Competing in a NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona 500 is indeed a dream for every race car driver. With the prestige and the historical significance also comes cutthroat competition among the drivers to qualify for the main event. Although the chartered teams have their guaranteed spot on the grid, the open entries have to earn their place to compete in the race.

In 2024, a total of 42 entries registered for the marquee event, and a total of six teams battled for the final four spots on the grid. Unfortunately, J.J. Yeley, driving the No. 44 Chevy for NY Racing, wasn’t able to get past the qualifying rounds. But he will have a shot to script a comeback story as NY Racing has confirmed that Yeley will be leading the charge for the team during the 2025 Daytona 500 race.

J.J. Yeley will look to compete in his first Daytona 500 since 2015

It’s been almost a decade since Yeley last ran in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. He finished P40 back in 2015 when he raced for BK Racing on a full-time basis. However, since then he has failed to qualify for the main event. In 2019 he tried his luck with Rick Ware Racing in the #54 entry; he then returned with MBM Motorsports in 2022. In 2024 he took part in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at DAYTONA, finishing 16th on the grid.

On Saturday it was confirmed that NY Racing will be fielding a race car for the upcoming Daytona 500 race in 2025. Although Yeley was likely to retain his seat for the mega event, the team missed out on making an official announcement for the same. They have now made it official that J.J. Yeley will be piloting the #44 Chevy in a bid to qualify for the Great American Race.

It has to be noted that Yeley featured in a total of eight Cup Series races this season with NY Racing. But in the majority of the races, he managed to finish outside of the top 30; the exceptions were the races in Atlanta and Talladega, where he finished 23rd and 27th. Given Yeley’s track record, he is not the safest bet to make it past the qualifying round. But, going by the words of crew chief Jay Guy, the team will come prepared for the next edition.

“We’re going to enjoy the holidays with our families and spend a little time, and then we’re going to get back at it and ready for Daytona. We’re going to have two cars in the trailer down there in case we hurt one, so all of those things take time to get them built so they’re ready to go if we need it. We’re looking forward to a bit of a break here, then we’ll be back at it hard.” Guy said this via SiriusXM Radio.

However, there’s no clear idea or roadmap for NY Racing beyond the Daytona 500 race. This means that Yeley won’t be able to run as many races as he did in 2024.

NY Racing plans for the 2025 Cup Series season haven’t been finalized

Trending

Historic NASCAR Track Shutting Its Door After Final Run Has Racing Community Heartbroken

How Late NASCAR Legend Was Forced to “Sell Everything” After Losing $10,000 to Mafia

Tony Stewart’s Business Partner Sells Off Iconic ‘Mini Eldora’ Racetrack

Kenny Wallace Left Baffled by an Anonymous NASCAR Executive’s Response to Michael Jordans’ In-Court Victory

“You Will Live to Regret It”- Insider Reveals Dale Jr.’s Hesitance Behind Accepting His Late Father’s Award

Gone are the days of the “start and park” team in NASCAR racing. With the Gen-7 car in the mix, the cost of preparing a race car is just beyond the reach of small team owners. The only way to mitigate or bear the cost of fielding a race car is through sponsorship money. And that too is shrinking; the likes of Hooters, FedEx, and GEICO have all cut ties with teams and the sanctioning body. So, it’s understandable that NY Racing hasn’t committed themselves to a bunch of races like they did this year.

“There’s nothing really to announce yet; a lot of our season is pending on sponsorship. We need sponsors to be able to play in this great sport of NASCAR, so we’re just getting ready for when those opportunities come. It’s certainly a part of the business. I mean, to put one of these cars out on track is several hundred thousand dollars to get it out there, and you don’t want to just show up; you want to go out and race,” Guy added.

The 2024 Daytona 500 feature wasn’t a failure by any means, but luck wasn’t on their side as Yeley was caught up in a pile-up during the Duels. Hopefully, the new year will bring good fortune for the team and the driver, who will need more than just luck to get past the challenging qualifying rounds.