With the final determination of who makes the Chase for the Cup being put in Daytona of all places, The O’Reilly Series and Cup Series teams all had to place their hopes of a championship within the chaotic superspeedway environment of Daytona. We last saw Daytona in February, as the season opener for NASCAR. This time, it almost served as a closer to the regular season.
The chaotic end results? two long-time drivers who have scraped hard earned their first career wins after 400+ starts. One family-owned team in the NOAP Series finally hit the payoff after so many close calls. In Cup, a driver who has scraped by and nearly found himself without a ride a mere few years ago, now sits in victory lane in career defining season.
One side note, I know the new Cup superspeedway aero package with the shorter spoiler etc., has been a topic for debate. For me personally, I enjoyed watching what felt like an old school superspeedway race with occasional ability to pass without a train of 10 cars behind you.
Next week? Trucks are off again, but the NOAP and Cup Series teams head to Darlington as the first official race of the Chase. 16 drivers now compete for a spot at the top of the mountain come November, based solely on points, consistency, and winning. Welcome back 2000’s
WINN-DIXIE 250 powered by COCA-COLA
Winner: Ryan Sieg
Pole: Rajah Caruth
#38 RYAN SIEG
Where to begin with what RSS Racing and Ryan Sieg were able to accomplish in Daytona. Sieg, a veteran of 424 career starts with mostly his family-owned team had a huge payoff in Daytona. While the focus was on qualifying the 16 drivers for the chase, Sieg and his #38 Chevrolet scored a major upset amongst the Daytona chaos.
Handing over the reigns of his usual #39 entry to the debuting Andy Jankowiak (a bit of hometown pride with Andy J. here), Sieg’s Chevrolet donned the #38. The RSS team typically fields Sieg’s #39, brother Kyle’s #28, and a part-time #38 entry. If Sieg’s Daytona run is any indication, maybe he should break the “39” curse and stick with the #38 for the rest of the season.
THE STORY
As mentioned above, Sieg took over the #38 for Daytona. While Andy Jankowiak placed the usual #39 38th on the grid (irony), while Sieg’s Chevrolet sported the new number and started 12th. Usual superspeedway racing chaos ensued as the event wore on, until a late caution for an accident placed the RSS entry on the front row next to JR Motorsports’ Carson Kvapil. With Kvapil having already assumed to be a winner at that point, Sieg’s Chevy was able to out muscle Kvapil’s #1 Chevrolet and take the lead with two laps to go in overtime.
Hanging onto the lead, Sieg was able to take his family-owned entry to victory lane for the first time in over 400 starts to score his first career NOAP Series win. Also worth mentioning, Sieg’s RSS team formed an alliance with Haas Factory Team this season, in order to ease the burden somewhat on Sieg’s owner responsibilities. If Daytona was any indication of how the RSS cars have gotten even stronger, 2027 could be a career season for Sieg if the pieces fall into place.
#71 LELAND HONEYMAN
One of the stories that stay in the shadows of Sieg’s career-defining win is the run Leland Honeyman had in Daytona. Honeyman has very much played the pinch hitter role following a full time season NOAP Series season with Young’s Motorsports #42 team in 2024. That season, while working with minimal budget, Honeyman had one top five, and two top ten finishes in 33 starts, earing a respectable 22nd in final standings. However following 2024, Honeyman has only made 26 starts between 2025 and this past weekend at Daytona. This is where the real story comes in…involving an impressive come from behind run with DGM Racing
THE STORY
Honeyman joined DGM Racing for a partial schedule this season, splitting time between the #92 and #71 Chevrolets. A strong superspeedway racer, some of Honeyman’s best finishes have come at Daytona and Talladega in his NOAP Series career.
Honeyman getting service on pit road. Photo Credit: Jayski and James Gilbert/Getty Images
This was exactly the case in Daytona, with Honeyman wheeling the #71 Chevrolet to his best finish of the limited run so far. Qualifying 20th, Honeyman did a fantastic job keeping DGM’s #71 entry in the hunt. While shuffled back often, as is everyone in these types of events, the DGM team and Honeyman charged to 13th by race’s end. With Honeyman’s previous best of 15th coming in Charlotte, Daytona now stands as his best finish of the season. A well strategized strong run for a deserving team and driver.
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400
Winner: Ryan Preece
Pole: Ross Chastain
#60 RYAN PREECE
Throughout his career, Ryan Preece has seen his share of ups and downs as his Cup career progressed. A veteran of 249 Cup starts alone, Preece has seen it all. From being a highly-touted new comer from the the late model ranks driving for back marker teams, to full-time seasons with the former JTG-Daugherty and Stewart-Haas teams, to arguably the worst season of his career in 2022, making only 2 Cup starts… to joining the RFK #60 team in 2025.
Was the first season with RFK a success? You could easily argue it was, Joining a first year #60 team, Preece still finished 18th in points with 14 top ten finishes. With the momentum of that career best points finish, Preece’s gamble with a then “new” team just paid off in a big way last Saturday night.
THE STORY
Daytona made good on a debt, as it preferred (like Talladega) to take Preece’s #60 airborne in past events. Known for some violent flips and barrel rolls at these massive tracks, Preece flew high in a different way on this night.
The RFK Racing Ford made its presence felt, leading 5 laps amongst 41 lead changes, after starting 4th. However, that 41st and final lead change belongs to Preece, where he scored his first career Cup Series win in convincing fashion, holding off Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick. This cements the #60 team as a threat heading into 2027, with RFK as a whole seemingly on the rebound.
#35 HARRISON BURTON
Normally the #35 Toyota from 23XI Racing would be piloted by Riley Herbst, however Herbst elected to sit out the Daytona event as he continues to recover from a vicious accident in Loudon. This meant that the #35 Toyota needed a driver. Enter Harrison Burton, who was across the street from the track buying fishing equipment when he received the call.
Currently competing in the NOAP Series driving the #24 Toyota for Sam Hunt Racing, Burton was an easy choice to fill in. Following the loss of his 2024 ride with the Wood Brothers in Cup, Burton did not make a Cup start in 2025, so being on the sidelines of Cup and just jumping back in last minute could not have been an easy task for either driver or team….but the end of the story made it all worth it.
Also worth noting, Burton does have one career Cup win…ironically coming at Daytona in 2024, the same season he was let go from the Wood Brothers #21 team.
THE STORY
Burton had some momentum for the Cup race, having finished 8th in the O’Reilly Series race the night before. Having to jump into Herbst’s seat last minute, Burton had an impressively solid run in Daytona. Following his 5th place starting spot, the #35 Toyota looked strong throughout the event. While Burton did not lead, it is clear he can still be competitive at the Cup level, and finished 12th in his first Cup start in over a year.\
Photo Credit: Jayski and RFK Racing (edited)
Far from being the first time in NASCAR history a driver has filled in last minute, it is never easy. For the team, they are used to having consistency behind the wheel…seats and cars are adjusted to fit a certain driver as well. This is what makes Burton’s run so impressive, finishing top fifteen in a car that was custom made essentially for someone else. If this performance is any indication, Burton may very well find himself back in Cup one day.