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Entry List: 45 Cars to Battle for 40 Starting Spots in 2025 Daytona 500

Originally posted on Racing America on SI
By Toby Christie | Last updated Feb 10, 2025 4:11 PM ET

On Monday, NASCAR revealed the first official entry list for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500, and the list is busting at the seams with 45 cars, which will vie for the 40 starting spots in The Great American Race.

36 of the drivers and teams on the list have no danger as far as making the race, as they are locked into the show by way of NASCAR's Team Charter System. There are, however, nine "Open" entries, which will duke it out for the final four spots in the Daytona 500 field in Wednesday's qualifying session, and Thursday's Duel Qualifier Races.

The nine "Open" entries on the Daytona 500 entry list include Corey LaJoie, who will pilot the No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Justin Allgaier in the No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, JJ Yeley in the No. 44 NY Racing Team Chevrolet, Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 56 TRICON Garage Toyota Camry XSE, Anthony Alfredo in the No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet, Chandler Smith in the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, BJ McLeod in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet, Jimmie Johnson in the No. 84 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE, and Helio Castroneves in the No. 91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet.

There is a chance the 2025 Daytona 500 field expands to 41 cars as Castroneves has been approved for NASCAR's new Open Exemption Provisional (OEP), which is available for World-Class drivers attempting to lock into the field in races with more than 40 entries. The provisional has to be requested more than 90 days ahead of the event, which Trackhouse Racing did, and NASCAR approved the provisional.

If Castroneves doesn't make the field traditionally through qualifications or the Duel Qualifiers, the field will be expanded to 41 cars to accomodate. It's worth noting that using the OEP makes a driver and team ineligible to take home any money from the race's purse, and the driver and team will not be eligible to receive any points or point standings tie breakers by way of the start. However, if a driver wins a race after making the field with the OEP, the driver would be eligible to compete in the NASCAR All-Star Race with the win.

Will Castroneves need to fall back on the OEP? That remains to be seen, but it is a possibility, especially with a massive entry list at Daytona.