The 2026 Daytona 500 was a NASCAR Cup Series race and the 68th running of the event. It was held on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It was the first race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
The race saw 65 lead changes, with the total of 26 different leaders (out of a 41-car field) being a Daytona 500 record. 23XI Racing's Tyler Reddick avoided multiple accidents on the final lap and passed Chase Elliott just before the start/finish line to claim both his and the team's first Daytona 500 victory, as well as the ninth win of his Cup Series career and his first since the 2024 Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished 2nd, and Joey Logano finished 3rd. Elliott and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five, and Zane Smith, Chris Buescher, Riley Herbst, Josh Berry, and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top ten.
Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is long. The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.
In 2026, the Daytona 500 will be held on its traditional Presidents' Day weekend. However, Daytona announced on October 22, 2025, that the 2027 Daytona 500 would be a week later, held on February 21, 2027, to avoid a conflict with the Super Bowl.
For the second consecutive year, 41 cars will be in the Daytona 500, Jimmie Johnson is guaranteed a spot with the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP).
Austin Cindric was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 48.025 seconds and a speed of .
Kyle Busch scored the pole for the race with a time of 49.006 and a speed of . Noah Gragson had his time disallowed for using his hand to deflect air and attempting to gain an advantage.
The Duels at Daytona are a pair of NASCAR Cup Series races held in conjunction with the Daytona 500 annually in February at Daytona International Speedway. They consist of two races 60 laps and 150 miles (240 km) in length, which serve as heat races that set the lineup for the Daytona 500. Both races sets the lineup for positions 3âÂÂ32. The first race sets the lineup for cars that qualified in oddâÂÂnumbered positions on pole qualifying day. The second race sets the lineup for cars that qualified in evenâÂÂnumbered positions. Positions 33âÂÂ36 are filled by the four drivers that posted the fastest lap in pole qualifying that didn't lock in a position in the Duel's. Positions 37âÂÂ40 are set by the four cars highest in the 2019 owner's points that didn't lock in a position in the Duels and weren't among the cars that posted the four fastest timed laps in pole qualifying.
Austin Dillon was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 46.006 seconds and a speed of .
Ryan Preece was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 46.676 seconds and a speed of .
Stage One Laps: 65
Stage Two Laps: 65
Stage Three Laps: 70
Since 2001âÂÂwith the exception of 2002, 2004 and 2006âÂÂthe Daytona 500 has been carried by Fox in the United States. The booth crew consisted of longtime NASCAR lap-by-lap announcer Mike Joy, Clint Bowyer, and 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick. Jamie Little, Regan Smith, and Josh Sims handled pit road for the television side. 1992 and 1998 Daytona 500 winning crew chief Larry McReynolds provided insight on-site during the race.
The race was broadcast on radio by the Motor Racing Network who have covered the Daytona 500 since 1970âÂÂand simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. The booth crew consisted of Alex Hayden, Mike Bagley, and former championship crew chief Todd Gordon. Longtime turn announcer Dave Moody was the lead turn announcer, calling the race from atop the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 2 when the field races through turns 1 and 2. Kyle Rickey worked the backstretch for the race from a spotter's stand on the inside of the track & Tim Catalfamo called the race when the field races through turns 3 and 4 from the Sunoco tower outside the exit of turn 4. On pit road, MRN was operated by Lead MRN Pit Reporter Steve Post, Chris Wilner, and PRN Radio's Brad Gillie.