For better or worse, the NASCAR Cup playoff “Victory and You” aspect turns Daytona's regular season finale into the ultimate wildcard game. There are 20 drivers who have to win and if there are any Victory Lane on Saturday night, they will ensure they become a place in the playoffs.
This statement is true for drivers like Chris Buescher and Kyle Busch, and for Cody Ware, who ranked 36th in the championship (last among full-time drivers). Ware and Riley Herbst are the only two drivers to not finish the top ten this year.
However, a win at Daytona will put either of them into the playoffs, replacing either Tyler Reddick or Alex Bowman. It seems like a stretch, but essentially, it's something that happened a year ago. Harrison Burton entered the playoffs at Daytona from the top 30 scoring. Ware did not fall behind in that game and finished fourth in the best career.
While debates surrounding the current playoff format continue, the 51st-place Rick Wall Racing victory is sure to be controversial, Ware is eager to play the role of spoilers.
Why not us?
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford
Photographer: Justin Casterline / Getty Images
“Whenever we go there, we always seem to be doing well in Daytona, but I think it’s even more so in the summer, why don’t we do that?” Ware said on his weekly team forward. “I don’t know if this is a night game, whether it’s an aggressive increase in the field and being able to take advantage of it more than the Daytona 500, but I would say our shooting ability is the same as anyone on Saturday night.”
Ware has only two top ten in the 131 Cup, both of which compete in Daytona’s summer matches (6th in 2022, fourth in 2024).
“That was a little bit of survival, a little bit of a tough one,” Ware said. “It's actually about the timing of my decision. It's not about playing hard rather than not playing hard. It knows when to play, when to ride, and that's a big part in our results.”
Daytona is known as an excellent equalizer, and there is good reason. 24 different drivers won their first Cup at Daytona, including six titles since 2018.
“In Daytona, it's equal to what it's achieved,” Ware continued. “The name of the game is survival, and it's more like a spiritual game. It's like chess with beatings and blasting at 200 mph. It's not a traditional stock racing car. I feel like I've honed my craft at super speeds and it turns out that it's better than ever and has now achieved great results.
Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford
Photographer: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images
Ware may not have any teammates, but he has a lot of manufacturer allies this weekend as members of Ford training camp. Penske and the Wood Brothers are the only Ford-backed organization where drivers are locked in the playoffs, so they will seek to assist teams like RFK Racing, Haas Factory Team and RWR in search of victory.
Ware points out how he gained “confidence in Daytona and its sister track Talladega.” The drafted tracks resulted in Ware's six best results at the Cup level, and the Bristol Auto Racing Trail is his best non-racing track.
“I think you either want to be the front or the back,” Ware said. “Nothing else is a land for one person. My goal is to move forward and get into the top ten, and I think we'll do it in a good place as long as we execute and we don't make mistakes.”
Every first-time winner in Daytona
driver
Year/Race
Harrison Burton 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Austin Cindric 2022 Daytona 500 Michael McDowell 2021 Daytona 500 William Byron 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Justin Haley 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Erik Jones 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Aric Almirola 2014 Coke Zero Sugar 400 David Ragan 2011 Coke Zero Sugar 400 Trevor Bayne 2011 Daytona 500 Greg Biffle 2003 Pepsi 400 Michael Waltrip 2001 Daytona 500 John Andretti 1997 Pepsi 400 Jimmy Spencer 1994 Pepsi 400 Sterling Marlin 1994 Daytona 500 Derrike Cope 1990 Daytona 500 Greg Sacks 1985 Firecracker 400 Pete Hamilton 1970 Daytona 500 Mario Andretti 1967 Daytona 500 Sam McQuagg 1966 Firecracker 400 Earl Balmer 1966 Daytona Qualifying AJ Foyt 1964 Firecracker 400 Bobby Isaac 1964 Daytona Rewards Competition Tiny Lund 1963 Daytona 1963 Daytona 500 Johnny Rutherford 1963 1963 Daytona Racing
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