The Daytona 500 is known as “The Great American Race” and is widely considered the crown jewel of NASCAR. First held in 1959, it was originally called the “Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes.” By 1982, it became the official season opener for the Cup Series, with NASCAR legend Bobby Allison taking the checkered flag that year. Over the decades, countless drivers have tried—and some have succeeded by winning the race, etching their names in the sport’s history books.

But what makes Daytona so special? For one, it’s the race with the largest purse in NASCAR. It’s also the oldest Superspeedway race on the schedule and, arguably, the oldest Superspeedway race in the world (unless you count Darlington’s Southern 500). And the competition? It’s fierce, making it anyone’s race—whether you’re a seasoned pro or a rookie making your debut. That’s why every team, no matter their size or stature, wants to be a part of it. And that includes MBM Motorsports, a veteran team that’s determined to make its mark on the 2025 Daytona 500.

MBM Motorsports are undeterred!

MBM Motorsports, owned by longtime NASCAR driver Carl Long, debuted in the Cup Series in 2017 with the #66 car. Over the years, several drivers have gotten behind the wheel of the No. 66 including Carl Long himself. The team has participated in a handful of races every season, with their best finish in 2024 being a 28th-place run at the Chicago Street Race, thanks to driver Josh Bilicki. While MBM hasn’t yet tasted significant success in the Cup Series, their resilience and determination are hard to ignore.

And it was thanks to the help of MBM Motorsports fielding a car in the Coca-Cola 600 that NASCAR set a record in the next-gen era of fielding a full 40 cars in a race other than the Daytona 500. And speaking of the Daytona 500, the team missed the famed race this year. However, they’re determined to be there in the next one. Earlier, the team owner Long, who also serves as the crew chief for the #66, announced on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

He said, “We are definitely going to do the Daytona 500. The car that we had at Martinsville, we’ve already torn it down and putting it back together and trying to maximize what we need to do for Daytona.” And personally, running the Daytona 500 in 2025 is extra special for Long, as he was part of the Twin 125 (now called Duel) in 2000, running the #85 car for Mansion Motorsports. So the year 2025 marks 25 years since that appearance. The MBM team recently shared a photo on Instagram from the grid in 2000, with Long behind the wheel of the #85. Take a look:

The Twin 125 is now known as the Duel, which features two races to determine the starting positions for the Daytona 500. However, the only difference is that the Duel had 60 laps, and Twin 125 had just 50. For those of you who remember, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was the master of 125-mile races, and it became a playground for him. Thus, Dale Sr. remained unbeaten on 125-mile races for a decade!

But the photo Long has shared was from the race where Sr’s mighty reign ended with Bill Elliott winning the race. Earnhardt finished 9th and was naturally upset. Earlier, he had said, “That’s the worst racing I’ve seen at Daytona in a long time. They’ve killed the racing at Daytona. They’ve taken the race out of the hands of the drivers and crews. It was a joke. Mr. Bill France, Sr. would roll over in his grave.” In the same race, Long finished 26th.

And Long is doing everything in his power to put his car in the iconic race!

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Carl Long’s bold plan for the Daytona 500

For a team like MBM Motorsports, making the Daytona 500 isn’t easy. As a smaller operation, they don’t have the same resources or sponsorship backing as the big names in NASCAR. But Carl Long is no stranger to overcoming the odds. This time, he’s making a strategic move by partnering with Roush Yates Engines instead of relying on their own parts. It’s a risky decision, but one he believes will give them the edge they need to compete at Daytona.

“I know it’s going to be kind of a gamble,” Long admits. “I won’t be able to get sponsorships and drivers to come run our brand of engines that we run at most places. But if you’re going to run the Daytona 500, we don’t have the technology to build a plate motor, but we went ahead and made the gamble that if we get the engine and have Yates backing, we’ll be able to sign a driver.”

As for who will drive the #66 car, it’s still up in the air. Drivers like Josh Bilicki, David Starr, Timmy Hill, and Chad Finchum, all ran races for MBM in 2024, and they’re all potential candidates for Daytona. Other names on the radar include Parker Retzlaff and B.J. McLeod. The big question, though, is who can bring the necessary sponsorship dollars to the table, to make the dream a reality?

“We’ve got to hustle,” Long says. “The drivers are out there hustling to find dollars. If they can bring in the money, that’s great. We can make it work.”

MBM has also made progress on the sponsorship front, as 2ONE, a nicotine pouch company, has already backed the team in a few races toward the end of the 2024 season. Long is in talks with them, about potentially extending that partnership for Daytona and beyond. “We’re in discussions with them about how many more races they’d like to do,” he says. “We also have a network of people who could help get them into convenience stores across the country. It’s a win-win for both sides.”

Carl Long and MBM Motorsports are no strangers to adversity. But their determination to make it to the 2025 Daytona 500 is a testament to their passion for the sport. While it won’t be easy, they’re not backing down. They’re doing everything in their power to field a competitive entry in the sport’s most prestigious race. Let’s hope they succeed. What do you think? Can MBM Motorsports make it to the 2025 Daytona 500? Share your thoughts in the comments below!