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The Fast Lane | Daytona International Speedway

Updated: Mar 5, 2024

Race Recap - Fresh From Florida 250

An overhead view of Daytona International Speedway as a pack of race trucks race down the straightaway. Bret Holmes in the No.32 leads the pack in P1.

WHAT A RACE to begin the season!

As the sun set at Daytona International Speedway, the track's lights turned on, and the season's first race weekend was underway. From the moment the green flag flew, the drivers raced with unmatched intensity throughout the eventful afternoon.

Having qualified with a time of 50.944 seconds, Bret Holmes would start near the middle of the pack in P19. By the end of the first stage, however, Bret managed to climb through traffic and take the 6th spot, accumulating 5 stage points to begin the season.

With two cautions over the next 20 laps, Bret fell towards the middle of the pack, one spot away from his starting position. Using pit strategy to his advantage, crew chief Mike Shiplett made the call to keep the Precision Garage Door Service No.32 truck out on the track, giving Bret his first lead laps of the 2024 season.

Bret couldn't avoid trouble forever. After three lead changes and battles with Spire Motorsport's Corey LaJoie and Niece Motorsport's Johnny Sauter, Bret found himself being spun on lap 58 after an incident with Niece Motorsport's Bayley Currey of the No. 41 truck down the front stretch (see wreck here). The pit crew assessed the damage and sent the truck back onto the track to finish the race.

In the final quarter of the race, five cautions allowed Bret to fight his way back into the top 10. However, nearing one of the final restarts, the No. 32 Chevrolet crossed the black "choose" box, penalizing Bret to the back of the pack.

Even though he was frustrated by the mistake, Bret's positioning kept him clear of the wrecks in front of him and ultimately put him in a position for a career-best finish. With less than 15 laps to go, the previous ARCA Menard's Seriwhies Champion accelerated through the traffic, driving himself closer and closer to the front. On the final overtime lap, Bret plowed through the wreckage, determined to secure his first top-5 finish in the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series. He was officially scored a P4 finish in the 2024 Fresh From Florida 250.