Truex, Johnson Fastest Open Cars on Wednesday to Lock into Daytona 500 Field

By David Morgan, Associate Editor

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Former NASCAR Cup Series champions Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex, Jr. will race in the 67^th running of the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Among a group of nine open cars vying for four positions in Sunday’s starting field, the two drivers posted the fastest single-car speeds in pole qualifying on Wednesday night to claim their positions on the starting grid for the Great American Race.

Truex, the 2017 Cup Series champion, who retired from full-time Cup Series competition at the conclusion of the 2024 season, struck a deal with TRICON Garage to pilot the No. 56 Toyota to make a run at the Daytona 500 and made the most of his opportunity, timing in as the fastest of the open cars to secure his spot with a lap of 49.641 seconds, 181.302 mph.

“Definitely a big relief,” Truex said. “You never know what can happen in the Duels – they can get crazy, something on pit road can get you in trouble.

“Great job to all of the guys – they worked their butts off on this car. They were sweating all afternoon, and luckily, we were able to put a good lap in. Thank you to Johnny (Morris) and everyone at Bass Pro for helping put this deal together. All of the guys at TRICON and also at JGR. Toyota and TRD, I’m sure, it’s a big deal for them – both cars that just locked in are Toyotas. Big night for them, and hopefully, we can have some fun the rest of the weekend.”

Can’t ever count out the old dawgs pic.twitter.com/g8tczvgERW

— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) February 13, 2025

Seven-time champion Johnson, who had an agonizing wait through the conclusion of the Duels a year ago to race in the Daytona 500, will have a much more restful Speedweeks after piloting his No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota around the World Center of Racing in 49.783 seconds, 180.785 mph to earn his place in the field on Sunday.

“It’s a big weight lifted off to say the least. The experience I had last year, it’s been ringing through my brain at night. I’ve jumped out of bed a few times with some nightmares as this day got closer,” Johnson said.

“We’re doing so much to turn Legacy Motor Club around, have it point in the right direction. The partnership with Carvana and bringing Shaquille O’Neal in, what’s in the days ahead, what we have planned, man, it would have really been a bummer to miss the race.

“Obviously there’s still a chance to race in tomorrow, but so happy to have this behind us and not have to worry about it.”

It All Comes Down to Thursday

The remaining Open cars that will have to race their way in during the Duels on Thursday include Justin Allgaier, who was the third fastest open car in qualifying on Wednesday, along with Helio Castroneves, Corey LaJoie, Anthony Alfredo, Chandler Smith, BJ McLeod, and JJ Yeley.

The fastest Open car in each of the two Duels will earn the 39^th and 40^th starting positions for Sunday.

Allgaier will line up in the first of the two Duels, along with Castroneves, Smith, and Yeley, with LaJoie, Alfredo, and McLeod in the second Duel race.

Damn it woulda been nice to lock in tonight. But we get to come back tomorrow and race our way into the Daytona 500 in a dual. Living the dream.

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 13, 2025

Castroneves, the four-time Indianapolis 500 champion making his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing, is classified as an open car and even though he was not among the fastest two open cars in qualifying, won’t have to rely on his finish in the Duels to secure a spot in Sunday’s race as he was given the Open Exemption Provisional that grants him a start in the Daytona 500 no matter what.

Castroneves will run in the first Duel race, but he does not have to be the fastest open car in that race to earn his place for Sunday.

The Duels are scheduled for 7:00 pm ET on FOX Sports 1.