Chase Elliott Adds A Race To His Speedweeks: What You Need To Know For February 8, 2019

What you need to know … 

… about Chase Elliott’s Daytona plans

• Chase Elliott will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway
• AfterShokz will sponsor the effort
• Elliott currently drives the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports full time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
• The No. 8 car will feature multiple drivers throughout the 2019 season, including Jeb Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Spencer Gallagher, Ryan Preece, Zane Smith, and Ryan Truex
• Elliott won the 2014 XFINITY Series championship driving for JR Motorsports and has earned five career NXS victories with the team
• The NXS race at Daytona is February 16th at 2:30PM ET (FS1)

For more information: Official team release … JR Motorsports XFINITY Series schedule … Chase Elliott official website

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… about Thursday’s ARCA Racing Series practice session

• Brandon McReynolds’ was fastest in practice for the ARCA Racing Series’ season opener at Daytona International Speedway
• McReynolds’ fastest lap was 49.014 seconds at 183.621 mph
• Todd Gilliland was second in the Frontline Enterprises Toyota, with a lap time of 49.155 seconds at 183.094 mph
• Gus Dean was third quickest, followed by Harrison Burton in fourth and Bret Holmes to round out the top five
• McReynolds is the son of NASCAR on FOX analyst and two-time Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds
• Brandon McReynolds is running a paint scheme honoring the late Davey Allison, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last Friday
• Brandon’s father Larry served as Allison’s crew chief from 1991 to 1993.
• The ARCA Racing Series will have one more practice session on Friday morning at 9:30AM ET followed by qualifying at 3:30PM ET
• The Lucas Oil 200 driven by General Tire will take place on Saturday, February 9 at 4:30PM ET (FS1)

For more information: Full results … Full weekend schedule for the ARCA Racing Series in Daytona … Full story on Brandon McReynolds running a Davey Allison tribute scheme

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… for Daytona 500 qualifying

• 42 cars are on the provisional entry list for the Daytona 500, though two additional cars are expected to enter
• The No. 97 Obaika Racing car (driver Tanner Berryhill) and the No. 7 NY Racing car (driver J.J. Yeley) are both expected to enter as well
• If the two additional entries are made, here are the drivers and teams that will have to race their way into the Daytona 500: Tanner Berryhill (No. 97 for Obaika Racing); J.J. Yeley (No. 7 for NY Racing); Casey Mears (No. 27 for Germain Racing); Tyler Reddick (No. 31 for Richard Childress Racing); Ryan Truex (No. 71 for Tommy Baldwin Racing); Joey Gase (No. 66 for Motorsports Business Management); Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 for Beard Motorsports); and Parker Kligerman (No. 96 for Gaunt Brothers Racing).
• Four cars will DNQ ( provided Yeley and Berryhill attempt the Daytona 500)

For more information: Full entry list … Entry list story from Autoweek.com’s Matt Weaver … Full speedweeks schedule

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… about the 2019 stage lengths

• In what will be the third season for stage racing in NASCAR, the stage lengths for all Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races have been set
• There are no changes to the stage lengths from the 2018 season
• The XFINITY Series and Gander Outdoors Truck Series stage lengths should be announced later this week

For more information: Full season stage lengths … Full MENCS schedule … Explanation for points accrued at the end of each stage

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… about Rick Ware Racing’s second Daytona 500 car

• B.J. McLeod will drive a second entry for Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 17th
• McLeod will pilot the team’s No. 51 JACOB Companies Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
• The No. 51 car is locked into the Daytona 500 regardless of where they qualify
• This will be McLeod’s 24th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) start, but first race at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in MENCS
• McLeod is an owner in the NASCAR XFINITY Series where he has made four starts at DIS
• The driver of RWR’s No. 52 car for the Daytona 500 is TBA

For more information: Official release from Rick Ware Racing … Story from TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk’s Justin Nguyen … Rick Ware Racing website

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