DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The wait is over. It's finally race day as the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off Sunday with the 60th running of the Daytona 500. When the green flag flies at 2:30 p.m. ET, drivers will race for 200 laps in hopes of cementing their place in auto NASCAR history.
Front row starters Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin will lead the field to start the race. Bowman, an 81-start Cup Series veteran, will be behind the wheel of now-retired NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s famous No. 88 as he seeks his first Daytona 500 win. As for Hamlin, the 2017 Cup Series playoff driver already knows what it's like to take home the checkered flag at The Great American Race, doing so in 2016.
Ryan Blaney will start the race third after winning the first Can-Am Duel in impressive fashion Thursday. Chase Elliott won the second duel and will start the race fourth. Both drivers wasted no time winning in their new rides with Blaney moving from the No. 21 to No. 12 and Elliott going from the No. 24 to the No. 9.
Starting lineup for the 2018 Daytona 500
Alex Bowman Denny Hamlin Ryan Blaney Chase Elliott Joey Logano Kevin Harvick Darrell Wallace Jr. Erik Jones Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Clint Bowyer Kurt Busch Kyle Busch Ryan Newman Austin Dillon David Ragan Paul Menard Daniel Suarez Trevor Bayne Jamie McMurray AJ Allmendinger Chris Buescher Michael McDowell Ty Dillon Martin Truex Jr. (champion) Brendan Gaughan Kasey Kahne Jeffrey Earnhardt Danica Patrick Justin Marks DJ Kennington Brad Keselowski Corey LaJoie William Byron Gray Gaulding Jimmie Johnson Matt DiBenedetto Aric Almirola Kyle Larson David Gilliland Mark Thompson
BOLD -- indicates 2017 NASCAR Cup Series playoff driver
How to watch the Daytona 500
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: Sunday, Feb. 18
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Length: 200 laps/500 miles
Stage 1: Ends on lap 60
Stage 2: Ends on lap 120
Final stage: Scheduled for lap 200
TV: Fox
Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Past Daytona 500 winners racing Sunday
2017: Kurt Busch
2016: Denny Hamlin
2015: Joey Logano
2013: Jimmie Johnson
2011: Trevor Bayne
2010: Jamie McMurray
2008: Ryan Newman
2007: Kevin Harvick
2006: Jimmie Johnson
If you're interested in hearing what it's like to cross the finish line as the winner at Daytona, check out our interview with one-time 500 champion Trevor Bayne below. Bayne became the youngest to win The Great American race in 2011 just a day after his 20th birthday.
Odds to win the 2018 Daytona 500
Betting odds for Sunday's Great American Race, per VegasInsider.com
Brad Keselowski 7/1
Chase Elliott 8/1
Denny Hamlin 9/1
Joey Logano 12/1
Kevin Harvick 12/1
Kyle Busch 12/1
Jimmie Johnson 15/1
Kyle Larson 15/1
Martin Truex Jr. 15/1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 15/1
Field (any driver not listed, such as Danica Patrick) 15/1
Alex Bowman 20/1
Clint Bowyer 20/1
Erik Jones 20/1
Kurt Busch 20/1
Ryan Blaney 20/1
Jamie McMurray 25/1
William Byron 25/1
Aric Almirola 30/1
Austin Dillon 30/1
Daniel Suarez 35/1
Paul Menard 35/1
Trevor Bayne 40/1
Darrell Wallace Jr. 50/1
Ryan Newman 50/1
Kasey Kahne 65/1
Ty Dillon 75/1
Our Pick: Chase Elliott
Elliott showed us everything we needed to see during the second Can-Am Duel. We believe Elliott will break his second-place slump and earn his first career Cup Series victory on NASCAR's biggest stage. The 22-year-old's victory in the Duels locked in his fourth-place starting position, meaning he will have started four out of his five Daytona 500s in the top four.
VegasInsider has Elliott at 8/1 odds to win the race, second only to Brad Keselowski. Already the preseason favorite to win NASCAR's Most Popular Driver this season, Elliott ushers in the next era of NASCAR drivers Sunday, blocking the field on the final lap to win the race in his father's famed No. 9.
Now let's take a closer look at some of the drivers competing Sunday.
The Champion's Club
Kurt Busch celebrates after winning the 2017 Daytona 500. USATSI
NASCAR veteran and 2004 Cup Series champ Kurt Busch will be looking to defend his 2017 Daytona 500 title. Busch is no stranger to the front of the pack on the massive restrictor-plate track; before his victory last season, the No. 41 driver finished as the runner-up three times. While Kurt attempts to defend his checkered flag, his brother and fellow Cup Series champion Kyle Busch is seeking his first Daytona 500 win.
"It would mean the world to me," Kyle Busch said to CBS Sports when asked about potentially winning the Daytona 500. "It would mean just as much as winning that first championship back in 2015. It's the biggest race that we have. It's The Great American Race, it's the Daytona 500, it's our Super Bowl."
One of Kyle Busch's rivals on the track is restrictor-plate guru and 2012 Cup champion Brad Keselowski. The No. 2 driver has yet to win a Daytona 500 despite winning at the track in the summertime before. However, this year he's off to a hot start after winning the Clash on Sunday. Keselowski was so confident in his car and ability that he even tweeted before that race that he believed he would win.
Keselowski's desire to win The Great American race is so fierce that he told CBS Sports he would be willing to draft with Busch on the final lap if it meant taking home a checkered flag. It'll be an uphill battle for him though after getting caught up with Jamie McMurray in a wreck on the final laps of Duel No. 1.
.@JamieErdahl just asked Brad Keselowski if he'd work with rival Kyle Busch on the final lap if it meant winning the #Daytona500.. His answer? "Absolutely" without hesitation. — Matthew Mayer (@MatthewMayerCBS) February 14, 2018
Another NASCAR champion seeking a first Daytona 500 win? Last year's title winner Martin Truex Jr. The No. 78 driver absolutely dominated last season, winning eight races including the final one at Homestead. While Truex's average finish on restrictor-plate tracks is 26.7, he did come within .01 seconds of winning when Hamlin won the 500 two years ago.
So we've gotten through three of the Championship 4 drivers from last season, but now it's time to move to Stewart-Haas Racing's Kevin Harvick. The 2014 Cup Series champion is no stranger to Victory Lane at this 2.5-mile superspeedway, adding his name to the Harley J. Earl trophy in 2007. Harvick will be looking to rebound from a lackluster 33rd-place finish last season. He hasn't finished higher than 22nd at Daytona since July 2016.
How could we talk about champions without bringing up Jimmie Johnson? The two-time Daytona 500 winner will begin his pursuit of a record eighth Cup title Sunday in his 17th season. Despite a disappointing (if you can call it disappointing) finish of 10th in the standings last year, Johnson brings 83 career victories, 222 top fives and 341 top 10s into 2018. A checkered flag at Daytona would not only tie him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth all-time with 84 wins but it would also punch his ticket to the playoffs before the season even hits its stride. He will have some work to do, starting from the rear after totaling his car in the first Can-Am Duel.
The Next Generation of NASCAR
USATSI
Now it's time to talk about the new wave of NASCAR drivers. We mentioned Bowman and Elliott earlier, but this wouldn't be a preview post unless we talked about Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, William Byron, Darrell "Bubba" Wallace and more. The Daytona 500 is an opportunity for drivers to make a bigger name for themselves on the national stage and each of these young phenoms will be looking to make his mark.
Elliott, a heavy favorite to replace Dale Jr. as NASCAR's most popular driver, just barely missed out on his first career win multiple times last season. The most notable came at Phoenix ahead of the Championship 4 when now-retired driver Matt Kenseth passed him on the final laps to spoil his hopes for that elusive checkered flag. This season, Elliott moves from Jeff Gordon's No. 24 to his father Bill Elliott's famous No. 9. Elliott is one of the Vegas favorites to win the race at 8/1.
Taking Elliott's spot in the No. 24 this season is rookie sensation William Byron. The 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion will be making his much-anticipated Cup Series debut on the sport's biggest stage as he attempts to follow in Gordon's footsteps. Heck, Byron even brought the famed flames back onto the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. However, if Byron really wants to follow Gordon's lead, he'll have to win at Daytona. The NASCAR legend had three 500 victories over the course of his Hall of Fame career. Byron is expected to start from the rear of the field after being on the wrong end of a wreck in the first Can-Am Duel.
While we're talking Hendrick Motorsports let's talk about Alex Bowman. We mentioned him earlier as the pole sitter, but now it's time to take a deeper dive. Who exactly is this 24-year-old? Well, he's actually not as new to the sport as you might think. Bowman already has 81 Cup Series starts under his belt as he takes over for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He didn't race at the Cup level last season as he developed Hendrick's simulator, but did race twice in the Xfinity Series. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention he won one of those races. Expect Bowman to contend for a 500 crown Sunday.
Not much has been said about Erik Jones heading into this race and we're not necessarily sure why. Jones is the only driver in NASCAR history to win Rookie of the Year honors in all three series and now he heads over to one of the sport's top teams in Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones will be taking over for Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 car and is expected to contend for the playoffs this season. If he wants to win the Daytona 500 he'll have to do it from the back of the pack after crashing out of the second Can-Am Duel.
Duel No. 1 winner Ryan Blaney is in somewhat of a similar spot to Jones this season in that he's moving from a satellite team to the big dogs. Blaney is making the move from the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford to Team Penske. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene last season and finished ninth in the playoff standings when all was said in done. Many are expecting Blaney to make a big jump this year as he gains popularity among fans.
And finally let's talk about Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. He has been the talk of the town heading into the Daytona 500. His electric personality is something NASCAR has been seeking for quite some time as he joins The King's team, Richard Petty Motorsports. Wallace is the first African-American driver into the sport full-time since 1971. He only has four Cup starts under his belt, so Sunday's 500 will be his first. Wallace finished 33rd in last season's Xfinity Series race at Daytona.
The Danica Double
Danica Patrick is getting ready to suit up for two final rides into the sunset as the GoDaddy girl Getty Images
Danica Patrick will be making her final NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday. It's only fitting that her swan song takes place at the track where she made her mark in the sport. She was the first female to win a pole, lead laps and score a top-10 finish at Daytona.
Fans are used to seeing Patrick in the No. 10, but that car now belongs to Aric Almirola. This time around, Patrick will suit up in the car she made her debut in, the No. 7 GoDaddy Chevrolet. The spotlight will certainly be on Patrick for NASCAR's Super Bowl while her Super Bowl champion boyfriend Aaron Rodgers will also be in attendance. Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning will also be at the track Sunday in a different role, leading the field to green in the Toyota pace car.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. who is the 60th annual Daytona 500 Grand Marshall reflected on his father's death Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. who is the 60th annual Daytona 500 Grand Marshall reflected on his father's death Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona 500: Peyton Manning signs autographs during a run through the garages before the start of the Daytona 500 Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.
Daytona 500: Peyton Manning signs autographs during a run through the garages before the start of the Daytona 500 Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.
All the drivers in the 60th annual Daytona 500 were announced before the race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
All the drivers in the 60th annual Daytona 500 were announced before the race at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
NFL quarterback Peyton Manning led the Daytona 500 drivers in a pace car on Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway.
NFL quarterback Peyton Manning led the Daytona 500 drivers in a pace car on Sunday at the Daytona International Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Daytona 500 drivers to start their engines before the race at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Daytona 500 drivers to start their engines before the race at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Daytona 500 drivers to start their engines before the race at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Daytona 500 drivers to start their engines before the race at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.
The first big name to encounter problems was Denny Hamlin, but it was largely of his own doing. The 2016 Daytona 500 winner went to the pits on Lap No. 12 but overshot his box. Hamlin backed up but the nose of his car was still over the line. That earned him a one-lap penalty as a NASCAR official stood in front of Hamlin’s car as the field roared by. The pack was long gone by the time Hamlin got on the track, so he missed the draft and had to chug along by himself. Kyle Busch was running fifth when encountered problems on Lap 29. His left rear tire went flat on the backstretch. Busch kept control of the car but had to limp around to the pits for new rubber. The only active driver with multiple Daytona 500 wins is Jimmie Johnson. After wrecking in Thursday’s qualifying race, he had to start in 35th on Sunday. But Johnson quickly maneuvered his backup car into the fourth place as the race neared the 100-mile mark. Beginning of the race The Daytona 500 started under mostly sunny skies but a decidedly mixed view on who will be the first to the finish line in about three hours. The favorite is Brad Keselowski, who started 31st and quickly settled in for what he hopes is an uneventful slog to the front. The problem for him and every other driver, of course, is that the Daytona 500 is never uneventful. When it comes to wrecks, it’s never a question of if but when they will occur and how many cars will be caught in the mayhem. Last year’s winner, Kurt Busch, led only one lap. Luckily for him, it was lap No. 200. Kevin Harvick led 50 laps and finished 22nd. There were eight cautions and 15 cars were knocked out of the race. Added to that uncertainty is the turnover of drivers as NASCAR keeps ushering in replacements for legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Nearly half the field is comprised of drivers in the 20s. Alex Bowman started on the pole in his first race as Earnhardt’s replacement in the No. 88 car. All that, and the 24-year-old is listed as a 20-1 longshot to win. Chase Elliott, the 22-year-old superstar-in-waiting, is listed at 9-1. He nearly won last year’s Daytona 500 but ran out of gas in the final laps. Harvick, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are all listed at 12-1, while seven-time Cup champ Jimmie Johnson is 15-1. But as the cars roared around the track for the first lap Sunday, the only sure bet is that there will be chaos to come. Danica’s new beau Danica Patrick, competing in her final NASCAR event, shared a pre-race kiss with her new boyfriend, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers right before the 60th annual Daytona 500. Patrick’s car was surrounded by reporters, fans and members of her family prior to the race. Lost dog is found NASCAR can be a dog-eat-dog competitive world, but it turns out there are pet lovers among the racing family. There was a pre-race crisis about an hour before the Daytona 500 when driver Brad Keselowski’s family found their small dog was missing at the racetrack amid a crowd of more than 100,000 people. Keselowski’s wife, Paige, tweeted a plea to help find the missing pooch: “We have lost our sweet Tess here at @DISupdates ! Please if you see her let us know. thank you!” The tweet went viral among the NASCAR community and was retweeted by Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wife, Amy. She added her own plea to find the lost god: “Please keep your eyes out for the Keselowski’s sweet little dog! She’s lost at the track today!” The story had a happy ending. About 17 minutes after the first missing dog alert was tweeted, Paige Keselowski tweeted, “She’s back!!!!!” along with a photo of her and daughter Scarlett hugging Tess. Amy Earnhardt confirmed the news. “The found her. End search party & continue cold beer party,” she tweeted. Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflects on return to Daytona as Grand Marshal for Great American Race Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflects on return to Daytona as Grand Marshal for Great American Race SEE MORE VIDEOS Former champions reflect on Daytona experiences Three-time Daytona 500 champion Bobby Allison (1978, 1982, 1988), 1972 champion A.J. Foyt and 1985 champion Bill Elliott all agreed winning at Daytona jump-started their careers. “I had won some NASCAR races, but not here,” Allison said before the 60th annual Daytona 500. “It made a tremendous difference in the way people treated me. Sponsors jumped up for me and all those kinds of things. It was really good.” Foyt could barely put the feeling of winning the 1972 Daytona 500 into words. Elliott said he’d won a few races in 1984, but Daytona was special. “I hadn’t done a lot to that point,” Elliott said. “To come here and win at Daytona was kind of the pinnacle. We felt like, when we were racing… if you ran good, everything would take care of itself. You put yourself in a position to win, some things come together and you win a race. “A fantastic feather in my cap for my career. Wouldn’t take anything in the world for it.” What to expect in the restrictor-plate mix and mingle for the 60th running of the Daytona 500 Here’s the perspective from Ryan Blaney of Penske Racing:
“I think Sunday is gonna be way different than the Clash just because you’ve got 40 cars. With 17 it’s hard to get enough people to commit down there to want to go. I know there are maybe four or five cars that at one point tried to go and they couldn’t. That’s kind of a product of who is leading the top lane, honestly. Brad’s car was super-fast, so the top lane was really fast, so you won’t see that Sunday. “With 40 if one car pulls down, you’re gonna have 10 of them go down there, especially if you’re 25th on back. Why not? What have you got to lose? You won’t really see that, but it’s a lot about the lead car, who is leading that group. If it’s a fast-enough car and they can kind of pull that lane and then they know how to slow up the top lane and then go to the bottom of the race track, so it’s a lot about the lead car, but a lot of people will be more willing to do it Sunday than the Clash just because there are a lot more cars.” Chipper Jones feels at home at Daytona Chipper Jones was one of the dignitaries at Sunday’s Daytona 500 and seemed a bit humbled to be coming back home to his Volusia County roots as a Baseball Hall-of-Famer. “I used to come to the track all the time – Daytona 500s, Firecracker 400s, you name it,” said Jones, the Atlanta Braves great who was just voted into Cooperstown. “I saw Richard Petty win his 200thrace here. … This was a big part of my childhood.” Jones was born in DeLand and spent his formative years in Pierson, a tiny northwest Volusia County town where his father Larry Sr. was a teacher and coach at Taylor High School. Chipper transferred to Jacksonville Bolles during his sophomore year and helped the private school powerhouse win a state championship. “It’s been crazy and chaotic the last few weeks (after the Hall of Fame announcement),” Jones said. “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing and buzzing with text messages and phone calls from people all over the country. It’s been really cool to see how many current Hall-of-Famers have sought out my phone number and called me to say congratulations.” Asked if he has started working on his Hall of Fame induction speech, Jones said and laughed. “It’s going to be a long one. There’s a ton of people in Volusia County and Jacksonville and the City of Atlanta to thank and I certainly don’t want to forget anybody.” Charlize Theron is excited to start race When Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron heard she was named honorary starter for the 60th annual Daytona 500, she thought the committee made some kind of mistake. Now that she’s here, she’s not going anywhere. “Even if they made a mistake, I’m not leaving,” she said with a wide smile. She added, “I don’t really know the intricate details of NASCAR, but I really love the sport of car racing. I grew up with a family that really loved the sport. I’m very excited to be here today and to learn more. I cannot wait for those cars to take off.” She spent some time promoting her upcoming movie Gringo, which she’s starring in and producing. “It’s a really fun movie, which I think we need more of,” she said. Honorary Starter Charlize Theron reminisced about Daytona before the Daytona 500 race on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. Honorary Starter Charlize Theron reminisced about Daytona before the Daytona 500 race on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. SEE MORE VIDEOS Theron was last in Daytona while filming for her Oscar-winning role in the movie “Monster.” Also, when she was 19, she came to Daytona for some skydiving after “a night of drinking.” Theron said she’s appreciated cars since she was a child. She used to race go-karts her father built – she was quick to mention she frequently beat the boys she went up against. “My family were real fans of car racing,” she said. “My father loved it. My father built a lot of cars. I was raised on a farm where there were always a lot of engines lying around. You realize you come from that family when at 8 you know what a spark plug does and your friends don’t.” She also mentioned her time training for the movie “The Italian Job” – she joked Mark Wahlberg threw up while going through the driving training. “He’s going to kill me,” she said while laughing. Peyton Manning ready to drive pace car Today’s Daytona 500 honorary pace car drive will be Peyton Manning. The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback was seen signing autographs for fans before the race. “Serving as the Honorary Pace Car Driver will be a truly unique and exciting experience,” Manning said in a statement when his Daytona role was announced. “I want to thank NASCAR, Daytona International Speedway and Nationwide for making this possible. I’m really looking forward to race day.” Jordan Culver/Orlando Sentinel Peyton Manning signs autographs ahead of the Daytona 500. Peyton Manning signs autographs ahead of the Daytona 500. (Jordan Culver/Orlando Sentinel) Manning won’t be the only celebrity with NFL ties at today’s race. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to be at the race to support his new girlfriend, driver Danica Patrick. A who’s who of former Daytona 500 winners was also in attendance: 1972 champion A.J. Foyt, three-time champ Bobby Allison, 1985 champ Bill Elliott and seven-time champion Richard Petty. Manning drew quite the crowd of onlookers and autograph seekers as the former NFL superstar tried to make his way from the driver’s meeting to pit row. He was met with a chorus of ‘Omahas’; his signature audible call during his time with the Denver Broncos while some wishful thinking fans asked him to come out of retirement and sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Daytona 500: A.J. Foyt signs autographs before the start of the Daytona 500 Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. Daytona 500: A.J. Foyt signs autographs before the start of the Daytona 500 Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. SEE MORE VIDEOS Shirt maker fan stakes spot to get autographs It’s hard to miss Tammy Pickett. The Kentucky native can usually be found camped outside the media center at the Daytona International Speedway armed with a handful of fluorescent yellow t-shirts and a Sharpie. Each shirt features a personalized message like ‘I [heart] Charlize Theron’ with a bright red heart in place of the word love. “A.J. Foyt. A.J. sign my t-shirt,” she screamed out to the racing legend Sunday. Foyt took a few moments to sign the shirt and pose for a photograph. This is the seventh year that Pickett has been here for the Daytona 500. Each time, she brings a new batch of handmade t-shirts with her geared for the particular celebrity, driver or athlete who will be on hand for the annual event. She has over 400 shirts adorned with signatures from just about everybody including several presidents including Trump, Clinton and even Jimmy Carter. They are featured on the walls of his embroidery shop in Russell Springs. Rascal Flatts spoke about their excitement leading up to their performace at the 2018 DAYTONA 500 Pre-Race Show. Rascal Flatts spoke about their excitement leading up to their performace at the 2018 DAYTONA 500 Pre-Race Show. SEE MORE VIDEOS
Each season, NASCAR begins with its biggest race, the Daytona 500, a quirk that is unique in sports. On Sunday, the 60th annual Daytona 500 goes green at Daytona International Speedway at 3 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX.
Alex Bowman (195.644 mph) and Denny Hamlin (195.092 mph), the 2016 race winner, share the front row after posting the fastest speeds in qualifying last weekend. Bowman is making his first start as the full-time driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, replacing the retired Dale Earnhardt Jr. Heralded third-year drivers Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott start third and fourth, respectively, earning those positions by winning their Duel qualifying races on Thursday.
Defending Daytona 500 winner, Kurt Busch, starts 11th, alongside younger brother Kyle Busch, the 2015 Cup Series champion who is still seeking his first Daytona 500 win. If Kurt Busch wins Sunday, he will become just the fourth driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s, joining Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), and Sterling Marlin (1994-95).
Danica Patrick will make her final career NASCAR start from the 28th position, having announced last November she would retire from NASCAR after this weekend. Patrick is the only female driver to win the Daytona 500 pole (2013) — or in any Cup Series race — and she is also the only woman to lead a lap in the Daytona 500.
Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, will serve as the grand marshal and give the command for drivers to start their engines. Other notables in attendance include former NFL quarterback and five-time MVP Peyton Manning, Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron, and Chipper Jones, one of baseball’s newest Hall of Famers.
SB Nation will provided continuous live coverage throughout the race.
Prerace reading
While there has been a surprise winner or two over the last five seasons -- David Ragan (2013, Talladega) and Aric Almirola (2014, Daytona) more than qualify -- a look at drivers who’ve won the previous 20 plate races shows a lot of the same names. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have won 16 of those 20 races, an 80 percent winning clip.
Continuing a theme that has swept over the sport, NASCAR’s youth movement was on full display Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway. Twenty-four-year-old Ryan Blaney and 22-year-old Chase Elliott each won their Duel qualifying races in advance of Sunday’s Daytona 500, positioning themselves as viable contenders in the Cup Series season opener.
Patrick had to stop and compose herself multiple times when she announced last November at Homestead-Miami Speedway that her full-time racing career was coming to an end following the 2017 Cup Series season finale. That emotion was absent Saturday, Patrick explained, because she came to peace with her decision and is excited about her prospects of competing in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 in May, then calling transitioning to a life outside motorsports.
For those that had to make the changeover, Friday was about thrashing, hammering and getting a backup ready with the hope it was as good the primary. Aric Almirola, William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto, Austin Dillon, David Gilliland, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, and Kyle Larson are those who are now behind the wheel of a backup car. They will each have to fall to the rear of the starting grid.
Prerace
As anticipated, the scene surrounding Danica Patrick’s car prior to the race was chaotic. Among those wishing Patrick well before her final NASCAR race was her family and close friends, along with boyfriend and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Danica Patrick, Aaron Rodgers along with family and friends prior to the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/L4oEdt60Vn — Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) February 18, 2018
Lap 5
Denny Hamlin passed pole-sitter Alex Bowman to lead the opening lap of the Daytona 500. Rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. continued his strong Speedweeks and is running second to Hamlin, with Erik Jones third, Kurt Busch fourth and Ryan Blaney fifth.
Lap 9
Corey LaJoie broguht the first caution on the afternoon when the engine in his No. 72 Chevrolet suffered a failure. During the caution period the field pitted where leader Denny Hamlin overshot his pit stall and was subsequently penalized one lap for getting service while the car was outside the pit stall.
Lap 20
Alex Bowman is leading the Daytona 500, passing defending race-winner Kurt Busch. Bowman did not race in the Cup Series last season and is making his first start on a restrictor-plate track since October 2016 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Lap 33
Kyle Busch is the latest Joe Gibbs Racing driver to have an early issue, joining teammate Denny Hamlin. Busch had a flat left-rear tire forcing an unscheduled green-flag pit stop, but was able to get the No. 18 car back to the pits without damaging it. He did, however, lose a lap.
Lap 51
Kyle Busch’s hopes of winning a first-ever Daytona 500 took a big blow following a second flat tire that caused him to crash. The accident occurred in Turn 3 and in the aftermath Jamie McMurray and D.J. Kennington also suffered damage. All three drivers were able to make repairs and return to the race, though McMurray fell a lap down while Bsuch is now three laps behind.
More tire issues for Kyle Busch. It didn't go quite as smoothly this time. https://t.co/BzSorEMhK6 — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 18, 2018
Lap 60
The “Big One” has struck and several notables were collected in the pileup, including Jimmie Johnson, Daniel Suarez, William Byron, Kyle Larson and Erik Jones. The crash happened on the final lap of Stage 1 when contact between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Ryan Blaney stacked up the field and in the aftermath Suarez was tagged and sent slamming into the wall.
Defending Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch won the first stage, collecting 10 championship points. Alex Bowman finished second, followed by Stenhouse, Blaney, Martin Truex Jr., Michael McDowell, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Larson, and Paul Menard.
CLOSE USA TODAY Sports' Mike Hembree breaks down all the hottest story lines heading into the race. USA TODAY Sports
Kurt Busch, left, celebrates his victory in the 2017 Daytona 500 with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove, USA TODAY Sports)
It's NASCAR race day at Daytona International Speedway, and we've got all the information you need to get ready for today's 60th annual Daytona 500, the season-opener of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
START TIME: Newly retired NASCAR superstar and two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will instruct drivers to start their engines at 2:53 p.m. ET, while retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will drive the pace car leading the field around the track. Academy Award winning actress Charlize Theron will wave the green flag at 3:05 p.m. ET.
RACE DISTANCE: The Daytona 500 is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway for a total of 500 miles.
RACE STAGES: After a successful run last season, NASCAR will once again be dividing races into segments and handing out points. Here are the stages for today's race: Stage 1: 60 laps, Stage 2: 60 laps, Stage 3: 80 laps.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: The Navy Band Southeast will perform the national anthem at 2:46 p.m. ET followed by a flyover by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds.
TV/RADIO SCHEDULE: Fox will broadcast the race and has a pre-race show beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The Motor Racing Network and Sirius/XM NASCAR Radio will call the event on the radio.
SUNDAY: Spotlight for 60th Daytona 500 is on youth movement
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WEATHER: The Weather Channel is calling for a gorgeous day in Daytona Beach with mostly sunny skies, a high of 74 degrees and a slim 5% chance of precipitation.
DANICA DOUBLE: Danica Patrick will make her final career NASCAR start today before ending her racing career where it began — at the Indianapolis 500 in May. Patrick's best career finish in the Daytona 500 is an eighth-place showing in 2013 when she started from the pole.
LAST TIME: Kurt Busch led just one lap — the final one — to score his first career victory in NASCAR's biggest race. Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick led the most laps (50) but finished 22nd. Their were eight cautions last year, and 15 cars crrashed out of the race.
LINEUP: Alex Bowman, who took over the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet when Earnhardt Jr. retired, will start from the pole alongside 2016 Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Here is the lineup for the 60th annual Daytona 500 (car number in parentheses):
1. (88) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
2. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
3. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
4. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
5. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
6. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford
7. (43) Darrell Wallace Jr., Chevrolet
8. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota
9. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford
10. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford
11. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford
12. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota
13. (31) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet
14. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
15. (38) David Ragan, Ford
16. (21) Paul Menard, Ford
17. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota
18. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford
19. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet
20. (47) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
21. (37) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet
22. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford
23. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
24. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota
25. (62) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet
26. (95) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet
27. (00) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet
28. (7) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet
29. (51) Justin Marks, Chevrolet
30. (96) DJ Kennington, Toyota
31. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford
32. (72) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet
33. (24) William Byron Chevrolet
34. (23) Gray Gaulding, Toyota
35. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
36. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford
37. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford
38. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
39. (92) David Gilliland, Ford
40. (66) Mark Thompson, Ford
