Garage 66 didn’t get quite the fresh start they were looking for. Formerly known as MBM Motorsports, the NASCAR team had high hopes for the 2025 Daytona 500. After plans to get a veteran driver back into the Cup Series met a dead end, they chose to go with Truck Series driver Chandler Smith instead. However, events leading up to the ‘The Great American Race’ didn’t go according to plan as the 22-year-old finished 42nd in qualifying and 20th in Duel 1, eliminating hopes of competing in the season-opener.

However, things got worse. Much worse. Driving the No. 66 Ford, Smith lost control and hit the outside wall headfirst at Daytona International Speedway, causing significant damage to the vehicle. It was a bitter blow to the team, who will be forced to write off the car because of the incident.

A disastrous start for Garage 66

Excitement was high in the months leading up to the Daytona 500. After all, veteran racer Mike Wallace was expected to make a sensational comeback at ‘The Great American Race’, only for NASCAR to refuse at the last moment. The sanctioning body justified its decision by saying that the 65-year-old had not competed in a Cup Series race since 2015, while his last stock car racing appearance in either one of the three national series was in 2020. Believing that a jump to the season-opener might be a step too big, the sport’s hierarchy put their foot down, forcing MBM Motorsports/Garage 66 to scramble in search of an alternate driver and find Chandler Smith.

However, the decision didn’t pay off. After a lackluster performance in qualifying, Chandler Smith failed to capitalize on the opportunity in Duel 1 as well, resulting in Garage 66 failing to qualify in its very first race. To make matters worse, the No. 66 Ford had a horrific crash at Daytona International Speedway after Justin Haley’s No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevy made contact with his left rear. After a brief assessment, the car was decommissioned, as replacing the parts damaged by the crash would cost $100,000.

Sharing his thoughts about the wreck, Carl Long, owner of the newly rebranded Garage 66 said, “After stripping chassis 385 down to nothing, It has been decommissioned, non repairable! The front clip was killed also. This crash will cost us over 100k in parts to put back together. Not the best way to start the year….. but we did start!!” The team has become leaner since transitioning from MBM Motorsports in a bid to save money, but an expensive wreck in the very first race was the last thing they needed in the present circumstances.

Earlier this year, Garage 66 had announced Garrett Smithley as the team’s driver for the pre-season exhibition race at the Bowman Gray Stadium. While Carl Long’s NASCAR team has not gotten off to the ideal start, they will look to turn their latest setback into a sensational comeback in the months to come. Will they be able to turn their fortunes around in the year ahead? Time will tell. Dark clouds might be looming over the team’s future as of now, but the sun will shine soon enough to alter their fate for the better. However, these dark clouds highlight a bigger storm that torments the NASCAR world.

Trending

1

“I’d Have Smacked Him”: NASCAR Veteran Sends a Strong Message to Defend Dale Earnhardt Jr. Against Fans’ Hate

2

Roger Penske’s Final Hopes Slipping Away as NASCAR Fans Prepare for Honda

3

NASCAR Rumors: $41B Japanese Giant to Outrun Dodge to Become NASCAR’s 4th Manufacturer Days After New Reports

4

Rick Hendrick Accused of ‘Burying’ Ross Chastain’s Real Persona as Fans Insinuate Trackhouse’s Exit From Chevy

5

Pressured by Brad Keselowski, Roger Penske Spills Truth on Reviving Joey Logano’s NASCAR Career

Carl Long’s struggles highlight risks taken by NASCAR’s open teams

Competing in NASCAR can be expensive. Just ask Carl Long, the owner of the newly rebranded Garage 66 team. His motive for switching from MBM Motorsports was to cut back on costs while hoping to run more efficiently. Sharing his goals for the teams’ future, the former racer said, “We want to deliver great race cars to each track we compete at and produce solid finishes with fewer mistakes. Management and accountability become much less stressful with just one car at the track most weekends and many fewer people.”

However, competing as an ‘open’ team comes with its inherent risks. Unlike chartered teams, others don’t automatically qualify for every race on the calendar. This means that participating at the Daytona 500 isn’t just a matter of showing up on the racetrack, as teams fight for their lives to take part in ‘The Great American Race’. Moreover, payouts to non-charter teams are lesser, while additional expenses include entry and sanctioning costs along with car construction and maintenance, which can amount to millions of dollars.

Taking these factors into consideration, it’s not surprising that Chandler Smith’s wreck ahead of the Daytona 500 proved to be such a bitter blow. Not only did the team not qualify for the season opener, but were forced to decommission the car as repair costs amounted to thousands of dollars. It signifies just how big of a struggle it can be for open teams to compete at NASCAR’s highest level, without proper financial support and adequate sponsorships. It’s a matter the sanctioning body needs to address soon, to improve the overall health of the sport.