NASCAR announces changes to 2026 Daytona 500 qualifying
The 2026 Daytona 500 is right around the corner, and NASCAR has announced changes to qualifying. Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports went to X/Twitter to share the tweaks NASCAR made to how drivers can qualify for the race.
“The top two open cars in single-car qualifying are locked in, and they aren’t racing for the spot allotted to the top open car in each duel,” Pockrass wrote. The second change is “The remainder of the open cars race for the one spot available in each duel.”
NASCAR will have two duels for the Daytona 500 on Thursday, Feb. 12, at Daytona International Speedway. Single-car qualifying will be on Wednesday. Pockrass mentioned that 37 drivers have qualified for the Daytona. Those are the 36 drivers of teams that have charters, and Jimmie Johnson, who will drive an open car. Johnson was guaranteed a spot in the field by using the open exemption provisional, which is available to an “elite driver in motorsports who doesn’t race full-time,” per Pockrass.
Which open drivers will compete for spots in the Daytona 500?
There will be eight open entries that will compete for the final four spots. The drivers that will compete for a spot in the Daytona will be Anthony Alfredo, Justin Allgaier, Corey Heim, Corey LaJoie, B.J. McLeod, Casey Mears, Chandler Smith, and JJ Yeley. The four spots are determined in the two duels and qualifying.
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The Daytona 500 is NASCAR’s biggest race, and it officially kicks off the 2026 season. The winner of the race will not only be remembered for being a Daytona 500 champion, but they will have an early lead in the battle for the Cup Series championship.
And this year’s championship format is different because NASCAR is bringing back The Chase. This means that the top 16 drivers in points at the end of the regular season will compete in a 10-race chase for the title, with the winner being the one who has the most points at the end of the final race.
NASCAR has started the season with the Daytona 500 every year since 1982. William Byron has won the last two Daytona 500s, and Denny Hamlin is the active leader in race wins with three.