Social Media Stars, former and current CUP drivers and Travis Pastrana are driving fans to the track.
By Roy J. Akers — www.skyviewsports.net
Daytona Beach, Fla. — In the end, it took overtime and a driver with little star power to take home the checkered flag at the Fresh From Florida 250 Kennametal. Dropping the green flag from the Fresh From Florida 250 Kennametal. All of the CUP drivers (more on this below), social media, and HOF driver Tony Stewart could not deny Chandler Smith.
Former motocross rider Travis Pastrana has millions of YouTube followers and loyal sponsors. Even better from a promotional standpoint, Cleetus McFarland, with more followers than NASCAR joins them. Frankie Muniz, former child star and sometimes Hollywood actor, is in the field. How great is the field? McFarland said, ‘The entry list is sick.’ Several CUP drivers will race part-time in the series.
Dropping the green flag from the Fresh From Florida 250 Kennametal Pole Qualifying
Stage 1
With 44 drivers attempting to qualify for the Florida 250, Ty Majewski sweeps both qualifying sessions, sending the top 37 drivers to the green flag. Michael McDowell wrestles the lead from Majewski a few laps in and Cleetus McFarland spoils the party by going into the inside concrete wall, bringing the first race caution.
Carson Hocevar leads the field to green on lap 9. McDowell grabs the lead back a few laps later. Hocevar leads until turn four of lap 20 and Tanner Gray takes home the S1 green flag. NEWSFLASH. NASCAR gives Hocevar the win. Lap leaders. McDowell 10. Hocevar 10.
Stage 2 (Laps 21-40)
Seven caution laps eat up a good chunk of the Stage and only 13 laps remain in S2. John Hunter Nemechek takes the lead on lap 28. Hocevar goes into the lead a lap later. Twenty of 36 drivers are within one second of Hocevar. Chandler Smith goes on top and when green flag stops are starting, Tony Stewart and Jake Garcia make contact, bringing an end to the stage. Fords are 1-2-3 with Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs and Majewski all on top.
Stage 3 (41-End)
Majewski is in the lead for the first time in the race. By lap 52 John Hunter Nemechek with a push from Hocevar takes the lead. Lap 58-Hocevar cuts a tire from the lead and rolls backward through the field finally spinning out and bringing a caution. After most in the field cycles in to pit, Justin Haley is your lap 63 leader. Haley continues to lead Gray and JH Nemechek on lap 71. Several machines cut tires in S3 and Hocevar spins on lap 79.
Chandler Smith came from the middle of nowhere to win Friday’s Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway and immediately gave credit where credit was due.
What Ty Majewski saw coming down the home stretch. ake me back to the start-finish line as you’re coming up four wide and the bottom opens up. What is going through your mind when that happens and you can see the checkered flag?
“I was surprised the 62 didn’t block it. I was just — the seas literally just parted, and the 88 stayed committed to me, and like I said, thank you, thank you, thank you, Ty Majeski. Definitely got to owe you one on that one.”
They Said It…
The Checkered Flag
CHANDLER SMITH, No. 38 TrophyCatch Ford F-150 – “First off, I want to shout out all glory to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. And I am super, super grateful that I serve such a loving God that blessed me with such a good group of men and women around me at Front Row Motorsports. Ty Majeski, one of my best four teammates I’ve ever worked with. He is all credit to how we just won that race truthfully. He stayed committed to a Ford and pushed a Blue Oval to a win. Just super, super grateful for everybody on this No. 38 Ford F-150 group. We made some changes in the off-season. I felt like last year everybody for the most part knows how this 38 group came together last year, but we built on it and made this group so much better for this year, and I’m so excited for 2026.”
TY MAJESKI, No. 88 Ideal Doors/Menards Ford F-150 – “Us Ford Racing guys, we stay together. We have meetings before this, and we want to be a good example for Ford. We see it on Sundays all the time. And, we had a good meeting this morning and we all wanted to stick together. If we could help a Blue Oval, we did it. Obviously, we want to win for ourselves. I don’t know that there was really a position I could have put myself into to win. We were just so far behind, and my only chance to finish better was to push the 38. Glad we could help a Ford get to Victor Lane. Just very blessed to be in the spot, taking over the Menards 88 for ThorSport this year. Great way to start off the season with stage points in both stages, and sat on the pole, and solid top five finished going to Atlanta. So a great way to start the season.”
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