This Daytona 500 has a throwback feel
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Among the drivers trying to win this year’s Daytona 500 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 starting front row is the youngest in the race’s history, and it will be William Byron — a 21-year-old Liberty University student who had his wisdom teeth removed in the offseason — leading the field to the green flag in today’s showcase race to kick off the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season. The pole-sitter will be joined up front by Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman, 25.
The overall look of the nation’s top racing series has undergone a transformation the past few seasons, and proof is plastered on Corey LaJoie’s car. The likeness of his bearded face is stretched across the hood, front bumper and fenders of the GO FAS Racing No. 32 Ford Mustang, which easily makes LaJoie the most recognizable driver among the eight who are in “The Great American Race” for the first time.
“He looks like he’s going to eat you every lap,” quipped 39-year-old Clint Bowyer, who is in his 14th Daytona 500.
LaJoie’s paint scheme for his low-budget team is courtesy of sponsor Old Spice, which chose this spotlight event to promote its dry shampoo. Manscaped.com bought the space on the back of Landon Cassill’s car, and Bubba Wallace signed with Aftershokz headphones for the race. After Casey Mears made the field — his first Cup Series race in two years — skateboard rims manufacturer Rim Ryderz joined his program.
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 Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip. All of those drivers are now retired, taking name recognition and established brands with them.
Some of the big-money sponsors in that race included 5-Hour Energy, Dollar General, GoDaddy, Lowe’s and Target. All have since pulled out of NASCAR.
What remains is a newlook NASCAR that nonetheless has a throwback feel.
The Daytona 500 was built on the premise that if a budding driver or team owner could scrape together the funds to field a car, they could bring it down to the beach and try to make the big show. As the sport exploded past its Southern origins, it became nearly impossible for a new driver to claw his way into a ride.
But change has created opportunity — and even second and third chances — for Ross Chastain. The eighth-generation watermelon farmer impressed a sponsor with his work ethic and landed a career-changing ride with unexpected funding. Federal agents raided the sponsor just before Christmas, but Chastain still managed to get a seat for his first Daytona 500.
Ryan Preece bounced back and forth between NASCAR and New England short tracks before finally gambling on his future. He settled for a part-time job with a competitive team, JTG Daugherty Racing because he believed he could show his true talent if given the right equipment. Now he’s a Daytona 500 rookie.
So is Matt Tifft, who has competed in NASCAR’s lower-tier national series in the past and learned he had a brain tumor four races into his 2016 season.
Parker Kligerman, a part-time racer whose day job is with NBC Sports, drove his way into his second Daytona 500.
“Watching this race last year, I literally thought I’d never drive a Cup car again, never have another chance in the Daytona 500,” Kligerman said. “I’m doing TV full-time. It just didn’t seem like I was really getting anyone’s attention. For whatever reason, I just couldn’t find the right opportunity, couldn’t find a sponsor.”
“I went off and did the TV thing. You’ve seen drivers do that before, where they do something to up their profile, then they get back in a ride. It kind of feels like it’s finally all starting to work.”
While NASCAR has faced challenges with declining attendance and TV ratings in recent years, the Daytona 500 is a sellout for the fourth consecutive year. Daytona International Speedway announced Saturday that all reserved grandstand seats have been purchased for the 61st running of the race.