2023 NextEra Energy 250

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 2.5 mi 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 2.5 mi 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.

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 188.442 mph.

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 181.899 mph.

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

Race results
Stage 1 Laps: 20 Stage 2 Laps: 20

Stage 3 Laps: 39

Standings after the race

 * Drivers' Championship standings


 * Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.