Daytona International Speedway
Race Information
Round: Race 1 of 25
Track Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date & Time: February 14th at 7:30pm ET
Stage Lengths: 20/40/100 (250 miles)
Broadcast: FOX Sports
Radio: MRN | SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90
Schedule – Thursday, February 13
5:05-5:55 PM: PRACTICE
Schedule – Friday, February 14
3:00 PM: QUALIFYING (1 Lap, 2 Rounds)
5:00-5:45 PM: Autograph Session (Fan Zone)
7:05 PM: Driver Intros
7:30 PM: RACE
*All times listed are local track times
News & Notes
Fifth Season: Rackley W.A.R. enters its fifth season competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. Its driver roster has included Timothy Peters, Josh Berry, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon, Brett Moffitt, Willie Allen and more. DiBenedetto scored the team’s lone win in the 2022 Chevrolet 250 at Talladega Superspeedway and brought its first playoff appearance in 2023.
Crew Chief Change: After one year in the Xfinity Series, crew chief Chad Kendrick returns to Rackley W.A.R. and will be Sutton’s crew chief throughout the 2025 season. The veteran crew chief spent three years atop the pit box for the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet Silverado from 2021 through 2023 and led the team to its first playoff berth with driver Matt DiBenedetto in 2023.
Spotter Change: Sutton’s late model spotter Bruce Danz Jr. moves with him to the Truck Series, allowing for familiarity from the beginning of the season. The pair have worked together since 2023 and have built the trust needed to make the most of the partnership.
2025 Number Change: Rackley W.A.R. has changed its primary number from 25 to 26. Sutton began running No. 26 in Legends and has taken it with him throughout his racing career, and he’ll continue to run it throughout his Truck Series career. It also holds significance as owner Willie Allen ran the number for several years during his racing career. Rackley W.A.R. still owns the rights to the No. 25 and will be fielding it as a second truck in select races this season.
New Alliance: Rackley W.A.R. aligned itself with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Both organizations will still run as separate entities but will share technical information.
Team Relocation: During the offseason, Rackley W.A.R. relocated from its long-term headquarters in Tennessee to Statesville, NC. The move puts the team closer to resources and partners, including chassis builders and parts suppliers, along with the General Motors Technical Center in Charlotte, allowing for a stronger connection to an already established relationship with Chevrolet.
Daytona Team Stats: Rackley W.A.R. has four starts at Daytona International Speedway amongst three drivers. With an average finish of 23rd, including a pair of DNFs in 2021 (Timothy Peters) and 2024 (Ty Dillon), Matt DiBenedetto scored the team’s best finish of 10th at the 2.5-mile tri-oval in 2022.
Sutton Daytona Stats: Dawson Sutton will make his first career start at Daytona International Speedway. His lone superspeedway start came at Talladega Superspeedway last Fall. He ran around midpack for much of the day before being caught up in a late-race incident that damaged the truck. He finished the race.
Inside the Helmet with Dawson Sutton
On starting his rookie season:
“I’m excited for the new year. We have a really good team lined up, and I feel like we have really good trucks this year. We just made a really big adjustment moving to North Carolina. I feel like it’s really going to help our whole program and help us have a great year on the truck side and the late model side.”
On what to expect at Daytona:
“I’m excited to get to some of the bigger tracks and get more experience in the draft. I don’t have much to expect right now. Talladega helped me out a lot. They’re so close. Daytona is a bit tighter and everything happens a little quicker, but I think Talladega will help me at the end of the day. Hopefully, we’ll go out and qualify well and get to race up front.”
On having an established relationship with his spotter:
“My late-model spotter comes to trucks with me, and we work well together. That’s everything, especially on the bigger tracks. You have that connection with somebody you listen to, and as soon as they say something, you react. It’s a big deal, especially at places like Daytona and Talladega, where the spotter is almost more important than the actual driving.”
Connect With Dawson:
Connect With Rackley W.A.R:
ABOUT RACKLEY W.A.R:
Rackley W.A.R. offers motorsports competition, technology, development, marketing, management, and a suite of other industry-related services for professional race car drivers, race teams and industry sponsors. Rackley W.A.R. competes nationally in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with driver Dawson Sutton as well as operating a championship driver development program that competes in premier, regional Super and Pro Late Model events. Rackley W.A.R. is headed and co-owned by Curtis Sutton (Rackley Roofing, Inc.) and Willie Allen (Willie Allen Racing and W.A.R. Shocks & Suspension).
ABOUT RACKLEY ROOFING:
For 2024 Rackley Roofing Co. Inc. is proud to celebrate 50 years in business! Established in 1974, Rackley Roofing has become one of the leading industrial and commercial roofing contractors in Tennessee. As a full-service roofing company, Rackley dedicates in-house crews who each focus on one specialty. The company only hires highly skilled, full-time roofing experts, enabling Rackley Roofing to offer unparalleled service that exceeds customer expectations.
Among numerous industry awards throughout the years that accolade Rackley’s commitment to safety, positive growth, diversity and excellence, the company was honored with the distinct recognition of Roofing Contractor of the Year in 2022, an industry benchmark.
