Fresh From Florida 250

First race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season

Fresh From Florida 250

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Venue| Daytona International Speedway
Location| Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Corporate sponsor| Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services[1]
First race| 2000
Distance| 250 miles (400 km)
Laps| 100
Stages 1/2: 20 each
Final stage: 60
Previous names| Daytona 250 (2000)
Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (2001–2005)
GM Flex Fuel 250 (2006)
Chevy Silverado HD 250 (2007–2008)
NextEra Energy Resources 250 (2009–2018)
NextEra Energy 250 (2019–2023)
Most wins (driver)| Johnny Sauter (3)
Most wins (team)| GMS Racing, Bobby Hamilton Racing & ThorSport Racing (3)
Most wins (manufacturer)| Toyota (10)
Circuit information
Surface| Asphalt
Length| 2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Turns| 4

The Fresh From Florida 250 is the first race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season at Daytona International Speedway and as of 2004 has been held under the lights. It is the Truck Series event of Speedweeks – the series of races leading up to the Daytona 500.

Winners of the event include Mike Wallace, Joe Ruttman, Robert Pressley, Rick Crawford, Carl Edwards, Bobby Hamilton, Mark Martin, Jack Sprague, Todd Bodine (twice), Timothy Peters, Michael Waltrip, John King, Johnny Sauter (three times), Kyle Busch, Tyler Reddick, Kaz Grala, Austin Hill, and Zane Smith (twice).

The Truck Series does not run restrictor plates, devices used by the Xfinity and Cup stock cars to reduce horsepower and slow the cars down at Daytona and Talladega. However, a "spacer plate", and aerodynamic disadvantages in the trucks compensate for the lack of a restrictor plate.

Nick Sanchez was the 2024 winner of the event.

## History

[edit]

The inaugural running of the race in 2000 featured one of the most horrific wrecks in NASCAR history. Just past the halfway point of the race, Kurt Busch's truck made contact with that of Rob Morgan, turning him into Geoff Bodine's truck, sending Bodine careening airborne into the wall and catch fence just past the start-finish line. Bodine's truck burst into flames and flipped at least 10 times before coming to a stop toward Turn 1, causing a major wreck involving 13 trucks. Despite having serious injuries, Bodine survived and raced again later that year in May at Richmond. Although this race was largely overshadowed by this wreck, it was truly exciting as Mike Wallace made the last lap pass on Andy Houston for the inaugural victory.[2]

In 2001, Joe Ruttman was the first driver to win the race from the pole position. He also won the pole the year before. Rookie Ricky Hendrick finished in second.[3]

Robert Pressley won the race in 2002 in his first Truck Series start. [4]

The 2003 race featured a three-wide finish on the final lap between Rick Crawford, defending Daytona winner Robert Pressley, and that year's eventual champion Travis Kvapil where the margin of victory was 0.027 seconds.[5]

In early 2004, it was announced that the race would move from Friday afternoon to Friday night and be run under the lights. Carl Edwards would go on to win the race and Travis Kvapil (in a Toyota) finished second. The race was Toyota's first truck race.[6]

Kerry Earnhardt started from the pole in the 2005 race, but finished in 35th due to an accident. Bobby Hamilton won from the 36th starting position, the farthest starting position for a driver to win.[7]

In 2007, another three-wide finish between Travis Kvapil, Johnny Benson, and Jack Sprague who won the race; the margin of victory was 0.031 seconds (second-closest finish). Sprague was the third driver to win from the pole.[8]

NextEra Energy Resources was the title sponsor of the race from 2009 to 2023

The 2009 race was the first under the new series title sponsorship of Camping World and for race title sponsor NextEra Energy Resources. Todd Bodine won becoming the first driver to win back-to-back season opening truck races at the Daytona International Speedway;[9] Kyle Busch finished second in both races. Also, Todd Bodine won the 2009 race without a sponsor.[9] Six days after the race, fifth-place finisher Ron Hornaday Jr. was docked 25 points and owner DeLana Harvick was docked 25 owner points as a penalty for illegal shocks used in the race. Crew chief Rick Ren was placed on probation and fined $5,000 because of the violations.[10]

The 2011 running was held on the tenth anniversary of Dale Earnhardt's death in the 2001 Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip, who won that infamous 500, pulled off a slingshot last lap pass on Elliott Sadler to win his first career Truck race in a No. 15 truck, the same number on his Cup car in the 2001 500, with his brother Darrell in the broadcast booth. The victory made Waltrip the 22nd driver to win in all of NASCAR's top three divisions. Although his truck failed post-race inspection because the right side of the spoiler had snapped, resulting in a penalty for his team, he kept the win as he was not running for Truck points.[11][12]

A pack of trucks drafting together in the 2018 race

18-year-old Kaz Grala scored his maiden Truck Series victory in the 2017 event, becoming the youngest race winner in Daytona history. Matt Crafton had been leading the race on the final lap before he turned by a spinning Ben Rhodes and sent into a flip.[13]

Angela Ruch (No. 8), Matt Crafton (No. 88) and Gus Dean (No. 12) in the 2019 race

In the 2019 race, only nine drivers finished the race, with many being involved in wrecks. Austin Hill survived the carnage to win his first career Truck race.[14]

Grant Enfinger (No. 98) beating Jordan Anderson (No. 3), Codie Rohrbaugh (No. 9) and Derek Kraus (No. 19) to the finish in the 2020 race

The 2020 edition saw Grant Enfinger win for the first time since Las Vegas in September 2018. Enfinger won in a three-wide photo finish in which he beat Jordan Anderson by 0.010 of a second with Codie Rohrbaugh in tow; the margin of victory made it the closest finish in the event's history.[15] Natalie Decker broke Jennifer Jo Cobb's record as the highest finishing woman in a Truck Series event by finishing fifth; Cobb's best finish was sixth in the 2011 event.[16] On lap 16, rookie Ty Majeski flipped onto his roof, sliding on it for several hundred feet on the banking before landing on its roof on the apron.[17]

Ben Rhodes (No. 99) coming to the finish of the 2021 race ahead of Jordan Anderson (No. 3, who finished 2nd in this race for the second year in a row) and Cory Roper (No. 04)

On August 16, 2020, the Truck Series ran a second race on the Daytona road course; the event replaced the June 12 Iowa Speedway race, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] Known as the Sunoco 159, it was held as part of a doubleheader with the Cup Series' Go Bowling 235.[19]

The 2023 event marked the first time that the event failed to go the 250-mile/100-lap distance. On and off again showers plagued the event on five different occasions with three red flags. After an hour-long rain delay with 74 laps completed, drivers got back to their trucks only for it to start raining again, causing them to come back down to pit road. With 79 laps completed, NASCAR called the race over with Zane Smith becoming just the second driver to win the event back-to-back (Todd Bodine was the first in 2008-2009). Of the 79 laps, only 38 were under green.

In 2024, Fresh From Florida (an initiative/campaign of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) became the title sponsor of the race, replacing NextEra Energy Resources, which had been the title sponsor of the race since 2009. This ended NextEra's long 15 year run as the title sponsor of the race.[1]

## Past winners

[edit]

Year  | Date  | No. | Driver  | Team  | Manufacturer  | Race distance  | Race time  | Average speed
(mph)  | Ref

|
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|
|
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|
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|
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Laps  | Miles (km)
2000 | February 18  | 2  | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:55:00  | 130.152  | [20]
2001 | February 16  | 18  | Joe Ruttman | Bobby Hamilton Racing | Dodge | 104*  | 260 (418.429)  | 2:00:33  | 129.407  | [21]
2002 | February 15  | 18  | Robert Pressley | Bobby Hamilton Racing | Dodge | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:47:03  | 140.121  | [22]
2003 | February 14  | 14  | Rick Crawford | Circle Bar Racing | Ford | 106*  | 265 (426.476)  | 2:04:34  | 127.642  | [23]
2004 | February 13  | 99  | Carl Edwards | Roush Racing | Ford | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:13:15  | 112.57  | [24]
2005 | February 18  | 04  | Bobby Hamilton | Bobby Hamilton Racing | Dodge | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:00:04  | 124.931  | [25]
2006 | February 17  | 6  | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 102*  | 255 (410.382)  | 1:44:21*  | 146.622*  | [26]
2007 | February 16  | 60  | Jack Sprague | Wyler Racing | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:07:24  | 117.739  | [27]
2008 | February 15  | 30  | Todd Bodine | Germain Racing | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:57:36  | 127.551  | [28]
2009 | February 13  | 30  | Todd Bodine | Germain Racing | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:02:11  | 122.766  | [29]
2010 | February 13*  | 17  | Timothy Peters | Red Horse Racing | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:10:06  | 115.295  | [30]
2011 | February 18  | 15  | Michael Waltrip | Billy Ballew Motorsports | Toyota | 103*  | 257.5 (414.406)  | 1:58:33  | 130.025  | [31]
2012 | February 24  | 7  | John King | Red Horse Racing | Toyota | 109*  | 272.5 (438.546)  | 2:17:13  | 119.169  | [32]
2013 | February 22  | 98  | Johnny Sauter | ThorSport Racing | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:45:56  | 141.598  | [33]
2014 | February 21  | 51  | Kyle Busch | Kyle Busch Motorsports | Toyota | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:45:10  | 142.631  | [34]
2015 | February 20  | 19  | Tyler Reddick | Brad Keselowski Racing | Ford | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:56:45  | 128.48  | [35]
2016 | February 19  | 21  | Johnny Sauter | GMS Racing | Chevrolet | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:56:15  | 129.032  | [36]
2017 | February 24  | 33  | Kaz Grala | GMS Racing | Chevrolet | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 1:55:38  | 129.72  | [37]
2018 | February 16  | 21  | Johnny Sauter | GMS Racing | Chevrolet | 100  | 250 (402.336)  | 2:04:36  | 120.385  | [38]
2019 | February 15  | 16  | Austin Hill | Hattori Racing Enterprises | Toyota | 111*  | 277.5 (446.593)  | 2:39:20  | 104.498  | [39]
2020 | February 14  | 98  | Grant Enfinger | ThorSport Racing | Ford | 106*  | 265 (426.476)  | 2:04:53  | 127.319  | [40]
2021 | February 12  | 99  | Ben Rhodes | ThorSport Racing | Toyota | 101*  | 252.5 (406.359)  | 2:20:33  | 107.791  | [41]
2022 | February 18  | 38  | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 106*  | 265 (426.476)  | 2:03:07  | 129.146  | [42]
2023 | February 17  | 38  | Zane Smith | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 79*  | 197.5 (317.845)  | 2:09:23  | 115.935  | [43]
2024 | February 16  | 2  | Nick Sanchez | Rev Racing | Chevrolet | 101*  | 252.5 (406.359)  | 2:33:08  | 98.933  | [44]

* 2006 was the race time and average speed record, even with overtime.
* 2001, 2003, 2006, 2011–12, 2019–22, 2024: The race was extended due to a NASCAR Overtime finish. The 2012 event took three attempts, and the 2019 running took two attempts at overtime.
* 2010: Race postponed from Friday to Saturday due to rain.
* 2023: Race shortened due to rain.

### Multiple winners (drivers)

[edit]

# of wins  | Driver  | Years won

|
|

3  | Johnny Sauter | 2013, 2016, 2018
2  | Todd Bodine | 2008, 2009
Zane Smith | 2022, 2023

### Multiple winners (teams)

[edit]

# of wins  | Team  | Years won

|
|

3  | GMS Racing | 2016-2018
Bobby Hamilton Racing | 2001, 2002, 2005
ThorSport Racing | 2013, 2020, 2021
2  | Roush Racing | 2004, 2006
Germain Racing | 2008, 2009
Red Horse Racing | 2010, 2012
Front Row Motorsports | 2022, 2023

### Manufacturer wins

[edit]

# of wins  | Make  | Years won

|
|

10  |  Toyota | 2007-2014, 2019, 2021
8  |  Ford | 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023
4  |  Chevrolet | 2016-2018, 2024
3  |  Dodge | 2001, 2002, 2005

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Fresh From Florida named entitlement partner for Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. October 20, 2023.
2. ^ "Wallace wins Daytona's first truck race". ESPN. February 18, 2000. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
3. ^ "2001 Official Race Results : Florida Dodge Dealers 250". NASCAR. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
4. ^ "Comprehensive log of Truck Series results". Racing-reference.info. 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
5. ^ "Crawford uses last-lap pass to snap 120-race winless skid". Sports Illustrated. February 14, 2003. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
6. ^ Long, Mark (February 13, 2004). "Edwards flips over Daytona truck win". USA Today. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
7. ^ Graves, Gary (February 18, 2005). "Hamilton wins wild truck race at Daytona". USA Today. Daytona Beach, Florida. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
8. ^ "Sprague Wins at Daytona, Has Sights Set on Fourth Championship". Kansas Speedway. February 18, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
9. ^ a b Adelson, Andrea (February 14, 2009). "Bodine wins truck race at Daytona". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
10. ^ "Hornaday docked 25 points for illegal shocks at DIS". NASCAR. February 19, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
11. ^ "Michael Waltrip wins Trucks race". ESPN. February 19, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
12. ^ Pockrass, Bob (February 23, 2011). "Michael Waltrip crew chief fined $25,000 for spoiler violation in Daytona truck race". SceneDaily. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
13. ^ Pockrass, Bob (February 24, 2017). "NASCAR truck race marred by two crashes; no injuries reported". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
14. ^ Spencer, Reid (February 15, 2019). "NASCAR Daytona Truck results: Austin Hill wins wild season opener in overtime". Autoweek. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
15. ^ Engle, Greg (February 15, 2020). "Grant Enfinger Survives to Win Crash-Filled Truck Race at Daytona". Autoweek. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
16. ^ Seelman, Jacob (February 14, 2020). "Decker Earns Her Place In Truck Series History". Speed Sport. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
17. ^ Taranto, Steven (February 14, 2020). "Multi-truck accident sends Ty Majeski sliding on his roof". 247Sports. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
18. ^ "First time in history: NASCAR's three top-tier series, ARCA to compete on Daytona International Speedway's iconic road course, August 14-16, 2020". Daytona International Speedway. July 8, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
19. ^ Brieskorn, Katlyn (August 14, 2020). "NASCAR fans allowed to return to Daytona International Speedway for doubleheader this weekend". WFTV. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
20. ^ "2000 Daytona 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
21. ^ "2001 Florida Dodge Dealers 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
22. ^ "2002 Florida Dodge Dealers 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
23. ^ "2003 Florida Dodge Dealers 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
24. ^ "2004 Florida Dodge Dealers 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
25. ^ "2005 Florida Dodge Dealers 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
26. ^ "2006 GM Flex Fuel 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
27. ^ "2007 Chevy Silverado HD 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
28. ^ "2008 Chevy Silverado 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
29. ^ "2009 Nextera Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
30. ^ "2010 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
31. ^ "2011 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
32. ^ "2012 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
33. ^ "2013 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
34. ^ "2014 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
35. ^ "2015 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
36. ^ "2016 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
37. ^ "2017 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
38. ^ "2018 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
39. ^ "2019 NextEra Energy 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
40. ^ "2020 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
41. ^ "2021 NextEra Energy Resources 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
42. ^ "2022 NextEra Energy 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
43. ^ "2023 NextEra Energy 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
44. ^ "2024 Fresh From Florida 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 16, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Daytona International Speedway race results at Racing-Reference

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Craftsman 150 (the previous season) | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
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Fr8 208

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