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Greg Biffle cites unpaid contract for not racing in Daytona 500. Who is taking his place?

dan rorabaugh, usa today network - florida
·3 min read

One of the mysteries heading into the 2024 Daytona 500 (aside from whether the rain will stay away long enough to race) was who would be driving the No. 44 Chevrolet.

NY Racing Team was a late entry to the Daytona 500 qualifying field, but the driver was unknown. There was speculation that it would be Greg Biffle after his name was seen on the team's hauler at Daytona International Speedway. But Biffle shut that down with a social media post Monday night, claiming his prior contract with the team was not fulfilled and so he would not take part in Speedweek.

NY Racing Team announced Wednesday that J.J. Yeley would be driving the No. 44 in Daytona 500 qualifying that night. Yeley is one of six unchartered drivers, including two-time Daytona 500 champ Jimmie Johnson, competing for four open spots in the Great American Race. Two of those slots will be decided Wednesday night.

Biffle, who has never won the Daytona 500 but did win what was then the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in 2003, drove for the NY Racing Team in 2022. In posts to his social media Monday night, Biffle said while he hoped to race in the Daytona 500 this year, "that will not be happening."

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A post shared by Greg Biffle (@gbiffle)

Daytona 500 qualifying updates: NASCAR drivers come in for Daytona 500 media day and pole qualifying

Is Greg Biffle racing at Daytona?

Greg Biffle hasn't raced full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2016, but he did race with NY Racing Team in 2022. He finished 36th in the 2022 Daytona 500.

While his name was on the team's hauler at this year's Daytona 500, Biffle said he would not compete because of "unfulfilled contract obligations" from his time in 2022.

"While I had hoped to be running in the 2024 Daytona 500 this year - that will not be happening," Biffle wrote in the post. "Due to unfulfilled contract obligations from 2022 for myself and the team, I have made a hard decision not to participate in any races, until the prior contract obligations have been fulfilled."

Who is driving No. 44 Chevrolet in Daytona 500? J.J. Yeley

J.J. Yeley was announced as the driver for NY Racing Team. His best showing at the Daytona 500 was a 10-place finish in 2013.

When is Daytona 500 qualifying? How can I watch?

  • When: 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, February 14

  • TV: FS1 (Channel 219 on DirecTV, Channel 150 on Dish)

  • Streaming: FoxSports.com and Fox Sports app (TV provider log-in required), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)

Pole qualifying for the 2024 Daytona 500 is set to begin at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, February 14 at Daytona International Speedway.

Qualifying will air on FS1. Streaming options include fuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

When is the Daytona 500?

The 2024 Daytona 500 is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 18. The race will air on Fox. Mike Joy will be the main announcer, with Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick serving as analysts from the booth, Larry McReynolds and Michael Waltrip contributing, and Jamie Little, Regan Smith and Josh Sims reporting from pit road.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Greg Biffle not at Daytona 500 because of 'unfulfilled contract'