NASCAR: One possible addition to the Daytona 500 entry list
By Asher Fair
Qualifying for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to take place in less than a week, and the full starting lineup is set to be solidified a week from today following the Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
There are 41 cars on the entry list for this 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval, and the field size is capped at 40. With the 36 charter cars all locked in, that leaves five drivers battling for four spots.
Those five drivers include Front Row Motorsports' Kaz Grala, RFK Racing's David Ragan, Beard Motorsports' Anthony Alfredo, Live Fast Motorsports' B.J. McLeod, and Legacy Motor Club's Jimmie Johnson.
Another Daytona 500 entry being added?
According to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass, there could still be a sixth non-charter entry added to the list. That entry could be a NY Racing Team entry.
The five open cars for Daytona 500 that have been announced ... 36-Grala (FRM), 60-Ragan (RFK), 62-Alfredo (Beard), 78-McLeod (Live Fast), 84-Johnson (Legacy). Still TBD if NY Racing enters (team has not announced who would drive it). https://t.co/IAeeED6BCs
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 7, 2024
NY Racing Team most recently competed in the Daytona 500 in 2022 with Greg Biffle behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet. Their only other Daytona 500 attempt came in 2015, and until their 2022 appearance, that race was their most recent Cup Series start.
Biffle, who had not competed since 2016 prior to this Daytona 500 start, ran a five-race schedule in 2022 which concluded with the April race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Regardless of whether or not the No. 44 Chevrolet is added to the entry list for the third time in the last 10 years, four non-charter cars are set to qualify for the race. Two are set to lock themselves in via speed in the single-car qualifying session, and two are set to race their way in via the Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
As of now, one of the non-charter cars is set to miss the race. The addition of NY Racing Team to the entry list would ensure that two drivers are left on the outside looking in.
NASCAR driver returning to Cup Series for select races in 2024. dark. Next. NASCAR driver returning to Cup Series for select races in 2024
Fox Sports 1 is set to broadcast both the single-car qualifying session (Wednesday, February 14 at 8:15 p.m. ET) and the Bluegreen Vacations Duels (Thursday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET) live from Daytona International Speedway. Fox is set to air the Daytona 500 live on Sunday, February 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss any of the action!
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