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CUP: Daytona Car Count Down
Written by: Tom Jensen   
02/07/2008 - 07:33 AM
Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
61 cars attempted to qualify for the Daytona 500 in 2007. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) ยป More Photos

The go-or-go-homers will find this year’s Daytona 500 a bit less onerous than last year, as the entry list has shrunk from 61 in 2007 to just 52 for the 2008 Daytona 500, a 15 percent decrease.

That means just nine cars will fail to qualify for this year’s 50th running of the Daytona 500, instead of 18 DNQs last year. And with the top 35 in 2007 owner points locked into the 500 field, the final eight starting spots will be contested by 17 cars instead of 26 like last year.

Among the teams and drivers not entered this year are three-time Daytona 500 winners Morgan-McClure Motorsports, which closed its doors earlier this year after being unable to find sponsorship for 2008. Bill Davis Racing
is not entering a third car in the 500 as it did last year and ARCA star Frank Kimmel has opted not to enter this year’s race. Also sitting out the 500 are James Hylton and Kirk Shelmerdine.

NASCAR officials said they were not concerned about the lower car counts, saying they were following normal cyclical patterns. Historically, the average in recent years has been 54 entries, said NASCAR’s Ramsey Poston.

One reason for the lower car counts might be the choice of car: This is the first Daytona 500 where NASCAR’s new-generation race car is being used and smaller privateers aren’t as likely to build one of the new cars as they would have been with the older-style car.
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