“Why not us?” Cody Ware eyes shock win at Daytona, and a playoff spot

For higher or worse, the ‘win and also you’re in’ side of the NASCAR Cup playoffs has turned the common season finale at Daytona into the last word wildcard race. There are 20 drivers in a must-win state of affairs, and if any attain Victory Lane on Saturday night time, then they’d be assured a spot within the postseason.

That assertion holds true for drivers like Chris Buescher and Kyle Busch, but additionally for Cody Ware, who sits thirty sixth (final amongst full-time drivers) within the championship standings. Ware, together with Riley Herbst, are the one two drivers with out a top-ten end this yr.

And but, a win at Daytona would vault both of them into the playoffs, changing both Tyler Reddick or Alex Bowman. It could appear to be a stretch, nevertheless it’s basically what occurred one yr in the past. Harrison Burton got here from outdoors the highest 30 in factors, profitable his approach into the playoffs at Daytona. Ware was not far behind in that race, securing a career-best end of fourth.

And whereas a victory by the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford would certainly fire up controversy as debate surrounding the present playoff format continues, Ware is keen to play the function of spoiler.

Why not us?

Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford

Picture by: Justin Casterline / Getty Photographs

“We at all times appear to do effectively at Daytona each time we go there, however I believe much more so in the summertime, so why not us?” stated Ware in his weekly workforce advance. “I don’t know what it’s concerning the night time race, whether or not it’s the heightened aggression of the sphere and with the ability to capitalize on it much more than within the Daytona 500, however I’d say now we have simply pretty much as good a shot as anyone to win on Saturday night time.”

Ware has simply two prime ten finishes in 131 Cup begins, and each of these got here in the summertime race at Daytona (sixth in 2022 and fourth in 2024).

“That was a little bit of survival and a little bit of racing onerous,” stated Ware about his prime 5 from one yr in the past. “It was actually concerning the timing of after I made selections. It wasn’t about racing onerous versus not racing onerous. It was understanding when to race and when to journey, and that performed so much into our outcome.”

Daytona has been often called the good equalizer, and for good purpose. 24 completely different drivers have earned their first Cup win at Daytona, together with six since 2018.

“At Daytona, it’s about as equal because it will get,” continued Ware. “The secret is survival, and it’s extra of a psychological recreation. It’s like taking part in chess at 200 mph versus beating and banging. It’s not conventional inventory automotive racing. I really feel like I’ve honed my craft on the superspeedways and the outcomes present. And now greater than ever, we’ve put ourselves in place the place we’ve had nice outcomes. Now could be the time to capitalize and put the 51 in victory lane.”

Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford

Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photographs

Ware might not have any teammates, however he has loads of producer allies as a member of the Ford camp this weekend. Group Penske and the Wooden Brothers are the one Ford-backed organizations with drivers locked into the playoffs, so they are going to be seeking to help groups like RFK Racing, Haas Manufacturing facility Group and RWR of their quest for victory.

Ware famous how he has gained “a whole lot of confidence at Daytona and its sister monitor, Talladega.” Drafting tracks have resulted in Ware’s six finest finishes on the Cup stage, with Bristol Motor Speedway being his finest non-drafting monitor.

“I believe you both need to be on the very entrance or the very again,” stated Ware as for the place he needs to run all through the night time. “Wherever else is form of no man’s land. My aim is to rise up entrance and run in that top-10, and I believe so long as we execute and don’t make errors, we’re going to be in a great place to just do that.”