After all the preliminary events for the Cup series, the Daytona 500 is almost here. There will be a lot to see in Sunday’s race.
Denny Hamlin is aiming to become the first rider in Daytona 500 history to win the race for the third time in a row. Chase Elliott is aiming to become the first reigning champion to win this race since 2000. Bubba Wallace wants to give team owners Michael Jordan and Hamlin their first win in 23XI Racing’s first points cup race.
Alex Bowman starts on the pole because Hendrick Motorsports wants to win the Daytona 500 for the first time since 2014, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ryan Blaney has finished second in the Daytona 500 in two of the last four years, while still claiming his first victory in this event.
Maybe one of the events takes place Sunday. Or something else will happen in the season-opening race.
Details for Sunday’s Daytona 500
(All times are Eastern)
START: The co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, Pitbull, instructs to start engines 14:53. The green flag is expected to fly at 15:05.
BEFORE: Garage opens at 10:30 a.m. The Luke Combs concert begins at 1:30 p.m. The driver’s launch is at 2:05 p.m. The call will be presented at 14.46. The national anthem is performed at 2.47pm, followed by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds flying past.
DISTANCE: The race is 200 laps (500 miles) around the 2.5-mile highway.
STADIUM: Phase 1 ends on round 65. Phase 2 ends on round 130.
TV / RADIO: Fox will broadcast the race at 2:30 p.m. The coverage begins at 1 p.m. The broadcast of Motor Racing Network starts at 13:30 and can also be heard on mrn.com. SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will carry the MRN broadcast.
FORECAST: The wunderground.com forecast requires a high of 74 degrees with a 59% chance of scattered thunderstorms at the start of the race.
LAST YEAR: Denny Hamlin scored his second consecutive Daytona 500 victory (and third overall) last February. Ryan Blaney finishes second. Chris Buescher becomes third. In August, William Byron won and was followed by Chase Elliott and Hamlin.
BACK: Cole Custer (backup engine), William Byron (backup engine), Ross Chastain (backup engine), Brad Keselowski (backup engine), Chase Briscoe (backup engine), Kaz Grala (backup engine), Anthony Alfredo (backup engine), Martin Truex Jr. (radiator / oil cooler change) and Erik Jones (engine change). NOTE: According to the rule book (single car rule), Jones will also start at the back of next weekend’s race on the Daytona track.
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