Strap yourself in for one of the highlights of the motor racing calendar and one of the most anticipated annual global sporting events. Speedweeks at the Daytona International Speedway, fondly known as ‘The World Center of Racing’, officially kicks off the NASCAR season with an action-packed schedule of races across several different racing series, culminating with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 15.
Let GOAL bring you all the vital information you need to know ahead of the 2026 edition of the Daytona 500, including the week’s schedule and how you can watch and stream all the live action. Don’t miss out as the drivers battle it out for glory and a chance to cement their place in NASCAR history.
When is the 2026 Daytona 500?
The Daytona 500 takes place on Sunday, February 15, with a start time of 2:30 pm (ET) for the race itself.
There are practice and qualifying sessions on Wednesday, February 11, followed by the two ‘Duels’ on Thursday, February 12, which will determine the Daytona 500 starting line-up.
Where will the Daytona 500 take place?
The Daytona 500 has been held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, annually since 1959. As the tri-oval track is 2.5 miles (4 km) long, it requires 200 laps to complete the prestigious Daytona 500, which as the name suggests is raced over 500 miles. The Daytona International Speedway is arguably one of the most recognizable tracks and not just in motorsports, but from music and movies too.
How to watch the 2026 Daytona 500
FOX Sports, which is showing NASCAR action for a 26th consecutive season this year, will be broadcasting live coverage from the Daytona International Speedway from Wednesday to Saturday on FS1, with the focal point, the Daytona 500, live on FOX itself on Sunday.
For radio listeners, the Motor Racing Network (MRN), will cover the action, which will also be simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. MRN is the primary source for NASCAR racing, with their coverage delivered via satellite to nearly 650 radio stations nationwide.
SiriusXM NASCAR Radio offers you unparalleled access to the drivers, crew chiefs, team owners, and other racing insiders. From post-race interviews in victory lane and in the garage, you'll get the latest news and information from your trusted source for all things NASCAR.
Fans can stream the 2026 Daytona 500 with a subscription to Fubo or by using the Fox Sports app. Fubo is a top-quality streaming service that offers access to NASCAR and a whole world of sports. Fubo offers multiple subscription plans, including the 'Fubo Sports', which costs $45.99 for the first month and then $55.99 per month for subsequent months. It's streamlined and sports-focused with over 28 channels, including ESPN Unlimited, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, NFL Network, Tennis Channel, and local networks like ABC, CBS, and Fox.
What is the 2026 Daytona 500 schedule?
| Date | Time (ET) | Session | Watch / Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, February 11 | 10:00am | Practice 1 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) |
| 8:15pn | Qualifying | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) | |
| Thursday, February 12 | 7:00pm | Duel #1 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) |
| 8:45pm | Duel #2 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) | |
| Friday, February 13 | 5:35pm | Practice 2 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) |
| Saturday, February 14 | 3:00pm | Practice 3 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) |
| Sunday, February 15 | 2:30pm | Daytona 500 | FS1 (FOX Sports app / FuboTV) |
What is the Daytona 500 format?
Traditionally, there are 40 drivers in the Daytona 500 field, which consists of 36 guaranteed spots, with the four others filled by qualifiers. However, with the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner, Jimmie Johnson, guaranteed a spot through the Open Exemption Provisional ruling, 41 cars will be in Sunday’s race for the second year running.
The four open/qualifying spots can be secured in two ways. Either by being the highest-finishing open driver in their qualifying races (‘Duels’) on Thursday, or by being one of the top-two open cars during single-car qualifying on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night, each of the 45 cars will make one qualifying lap, with the top 10 advancing to a second round, to take another lap. The drivers who finished first and second in the final round will start on the front row for the Daytona 500, with the fastest earning the pole.
On Thursday night, the two 150-mile ‘Duels’ will then determine the Daytona 500 starting line-up. The 36 charter teams will be split evenly among those two races based on their qualifying speed from the previous night.
Recent Daytona 500 winners
The last ten winners of the Daytona 500 are as follows:
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | William Byron |
| 2024 | William Byron |
| 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 |
What to expect at Daytona 500
Our appetite for a brand new season of thrilling NASCAR action was suitably whetted by the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium earlier this month, and now we are primed and ready for the real 2026 NASCAR Cup Series curtain-raiser. It’s the 68th running of the Daytona 500, aka "The Great American Race" and eight previous winners are lining up in search of further glory.
Ryan Preece isn’t one of those previous winners, but he heads into Speedweek at Daytona in fine fettle after claiming the Cook Out Clash crown at Bowman in front of a fervent sellout crowd at the historic track. Preece will be buzzing following his win in Winston-Salem, but he’ll have to up his game in Florida, as it hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the RFK Racing driver in the past. Since making his rookie appearance at Daytona in 2019, the Connecticut-born star has only recorded two top-10 finishes (8th in 2019 & 6th in 2021). If Preece does pull out all the stops and maintains his winning start to the 2026 NASCAR season he’ll become the 7th driver to double-up, claiming early season victories in both the Clash and the 500 at Daytona.
Denny Hamlin also accomplished the Clash/Daytona 500 double back in 2016 and he’ll become the joint second most honoured Daytona 500 driver if he takes the flag this Sunday. Hamlin claimed an inspirational victory for this third Daytona success in 2020, when soaring through the field from 21st spot on the grid to triumph. All the winners since 2018, including Hamlin, go again this year.
Having finished second, behind Ryan Preece, at the Cook Out Clash a fortnight ago, William Byron will be aiming to go one better at Daytona. If he does, he’ll go down in NASCAR folklore. Following his back-to-back 2024 & 2025 wins in the Daytona 500, Byron now attempts to claim an unprecedented third consecutive victory in ‘The Great American Race’.
We’ve had many memorable motoring moments since The Daytona International Speedway first flung open its doors. Lee Petty was the inaugural winner of the Daytona 500 in 1959, but it would be his son Richard Petty who would go down in Daytona history. He still tops the most wins table, having roared to victory in the illustrious race a record-seven times. ‘The King’ won his first race at Daytona Beach in 1964 and would land his seventh and last one, 17 years later in 1981.