NASCAR Extends Invitation to Alonso for Daytona 500

Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso announced his retirement from Formula 1 on Tuesday. Almost immediately, a few racing series sprang forward to rope in the Spaniard. One of these series was stock car series, NASCAR. The American championship even extended an invitation for him to race in the 2019 Daytona 500.

The 37-year-old Spaniard skipped last season’s Monaco Grand Prix to race in the Indianapolis 500. It turned out that it was the first IndyCar race of his career. Now, he has been invited to compete in the Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway oval in Florida.

Alonso stated that “new exciting challenges are around the corner” and that he needs to ‘exploring new adventures”, Now, NASCAR has an idea about being a part of those “challenges” and adventures”.

There has been a lot of speculation ever since last year’s Indy 500 that Alonso would return to the Indy 500. He could also compete full-time in IndyCar.

The odds of Alonso competing in next year’s are not that high. But now, he has an open invitation from the sport itself to compete.

Alonso, whose career Formula 1 victory and podium totals of 32 and 97, respectively, are tied for sixth place on their respective all-time lists, has had success throughout his entire career in pretty much every series that he has driven in, so he may very well take advantage of this opportunity and accept this invitation if he has any aspirations whatsoever of competing in the Daytona 500.

Alonso is currently in his first season driving in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and he has won both of the races in which he has competed so far, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In fact, as a result of Alonso’s victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he is one Indy 500 win away from becoming just the second driver to win all three races of the Triple Crown of Motorsport at least once, as he is also a two-time Monaco Grand Prix winner. The only driver who has won all three races at least once is the late Graham Hill.

While the Daytona 500 is not included in the Triple Crown of Motorsport, a win in it would certainly look good on Alonso’s racing résumé.