From the thrills and spills of Fuji, the Crown Racing Series moves onto Daytona International Speedway for round three of the 2025-2026 championship. Located in the coastal town of Daytona Beach, Daytona International Speedway plays host to two of the motorsport season's curtain raisers, the Daytona 24 Hours and the Daytona 500.
The 24 Hours uses a layout that incorporates the oval and the infield, making it a challenge for drivers to find the right balance between straightline speed and a strong chassis.
With conditions returning to normal after the rain of Fuji, the race will be decided by the driver who maximises the slipstream of the banking but also gets their elbows out in the slow corners.
But what storylines should fans look out for in Daytona?
State of the play in the championship
Going into Daytona, David Bozga leads the championship on 56 points, with Fuji race winner Nicolai Pederson, two points behind in second on 54, with Balazs Erdelyi, a further point back in third.
Youp de Vos won on-track in Fuji before a post-race penalty demoted him to third in the final results and fourth in the Drivers Championship on 43, with Ryan Woodrow fifth on 36. Silverstone race winner Luciano Witvoet failed to score in Fuji, plummeting to sixth in the standings.
Third time lucky for Bozga?
Bozga has started the season strongly with two second places, but the Belgian has just missed out on the middle step of the podium. Fuji should have been the venue where Bozga finally tasted victory, having qualified on pole and held the lead at half distance.
But staying out one lap too long proved costly for Bozga, losing him the lead to de Vos, and although he was able to fend off Pedersen in the final laps, the Belgian had to settle for second.
Nonetheless, second was enough for Bozga to claim the championship lead, and with the Ferraris set to be strong in the infield and the banking, Daytona could be where the Belgian finally taste victory.
Pederson and Erdelyi lead the Blue Oval's challenge
While he finished third on the track, Pedersen received an unexpected present in the stewards' room as he was promoted to first in the final results. However, Pederson wasn't a lucky victor, as the Dane drove a fine race, giving Bozga plenty of headaches during the second half of the race at Fuji, and they are poised to resume their battle in Daytona.
Meanwhile, Erdelyi has been in good form since the season opener, taking a pair of top fives, putting him within touching distance of the championship leaders. With the Mustangs set to be strong on the high banking of Daytona, the Hungarian is a serious contender for not only his first series podium but also a maiden win.
Up high on the banking
Daytona holds a unique place in the CRS as it's the only circuit which incorporates part of an oval. With a banking of 31 degrees, drivers will spend part of the lap drafting the car in front, preparing their overtake ready before slamming on the brakes in time for the bus stop chicane.
But while being in front gives the driver a clear track being outside the draft makes them a target for rivals on the banking, before the pack spreads out when they return to the infield.
Daytona also plays host to the CRS' first full night race, adding another layer of excitement to what promises to be an intriguing battle of mental fortitude and skill.
Strategy Corner - Slipstream is king on the beach
Fuji was a test of strategy for the drivers, with intermittent rain and a soaking-wet track at the start, throwing any semblance of a strategy out the door and forcing them to rely on their instincts.
Fortunately for the drivers, Daytona is set to be a dry race, allowing them to focus on the racing and limit the time lost from their mandatory pitstop.
With the Daytona sportscar course set over 3.581 miles, a good qualifying lap time will be in the 1:40s, but those will likely increase into the 1:50s on the outlaps after the pit stops. This means the drivers can’t relax on the in-lap, as they can’t afford to rest on their laurels, not least with margins so tight at the front.
Next Round
Don't miss the action at Daytona