2023 NextEra Energy 250

Race details
Race 1 of 23 of the2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Date	February 17, 2023
Official name	24th Annual NextEra Energy 250
Location	Daytona International Speedway,Daytona Beach, Florida
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	2.5 miles (4.0 km)
Distance	79 laps, 197 mi (317 km)
Scheduled distance	100 laps, 250 mi (402 km)
Average speed	115.935 mph (186.579 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Nick Sanchez	Rev Racing
Time	49.478
Most laps led
Driver	Corey LaJoie Christian Eckes	Spire Motorsports McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
Laps	19
Winner
No. 38	Zane Smith	Front Row Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	FS1
Announcers	Adam Alexander,Phil Parsons, andMichael Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN

The2023 NextEra Energy 250 was the 1ststock car race of the2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 24th iteration of theevent. The race was held on Friday, February 17, 2023, inDaytona Beach, Florida, atDaytona International Speedway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race was scheduled to be contested over 100 laps, but was shortened to 79 laps due to rain.Zane Smith, the reigning winner of the race, driving forFront Row Motorsports, would win the race after leading when the final caution came out for rain. This was Smith's eighth careerNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his first of the season.^[1] To fill out the podium,Tanner Gray, driving forTricon Garage, andChristian Eckes, driving forMcAnally-Hilgemann Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Daytona International Speedway is one of threesuperspeedways to holdNASCAR races, the other two beingAtlanta Motor Speedway andTalladega Superspeedway.^[2] The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long.^[3] The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while thefront stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.^[3]

• (R) denotes rookie driver.
• (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

The first and only practice session was held on Thursday, February 16, at 5:05 PMEST, and would last for 50 minutes.^[4]Rajah Caruth, driving forGMS Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 47.760, and an average speed of 188.442 mph (303.268 km/h).^[5]

Qualifying was held on Friday, February 17, at 3:00 PMEST.^[4] SinceDaytona International Speedway is asuperspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole.^[6]

Nick Sanchez, driving forRev Racing, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary round and setting the fastest lap in Round 2, with a lap of 49.478, and an average speed of 181.899 mph (292.738 km/h).^[7]

Six drivers would fail to qualify:Lawless Alan,Bryan Dauzat,Todd Peck,Spencer Boyd,Kaden Honeycutt, andNorm Benning.

Stage 1Laps: 20

Stage 2Laps: 20

Stage 3Laps: 39

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Christian Eckes 50 2 Matt Crafton 45 (-5) 3 Ty Majeski 41 (-9) 4 Zane Smith 40 (-10) 5 Tyler Ankrum 40 (-10) 6 Tanner Gray 38 (-12) 7 Grant Enfinger 36 (-14) 8 Colby Howard 33 (-17) 9 Ben Rhodes 30 (-20) 10 Carson Hocevar 30 (-20) Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

• NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway
• 2023 in sports in Florida
• February 2023 sports events in the United States

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