2026 Daytona 500 overview: A guide to the Great American Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — For 68 years, the premier stock car drivers from around the globe have gathered on the white shores of eastern Florida to vie for the most sought-after checkered flag in their sport. In fact, their presence here dates back even further—high-powered vehicles first raced on the actual sands of the beach as early as 1902. However, it was in 1959 when Big Bill France mobilized every bulldozer available to create a 2.5-mile D-shaped oval with 31 degrees of banking, measuring 40 feet wide and 20 feet tall, that the racing shifted inland and the Daytona 500 was established.
Similar to last weekend’s significant NFL matchup in Santa Clara, a considerable portion of this weekend’s viewership will consist of individuals who tune in for just one NASCAR event each year. You might be one of those viewers. Alternatively, you could be among those who proudly display a bronze Richard Petty bust on their desk (I certainly do) and refer to any household mishaps as “it done blowed up.”
Regardless of your familiarity with NASCAR, this Daytona 500 preview is tailored for you. It serves as a cheat sheet filled with facts and figures about the Great American Race, enabling you to impress your friends and family with your newfound automotive knowledge while enjoying your nachos this Sunday.
So, don that vintage Mark Martin No. 6 Viagra Ford t-shirt that your amused teenager overpaid for at the local thrift shop (I could have profited significantly from all the items I donated to Goodwill in the early 2000s), apply a bit of WD40 behind your ears, toss an old tire into the backyard firepit, and read on.
Five favorites for the Daytona 500
My customary pre-race weekend evening stroll through the garage, asking the individuals in the flashy firesuits, “So, who do you think will be the one to beat on Sunday?” yielded five frequently mentioned names. Unsurprisingly, these names also appear at the top of the odds lists compiled by experts in the field. It starts with Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, who secured the top two spots in Thursday night’s first Duel 150 qualifying race, despite the aerodynamic drag caused by Blaney’s bushy mustache. Following closely behind in mentions were two multi-time Daytona 500 champions, Denny Hamlin and William Byron (more on them later), along with Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, who triumphed in Thursday’s second race and is the son of a two-time 500 champion, still in pursuit of his first win (more on that later as well).
Five more to watch
The garage is also keeping an eye on some drivers who may be less familiar to casual NASCAR fans, including Chris Buescher, who unfortunately crashed his Ford on Thursday night and will start at the back of the field (last) on Sunday. He races for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, co-owned by legendary NASCAR figure Jack Roush, the Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Boston Red Sox, and Brad Keselowski, who still competes and was another name that frequently came up during my discussions. Also mentioned multiple times was Bubba Wallace, who could have potentially won this race twice already, along with two drivers who have previously claimed the Daytona 500 in remarkable fashion: Austin Dillon, who drives the iconic No. 3 car made famous by Dale Earnhardt, and Austin Cindric, the 2022 Daytona 500 winner who achieved one of the most surprising victories in NASCAR history.
Potential 500 milestones
Last year, Byron was included in the “Five more to watch” list, which prompted several confused tweets in response. However, his No. 24 Chevy (the same one previously driven by Jeff Gordon, who is now retired and Byron’s boss) seemingly emerged from obscurity to win the sport’s premier race for the second consecutive year. He became one of only five drivers in NASCAR history to win the Daytona 500 more than once, joining an elite group that includes Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin, and Hamlin, who accomplished this feat in 2019 and 2020.
Hamlin has three victories overall, tying him with three others (including Gordon) for third place on the all-time wins list. If he secures a fourth win, he would tie for second with another driver who had significant success in the No. 11: Yarborough. At the top of the list is Petty, known as Mister The King from Disney Pixar’s “Cars,” who has won this race seven times.
Walk it off … or, er, race it off
Competing while injured is a long-standing tradition in stock car racing, and this year will be no different. NASCAR Hall of Famer Ricky Rudd famously raced with his swollen eyelids taped open after a severe Daytona crash … and won. NASCAR’s inaugural champion, Red Byron, raced on Daytona Beach—the actual beach!—with a leg filled with World War II shrapnel that had to be secured to the clutch pedal.
Hamlin faced a challenging offseason, losing his father due to injuries sustained in a December house fire. His mother has also been undergoing a lengthy medical recovery. While assisting in the cleanup of their home, Hamlin re-injured his right shoulder, which had previously undergone surgery three years ago. He has indicated that he will require another surgery, but not until November when the season concludes.
“I’d be lying if I said I came here at 100%,” he admitted on Wednesday. “But I hope that once I get in the car, it can serve as my escape.”
Meanwhile, Keselowski fractured his right femur during a family ski trip in mid-December and revealed earlier this week that he was concerned he might miss Daytona, having sat out the Clash exhibition race and not receiving medical clearance for the 500 until Monday. He stated that the pain he is experiencing is the worst he has ever encountered, including a severe ankle injury from a road course crash 15 years ago, and he has been using a cane in the garage this week.
“Walking to the car is much worse than being in the car,” he commented after finishing fourth in his Duel 150 on Thursday. “It will be worth it when I finally win this race.”
Wait … Keselowski has never won the Daytona 500?
No, he has not. And neither have many of the most prominent names in Sunday’s lineup. He is one of five series champions who have yet to win at Daytona.
Kyle Busch: 63 career wins, 9th best all-time; 0-for-20 in Daytona 500; best finish: 2nd, 2019
Brad Keselowski: 36 career wins, 25th best all-time; 0-for-16 in Daytona 500; best finish: 3rd, 2014
Kyle Larson: 29 career wins; defending Cup Series champion, 0-for-12 in Daytona 500; best finish: 7th, 2016 and 2019
Chase Elliott: 19 career wins, son of two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill, 0-for-10 in Daytona 500; best finish: 2nd, 2021
Ryan Blaney: 17 career wins, 2023 Cup Series champion, 0-for-11 in Daytona 500; best finish: 2nd, twice, in 2017 and 2020
All of them possess NASCAR’s most significant accolade, the enormous Cup, but none have claimed NASCAR’s single most prestigious race award, the Harley J. Earl Trophy presented to the Daytona 500 winner. Earl was a renowned mid-20th century automotive designer, creating vehicles that resembled spaceships on wheels (including the one affixed to the top of the Daytona trophy) and was also the visionary behind the Chevy Corvette.
Speaking of Chevys and design …
There are 19 Chevy Camaros in Sunday’s 41-car lineup (compared to 10 Ford Mustangs and 12 Toyota Camrys), and all will feature modifications from the previous year, despite the Bowtie Brigade’s dominance in the annual manufacturers’ championship among Chevy, Ford, and Toyota. This year’s alterations to the hood, side panels, and nose are relatively minor, but it is the nose that has garnered significant attention. Why? Because in the close, conga line-style racing at Daytona, these cars frequently make contact as they push each other forward. The design of the nose means that at 190 mph, these puzzle pieces must fit together perfectly; otherwise, a surge of power can lead to a sideways shove that results in the dreaded “Big One” crash, which can take out multiple cars. Both major wrecks in Thursday night’s first qualifying race were caused by Chevy nose misalignments.
So, Busch has never won it? And he’s in a Chevy?
Yes, and yes. And here’s another yes. He is starting from the pole position for the Great American Race, marking the first time he has begun the 500 from the number one spot. On paper, that appears impressive. And it is. However, it also brings us to the most astonishing Daytona 500 statistic, highlighting the unpredictability of this event.
The last time a driver who started first also finished first? Dale Jarrett … in 2000! That was so long ago that Connor Zilisch, who is making his Daytona 500 debut with the same car number (88) that Jarrett made famous, had not even been born yet. It was so long ago that the top movie at the box office was “Scream 3.” Later this month, “Scream 7” will premiere, featuring former Talladega grand marshal David Arquette.
Speaking of grand marshals …
The Daytona 500 consistently attracts celebrities. This year’s grand marshal is comedian and Vanderbilt football superfan Nate Bargatze, accompanied by honorary pace car driver Kurt Russell. Long before he portrayed Wyatt Earp or Star-Lord’s estranged father, and even before starring in “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” (now available on Disney+!), Russell was a national champion quarter midget racer.
Also anticipated to attend are Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing with Hamlin (and co-plaintiff in an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR that was thankfully resolved in December), Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, who appeared alongside Wallace in a Toyota Super Bowl commercial and is scheduled to take a ride around Daytona with Wallace on race morning. If they seek any insights on what it feels like to say “I am speed,” they can visit Lightning McQueen, who will be present in the Fan Zone located in the heart of the Cup Series garage in the racetrack infield. This year marks the 20th anniversary of “Cars.” Ka-Chow!
3 more things you can shout to make it seem like you’re really dialed in to Daytona … because ‘3 for Earnhardt’
1. Shout this whenever the TV shows someone in a black No. 3 shirt: “I can’t believe it’s been 25 years!”
Earnhardt passed away 25 years ago, on Feb. 18, 2001, in the final turn of the last lap of the Daytona 500. For millions, it remains the most shocking moment in sports history, with the sport’s biggest star losing his life during its most significant event. However, the safety measures implemented following the seven-time Cup Series champion’s death have resulted in zero fatalities in NASCAR’s top three national series since that day. For further details, please revisit our comprehensive four-part series we produced for the 20th anniversary in 2021.
2. Shout this during pit stops: “Hey, we’ve seen that dude play football!”
When I covered my first Daytona 500 in 1996, pit crews consisted of mechanics from the shop who spent the entire weekend building cars, smoking free Winstons while consuming numerous cheeseburgers and beer. Today, they are finely-tuned athletes who analyze film and practice their tire and fuel strategies to the extent that they can execute pit stops in a fraction of the time it once took. All are former college athletes, ranging from hockey and baseball to many former football players. Teams scout talent through NFL-style combines, and the pit lane features former players from various FCS programs, including Alabama, Penn State, Clemson, and Virginia Tech. Hendrick Motorsports, which pioneered the transition from football to pit crew nearly 30 years ago—initially met with skepticism—has just opened a 35,000-square-foot performance center for its crews.
3. Holler this when there’s ten laps to go: “They’re gonna wreck!”
Yes, we advise you to say this every year when we write this preview. But for 67 years, that has been true, and during this 68th year, it will remain true, and for the next 68 years, it will continue to be true. In the past, that meant witnessing Petty and David Pearson racing through the grass toward the checkered flag, as they did in 1976. Or Yarborough engaging in a fistfight with Bobby and Donnie Allison in the Turn 3 grass, as occurred in 1979. Nowadays, it is the combination of the parity of the modern Gen 7 cars and the boldness of today’s drivers that leads to an annual demolition derby once the 200-lap race approaches single-digit laps remaining. For instance, Byron last year, who was struggling in the 20s mid-race, took the lead as the race concluded, but only after two major incidents after lap 187 that eliminated 16 cars.
Source: espn.com
