68th Daytona 500
Daytona International SpeedwayThere is no race in motorsports quite like the Daytona 500. Since 1959, the Great American Race has opened the NASCAR season with 200 laps around a 2.5-mile tri-oval that demands courage, patience, and a willingness to trust the draft. The 31-degree banking in the turns pushes speeds north of 200 mph, and the pack racing that defines Daytona means 40 cars often run nose-to-tail, three-wide, inches apart at those speeds. The draft is everything here: a single car cannot break away, so alliances form, dissolve, and re-form with every lap. And then there is the inevitability of The Big One, the massive multi-car wreck that reshapes the field in seconds and reminds everyone how thin the margin is between glory and heartbreak. Superspeedway racing creates unpredictable winners: underdogs rise, favorites fall, and the outcome often comes down to who survives the chaos of the final laps. The Harley J. Earl Trophy is the prize every driver dreams of holding, a career-defining moment that transcends any points battle or championship. When the green flag drops on the Daytona 500, the season truly begins, and anything is possible.
Your watchlist, historical context, and race-week curiosities.
Your Drivers' Outlook
Historical Context
- Chase Elliott has 32 starts at Daytona International Speedway with 2 wins and a 17.2 average finish.
- Ryan Blaney has 26 starts at Daytona International Speedway with 2 wins and a 16.5 average finish.
- Chris Buescher has 25 starts at Daytona International Speedway with 1 win and a 16.8 average finish.
Based on Cup Series results at Daytona International Speedway from 1949-2026.
The narrative arc, drivers to watch, and race-weekend color.
Byron's Three-Peat Bid
William Byron won the Daytona 500 in both 2024 and 2025 driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. He's attempting something no driver in history has accomplished: winning three consecutive Daytona 500s.
Five drivers have won back-to-back — Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-95), Denny Hamlin (2019-20), and Byron (2024-25) — but nobody has made it three in a row.
Byron's crew chief Rudy Fugle has been on the box for both wins. In 2025, Byron won at 129.159 mph in a race that went one lap past the scheduled distance. In 2024, he ran 157.178 mph in a race that went to the scheduled 200 laps.
Hendrick Motorsports as an organization has 10 Daytona 500 wins, more than any team in history. Petty Enterprises is second with 9.
Drivers to Watch
Best driver rating among active drivers at Daytona (90.3) and best average running position (13.927). Has run 65.4% of his Daytona 500 laps in the top 15. One win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s. The catch: 20 Daytona 500 starts without a win, the most among active drivers.
Second-best average running position at Daytona (14.212) and driver rating of 89.9. Has spent 63.4% of his laps in the top 15. One Daytona 500 win (2015), eight top fives, 11 top 10s in 17 starts. Won the 2024 pole (181.947 mph).
Best average finish among active drivers at Daytona (14.471). Five top fives, six top 10s. Two runner-up finishes (2018, 2022). Average running position of 17.229 is mid-pack but the finish stats suggest he's consistently there at the end.
Three Daytona 500 wins (2016, 2019, 2020), most among active drivers. Leads all active drivers in laps led at Daytona with 496. His 2016 win over Martin Truex Jr. was the closest in race history at 0.010 seconds.
Two wins at Daytona (not in the 500), five top fives, nine top 10s. Led the most laps in a single Daytona 500 by an active driver: 118 laps in 2018 before finishing seventh. Two runner-up finishes (2017, 2020).
Won the 2022 Daytona 500 as a rookie. Second-best average finish among active drivers with more than one start (13.8 in 5 races). Has run 65.9% of his laps in the top 15, the highest percentage among active drivers.
Three top fives, three top 10s in six starts. Average finish of 18.500 and driver rating of 81.5. A rising contender on superspeedways.
Three Daytona 500 poles, six top 10s. Became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner ever at age 20 in 2016. Average running position of 16.215, seventh-best among active drivers.
Schedule, predictions, entry list, track history, fantasy, and betting angles.
Weekend Schedule
| Event | Day | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Wed, Feb 11 | 10:00 AM | FS1 |
| Qualifying | Wed, Feb 11 | 8:15 PM | FS1 |
| Duel 1 | Thu, Feb 12 | 7:00 PM | FS1 |
| Duel 2 | Thu, Feb 12 | 8:45 PM | FS1 |
| Practice 2 | Fri, Feb 13 | 5:35 PM | FS1 |
| Practice 3 | Sat, Feb 14 | 3:00 PM | FS1 |
| Daytona 500 | Sun, Feb 15 | 1:30 PM (2:13 PM) | FOX |
TV & Start Time
What channel is the Daytona 500 on?
The Daytona 500 airs on FOX on Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 1:30 PM ET, broadcast from Daytona International Speedway. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule splits between FOX, FS1, TNT, NBC, USA, and Amazon Prime Video.
What time does the NASCAR Cup race start this race weekend?
The Daytona 500 ran on Sunday, February 15, 2026 with a 1:30 PM ET green flag on FOX.
NR-Rating Track Rankings
| # | Driver | Elo Rating | Last Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chase Elliott | 1519 | P4 |
| 2 | Chris Buescher | 1498 | P7 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney | 1497 | P27 |
| 4 | Kyle Busch | 1496 | P15 |
| 5 | Tyler Reddick | 1496 | P1 |
| 6 | Daniel Suarez | 1495 | P13 |
| 7 | William Byron | 1494 | P12 |
| 8 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 1491 | P2 |
| 9 | Erik Jones | 1486 | P21 |
| 10 | Christopher Bell | 1485 | P35 |
NR-Rating Predictions
Last updated: Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 07:09 AM ET
| # | Driver | Exp. Finish | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chase Elliott Best in Field | 13.6 | 11.2% |
| 2 | Ryan Blaney | 10.4 | 11.0% |
| 3 | Chris Buescher | 13.6 | 10.4% |
| 4 | Tyler Reddick | 13.9 | 9.9% |
| 5 | William Byron | 13.9 | 8.9% |
| 6 | Christopher Bell | 15.1 | 7.8% |
| 7 | Daniel Suarez | 15.1 | 7.2% |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | 15.1 | 6.6% |
| 9 | Ross Chastain | 16.0 | 5.3% |
| 10 | Erik Jones | 16.0 | 4.8% |
| 11 | Bubba Wallace | 16.9 | 4.1% |
| 12 | Alex Bowman | 17.4 | 3.9% |
| 13 | Carson Hocevar | 17.4 | 3.3% |
| 14 | Joey Logano | 18.5 | 3.2% |
| 15 | Brad Keselowski | 18.5 | 3.0% |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 18.5 | 3.0% |
| 17 | Austin Cindric | 19.4 | 3.0% |
| 18 | Ty Gibbs | 18.9 | 2.8% |
| 19 | Michael McDowell | 19.2 | 2.7% |
| 20 | Casey Mears | 20.0 | 2.4% |
| 21 | Jimmie Johnson | 20.0 | 2.3% |
| 22 | Kyle Larson | 20.1 | 1.6% |
| 23 | Chase Briscoe | 20.5 | 1.3% |
| 24 | John Hunter Nemechek | 20.5 | 1.1% |
| 25 | Justin Allgaier | 21.1 | 1.1% |
| 26 | Austin Dillon | 21.1 | 1.0% |
| 27 | Ty Dillon | 22.9 | 0.9% |
| 28 | Corey Heim | 22.9 | 0.9% |
| 29 | A.J. Allmendinger | 22.9 | 0.9% |
| 30 | Ryan Preece | 21.1 | 0.9% |
| 31 | Todd Gilliland | 22.9 | 0.8% |
| 32 | Anthony Alfredo | 23.4 | 0.6% |
| 33 | Cole Custer | 22.9 | 0.6% |
| 34 | Zane Smith | 23.4 | 0.6% |
| 35 | Shane van Gisbergen | 23.4 | 0.6% |
| 36 | Connor Zilisch | 23.4 | 0.5% |
| 37 | Corey LaJoie | 23.3 | 0.5% |
| 38 | Riley Herbst | 24.0 | 0.4% |
| 39 | Noah Gragson | 25.2 | 0.4% |
| 40 | Cody Ware | 25.5 | 0.3% |
| 41 | Josh Berry | 24.0 | 0.3% |
| 42 | J.J. Yeley | 25.5 | 0.3% |
| 43 | B.J. McLeod | 25.5 | 0.3% |
Win probabilities reflect full-field Monte Carlo simulations. A 10% pWin means roughly 1-in-10 chance of winning, higher than most bettors realize for a 36-car field where the average driver has ~2.8% odds. Top 5 and Top 10 percentages similarly reflect simulated outcomes, not historical averages. Learn how the model works.
Predictions powered by NR-Rating model (MAE: 8.5 positions)
Prediction Scorecard
Anduril 250: Model picked Chase Elliott at P1 → Actual P12
(1/5 top-5 hits)
37% top-5 hit rate across 13 races
Starting Lineup
| Grid | # | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 2 | 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 3 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 4 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 5 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 6 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 7 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 8 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 9 | 6 | Brad Keselowski |
| 10 | 71 | Michael McDowell |
| 11 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek |
| 12 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 13 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen |
| 14 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 15 | 7 | Daniel Suarez |
| 16 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 17 | 66 | Casey Mears |
| 18 | 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 19 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 20 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 21 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 22 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 23 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 24 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 25 | 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 26 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 27 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 28 | 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 29 | 67 | Corey Heim (i) |
| 30 | 38 | Zane Smith |
| 31 | 84 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 32 | 88 | Connor Zilisch # |
| 33 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 34 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 35 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger |
| 36 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 37 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 38 | 62 | Anthony Alfredo (i) |
| 39 | 24 | William Byron |
| 40 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 36 | Chandler Smith (i) | |
| 40 | Justin Allgaier (i) | |
| 44 | J.J. Yeley (i) | |
| 78 | B.J. McLeod | |
| 99 | Corey LaJoie |
History at Daytona International Speedway
Cup Series data from 1949-2026 (29 races)
Recent Results
| Year | Race | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Daytona 500 | Tyler Reddick |
| 2025 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Ryan Blaney |
| 2025 | Daytona 500 | William Byron |
| 2024 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Harrison Burton |
| 2024 | Daytona 500 | William Byron |
All Results at This Track
Laps Led Leaders
| Driver | Total Laps Led |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | 558 |
| Joey Logano | 412 |
| Brad Keselowski | 345 |
| Kyle Busch | 283 |
| Ryan Blaney | 260 |
Track Type Tendencies
Superspeedway races at Daytona International Speedway are defined by pack racing and drafting. Results are less predictable than any other track type; the field stays tight and late-race wrecks reshape the outcome.
Manufacturer strategy and drafting alliances matter as much as raw speed. Longshot winners are more common here than anywhere on the schedule.
Betting Angles
13 of the last 22 Daytona 500s (2003-2025) have finished under overtime conditions. The 2023 race was the longest ever at 212 laps (530 miles), 12 laps beyond the scheduled distance.
Betting the over on total laps has been a winning play historically. Last year's race went 201 laps.
The pole position has produced the most Daytona 500 winners (9 wins, 13.43% win rate), but the front row overall accounts for just 16 of 67 wins (23.88%).
Starting outside the top 10 isn't a death sentence — 45% of all Daytona 500 victories have come from starting positions 11th or deeper. Matt Kenseth won from 39th in 2009, the deepest a winner has ever started.
Nearly 45% of all Daytona 500 wins have come from a top-5 starting spot. But 82% of winners started in the top 15. Starting outside the top 20 has only produced 7 wins in race history (10.45%).
The 2011 Daytona 500 holds the record with 74 lead changes and 22 different leaders. That was the tandem-drafting era. More recently, the race has been somewhat more stable, but superspeedway pack racing still produces more lead changes than any other track type.
No driver has won three straight. Only 13 drivers in history have won multiple Daytona 500s. Among active drivers, only Hamlin (3), Jimmie Johnson (2), and Byron (2) have multiple wins.
The historical probability of any defending champion winning again is roughly 7.5% (5 back-to-backs in 67 races).
Fantasy
High laps-led totals at this track
Strong avg finish but no wins: lower ownership