DAYTONA BEACH — It’s not just the NASCAR world that turns its attention to Daytona International Speedway today. The Daytona 500 is one of America’s signature events.
2026 brings the 68th running of the Great American Race. Due to weather concerns, the start time for the annual Cup Series opener was pushed up an hour. The green flag will arrive at 2:13 p.m., and the race will air on Fox.
It caps a week full of racing — ARCA, Trucks, O’Reilly (former Xfinity) Series. But this is the big one. It’s the 11th straight Sunday sellout.
William Byron will chase his third consecutive Harley J. Earl trophy. Kyle Busch will start on the pole.
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Daytona 500 live updates
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Large crash in the tri-oval on Lap 85.
It started with Connor Zilisch near the front of the field. Chase Briscoe suffered a stiff hit from Austin Dillon. Also involved: Cody Ware, Ty Gibbs and Ty Dillon.
NASCAR breaks each race into chunks and awards points to those holding the top-10 positions. Most events are divided into three stages, including the Great American Race, though the Coca-Cola 600, the Cup Series’ longest marathon, has four.
At the end of each stage, the top 10 drivers earn points based on their track position, with the leader earning 10 points, second place gaining nine and so forth. The stage winner gains an extra point toward the postseason, assuming he makes the playoffs.
The Daytona 500 is roughly one-third of the way over.
Zane Smith won the first stage. Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney trailed him to the line.
Not a great day for the two-time defending champion yet.
On Lap 57, he collided with the wall but recovered fairly quickly. No other cars were involved, and no caution came out.
Here’s what the running order looks like at Lap 56.
- Chase Briscoe
- Chase Elliott
- Denny Hamlin
- Joey Logano
- Austin Dillon
Forty laps down and half a stage down, 160 to go. Here’s the top five:
- Chase Briscoe
- Ty Gibbs
- Joey Logano
- Shane van Gisbergen
- John Hunter Nemechek
After being involved in the first wreck of the day, BJ McLeod’s race is done.
He was evaluated and released from the infield care center.
After the first caution, the Cup Series cars are back to racing.
On Lap 23, John Hunter Nemechek leads with Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski behind him.
President Trump attended the 2025 Daytona 500, his second visit as president. There was much conjecture in recent days about him possibly coming again, but in the end, he didn’t.
After the first caution and a round of pit stops, Kyle Busch is in front with Ross Chastain behind him. Still under caution on Lap 11.
- Kyle Busch
- Ross Chastain
- Cody Ware
- Jimmie Johnson
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The caution is out for the first time seven laps in.
BJ McLeod got around, and two-time defending Daytona 500 champion William Byron caught a piece. Casey Mears and Justin Allgaier did, too.
It’s been 25 years since NASCAR lost Dale Earnhardt in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500.
As a tribute, NASCAR fans held up three fingers, matching the number on his iconic car, during the third lap of this year’s race.
Earnhardt won the 1998 Great American Race.
At 2:14 p.m. on Feb. 15, the 2026 Daytona 500 is underway. Bart Simpson waved the green flag, and Kyle Busch and Chase Briscoe led the field to green.
Daytona 500: Watch the moment the green flag was waved
The 68th running of the Daytona 500 is under way. Here’s the moment the green flag was waved.
The honorary starter is Bart Simpson, the iconic animated character from “The Simpsons.” The show will air its 800th episode tonight.
The National Weather Service’s forecast lists a 30% chance of showers, primarily after 5 p.m. The race should be well under way after its estimated green flag taking place at 2:13 p.m.
It will be windy at Daytona International Speedway, with southwest winds averaging 15-20 miles per hour and reaching as fast as 30 mph.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will appear at the end of the national anthem. They should make their presence known just a few minutes before the green flag, which is set for 2:13 p.m.
The Harley J. Earl trophy was hauled out of the infield media center at 12:20 p.m. We are just hours away from a new name being added to it.
Across 67 years, 43 drivers have won the Daytona 500.
Lee Petty, father of Richard Petty, won the first in 1959. William Byron claimed the last two in 2024 and 2025.
Can confirm: There are a lot of people inside Daytona International Speedway. For the 11th straight year, the Daytona 500 is sold out. That includes all grandstand tickets and camping slots.
The grandstands running from the exit of Turn 4 to the entrance of Turn 1 hold 100,500 seats with many corporate suites between the lower and upper tiers. In the infield, estimates range from another 10,000 to 20,000.
Michael Jordan joined Fox’s pre-race TV coverage to talk about the Daytona 500. He also commented on the anti-trust trial between NASCAR and a couple of its teams (including Jordan’s 23XI Racing), which was resolved with a settlement in December.
“I think, coming out of that, we have a much better appreciation of each other,” Jordan said.
The stars are out for the 2026 Daytona 500.
In addition to those with official Speedway roles like Grand Marshal Nate Bargatze and pace car driver Kurt Russell, NFL legends Jon Gruden and Marshawn Lynch have been spotted around the infield.
Nate Bargatze is Daytona 500 grand marshal
Nate Bargatze has not practiced his starting command much. He wants to be reactive and rely on the energy in the moment. But he has watched videos of past grand marshals.
“I’ve been to races. I’ve been to Daytona,” he said. “This many people out here watching this is the experience … It’s the best to be at these events.”
Actor Kurt Russell will lead the Daytona 500 field to the green flag this afternoon.
“It’s fun for me,” he said. “I used to race cars with my sisters. My family raced seriously, quarter midgets when I was young. I was fortunate enough to win a world championship … It’s always been big in our family, and the Daytona 500 has become a really, really cool event.”
The president is no stranger to Daytona International Speedway. In recent years, he served as grand marshal in 2020 and made a special appearance at last season’s race.
But he is not expected to attend the 2026 running.
Miranda Lambert will perform the pre-race concert before today’s Great American Race. But before then, the country music star dropped by the infield media center.
Speedway President Frank Kelleher gifted her a custom Daytona 500 guitar.
“I’m excited,” she said. “This place is massive. I came to Daytona a long time ago … but it’s been a while. I feel like I’m getting my NASCAR passion back quick.”
The Daytona 500 will go 200 laps around the 2.5-mile track, giving a final total of 500 miles — plus a few more if it extends to overtime. Usually, the race lasts three or three and a half hours, depending on caution periods.
What time does the Daytona 500 start?
- Start time: 1:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Coverage of the 2026 Daytona 500 is set to start at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15. The start time changed from its traditional 2:30 p.m. start time because of bad weather in the forecast. The green flag is expected to start closer to 2 p.m.
What channel is Daytona 500 on today?
- TV channel: Fox
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
- Radio: MRN | SiriusXM (Channel 90)
Watch Daytona 500 live on Fubo (free trial)
- Row 1: Kyle Busch (8), Chase Briscoe (19)
- Row 2: Joey Logano (22), Chase Elliott (9)
- Row 3: Ryan Blaney (12), Carson Hocevar (77)
- Row 4: Austin Dillon (3), Kyle Larson (5)
- Row 5: Brad Keselowski (6), Michael McDowell (71)
- Row 6: John Hunter Nemechek (42), Christopher Bell (20)
- Row 7: Shane van Gisbergen (97), Josh Berry (21)
- Row 8: Daniel Suarez (7), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47)
- Row 9: Casey Mears (66), Todd Gilliland (34)
- Row 10: Ryan Preece (60), Ty GIbbs (54)
- Row 11: Alex Bowman (48), Denny Hamlin (11)
- Row 12: Cole Custer (41), Erik Jones (43)
- Row 13: Noah Gragson (4), Tyler Reddick (45)
- Row 14: Bubba Wallace (23), Riley Herbst (35)
- Row 15: Corey Heim (67), Zane Smith (38)
- Row 16: Jimmie Johnson (84), Connor Zilisch (88)
- Row 17: Cody Ware (51), Ty Dillon (10)
- Row 18: AJ Allmendinger (16), Austin Cindric (2)
- Row 19: Ross Chastain (1), BJ McLeod (78)
- Row 20: William Byron (24), Justin Allgaier (40)
- Row 21: Chris Buescher (17)
Daytona 500 weather update
AccuWeather predicts 79 degrees with intermittent clouds in the forecast for the green flag in Daytona Beach, Florida. Winds are expected to blow out of the south at 15 mph with gusts up to near 30 mph. There is about a 35% chance of rain at the start of the race that increases to 50% with thunderstorms forecast from 6-8 p.m.
Daytona weather radar
Daytona 500 odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Feb. 14:
- Ryan Blaney: +1200
- Joey Logano: +1200
- William Byron: +1400
- Denny Hamlin: +1400
- Austin Cindric: +1600
- Chase Elliott: +1600
- Kyle Busch: +1600
- Zach Allen: Kyle Busch
- Chris Boyle: Ryan Blaney
- Chris Vinel: Chase Elliott
- Ken Willis: Connor Zilisch
