Daytona 500 FAQ as NASCAR hopes to open its Cup Series season with an American classic
DAYTONA BEACH — They will run the Daytona 500. That much we know.
We know where they'll run it: Daytona International Speedway.
We know why they'll run it: It's the most-watched automobile race in North America and, for NASCAR, the most prestigious.
We know how they'll run it: 40 cars hoping to complete 200 laps, broken into three stages, around a 2.5-mile track. The math: 200 x 2.5 = 500.
It's the when that's in question, and with that in mind, let's dive into the nut and bolts of the 66th edition of The Great American Race.
When is the Daytona 500?
Currently, the Daytona 500 is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, though that is subject to change do to weather. More on that below.
What channel is the Daytona 500 on?
The Daytona 500 will air on Fox.
Where is the Daytona 500?
The Daytona 500 is held each year at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
How many laps is the Daytona 500?
The Daytona 500 is scheduled for 200 laps, though that number could grow if a caution flag comes out late. Last year's Great American Race was the longest ever at 212 laps after two green-white-checkered restarts.
Daytona 500 weather update
As of Friday morning, the forecast for this weekend is still very dour. There is an 80% chance of rain on Saturday morning and that balloons to 90% by Saturday night.
The chance of rain for Sunday's Daytona 500 is up to 70%
Daytona 500 predictions
News-Journal sports editor Ryan Pritt and sports columnist Ken Willis each gave their predictions on the winner of the Great American Race as well as some for the NASCAR Cup Series season. Pritt took Brad Keselowski to win this week while Ken went with the crowd favorite, Chase Elliott.
Daytona 500 purse
The purse breakdown for Speedweek is as follows:
Daytona 500: $28,035,991
Xfinity Series: $3,510,021
Truck Series: $1,058,336
Starting grid for Daytona 500
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Harrison Burton, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Zane Smith, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Chase Briscoe, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
Ryan Preece, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Kaz Grala, No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Core LaJoie, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
David Ragan, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Josh Berry, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Ricky Stenhouse, No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Hemric, No. 31 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Riley Herbst, No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Anthony Alfredo, No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet
Noah Gragson, No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford,
Odds to win the Daytona 500 (via Hard Rock Bet)
+1000: Joey Logano
+1100: Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin
+1200: Ryan Blaney
+1400: Chase Elliott
+1500: Kyle Busch, Christopher Bell
+1600: Kyle Larson
+1750: Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, William Byron
+2000: Michael McDowell, Ty Gibbs
+2250: Martin Truex Jr.
+2500: Ross Chastain, Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick
+3000: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric
+4000: Austin Dillon
+5000: Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Chase Briscoe
+6000: Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar, John Hunter Nemechek, Daniel Suarez, Noah Gragson, AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton
+7500: Riley Herbst, Zane Smith, Jimmie Johnson, David Ragan, Justin Haley
+10000: Anthony Alfredo, Daniel Hemric, Todd Gilliland, Kaz Grala
Who won the Daytona 500 in 2023?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won last year and is the reigning event champion.
Who has won the most Daytona 500s?
Richard Petty has the most Daytona 500 wins with seven.
Daytona 500 winners by year
1959: Lee Petty, No. 42 Petty Enterprises Oldsmobile
1960: Junior Johnson, No. 27 John Mansoni Chevrolet
1961: Marvin Panch, No. 20 Smokey Yunick Pontiac
1962: Fireball Roberts, No. 22 Jim Stephens Pontiac
1963: Tiny Lund, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
1964: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Plymouth
1965: Fred Lorenzen, No. 28 Holman-Moody Ford
1966: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Plymouth
1967: Mario Andretti, No. 11 Holman-Moody Ford
1968: Cale Yarborough, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Mercury
1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough, No. 98 Junior Johnson & Associates Ford
1970: Pete Hamilton, No. 40 Petty Enterprises Plymouth
1971: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Plymouth
1972: A.J. Foyt, No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury
1973: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge
1974: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Dodge
1975: Benny Parsons, No. 72 L.G. DeWitt Chevrolet
1976: David Pearson, No. 21 Wood Brothers Mercury
1977: Cale Yarborough, No. 11 Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet
1978: Bobby Allison, No. 15 Bud Moore Engineering Ford
1979: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Oldsmobile
1980: Buddy Baker, No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Oldsmobile
1981: Richard Petty, No. 43 Petty Enterprises Buick
1982: Bobby Allison, No. 88 DiGard Motorsports Buick
1983: Cale Yarborough, No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Pontiac
1984: Cale Yarborough, No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Chevrolet
1985: Bill Elliott, No. 9 Melling Racing Ford
1986: Geoffrey Bodine, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
1987: Bill Elliott, No. 9 Melling Racing Ford
1988: Bobby Allison, No. 12 Stavola Brothers Racing Buick
1989: Darrell Waltrip, No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
1990: Derrike Cope, No. 10 Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet
1991: Ernie Irvan, No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
1992: Davey Allison, No. 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford
1993: Dale Jarrett, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet
1994: Sterling Marlin, No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
1995: Sterling Marlin, No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet
1996: Dale Jarrett, No. 88 Robert Yates Racing Ford
1997: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
1998: Dale Earnhardt, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
1999: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2000: Dale Jarrett, No. 88 Robert Yates Racing Ford
2001: Michael Waltrip, No. 15 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
2002: Ward Burton, Bill Davis Racing Dodge
2003: Michael Waltrip, No. 15 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
2004: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet
2005: Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2006: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2007: Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2008: Ryan Newman, No. 12 Penske Racing Dodge
2009: Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2010: Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Earnhardt Gannassi Racing Chevrolet
2011: Trevor Bayne, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
2012: Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
2013: Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2014: Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
2015: Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
2016: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2017: Kurt Busch, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
2018: Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2019: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2020: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
2021: Michael McDowell, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
2022: Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
2023: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 JTG Daugherty Chevrolet
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona 500 2024 FAQ: NASCAR race on tap Sunday, weather permitting