Helio Castroneves has secured his spot in the Daytona 500 through the Open Exemption Provisional after being involved in a crash during Thursday night's qualifying duel race at Daytona.

The incident occurred on lap 14 when Chandler Smith made contact with Justin Haley in Turn 1. Castroneves, running in the high lane two rows behind, had nowhere to avoid the collision. His No. 91 car sustained damage and finished 22nd out of 23 drivers.

While attempting to continue after the initial crash, Castroneves encountered additional misfortune during the caution period. With a broken right rear toe link, he lost control in Turn 3, causing further damage to his Chevrolet.

Trackhouse Racing had previously submitted Castroneves for the Open Exemption Provisional during the winter, ensuring his participation in the Daytona 500. This proved crucial after he failed to qualify on speed Wednesday night and couldn't advance through the qualifying duel race.

Despite the setback, Castroneves remains optimistic about Sunday's race, which will mark his Cup Series debut. The starting field will be expanded to 41 cars to accommodate his entry.

"I was comfortable in the high lane; very, very comfortable," Castroneves said. "I have to try a little bit in the low lane to see how it is. But as of right now, I was enjoying it very much."

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