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2026 daytona speedweek
 Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 12 days to go

 

February 3, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The car number 12 has been on DAYTONA 500 winning cars only twice – once with Bobby Allison in 1988 and again with Ryan Newman’s victory in 2008. That win for Newman proved to be among the most celebrated in the race’s history, however, as it came in the 50th running of The Great American Race. It marked the first DAYTONA 500 crown for legendary team owner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Roger Penske whose drivers, Newman and Kurt Busch finished first and second that day. And Penske would go on to collect two more Daytona 500 trophies – winning it with Joey Logano in 2015 and Austin Cindric in 2022.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

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Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 13 days to go

 

February 2, 2026

 

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

 

On Feb. 19, 2024, in his 13th start in a points-paying race at Daytona International Speedway, William Byron won his first DAYTONA 500, leading only the final four laps of the Great American Race. The driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet already had a victory to his credit at the World Center of Racing, having won the 2020 summer event at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. On Feb. 16, 2025, Byron successfully defended his win in NASCAR’s biggest race, setting up a try for an unprecedented third straight DAYTONA 500 victory on Sunday, Feb. 15.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

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Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 14 days to go

 

February 1, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As an owner-driver of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing entry from 2009-2016, Tony Stewart hoisted a pair of NASCAR Cup Series race trophies at Daytona International Speedway – including a 2009 victory in the summer 400-miler from pole position. But the NASCAR Hall of Famer – who has 16 Daytona trophies – from a combination of victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and IROC - never won the DAYTONA 500. His closest finish in 17 DAYTONA 500 starts was a lone runner-up effort coming in 2004, when he finished .273-second behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ironically, Stewart carried the No. 14 in honor of his racing hero, A.J. Foyt who drove the No. 14 to DAYTONA 500 glory in 1972 – the only time that number has visited Victory Lane in the Great American Race.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

 
 

Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 15 days to go

 

January 31, 2026

 

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

 

Michael Waltrip drove the No. 15 Chevrolet to victory in the fateful 2001 DAYTONA 500, ending a streak of 462 races without a win from the start of his NASCAR Cup Series career. But there was no celebration. Waltrip’s car owner, seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., lost his life in a collision with the outside wall on the final lap. Two years later, however, Waltrip would repeat the victorious feat in the No. 15 DEI Chevy, adding his name to the list of multiple winners of the Great American Race.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

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Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 18 days to go

 

January 28, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The number 18 was magical for two of NASCAR’s most beloved stars. Both eventual NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison (1978) and Buddy Baker (1980) won their first Daytona 500 on their 18th start in the Great American Race. Ironically, it was a heartbreaking blown engine for Baker with five laps remaining in that 1978 race that essentially left the trophy to Allison, who had been running second. Allison would go on to win two more Daytona 500s in his decorated career. And Baker would emerge from that 1978 disappointment to claim his only Daytona 500 trophy in 1980 – taking less fuel than his competition on a strategic final pit stop for his famous “Gray Ghost” Oldsmobile.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

 

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Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 19 days to go

 

January 27, 2026

 

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - No driver in a No.19 car has ever won the DAYTONA 500, but Chase Briscoe took a step in the right direction last year with his pole-winning run for the Great American Race. In his first season in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No.19 Toyota, Briscoe clocked in at 182.745 mph to earn the top starting spot for the 67th running of the event. Not only did Briscoe put a Toyota on the pole for the first time in DAYTONA 500 history (leading to a fourth-place finish), but he also went on to score a NASCAR-Cup-Series-best seven pole positions during the 2025 season.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Countdown to the DAYTONA 500: 20 days to go

 

January 26, 2026

 

By Holly Cain

NASCAR Wire Service

 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - While the No. 20 has long been a common number on the NASCAR Cup Series starting grid, surprisingly it has only been carried on the side of a DAYTONA 500-winning car one time in the race’s 67-year history - when Marvin Panch drove it to Daytona glory in 1961, the third edition of the Great American Race. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell currently steers the No. 20 and will be making his seventh start in the race. His best finish is fourth in 2024.

 

Tune-in to the 2026 DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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