Daytona
Overview
Event: United Rentals 300
Date: Saturday February 17, 2024
Time: 5:00 p.m. eastern
Location: Daytona International Speedway
Layout: 2.5 mile tri-oval
Laps: 120
Miles: 300 miles
Stage Lengths: 30/60/120 LAPS
TV: FS1
Radio: Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN. For the station near you, click here.
Race notes:
"I can’t wait to get this season going," says Parker Kligerman. “I know that gets said a lot, but considering how good we were in the second half of the year, I just feel excited to get a whole season to be at that level. There were so many places that we were so much better in the last part of 2023, in the off season I can feel where we improved and we were able to refine more.
I think there are many reasons to be optimistic about 2024 and what we’re bringing with our Big Machine Racing Spiked Light Coolers Chevy to the race tracks. We start off at Daytona, which is a huge one for us. Last year we were able to qualify really well for both races, ran really well. We were a threat to win the Summer race. If we can build on that and I can bring the intensity that I brought in that one- a high intensity level from lap 1 to the end- we’re going to have a shot at it. Our goal is to go there and get max points, lead and win both stages, then win the race.
To have Atlanta right after is awesome. Back-to-back Super Speedways, where we’ve been so strong. Patrick Donahue and the whole team have worked very hard in the off season. As I said, we’ve been able to refine so many things from last year. It gives me optimism that what we’ve been working on, we will see the fruits of of our labor this season. If we just improve a small amount from last year’s second half, we’ll have checkered flags and trophies in our future.
Thank you to Scott and Sandi Borchetta for this opportunity once again. It’s an honor driving for this team and I can’t wait to reward their belief with a BIG year for Big Machine Racing. Ready to get going! Let’s go get it…."
NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action at Daytona
The wait is finally over! The NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers are well-rested and ready to kick off the 2024 season at Daytona International Speedway with the United Rentals 300 on Saturday, February 17 at 5 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
This season marks the 65th running of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the 2.5-mile Daytona track. The previous 64 races have produced 37 different race winners and 43 different pole winners. Only six races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Austin Hill in 2023.
Let’s take a look at who currently holds records in the Xfinity Serie at Daytona heading into the weekend:
Race record: Geoff Bodine – 157.137 mph (2/16/1985)
Qualifying record: Tommy Houston – 194.389 mph (2/14/1987)
Most races: Joe Nemechek – 37
Most poles: Joe Nemechek – 5
Most wins: Dale Earnhardt and Tony Stewart – 7
Most top fives: Kevin Harvick – 12
Most top 10s: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick – 14
Laps led: Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 560
Drivers will start their engines for practice on Friday, Feb. 16 at 4:35 p.m. ET followed by qualifying on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Austin Hill: A triple threat?
Twenty-nine-year-old Austin Hill won the season-opener in Daytona in 2022 during his rookie season, came back in 2023 to win it again, and now has the opportunity to join an exclusive list of drivers who have won the Daytona season-opening race for three or more consecutive years; joining NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt – (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993) and Tony Stewart (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). Hill heads into the 2024 season after a stellar 2023 season where he posted four wins (Daytona -1, Las Vegas -1, Atlanta -1, Pocono), 16 top fives and 24 top 10s. He ultimately finished the season fifth in the championship standings – his best finish in the final points to date.
Dominating in Daytona: Superspeedway ringers
Conquering the high speeds at Daytona International Speedway is no easy feat, but there are three drivers entered in this weekend’s United Rentals 300 who have learned to ride the high banks in style to Victory Lane.
Justin Allgaier is the most recent winner at Daytona International Speedway. The veteran driver has made 26 starts at the 2.5-mile track, posting one win (2023), eight top fives and 12 top 10s.
Austin Hill comes into the weekend hoping for a three-peat. He’s posted two wins (2022, 2023) in his five Daytona starts.
Jeremy Clements snagged his Daytona victory in the wild 2022 summer race. In his 27 starts, he’s posted one win, one top five and three top 10s.
In addition, eight drivers have multiple top-five finishes at Daytona in the Xfinity Series, led by Justin Allgaier with eight top fives, followed by AJ Allmendinger with four, Ryan Sieg and Jeb Burton each have three, Riley Herbst, Austin Hill, Brandon Jones, and Parker Kligerman each have two.
Multiple female competitors to attempt Xfinity race for first time since 2016
Not since 2016 when Claire and Paige Decker attempted to qualify for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway has multiple female competitors attempted to race in a Xfinity Series event. The last time a NASCAR Xfinity Series race had multiple female competitors qualify and compete in the race was in 2014 at Kansas Speedway, when Jennifer Jo Cobb and Milka Duno competed in the event.
This weekend, two women will attempt to start the United Rentals 300 – Hailie Deegan and Natalie Decker. Hailie Deegan, who is entering her rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will be making her Xfinity Series Daytona debut this weekend. She has made three starts at the 2.5-track in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with a best-finish of 17th in 2021.
Natalie Decker will be looking for redemption behind the wheel of the No. 36 Chevrolet for her second Xfinity Series attempt at Daytona International Speedway. Her first start at the track was in last season’s Daytona summer race where she fell victim to a crash and finished 35th.
New year, new Sunoco Rookie of the Year class
Last season, Sammy Smith beat his competitors and was crowned the 2023 Sunoco Rookie of the Year. This season, we have five drivers competing for the 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
Jesse Love: Nineteen-year-old Love will be behind the wheel of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. He comes to the Xfinity Series after winning the 2023 ARCA Menards Series title. He will be making his debut in the series this weekend at Daytona.
Dawson Cram: Twenty-two-year-old Cram will be driving the No. 4 Chevrolet. He’s made 12 Xfinity Series starts from 2021-2023. He’ll be making his debut at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.
Shane Van Gisbergen: Thirty-four-year-old van Gisbergen, who took NASCAR by storm by winning the inaugural Chicago Street Race in his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race, will be back full-time in the Xfinity Series driving the No. 10 Chevrolet. He will make his debut in the Xfinity Series this weekend in Daytona.
Hailie Deegan: Twenty-two-year-old Deegan is joining AM Racing behind the wheel of the No. 15. She has made one start in the Xfinity Series, where she posted a 13th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2022.
Leland Honeyman Jr: Eighteen-year-old Honeyman will be behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet. He has made eight starts in the Xfinity Series, all in 2023. He will be making his debut at Daytona on Saturday.
Frankie Muniz to attempt first Xfinity Series start in Daytona – Actor Frankie Muniz, who ran a fulltime ARCA Menards Series season last year and posted one top five and 11 top 10s, will be attempting to make his first NASCAR national series start this weekend. He will be joining behind the wheel of the No. 35 Chevrolet, and will be working with crew chief Wayne Carroll Jr.
In Muniz’s only ARCA start at Daytona, he started 16th and finished 11th.
Xfinity Dash 4 Cash returns in 2024 with more big checks – The NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash program was designed to add elements of unpredictability and drama leading up to and during four designated races, increase on-track competition, engage fans, and reward/recognize NASCAR Xfinity Series regular competitors.
The race at Richmond Raceway on March 30 will serve as a qualifier, setting the four-driver field eligible for the Dash 4 Cash opener. The rest of this year’s Dash 4 Cash schedule:
April 6: Martinsville Speedway
April 13: Texas Motor Speedway
April 20: Talladega Superspeedway
April 27: Dover Motor Speedway
Last season, three drivers banked the big Xfinity Dash 4 Cash checks – Cole Custer won the Dash 4 Cash at Talladega and Dover, Justin Allgaier pocketed the cash at Richmond and John Hunter Nemechek hoisted the big check at Martinsville.