2024 Fresh From Florida 250

2024 Fresh From Florida 250

Race details[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Race 1 of 23 of the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Date	February 16, 2024
Official name	25th Annual Fresh From Florida 250
Location	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Distance	101 laps, 252 mi (405 km)
Scheduled Distance	100 laps, 250 mi (402 km)
Average speed	98.933 mph (159.217 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Ty Majeski	ThorSport Racing
Time	50.345
Most laps led
Driver	Nick Sanchez	Rev Racing
Laps	26
Winner
No. 2	Nick Sanchez	Rev Racing
Television in the United States
Network	FS1
Announcers	Adam Alexander, Phil Parsons, and Michael Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN

The 2024 Fresh From Florida 250 was the 1st stock car race of the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 25th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, February 16, 2024, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent tri-oval shaped asphalt superspeedway. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 100 laps, but was extended to 101 laps due to a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wild race that saw several crashes, Nick Sanchez, driving for Rev Racing, would win his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race when a multi-truck accident occurred on the final lap with him in the lead when the caution was thrown. Sanchez was a consistent presence during the race, leading a race-high 26 laps, despite his involvement in an earlier accident.^[9] To fill out the podium, Corey Heim, driving for Tricon Garage, and Rajah Caruth, driving for Spire Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

On the final lap of the race, a significant pileup occurred exiting turn two after Rajah Caruth drifted up the track into the side of Jack Wood, spinning him out and collecting numerous trucks. Tricon Garage driver Taylor Gray was turned into the outside wall and went airborne after being hit almost head-on at high speed by Daniel Dye, doing a complete backwards barrell roll on top of other trucks before coming rest on all four tires. He exited under his own power and was taken and released from the infield care center shortly after.^[10]

Report

Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida that is one of five superspeedways, the others being Pocono Raceway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, and Talladega Superspeedway.^{[citation needed]}

Background

Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.^[11] The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long.^[12] The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.^[12]

Entry list

• (R) denotes rookie driver.
• (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Thursday, February 15, at 5:05 PM EST, and would last for 50 minutes.^[13] Johnny Sauter, driving for Niece Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 47.258, and a speed of 190.444 mph (306.490 km/h).^[14]

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Friday, February 16, at 3:00 PM EST.^[13] Since Daytona International Speedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round will move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 will win the pole.^[15]

Ty Majeski, driving for ThorSport Racing, would advance from the preliminary round and set the fastest time in Round 2, with a lap of 50.345, and a speed of 178.767 mph (287.698 km/h).^[16]

Four drivers would fail to qualify: Mason Maggio, Clay Greenfield, Jennifer Jo Cobb, and Ryan Huff.

Qualifying results

Race results

Stage 1 Laps: 20

Stage 2 Laps: 20

Stage 3 Laps: 61

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Tyler Ankrum 43 2 Nick Sanchez 42 (-1) 3 Christian Eckes 39 (–4) 4 Bret Holmes 38 (–5) 5 Matt Crafton 38 (–5) 6 Corey Heim 37 (–6) 7 Ty Majeski 35 (–8) 8 Rajah Caruth 34 (–9) 9 Spencer Boyd 32 (–11) 10 Bayley Currey 32 (–11) Official driver's standings

Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 40 2 Toyota 34 (–6) 3 Ford 29 (–11) Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

References