The Daytona 500 is trying to live up to its excitement as NASCAR’s biggest event, with major names involved. “The Great American Race” will feature Captain America and possibly President Donald Trump.
Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver, said, “I think having a sitting president come and be a part of one of our biggest days of the year is special. It certainly brings a lot of eyes and a different perspective to what we do down here for this race.”
The race features a group of big names, including Helio Castroneves, a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and former “Dancing with the Stars” champion. Castroneves, who is making his NASCAR debut at age 49, used the new “elite-driver rule” to enter as the 41st driver, which makes this the largest Daytona 500 field in ten years.
Castroneves drew a crowd at the Wendy’s concession stand at Daytona International Speedway. Sponsored by the hamburger chain, he wore a firesuit that looked like a chef’s outfit.
“This is a great exposure. This is one of the biggest races. You want to have as much exposure as possible,” said Castroneves. “When I was testing Talladega, people there were excited, saying, ‘I’ll be watching for you. I’ll be cheering for you.’ It gives opportunity for foreign people, Brazilian people, people from other series to watch it.”
The race features seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., who entered after unexpectedly losing his father just one day after announcing his entry into the Daytona 500.
There’s no clear favorite, but Elliott will try to follow his father’s path. Bill Elliott won both the Clash and Daytona 500 in 1987, when both races were held at Daytona.
Toyotas are fast, and they almost went undefeated at Daytona this week. A late caution flag stopped Erik Jones from winning the second qualifying race on Thursday night. Jones thought he had won, but NASCAR ruled that Cindric was ahead when the yellow flag came out.
Bubba Wallace, racing for 23XI Racing, won his first race at Daytona in the first Thursday qualifying race. Justin Allgaier earned a spot in the Daytona 500, which moved Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. to tears. Allgaier is the reigning Xfinity champion and has raced in two Daytona 500s, his last in 2015. He thought he would never race in it again.
Bubba Wallace celebrates after the win“I don’t think I realized how much I missed this race until you come back to it,” Allgaier said.
Allgaier and JR Motorsports got the chance to race with Chris Stapleton, who sponsored the car with his whiskey label. Stapleton, fresh off winning a Grammy for best country solo performance, will attend the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt said, “Man, we have kind of tried to downplay how badly we want to race in the Cup Series… if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Due to the threat of rain later on Sunday, the race start has been moved up an hour to 1:30 p.m. Eastern. Pitbull is scheduled to perform the pre-race concert after last year’s rain delay canceled his appearance. Anthony Mackie, who plays the lead in the latest “Captain America” movie, will give the command to start the engines.
Their appearances may be overshadowed if Trump returns. Trump attended the Daytona 500 in 2020 and is coming off being the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.
A federal antitrust lawsuit is still ongoing as teams 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports challenge NASCAR’s charter system. 23XI Racing is owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, who hopes to become a four-time Daytona 500 winner. NASCAR is appealing a ruling that allowed these teams to start as chartered teams, but for now, they can.
Wallace is a contender to win for Jordan, and Hamlin is also in the running for his fourth Daytona 500 victory. Hamlin’s Toyota team has performed well at Daytona, with Briscoe on the pole and Johnson and Truex earning open spots based on speed, along with Wallace’s qualifying race win.
Tyler Gibbs, president of TRD U.S.A., said, “I would trade it all for a win on Sunday.”
