Anthony Alfredo’s Daytona 500 dream has come to a bitter finish. After racing his manner into the 2026 season-opener, his No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet failed post-race inspection.
Alfredo completed 18th in Duel #2, besting each BJ McLeod and JJ Yeley to race his manner into the five hundred. He did not qualify for the race in 2025, and was extraordinarily emotional over the prospect of competing in NASCAR’s greatest race for simply the third time in his profession.
As an alternative, he will likely be going dwelling alongside Corey LaJoie (RFK Racing), Chandler Smith (Entrance Row Motorsports), and Yeley (NY Racing Workforce).
McLeod’s No. 78 Reside Quick Motorsports Chevrolet was then inspected and handed, so he’ll take Alfredo place on the grid. So long as all goes effectively in his personal post-race inspection, this will likely be McLeod’s sixth begin within the Daytona 500 and his first since 2023. He did not qualify for the race in each 2024 and 2025.
NASCAR explains the problem
Watch: NASCAR official explains why Anthony Alfredo’s No. 62 was disallowed
NASCAR Cup Sequence managing director Brad Moran visited the Media Middle to clarify what went fallacious with the No. 62 automotive.
“To begin with, unlucky to be right here,” started Moran. “Any small open staff, we do not prefer to have these issues however we do should do our jobs and ensure there may be parity amongst the sector and likewise parity amongst individuals making the five hundred.
“Throughout inspection, we seen this hose, which is a transmission cooling, transaxle cooling hose. It comes off on the proper aspect quarter window and it is supposed to enter the transaxle cooler. It must be air tight and mounted. We make guidelines as you all know that no elements can fall off the automotive, for apparent causes. We do not say what the intent is however these elements should be mounted correctly and sadly this one piece wasn’t on the best aspect. There was additionally one other hose disconnected for driver cooling which impacts air circulate for superspeedway. Everyone knows the significance of that.
“To begin with, each automotive is inspected. We do security inspections. We examine the insides of the automobiles, the skin, we checked the home windows, the tightness, the flaps. So this actually wasn’t sitting on the passenger ground when the automotive went by way of inspection. So far as, ‘do we all know the way it got here off.’ No, we do know that after the five hundred mile race and like each different 500 mile race — or for that matter, any race — any automotive that goes by way of our inspection, all hoses are checked, brake hoses are checked, transaxle hoses are checked, driver cooling hoses are checked. And if something is discovered like this through the season, it might be a DQ within the race. So, we have been according to that and we at all times will as a result of there are some the reason why one thing like this might come unfastened or fall off.”
Alfredo and staff won’t be allowed to enchantment the penalty, because the Duels are thought-about a part of qualifying. Moran defined that as a result of it’s handled as a part of qualifying, the foundations round it are like an in-race penalty.
“It could be type of just like sadly, (Noah Gragson) the opposite day throughout qualifying. So it might take away the time and all of our qualifying races are thought-about qualifying per our rule guide.”
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