Winning a Daytona 500 guarantees that a driver’s name is never lost in NASCAR history. With barely a month left for the 2024 Daytona 500, there is yet another chance for one among the 40 participating drivers to rewrite their legacies. A few among the current lot hold a slight edge over the others for they have already been at the track and won the prize.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. emerged as a big surprise in last year’s race when he overtook Joey Logano for the win. It was the JTG Daugherty Racing star’s first Daytona win. Logano himself had won the event back in 2015. Both these drivers are scheduled to run this year. Logano’s teammate at Team Penske, Austin Cindric, had taken the flag in 2022.
Michael McDowell and Austin Dillon both have one Daytona 500 win of their own. Joe Gibbs Racing star Denny Hamlin is the driver with the most Daytona 500 wins on the upcoming grid. He won the crown jewel thrice before, in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
While all these drivers are entries in the chartered 36 spots on the grid, there is one winner from the non-chartered territory: Jimmie Johnson. The 7X Cup Series champion announced this week that he will be driving his #88 car in the opening race. He won the event twice previously, in 2006 and 2013. Seven drivers who have won the race earlier will be contending for glory once again.
Jimmie Johnson’s uncertainty surrounding the 2024 Daytona 500
Despite cementing his legacy in stone, Johnson still has his love for racing, announcing earlier this week that he will be driving in three more Cup Series races in 2024: The Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400, and the season finale at the Phoenix Raceway.
He said of his decision, “I’m excited to have a shot at another Daytona 500 trophy in our new Toyota Camry XSE and the paint scheme is sure to be a fan favorite.” Along with these races, Johnson’s schedule is up to 9 overall races. However, his spot in the Daytona 500 isn’t confirmed yet.
Being an unchartered entry, Johnson will have to qualify for one of the four unchartered spots on the 40-car grid. He will have to do so on speed in either the qualifying laps or in the duel races that are scheduled for February 15.
