Twenty-four drivers have achieved their first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Daytona International Speedway, with twelve of those coming in the summer 400-mile race. When the Coke Zero Sugar 400 begins Saturday night, Cody Ware hopes to become the latest first-time winner in this prestigious event as the No. 51 Arby’s Jamocha Shake Ford Mustang Dark Horse driver prepares for the challenge.
Ware, who has made 131 Cup Series starts, has viewed Daytona as a key race since last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 when he earned his best finish to date. The 29-year-old from Greensboro, North Carolina, finished fourth that night, trailing Harrison Burton, who secured his first career victory in just his 98th start.
Confidence Growing as Ware Eyes Victory in High-Stakes Race
Reflecting on his chances, Ware expressed optimism about scoring a breakthrough win during the nighttime race. He stated,
“We always seem to do well at Daytona every time we go there, but I think even more so in the summer, so why not us?”
He further elaborated,
“I don’t know what it is about the night race, whether it’s the heightened aggression of the field and being able to capitalize on it even more than in the Daytona 500, but I’d say we have just as good a shot as anybody to win on Saturday night.”
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is the cutoff for the NASCAR regular season and represents the last opportunity for drivers to secure a playoff berth by winning. Known for its intense competitiveness, last year’s race saw 40 lead changes and two large crashes that removed nearly half the field from contention.
Strategic Racing and Survival Key to Success at Daytona
Ware recounted that his fourth-place finish last year was the result of careful timing and strategic decision-making rather than raw aggression.
“That was a bit of survival and a bit of racing hard,”
he said.
“It was really about the timing of when I made decisions. It wasn’t about racing hard versus not racing hard. It was knowing when to race and when to ride, and that played a lot into our result.”
At Daytona, cars remain closely packed with very little separation, creating a level playing field unlike most tracks where aerodynamic and mechanical setups can create significant performance gaps.
“At Daytona, it’s about as equal as it gets,”
Ware explained, emphasizing that the race is more of a mental challenge than traditional stock car racing.
“It’s like playing chess at 200 mph versus beating and banging.”
“I feel like I’ve honed my craft at the superspeedways and the results show,”
continued Ware.
“And now more than ever, we’ve put ourselves in position where we’ve had great results. Now is the time to capitalize and put the 51 in victory lane.”
The Importance of Drafting Partnerships Despite Single-Car Team Status
Success at Daytona heavily depends on maintaining the draft—racing closely behind another car to gain speed. Ware acknowledged that having good drafting partners is crucial for positioning and speed.
“Last year, we had a good drafting partner behind us in Brad Keselowski,”
he noted.
“He helped us race hard and get a good restart. That’s a large part of it – who you’ve got behind you and who you’ve got in front of you, who you can push and who’s going to push you.”
Rick Ware Racing fields only one car, so Ware must build alliances during the race rather than rely on teammates.
“Finding a drafting partner is situational, especially in this race with it being the last race before the playoffs,”
he said.
“There are guys who will take a lot more risk trying to win their way into the playoffs. Knowing which guys are on the bubble and who is already locked into the playoffs is important. Some guys might be less aggressive, some might be willing to take all the risk, either because it’s their last chance to make the playoffs, or because they’re already in and they feel like they’re playing with house money, so they go hard for another win. So, just having good awareness and navigating all that is important. You do a good bit of homework leading up to the race just to understand where everyone is in the points.”
Ware’s Growing Aggression and Confidence at Superspeedways
Ware has shifted his approach to superspeedway racing, increasing his aggression without compromising safety or control.
“I’ve built up a lot of confidence at Daytona and its sister track, Talladega. Superspeedway racing just suits my driving style,”
he said.
“In years past, I took a much more cautious approach to these races. But the last handful of times we’ve been to Daytona and Talladega, I’ve ramped up my aggression level without putting myself in bad spots. I’ve got the confidence to just race hard, get up front, and stay up front.”
He added,
“I think you either want to be at the very front or the very back. Anywhere else is kind of no man’s land. My goal is to get up front and run in that top-10, and I think as long as we execute and don’t make mistakes, we’re going to be in a good place to do just that.”
History of First-Time Winners at Daytona’s Summer 400-Miler
Achieving a first career victory at this race places a driver among a select group of NASCAR stars. The lineage includes legendary and recent names, starting with racing icon A.J. Foyt, who won the 1964 Firecracker 400, and continuing with Sam McQuagg (1966), Greg Sacks (1985), Jimmy Spencer (1994), John Andretti (1997), Greg Biffle (2003), David Ragan (2011), Aric Almirola (2014), Erik Jones (2018), Justin Haley (2019), William Byron (2020), and most recently Harrison Burton in 2024.
Looking Ahead: Qualifying and Race Day Details
Ware’s pursuit of joining this elite group begins with qualifying on Friday at 5:05 p.m. EDT for the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Coverage will be available on TruTV and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The race itself starts Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and will feature live broadcast by NBC along with further coverage on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The summer race at Daytona is not just a test of speed but a high-pressure battle that can define careers and playoff hopes, and Ware stands ready with determination to make his mark.