Drivers, start your engines!!! The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season has arrived and not a moment too soon. As always, the sport is set to kick off its season with the Daytona 500. The 64th annual running of The Great American Race marks the culmination of Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway. This year’s Daytona 500 sold out well over one month in advance. Over 101,000 will be on hand to witness history this Sunday afternoon. Fittingly, defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson will lead the field to green after scoring the pole position in the Daytona 500 starting lineup.
The following shares all sorts of vital information to help get you set for the 64th running of The Great American Race. Read on for the complete Daytona 500 starting lineup, start time and NASCAR TV as well as notes and key takeaways from qualifying.
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona International Speedway
2022 Daytona 500 Info
64th Annual Daytona 500
Date: Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022
Start Time: 2:30 p.m. EST
Track: Daytona International Speedway — Daytona Beach, FL
Coverage: FOX
Pole Sitter: Kyle Larson
Defending Champion: Michael McDowell
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Daytona 500 Race Breakdown
Distance: 500 miles
Laps: 200
Lap Length: 2.5 miles
Stages: Three (Laps 1-65; 66-130; 131-200
Surface: Asphalt
Turns: 4
Banking: Turns — 31°; Tri-Oval — 18°; Back Straightaway — 2°
Official Daytona 500 Starting Lineup
Out of all the NASCAR Cup Series races, the Daytona 500 has the most elaborate process for determining the starting lineup. Of course, any true NASCAR fan will say that the two-night qualifying process is most certainly necessary for the “Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing”. After all, the Daytona 500 isn’t just any other race.
When it comes to setting the Daytona 500 starting lineup, only the front row is decided based on single-car time trial runs. This year, defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson turned the fast qualifying lap. Thus, he will start on the pole in Sunday’s race. Larson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman will join him on the front row in the Daytona 500 starting lineup. This marks the continuation of stellar qualifying runs for Bowman as it is the fifth straight year that he will start on the front row.
The rest of the 2022 Daytona 500 starting lineup was filled out based on the results of Thursday evening’s Bluegreen Vacations Duel races. The following table displays the complete starting grid for this year’s Great American Race.
| Starting Position | Driver | Car Number | Team | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cole Custer | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 2 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 3 | Tyler Reddick | 8 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 4 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 5 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Justin Haley | 31 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 7 | Ty Dillon | 42 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 8 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 10 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 11 | Kyle Busch | 18 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 12 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 13 | Kurt Busch | 45 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 14 | Erik Jones | 43 | Petty GMS Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 15 | Chris Buescher | 17 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 16 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 18 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing | Ford |
| 19 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 20 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 21 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 22 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing | Toyota |
| 23 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford |
| 24 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 25 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske | Ford |
| 26 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 27 | Justin Allgaier | 77 | Spire Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 28 | Noah Gragson | 16 | Kaulig Racing | Chevrolet |
| 29 | J.J. Yeley | 15 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 30 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 31 | Aric Almirola | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 32 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing | Ford |
| 33 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing | Chevrolet |
| 34 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota |
| 35 | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford |
| 36 | Josh Williams | 78 | Live Fast Motorsports | Ford |
Note: Joey Logano to start at the rear (backup car)
NASCAR Daytona 500 Qualifying Notes and Key Takeaways
- Kyle Larson clinched his first career Daytona 500 pole with a qualifying speed of 181.159 MPH and lap time of 49.68 seconds.
- For the fifth year in a row, Alex Bowman will make up one-half of the front row in the Daytona 500 starting lineup after posting a lap time of 49.711 seconds.
- Hendrick Motorsports had the top three qualifying times and four of the top five from the individual time trials.
- Six cars posted sub-50 second qualifying lap times. Joining Larson and Bowman in doing so were William Byron (49.765), Aric Almirola (49.854), Chase Elliott (49.913) and Martin Truex Jr. (49.989).
- As the two fastest open cars (non-chartered) in qualifying, Noah Gragson and Jacques Villeneuve guaranteed themselves spots in the Daytona 500 starting lineup.
Bluegreen Vacations Duel Notes and Key Takeaways
- Brad Keselowski won the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 to claim the third starting spot in the Daytona 500.
- Chris Buescher won the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 to join his new RFK Racing teammate on the second row in the NASCAR Daytona 500 starting lineup.
- As a result of being the top open finisher in the first duel race, Kaz Grala locked himself into Sunday’s Daytona 500.
- Greg Biffle claimed the final available spot in the Great American Race as a result of being the top open finisher in the second duel race.
- Both of the MBM Motorsports cars failed to make the Daytona 500 NASCAR lineup. J.J. Yeley and Timmy Hill will not take part in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.
- After a failed block on the last lap of the second duel caused his car to suffer heavy damage, Joey Logano will drive a backup in Sunday’s race. As a result, Logano will be forced to abandon his spot in the Daytona 500 starting lineup and start at the rear of the field.
