Despite the chaos at the end of the Daytona 500, there were a few positive stories to come out of the race.
Perhaps the best one was a top-10 run from JR Motorsports Xfinity Series driver Justin Allgaier, who made the team’s first ever start in the Cup series after racing his way into the 500 via Thursday’s Duels.
An owner in the Xfinity series for two decades, Dale Earnhardt Jr. — who is arguably the most famous NASCAR driver today despite being retired — would shake up the sport in a truly positive way if he does make the move up to Cup in the coming years.
And it’s something he is finally admitting some interest in doing.
"I think this helped me understand that I do want to be in the Cup Series, personally," Earnhardt said after the 500. "I do feel like that it's what I should be striving for. JR Motorsports loves being in the Xfinity Series, and we got a great business model, and we think we do a great job there. It would be a big challenge, but something Kelley and I could put a lot of effort into for the next several years."
That should be news to fans’ ears, who would love the see the Earnhardt name back in the Cup series on a full-time basis for years to come. Dale Jr.’s fans of course remember him driving for his dad’s Dale Earnhardt Inc. for the first half of his career, and this would be a truly welcomed addition to the Cup lineup across the board — especially now that Dale Jr. has emerged in retirement as one of the sport’s biggest mouthpieces and commentators.
Having that Earnhardt presence at the track every Sunday could be huge as the sport tries to draw the next generation of fans into the sport in the years to come.
Shorter-term, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dale and Kelley run Allgaier in a few more Cup events this season, assuming sponsorship is there to cover the costs. Regarding the purchase of a charter, I would anticipate they'll wait to see what happens in the antitrust lawsuit currently being litigated before committing to purchase any charters that may come up for sale, but it’s good to get their name out there even now as a potential buyer down the road.
Cup Series cars are back on track and racing for points, so all is right with the world if you are a NASCAR fan. Kicking off the action at Daytona on Thursday evening were the Duels, which helped set the lineup for the Great American Race on Sunday.
Bubba Wallace claims glory
Let’s start by talking about the first Duel, which ended with 23XI driver Bubba Wallace being the one to claim the checkered flag and take home his first victory at Daytona. A consistently strong superspeedway racer throughout his career, it was great to see Bubba finally deliver with a Daytona win, and it provides him with good momentum as he heads into Sunday and the big race. A win in the Daytona 500 would be a massive jolt for Bubba’s career, and the best possible start to the season. And after Thursday’s impressive run, he has put the competition on notice that he’s not here to run in the back of the pack on Sunday.
Wallace spoke after the race about his emotional evening at the Duel and the victory.
“What a good night. I didn’t know how it was going to play out, and we got the lead there and my McDonald’s Camry just switched like a light switch to a totally different balance from being in the pack. It was a little bit edgy out front, but luckily, I’ve got some years under my belt that people still trust me. I was lucky to have Tyler (Reddick) behind me – he did a great job pushing me. I appreciate that massive 23XI effort to get us this win,” Wallace said. “It sets us up really good for Sunday. We will enjoy this little moment right now. I told myself I would do more of – enjoy the little stuff. But hats off to these guys here. The best thing is – I cried when I walked out with (my son) Becks on pit road for driver intros, and it is really special to have him here. It is awesome.”
Team owner Denny Hamliln said he was impressed by the performance of both Bubba and teammate Tyler Reddick in the Duel.
“It’s awesome. Tyler (Reddick) was able to get a Duel last year and then Bubba (Wallace) this year. The 23 and 45 really controlled that race quite a bit so it was great to see. Even though they didn’t qualify (last night) where we expected, I think obviously the true speed of their Camrys really showed up tonight,” Hamlin said.
Michigan International Speedway announced that DQS Solutions & Staffing will sponsor the Craftsman Truck Series race at the track this year. The trucks return to the Irish Hills with the DQS Solutions & Staffing 200 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics on Saturday, June 7.
The June race weekend at Michigan International Speedway begins with the ARCA Menards Series Henry Ford Health 200 on Friday, June 6, followed by the Craftsman Truck Series DQS Solutions & Staffing 200 Powered by Precision Vehicle Logistics on Saturday, June 7. The NASCAR Cup Series will cap off the weekend’s action with the FireKeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, June 8.
“At Michigan International Speedway, we’re known for producing high-quality and exciting racing and to partner with DQS Solutions & Staffing who’s located in our backyard makes this partnership special,” said Michigan International Speedway President Joe Fowler. “Winning in the Irish Hills brings a sense of pride to our drivers and OEM’s. To have homegrown roots in this sponsorship while bringing back the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to Michigan International Speedway this Summer will make for an unforgettable weekend of racing.”
DQS Solutions & Staffing offers staffing and innovative workforce and business solutions across diverse industries, with expertise in the automotive sector. Along with staffing, other services offered include security, warehousing, key management systems, automation, transportation, snow removal, and food truck operations. DQS Solutions & Staffing has been recognized as Michigan’s fastest growing company and gives back to the community through its nonprofit, Foundation for Pops, and partnerships like the River Rouge School District.
“We're excited to be the title sponsor of the DQS 200 at Michigan International Speedway, kicking off what's sure to be an unforgettable summer,” said Joshua Morris, CEO of DQS. “As a Michigan-based company with strong automotive roots, racing is a perfect fit for us. We're thrilled to partner again with Precision Vehicle Logistics and Niece Motorsports, and it is truly an honor to host a race at MIS for the first time. NASCAR brings people together, and we're proud to be part of that, supporting an event that connects fans, teams, and the racing community.”
DQS Solutions & Staffing partners with Masked Owl Technologies, Precision Vehicle Logistics, and AutoVentive to sponsor the Niece Motorsports No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado with Kaden Honeycutt in the Truck Series. The newly-branded truck will make its debut at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 14, 2025.
“On behalf of every hard-working individual at Precision Vehicle Logistics, we are more than excited and thankful to engage in this event with our partner DQS, for the return of the Truck Series to Michigan International Speedway,” said Jason Wilson, Vice President of Precision Vehicle Logistics. “We look forward to the on-track competition that our partners at Niece Motorsports and Chevrolet will bring to the track in the Irish Hills. This is also a special place for me personally but also down the road from where a lot of us live and work here in the great state of Michigan. I would like to thank Josh Morris and his whole team at DQS for the invitation to the Precision Vehicle Logistics team to be a partner of this event sponsorship."
Tickets are available for purchase via phone at 888-905-7223 or online at mispeedway.com.
The 2025 season has begun in NASCAR, with the Clash at Bowman Gray behind us, and the Daytona 500 just one week away.
With a new season comes new expectations for the drivers returning the grid.
And while all drivers head into the season hoping to win races, make the playoffs and compete for a championship, there are several drivers facing an additional amount of pressure for a variety of reasons.
Here’s my list of drivers who I see facing a bigger spotlight than the others in 2025:
1. Denny Hamlin (No. 11, Joe Gibbs Racing)
The choice for the driver under the most pressure was an easy one, and that is of course Denny Hamlin, who has several factors coming together at the same time to provide an intense spotlight on his 2025 campaign.
First off, there’s the usual pressure surrounding Denny’s quest to win his first Cup series championship. Despite 54 Cup wins (12th most wins all time), he has yet to seal the deal, and age would dictate his time left in the series is nearing its end. Even if he says he’s not worried about the Cup title, you know it’s looming in the back of his mind that his time to win one is running out.
Mt. PLEASANT, Mich. – Beard Motorsports will qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 at Daytona with driver Anthony Alfredo returning behind the wheel of the Beard Motorsports Chevrolet. The sponsor will be Fortify Building Solutions. Alfredo ran three races for Beard Motorsports in 2024 (one at Daytona, two at Talladega), with a best finish of 6th place at the spring Talladega race.
More information regarding Beard Motorsports’ plans for the 2025 NASCAR season will be announced at a later date.
Started by the late Mark Beard Sr., Beard Motorsports is owned and operated by the Beard family with Linda Beard at the helm, and her children, Amie Beard-Deja and Mark Beard Jr., overseeing the daily operations. The 2025 season is Beard Motorsports’ ninth participating in select events that make up the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and the season-opening Daytona 500 will mark the team’s seventh start in the “Great American Race” since making its debut in that event in 2017.
“It’s an honor to be talking about our ninth season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Beard-Deja, executive vice president of Beard Motorsports. “This obviously started as a passion project for my dad and has become a labor of love for our family. We put in a lot of hard work and that is evident by the product we bring to the track every time we show up. It’s a credit to the team of people that we have assembled to prepare our racecars, and it all starts with our crew chief Darren Shaw, who has been busy preparing the car for the 2025 Daytona 500.
“We are thrilled to have Anthony Alfredo back behind the wheel of the No. 62 Chevrolet and are very honored to continue the relationship we have started with Fortify Building Solutions. To have that brand continue its support of Beard Motorsports means a lot.”
AutoTechReviews is your home for In-depth reviews of the latest cars, trucks, and SUVs; information on all the emerging vehicle technology; and breaking news from the world of NASCAR and other motorsports.