NASCAR Cup Series
Richard Childress Racing Takes Fans Behind-The-Scenes on ‘Road to Daytona’
Feb 7, 2025
On-track activity for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway began on Wednesday morning with a 45-minute practice session in preparation for qualifying on Wednesday evening.
Toyotas claimed the top three positions on the practice leaderboard, with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin clocking the fastest lap of the session. Hamlin's quick time registered at 48.005 seconds, an average speed of 187.480 miles per hour around the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
Bubba Wallace placed second, followed by Ty Gibbs, Chandler Smith and John Hunter Nemechek.
Smith's practice performance was notable, making him the fastest "open" competitor in the practice session. With 45 cars attempting to enter this year's Daytona 500, Smith was quickest among the nine teams not locked into the Daytona 500 in the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford.
Qualifying for the Daytona 500 begins at 8 p.m. ET, airing on FS1. The qualifying session will lock in the front row for Sunday's Daytona 500 and set the fields for Thursday's Duels at Daytona.
-Photo Credit: LAT for Toyota Racing
Daytona 500 Wednesday Practice Results
| Rank | # | Driver | Team | Time | Diff | Speed | Laps |
| 1 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing National Debt Relief Toyota | 48.005 | 187.480 | 19 | |
| 2 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 23XI Racing McDonald's Toyota | 48.150 | 0.145 | 186.916 | 13 |
| 3 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | Joe Gibbs Racing Monster Energy Toyota | 48.291 | 0.286 | 186.370 | 24 |
| 4 | 66 | Chandler Smith | Garage 66 QuickTie Products Ford | 48.341 | 0.336 | 186.177 | 13 |
| 5 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Dollar Tree Toyota | 48.361 | 0.356 | 186.100 | 14 |
| 6 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 23XI Racing Monster Energy Toyota | 48.362 | 0.357 | 186.097 | 15 |
| 7 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | Trackhouse Racing Freeway Insurance Chevrolet | 48.743 | 0.738 | 184.642 | 15 |
| 8 | 4 | Noah Gragson | Front Row Motorsports Rush Truck Centers Ford | 48.835 | 0.830 | 184.294 | 1 |
| 9 | 43 | Erik Jones | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB AdventHealth Toyota | 48.863 | 0.858 | 184.188 | 1 |
| 10 | 8 | Kyle Busch | Richard Childress Racing Zone Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet | 48.991 | 0.986 | 183.707 | 10 |
| 11 | 1 | Ross Chastain | Trackhouse Racing Busch Light Chevrolet | 49.029 | 1.024 | 183.565 | 16 |
| 12 | 91 | Helio Castroneves | Trackhouse Racing Wendy's Chevrolet | 49.057 | 1.052 | 183.460 | 13 |
| 13 | 60 | Ryan Preece | RFK Racing BuildSubmarines.com Ford | 49.064 | 1.059 | 183.434 | 4 |
| 14 | 5 | Kyle Larson | Hendrick Motorsports HendrickCars.com Chevrolet | 49.124 | 1.119 | 183.210 | 9 |
| 15 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | RFK Racing Kroger / Cottonelle Ford | 49.125 | 1.120 | 183.206 | 7 |
| 16 | 20 | Christopher Bell | Joe Gibbs Racing DeWalt / Interstate Batteries Toyota | 49.139 | 1.134 | 183.154 | 18 |
| 17 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Trackhouse Racing WeatherTech Chevrolet | 49.162 | 1.157 | 183.068 | 12 |
| 18 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing Bass Pro Shops / Winchester Chevrolet | 49.177 | 1.172 | 183.012 | 7 |
| 19 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsports Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet | 49.215 | 1.210 | 182.871 | 19 |
| 20 | 48 | Alex Bowman | Hendrick Motorsports Ally Financial Chevrolet | 49.222 | 1.217 | 182.845 | 3 |
| 21 | 17 | Chris Buescher | RFK Racing Fastenal Ford | 49.235 | 1.230 | 182.797 | 7 |
| 22 | 24 | William Byron | Hendrick Motorsports Axalta Chevrolet | 49.246 | 1.241 | 182.756 | 5 |
| 23 | 38 | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports Speedy Cash Ford | 49.251 | 1.246 | 182.737 | 7 |
| 24 | 21 | Josh Berry | Wood Brothers Racing Motorcraft / Quick Lane Ford | 49.254 | 1.249 | 182.726 | 7 |
| 25 | 2 | Austin Cindrc | Team Penske Discount Tire Ford | 49.283 | 1.278 | 182.619 | 10 |
| 26 | 10 | Ty Dillon | Kaulig Racing Grizzly Nicotine Pouches Chevrolet | 49.295 | 1.290 | 182.574 | 4 |
| 27 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | Kaulig Racing CELSIUS Chevrolet | 49.307 | 1.302 | 182.530 | 6 |
| 28 | 19 | Chase Briscoce | Joe Gibbs Racing Bass Pro Shops Toyota | 49.308 | 1.303 | 182.526 | 16 |
| 29 | 9 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet | 49.334 | 1.329 | 182.430 | 4 |
| 30 | 22 | Joey Logano | Team Penske Shell-Pennzoil Ford | 49.339 | 1.334 | 182.411 | 10 |
| 31 | 56 | Martin Truex, Jr. | TRICON Garage Bass Pro Shops Toyota | 49.394 | 1.389 | 182.208 | 1 |
| 32 | 84 | Jimmie Johnson | LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Carvana Toyota | 49.443 | 1.438 | 182.028 | 18 |
| 33 | 51 | Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing Jacob Companies / Parts Plus / Pronto Auto Ford | 49.458 | 1.453 | 181.973 | 4 |
| 34 | 62 | Anthony Alfredo | Beard Motorsports Fortify Building Solutions Chevrolet | 49.513 | 1.508 | 181.770 | 12 |
| 35 | 41 | Cole Custer | Haas Factory Team HaasTooling.com Ford | 49.522 | 1.517 | 181.737 | 4 |
| 36 | 40 | Justin Allgaier | JR Motorsports Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet | 49.530 | 1.525 | 181.708 | 3 |
| 37 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | HYAK Motorsports SunnyD Chevrolet | 49.536 | 1.531 | 181.686 | 10 |
| 38 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | Team Penske Menards / PEAK Ford | 49.547 | 1.542 | 181.646 | 6 |
| 39 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | Front Row Motorsports Love's Travel Stops Ford | 49.573 | 1.568 | 181.550 | 1 |
| 40 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 23XI Racing Nasty Beast Toyota | 49.604 | 1.599 | 181.437 | 3 |
| 41 | 01 | Corey LaJoie | Rick Ware Racing DuraMAX / Take 5 Oil Change Ford | 49.622 | 1.617 | 181.371 | 4 |
| 42 | 78 | BJ McLeod | Live Fast Motorsports HitchGo Chevrolet | 50.035 | 2.030 | 179.874 | 15 |
| 43 | 44 | JJ Yeley | NY Racing Team Green River Distilling Company Chevrolet | 50.092 | 2.087 | 179.669 | 7 |
| -- | 7 | Justin Haley | Spire Motorsports Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | 71 | Michael McDowell | Spire Motorsports Go Bowling Chevrolet | -- | -- | -- | -- |
