Nonchartered Daytona 500 entries ranked

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is just a little over two weeks away from its official kick-off when 45 cars head to Daytona to try to win the Great American Race.

Of the entries into the race, 36 of them have charters which qualifies them into every race for the season. That means nine drivers will be fighting for five spots to make the field for the race.

The last part-time entry to win the 500 was Trevor Bayne in 2011 so let's rank the nonchartered teams to see who has the best shot at winning the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

9. Live Fast Motorsports: No. 78, BJ McLeod

After failing to qualify for the race last year, McLeod and Live Fast Motorsports are back for redemption.

The same result is possible as the team seems to perform better in the summer race at the track with three top-20 finishes in the last four years.

8. NY Racing Team: No. 44, J.J. Yeley

Another driver and car combination that did not make the race last year and is looking to try again.

NY Racing likes to bring in veteran drivers to pilot their equipment but it has not worked too well over the years and it is hard to see things changing this year.

7. Beard Motorsports: No. 62, Anthony Alfredo

Alfredo only ran one full-time season back in 2021 and Talladega has been his best track but Daytona has not been good.

Despite that, he did qualify for the 500 last year with this team but it will be a lot tougher for him to qualify with better competition this year. Alfredo could still end up making the main field though.

6. MBM Motorsports: No. 66, Chandler Smith

Smith is an up-and-comer who had three top-20 finishes in the four races he attempted last year.

The fourth race?

He failed to qualify for the Daytona 500.

But it was first race he ever attempted at the cup level so he will have some more experience this time around so it will be interesting to see if that translates to greater success this year.

5. Rick Ware Racing: No. 01, Corey LaJoie

LaJoie may have lost his ride with Spire and ended up at Rick Ware Racing, but the Daytona 500 is one of the best events on the schedule.

Since 2019, he has finished in the top 20 in the 500 and last year he had his best finish when he crossed the line fourth.

He also has experience in subpar equipment and has done well with what he is given so even though he is racing for RWR, he could definitely continue his hot streak in this race.

4. Legacy Motor Club: No. 84, Jimmie Johnson

The new majority owner of Legacy Motor Club has the challenge of getting the famous number 43 back to prominence.

The equipment that Johnson has been dealing with has not been close to his days at Hendrick as his previous two starts in the 500 saw finishes of 31st and 28th. So while he may be fast enough to make the race like the last two years, it will be a long shot if he ends up taking his third Daytona 500 title.

3. Trackhouse Racing: No. 91, Hélio Castroneves

Thanks to NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional, Castroneves will not have to worry about making the race because he is already locked in. The rule allows any notable driver outside of the sport to be allowed to race in a special 41st spot if they fail to qualify on speed.

But Castroneves may not need the rule to qualify as he will be the fourth entry for Trackhouse Racing driving their Project 91 car.

Trackhouse has been on the rise since starting out in 2021 as a one-car operation. They now field three full-time entries which means that Castroneves should be in good equipment for this race.

Of course for someone with a decorated racing career like his, who knows if he needs the best equipment to do well in a stock car.

2. JR Motorsports: No. 40, Justin Allgaier

After years of speculation and wondering when JR Motorsports is going racing at the cup level. And who better to put in the car than defending Xfinity Series Champion Justin Allgaier?

But this entry will not be in subpar equipment. With a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, he will be using one of their engines which had won nine straight pole awards for the Daytona 500 up until last year.

Allgaier also filled in for HMS driver Kyle Larson for the 600 mile race at Charlotte last year and finished 13th so he has a good shot at racing on Sunday.

1. Tricon Garage: No. 56, Martin Truex Jr.

Truex is making one more at a Daytona 500 win that has eluded him for 21 years.

And he has got some factors going his way to potentially win him that trophy. TRICON Garage may be making its first-ever cup start as a group but it will be backed by Truex’s former team Joe Gibbs Racing.

Cole Pearn also returns atop the pit box for Truex reigniting a duo that won 24 races and a championship when they were together.

To add to the nostalgia, Truex will be driving the 56 again which is a throwback to his days at Michael Waltrip Racing. Bass Pro Shops also hops on board as the primary sponsor as they have for much of his career as well to try to get Truex one last victorious send-off to his career.

Chase Fisher is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email ctf5198@psu.edu.