For around three years now, I’ve been following The Money Team’s progression from a whisper of a car entering the Daytona 500 years ago to finally showing up with a car as I cover my first Daytona 500.

Sponsored by Pit Viper sunglasses with a young, talented wheelman in Kaz Grala piloting their number 50, for team owner Floyd Mayweather’s 50-0 professional boxing record, the Money Team found itself fighting for a spot in the Daytona 500 at the Bluegreen Vacation Duel #1. 

To say that this team has been questioned is an understatement. “Any week now” was the motto whenever the team would come up, because there would be weeks and months where no new news would come out about the fabled Floyd Mayweather team.

It became a question if the team would ever show up, because NASCAR fans have seen this song and dance before. Rumblings of a big name owner, rumblings that they’ll show up at the Daytona 500, then silence. 

Until the lead-up to this season. The rumblings grew louder and louder, as announcements finally were made. The Money Team was bringing in Kaz Grala to drive for the team in the Daytona 500. But getting to the 500 wasn’t going to be simple.

Forty-two cars showed up to Daytona International Speedway, with 36 locked into the field since they had charters. The Money Team is one of six cars without a charter who needed to either make it into the Daytona 500 on speed or race their way in during the duels.

Grala and the Money Team had a fine performance in qualifying, but not fine enough. Grala was beaten out by Noah Gragson and Jacques Villeneuve. Grala was faster than the other three non-chartered teams, but he had to hope for either Villeneuve or Gragson to finish highest, or beat out JJ Yeley in the first duel race. 

Grala’s duel got off to a rough start. Grala had to start in the back of the pack, due to an unapproved adjustment to his digital dash.

An unnecessary obstacle now in Grala’s path to the Daytona 500. A hot start would delay any potential doom and gloom as Grala found himself quickly ahead of Yeley, racing with the second pack of cars.

Having partners around you to draft with is the best thing you can have at Daytona. Grala would find out why losing those partners can be critical. 

Around 20 laps into the first duel, Grala lost his draft with his pack and began falling back. And falling back quickly. Yeley didn’t have much help, but he did have one partner to draft with in BJ McLeod. Laps went by and the gap between Grala and Yeley shrunk quickly.

Leaders lapped Yeley and McLeod, and they weren’t far from Grala either. The Chevrolets up front came down pit road and Kaz Grala followed them, making a strategic call. 

However, another unnecessary obstacle popped up for the Money Team. Grala was too fast entering pit road and would take a drive-through penalty, placing him further behind Yeley.

It seemed as if all hope was lost for the Money Team to make the Daytona 500. With over half the race gone and no more pit stops to come, Grala needed to find a miracle. He found the draft again.

Grala joined a seven car line, as they sped around Daytona. While the rest of the cars were on the lead lap, Grala kept his pace with this pack.

The drama at the end of the race surrounded former Penske driver Brad Keselowski as he led his former teammate Ryan Blaney and the man who replaced him in the number 2 Ford, Austin Cindric.

As Cindric attempted to make a move to pass Blaney, allowing Keselowski to pull away for the win, the pack caught up to and passed Yeley. Including Grala, who despite all of these obstacles, rallied to come back and make the Daytona 500 on the last lap. 

Elation at the Money Team pit box followed as the crew high-fived and hugged. Meanwhile in the MBM Motorsports pit box, the crew wore looks of disbelief and dejection.

The two crews, right next to each other on pit road, showcased the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Thanks to Grala’s last lap pass, the 50 team will start 35th in the Daytona 500. It was far from easy, but Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team Racing gets their shot in the Great American Race.