A long time coming: Nolan Wilson, Jerry Nadeau excited for first Daytona race in more than two decades

The 2025 ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona International Speedway brings plenty of emotions for Nolan Wilson and Jerry Nadeau.

Up until last month’s pre-race practice, neither Wilson nor Nadeau had competed at Daytona in over twenty years. Wilson’s most recent Daytona start came in a NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series race back in 2002. For Nadeau, the 2003 Daytona 500 was the last time he even visited the historic facility.

Separate circumstances stymied each of their careers and subsequently kept them away from racing at Daytona. Now the two are eager to take in the full Daytona experience once again next weekend, with Nadeau primarily serving as an advisor to Wilson as he pilots the No. 69 Ford for Kimmel Racing.

A lot has changed in NASCAR since their last respective starts, but Wilson knows having an accomplished racer like Nadeau by his side can only be beneficial as he acclimates himself to the ARCA Menards Series chassis.

“It means the world to get back to racing at such a premier level,” Wilson said. “Having Jerry along the way, who has not only been a close colleague but also a friend that provides a lot of advice and leadership, has been instrumental in getting me prepared for this ARCA race at Daytona. It’s been great all the way around.”

Wilson first crossed paths with Nadeau through his day job as a driving instructor. One of the cars Wilson piloted at Daytona was the No. 13 First Plus Financial Ford that Nadeau drove for Elliott-Marino Racing during the first half of 1998, which piqued Nadeau’s interest and led to a conversation between the two.

That initial interaction blossomed into a professional relationship once Nadeau discovered Wilson organized ride-and-drive deals with different manufacturers like Ford and Toyota. Nadeau took advantage of the opportunity to work for Wilson, all while learning more about his own attempted journey to break into NASCAR’s top ranks.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Wilson believed he was primed for a long, sustainable career in NASCAR. He was one of the first drivers contacted by Toyota when the company made their initial venture in the Goody’s Dash Series, but those discussions never materialized into a full-time ride.

Wilson continued to build connections with other major team owners like Robert Yates and Jack Roush. He had even corresponded with Dale Earnhardt about starting a driving school and was close to signing a contract that would have included a handful of NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in the No. 3 to promote the business.

Then the 2001 Daytona 500 happened.

As Wilson’s NASCAR opportunities dwindled, he gradually shifted his focus back over to short tracks before becoming a business owner. Wilson operates Nucleus Events, where he hires professional drivers for automotive showcases, along with the logistics company Knight Operations Inc.

Despite finding success outside of auto racing, Wilson’s desire to compete nationally never faded and he began contemplating the best route possible to make that dream a reality.

Running successful businesses gave Wilson enough funding for the ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona, the next part was figuring out how to put those resources to good use. He confided in Nadeau about his aspirations, who introduced Wilson to several teams about potentially partnering up for the race.

A meticulous year of networking paid off in early 2024 when Wilson received news he had long waited for; he would drive one of Kimmel Racing’s two cars for the following season’s ARCA Menards Series opener at Daytona.

The announcement came as a pleasant surprise for Nadeau, who was simultaneously relieved to see his friend’s dedication result in the most prestigious opportunity of his career.

“I was kind of shocked, but excited,” Nadeau said. “I couldn’t believe he was able to put it together. How would you feel if your mother said she won $100,000? You’d be excited. That’s how I felt. When Nolan puts his mind to something, he can do it. The Kimmels are putting him under their wing and I’m hoping for a great run for him next week.”

Nadeau is honored to accompany Wilson down to Daytona for the season-opener and continue advising his friend on all the fundamentals needed to excel in the draft.

Although a crash at Richmond Raceway ended his career in 2003, Nadeau has stayed close to the sport not only through ride-and-drive programs, but also iRacing. The simulator at Nadeau’s house has been a vital tool for Wilson’s development when it comes to crafting an ideal setup and staying composed while being surrounded by two lanes of cars.

Nadeau is also drawing off his own Daytona experiences to assist Wilson. He witnessed the drafting aero package change numerous times during his 12 Cup Series starts at the facility, but Nadeau said many of the same elements and techniques from that period are still going to be prevalent in next Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series race.

“Being in the NASCAR Cup Series for five years, I’ve got some history and some stories,” Nadeau said. “What better way to help them than share my information? I don’t want to see him not do something he should do. I want him to have fun. His goal was to do this, so all he has to is put everything together [and that starts] with a good run in qualifying.”

Even though Nadeau was happy with the progress Wilson was making in the simulator, he knew the true test would come in the real world when Wilson shared the track with other drivers during the ARCA Menards Series pre-race practice in January.

The two-day session unfolded exactly how Wilson and Nadeau wanted. In both single-car and drafting runs, Wilson was composed and methodical, allowing him to post a personal-best time of 50.814, which placed him 34^th overall out of 70 drivers.

Wilson is no stranger to the high banks of Daytona, but he was initially unsure of what to expect out of his car before climbing in. Now that he has two days of practice under his belt, Wilson believes he is ready for the intensity a full weekend at Daytona will bring.

“I’ve had a lot of laps in Cup and ARCA Menards Series style cars [at Daytona] as a driving instructor,” Wilson said. “Getting back out there felt comfortable, like an old pair of boots. After we shook the rust off, it felt good jumping into the draft. It was a little faster than what we did in the Dash Series, but there wasn’t anything that set off any alarms.”

Along with Nadeau’s expertise and a fast Kimmel Racing car at his disposal, Wilson will also have Penske Racing spotter Doug Campbell guiding him through traffic at Daytona. He feels confident in the gameplan assembled for Daytona, especially considering the competitive depth of the field he is going up against.

Nearly 50 cars are expected to make the trip down to Daytona for the season-opener, meaning Wilson will have to time his way in to secure one of 40 spots in the field. Among the entries are dirt standout Corey Day and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, two drivers Nadeau considers to be the best at their respective disciplines.

The collective inexperience of the field at Daytona has Nadeau trepidatious, adding most accidents in ARCA Menards Series events there are caused due to drivers not knowing where to bump. He wants Wilson to lay back during the early stages of the race and find drafting partners he can work with to climb towards the front in the final laps.

As next Saturday’s opener draws near, Nadeau is finding solace in being able to once again experience the emotions of Speedweeks at Daytona, this time through Wilson. He is proud of everything his friend has done to reach the national level and would love to see Wilson depart Daytona with a solid finish and an intact car.

“I can’t believe it’s been 22 years that I haven’t been there,” Nadeau said. “I want [Wilson] to be safe, to be competitive and I want him to have a good run. Realistically, a top 10 or top 15 [would be great], but if he gets a top five or a win, I’ll ride out into the sunset.

“You never know what’s going to happen, but the main thing is to try and get in the race.”

Wilson is grateful for Nadeau’s role in ensuring he arrives at Daytona with all the essential information needed to stay in the lead pack. This moment in Wilson’s life has been years in the making, he fully intends to capitalize and emerge victorious no matter where he finishes.

“I’ve got great support, a great team around us and great partners on the car,” Wilson said. “All these people have made this happen. At the end of the day, what’s going to be successful is if we execute and can walk away saying we were happy with our run. I want to win the race, and I think we can, but all we’re out here to do is have a shot at it.”

Two decades ago, Wilson and Nadeau never imagined they would be at Daytona in a competitive environment again. Circumstances have led them back to the national stage with the goal of showcasing their knowledge against the veterans and prospects of the ARCA Menards Series.