Wood Brothers Racing offered a candid response to Cody Ware’s expressed confidence about his prospects in the upcoming Daytona International Speedway race, as anticipation builds ahead of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on August 23. The Wood Brothers Racing Daytona reaction Cody Ware generated across social media captures the sense of possibility and uncertainty heading into NASCAR’s pivotal summer event.
Cody Ware Sets Eyes on Daytona Win and Playoff Spot
Cody Ware will return full-time to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 for the first time since 2023, with the 400-lap Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona this Saturday marking a major comeback moment. Daytona International Speedway is notorious for being a track where surprises happen, with just 24 drivers achieving their first Cup Series victory there—12 of those during the summer race. Ware believes he can join their ranks and clinch an automatic playoff berth for next season.
The enthusiasm surrounding Ware’s potential stems from the wide-open nature of Daytona’s night race, with Ware telling Jeff Gluck of The Athletic,
“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? 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 l’d say we have just as good a shot as anybody to win on Saturday night.”
—Cody Ware, NASCAR Driver
This year’s event is especially significant for Ware; a win at Daytona would secure him a guaranteed spot in the 2025 playoffs, underlining ongoing debates about NASCAR’s playoff qualification system. The current system allows any regular-season race winner, regardless of experience or season-long performance, to enter the postseason, raising questions for some about fairness and competitiveness.
Wood Brothers Racing Welcomes the Prospect of a Surprise Winner
The conversation about Ware’s underdog chances and the Cup Series playoff structure was further spotlighted when Jeff Gluck raised these issues on his X account. Wood Brothers Racing, the oldest continuously operating NASCAR team, weighed in on the topic, indicating industry-wide goodwill should Ware pull off the upset.
“Totally guessing but I think everyone on this website would say welcome to the playoffs Cody you sure deserve it, we’re happy you’re here! Nobody would be mad, from our limited and very vague experience.”
—Wood Brothers Racing, Team Officials
The sense of community and sportsmanship is notable, given the complexities of Daytona. The 2.5-mile tri-oval demands more than just raw speed—drafting with partners plays a critical role, a challenge Ware faces as the only representative of Rick Ware Racing, a single-car team at the event. Without a natural drafting partner, Ware must rely on split-second decisions and alliances that are forged during the race itself, especially as drivers take extra risks in this crucial final regular-season contest.
“Finding a drafting partner is situational, especially in this race with it being the last race before the playoffs,”
Ware said in a statement.
“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.”
—Cody Ware, NASCAR Driver
Fans ready to follow the unfolding drama can catch the race live on Peacock at 7:30 pm ET, with radio coverage available through MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Wood Brothers Racing’s 75th Anniversary Recognized at North Wilkesboro
Wood Brothers Racing is marking its 75th year in the NASCAR Cup Series, tracing its roots to the team’s 1950 founding by Glenn and Leonard Wood. To honor this milestone, North Wilkesboro Speedway selected their leaders for special roles at this year’s All-Star Race. Len Wood, the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, was chosen as honorary starter, CEO Eddie Wood served as the honorary pace car driver, while team President Jon Wood was among the grand marshals for the event.
“North Wilkesboro holds a special place in the history of our team and the sport, and it’s one of those tracks where NASCAR’s roots run deep,”
Jon Wood said in a statement.
“My family has been fortunate to be part of some incredible moments there over the years.”
—Jon Wood, Team President
“As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, it means a great deal to be recognized at a place that helped shape the sport and our team into what it is today,”
he added. —Jon Wood, Team President
Daytona’s Aftermath and the Path to Playoffs
With focus now fixed on Daytona International Speedway, the race’s result will shape the opening field for the 2025 NASCAR playoffs. Attention will soon turn to the first Round of 16 event at Darlington Raceway, scheduled for Sunday, August 31. The stakes and storylines ensure that the reactions of racing legends like the Wood Brothers and hopefuls like Cody Ware continue to capture the emotions and passion at the heart of NASCAR.
