New Smyrna Speedway is about to host the 58th running of the Florida Governor’s Cup 200 this Sunday, and a field featuring current and future NASCAR stars, as well as some of Super Late Model racing’s biggest names, are ready to do battle on the high-banked half-mile oval.

Headlining the entry list is William Byron, one of NASCAR’s championship four finalists this past weekend at Phoenix Raceway. Though the Charlotte, North Carolina native came up just short of his first Cup Series title, Byron has been the man to beat at New Smyrna Speedway the last couple of years. Byron has a handful of race wins at New Smyrna during the last two Speedweeks, and along with his six Cup Series wins this year, he’s definitely a favorite to put his name on the Florida Governor’s Cup for the first time.

In fact, Sunday’s race is guaranteed to have a first-time winner of the Florida Governor’s Cup as nobody on the current entry list has ever tasted victory in this event. 

Not even Brad May, who has been to victory lane a bunch of times at New Smyrna and has won multiple track championships throughout his career. The Florida Governor’s Cup is the only race at New Smyrna that is eluding May, the Orlando, Florida native. May has been to victory lane in the Red Eye 100, Hart to Heart 100, Clyde Hart Memorial, and numerous times during Speedweeks, but never in the Governor’s Cup 200.

One driver that has surprisingly never won this race yet is Pinellas Park, Florida’s Stephen Nasse. Nasse, much like May, has been to victory lane in just about every other event at New Smyrna. He’s won the Red Eye, the Orange Blossom 100, the Hart to Heart, the Clyde Hart Memorial, and he has a handful of wins during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing as well. He’s finished second in this race twice, including the last time it took place back in 2021.

All eyes will be on Nasse and Seekonk, Massachusett’s Giovanni Ruggiero on Sunday night, because Sunday will be the first time these two drivers have been in a Super Late Model race together since their run-in at the end of October’s Winchester 400. Nasse and Ruggiero competed together in a CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car race at North Carolina’s Tri-County Motor Speedway in October, but there was no “Part Two” to their Winchester incident that evening.

Speaking of Ruggiero, this will be the first time that this year’s Winchester 400 winner participates in the Florida Governor’s Cup 200, though he does have plenty of experience at New Smyrna. Ruggiero has won in the Pro Late Model division during Speedweeks action in 2022 and finished on the podium this year in a Super Late Model. 

Both days of action from New Smyrna Speedway this weekend will be streamed live on FloRacing for FloRacing subscribers. Fans can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.

2023 Florida Governor's Cup Entry List (As of 11/7)