Monitor: Daytona Worldwide SpeedwayLocation: Daytona Seashore, Florida Monitor size: 2.5 milesWhen: Sunday, 1:30 p.m. ETWhere to tune in: FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioRace purse: $30,331,250 Race distance: 200 laps | 500 miles Phases: 65 | 130 | 200Defending winner: Beginning lineup:
Status on the road within the “Nice American Race”
Chase Elliott is aware of the burden that comes with successful the Daytona 500. The son of two-time Daytona 500 champion Invoice Elliott has seen firsthand that the “Nice American Race” is, maybe, essentially the most particular occasion on the whole NASCAR calendar.
Nonetheless looking for his personal Harley J. Earl Trophy after 9 prior makes an attempt, he additionally is aware of what wait comes with successful the Daytona 500 — and that it is going to be well worth the wait if he ever lands in Victory Lane.
“It means a terrific alternative to submit your identify within the historical past books of the game,” Elliott stated Wednesday, with a transparent view of that trophy forward of him throughout Daytona 500 Media Day.
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The Daytona 500 simply means extra.
Forty-one drivers can have that very same alternative Sunday afternoon when the inexperienced flag flies for the 67th annual working of the “Nice American Race” (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). A handful — like Elliott, Todd Gilliland and Ryan Blaney — have an excellent deeper appreciation for his or her probability at glory after watching their fathers pursue it themselves.
David Gilliland was the polesitter for the 2007 Daytona 500. Dave Blaney practically scored the victory in 2012 after a prolonged purple flag. Right this moment, their sons have their eyes set on a win that would finally change their lives.
“Personally, this race means essentially the most by far of something,” Todd Gilliland stated. “I feel it’s the most important race in the entire world. I do suppose lots of that comes from rising up across the race observe. And I feel one in every of my earliest reminiscences is my dad being on the pole in that 2007 Daytona 500. Simply feeling the power, being down on pit street at such a younger age, I feel made me (notice) that’s a sense I need to really feel someday. After which as soon as I ran my first Daytona 500, it was wonderful. It was every little thing I’ve hoped for. So simply to have the ability to come again, it’s actually exhausting. There’s a lot strain, a lot anticipation.”
Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion, felt that very same rush rising up earlier than working his first 500 in 2015. Ten years later and now married, Blaney needs nothing greater than to stroll out of the two.5-mile mecca of motorsports as a special type of champion.
“I feel it could simply imply loads to me personally to have my household right here as a result of Dad spent so a few years making an attempt to win it,” Ryan Blaney stated. “And I’ve spent so a few years (making an attempt), so having that each one come full circle I feel can be fairly huge.”
Different previous champions of the game have been trying to find their Daytona 500 glory even longer. Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champ, is 0-for-19 within the “Nice American Race.”
“Two years in the past, we led mile-marker 500, however sadly, we have been coming to the yellow (flag),” Busch stated. “Been proper there. Been shut. Completed second, completed third, completed fourth, all the highest 5 spots. There’s positively some angst over making an attempt to win this one.”
The aid, glory and immortality that comes with hoisting the Harley J. Earl Trophy makes the wait price it for many who lastly win.
From atop the pit field …
What do crew chiefs have in focus to win Sunday’s race?
Simplistic because it sounds, to win the race, one should have sufficient gas to get to the checkered flag. Nevertheless it’s the motive force who spends the least time on pit street who can have the most effective alternative to win the Daytona 500.
To take action, drivers might want to burn gas effectively whereas racing two- and three-wide within the pack at 190 mph. Race within the throes of the pack, and the turbulent air of the draft will support the motive force’s skill to preserve Sunoco gasoline. However the deeper they’re mired within the subject, the harder it’s to work again to the entrance of the sphere.
Billy Scott, crew chief of Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota at 23XI Racing, defined that maximizing the pit cycle by spending the least period of time refueling would be the key to successful.
“That’s the toughest half is discovering the steadiness,” Scott advised NASCAR.com Saturday. “You need to save gas, actually, and everyone’s doing it to some degree. However you additionally don’t need to get thus far again that you simply come off pit street behind everyone. It’s a troublesome steadiness. The drivers have an enormous half in that, perfecting their skill to reserve it. Quite a lot of it, although, simply comes all the way down to execution on the cycle.”
Circumstances additionally demand efficient relationships between the motive force, crew chief and spotter to make sure the motive force is abreast of how a lot gas she or he can afford to make use of.
“Communication is the important thing at these races proper now,” No. 8 crew chief Randall Burnett advised NASCAR.com Friday. “So the motive force is aware of the place he’s at relative to different guys, the quantity of gas financial savings, getting on and off pit street and executing a clear race.”
Historical past tells us…
Don’t panic in case your driver doesn’t lead early. In response to Racing Insights, the eventual winner of the Daytona 500 didn’t lead for the primary time till Lap 157 or later in seven of the final eight runnings of the “Nice American Race.” 4 of the final eight winners didn’t lead for the primary time till Lap 200 or later.
He will not be the favourite to win, however be careful for …
ERIK JONES. He gave the impression to be the winner of the second Duel at Daytona on Thursday night time … till video confirmed the warning got here out simply earlier than Jones’ No. 43 Toyota received to the beginning/end line on the ultimate lap, inches behind Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford. Jones has received at Daytona earlier than — albeit within the 400-mile summer time race again in 2018. He’s additionally carrying the quantity Richard Petty made well-known, partly, by successful seven Daytona 500s. After a robust exhibiting from the Toyotas on Thursday, maybe Jones can restore glory to the No. 43 yet again within the “Nice American Race” on Sunday.
Velocity reads
Our largest items of the Speedweeks — get coated for race day from all angles.
• Racing Insights: Full ending order projections for Sunday’s “Nice American Race” | • JRM to make Cup debut: Earnhardts savor second as Allgaier races into Daytona 500 | • Strive, attempt once more: Brad Keselowski zones in on ‘final crown jewel’ in Daytona 500 | • Now boarding: Daytona Seashore Worldwide Airport sparks NASCAR season annually | • Constructed by fingers: Sculptor John Lajba on the intricate particulars of Daytona’s Earnhardt, France household statues | • NASCAR Classics: Revisit thrillers from previous Daytona 500s | • Paint Scheme Preview: New schemes aplenty forward of recent season |
