Fresh faces and new sponsors give Daytona 500 throwback feel

Among those trying to win the Daytona 500 this year are a Florida watermelon farmer, a short-track champion from New England, a television analyst and a 22-year-old whose career nearly was derailed by a brain tumor.

The front row is the youngest in Daytona 500 history and it will be William Byron, a Liberty University student who had his wisdom teeth removed in the offseason, leading the field to green to kick off the NASCAR season.

The overall look of the nation’s top series has undergone a transformation and proof is plastered on the hood of Corey LaJoie’s car. His full facial-haired face adorns his Mustang, which easily makes him the most recognizable driver among the eight Daytona 500 rookies.

“He looks like he’s going to eat you every lap,” quipped Clint Bowyer.

This Daytona 500 is unlike any in recent memory and truly highlights the dramatic loss of star power from just four years ago. The 2015 race featured Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip and Danica Patrick. All are now retired.

Some of the big-money sponsors in that race included Lowe’s, Target, Dollar General, GoDaddy and 5-Hour Energy. All have since pulled out of NASCAR.

What remains is a newlook NASCAR that nonetheless has a throwback feel.

NASCAR was built on the premise that if a budding driver or team owner could scrape together the funds, they could come down to the beach and try to make the big show. As the sport exploded, it became nearly impossible for a new driver to claw his way into a ride.

But change has created opportunity — even second and third chances for a guy like Ross Chastain. The eighthgeneration watermelon farmer impressed a sponsor with his work ethic and landed a career-changing ride.

Ryan Preece bounced back and forth between NASCAR and New England short tracks before finally gambling on his future. He settled for a parttime job with a competitive team because he believed he could show his true talent with the right equipment. Now he’s a Daytona 500 rookie.

Same with Matt Tifft, who learned he had a brain tumor four races into his 2016 season. Parker Kligerman, a part-time racer and full-time television personality, raced his way into his second 500.

“Watching this race last year, I literally thought I’d never drive a Cup car again ...,” Kligerman said. “I went off and did the TV thing. You’ve seen drivers do that before, where they do something to up their profile ... It kind of feels like it’s finally all starting to work.”