#SrigleyStats Countdown to Daytona: 40 Days!
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 -- 40 Days Until Daytona!
40 DAYS UNTIL DAYTONA!
Let’s look back at the history of the #40 in NASCAR’s National Series.
FIRST USAGE:
NCS: 1951-20 - Detroit - Tommy Thompson
NXS: 1982-01 - Daytona - Dennis Bennett
NCTS: 1995-13 - IRP - Carlos Serrano
BEST FINISH:
NCS: P1 - 9 NASCAR Cup Series Victories (Most: Sterling Marlin - 4)
NXS: P1 - 1 NASCAR Xfinity Series Victory (Kevin Lepage, Bristol 1998)
NCTS: P4 - 2021-01 (Daytona) - Ryan Truex
BEST START:
NCS: P1 - 6 NASCAR Cup Series Poles (Most: Sterling Marlin - 4)
NXS: P1 - 4 NASCAR Xfinity Series Poles (Lepage, Clauson, Pruett, Franchitti)
NCTS: P2 - 2021-02 (Daytona RC) - Ryan Truex
IS THE NUMBER ACTIVE?
No. The #40 was not utilized in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023. At this time, the number has no plans to be used in 2024, either.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, the #40 hasn’t been utilized since the 2019 Daytona 500, when Jamie McMurray made his second-to-last start at NASCAR’s top level, driving a specially-numbered entry for Spire Motorsports — which had a strong alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing.
McMurray would finish in 22nd, after being caught up in a late-race accident.
The last time the #40 was utilized in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was also a noteworthy day for another reason — the final race in which the Dodge Challenger would be allowed on track.
Carl Long piloted the #40 CrashClaimsR.us Dodge Challenger for MBM Motorsports in the event, carrying a special “thank you dodge” message on the hood, finishing in 33rd place, 20 laps off the pace.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Dean Thompson holds the honor of being the last person to pilot the #40, in his final event for Niece Motorsports at Phoenix Raceway, before moving to TRICON Garage for 2023.
Thompson would fail to score a top-10 finish while piloting this entry for Niece Motorsports, which the team discontinued after this season, moving to utilizing the #41 instead of the #40.
WHO HAS MOST FREQUENTLY USED THE #40?
NASCAR Cup Series: Sterling Marlin - 275 Starts
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Chad Finchum - 38 Races
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Ryan Truex - 31 Races
MISCELLANEOUS STATS ABOUT THE #40 IN NASCAR
The #40 won the first NCS event it was entered in, with Tommy Thompson.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the #40 only has a pair of top-five finishes — both with Ryan Truex and both on superspeedways.
Across NASCAR’s top-three series, the #40 has not finished inside the top five on a non-superspeedway track since Dario Franchitti scored a top-five in the 2008 NASCAR Xfinity Series event at Watkins Glen International.
In the history of the #40 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, only twice has the truck number qualified inside the top-10.
After winning the first NASCAR National Series event that the number was utilized (1951), the number did not return to Victory Lane for nearly two decades (1970). After that season was completed, the number didn’t win again for three decades (2001).
Kevin Lepage had a stellar tenure in the #40 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, scoring six finishes inside the top-four in 23 starts — six of the number’s nine best finishes in the second-tier series.
Both Sterling Marlin and Scott Pruett used the #40 in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, scoring top-five finishes in both series.