The energy is electric at Daytona Beach as NASCAR’s 2026 season roars to life, and fans are already buzzing after a dramatic qualifying night at Daytona International Speedway. Wednesday’s single-car qualifying session set the stage for what promises to be a thrilling 68th annual Daytona 500, with Kyle Busch capturing his very first pole position for the iconic race. The veteran driver, now 40, clocked a blistering 183.651 mph lap in the final round, barely edging out last year’s polesitter, Chase Briscoe, by a razor-thin 0.064 mph. As the sun set over the famed 2.5-mile oval, the tension was palpable—after all, this is Daytona, where legends are made and heartbreak is never far away.
Busch’s pole-winning run was more than just another fast lap. It marked his 21st start in the Daytona 500, a milestone that carries its own weight. No driver has ever won the race with more than 20 attempts, and the late Dale Earnhardt finally triumphed in his 20th start—for the same team owner, Richard Childress Racing, that now fields Busch’s car. “Certainly, here on a Wednesday night, being able to qualify on my first pole for the Daytona 500, that’s pretty special,” Busch said, grinning from ear to ear. “Just a valiant effort by everybody here. It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night.”
Chase Briscoe, piloting the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, was gracious in defeat but clearly hungry for more. “It’s cool for sure to be able to consistently [qualify] two years in a row now,” Briscoe reflected. “It’s really a testament to the folks back at JGR. We’ve made so many improvements on our superspeedway program. This race really comes down to, at least in qualifying, attention to detail, just doing every little thing.” Briscoe, now 31, has become a fixture at the front of the field, but he knows as well as anyone that the real challenge comes on Sunday.
The qualifying format at Daytona is unlike any other in the NASCAR Cup Series. Wednesday’s single-lap sprints determined only the front row—Busch and Briscoe—while the remainder of the 41-car starting grid will be finalized based on the results of Thursday night’s America 250 Florida Duel races. These two 60-lap Duels, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and around 8:45 p.m. ET, are more than just a formality; they’ll decide who fills out the odd- and even-numbered starting spots for the Daytona 500 and which four non-chartered (open) cars will be sent home. The stakes couldn’t be higher for those on the bubble.
For 2026, the Duel races will air live exclusively on Fox Sports 1, not Fox, as part of the sport’s seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights agreement. Fox’s portion of the NASCAR broadcast schedule now features 14 races, including 12 points events, and continues to rely on the trusted voices of Mike Joy—marking his 26th year as lead announcer—alongside analysts Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. Joy’s steady presence and the dynamic insights from Bowyer and Harvick have become a staple for fans tuning in across the country.
The drama in qualifying didn’t stop with the battle for the pole. Hendrick Motorsports flexed its muscle once again, with Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott all advancing to the final round—placing sixth, seventh, and ninth, respectively. Bowman’s best lap of 49.152 seconds was just a whisker ahead of Larson’s 49.158 and Elliott’s 49.22. William Byron, another Hendrick standout, will also be looking to make noise in the first Duel. The team’s consistent performance at Daytona qualifying is no accident, but as Briscoe quipped, “It’s the kid in me… being on the front row, for two years in a row at the Daytona 500. It’s a really big deal.”
Among the open (non-chartered) cars, Corey Heim and Justin Allgaier emerged victorious in qualifying, locking themselves into Sunday’s main event. Heim, the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, will make his Daytona 500 debut after a nerve-wracking night. “Just kind of nerve-wracking for sure to say the least,” Heim admitted. “But as soon as we knew all cars would be out in the second round except for us, that’s kind of the final solidifying factor. I thought for a minute, three of us were going to be in the final round, and we were going to have to race it out.” Allgaier, meanwhile, is making his second consecutive Daytona 500 start in the No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “I thought there would be less stress, but I felt like for me, the stress level actually went up compared to last year,” Allgaier said, reflecting on the high stakes and his team’s strong showing.
Not everything went smoothly for every driver. Front Row Motorsports’ Noah Gragson had his qualifying time disallowed after using his hand to affect airflow—a violation of a new NASCAR rule. “I completely forgot about that rule,” Gragson admitted. “That one’s on me.” He’ll start last in his Duel, with a steep hill to climb if he hopes to make the main event.
The Duel lineups themselves are packed with star power and storylines. Duel 1 features pole-winner Kyle Busch, Ryan Preece, Corey Heim, Alex Bowman, Chris Buescher, Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, and a host of other contenders. Duel 2 is headlined by Briscoe, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, and more. Each Duel will determine the inside and outside starting spots for the Daytona 500 grid, with the top 10 finishers in each earning valuable regular-season points. With 41 cars vying for just 37 chartered spots and four open slots, the pressure is on for every driver—especially those in open entries, who face the prospect of packing up early if they don’t perform.
The Daytona 500 itself is scheduled for Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on Fox, HBO Max, and radio broadcasts via MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Fans can also stream the action on FOX ONE and through various digital apps, ensuring no one misses a moment of the Great American Race. The full NASCAR Cup Series field in 2026 boasts a who’s who of racing talent, from Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch to Hendrick Motorsports’ quartet of Bowman, Larson, Elliott, and Byron, as well as stalwarts from Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and beyond.
As the engines fire for Thursday night’s Duels, anticipation is at a fever pitch. Will Busch’s quest for a first Daytona 500 victory finally come to fruition in his 21st attempt? Can Briscoe, Hamlin, or one of the Hendrick drivers steal the show? With so much on the line and a field this deep, anything can happen at Daytona. The only certainty is that fans are in for a wild ride as Speedweeks continues to build toward Sunday’s main event.
With the front row set and the Duels about to unfold, all eyes remain fixed on Daytona Beach. The chase for NASCAR’s most coveted trophy is officially underway, and the storylines are only just beginning to unfold.