McMurray, Cope highlight Daytona 500 entry announcements
As the Daytona 500 draws closer, more Daytona 500 plans are being announced, with three teams announcing driver plans Tuesday.
Chip Ganassi Racing
Chip Ganassi Racing announced Jamie McMurray as the driver of their No. 77 AdventHealth Chevrolet Camaro for the Daytona 500.
McMurray’s No. 77 will be built by CGR and utilizing a Spire Motorsports charter. Sponsor AdventHealth will return for this year’s 500, one year after sponsoring Ross Chastain when he drove the No. 77 to a 25th-place finish.
McMurray last raced in the 2019 Daytona 500, finishing 22nd in a No. 40 CGR-prepared Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. McMurray was taken out in a wreck on Lap 198.
Gaunt Brothers Racing
Gaunt Brothers Racing announced Ty Dillon as the driver of their No. 96 Toyota Camry for the Daytona 500.
Dillon’s No. 96 — an open entry — will be sponsored by Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee for the 500. The No. 96 will also be a new Toyota Camry with an engine built by Toyota Racing Development for Dillon to attempt to qualify for Gaunt Brothers Racing’s first Daytona 500.
Daniel Suarez attempted last year’s Daytona 500 with Gaunt Brothers Racing, but failed to make the race after crashing out of his Duel race.
Ty Dillon made the race last year but finished 30th after being taken out in a wreck with two laps to go in the scheduled distance.
Rick Ware Racing/Starcom Racing
1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope confirmed to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass Tuesday afternoon that he would be racing in this year’s 500.
Cope will run a No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet built by StarCom Racing with Pat Tryson serving as crew chief and Jacob Companies as the sponsor.
Cope will be locked into the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2004. Cope finished 30th, 47 laps down, after starting 42nd in that year’s 500.
Josh Bilicki will serve as Derrike Cope’s teammate in this year’s Daytona 500. Bilicki will drive the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing entry full-time in 2021, kicking off the season with his first Daytona 500 start.
The Daytona 500 is February 14 at 2:30 p.m. ET with TV coverage on FOX and radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
SOURCES:
Chip Ganassi Racing
FOX Sports
Gaunt Brothers Racing
NASCAR
Racing-Reference.Info
Rick Ware Racing
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com