Martin Truex Jr. to make Daytona 500 bid with Tricon Garage team
Truex, 44, retired from full-time racing after the 2024 season. The 2017 Cup Series champion collected 34 wins and 291 top-10 finishes across 21 years on NASCAR's top circuit.
Tricon Garage confirmed that Truex will be behind the wheel of the No. 56 Toyota sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, a longtime sponsor for the New Jersey-born driver.
"Having raced against Martin for many years, I can confidently say there's no stronger competitor I'd want behind the wheel for our first Cup Series entry at the sport's most prestigious race," team owner and former driver David Gilliland said. "As an open entry, we know the road ahead will be challenging, but I have no doubt that Martin will put us in the best position to succeed. I've had the privilege of sitting on the pole at Daytona, but my next goal is to celebrate in Victory Lane."
Truex has never won the Daytona 500 in 20 previous attempts, finishing runner-up to Denny Hamlin in 2016 by just 0.010 seconds.
In order to make the field for the Feb. 16 running of the "Great American Race," Truex will have to qualify through the Daytona Duels on Feb. 13.
Justin Allgaier to lead JR Motorsports' attempt at Daytona 500
Allgaier, 38, has 25 wins and 282 top-10 finishes in his Xfinity career.
"It's been really special," Allgaier told NASCAR.com. "To be at an organization like this and to be able to make a team debut at the Daytona 500, that's special. Obviously, we have to qualify our way in. We have a lot of work to do. It's going to be difficult. But there wouldn't be anybody that I'd rather tackle this opportunity with."
Allgaier will pilot the No. 40 during qualifying, a Chevrolet, with a title sponsor of Traveller Whiskey. Greg Ives will serve as crew chief, with JRM owners Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller collaborating with musician Chris Stapleton on the entry, a long-held goal for JRM, which has seen tremendous success on the Xfinity circuit.
"We've been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports," Earnhardt Jr. said in a press release. "With Justin winning the Xfinity Series Championship and Chris Stapleton's undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to enter this year's Daytona 500."
The group has its sights set high.
"I'm not showing up to go run 30th, right?" Allgaier said. "We're going there to try to have an opportunity to win the Daytona 500. What a story that would be if we could just go there and win."
Cody Ware returning to Cup Series with RWR's No. 51
Ware, 29, ran in nine Cup races for his father's Rick Ware Racing in 2024, recording his career-best finish with a fourth-place result at Daytona International Speedway in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in August.
He missed time from April to December in 2023 when NASCAR suspended him following an altercation with his then-girlfriend. NASCAR lifted the suspension on Dec. 12, 2023 when the assault charges were dropped after Ware and his now ex-girlfriend refused to cooperate with prosecutors.
Though the Greensboro, N.C., native never completed a full 36-race schedule, he ran in all but one Cup race in 2022 (35 starts) and all but four in 2021.
"The NASCAR Cup Series is where every driver wants to be and I'm grateful to be back full-time," Ware said Wednesday in a team statement. "I've improved as a driver and RWR has improved as a team, and this is, by far, the best opportunity I've had in NASCAR. I aim to make the most of it and earn the respect of my competitors."
Ware's first full-time campaign will start at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2, which will also be the debut of Billy Plourde as the team's crew chief.
Mike Wallace, 65, in âshockâ at NASCARâs denial of Daytona 500 attempt
The motorsports team announced earlier this month that Wallace, 65, would join them in an attempt to qualify for the season-opening Crown Jewel Feb. 16.
Had he been approved, Wallace would have been the second-oldest driver to start the race.
A NASCAR spokesperson told media outlets Monday night that Wallace has not raced on any intermediate or larger racetrack since 2015, leading to his rejection for Daytona consideration. It would also have been Wallace's first time racing in NASCAR's Next Gen car, introduced in 2022.
NASCAR did not shut the door on Wallace entering the race for 2026, but the driver expressed his "utter shock and devastation" in NASCAR's decision in a Facebook post late Monday.
Wallace wrote that he was not approved to race in the Cup, Xfinity or Truck series in 2025.
"This comes as a total shock as the President of NASCAR last week in a real phone call told me all was good and he will see me in Daytona," Wallace claimed. "I owe this posting to all my fans and non fans who were so supportive through the great messages and postings of support as they say I inspired them!"
Wallace went on to say that there were sponsors committed to MBM Motorsports and him specifically for the Daytona 500 effort.
Wallace made 197 starts in the Cup series, his last coming at the 2015 Daytona 500. He notched 14 top-10 finishes on NASCAR's top circuit but never won a Cup race.
Daytona 500 announces sellout, '26 race date
It will mark the 67th edition of the race, with the 68th already scheduled for Feb. 15, 2026. William Byron won last year's Daytona 500.
"The Daytona 500 continues to be a spectacle of elite racing and entertainment, and the consecutive sellouts just prove this event is one of a kind," Daytona International Speedway president Frank Kelleher said. "You can quite literally feel the atmosphere from the moment Speedweeks begins.
"The crowd is buzzing with excitement and every team, from the driver to the crew chief, is eager to get their season started. It all comes to a head when that green flag drops on Sunday, Feb. 16, and I can't wait to see what this year's Daytona 500 has in store for us."
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will begin with the Daytona 500 after the 2024 campaign featured 18 different race winners and three of the closest finishes in the circuit's history. Joey Logano ended up being named champion for the third time in his career.
Amazon Prime to sponsor Chase Elliott's car
The agreement with the Hendrick Motorsports is in an effort to raise awareness of Prime Video's Cup Series rights deal that begins this season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The paint scheme for Elliott's No. 9 Chevrolet will use Amazon Prime's blue and white colors, with a "NASCAR on Prime" logo reading "Streaming May 2025" placed on the rear bumper. The 29-year-old Elliott won the "Most Popular Driver" award for the seventh consecutive season in 2024.
Amazon will use is first sponsorship at Talladega on April 27. It will then skip Texas and use the final two for 2025 in mid-May at Kansas and the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro.
"We're thrilled to work with Hendrick Motorsports and Chase as we begin our NASCAR coverage in 2025," Stacey Rosenson, Amazon's director and head of U.S. sports marketing, said in a press release. "It represents an exciting extension of our new NASCAR relationship. Chase is a wildly popular, championship-winning driver, and we can't wait to see the No. 9 Prime Video team in action as we approach our streaming debut."
Amazon's five-race streaming stretch then begins at the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. Prime will also stream practice and qualifying for most of the first half of the season for races at which Fox Sports retains the rights to -- the Cook-Out Clash, Daytona 500 week and the All-Star Race.
NASCAR signed deals with four different domestic media rights partners that average $1.1 billion over the next seven years.
Report: Helio Castroneves books Daytona 500 ride with Trackhouse
A longtime open-wheel competitor, the 49-year-old Castroneves won the Indy 500 in 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021. He has familiarity with the Daytona International Speedway, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona from 2021-23 on the circuit's road course.
Trackhouse Racing has three full-time Cup Series teams with a part-time No. 91 car dubbed "Project 91." Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen drive the No. 91 car to a victory on the Chicago street course in 2023 in his NASCAR debut.
Castroneves still will have to earn his spot in the Daytona 500 field during qualifying. While 36 spots are accounted for by full-time and charter teams, additional spots are available in qualifying. A total of 42 cars qualified for the 2024 Daytona 500 field.
Castroneves is one of four drivers to win the Indy 500 four times, with A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr. also accomplishing the feat. Only Foyt and Mario Andretti have won both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500.
Stubbs: Future looks bright for Zane Smith at FRM
In one of the wildest races in the modern era of NASCAR, Joey Logano navigated five overtime restarts at Nashville and somehow had enough fuel to cross the finish line first and earn a win that eventually catapulted him to a third Cup Series championship.
The man who finished second to Logano on that summer Tennessee evening was Smith, who notched his first top-10 finish of his rookie season.
Up to that point, Smith's 2024 season with Spire Motorsports had been tumultuous. Smith and the No. 71 team had only accrued four top-20 finishes through the first 18 races of the season, though finishes of 19th at Gateway and 16th at Sonoma to begin the month of June suggested improvement was on the way.
Smith's runner-up finish at Nashville ended up spurring an incredible turnaround for the rookie driver. Once an afterthought on Sunday afternoon, the Huntington Beach, Calif., native became a fixture in the top-20 for the rest of the season. Over the season's final 18 events, Smith finished inside the top-20 10 times, with four of those being top-10 finishes. At Watkins Glen, Smith even brought home another top-five finish.
The end result of 2024 was a year in which Smith, who was last in points among full-time drivers after race 21 at Pocono, climbed up as high as 28th in points before finishing in 30th.
The bad news? Smith had been released from his development deal with Trackhouse Racing earlier in the year, and his 2025 plans were unknown.
Enter Bob Jenkins and Front Row Motorsports, who were accustomed to working with Smith. As the pilot of FRM's No. 38 Ford F-150 in the Truck Series in 2022 and 2023, Smith won six races, made two playoff appearances and won the 2022 championship.
On Thursday, one of the worst-kept secrets in the NASCAR garage became public -- Smith will return to Front Row in 2025, but this time as a Cup Series driver.
Smith will pilot the No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for the team in 2025, joining a young core of drivers who could sneak up on the competition.
Smith, 25, will join third-year driver Noah Gragson, 26, and fourth-year driver Todd Gilliland, 24, at an organization built for both the present and the future.
While Front Row's future seems extremely promising as a whole, the individual future for Smith couldn't be in a better place.
Smith has plenty of momentum behind him to carry into 2025, and working with familiar faces and a team on the up-and-up certainly won't hurt.
Smith has proved his ability to run up front and not be daunted by the moment, and his playoff experience and championship pedigree from his Truck Series tenure are invaluable assets.
As an organization, Front Row Motorsports is in a better spot than ever to provide necessary assets to young drivers looking to break into victory lane. FRM isn't a team with the capabilities to compete for a championship, but their steady strides make it seem very possible for at least one of their cars to earn a playoff spot.
It's often said that first chances are rare in racing, and second chances are rarer still.
Time will decide what Smith does with his second chance, but if he performs to his potential, there's no reason he couldn't be the man to lead Front Row Motorsports to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in 2025.
Zane Smith returns to pilot Front Row's third Cup entry
The team announced a multiyear agreement with the former Truck Series champion on Thursday.
Front Row Motorsports purchased the charter for a third vehicle from now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing.
Smith, 25, joined FRM in 2022 and captured the Truck Series championship that season, the company's first title.
He won six truck races across the 2022-23 seasons -- including Daytona both years -- and was hoping to move full-time to the Cup Series in 2024.
"Unfortunately, everyone had to make tough decisions because there were only two Cup cars available at Front Row Motorsports going into last season when I was ready," Smith said in a news release.
"Now, going into next year, Front Row has really taken their Cup program to another level and I cannot think of a better lineup of teammates. Todd (Gilliland) and Noah (Gragson) are great friends of mine and we all have a lot to prove as young drivers in the Cup Series. It is a great time to come back and continue to build my career with an organization where I know I can win."
Smith returns to FRM after spending the 2024 season driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, posting four top-10 finishes in 36 races. The rookie's best finish was a runner-up effort at Nashville on June 30.
"We want to welcome Zane back to Front Row Motorsports," team owner Bob Jenkins said in a release. "He brought us our first championship and we believe that he can win in the NASCAR Cup Series, too. We have always believed in his talents, and we will work hard to give him what he needs to be successful. We have confidence in Zane.
"This finalizes our drivers for 2025 in the Cup Series and we can now make all our teams as strong as possible. We have come a long way, but there is a lot more ground to make up, too. We now have the drivers who can build on where we are today and take us to the next level."
Smith finished 30th in the Cup Series points standings. FRM's Gilliland placed 22nd and Gragson was 24th driving for Stewart-Haas Racing.
"I want to thank Bob, Jerry (general manager, Jerry Freeze) and Mark Rushbrook at Ford for making this happen," Smith said. "I know that we can win together in the Cup Series like we did in the Truck Series. It's a great time to come back as we continue to make FRM even better."
Ryan Bergenty will serve as Smith's crew chief in 2025 after spending the past two seasons primarily with Gilliland.
Michael Jordan's 23XI team disputes NASCAR's 'tired' case
Last week, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell granted a request from 23XI and Front Row to be able to race under a pair of charters transferred from Stewart-Haas Racing.
One day later, NASCAR maintained Bell erred in his decision regarding how charter transfers work and filed an emergency motion for a partial stay of the ruling.
In a request for preliminary injunction this fall, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports sought to be recognized as chartered teams while they pursue an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.
The two racing teams refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it charter agreement presented to them in September, which the other 13 organizations racing in the Cup Series signed. 23XI and Front Row called NASCAR "monopolistic bullies" for its business practices in the suit.
They were initially denied the injunction by U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney in North Carolina, but on Dec. 11, the court announced Bell as Whitney's replacement, with no explanation as to why.
In Thursday's filings, NASCAR asserted it was "never given the opportunity" to explain issues related to charter transfers, resulting in a "misunderstanding" by Bell in his ruling.
NASCAR argued in court filings that the league will suffer irreparable harm unless a stay is granted.
This week's brief, filed by 23XI and Front Row, scoffed at that notion, while suggesting that NASCAR CEO Bill France is merely rearranging the same argument Bell ruled against.
"When a litigant does not have either the law or the facts on its side, it will pound the table," the brief said, according to the Sportico report.
The brief calls NASCAR's counter argument "tired, familiar, and shrill."
The two teams contend to the court that NASCAR president Steve Phelps "approved" the charter transfers from Stewart-Haas Racing and that Phelps has said Jordan's presence in NASCAR Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, filed a brief requesting to deny NASCAR's stay for a preliminary injunction. That injunction would block the two teams from participating as charter teams in 2025, Sportico reported.
If the stay is granted, the injunction would be sidelined until NASCAR's appeal is heard by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. If the stay is denied, 23XI and Front Row will be allowed to complete their deal with Stewart-Haas Racing.
Unless settled, the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR still is scheduled to go to trial in 12 months.
NASCAR not committing to Chicago street race past '25
"For us, we're just looking at 2025. It'll be the third year of a three-year run, and each year we've wanted to build upon the momentum that we have," NASCAR COO Steve O'Donnell told the Sports Business Journal. "We've learned things each and every year -- it's our first street race, a lot of learnings came from that."
If NASCAR does not renew the Chicago event, there has been speculation that the series could look to stage a street race in San Diego. O'Donnell did not confirm nor deny whether the series' interest in a San Diego race.
NASCAR has "a number of folks who are interested at looking at NASCAR from a street race (perspective)," he told the SBJ. "We are certainly interested in California and the Southern California market, and that will continue to be a focus for us, but nothing to confirm at this point."
Street race specialist Shane van Gisbergen won the inaugural Chicago race in 2022, while Alex Bowman won a rain-shortened Grant Park 165 last July.
O'Donnell also did not provide details on whether NASCAR has plans to eventually hold a race in Saudi Arabia, but said that interest in the series remains strong in the United States and internationally.
Saudi Arabia's planned Qiddiya entertainment mega city could target a NASCAR race for the Speed Park circuit under development that is scheduled to open in 2028.
The Cup Series will hold its first points race outside of the United States in 67 years when it visits Mexico next year.
"I wouldn't put it specifically on Saudi," said O'Donnell, adding that there has been interest from Europe and Asia, among other global markets. "We've got a finite amount of content we can bring, but I think as you look at NASCAR from an international standpoint, it'll be more around that Mexico model where we want to look to grow the overall sport and build it within the culture wherever we go.
"So we can certainly take a race from an exhibition standpoint or from a national series, but you'll see it coupled if we do go somewhere with a grassroots efforts as well."
Michael Jordanâs team: NASCAR âblaming victimsâ in antitrust squabble
Jordan, as the co-owner of 23XI Racing, is once again seeking a temporary injunction against NASCAR to let them proceed in the 2025 season as chartered teams despite not signing a charter.
In a request for preliminary injunction this fall, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports sought to be recognized as chartered teams while they pursue an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The two racing teams refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it charter agreement presented to them in September, which the other 13 organizations racing in the Cup Series signed. 23XI and Front Row called NASCAR "monopolistic bullies" for its business practices in the suit.
They were initially denied the injunction by U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney in North Carolina. On Wednesday, the court announced Whitney was no longer assigned to the case, replaced by Judge Kenneth D. Bell, with no explanation as to why.
Come Thursday, 23XI and Front Row wrote in a new court filing that NASCAR is "blaming victims for asserting their antitrust rights."
Further, Front Row general manager Jerry Freeze asserted in an affidavit that NASCAR said it would reject their purchase of a new charter to expand to three full-time cars unless the teams dropped their lawsuit.
Freeze said he had signed an agreement with NASCAR on purchasing a new charter in April that NASCAR only began objecting to in December.
23XI and Front Row can compete in NASCAR next year as open teams, but without chartered protection, they aren't guaranteed entry to certain races nor will they receive the benefits of revenue sharing. The teams argue that their businesses may lose sponsors and fans as a result, but NASCAR has countered that that was merely speculative.
NASCAR has urged the court to deny the motion for an injunction. NASCAR previously filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the antitrust suit altogether. NASCAR and chairman Jim France are the defendants in the case.
Chris Lawson returning as Todd Gilliland's crew chief
They previously partnered up in the ARCA Menards Series West, winning consecutive championships from 2016-17.
Lawson, 39, also worked for Front Row Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series before moving to Rick Ware Racing in 2024.
Gilliland, 24, finished 22nd in the Cup Series standings in 2024 after recording four top-10 finishes in 37 starts in Front Row Motorsports' No. 38 Ford.
It was previously announced that Gilliland would be moving to the No. 34 in 2025, replacing Michael McDowell.
Daytona 500 schedule to include extra Cup Series practice
The extra session will take place on the morning of Feb. 12, kicking off the activities ahead of the 67th running of the "Great American Race" on Feb. 16.
Cup Series director Brad Moran said the additional practice period will give rookies and new team/driver combos more time for on-track orientation.
"With the Daytona 500 being the biggest race of the NASCAR season and our first race, we felt that the extra practice would be good," Moran said in a news release Thursday. "We have new drivers coming up that are going to be running Cup full-time as well as some drivers who might just show up to run the Daytona 500. It's a good opportunity to get out on the track, get some track time, shake the cars down prior to qualifying that night, a little more content for the fans and just to get us set up for a great week of racing with everything going on. It's just going to set the tone for the entire week."
The complete 2025 Daytona Speedweek schedule (all times ET):
Wednesday, Feb. 12:
10:05-10:55 a.m. -- Cup Series opening practice
Noon-7 p.m. -- Daytona 500 Media Day
8:15 p.m. -- Cup Series pole qualifying
Thursday, Feb. 13:
4:05-4:55 p.m. -- ARCA Menards Series practice
5:05-5:55 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series practice
7 p.m. -- Cup Series: Duel 1 qualifying race (60 laps, 150 miles)
8:45 p.m. (approx.) -- Cup Series: Duel 2 qualifying race (60 laps, 150 miles)
Friday, Feb. 14:
1:30-2:15 p.m. -- ARCA Menards Series qualifying
3 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series qualifying
4:35-5:25 p.m. -- Xfinity Series practice
5:35-6:25 p.m. -- Cup Series second practice
7:30 p.m. -- Craftsman Truck Series race: Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps, 250 miles)
Saturday, Feb. 15:
10 a.m. -- Xfinity Series qualifying
Noon -- ARCA Menards Series race (80 laps, 200 miles)
3:05-3:55 p.m. -- Cup Series final practice
5 p.m. -- Xfinity Series race: United Rentals 300 (120 laps, 300 miles)
Sunday, Feb. 16:
2:30 p.m. -- Cup Series race: 67th Daytona 500 (200 laps, 500 miles)
NASCAR files motion to dismiss lawsuit by Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing
23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports joined together to file the suit on Oct. 2. NASCAR and chairman Jim France are the defendants in the case.
"Plaintiffs' Complaint is a misguided attempt to dress up private business frustrations in antitrust garb," NASCAR's motion states. "Plaintiffs' bring claims barred by the statute of limitations and laches; they fail to plead any reduction in competition, meaning they do not have the required antitrust injury to establish antitrust standing; and they aim to renegotiate contractual terms rather than address anticompetitive behavior. Plaintiffs' claims should be dismissed."
NASCAR gave four key reasons why the motion should be tossed.
It first noted that "most of the Plaintiffs' claims are time-barred by the statute of limitations and laches because they concern conduct that occurred more than four years ago." All claims coming from Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing were focused on actions that NASCAR took no later than 2020.
Secondly, NASCAR emphasized the fact that the plaintiffs were the only two teams to not sign the 2025 charter agreement, therefore preventing them from being challenged by the terms they disagree with. Per the defendants, if Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing really wanted to, they could race anywhere or begin their own league with no NASCAR provisions holding them down.
NASCAR also claims that Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing have a "legally deficient" view of the proposed market because they've been analyzing it post-investment instead of pre-investment.
Finally, NASCAR mentioned that it hasn't done anything to exclude the two plaintiffs -- the organization maintains it did not ignore Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing, both of which NASCAR contends haven't been able to prove that competition has been reduced by charter provisions.
Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing must respond to NASCAR's motion by Dec. 16.
Chase Elliott wins NASCAR's Most Popular Driver again
Honored Friday night during the NASCAR Awards celebration at the Charlotte Convention Center, Elliott amassed 266,363 votes in competition for the only major NASCAR award determined solely by race fans.
A driver representing Hendrick Motorsports has won the award for 17 straight years, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. earning the distinction from 2008-2017 and Elliott taking home the trophy ever since.
In fact, in the past 40 years, only one driver not named Elliott or Earnhardt has earned the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award. That was Darrell Waltrip in 1989 and 1990.
Bill Elliott, Chase's father, claimed the award a record 16 times; Earnhardt Jr. 15 times, all consecutive; Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 2001, posthumously; and Chase Elliott, now seven times.
For Chase, the obligation inherent in winning the award extends to his family and its legacy.
"They laid the foundation for me to be here and to have some of the opportunities I've had throughout my career," he said. "I look at it from that perspective more than anything.
"I'm certainly grateful for the fans across the board. They've been great to me throughout my career. I've had the fortunate experience of seeing all that and living that first-hand. It means a lot to me. I'll never take that for granted. I certainly want to try to make those people proud as we move into next year and beyond."
Kyle Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and Elliott's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, was runner-up in the voting, as he expected.
Team Penske's Ryan Blaney, the 2023 series champion, was third in the Cup Series voting.
Newly crowned champion Justin Allgaier won the Most Popular Driver Award in the Xfinity Series for the fifth time, giving JR Motorsports its 13th straight such recognition among six drivers -- Allgaier, Danica Patrick, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler and Noah Gragson.
Rajah Caruth won his first Most Popular Driver Award in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Driving for Spire Motorsports, Caruth became the third Black driver to win a NASCAR national series race when he triumphed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
Earlier on Friday, NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano began the afternoon celebrating his third title with a special solid gold car given to each year's champion from Goodyear and then later finally being feted by the sport at the tuxedo-and-gown banquet.
The 34-year old's three titles in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford are now most among all active drivers and he is one of only 10 competitors in the history of the sport to have ever earned a trio of championship trophies.
Logano thanked his team, his team owner Roger Penske and the father of three gave a special nod to his wife Brittany, whom he praised for taking care of their young family and home -- allowing him to maintain championship focus.
He thanked his family members, who were also in the audience, "remembering when I was a kid and got a go-kart for Christmas and now I'm sitting here a three-time Cup champion, it's just truly incredible."
The NASCAR Xfinity Series and its first-time champion, JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier, along with Craftsman Truck Series first-time champion Ty Majeski and his ThorSport Raing team were celebrated.
Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series champion Greg Biffle was recognized as the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers Award winner. Biffle, an avid pilot, flew rescue missions and dropped supplies to the residents in Western North Carolina following the devastating damage from Hurricane Helene in October.
"I thought, if I didn't go, who's going to go," said Biffle, who said he received 12,000 messages for help and flew supplies into the area for 14 consecutive days after the storm hit.
"I didn't do anything any different than anyone in this room would have," a humble Biffle added.
In other awards presented on the night, David Wilson, the long-time president of Toyota Racing Development (TRD) was presented the Bill France Award of Excellence for his contributions to the sport. Wilson is retiring after leading the Toyota racing effort in NASCAR for 30 years -- a tenure that included Toyota's first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2015 and two more in 2017 and 2019.
Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones was named the Comcast Community Champion Award winner for his work in promoting cancer screenings, raising money for breast cancer patients and longtime literacy advocacy, reading books to school children as he travels around the country racing.
The NASCAR Foundation formally announced Judy Simmons, of Axton, Va., as the 2024 winner of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Simmons received a $100,000 donation from The NASCAR Foundation to her God's Pit Crew non-profit organization, which provides disaster relief help to families.
Brad Keselowski reunites with crew chief Jeremy Bullins
Bullins guided Keselowski's No. 2 Team Penske team to five wins, 23 top-five and 41 top-10 finishes during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Keselowski finished second in the championship standings in 2020.
"I'm excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with BK again, this time in the iconic No. 6 car with RFK," Bullins said in a team release. "We were able to accomplish a lot as a team previously, but we had a couple of unfinished goals, like a Daytona 500 win and a championship together, and I'm ecstatic we get the opportunity to compete together again.
"From the outside looking in, it's been obvious the trajectory RFK is on, and I look forward to being part of the growth and future success of the team."
Bullins was the crew chief for Harrison Burton's No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford for 34 races during the 2024 season, as well as the final 10 of the 2023 season.
He replaces Matt McCall, who partnered with Keselowski for 17 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes in addition to a win at Darlington this May.
Keselowski, 40, is entering his 16th season as a full-time driver in the Cup Series. It will be his fourth season with RFK Racing, the team he co-owns with Jack Roush and the Fenway Sports Group's John W. Henry.
Keselowski was the 2012 Cup Series champion and ranks third among active drivers with 36 career Cup wins. He has made the NASCAR Playoffs 12 times.
Stubbs: 23XI's driver choice shows sponsorships trump talent
Heim has been a championship contender -- and arguably the best driver in the series -- in his two years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with TRICON Garage. Heim won six races in 2024 alone, and advanced to the Championship 4 for the second consecutive season.
While Herbst has put up solid numbers during his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a best points finish of seventh and just three wins over five full-time seasons don't come close to matching Heim's numbers.
Heim's ceiling seems to be much higher than Herbst's, and at 22 years old compared to the 25-year-old Herbst, Heim has more potential to grow as a young driver.
You might find it surprising, then, that when 23XI announced the driver of their third car on Wednesday, it was Herbst that was tapped for the job.
The reason comes in the form of green rectangles.
No disrespect is meant toward Herbst, but it's no secret that his family's business relationships have played a big part in furthering his career. When put up against Heim, the numbers just don't add up from a statistical standpoint -- but the figures in the bank do.
Herbst's longtime sponsor in Monster Energy -- a company that's been tied to 23XI since 2022 -- will join him, sponsoring his No. 35 Toyota Camry XSE during his first Cup Series campaign.
There's an old saying that perfectly encapsulates the situation 23XI found itself in: Money talks and, well, you know the rest.
It's not Herbst's fault that 23XI's decision boiled down the sponsorship dollars -- an asset Heim doesn't bring to the same degree. The business model of NASCAR and its teams has always been dependent on sponsors. It was reportedly a lack of funding that led to Anthony Alfredo leaving Our Motorsports at the end of this season, and it was funding that led the team to sign Kris Wright on Wednesday morning.
If a blue-chip prospect such as Heim exhibits extraordinary talent but doesn't bring sponsorship dollars to the team, their chances of getting the ride over a relatively ordinary prospect who brings plenty of funding to the table is very slim.
It's a model of finding drivers who bring the most money rather than finding the best driver.
That's exactly the situation Heim finds himself in now. Herbst was considered a very talented prospect who might find himself a Cup Series ride with a lower-level team. If that didn't pan out, he could've stayed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
While Heim toils in the Truck Series for another season, Herbst will have a chance to prove his critics wrong and quell doubts that he doesn't have what it takes to be successful in the Cup Series. If his rookie season doesn't produce results, however, don't be shocked if 23XI bites the financial bullet and gives Heim his shot.
Stubbs: RFK gives Ryan Preece best (final?) shot at success
Ryan Preece has thrown the aforementioned proverb to the wayside.
On Tuesday, RFK Racing announced that Preece will be the pilot of the organization's third NASCAR Cup Series entry in 2025, marking Preece's third Cup Series team in five years.
It's a welcome opportunity for the 34-year-old from Berlin, Conn., whose previous team in Stewart-Haas Racing shut down at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Preece's career has been marred by constant criticisms and the narrative that the short track ace doesn't have what it takes to compete in the Cup Series. After making his Cup Series debut at his home track of New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2015, Preece waited until 2019 for his first full-time opportunity at NASCAR's highest level.
Preece teamed up with JTG-Daugherty Racing and Kroger -- who ironically, was announced as a new primary sponsor of RFK alongside Preece's signing on Tuesday -- and remained with the team through the end of 2021. In 2021, however, Preece's No. 37 was an unchartered entry, quickly becoming a money pit for the organization.
Just like that, Preece was back to square one.
Soon, a hero emerged in the form of three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, who chose Preece to drive the No. 41 at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2023. Preece remained with the team in 2024, but in May, it was announced that SHR would shut its doors after the season came to a close.
For the second time in three years, Preece was left looking for opportunities.
Just like his Stewart-Haas teammates, though, Preece's talent was noticed. As Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Chase Briscoe were signed to the Wood Brothers, Front Row Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, respectively, talks were underway to bring back RFK Racing's third Cup Series entry for 2025, with Preece behind the wheel.
Preece's signing marks a fresh start for both driver and team, and puts a feather in the cap of co-owner Brad Keselowski. Preece marks the first full-time driver signing RFK has made since Keselowski became a co-owner of RFK in 2022.
Preece's results in the Cup Series so far can't be sugar coated. During his tenure with both JTG-Daugherty and Stewart-Haas, he failed to win or make the playoffs. In five full-time seasons, he only has 14 top-10 finishes.
In his defense, however, JTG-Daugherty was still an organization trying to find stability after the departure of AJ Allmendinger. By the time 2023 rolled around, Stewart-Haas was long removed from their success in 2020, and in 2024 the team's employees were focused on finding work for the future.
RFK Racing will be the most stable situation Preece has walked into during his Cup Series career. It's an organization on the rise, and a team coming off of five wins and four playoff appearances between its two cars over the last two seasons.
Preece doesn't have any excuses to put forth mediocre results at RFK, but if he performs to his potential, that won't be a problem.
Ryan Preece joins RFK Racing in Cup Series in 2025
Preece will join co-owner/driver Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher in the team's three-car lineup.
"Having a third team gives us another shot at the win on any given weekend," Keselowski said over Zoom. "It's a great opportunity for us at RFK. Our goal is to be an elite organization, I would say a world-class organization, and to do that in NASCAR, you've got to win races. The more teams you have, the better that opportunity is to elevate all the programs."
Preece, 34, joins RFK on the heels of Stewart-Haas Racing closing its operations following this season.
"It's (an opportunity) that I'm really eager and excited for," Preece said. "It's somewhere that these guys had speed last year. I mean, you look at how many weeks in a row that Brad and Chris finished top two or top three and had some extremely good stats and found Victory Lane.
"So for me, it's a great opportunity, one that's filled with pressure. But I think if you've looked at my career in those pressure-type situations, I've succeeded. I'm grateful for the opportunity."
Preece is still looking for his first win in the Cup Series but has two each in the Xfinity Series and Truck Series.
