NASCAR Rant Report - Tuesday, February 18th

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Major headlines out of Monday:

William Byron’s Daytona 500 Media Tour
Big Names to Race in Trucks and Xfinity
Amazon Prime Video’s NASCAR Debut

Plus, miscellaneous topics from the day.

William Byron’s Daytona 500 Media Tour:

William Byron made headlines by winning his second consecutive Daytona 500, solidifying his status as the youngest driver to win multiple Daytona 500s, breaking Jeff Gordon's previous record.

Byron's media tour following his historic win has been eventful and filled with notable appearances and statements. In an interview with NewsNation, Byron discussed the chaotic final lap and how he managed to avoid the wreckage to secure his victory. He described the series of events as "crazy" and celebrated his win with a visit to Waffle House at 4 a.m. for a chocolate waffle, bacon, and Texas toast.

He made an appearance on WWE's "Monday Night Raw" with him arriving in his No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro, accompanied by WWE superstar AJ Styles, who presented him with a custom WWE Championship belt. Byron took a ringside seat to watch Styles compete.

In another interview, Byron stressed his thanks to his team and his good fortune. “Just really proud of this team. Worked super hard all week and had an amazing car. It’s obviously really special. It’s an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight. I can’t stress that enough. I’m just super thankful for this group and everything that they do in the offseason to get prepared."

Byron's victory was also significant for Hendrick Motorsports, giving the team its 10th Daytona 500 win, the most in NASCAR history. Team owner Rick Hendrick and vice chairman Jeff Gordon expressed their pride and support for Byron, emphasizing his hard work and dedication.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Big Names to Race in Trucks and Xfinity:

Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola are making notable returns to NASCAR's lower series in 2025. Busch will compete in five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races for Spire Motorsports, starting with the FR8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He will also race at North Wilkesboro, Charlotte, Nashville, and Watkins Glen. Busch, who holds the record for most wins in the Truck Series, aims to mentor young drivers and add more victories to his impressive career.

Aric Almirola will drive the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing in nine NASCAR Xfinity Series races, starting at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sponsored by Young Life, Almirola's return to JGR follows a successful 2024 season where he won three races in 14 starts. Almirola, who retired from full-time Cup Series competition in 2023, expressed excitement about representing Young Life and continuing his racing career on a part-time basis. His involvement with JGR highlights his long-standing relationship with the team and his commitment to youth ministry through Young Life.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Amazon Prime Video’s NASCAR Debut:

This weekend marks Amazon Prime Video's debut in NASCAR coverage, handling practice and qualifying for the Cup Series through June, starting with the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This new partnership is part of NASCAR's seven-year media rights agreement, which includes FOX Sports, NBC Sports, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports. While only covering practice and qualifying for now, Amazon Prime Video's five race exclusive coverage of the Cup Series will occur in June.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on this topic.

Miscellaneous:

Ryan Ellis will have Pella Windows & Doors as his primary sponsor for the Xfinity race at Atlanta, continuing their three-year partnership. Ellis, who is also a Pella customer, expressed his excitement about the partnership and the support from Pella. The company will have a large group of employees and customers at the race, and they will also engage with fans at the Pella Booth in the Fan Zone.

Luke Fenhaus returns to ThorSport Racing for multiple Truck Series races in 2025, starting with the FR8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Fenhaus will drive the No. 66 Soda Sense Ford F-150, with Doug George as his crew chief. Fenhaus expressed gratitude for the opportunity and support from ThorSport Racing and Soda Sense. He is excited to build on his experience from last year's three races and aims for strong performances throughout the season.

Check out our Source Materials Page for more on these topics.

This newsletter is constructed by AI and reviewed by our editorial team.

Check out our Source Materials Page for today’s 45 sources.

Thumbnail image credits on our Source Materials Page.

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