How about that for a season-opener!?
With all the hype entering Friday’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway about the all-star lineup of drivers competing for the victory, it ended up being a series regular, Chandler Smith, who went to Victory Lane at ‘The World Center of Racing’.
Smith was able to sneak inside of Gio Ruggiero, John Hunter Nemechek, and Christian Eckes as the trio was banging doors coming to the start-finish line to collect the victory, winning the race by 0.044 seconds.
Gio Ruggerio, for the second consecutive season, leaves Daytona with a runner-up finish, while Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top five. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. was sixth, with Brenden Queen, Kaden Honeycutt, Tyler Ankrum, and Stewart Friesen inside the top-10.
Tony Stewart and Cleetus McFarland had tough evenings, finishing 36th and 37th.
FRESH FROM FLORIDA 250 RACE RESULTS:
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Laps | Diff | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 38 | Chandler Smith | Front Row Motorsports TrophyCatch Ford | 102 | Running | |
| 2 | 9 | 17 | Gio Ruggiero | TRICON Garage JBL Toyota | 102 | 0.044 | Running |
| 3 | 11 | 91 | Christian Eckes | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Columbia Bank Chevrolet | 102 | 0.065 | Running |
| 4 | 1 | 88 | Ty Majeski | ThorSport Racing Ideal Door / Menards Ford | 102 | 0.069 | Running |
| 5 | 19 | 62 | John Hunter Nemechek | Halmar Friesen Racing DriveValue.com Toyota | 102 | 0.069 | Running |
| 6 | 30 | 45 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | Niece Motorsports J.F. Electric / Utilitra Chevrolet | 102 | 0.128 | Running |
| 7 | 22 | 12 | Brenden Queen | Kaulig Racing Cummins RAM | 102 | 0.323 | Running |
| 8 | 7 | 11 | Kaden Honeycutt | TRICON Garage Safelite Toyota | 102 | 0.327 | Running |
| 9 | 6 | 18 | Tyler Ankrum | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing LiUNA! Chevrolet | 102 | 0.39 | Running |
| 10 | 24 | 52 | Stewart Friesen | Halmar Friesen Racing Halmar International Toyota | 102 | 0.466 | Running |
| 11 | 25 | 5 | Nick Leitz | TRICON Garage SEM Products Toyota | 102 | 0.468 | Running |
| 12 | 27 | 99 | Ben Rhodes | ThorSport Racing TYM North America Ford | 102 | 0.525 | Running |
| 13 | 28 | 44 | Andres Perez de Lara | Niece Motorsports Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet | 102 | 0.852 | Running |
| 14 | 23 | 13 | Cole Butcher | ThorSport Racing Atlantic Tiltload Ford | 102 | 1.101 | Running |
| 15 | 13 | 42 | Travis Pastrana | Niece Motorsports BRUNT Workwear Chevrolet | 102 | 1.769 | Running |
| 16 | 33 | 33 | Frankie Muniz | Team Reaume Lucid Trading Ford | 102 | 2.122 | Running |
| 17 | 31 | 10 | Daniel Dye | Kaulig Racing MOPAR RAM | 102 | 3.592 | Running |
| 18 | 17 | 95 | Clay Greenfield | GK Racing Backyard Blues Pools Chevrolet | 102 | 3.874 | Running |
| 19 | 37 | 14 | Mini Tyrrell | Kaulig Racing RAM: Race For The Seat RAM | 102 | 7.091 | Running |
| 20 | 29 | 22 | Josh Reaume | Team Reaume Aerial Titans Ford | 102 | 7.106 | Running |
| 21 | 34 | 76 | Spencer Boyd | Freedom Racing Enterprises Freedom Warranty Chevrolet | 102 | 7.715 | Running |
| 22 | 16 | 16 | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing CELSIUS RAM | 102 | 9.963 | Running |
| 23 | 3 | 15 | Tanner Gray | TRICON Garage Black's Tire Toyota | 102 | 58.929 | Running |
| 24 | 4 | 7 | Michael McDowell | Spire Motorsports Tibbetts Lumber Chevrolet | 101 | 1 lap | Running |
| 25 | 26 | 81 | Kris Wright | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing FNB Corporation Chevrolet | 101 | 1 lap | Running |
| 26 | 32 | 19 | Daniel Hemric | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet | 101 | 1 lap | Running |
| 27 | 20 | 26 | Dawson Sutton | Rackley WAR WAR Shocks / Rackley Roofing Chevrolet | 101 | 1 lap | Running |
| 28 | 14 | 1 | Taylor Gray | TRICON Garage Top Liner Toyota | 101 | 1 lap | Running |
| 29 | 5 | 9 | Grant Enfinger | CR7 Motorsports Grant County Mulch Chevrolet | 100 | 2 laps | Running |
| 30 | 21 | 97 | Jason Kitzmiller | CR7 Motorsports A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet | 100 | 2 laps | Running |
| 31 | 35 | 34 | Layne Riggs | Front Row Motorsports Love's RV Stop Ford | 98 | 4 laps | Running |
| 32 | 8 | 98 | Jake Garcia | ThorSport Racing Quanta Services/ Curb Records Ford | 98 | 4 laps | Running |
| 33 | 36 | 2 | Jason White | Team Reaume More Core Ford | 98 | 4 laps | Running |
| 34 | 18 | 75 | Corey LaJoie | Henderson Motorsports Built.com Chevrolet | 92 | 10 laps | Mechanical |
| 35 | 4 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | Spire Motorsports IKEA / Best Buy Chevrolet | 88 | 14 laps | Accident |
| 36 | 15 | 25 | Tony Stewart | Kaulig Racing RAM is Back RAM | 39 | 63 laps | Accident |
| 37 | 12 | 4 | Cleetus McFarland | Niece Motorsports Black Rifle Coffee Chevrolet | 5 | 97 laps | Accident |
