DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Forty-four drivers and teams have filed entries for the 63rd running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona Int’l Speedway this Sunday.
The entry list was revealed Monday and is among the strongest entry lists for the Great American Race in the last few seasons.
Of the 44 teams entered, 36 are guaranteed to start the race via the Charter system, leaving eight teams to battle for four open spots during Daytona 500 qualifying on Wednesday and the Duel races on Thursday.
Featured among the 44 entries are eight previous Daytona 500 winners, including defending and three-time race winner Denny Hamlin. Other Daytona 500 winners on the entry list include Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray and Derrike Cope.
The eight drivers and teams who must qualify either via time trials or via the Duel qualifying races are the No. 13 MBM Motorsports Ford of Garrett Smithley, the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet of Kaz Grala, the No. 33 Team Penske Ford of Austin Cindric, the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford of David Ragan, the No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet of Ryan Preece, the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet of Noah Gragson, the No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford of Timmy Hill and the No. 96 Gaunt Brothers Racing Toyota of Ty Dillon.
Two of the aforementioned drivers will qualify for Sunday’s Daytona 500 based on their qualifying times on Wednesday. The other two drivers will earn their spots in the Daytona 500 being the highest finishing non-charter driver in each Duel race on Thursday.
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