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NASCAR veteran JJ Yeley will attempt to make his first NASCAR Cup Series start of the 2024 season with the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
Yeley will pilot the #44 100 Coconut Water Chevrolet Camaro for NY Racing owned by John Cohen. This puts an end to days of speculation around who will be driving NY Racing’s #44 Chevrolet this week in the season-opener Daytona race.
FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass made the announcement on X. He wrote:
“JJ Yeley will be in the NY Racing No. 44 car. So open cars: 36-Grala 44-Yeley 60-Ragan 62-Alfredo 78-McLeod 84-Johnson. Single-car qualifying 8:15p ET today on FS1.”
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Yeley received a last-minute entry just 24 hours before the qualifying race for the Daytona 500. He became part of the sixth open team, joining a list of non-charted team drivers that include Kaz Grala, David Ragan, Anthony Alfredo, BJ McLeod, and Jimmie Johnson.
JJ Yeley made 26 starts in the 2023 Cup season running with Rick Ware Racing. His best finish of the season came at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing P7.
JJ Yeley replaced Greg Biffle for NASCAR's crown jewel event
Many initially thought it would be veteran Greg Biffle who ran for NY Racing in the 2022 Daytona 500, but it couldn’t happen due to “unfulfilled contract obligations.”
In a statement on social media, Biffle revealed why he pulled out of The Great American Race. He said:
“It has come to my attention that images of a hauler and car with my name and signature on the side of it have been released. While I had hoped to be running in the 2024 Daytona 500 this year - that will not be happening.
“Due to unfulfilled contract obligations from 2022 for myself and the team, I have made a hard decision to not participate in any races, until the prior contract obligations have been fulfilled. I wish the team all the best and hopefully I will have the opportunity to race again and win this coveted race.”
Yeley, who has driven for numerous teams throughout his career, will look to make the field for the Daytona 500.
Catch JJ Yeley in action in the qualifying session at the 2.5-mile-long superspeedway on Wednesday (Feb. 14).
