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    Daytona 500 Start Time, Starting Grid and Stats for NASCAR Cup Series Race

    Henry JohnBy Updated:No Comments4 Mins Read NASCAR
    Daytona 500 Week NASCAR Schedule
    Credit: Peter Casey/USA TODAY Sports

    Happy early Daytona Day! The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season will commence this weekend with the annual running of the Daytona 500. Like Daytona International Speedway, the race traces its history back to 1959 and is widely recognized as the most prestigious race on the schedule. The Daytona 500 has been the opening race of the NASCAR Cup Series season every year dating back to 1982.

    Whether you fall into the category of die-hard racing fans or are more casually involved, the Daytona 500 is one not to miss. This article contains all of the vital information necessary to get you ready for the biggest weekend of the NASCAR season including the Daytona 500 start time, starting grid and statistics.

    Daytona 500 start time NASCAR Cup Series
    Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

    NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona

    Daytona 500 Race Info

    63rd Daytona 500
    Date: Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021
    Start Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
    Track: Daytona International Speedway — Daytona Beach, FL
    Coverage: FOX
    Pole Sitter: Alex Bowman
    Defending Champion: Denny Hamlin

    Daytona 500 Race Details

    Image result for daytona 500 logo

    Distance: 500 miles
    Laps: 200
    Lap Length: 2.5 miles (4.0 kilometers)
    Stages: Three (Laps 1-65; Laps 66-130; Laps 131-200)
    Surface: Asphalt
    Turns: Four

    Daytona 500 Starting Grid

    Note: See below for a breakdown of qualifying.

    Starting PositionDriverCar NumberTeamManufacturer
    1Cole Custer41Stewart-Haas RacingFord
    2Christopher Bell20Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
    3Tyler Reddick8Richard Childress RacingChevrolet
    4Chase Briscoe14Stewart-Haas RacingFord
    5Kyle Larson5Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
    6Justin Haley31Kaulig RacingChevrolet
    7Ty Dillon42Petty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet
    8Alex Bowman48Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
    9Chase Elliott9Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
    10Joey Logano22Team PenskeFord
    11Kyle Busch18Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
    12Austin Dillon3Richard Childress RacingChevrolet
    13Kurt Busch4523XI RacingToyota
    14Erik Jones43Petty GMS MotorsportsChevrolet
    15Chris Buescher17Roush Fenway Keselowski RacingFord
    16Ricky Stenhouse Jr.47JTG Daugherty RacingChevrolet
    17Michael McDowell34Front Row MotorsportsFord
    18Brad Keselowski6Roush Fenway Keselowski RacingFord
    19William Byron24Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet
    20Austin Cindric2Team PenskeFord
    21Daniel Suarez99Trackhouse RacingChevrolet
    22Bubba Wallace2323XI RacingToyota
    23Todd Gilliland38Front Row MotorsportsFord
    24Harrison Burton21Wood Brothers RacingFord
    25Ryan Blaney12Team PenskeFord
    26Corey LaJoie7Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
    27Justin Allgaier77Spire MotorsportsChevrolet
    28Noah Gragson16Kaulig RacingChevrolet
    29J.J. Yeley15Rick Ware RacingFord
    30Martin Truex Jr.19Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
    31Aric Almirola10Stewart-Haas RacingFord
    32Kevin Harvick4Stewart-Haas RacingFord
    33Ross Chastain1Trackhouse RacingChevrolet
    34Denny Hamlin11Joe Gibbs RacingToyota
    35Cody Ware51Rick Ware RacingFord
    36Josh Williams78Live Fast MotorsportsFord

    Daytona 500 Qualifying Overview

    The method for determining the Daytona 500 starting order is different from all other races on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The two cars on the front row are determined through a standard individual-car qualifying session which is scheduled for Wednesday night. By virtue of running the fastest laps during this time trial event, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and William Byron will start 1-2 on Sunday.

    Daytona Duels Qualifying Process

    The next 34 cars in the Daytona 500 starting lineup is determined by the Duels. Scheduled to take place on Thursday night, the Duels are a pair of 150-mile races to set the order of the 500 field. Cars that finish with an odd-numbered placeholder in the individual qualifying session (third, fifth, etc.) will race in Duel 1. Cars with an even-numbered placeholder (fourth, sixth, etc.) from the time trials will race in Duel 2.

    Note that when it comes to improving their starting position, drivers only have to beat the drivers in their respective duel race. Duel 1 drivers will line up in the order of finish on the inside row while Duel 2 drivers will do the same on the outside.

    Daytona 500 Qualifying for Non-Charter Teams

    So, if the Daytona 500 field contains 40 cars and we’ve accounted for the qualifying procedures of 36 thus far, what about the other four? These will be claimed by charter teams — drivers and teams who are not running a full-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule in 2021. The fastest car on the open-entry list in each duel race receives a spot in the field. The last two spots on the starting grid are granted to the two fastest charter cars in individual qualifying who did not qualify through the duels.

    Denny Hamlin Daytona 500 statistics NASCAR Cup Series
    Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

    Daytona 500 Stats

    • Richard Petty has the most Daytona 500 wins of any driver all-time with seven.
    • Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers with three wins.
    • Active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with at least one Daytona 500 victory are Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Austin Dillon.
    • Denny Hamlin has won three of the last five Daytona 500 races (2016, 2019, 2020).
    • Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 24 wins.
    • Petty Enterprises holds the most wins of any race team with nine.
    • Hendrick Motorsports leads all active race teams with eight wins but hasn’t won since 2014.
    • The 1980 edition of the race was the fastest in history. Buddy Baker won with an average speed of 177.602 mph.
    • The average speed of 2020 winner Denny Hamlin was 141.11 mph.

    Daytona 500 History and Fast Facts

    • The first-ever 500 was held in 1959 as the “Inaugural 500 Mile International Sweepstakes”; the race was won by Lee Petty.
    • Common nicknames for the Daytona 500 include “The Great American Race” and “The Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing”.
    • There is a massive lake on the infield of Daytona International Speedway known as Lake Lloyd; it is the result of the hole that was dug in order to move dirt under the heavily-banked turns of the speedway.
    • The 16 cautions in 2011 were the most ever in the history of the race.
    • Donald Trump became the first United States president to serve as Grand Marshal when he paced the opening lap of the 2020 race in the Presidential state car.
    • Pitbull will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 2021 race. WWE superstar Sasha Banks will be the honorary starter.
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    Henry’s passion for sports dates all the way back to childhood and has ultimately led to a full-fledged career as an analyst and content creator. After getting his start penning fantasy football articles, he forrayed into the betting side of the business in early 2019. His love for sports and statistics proved to be an ideal match with the dedicated research and strategy that handicapping requires. Henry currently specializes in betting analysis and picks for college football, college basketball and NASCAR. He counts the NFL, the WNBA, and NBA player props as additional leagues/markets of interest. Henry graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a Communication Studies degree and a Psychology minor. A native of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, he and his pup, Harold, have since relocated to Laramie, Wyoming. Thanks to his professional goals within the sports betting industry, there has been a whole lot of steam on the odds for a move to Las Vegas in 2023! Most of Henry’s free time is spent on outdoor adventures, playing chess, snowboarding, or reading a good book. He is also a competitive powerlifter and aspires to qualify for the USAPL Nationals meet within the next 2-3 years.

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