Daytona 500 2026

What this countdown tracks

The clock above counts down to the 2026 Daytona 500, the 68th running of NASCAR's Great American Race and the season-opening event of the Cup Series, on February 15, 2026.

About this event

The 2026 Daytona 500 is the 68th edition of NASCAR's flagship superspeedway race, opening the Cup Series season at Daytona International Speedway. The 200-lap race covers 500 miles on the 2.5-mile tri-oval and is the most-watched annual NASCAR event, also serving as the most prestigious points-paying race on the calendar.

Race week opens with Speedweeks programming that includes the Bluegreen Vacations Duels qualifying races on the Thursday before race day, the ARCA Menards Series opener, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the Saturday. Pole position is decided in single-car qualifying earlier in the week. Fox Sports holds the broadcast rights for the 2026 race.

Past results (recent winners)

• 2025: William Byron (back-to-back winner).
• 2024: William Byron.
• 2023: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
• 2022: Austin Cindric.
• 2021: Michael McDowell.

What to watch for

• Crash-and-fuel-economy late-race scenarios at the superspeedway.
• The Daytona pole-sitter announcement (the only race-week pole settled by single-car qualifying).
• Bluegreen Vacations Duels lineup positioning.
• Xfinity Series and Truck Series companion races.
• The Daytona kickoff sets the tone for the entire 36-race Cup Series season.

Related countdowns

For more 2026 motorsport season-openers, see the Formula 1 Madrid Grand Prix countdown and the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix countdown.

FAQ

When is the 2026 Daytona 500? February 15, 2026. What edition is it? The 68th running. Where can I watch? Fox Sports in the United States. Who's the defending winner? William Byron, back-to-back from 2024 and 2025.