The No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang has been declared as the fifth open entry for the 500 race. This announcement takes the total number of entries to 41. However, given that only 40 cars are permitted on the field, one car will sadly have to be returned after the Duel races.
Grala has only had seven starts at the Cup level. He first made his debut in 2020 with Richard Childress Racing where he ended up finishing in a remarkable seventh place at the Daytona Road Course. Grala later drove for Kaulig Racing and TMT Racing, earning an outstanding sixth-place finish at Talladega in 2021.
If he qualifies, Grala would be making his third appearance at the Daytona 500. His previous performances include a 28th place finish in 2021 with Kaulig Racing, and a 26th place finish in 2022 with TMT Racing.
Recently, Grala announced his plans to participate in 25 Cup races in the current year as part of the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing team.
In a statement released by the team, Grala expressed his gratitude towards Bob (Jenkins) and Carl (Ruedebusch) for giving him the chance to return to the Daytona 500.
He also stressed how unique and mentally taxing the qualifying process for the 500 was, particularly in terms of planning, qualifying and then racing the 150. Despite these challenges, Grala expressed faith in his race car’s speed, lauding the Ford engine from Roush Yates Engines as the best, and confidently expressed readiness for the race.
Grala’s efforts will be backed by Ruedebusch Development and Construction.
The 25-year-old has also had a full-time stint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2023. As part of the Sam Hunt Racing team, he earned two top-fives, nine top-tens and finished the year 17th in the final standings.
His career also features 77 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, culminating in a notable fourth-place finish at Daytona in 2018. He also has 51 starts in the Truck Series, with his solitary win registered in the season-opener at Daytona in 2017.
Other entrants for the Daytona 500 include:
– No. 60 RFK Racing Ford driven by David Ragan
– No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet with Anthony Alfredo at the wheel
– No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet driven by B.J. McLeod
– No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota, piloted by Jimmie Johnson