NY Racing is all set to make a return to the Daytona 500 in 2025 with plans centered on the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro, as recently confirmed by crew chief Jay Guy.
The announcement, made on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, indicates the team’s steadfast commitment to competing in one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events, despite narrowly missing out in 2024.
In preparation for the 2025 Daytona 500, NY Racing has insisted they are ready and have refined their approach. With J.J. Yeley at the wheel for much of the 2024 season, the team has been working hard on mechanical improvements and overall race strategy. Jay Guy explained:
“We’re going to enjoy the holidays with our families and spend a little time, and then we’re going to get back at it and ready for Daytona. We’re going to have two cars in the trailer down there in case we hurt one, so all of those things take time to get them built so they’re ready to go if we need it. We’re looking forward to a bit of a break here, then we’ll be back at it hard.”
NY Racing, owned by Johnathan Cohen, has a history of intermittent participation in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2012, with a resurgence in 2022. This revival aligned with NASCAR’s seventh-generation racecar introduction. The past year saw them attempt nine races, achieving several finishes in the 20s despite facing mechanical challenges. The team is resolutely focused on improving these performances and fielding competitive drivers, with Jay Guy confirming the necessity of combining skilled drivers with adequate sponsorship backing.
“We’re certainly hard at work. We’re currently in the process of getting the freshened up and building a new car and getting ready for the season. There’s nothing really to announce yet, a lot of our season is pending on sponsorship. We need sponsors to be able to play in this great sport of NASCAR, so we’re just getting ready for when those opportunities come.”
The pursuit of sponsorship remains a critical aspect for NY Racing as they plan their 2025 activities. The financial demands of NASCAR, requiring several hundred thousand dollars per car per race, make sponsorship indispensable. The team’s ability to participate in further races beyond Daytona heavily depends on securing adequate funding.
“It’s certainly a part of the business. I mean, to put one of these cars out on track is several hundred thousand dollars to get it out there, and you don’t want to just show up, you want to go out and race.
“We’ve made improvements from 2022 until last year we made improvements, we finished races, we had better pit crews, we had a 20th-place finish and a couple of other finishes in the 20s, and we had a couple of mechanical failures, but we learned from them and it’s been a positive.
“The aspect of having drivers come in with money is great, but you don’t want to just put anybody behind the wheel. You know we certainly want good caliber drivers like JJ Yeley, or somebody like him to drive, but the facts are you need money.”
In the past, NY Racing narrowly missed the 2024 Daytona 500 during the Bluegreen Vacations Duel. They were positioned to qualify right until the end when a momentary checkup in their line allowed Jimmie Johnson to pull through, snatching the spot from them.
“You know, it’s not like we haven’t run well at the speedways, we missed the [Daytona 500] last year by – we were in the [Daytona 500] until the last eighth of a mile, and then our line checked up and Jimmie Johnson came pulling through the middle and we missed it. We could see it, we were there, and then all of the sudden we weren’t. So, the 500 is such a big race, it pays well, but that’s not really why you’re at Daytona – you’re trying to win the 500.
“We’re going to go down there and try it again, and hopefully we can get in the big show and see what we can do.”
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