Jimmie Johnson

The other likely addition is the No. 84 Toyota of Legacy Motor Club. AdventHealth's list of races as the primary sponsor of team co-owner Jimmie Johnson's car did not include the Daytona 500, but that does not mean that the two-time winner of the "Great American Race" won't end up competing in it.

Should these two cars be added, that would bring the entry total to 41, ensuring that somebody would fail to qualify for the race.

There is still a possibility that more teams will add to the entry list as well, with all eyes on additional two-car teams potentially expanding to three cars. Kaulig Racing, Trackhouse Racing Team, 23XI Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and Rick Ware Racing stand out as possibilities.

Single-car qualifying for the Daytona 500 is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, February 14, while the Bluegreen Vacations Duels are scheduled to take place on Thursday, February 15. The 66th running of the race itself is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 18, with live coverage set for Fox beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action throughout the 2024 season!