68th Annual Daytona 500

World Center of Racing • 500 Miles [22, 23]
PURSE: $31,045,575 [19]
FIELD: 41 CARS [24]
START: FEB 15 @ 2:30 PM ET [25]
TV: FOX | RADIO: MRN / SiriusXM [25]
RECORD PURSE INCREASE: +$714k [19]

🏁 The "Open" Class (4 Spots Available)

Of the 45 original entries, only 41 make the field [26]. The "Open" cars are the primary storyline of Speedweeks [24, 27].

CarDriverHow Determined
84Jimmie JohnsonOpen Exemption Provisional [20, 28]
67Corey HeimLocked via Speed (183.158 mph) [5, 29]
40Justin AllgaierLocked via Speed (182.923 mph) [5, 14]
66Casey MearsRaced in via Duel 1 [2]
TBDDuel 2 BattleAlfredo, Yeley, or McLeod [1, 5]

⚙️ Next Gen Technical Specs (Superspeedway)

The 2026 Cup Series car is the most advanced iteration of the Next Gen platform [21].

  • Horsepower: Restricted to 510 HP for Daytona [8].
  • Transmission: 5-speed sequential manual [11].
  • Safety: Mandatory A-post and roof flaps to prevent aerodynamic lift in spins [10].
  • Chassis: Steel tube frame with integral safety roll cage [11].

🏆 Record Pursuit

William Byron (No. 24) is attempting a historic three-peat, having won the 2024 and 2025 Daytona 500s [30, 31]. This has never been accomplished in the history of the race [30].

Closest Margin: 0.010 sec (Hamlin over Truex, 2016) [32].

Deepest Winner: Matt Kenseth (Started 39th, 2009) [33].