{"id":655616,"date":"2026-05-08T08:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T08:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/655616\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T08:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T08:44:10","slug":"hopefully-i-will-popular-f1-driver-subtly-teases-daytona-500-entry-as-childhood-dream-resurfaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/655616\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cHopefully, I Will\u201d: Popular F1 Driver Subtly Teases Daytona 500 Entry as Childhood Dream Resurfaces"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAs a kid, I grew up a fan of NASCAR. The Daytona 500 was my most anticipated race to watch. The close racing, the bump drafting, and this and that, but also just the timing,\u201d Daniel Ricciardo<\/a> said back in February. Sure, he left the world of motorsports back in 2024 once the Formula 1 season ended, but has racing left him? Well, if his recent words are anything to go by, then maybe not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen videos of you when you get the lead, get to the front in the 500, like the crowd goes nuts. I\u2019m obviously, hopefully, I will get to experience that,\u201d Ricciardo said, speaking of his Daytona 500 experience as a spectator.<\/p>\n

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For the longest time, Ricciardo has been an enthusiast of stock car racing and American culture overall. Even during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at COTA, he would pull up in a cowboy hat and a horseshoe beard, blending in with the Texas culture. And now that he has stepped away from F1, he has the opportunity to step into other series. While he hasn\u2019t given a solid hint of anything in particular, his passion for the Daytona 500 seems unreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI watched that race my whole life, and I knew the banking would be cool [\u2026] I\u2019ve been around racing my whole life, but there will still be things that are just going to blow me away. Maybe people have a perception that, well, he\u2019s raced F1, so what does he care about Indy, or why is that going to be cool to him? It\u2019s like, there are so many kinds of levels and variants of cool and wow,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Stock car racing is understandably different from open-wheel racing. But it is not uncommon for drivers from both disciplines to try the other out, and that is exactly the case with Daniel Ricciardo.<\/p>\n

In fact, he was even present on the track in 2021, ahead of the F1 US GP. He had the chance to drive Dale Earnhardt\u2019s<\/a>1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, shining bright under the Texas sun with iconic blue and yellow Wrangler colors. It was the same livery that Carson Hocevar attempted to recreate<\/a> this season.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m happy for Daniel. I\u2019m also appreciative of how he celebrates my father. That makes a lot of dad\u2019s family members, and fans smile,\u201d Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote at the time.<\/p>\n

But wait, the 36-year-old\u2019s affinity for the Daytona 500 runs deeper.<\/p>\n

Before this year\u2019s event in February, Ricciardo\u2019s new business, Enchante, prepared a NASCAR-themed drop ahead of the 68th running of the race. The brand planned a special Daytona 500 release called Daytona Thunder, featuring race-themed shirts and caps. On Enchante\u2019s Instagram, the former Red Bull Racing driver also wrote about how fascinating he finds the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe strategy and how early in the race to show your cards, so to speak, and the cat and mouse, and when to go and when to be patient. The whole flow of the race that really fascinated me. What a way to start a year, with a race like Daytona,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

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It was a special moment for Ricciardo, but now that he\u2019s done that, understandably, he wants more, which is to run the Daytona 500. But frankly, it wouldn\u2019t be too odd. There have been Formula 1 drivers throughout the years who have had the chance to run in NASCAR.<\/p>\n

F1 drivers who gave NASCAR a shot<\/p>\n

Formula 1 is not always the ultimate resting place for many careers. There have been some of the most notable drivers who stepped outside of open-wheel racing and gave NASCAR a huge chance.<\/p>\n

\"Formula<\/p>\n

Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix 2026 Juan Pablo Montoya COL, during Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix 2026. on April 30., 2026 in Miami, United States Of America Zsombor Toth Miami Miami International Autodrome Florida United States Of America<\/p>\n

Of these, Juan Pablo Montoya is the most successful example. He ran full-time seasons between 2007 and 2013, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing (later Earnhardt Ganassi Racing). He regularly made top 10 finishes and even won a few races. This was an iconic example of an F1 driver moving to stock cars and still managing to win.<\/p>\n

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But the examples don\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n

There is also the case of Kimi Raikkonen. Right after he retired from F1 at the end of the 2021 season, he took his skills with Trackhouse Racing<\/a>to run at Watkins Glen in 2022. A year later, he once again ran at COTA.<\/p>\n

While he did not run any of the ovals, Ricciardo seems to be targeting the same. His passion for the Daytona 500 is quite understandable. It is one of the biggest motorsports events throughout the year and marks the NASCAR season\u2019s start. To be fair, considering the number of drivers who run the Great American Race, it wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see Ricciardo give it a try, too.<\/p>\n

The post \u201cHopefully, I Will\u201d: Popular F1 Driver Subtly Teases Daytona 500 Entry as Childhood Dream Resurfaces<\/a> appeared first on EssentiallySports<\/a>. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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