Next Race: Coke Zero Sugar 400
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Saturday, August 24
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $9,193,568
TV: NBC, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 400 miles (160 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 35),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 95), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 160)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: WAWA 250 Powered by Coca-Cola
The Place: Daytona International Speedway
The Date: Friday, August 23
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,886,123
TV: USA, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 250 miles (100 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 100)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: LiUNA! 175
The Place: Milwaukee Mile Speedway
Track Length: 1.015 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Sunday, August 25
The Time: 4 p.m. ET
The Purse: $672,572
TV: FS1, 4 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 177.625 miles (175 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 55),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 110), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 175)
NASCAR Cup Series
New Leader: Tytler Reddick jumps out front in the race for the Regular Season Championship
Outlasting the competition in a rain-delayed Michigan race, 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick secured his second win of the season, his seventh of his career and the first at the 2-mikle track, and to top it all off, he moved into the NASCAR Cup Series point standings lead for the first time in his career. With just two races to go in the regular season, Reddick holds a 10-point lead over Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott in second and up 28 points on Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin in third.
Previous points leader, Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson, dropped to fourth in the standings 32 points back from Reddick, following an incident at Michigan that left him with a 34th-place finish.
Reddick will look to close out these last two races and hold onto the points lead and win the Regular Season Championship, becoming the sixth different driver to accomplish the feat.
| NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Champions | |||||||
| Rank | Titles | Drivers (5) | Years | ||||
| 1 | 2 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2023, ’17 | ||||
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 2019, ’18 | |||||
| 3 | 1 | Chase Elliott | 2022 | ||||
| 4 | Kyle Larson | 2021 | |||||
| 5 | Kevin Harvick | 2020 | |||||
Regular Season Championship Clinch Scenarios:
Tyler Reddick (or whoever’s first in points) needs to be up by the corresponding number after the race to clinch:
- Daytona – 60 or 61 points, depending on tie-break
- Darlington – 0 or 1 point, depending on tie-break
At Daytona, Reddick has an average finish of 24.6 in 10 starts. His best finish at Daytona is runner-up in this race in 2022. Reddick’s closest competitor in the driver standings, Chase Elliott has an average finish of 20.5 at Daytona with a best finish of runner-up in the 2021 Daytona 500. Neither driver has won at Daytona in the Cup Series.
Unpredictable Daytona International Speedway up next under the lights
All eyes will be on the Daytona International Speedway as the iconic hallowed grounds will play host to the NASCAR Cup Series penultimate race of regular season, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, this Saturday, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). The World Center of Racing is currently riding a streak of seven different Cup Series winners dating back to 2021 – Michael McDowell (Feb. 2021), Ryan Blaney (Aug. 2021), Austin Cindric (Feb. 2022), Austin Dillon (Aug. 2022), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Feb. 2023), Chris Buescher (Aug. 2023), William Byron (Feb. 2024) – making the unpredictability of this event that much more intriguing.
Daytona International Speedway, the 2.5-mile paved superspeedway oval located in Daytona Beach, Florida, has hosted 154 NASCAR Cup Series races since the inaugural event in 1959 – 66 have been 500 miles, 61 were 400 miles and four were 250 miles. There were also 23 qualifier races that were point races. But this weekend marks just the first time the summer race will be the NASCAR Cup Series penultimate race in the regular season. Daytona served as regular season finale from 2020-2023.
The 154 NASCAR Cup Series races at the historic Daytona International Speedway have produced 65 different pole winners and 70 different race winners.
This weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series on-track activity at Daytona International Speedway will begin with Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Friday, August 23 at 5:05 p.m. ET on the USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Daytona Clinch Scenarios: Two races to go in the regular season
Literally only two chances left (Daytona and Darlington) for the NASCAR Cup Series competitors to lock themselves into the Playoffs, and both venues are tall tasks to overcome. Below are the latest clinch scenarios for the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway:
Already Clinched
The following 12 drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Tyler Reddick, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, Alex Bowman, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 4th winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs or Chris Buescher.
- Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch with 35 points
- Ty Gibbs: Could only clinch with help
- Chris Buescher: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Ross Chastain or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the 3rd winless driver in the standings.
- Martin Truex Jr.: Would clinch with 50 points
- Ty Gibbs: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher, Ross Chastain, Bubba Wallace, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe, Todd Gilliland, Michael McDowell, Carson Hocevar, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Austin Dillon, Daniel Hemric, Corey LaJoie, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Harrison Burton
Since the ‘Win and You’re In’ format was initiated in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2016, driver Erik Jones’ 2018 summer race win, William Byron’s summer win in 2020, and Austin Dillon’s summer race win in 2022 are the only three summer race victories at Daytona International Speedway to clinch a driver into the postseason – the other three winners were either not eligible for the Playoffs due to not competing for a championship in the series (Justin Haley in 2019) or the drivers had already previously won in the same season (Brad Keselowski in 2016, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2017, Ryan Blaney in 2020 and Chris Buescher in 2023).
You can win from anywhere, but from the pole is the shortest route
A total of 28 different starting positions have produced winners in the NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway. But the most proficient starting position in the field is the pole or first starting position producing wins in 26 of the 154 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway (16.8%).
The youngest driver to win from the pole or first starting position at Daytona in the summer races was NASCAR Hall of Famer Fireball Roberts at the age of 30 years, 5 months and 3 days and did so on July 4, 1959. The most recent driver to win from the pole or first starting position at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series was NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the 2015 July race (Qualifying was cancelled for this event).
NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough leads the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Daytona with 12 (Feb. 1968, July 1969, 1970 sweep, 1978 sweep, July 1980, July 1981, July 1983, 1984 sweep, July 1986). Eight of Yarborough’s 12 Daytona poles are from the summer race, which is also the series-most for that event as well.
This weekend, 10 of the 65 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona pole winners are active, but only three have won poles for the summer race at Daytona: Chase Briscoe (2023), Chase Elliott (2018), and Kyle Busch (2013).
| Active Pole Winners | Poles | Seasons | |||
| Chase Elliott | 3 | 2018 (July), 2017 (Feb.), 2016 (Feb.) | |||
| Alex Bowman | 3 | 2023 (Feb.), 2021 (Feb.), 2018 (Feb.) | |||
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2024 (Feb.) | |||
| Chase Briscoe | 1 | 2023 (Aug.) | |||
| Kyle Larson | 1 | 2022 (Feb.) | |||
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 1 | 2020 (Feb.) | |||
| William Byron | 1 | 2019 (Feb.) | |||
| Austin Dillon | 1 | 2014 (Feb.) | |||
| Kyle Busch | 1 | 2013 (July) | |||
| Martin Truex Jr | 1 | 2009 (Feb.) |
Though starting upfront has it perks, a driver can win from any starting position on the grid. Daytona leads all tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series with the most wins from starts outside the top-20 with 14 victories (10.9%). The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Daytona is 42nd, by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in the 2012 July Daytona race.
Daytona Dominators: The best of the best at the World Center of Racing
Winning at one of NASCAR’s most prestigious tracks, Daytona International Speedway, is a major accomplishment. So, it is not particularly surprising that the Cup Series’ winningest driver at Daytona is NASCAR royalty.
NASCAR Hall of Famer ‘The King’ Richard Petty leads the NASCAR Cup Series in winsat Daytonawith 10 victories in career (Feb. 1964, Feb. 1966, Feb. 1971, Feb. 1973, Feb. 1974, July 1975, July 1977, Feb. 1979, Feb. 1981, July 1984).
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlinleads all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Daytona with three (Feb. 2016, Feb. 2019, Feb. 2020), yet none are from this weekend’s summer race.
Of the 70 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona winners, 42 of them have won the summer race (60%). NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson leads the Cup Series in summer race victories at Daytona with five wins (1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978).
A total of 12 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona International Speedway winners are active this weekend, and eight of those 12 Daytona winners have won the summer event at the 2.5-mile track. Six of the 12 need a win this weekend to secure their spot in the Playoffs (drivers needing a win to make Playoffs are bolded in chart below).
| Active Daytona Race Winners | Wins | Seasons | |||
| Denny Hamlin | 3 | 2020 (Feb.), 2019 (Feb.), 2016 (Feb.) | |||
| William Byron | 2 | 2024 (Feb.) 2020 (Aug.) | |||
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 2 | 2023 (Feb.), 2017 (July) | |||
| Austin Dillon | 2 | 2022 (Aug.), 2018 (Feb.) | |||
| Austin Cindric | 1 | 2022 (Feb.) | |||
| Ryan Blaney | 1 | 2021 (Aug.) | |||
| Michael McDowell | 1 | 2021 (Feb.) | |||
| Justin Haley | 1 | 2019 (July) | |||
| Erik Jones | 1 | 2018 (July) | |||
| Brad Keselowski | 1 | 2016 (July) | |||
| Joey Logano | 1 | 2015 (Feb.) | |||
| Kyle Busch | 1 | 2008 (July) |
First-time winners galore at the World Center of Racing
One thing Daytona International Speedway is known for is unpredictable finishes that on occasion produce first-time winners in the NASCAR Cup Series. In fact, five of the last 12 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway have fashioned just that – first-time winners.
A total of 23 different drivers have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series win at Daytona International Speedway, 11 of the 23 drivers posted their first win in the summer races.
The most recent first-time winner at Daytona was in the 2022 Daytona 500 when Team Penske’s Austin Cindric became the first rookie to win the prestigious season opener.
The most recent first-time winner in the summer races at Daytona was the August race of 2020 with race winner William Byron earning his spot in the Playoffs with the victory.
| First-Time Cup Race Winners (23) at Daytona | Start Pos. | Date | Driver’s Age | ||||
| Austin Cindric | 5 | Sunday, February 20, 2022 | 23 | ||||
| Michael McDowell | 17 | Sunday, February 14, 2021 | 36 | ||||
| William Byron | 6 | Saturday, August 29, 2020 | 22 | ||||
| Justin Haley | 34 | Sunday, July 7, 2019 | 20 | ||||
| Erik Jones | 29 | Saturday, July 7, 2018 | 22 | ||||
| Aric Almirola | 15 | Sunday, July 6, 2014 | 30 | ||||
| David Ragan | 5 | Saturday, July 2, 2011 | 25 | ||||
| Trevor Bayne | 32 | Sunday, February 20, 2011 | 20 | ||||
| Greg Biffle | 30 | Saturday, July 5, 2003 | 33 | ||||
| Michael Waltrip | 19 | Sunday, February 18, 2001 | 37 | ||||
| John Andretti | 3 | Saturday, July 5, 1997 | 34 | ||||
| Jimmy Spencer | 3 | Saturday, July 2, 1994 | 37 | ||||
| Sterling Marlin | 4 | Sunday, February 20, 1994 | 36 | ||||
| Derrike Cope | 12 | Sunday, February 18, 1990 | 31 | ||||
| Greg Sacks | 9 | Thursday, July 4, 1985 | 32 | ||||
| Pete Hamilton | 9 | Sunday, February 22, 1970 | 27 | ||||
| Mario Andretti | 12 | Sunday, February 26, 1967 | 26 | ||||
| Sam McQuagg | 4 | Monday, July 4, 1966 | 28 | ||||
| Earl Balmer | 6 | Friday, February 25, 1966 | 30 | ||||
| A.J. Foyt | 19 | Saturday, July 4, 1964 | 29 | ||||
| Bobby Isaac | 4 | Friday, February 21, 1964 | 31 | ||||
| Tiny Lund | 12 | Sunday, February 24, 1963 | 33 | ||||
| Johnny Rutherford | 9 | Friday, February 22, 1963 | 24 |
Of 23 different drivers that have posted their first NASCAR Cup Series career win at Daytona International Speedway, Justin Haley started the deepest in the field at Daytona to win his first race with a 34th-place starting position in 2019.
William Byron heads to Daytona looking for a season sweep
Come this Saturday, the NASCAR Cup Series field will have 12 former Daytona International Speedway winners entered, led by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin with three wins. The most recent Daytona winner that is entered this weekend is Hendrick Motorsports William Byron, who won the 2024 Daytona 500 earlier this season and now returns to sunny Florida looking for a Daytona season sweep.
If William Byron can accomplish the feat, he will become the sixth different driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to sweep both Daytona races (Daytona 500 & Summer Race) in a single season; joining Fireball Roberts – 1962 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 250); Cale Yarborough – 1968 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); LeeRoy Yarborough – 1969 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); Bobbie Allison – 1982 (Daytona 500, Firecracker 400); Jimmie Johnson – 2013 (Daytona 500, Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola).
Byron has made 13 series starts at Daytona posting two wins (2020, 2024), three top fives, four top 10s and a pole.
Also on Friday, media and fans are invited to celebrate the 2024 Daytona 500 champion William at the Ticketing and Tours Building before on-track activity begins for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend. At 12 p.m. (noon) ET, Byron’s official DAYTONA 500 Champions Walk of Fame plaque will be unveiled in the sidewalk outside the building.The plaque features the driver’s hands, right footprint and autograph within a 3×3 cement block, all captured in February as part of the Champion’s celebration.
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
Win Spoiler Alert: Drivers going for the Daytona win with no regard for a title – While majority of the competitors this weekend will be vying for NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, five drivers are entered in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 that are not running for the title in the series and are looking to play the spoiler by grabbing the win this weekend.
Former V8 Supercar champion and NASCAR Cup Series winner, Shane van Gisbergen, will pilot the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet this weekend working with crew chief Travis Mack.
NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Austin Hill will pilot the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Hill drives for RCR in the Xfinity Series full-time in 2024. Hill will be paired with crew chief Keith Rodden this weekend.
Joey Gase will drive the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet this weekend working with crew chief Jay Guy.
Parker Retzlaff will jump behind the wheel of the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet and will work with crew chief Darren Shaw this weekend.
BJ McLeod returns to the series in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports with crew chief David Ingram.
Of the five drivers, Austin Hill has the best average finish at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series with a 14.0, followed McLeod (22.6) and Gase (25.7). Van Gisbergen and Retzlaff will be making their NASCAR Cup Series career track debuts this weekend.
Looking Ahead: Drivers not locked into the Playoffs that have won at the next two tracks – Time is running out for the drivers who have not earned a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs this season. Just two races remain in the regular season and with 12 drivers already earning spots by virtue of their wins, only four spots still available.
Several drivers that are looking for their first win of the season have won previously at the two tracks coming up on the schedule (Daytona and Darlington). Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones are the only two drivers still looking for a win this season that have previously won at both of the tracks coming up to round out the regular season.
Below is a chart of all the active winners at the next two tracks, the drivers bolded in each list are the drivers looking for their first win of 2024:
| Daytona | Darlington | ||||||
| Active Winners (12) | Wins | Active Winners (8) | Wins | ||||
| Denny Hamlin | 3 | Denny Hamlin | 4 | ||||
| Austin Dillon | 2 | Brad Keselowski | 2 | ||||
| Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 2 | Erik Jones | 2 | ||||
| William Byron | 2 | Martin Truex Jr | 2 | ||||
| Austin Cindric | 1 | Joey Logano | 1 | ||||
| Brad Keselowski | 1 | Kyle Busch | 1 | ||||
| Chris Buescher | 1 | Kyle Larson | 1 | ||||
| Erik Jones | 1 | William Byron | 1 | ||||
| Joey Logano | 1 | ||||||
| Kyle Busch | 1 | ||||||
| Michael McDowell | 1 | ||||||
| Ryan Blaney | 1 |
Crew Member Spotlight: Daytona International Speedway – This weekend at Daytona International Speedway we wanted to highlight several of the team’s crew members that are from the surrounding areas of the track in Florida.
| FLORIDA | |||||||||
| CREW MEMBER | ORGANIZATION | TEAM | ROLE | HOMETOWN | |||||
| Shane Greer | Richard Childress Racing | 3 | Competitions IT Manager | Jacksonville, FL | |||||
| Brian Walsh | Hendrick Motorsports | 5, 9, 24, 48 | Network Security Engineer/ RF Specialist | Sebastian, FL | |||||
| Johnny Roberts | RFK Racing | 6 | Front Tire Changer | Titusville, FL | |||||
| Robert Braucht | Rick Ware Racing | 15 | Gasman | Daytona Beach, Florida | |||||
| JR Houston | 23XI Racing | 23 | Strategy Engineer | Myakka City, Florida | |||||
| Brandon McSwain | Hendrick Motorsports | 24 | Race Engineer | Auburndale, FL | |||||
| Ben Proctor | Hendrick Motorsports | 24 | Engine Tuner | Lakeland, FL | |||||
| Michael Fisher | Front Row Motorsports | 34 | Spotter | Pensacola, FL | |||||
| Robert Benzenhafer | Front Row Motorsports | 38 | Interior Specialist, Tire specialist | Niceville, FL | |||||
| Kapil Fletcher | Stewart-Haas Racing | 41 | Jackman | Fort Lauderdale, FL | |||||
| Kevin Teaf | Stewart-Haas Racing | 41 | Rear Tire Changer | Leesburg, Florida | |||||
| Chris Shuman | Legacy Motor Club | 42 | Rear Tire Changer | St. Augustine, FL | |||||
| Matt Schlytter | Legacy Motor Club | 42 | Jackman | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida | |||||
| Thomas Hatcher | Legacy Motor Club | 43 | Front Tire Changer | Middleburg, FL | |||||
| Ray Hernandez | Legacy Motor Club | 43 | Fueler | Orlando, FL | |||||
| Billy Scott | 23XI Racing | 45 | Crew Chief | Land O’ Lakes, FL | |||||
| Tab Boyd | JTG Daugherty Racing | 47 | Spotter | Pensacola, Florida | |||||
| Greg Donlin | JTG Daugherty Racing | 47 | Rear Tire Changer | Zephyrhills, FL | |||||
| Nick McBeath | Joe Gibbs Racing | 54 | Carrier | Miami, FL | |||||
| Dustyn Presgraves | Trackhouse Racing | 99 | Engine Tuner | Floyd, FL | |||||
Milestone Watch: Daytona International Speedway – Below are the possible milestones that can be achieved this weekend at Daytona International Speedway or in coming weeks in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Starts
- Denny Hamlin will make his 675th NASCAR Cup Series career start this weekend at Daytona International Speedway becoming the 26th different driver to make 675 Cup Series starts or more.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will make his 425th NASCAR Cup Series career start this weekend at Daytona International Speedway becoming the 65th different driver to make 425 Cup Series starts or more.
- Harrison Burton is expected to make his 100th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
- Austin Dillon is expected to make his 400th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Watkins Glen International.
- Brad Keselowski is expected to make his 550th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Bubba Wallace is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Talladega Superspeedway.
- William Byron is expected to make his 250th NASCAR Cup Series career start at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Poles
- Kyle Busch currently has 34 NASCAR Cup Series poles, if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett for 21st on the all-time pole winners list with 35 poles each.
- Joey Logano currently has 31 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Kevin Harvick), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famers Fireball Roberts and Fred Lorenzen for 24th on the all-time pole winners list with 32 poles each.
- Martin Truex Jr. currently has 23 NASCAR Cup Series poles (tied with Ken Schrader and Jack Smith), if he were to win another pole, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki for 33rd on the all-time pole winners list with 24 poles each.
Wins
- Denny Hamlin currently has 54 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace for 11th on the all-time wins list with 55 victories each.
- Brad Keselowski currently has 36 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Bobby Isaac for 23rd on the all-time wins list with 37 victories each.
- Joey Logano currently has 33 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. for 25th on the all-time wins list with 34 victories each.
- Kyle Larson currently has 27 NASCAR Cup Series wins, if he were to win another race, he would tie Carl Edwards and Rex White for 30th on the all-time wins list with 28 victories each.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Xfinity Friday Night Lights: Daytona International Speedway is up next
Only five races remain in the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season and things are sure to heat up as drivers get ready to race under the lights this Friday, August 23 at Daytona International Speedway for the Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at 7:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The 2.5-mile superspeedway, located in beautiful Daytona Beach, Florida, has hosted 65 Xfinity Series races, producing 37 different race winners and 44 different pole winners.
Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill in the 2023 Xfinity Series season opener.
NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart are tied for most wins at the track with seven each.
Only three of the 37 race winners will be active in the field this weekend at Daytona – Austin Hill (2022, 2023, 2024), Jeremy Clements (2022) and Justin Allgaier (2023).
Digging through the Daytona record books, here are a few other names you might recognize for their performances at the track:
- Most top fives – Kevin Harvick (12)
- Most top 10s – Dale Earnhardt Jr & Kevin Harvick (14)
- Most Laps led – Dale Earnhardt Jr (560)
- Most Lead lap finishes – Dale Earnhardt Jr (19)
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will be skipping practice this weekend and heading straight to qualifying at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, August 23. Qualifying will be streamed on the NBC Sports App and broadcast on the USA Network.
Smith and Sieg straddle Playoff cutoff line separated by one point
With another win by JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier last weekend at Michigan International Speedway, one of eight drivers already with a win this season, there are still four spots left up for grabs in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
The eight drivers that have earned themselves spot on the Xfinity Series Playoff grid by virtue of their wins are Shane van Gisbergen, Chandler Smith, Austin Hill, Sam Mayer, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, Jesse Love and Riley Herbst.
As of now, AJ Allmendinger (+102), Sheldon Creed (+70), Parker Kligerman (+36), and Sammy Smith (+1) occupy the final four spots to clinch a Playoff berth. Ryan Sieg (-1) and Brandon Jones (-94) hold the first two spots outside the cutoff, followed by Anthony Alfredo (-115).
Here’s how the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff standings look heading into Michigan:
| NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff Projection Following Michigan International Speedway – 8/17/2024 | |||||||||||||||
| Rank | Driver | Points | Starts | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff | ||||||||
| 1 | Shane Van Gisbergen # | 520 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 17 | In On Wins | ||||||||
| 2 | Justin Allgaier | 756 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 21 | |||||||||
| 3 | Austin Hill | 698 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 13 | |||||||||
| 4 | Chandler Smith | 684 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 15 | |||||||||
| 5 | Sam Mayer | 503 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |||||||||
| 6 | Cole Custer | 768 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 8 | |||||||||
| 7 | Riley Herbst | 623 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||
| 8 | Jesse Love # | 604 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |||||||||
| 9 | AJ Allmendinger | 646 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | ||||||||
| 10 | Sheldon Creed | 614 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | ||||||||
| 11 | Parker Kligerman | 580 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36 | ||||||||
| 12 | Sammy Smith | 545 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||
| 13 | Ryan Sieg | 544 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | ||||||||
| 14 | Brandon Jones | 451 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -94 | ||||||||
| 15 | Anthony Alfredo | 430 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -115 | ||||||||
| 16 | Brennan Poole | 357 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -188 | ||||||||
| 17 | Parker Retzlaff | 334 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -211 | ||||||||
| 18 | Josh Williams | 327 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -218 | ||||||||
| 19 | Jeb Burton | 309 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -236 | ||||||||
| 20 | Leland Honeyman # | 302 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -243 | ||||||||
| 21 | Jeremy Clements | 296 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -249 | ||||||||
| 22 | Ryan Ellis | 275 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -270 | ||||||||
| 23 | Kyle Weatherman | 271 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -274 | ||||||||
| 24 | Blaine Perkins | 217 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -328 | ||||||||
Xfinity Clinch Scenarios: Daytona International Speedway
With five races left in the regular season there is still a lot of racing left, but here is a look at the drivers that have mathematically clinched their way into Playoffs this season:
Already Clinched
The following five drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver postseason field: Justin Allgaier, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, Shane Van Gisbergen, Sam Mayer.
Can clinch via previous wins
The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by a previous winner:
- Cole Custer: Would clinch with 50 points
The following drivers could clinch on previous wins with a win by a new winner:
- Cole Custer: Would clinch with 55 points
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Cole Custer, Riley Herbst, Jesse Love
RCR’s Austin Hill looking for a Daytona sweep
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill will be coming back to Daytona International Speedway hoping for a season sweep after winning the season opener in February.
The 30-year-old driver is all too familiar with finding Victory Lane at the iconic Daytona track, having also won the season openers in 2022 and 2023.
The Winston, Georgia native, Hill, heads into the weekend with some momentum, having already accumulated two wins (Daytona, Atlanta), eight top fives, 13 top 10s and has led 139 laps.
If he is able to accomplish the feat this weekend, he will become just the second driver all-time to sweep both Daytona races in a single season, joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Xfinity Superspeedway Superstars
Daytona International Speedway is infamous for its wild, action-packed racing and unexpected finishes but there are always a few drivers who seem run out front.
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill is an obvious favorite for this weekend’s Wawa 250 Powered by Coca-Cola given that he’s won the last three season openers at the track.
JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier is quite the veteran when it comes to racing at Daytona. He’s made 27 starts at the track, dating back to 2009 when he made his debut at the track at the season opener. He’s had some ups and downs but has put up some solid finishes, including one win (summer 2023), eight top fives, 13 top 10s, and has led 130 laps.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst has had a solid season thus far, posting one win (Indy) four top fives and nine top 10s. He’s hoping that he’ll be able to keep this momentum alive as he looks towards this weekend’s race to post another win. He’s made 10 starts at the 2.5-mile track, posting two top fives and five top 10s. He posted a sixth-place finish at the season opener in February.
The two drivers with the best average finish at Daytona in the NASCAR Xfinity Series that entered this weekend at Jordan Anderson Racing’s Parker Retzlaff (4.7 in three starts) and Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger (10.7 in seven starts).
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Gus Dean to make Xfinity Series debut at Daytona – ARCA Menards Series driver Gus Dean will be making his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ford with AM Racing.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut this weekend at Daytona International Speedway,” said Dean. “This is definitely an opportunity for me, but I am focused on doing my job, going out there, and delivering the team and our partners a strong finish.
Dean has made 70 starts in the ARCA Menards Series, posting three wins 22 top fives and 41 top 10s, as well as 26 career starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs are set for Milwaukee Mile
After ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski emerged victorious at Richmond Raceway two weeks ago, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs are set to get underway this weekend at the historic Milwaukee Mile Speedway for the LiUNA! 175 on Sunday, August 25 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio.
The 2024 season will mark the ninth running of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs (2016-2024). Since the inception of the Playoff format in 2016, seven different drivers have hoisted the championship trophy – Johnny Sauter (2016), Christopher Bell (2017), Brett Moffitt (2018), Matt Crafton (2019), Sheldon Creed (2020), Ben Rhodes (2021, 2023), and Zane Smith (2022).
The structure of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs is the same as years past: a seven-race, three round elimination format. The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will cap off their season in conjunction with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway for the Championship 4 Finale.
Characteristics of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff format include:
- The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 10 to start in the Playoffs; eight after race No. 3; and four after race No. 6.
- The first three races of the Playoffs (17-19) will be known as the Round of 10; races 20-22 will be known as the Round of 8; and race No. 23 will be the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship (Championship 4 Round).
- A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next round.
- Four drivers will enter the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the championship.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Structure:
- Round of 10: Races 17-19 will be at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and Kansas Speedway. If a driver in the Playoffs wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the Round of 8. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points. Each advancing Playoff contender will then have their points reset to 3,000, plus any Playoff points awarded to that point are added.
- Round of 8: Races 20-22 will be at Talladega Superspeedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway. Likewise, if a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the Championship 4 Round. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points. Each advancing Playoff contender will then have their points reset to 4,000.
- Each eliminated driver will return to the Playoff-start base of 2,000 (plus any awarded Playoff points), with their accumulated points starting with race No. 17 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-10th still up for grabs.
| NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Driver Playoff Outlook Following Richmond Raceway – 8/10/24 | |||||||||||||||
| Rank | Driver | Team | Points | Race Wins | Stage Wins | Playoff Pts | +/- Cutoff | ||||||||
| 1 | Corey Heim | No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota | 2,041 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 39 | ||||||||
| 2 | Christian Eckes | No. 19 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet | 2,038 | 3 | 8 | 38 | 36 | ||||||||
| 3 | Ty Majeski | No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford | 2,023 | 2 | 5 | 23 | 21 | ||||||||
| 4 | Nick Sanchez | No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet | 2,018 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 16 | ||||||||
| 5 | Rajah Caruth | No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet | 2,009 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | Grant Enfinger | No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet | 2,007 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | ||||||||
| 7 | Tyler Ankrum | No. 18 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet | 2,007 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | ||||||||
| 8 | Taylor Gray | No. 15 TRICON Garage Toyota | 2,003 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| 9 | Ben Rhodes | No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford | 2,002 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 | ||||||||
| 10 | Daniel Dye | No. 43 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet | 2,001 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | ||||||||
‘America’s Legendary Oval’ to host CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff opener
For the second time in 14 years, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is returning to the Milwaukee Mile Speedway for the LiUNA! 175 (Sunday, August 25 at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio).
Located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park, this historic track houses a 1.015-mile paved oval. In addition, there is a 0.8-mile asphalt-paved road circuit located in the infield. The infield was home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers from 1934 to 1953. Known as the oldest operating speedway in the world, the Milwaukee Mile has hosted at least one auto race every year since 1903, except during World War II.
The remarkable mile-oval has hosted 16 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series events. The series made its grand return last season for the first time since 2009, where four-time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. bested a field that included Todd Bodine, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter. Now, the Milwaukee Mile will play host to the opening event in the postseason’s Round of 10.
In 1995, the inaugural CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the Milwaukee Mile was won by pole sitter Mike Skinner, piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. The following year there were 17 lead changes, which became a series record.
2008 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion and three-time Most Popular Driver, Johnny Benson Jr. holds the most wins in Brew City after three consecutive victories in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
The series made its grand return to Milwaukee last season for the first time since 2009, where four-time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. bested a field that included Todd Bodine, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter. Now, the Milwaukee Mile will play host to the opening event in the postseason’s Round of 10.
Several iconic drivers from the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series have stamped their names in the Milwaukee Mile record books. Here’s a closer look:
- Race record: Dennis Setzer 109.907 mph (06/24/2005)
- Qualifying record: Grant Enfinger 122.848 mph (08/27/2023)
- Most races: Terry Cook (14)
- Most poles: Jack Sprague (4)
- Most wins: Johnny Benson Jr. (3)
- Most top fives: Ron Hornaday Jr. (8)
- Most top 10s: Ron Hornaday Jr. (10)
- Laps led: Jack Sprague (498)
Not only will the contenders have to get reacquainted with the heralded mile-oval, but they will also once again be experiencing a foreign concept: racing on a Sunday. Practice for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at the Milwaukee Mile kicks off at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, August 24.
Scouting the 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff roster
The field for the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs is packed with both postseason veterans and several newcomers. Six different teams are represented along with all three of NASCAR’s OEMs (Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota).
Below is a quick look at the contenders in this year’s Playoff grid as the drivers have a week off to prepare for the first race of the Round of 10 at the famed Milwaukee Mile Speedway.
Heading into the Playoffs as the No. 1 seed with 2,048 points is Corey Heim. The driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota’s second year with his team has once gone without a significant hitch leading the field with a career-high five wins (COTA, Kansas, North Wilkesboro, Gateway, Pocono) to lock him into the Playoffs. The Marietta, Georgia native has recorded five top-five finishes, 10 top-10 finishes, and has led 469 laps. This is Heim’s second Playoff appearance.
The 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season Champion Christian Eckes enters the Playoffs as the No. 2 seed with 2,038 points. The 23-year-old reached the Playoffs with three wins (Bristol, Martinsville, Nashville) on the season. The driver of No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field with 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. This is Ecke’s fourth Playoff appearance.
With 2,023 points, Ty Majeski of ThorSport Racing enters as the No. 3 seed. The third-year driver has been in the Playoffs since his rookie season in 2022. Piloting the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, Majeski has collected two back-to-back wins (LOIRP, Richmond). The Seymour, Wisconsin native has posted seven top fives, 10 top 10s, and 372 laps led. This season marks Majeski’s fourth consecutive Playoff appearance (2022-2024)
The driver of the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet Nick Sanchez heads into the Playoffs as the No. 4 seed with 2,018 points. The 23-year-old raced his way into his second Playoffs after securing two wins this season (Daytona, Charlotte). The Miami, Florida native has posted seven top fives, 10 top 10s, and led 72 laps this season.
The No. 5 seed Rajah Caruth follows Sanchez into the Playoffs with 2,009 points. Piloting the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Caruth picked up his first career win (Las Vegas) to lock his spot into the Playoffs. The 22-year-old is having a career-best year with three top fives, eight top 10s, and 45 laps led. This is the Washington, D.C. native’s first Playoff appearance.
Post-season veteran Grant Enfinger enters the Playoffs as the No. 6 seed with 2,007 points. The driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet did not have a stellar start to the beginning of the year but has recently been running up in the front of the field. Meshing well with his new team, the 39-year-old has posted five top fives, eight top 10s, and has led 197 laps this season. This is the Fairhope, Alabama native’s sixth Playoff appearance – third-most all-time.
Entering the Playoffs as the No. 7 seed with 2,007 points is Tyler Ankrum. The driver of the No. 18 McAnally-Hilgemann Chevrolet raced his way into the Playoffs via points, clinching at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. In 16 starts this season, the 23-year-old has put up five top fives, eight top 10s, and has led 92 laps – the most of his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career. This is Ankrum’s third Playoff appearance.
Taylor Gray follows Ankrum into the Playoffs as the No. 8 seed with 2,003 points. Piloting the No. 17 TRICON Garage Toyota, Gray has had a career-best season so far. The 19-year-old has posted five top fives, nine top 10s, and led 25 laps. Although he is the youngest of the postseason field and is making his first Playoff appearance, Gray is confident in his abilities.
2021 and 2023 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes enters the Playoffs as the No. 9 seed with 2,002 points. Rhodes is no stranger to the postseason as this is his seventh Playoff appearance – second-most all-time. The 27-year-old raced his way into the postseason via points. In 16 starts this season, the driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford has two top fives, six top 10s, and 16 laps led. The Louisville, Kentucky native could become the third driver to win three championships and the second driver to win back-to-back, joining the exemplary company of his ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton (2013, 2014) if he accomplishes the feat.
Rounding out the 10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff contenders is Daniel Dye, who has 2,001 points. An eighth-place finish in the regular-season finale at Richmond helped the driver of the No. 43 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet earn his way into the postseason field. The 20-year-old has recorded one top five, six top 10s, and had led 4 laps this season. This is Dye’s first Playoff appearance.
For additional information, Playoff bios, championship and postseason stats and Playoff elimination grids please visit the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs Media Hub at the following link on NASCARMedia.com.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Matt Gould to make CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Milwaukee Mile – Matt Gould will strengthen the Gould family heritage with Niece Motorsports as he makes his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at the Milwaukee Mile piloting the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet.
The 18-year-old is the son of Niece Motorsports’ winningest and longest-tenured crew chief, Phild Gould. As a second-generation driver, Gould competes in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series throughout the southeast – primarily at Hickory Motor Speedway – and has earned three wins in the Late Model Stock Car ranks (Orange County, Florence, Hickory).
Having made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Milwaukee two years ago, the track is the perfect site for Gould to take the next step in his career progression. In 2022, he competed in two ARCA events for Niece Motorsports which both produced top-10 finishes; 10th at Milwaukee and eighth at Toledo Speedway.
“This opportunity means a lot to me, especially having Al (Niece) and my dad help me get to this point,” said Gould. “I’m looking forward to it and can’t thank them enough. I’ve been having a lot of fun working on the truck and putting everything together in the interior knowing that this is for my truck, not someone else’s. Huge thank you to Niece Equipment and Chevrolet for the support as well. I’m hoping to get into their simulator soon to get a feel for it, but I’ve already had some help and have leaned on so many people. I’ll have a bunch of family members watching that have been waiting on this for a long time, so I’m excited to finally be able to go and do it.”
