NASCAR will kick off its 2026 Cup Series season today with the 68th Daytona 500, which will herald the dawn of a new championship era.
After 13 seasons of elimination playoffs and a one-race title showdown between four drivers, NASCAR has reinstituted “The Chase,” a 10-race run for the championship to end the season. The top 16 drivers after the 26-race regular season will qualify for the Chase, and then the driver who amasses the points over the last 10 races will be crowned the champion in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Though wins will be worth more points under the new system, there are no more automatic “win and in” playoff berths with a victory. So the victory will be celebrated with the Harley J. Earl Trophy today, but there is no guarantee that the Daytona 500 winner will compete for the title.
A slightly different iteration of The Chase was used from 2004-13 before the elimination playoffs from 2014-25.
The Daytona 500 is starting an hour earlier because of the threat of rain (which has impacted several recent season openers). William Byron is the two-time defending Daytona 500 winner and seeking to become the first with three consecutive wins in The Great American Race. Kyle Busch will start from the pole position for the first time in NASCAR’s crown jewel event (click here for the starting lineup).
Follow along below for our live coverage here with updates before, during and after the big race.
How to watch the 2026 Daytona 500
Green flag:: Around 2:13 p.m. ET
Where: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
TV: Fox (with prerace coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. ET). Radio: MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio Channel 90
Daytona 500 live updates
Final results of the 2026 Daytona 500
Click here or below for the final results as well as some notable nuggets from the race.
Postrace interview with Brad Keselowski (fifth)
“Yeah, a lot of chaos. Last restart I gave William Byron a great push, and just wasn’t enough to move our lane. I was giving him all I had, and then right here at the end I had this huge run and the 35 wrecked us. Really disappointed. Tore up the 9, tore up the 22, a bunch of cars that didn’t deserve to be wrecked, so that was a big bummer and really stupid. Still a decent day for us to come home with a top 5 and to be competitive and have a shot to win. (How is the leg?) Great. Great. Once you’re in the race car, I’ve got a fast Mustang and you’re just digging.”
Brad Keselowski's thoughts on the final lap of the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/TKGy5qZXvT
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Postrace interview with Chase Elliott (fourth)
“Yeah, I’m not really sure what happened with the first wreck. That’s a little further around. But we ended up kind of getting gifted the lead, and the 38 and I had got out by ourselves down the back. He had given me a good shove off into 3, and then it was kind of just he and I, and at that point I just felt momentum shift, like there was going to be another run coming behind us there at some point. Unfortunately, that was accurate, and then at that point in time, you’re just on defense. Man, that’s a really, really tough place to be, truthfully. Obviously looking back, you can run it through your mind 1,000 times, do you do something different -- I feel like if I had thrown a double block on the 45, probably would have just crashed us at that point in time. I felt like you had to pick your battles. I thought maybe if somebody would pick me up on the top, you might have one more run to the line, but unfortunately ended up getting turned around.
“Appreciate all the effort, everybody at Hendrick Motorsports, NAPA, Chevrolet, thought we had a good Speedweeks down here. Obviously hate to -- this really sucks to be that close and come off Turn 4 with the lead and not finish it off. But that’s part of this event, and unfortunately we were on the bad end of it today.”
Chase Elliott was SO CLOSE to a Daytona 500 win. pic.twitter.com/a7BeFxUX8b
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Postrace interview with Joey Logano (third)
“Yeah, eventful day for sure. Had a little damage from a wreck earlier. Made a good move there at the end, we got to the top and we were rolling and found myself racing for the lead. I had an opportunity to get underneath the Spire cars in the middle of 1 and 2, I felt like it was the right move, and I did it and put her out in the wind, I guess the damage was more than I thought because just kind of slowed down and I couldn’t clear like I thought I was going to.
“Unfortunately, that kind of set us a little bit further back. Missed the last lap crash into 1, and off of 4 you just kind of go where they’re not. I got spun and came across the line third. Compared to where we’ve been in this race recently, to see the finish is great. I ended up in the same building, but at least I seen the finish, and that’s just kind of where it was.”
Postrace interview with Bubba Wallace (10th)
“Man, I don’t know what to say. First of all, hats off to the 45 group. I don’t want my emotions to take away from the monumental day they just accomplished. Happy birthday, MJ. That’s a massive birthday present. I thought this was our week, the best 500 I’ve ever had, and come up short, sucks. But couldn’t be more proud of the team. Led a lot of laps, lap leader, I believe. It was a good day for us, but damn. Try again next year.”
Postrace interview with Michael Jordan
“I can’t even believe it. so gratifying,” Jordan told Fox’s Jamie Little. We had four guys that were really fighting, helping each other out. You never know how these races are going to end. You just try to survive. I thought Riley (Herbst) did an unbelievable job by pushing (Reddick) at the end. That’s shows what teamwork can do. He doesn’t get enough credit. He won’t get enough credit. But we feel the love. We understand exactly what he did. We just hung in there all day. Great strategy by the team and gave ourselves a chance at the end.
“Look, I’m ecstatic. I don’t even know what to say. It feels like I won the championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know.”
What ring size? “Size 13.”
"I can't even believe it." Michael Jordan is getting another ring thanks to Tyler Reddick. pic.twitter.com/pW3y8pgwIl
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Postrace interview with Tyler Reddick
“Last year was really hard for all of us, hard for me. When you’re a Cup driver and you get to this level and drive for Michael Jordan, it’s expected you win every single year. For us to go on that drought we did made us look hard in the mirror, and really proud of everyone on our Toyota Camry. Worked really hard in the off-season, and there was many points in this race where we weren’t making decisions we wanted to, but we just reset, and every opportunity we got to reset we went back at it. Just speechless. I didn’t know if I’d ever win this race. It’s surreal, honestly. Honestly, the best part is my son asked before this race, Are you finally going to win this race? Something about today just felt right.
“Yeah, I keep looking for my wife and my kids. They’ll be here at some point, I’m sure. Maybe they’re taking a nap. Yeah, we had the lead there when that caution came out, lined up next to McDowell, and we just kind of kept getting hung a couple times in the closing laps there. Yeah, just every time we’d kind of break up, there would be nowhere left to go but to push, and they pushed me, obviously. My teammate Riley Herbst gave me a lot of pushes there and then tried to win the race for himself, as he should at the end there. Just incredible how it all played out. Just true Daytona madness. It’s going to be a long night if I’ve already lost my voice from screaming. Never thought I’d be Daytona 500 champion.”
"True Daytona madness." Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick is with Jamie Little. pic.twitter.com/wvzeB0Nfq3
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
A final lap that will be remembered a long time
A fitting finish to a race with 66 lead changes among a record 25 leaders, the 68th Daytona 500 was completely wide open to the checkered flag.
Give credit to Tyler Reddick for the victory, but the list of potential winners is long and includes. Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Carson Hocevar are among the many who had a shot on the final lap.
We HAVE to take another look at the final lap of the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/1sAaD5FZM4
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Last-lap crash and TYLER REDDICK WINS
A wild final lap of the Daytona 500 results in Tyler Reddick delivering 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan his first Daytona 500 victory.
Carson Hocevar was leading entering the final lap but was the first of multiple drivers to crash.
Green flag!
Five laps to determine the Daytona 500.
Michael McDowell will restart first ahead of Tyler Reddick, Carson Hocevar, William Byron and Brad Keselowski.
McDowell might be OK?
The 2021 Daytona 500 winner is being told he should have enough fuel for a green-white-checkered.
His last pit stop was on Lap 134, which means he is trying to wring 165 miles from his last tank.
Caution with eight to go
Christopher Bell is in the wall in an incident that also appeared to catch Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin.
Michael McDowell leads but needs to pit. Tyler Reddick is second, followed by Carson Hocevar, Brad Keselowski and William Byron.
Pits are about to open, but McDowell likely the only driver who needs fuel.
Ten laps to go
2021 Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell leads, but he will have to pit.
Brad Keselowski, good on fuel is running second with a squadron of Fords in two.
A record for leaders
Per Fox’s Mike Joy, the 22 leaders has set a Daytona 500 record.
The record for lead changes is 74, and there have been 61 with 15 laps remaining today.
Green flag stops with 20 to go
For many, this could represent the last trip to the pits — and the last chance for a blunder that costs a driver and team a shot at winning the Daytona 500.
On Lap 181, the first group included Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, Corey Heim and Riley Herbst.
Curiously, Denny Hamlin and other Toyota drivers stayed on track instead of maintaining manufacturer alliances that usually win these types of races.
Justin Allgaier takes the blame
Per Chevy PR, the thoughts of Justin Allgaier on the 17-car wreck he triggered with a block on Denny Hamlin:
“Unfortunately, I’m going to have to take 100 percent of the responsibility for that one. I hate it for everyone that got caught up in it. I felt like our No. 40 Chevrolet was incredible all day. Greg Ives (crew chief) and this whole team have done a phenomenal job building a race car that we felt like we could come here and not only run up front, but be able to lead laps.
“I got to the top lane there and I watched the run coming on the top with Denny (Hamlin). I thought he was going to push. I thought the lane was closed up just enough that he wouldn’t try to go up there, but when I realized he was going up there, it was just too late. Once the air kind of got on the spoiler, it just turned me to the right. I hate it for everyone that got caught up in it because it wasn’t what we wanted.
“But hats off to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, everyone at JR Motorsports, for this opportunity. To have Traveller Whiskey and Chris Stapleton back on board, it was great to be out front and be able to lead the Daytona 500. Thank you to all of our partners and the Hendrick Engine Shop. We had big power today and that was really what it came down to. We’ll go back and regroup. I’m going to watch this video back a lot and really try to figure out what I could have done better.”
The frustration of fuel mileage
You can hear it in the scanner chatter audio being played on the Fox broadcast: Drivers and teams aren’t loving the fact they are feathering the throttle becuase they deem fuel conservation to be the best strategy for getting the Daytona 500 win.
It’s been an ongoing narrative at superspeedway races in recent years that is the confluence of several factors: Single-lugnut pit stops being much swifter, teams’ simulaton programs becoming high fidelity, predetermined stage cautions giving crew chiefs two markers for game-planning out the race.
It’s something NASCAR needs to address before next year’s season opener, if not earlier.
Lap times are now 4.5 seconds slower than the fastest laps of the day.
— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) February 15, 2026
Max saving at its fullest. https://t.co/TnehzCcoXZ
Why the final 40 laps are critical
Before he became a TV analyst, Kevin Harvick was among the best and most calculating superspeedway racers in NASCAR’s premier series.
One of the secrets to his success was patience. Harvick once said that the final 40 laps — or 100 miles — were what really mattered in the Daytona 500. Becuase that’s when the contenders started to make their moves.
Make a note of this top 10 with 40 to go in the 68th Daytona 500:
Bubba Wallace, Corey Heim, Christopher Bell, Chris Buescher, Riley Herbst, Cole Custer, Josh Berry, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece and Noah Gragson.
Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin lurks in 11th.
At the moment, everyone is saving fuel, so speeds are significantly down.
Lap times are now 4.5 seconds slower than the fastest laps of the day.
— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) February 15, 2026
Max saving at its fullest. https://t.co/TnehzCcoXZ
Toyota — and Michael Jordan — taking control
The Camrys of Christopher Bell, Corey Heim, Riley Herbst and Bubba Wallace were lined up in the top four spots on Lap 143 of 200.
All but Bell drive for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, a NASCAR fan since childhood.
Michael Jordan checks in with Jamie Little before the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/0DSJ5QQF4i
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Will the Chase mean a cleaner Daytona 500?
Click here for some food for thought over the final 65 laps.
This might be an odd time to note (given the 17-car crash that happened 15 minutes ago), but there is cause for optimism that there will be much less of the sloppy late-race driving that has plagued the Daytona 500 in recent years.
Who was in the big Daytona 500 wreck?
Here’s the list from NASCAR:
Justin Allgaier, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Zane Smith, Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Ty Gibbs, Corey Haim, Michael McDowell and Shane van Gisbergen.
A 17-car pileup at Daytona. What a mess. pic.twitter.com/bV5zsBQDox
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Stage 2 ends under caution with Bubba Wallace getting the win, followed by Blaney, John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Busch, Herbst, Heim, Chris Buescher, Reddick, Logano and Daniel Suarez.
Those top 10 earn stage points.
Lap 125 — Yikes, it’s a massive crash
And as usual, the chaos happens at the front near the end of a stage.
Trying to protect his lead, Justin Allgaier throws an ill-timed block on Denny Hamlin, whose No. 11 Toyota rams the rear bumper of the No. 40 Chevrolet.
Chaos can strike fast at Daytona. pic.twitter.com/7eCkLRyC2K
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
The chain reaction collects 217 0 cars (yes, nearly half the field) with major damage for Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Alex Bowman and Shane van Gisbergen.
Two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose JRM team fields Allgaier’s car, won’t be winning the race as a team owner this year.
The view from Denny Hamlin's No. 11. pic.twitter.com/kXEzffU4lS
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Lap 120 — Busch back to the lead.
Maybe this is finally Kyle Busch‘s year to win the Daytona 500.
Despite an early miscalculation on fuel strategy by his first-year crew chief, Busch is leading with 80 laps remaining, followed by Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Justin Allgaier.
No driver has led more races or laps in the Daytona 500 without getting a victory in The Great American Race than Busch.
Race is official
A nasty storm is approaching, but the Daytona 500 will be completed today regardless of the weather.
Ross Chastain leads on Lap 100 of 200. Once NASCAR races hits halfway, they are considered official in the event of being shortened by inclement weather.
There are 250 miles to go in the Cup Series season opener, and this still feels very much like anyone’s race. There have been 17 leaders, and the driver with the most laps led (Chase Briscoe) is 12 laps down.
This is in approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes from now. They've completed the first 93 laps in 1 hour and 37 minutes. https://t.co/z3g3vbCBSh
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 15, 2026
Rest of the top five at halfway: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney.
Justin Allgaier, is in 11th for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports, which is in its second Cup race.
The bossman @DaleJr likes what he's seeing. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/ZazQWjEEbK
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 15, 2026
Lap 90 race reset
After pit stops under yellow, Ross Chastain now leads under yellow 10 laps from the halfway point.
The rest of the top 10: Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Ty Dillon, Justin Allgaier and Ryan Blaney.
Notable drivers multipe laps down and out of contention: Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Connor Zilisch.
Big wreck on Lap 86
You likely can rule out Connor Zilisch from winning in his Daytona 500 debut.
The Trackhouse Racing rookie’s No. 88 Chevrolet made contact with Justin Allgaier‘s No. 40 Chevy, triggering a wreck that collects Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe, Cody Ware and Ty Gibbs. Penske teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney also are involved.
Trouble in Stage 2! 👀 https://t.co/YHDxj8NHch pic.twitter.com/j5WJ9tZiLb
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Stage 1 winner: Zane Smith
The Front Row Motorsports driver picked a good time for the first stage win of his Cup career.
Austin Cindric, who won the Daytona 500 in 2022, is second, followed by Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar and Chris Buescher.
The rest of the stage points go to Daniel Suarez, Ryan Preece, Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman and Noah Gragson.
Stage 1 of the 2026 Daytona 500 goes to Zane Smith and the No. 38 team! pic.twitter.com/o10MHNO4bw
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Lap 45: Toyota making moves
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs now are running 1-2 at the front, followed by Shane van Gisbergen, Joey Logano and Chase Elliott.
Pole-sitter Kyle Busch has fallen all the way to 18th because he’s trying to save fuel after having stayed on track when the rest of the cars pitted.
It's WINDY at Daytona. pic.twitter.com/L6ZoUSjB2t
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Lap 25 rundown
The race seems to have settled into a rhythm with Joey Logano and John Hunter Nemechek trading the lead near the front.
Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Chase Briscoe round out the top five with about half of the first stage complete.
What a save by Brad Keselowski! pic.twitter.com/FDTzg9PgBP
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Early pit stops
The only driver who stayed on track under the yellow was pole-sitter Kyle Busch, which put the No. 8 Chevrolet in front but could loom as a major strategy blunder given that the Daytona 500 has become such a fuel mileage game.
Joey Logano, the first of the cars that pitted, immediately seized the lead on the Lap 13 restart.
Damage for William Byron
Two-time defending winner William Byron sustained significant damage during the incident with BJ McLeod.
Byron, who started 39th, slammed the outside wall with his No. 24 Chevrolet trying to avoid McLeod.
His team was able to make repairs to keep Byron on the lead lap, but it seems unlikely that Byron will become the first driver with three consecutive Daytona 500 wins today.
First yellow of the day is out. Here's what happened. pic.twitter.com/ZsBVwBN6gb
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
First caution on Lap 6
A problem for underdog BJ McLeod, who appeared to have a flat tire that caused a spin
John Hunter Nemechek, who started 11th, has taken the lead from Kyle Busch, followed by Brad Keselowski, Shane van Gisbergen and Chase Briscoe.
Per Fox, this is the fourth time in the past six years that the first yellow flag has flown in the first 10 laps of the Daytona 500.
Green flag at 2:13 p.m.
It’s a clean start for Kyle Busch, who leads the first lap by 0.027 seconds over Chase Briscoe.
Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney round out the top five.
A big start for Christopher Bell, who went from 12th to sixth in the first two laps.
The wait is finally over. The DAYTONA 500 is here!
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 15, 2026
The 68th running of The Great American Race is green on FOX! pic.twitter.com/lo5MI6ASVE
Engines fired at Daytona
Before giving the command to flip the ignitions in the 41-car field, comedian Nate Bargatze says, “This is the most American thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
"The is the most American thing I've ever done in my life." @natebargatze gets the engines fired at Daytona! pic.twitter.com/9jQwa1XtIu
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
It’s 10 minutes to the green flag at Daytona International Speedway! Fox has TV coverage.
Prerace ceremonies under way!
Technical Sgt. Benton Felty of the United States Air Force Band just finished the national anthem.
According to NASCAR’s schedule, next up are the command to start engines at 2:02 p.m. ET and the green flag at 2:13 p.m.
The Thunderbirds fly overhead at the end of the national anthem prior to the start of the Daytona 500 pic.twitter.com/1T6R98UChl
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) February 15, 2026
More race details from NASCAR:
Stage 1 will end at Lap 65, Stage 2 at Lap 130.
Average time of the Daytona 500: 3 hours, 34 minutes, 24 seconds
Pit road speed is 55 mph and 70 mph for the caution car. Fuel window is projected to be 48 laps.
2026 Daytona 500 weather forecast
Weather concerns prompted the green flag to be moved up by two hours, but the forecast has improved for an uninterrupted Daytona 500.
Rain chances have increased to 24% at 2 p.m., and the wind has picked up to 20 mph (with gusts to 30 mph), but it’s expected to be less than a 5% chance for rain for much of the afternoon before the likelihood of precipitation increases to 38% at 6 p.m., according to the hourly forecast.
The green flag will drop at 2:13 p.m. ET.
Tried to go up on the roof to hear the crowd reaction to Denny, but it’s like EXTREME winds up here. I’ve never felt anything like this at Daytona. pic.twitter.com/KQwwcV0FBD
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 15, 2026
Brad Keselowski back behind the wheel
After missing The Clash with a broken femur in an offseason accident, Brad Keselowski will renew his quest for an elusive Daytona 500 victory.
The 2012 Cup Series champion is among the many stars who have come agonizingly close to winning The Great American Race. In 16 starts, he had led 180 laps with a best finish of third. The Roush Fenway Keselowski co-owner has failed the Daytona 500 in six of the past nine years — crashing out every time. The most memorable was in 2021 when he wrecked with teammate Joey Logano on the last lap while racing for the lead.
After a remarkable recovery from a broken leg, @keselowski is ready to race in the Daytona 500. He spoke with @The_ChrisMyers. pic.twitter.com/Jr9djqX8T6
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Keselowski has led nine Daytona 500s without a victory, which ranks sixth all time.
Tops is pole-sitter Kyle Busch, who had led 14 of his 20 stars in the Daytona 500 without a win. The dubious distinction puts him ahead of Terry Labonte (13 Daytona 500s led without a win), Mart Martin (11), Martin Truex Jr. (11) and Neil Bonnett (nine)
Busch also leads all drivers with 342 laps led in the Daytona 500 without a win ahead of Tony Stewart (299), Donnie Allison (241), Ken Schrader (227) and Ryan Blaney (208).
Drivers to watch
The list of course starts with two-time defending winner William Byron, who already is the youngest driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s (breaking the record of Jeff Gordon, who is the vice chairman of the Hendrick Motorsports team that fields the No. 24 Chevrolet once driven by Gordon and now by Byron).
The 28-year-old now can become the first with three consecutive Daytona 500 victories and make Hendrick the first team with three in a row.
Ryan Blaney, who won the most recent Cup race at Daytona International Speedway last August, has finished runner-up in the Daytona 500 twice and has top 10s in six of the past nine season openers. The No. 12 Ford star for Team Penske has led in eight consecutive Daytona 500s, including th past four, and he also has five wins at Daytona and Talladega Superspeedway (the circuit’s two most famous drafting tracks).
Defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson won’t be on the list of many favorites for this race with only four top 10s in 12 Daytona 500 starts. But Larson seems to finally be solving how to master the Daytona draft, and he did run out of fuel while leading the last lap of the 2017 Daytona 500.
And of course, Denny Hamlin is the leading active Daytona 500 winner with three victories. It’s been a painful and tumultous offseason for the Joe Gibbs Racing star, and starting the 2026 season with another Daytona 500 win would be the type storybook ending that NASCAR often produces.
After a tragic offseason and the loss of his father, @DennyHamlin talks with Tom Rinaldi before the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/WAEGi60zgU
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Near misses in Daytona 500 history
Per the fabulously talented staff of Racing Insights, here are a few of the heartbreaks for some big drivers in the Daytona 500 (whose roster of winners is suprisingly absent of many superstars such as Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin):
- 1989: Alan Kulwicki suffered a late cut tire, handing the win to Darrell Waltrip
- 2007: Mark Martin loses by inches to Kevin Harvick as NASCAR held the caution flag on the final lap until the checkered flag (despite Clint Bowyer sliding down the frontstretch on his roof). If the yellow had flown at the time of the crash (or several seconds afterward), Martin wins.
- 2008: Tony Stewart loses the lead on the final lap to Ryan Newman (who gets drafting help from teammate Kurt Busch)
- 2011: David Ragan costs himself the lead in overtime on a restart violation
- 2016: Martin Truex Jr., who also never won the Daytona 500, is nipped at the finish line by Denny Hamlin in the closest Daytona finish ever.
- 2017: Kyle Larson runs out of fuel on the final lap and loses the lead to Kurt Busch.
Michael Jordan speaks
NBA legend Michael Jordan is also a NASCAR team owner, partnering in 23XI Racing with longtime friend and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.
The team sued NASCAR over its franchise-style charter system, and the sides reached a settlement in December.
“The thing is both sides had been at a stalemate, and we both needed to have conversations about change,” Jordan told Fox Sports’ Jamie Little during the prerace show. “About how we can grow this sport. Unfortunately, we had to go through what we had to go through last (year), but I think coming out of that, we have a much better appreciation of each other. And I think it opens up conversations with each other about how to continue to grow the game.
“Don’t forget about the fans. The fans make this game so enjoyable to watch. As much as we can listen, change and please the fans and the teams and grow the sport, I think everybody’s going to be OK.”
Michael Jordan checks in with Jamie Little before the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/0DSJ5QQF4i
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Jordan is a longtime fan of NASCAR, having grown up in Wilmington, North Carolina, watching the Daytona 500 annually with his family.
“It was a group event,” he said. “The family would sit there and we’d watch the race (for) four, five, six hours. It doesn’t matter; we’re going to watch the race. For me to have an opportunity to continually come back and be part of this, kind of reminds me of being back home in North Carolina and being able to watch the race.”
Asked to compare the Daytona 500 to his Hall of Fame basketball careeer, Jordan made a comparison with an event airing at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock today.
“It’s like playing in an All-Star Game to some degree,” Jordan said. “It’s an appreciation of the fans and at the same time, it’s an opportunity to win and compete. I enjoy seeing the fans come out and support the sport.”
Rain, rain stay away
Though the start of the 68th Daytona 500 was moved up because of a stormy forecast tonight, the race is overdue for some good luck with dodging raindrops.
The Daytona 500 has endured a spate of weather disruptions since its first postponement to Monday in 2012 (after the first 53 editions had gone off as scheduled). In 2014, the race was delayed by a 6-hour, 22-minute red flag, and then postponed after 20 laps to Monday in 2020.
The 2021 race was delayed by a 5-hour and 40-minute red flag, and the 2024 race was postponed to Monday by storms. Last year, there was a three-hour, 10-minute red flag on Lap 9 because of rain.
Fingers crossed for a full distance today!
Seems like the Daytona 500 has a good chance of getting in, but postrace could be dicey with a severe storm incoming. Stay tuned to weather alerts tomorrow. https://t.co/nd9SQ0izdc
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 14, 2026
Puka on the pole!
Puka Nacua is among the many dignitaries at Daytona International Speedway today, and the star Los Angeles Rams wide receiver was the debut participant in a new two-seater ridealong program that NASCAR has dubbed the “Speed Seat Thrill Ride.”
Nacua, who has an endorsement deal with Toyota (which competes in NASCAR’s national series), will ride with 2004 Cup champion Kurt Busch on a lap ahead of the field. Nacua got a taste of the experience Sunday morning with 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace turning some laps.
Puka Nacua loved his Daytona ridealong 😂 https://t.co/XvlYdpOOOz pic.twitter.com/1yU1ghhNee
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 15, 2026
Nacua and Wallace recently were in Toyota’s Super Bowl LX commercial, “Where Dreams Began.”
Among the other celebrities at Daytona today: country music star Miranda Lambert will perform a prerace concert, comedian Nate Bargatze will give the command to start, and actor Kurt Russell will be the honorary pace car driver.
What kind of driver is @natebargatze? The Daytona 500 Grand Marshal joins our team. pic.twitter.com/X5RvCtNb4a
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden also has been making the rounds (starting his morning at a nearby Waffle House before meeting some drivers today).
“It’s unbelievable you guys start the season with the Super Bowl,” Gruden told Fox Sports’ Michael Waltrip in the prerace. “This is the greatest event ever. I’m so happy to be here. I can’t get a job coaching, so I’m studying NASCAR now.”
Denny Hamlin what a legend! pic.twitter.com/CNa1yx673M
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) February 15, 2026
Starting lineup
In his 21st attempt at his first win in the Daytona 500, Kyle Busch will be starting from the pole position for the first time in the race. It’s the 35th career pole in the 751st start for the Richard Childress Racing driver, whose previous best start in the Daytona 500 was fourth (2006, 2009, 2013, 2016).
Busch, 40, is in good company in enduring a long wait to win NASCAR’s biggest race. It took seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt 20 tries before his first Daytona 500 win in 1998. Darrell Waltrip won in his 17th attempt at the Great American Race.
Kyle Busch is on the pole. Does Rowdy finally get that elusive Daytona 500 win? pic.twitter.com/eILO0ZEiiV
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2026
Click here or below for the 41-car starting lineup (which includes an extra driver because seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson was given a special provisional entry).
Race odds
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, pole-sitter Kyle Busch (+1000), Joey Logano (+1000) and Denny Hamlin (+1000) are the trio of favorites today. Ryan Blaney (+1200) and Kyle Larson (+1200) round out the top five in driver odds to win.
Hamlin leads active drivers with three Daytona 500 victories, and Logano won the race in 2015. Busch, Blaney (who won the most recent Daytona race last August) and Larson all are seeking their first wins in the season opener.
The sports betting site reports that among the most popular Daytona 500 bets has been props for Hendrick Motorsports, which has Larson, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and two-time defending winner William Byron in the field.
