“Damn, this is a WILD STAT”: NASCAR Insider reacts as HMS driver features in Daytona 500 active streaks

Jeff Gluck, the NASCAR journalist, reacted to a Hendrick Motorsports driver having the longest active top-10 finishes at the Daytona 500. Alex Bowman joined Christopher Bell and AJ Allmendinger with two finishes in the top-10 for consecutive series running.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. secured a dramatic victory at the 2023 Daytona 500, piloting the No. 47 JTG Daughert, racing the car to the finish line after an overtime restart. A late-race spin by Daniel Suarez forced the race into extra laps, shaking up Richard Childress Racing's hopes for a 1-2 finish as Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano surged ahead. With a crucial push from Kyle Larson, Stenhouse Jr. overtook Logano for the lead. A multi-car wreck then brought out the caution flag, sealing Stenhouse Jr.'s win. The race featured 52 lead changes among 21 drivers and 8 caution periods.

William Byron claimed victory in the 2024 Daytona 500, which was held on Monday after a rain delay. Driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Byron secured his first Daytona 500 win and the 11th Cup Series victory of his career. The race concluded under caution after a late-race crash, with Byron narrowly ahead of teammate Alex Bowman. The event saw 41 lead changes among 20 drivers, with 5 caution periods and a red flag due to a significant pileup.

Jeff Gluck reacted to the statistics tweeted by Bob Pockrass, another veteran journalist.

Pockrass tweeted:

"Going through the Daytona 500 stat book provided by Racing Insights that helps us with our FOX coverage and this one stood out: Longest active Top-10 streaks in the Daytona 500: Driver-Streak Alex Bowman-2 Christopher Bell-2 AJ Allmendinger-2"

To which Gluck reacted:

"Damn, this is a WILD stat but says a lot about the nature of this race."

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16, 2025, and will be the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series season. Shane van Gisbergen will debut in the race. New teams, including Haas Factory Team, JR Motorsports, and Tricon Garage, will also debut. Helio Castroneves is guaranteed a spot, potentially leading to more than 40 cars racing, a first since 2015. President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Daytona 500, his first since serving as Grand Marshall in 2020.

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All you need to know about 2025 Daytona 500

The 2025 Daytona 500 will feature a pre-race performance by renowned American rapper and singer Pitbull at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. This highly anticipated event follows the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray and marks the 67th edition of the iconic race. Pitbull, also known as Mr. 305 or Mr. Worldwide, is a Grammy winner with numerous accolades, who co-owns the NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing.

The Daytona 500 has a rich history, evolving from the Daytona Beach Road Course races of the 1950s. In 1959, NASCAR established the 500-mile race at the Daytona International Speedway, officially naming it the Daytona 500 in 1961. Held annually in mid to late February, the 2.5-mile track has hosted the race since 1959 and has served as the season opener for championship points each year.

The Daytona 500 is the first point distributor race of the 36-race season. Richard Petty holds the record for the most wins at Daytona with seven, while his father, Lee Petty, won the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports is the defending champion, having won in 2024