The 2023 NextEra Energy 250 was the 1st stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 24th iteration of the event. The race was held on Friday, February 17, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Florida, at Daytona International Speedway, a 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 for Front Row Motorsports, would win the race after leading when the final caution came out for rain. This was Smith's eighth career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Tanner Gray, driving for Tricon Garage, and Christian Eckes, driving for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Background Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is long. The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.

Entry list

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

#DriverTeamMake1Jason A. WhiteTricon GarageToyota02Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet04Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord4Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet5Dean ThompsonTricon GarageFord7Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet9Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet11Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota12Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet13Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord15Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota16Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota17Sammy Smith (i)Tricon GarageToyota19Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet20Derek KrausYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet22Josh ReaumeAM RacingFord23Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet24Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet25Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet28Bryan DauzatFDNY RacingChevrolet30Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota32Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet33Mason MasseyReaume Brothers RacingFord34Jason M. WhiteReaume Brothers RacingToyota35Chase Elliott (i)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord41Travis Pastrana (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet42Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet43Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet45Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet46Norm BenningG2G RacingToyota51Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet52Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota56Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota75Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet84Clay GreenfieldCook Racing TechnologiesToyota88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord96Todd PeckPeck MotorsportsToyota97Codie RohrbaughCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet98Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord99Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFordOfficial entry list

Practice The first and only practice session was held on Thursday, February 16, at 5:05 PM EST, and would last for 50 minutes. Rajah Caruth, driving for GMS Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 47.760, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed124Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet47.760188.442219Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet47.774188.387351Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet47.924187.797Full practice results

Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, February 17, at 3:00 PM EST. Since Daytona International Speedway is a superspeedway, 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.

Nick Sanchez, driving for Rev 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 .

Six drivers would fail to qualify: Lawless Alan, Bryan Dauzat, Todd Peck, Spencer Boyd, Kaden Honeycutt, and Norm Benning. Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)12Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet49.731180.97449.478181.899298Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord50.083179.70249.783180.785351Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet50.000180.00049.969180.112419Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet49.991180.03250.085179.69557Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet50.292178.95550.228179.183688Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord50.397178.58250.289178.96671Jason A. WhiteTricon GarageToyota50.391178.60350.300178.926825Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet50.404178.55750.398178.579942Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet50.462178.35250.412178.529104Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet49.757180.879——Eliminated in Round 11120Derek KrausYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet50.462178.352——1213Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord50.466178.338——1311Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota50.519178.151——1435Chase Elliott (i)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet50.528178.119——1538Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord50.552178.034——1623Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet50.559178.010——1724Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet50.621177.792——185Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota50.645177.708——1915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota50.680177.585——2017Sammy Smith (i)Tricon GarageToyota50.686177.564——219Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet50.695177.532——2232Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet50.707177.490——2352Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota50.710177.480——2475Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet50.716177.459——2541Travis Pastrana (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet50.732177.403——2699Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord50.862176.949——2716Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota51.010176.436——2897Codie RohrbaughCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet51.044176.318——2943Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet51.088176.167——3002Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet51.173175.874——3184Clay GreenfieldCook Racing TechnologiesToyota51.202175.774——Qualified by owner's points3256Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota51.244175.630——3330Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota51.246175.623——3422Josh ReaumeAM RacingFord52.525171.347——3533Mason MasseyReaume Brothers RacingFord52.587171.145——3634Jason M. WhiteReaume Brothers RacingToyota54.081166.417——Failed to qualify3745Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet51.208175.754——3828Bryan DauzatFDNY RacingChevrolet51.287175.483——3996Todd PeckPeck MotorsportsToyota51.288175.480——4012Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet51.489174.795——4104Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord51.516174.703——4246Norm BenningG2G RacingToyota51.583174.476——Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup

Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts119Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet10288Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord9325Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet8413Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord752Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet6698Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord5742Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet4815Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota3951Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet21023Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts116Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota1024Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet9388Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord842Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet7519Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet6698Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord5799Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord4823Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet3951Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet21042Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet1

Stage 3 Laps: 39 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts11538Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord7917Running4021915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota790Running383419Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet7919Running504219Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet792Running3351623Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet790Running366298Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord792Running4172716Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota7915Running4081311Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota790Running299688Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord792Running45101435Chase Elliott (i)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet790Running0112699Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord790Running3012942Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet790Running30132541Travis Pastrana (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet790Running0142017Sammy Smith (i)Tricon GarageToyota790Running01571Jason A. WhiteTricon GarageToyota790Running22163256Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota790Running2117104Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet791Running29181120Derek KrausYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet790Running19193422Josh ReaumeAM RacingFord790Running1820825Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet790Running25213634Jason M. WhiteReaume Brothers RacingToyota790Running16223002Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet790Running152357Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet7919Running0243533Mason MasseyReaume Brothers RacingFord790Running13253330Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota790Running122612Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet790Running2427351Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet790Running14282352Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota742Running9291724Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet570Accident8302943Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet570Accident7312232Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet490Brakes6322475Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet450DVP0332897Codie RohrbaughCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet390Accident4343184Clay GreenfieldCook Racing TechnologiesToyota280Accident3351213Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord280Accident236185Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota280Accident1Official race results

Standings after the race

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.

References