The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series is ready to rev the engine once again and will drop the flag on a new season at the familiar home of one of its biggest races worldwide this weekend, with the latest staging of the Daytona 500.
The first of the sport’s four majors will see almost two dozen teams take to the track in pursuit of the best start possible, with pedal-to-the-metal action set to enthrall a home state audience in Florida and beyond.
Defending race victor Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will have hopes of joining the illustrious group of two-time winners at this famed event, but reigning champion Ryan Blaney and Team Penske will hope to start his title defense in impressive fashion too. With a long road between now and the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in September and a total of three dozen competitive races throughout the campaign and post-season, every racer will want to make a good impression regardless.
But, where can you watch the NASCAR Daytona 500? When will it take place? And how will it all play out? GOAL brings you everything you need to know about the 2024 Daytona 500 below.
When is the NASCAR Daytona 500?
Getty ImagesThe NASCAR Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, February 18th, with a start time of 2:30 pm (EST) for the race itself.
Practice takes place over Friday, February 16th, and Saturday, February 17th, around preliminary events.
Where does the NASCAR Daytona 500 take place?
Getty ImagesThe NASCAR Daytona 500 takes place at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 2.5-mile tri-oval track, which has been used in its current format since 1959, will be the course for the event, though the venue also has an additional circuit used for the 24 Hours of Daytona.
How to watch NASCAR Daytona 500
Getty Images In the United States, coverage of the NASCAR Daytona 500 will be shown on FOX and additionally streamed through the FOX Sports streaming app. The preliminary events will be shown on the channel’s pay-television affiliate FOX Sports 1.
The best way to ensure you have access to all the NASCAR races of the 2024 season is a FuboTV subscription. Fans can catch all the Daytona 500 action with Fubo, which offers a free trial.
NASCAR Daytona 500 Winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. |
| 2022 | Austin Cindric |
| 2021 | Michael McDowell |
| 2020 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2019 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2018 | Austin Dillon |
| 2017 | Kurt Busch |
| 2016 | Denny Hamlin |
| 2015 | Joey Logano |
| 2014 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
| 2013 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 2012 | Matt Kenseth |
| 2011 | Trevor Bayne |
| 2010 | Jamie McMurray |
NASCAR Daytona 500 Schedule
The NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 features an extended schedule that stretches over half a week as the official curtain-raiser of the 2024 season.
A number of events will take place as preliminary entertainment through Thursday, February 15 up to the race itself on Sunday, February 18.
You can also find our full NASCAR Cup Series schedule here.
Here's a detailed schedule of the weekend's Daytona 500 events:
| Date | Time (ET) | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Feb 15 | 7:00 P.M. | Bluegreen Vacations Duel #1 |
| 8:45 P.M. | Bluegreen Vacations Duel #2 | |
| Friday, Feb 16 | 5:35 P.M. | Daytona 500 Practice |
| 7:30 P.M. | Fresh from Florida 250 Truck Series | |
| Saturday, Feb 17 | 10:30 A.M. | Daytona 500 Final Practice |
| 1:30 P.M. | Daytona ARCA 200 | |
| Sunday, Feb 18 | 2:30 P.M. | Daytona 500 Race |
FAQs
Getty ImagesWhat is the race format for the NASCAR Daytona 500?
The NASCAR Daytona 500 is a 200-lap feature race between just under two dozen teams, held on the tri-oval track at the Daytona International Speedway at Daytona Beach, Florida.
At two-and-a-half miles per lap, the event runs for 500 miles in total and pits its racers together in a straight shootout. The victor is the first to cross the checkered flag at the conclusion of the final lap.
Who is the defending race victor at the NASCAR Daytona 500?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is the defending race victor at the NASCAR Daytona 500, having placed first at the season opener in 2023.
The victory for the JTG Daugherty Racing driver was the biggest of his career, but marked his only top-three finish for the campaign, with his next-best result a fourth-place finish at the Food City Dirt Race.
What are the other NASCAR Cup Series majors outside of the Daytona 500?
Beyond the Daytona 500, there are three other NASCAR Cup Series majors, with the Winston 500, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500 completing the quartet required for a Grand Slam.
The Daytona 500 is the richest major on the calendar, with the Winston 500 the fastest, the Coca-Cola 600 the longest and the Southern 500 the oldest.
What will be the next NASCAR Cup Series event after the Daytona 500?
The next NASCAR Cup Series event after the Daytona 500 will be the Ambetter Health 400, set to be held on Sunday, February 25 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.
Will the NASCAR Cup Series return to the Daytona International Speedway?
The Daytona 500 will not be the only visit to the Daytona International Speedway for teams, with the NASCAR Cup Series returning to the track in August.
There, the penultimate regular season race, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, will take place in what is a crucial event on the way to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.